Backing material, ultrasonic probe, ultrasonic endoscope, ultrasonic diagnostic device, and ultrasonic endoscope device

Abstract

A backing material for suppressing the surface temperature rise of an ultrasonic probe. This backing material is provided on a back face of at least one vibrator for transmitting and / or receiving ultrasonic waves in an ultrasonic probe, and includes: a backing base material containing a polymeric material; and a heat conducting fiber provided in the backing base material, having a larger coefficient of thermal conductivity than that of the backing base material, and running through without disconnection from a first face of the backing material in contact with the at least one vibrator to a second face different from the first face.

Description

Technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a backing material to be used in an ultrasonic probe, which is used to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an ultrasound probe used when performing intracavity scanning or extracavity scanning for an object to be inspected, and an ultrasound endoscope used by being inserted into the body cavity of the object, each of which includes such a backing material. Moreover, the present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus or an ultrasonic endoscope apparatus, which includes such an ultrasonic probe or an ultrasonic endoscope and a main body unit. Background technique [0002] In the medical field, various imaging techniques have been developed in order to observe the inside of an object to be inspected and make a diagnosis. In particular, ultrasound imaging, which acquires internal information of an object by transmitting and receiving ultrasound, enables real-time ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, it is conceivable that the heat generated in the piezoelectric vibrator is transferred to the metal fiber via the composite material, and the radiation efficiency is not improved much

Also, Document 4 does not disclose an improvement in the electrical connection to the individual electrodes of the piezoelectric vibrator

[0019] Generally, in the case where the piezoelectric vibrator and the wire are coupled in one-to-one correspondence, if any one coupling fails, the entire ultrasonic probe becomes defective, and the yield becomes low

In addition, radiation efficiency is poor in terms of heat radiation, since only one lead is coupled to one vibrator

Also, heat radiation from the vibrator array is insufficient because piezoelectric ceramics such as PZT forming the vibrator is poor in thermal conductivity, and epoxy resin, silicone resin filled between a plurality of vibrators , urethane resin, etc. are also poor in thermal conductivity

Then, there has been a problem that heat radiation on the central portion of the vibrator array becomes particularly insufficient, and temperature distribution is caused, and the peak temperature becomes higher

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