Ball joint, ball joint assembly and ultrasonic imaging device comprising the assembly

Abstract

The application discloses a ball joint, comprising: a main body part comprising a ball part and a joint part, the ball part and the joint part having an inner surface and an outer surface opposite to the inner surface, the outer surface of the ball part comprising a spherical surface, the main body part further comprising a first tangent surface and a second tangent surface, the first tangent surface and the second tangent surface intersecting with the inner surface and the outer surface respectively to define a gap, the size of the gap on any radial circumference of the spherical surface being less than half of the length of the radial circumference; and a blocking part detachably connected with the main body part and configured to match the gap, so that the blocking part blocks the gap to form a hollow ball joint structure. The application also discloses a ball joint assembly and an ultrasonic imaging device comprising the same.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the medical field, in particular to a ball joint, a ball joint assembly and an ultrasonic imaging device comprising the same. BACKGROUND

[0002] Ball joint assemblies are conventional components for enabling movable connection between devices. They generally comprise a ball joint and a housing accommodating the ball joint. Thanks to the smooth and regular outer surface of the ball joint, the above-mentioned devices can be adjusted in a high degree of freedom in terms of connection angle and direction. In addition, in some use scenarios, the devices also need to be electrically connected through cables. In this case, the ball joint can also be configured to have an intermediate opening for the cable to pass through.

[0003] Some ultrasonic imaging devices comprise a scanning assembly. The scanning assembly can be connected to the main structure of the ultrasonic imaging device by means of a ball joint, so as to be able to flexibly adjust the relative position with the surface to be scanned, so as to ensure high-quality imaging. The scanning assembly needs a cable to realize electrical connection with the main body of the ultrasonic imaging device. For example, the ultrasonic transducer assembly in the scanning assembly usually needs a cable to connect the main body of the ultrasonic imaging device, so as to realize power supply and transmission of ultrasonic signals. SUMMARY

[0004] The inventors have found that the ultrasonic transducer assembly (for example, printed circuit board, PCB) and the cable need to be fixedly connected by means of welding or the like, so as to ensure good electrical connection performance. The above-mentioned fixed connection mode results in that the cable and the transducer assembly cannot be disassembled. The ultrasonic transducer assembly connected to the end of the cable cannot be disassembled and is usually large in size, which cannot pass through the intermediate opening of the ball joint. Although the cable can be avoided from the ball joint by winding or the like, such a mode inevitably increases the volume of the ball joint assembly and the risk of wear of the cable due to the extrusion of the ball joint. In addition, if the ball joint is designed as a split structure, the smooth and regular shape of the outer surface of the ball joint will be damaged, which further affects the smoothness of the movement of the ball joint assembly.

[0005] The above-mentioned defects, disadvantages and problems are solved in this document, and these problems and solutions will be understood by reading and understanding the following description.

[0006] A ball joint is provided in some embodiments of the present application. The ball joint includes a body portion including a ball portion and a joint portion, the ball portion and the joint portion having an inner surface through which an axial direction passes and an outer surface disposed opposite the inner surface, the outer surface of the ball portion including a spherical surface, the body portion further including a first tangent surface and a second tangent surface, the first tangent surface and the second tangent surface respectively intersecting the inner surface and the outer surface to define a gap, the gap having a dimension along any radial circumference of the spherical surface that is less than half the length of the radial circumference; and a blocking portion detachably connected with the body portion and configured to match the gap such that the blocking portion blocks the gap to form a hollow ball joint structure.

[0007] A ball joint assembly is also provided in some embodiments of the present application, the ball joint assembly including a ball joint and a cover. The ball joint includes a body portion including a ball portion and a joint portion, the ball portion and the joint portion having an inner surface through which an axial direction passes and an outer surface disposed opposite the inner surface, the outer surface of the ball portion including a spherical surface, the body portion further including a first tangent surface and a second tangent surface, the first tangent surface and the second tangent surface respectively intersecting the inner surface and the outer surface to define a gap, the gap having a dimension along any radial circumference of the spherical surface that is less than half the length of the radial circumference; and a blocking portion detachably connected with the body portion and configured to match the gap such that the blocking portion blocks the gap to form a hollow ball joint structure. The cover includes first and second ends disposed opposite each other, the first end including an arc-shaped inner cavity and an opening, the inner cavity being shaped to match the ball portion of the ball joint, the opening being sized to be smaller than an outer diameter of the ball portion and to allow the joint portion to pass through.

[0008] An ultrasonic imaging device in some embodiments of the present application comprises a scan assembly including an ultrasonic transducer, an adjustable arm, a main body connected to one end of the adjustable arm, and a ball joint assembly. The ball joint assembly includes a ball joint and a housing. The ball joint includes a body portion including a spherical portion and a joint portion, the spherical portion and the joint portion having an inner surface and an outer surface disposed opposite the inner surface, the outer surface of the spherical portion including a spherical surface, the body portion further including a first facet and a second facet intersecting the inner surface and the outer surface, respectively, to define a gap, the gap having a dimension along any radial circumference of the spherical surface that is less than half the length of the radial circumference, and a blocking portion removably connected to the body portion and configured to match the gap such that the blocking portion blocks the gap to form a hollow ball joint structure. The housing includes first and second ends disposed opposite each other, the first end including an arcuate inner cavity matching the spherical portion of the ball joint and an opening having a dimension configured to be smaller than an outer diameter of the spherical portion and to allow the joint portion to pass through. The joint portion of the ball joint is connected to the scan assembly, and the second end of the housing is connected to another end of the adjustable arm.

[0009] It is to be understood that the above brief description is provided to introduce some concepts in a simplified form that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined solely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all of the disadvantages mentioned in the above background or in any section of this disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] The present application will be better understood by reading the following non- limiting description of embodiments together with the attached drawings, wherein:

[0011] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ball joint of some embodiments of the present application;

[0012] Figure 2 is a top view of a ball joint of some embodiments of the present application in an assembled state;

[0013] Figure 3 is an axial cross-sectional view of a body portion of a ball joint of some embodiments of the present application;

[0014] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a connection of a body portion and a blocking portion of a ball joint of some embodiments of the present application;

[0015] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of a ball joint assembly according to some embodiments of this application;

[0016] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of an ultrasound imaging apparatus according to some embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The following describes specific embodiments of this application. It should be noted that, in order to maintain brevity, this application cannot provide a detailed description of all features of the actual embodiments. It should be understood that, in the actual implementation of any embodiment, just as in any engineering or design project, various specific decisions are often made to achieve the developer's specific goals and to meet system-related or business-related constraints, and this can change from one embodiment to another. Furthermore, it is understood that although the efforts made in this development process may be complex and lengthy, for those skilled in the art related to the content disclosed in this application, changes in design, manufacturing, or production based on the technical content disclosed in this disclosure are merely conventional technical means and should not be construed as insufficient content of this disclosure.

[0018] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the claims and description shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this application do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. The terms “an” or “a” and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms “comprising” or “including” and similar terms mean that the elements or objects preceding “comprising” or “including” encompass the elements or objects listed following “comprising” or “including” and their equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. The terms “connected” or “linked” and similar terms are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, nor are they limited to direct or indirect connections.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a ball joint 100 according to some embodiments of this application.

[0020] like Figure 1 As shown, the spherical joint 100 may include a main body portion 110 and a sealing portion 120. The main body portion 110 may include a ball portion 111 and a connector portion 112. The ball portion 111 and the connector portion 112 have a shape in the axial direction (i.e., Figure 1The spherical portion 111 has an inner surface 113 extending along the ZZ direction (as shown) and an outer surface 114 opposite to the inner surface. The outer surface 114 of the spherical portion 111 includes a spherical surface 124. The main body portion 110 also includes a first cross-section 115 and a second cross-section 116. (As shown...) Figure 1 As shown, the first cut surface 115 and the second cut surface 116 intersect the inner surface 113 and the outer surface 114, respectively, to define a notch 117. The dimension of the notch 117 on any radial (i.e., plane direction perpendicular to the ZZ axis) circumference of the spherical surface 124 is less than half the radial circumference length. Further, the sealing portion 120 is detachably connected to the main body portion 110 and its shape is configured to match the notch 117, such that the sealing portion 120 seals the notch 117 to form a hollow spherical joint structure 100.

[0021] In the above embodiment, the notch 117 allows the cable to be inserted into the gap formed on the inner surface of the main body 110 without needing to be inserted through the cable end. Furthermore, the notch 117 is small in size, less than half the circumference. Figure 2 (The top view can show this more clearly). That is, the intersection of the spherical surface 124 of the spherical part 111 with any radial plane is configured to be greater than half the circumference of the circle containing the intersection. With this configuration, even if there is a notch 117, it will not significantly affect the spherical structural integrity of the spherical surface 124. Even if there is a seam between the main body 110 and the sealing part 120 during later installation, the spherical joint 100 will not generate too much resistance with the cover (described exemplarily below) during movement, thus not affecting user operation.

[0022] It is understandable that the axial direction mentioned above refers to... Figure 1 The ZZ axis direction shown is the direction extending longitudinally along the spherical joint 100. Correspondingly, the radial plane direction mentioned above is the plane direction perpendicular to the aforementioned ZZ axis direction. Furthermore, the meaning of spherical structure does not mean an absolutely regular spherical structure; any spherical structure capable of performing the movable connection function of the spherical joint is acceptable.

[0023] The detachable connection manner of the blocking part 120 and the main body part 110 can be various, for example, the detachable connection can be realized by a clamping groove, or the detachable connection can be realized by an auxiliary connecting device such as a screw, which will be exemplarily described below. The shape of the blocking part 120 is configured to match the shape of the notch 117, which means that the blocking part 120 can better fit the first cutting surface 115 and the second cutting surface 116 of the main body part 110, and the blocking part 120 has inner and outer surfaces which substantially match the inner and outer surfaces of the main body part 110. Such a configuration facilitates that the ball joint structure 100 formed by the blocking part 120 and the main body part 110 after the blocking part 120 blocks the notch 117 is complete, regular and has an intermediate opening.

[0024] Further, the joint part 112 can be configured as a cylindrical rod 118 at one end close to the spherical part 111. The cylindrical rod 118 can ensure that the ball joint 100 is more smooth in contact with the shell after being assembled to the shell (which will be described in detail below). It can be understood that the cylindrical rod 118 also has a notch and is not a complete cylinder.

[0025] The configuration of the notch 117 will be further described in detail below. Referring to Figure 2 , a top view of the ball joint in an assembled state in some embodiments of the application is shown.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2 , in some embodiments, the first cutting surface 115 and the second cutting surface 116 are configured to be oppositely arranged, so that the shape of the notch 117 is limited to a slot shape.

[0027] The meaning of the opposite arrangement is that the first cutting surface 115 and the second cutting surface 116 are not located on the same plane. The planes where the two are located can be parallel or have a certain angle. As shown in Figure 2 , the shape of the notch 117 is limited to a slot shape in such a configuration. In a preferred embodiment, the angle between the planes where the first cutting surface 115 and the second cutting surface 116 are located is configured to be 90° or an angle smaller than 90°, so that the shape of the notch 117 is limited to a slot shape. In some other preferred embodiments, the angle smaller than 90° can include the case that the first cutting surface 115 and the second cutting surface 116 are parallel, that is, the angle is zero degrees.

[0028] Such a setting manner has multiple advantages. On the one hand, it can guarantee the spherical surface integrity of the main body 110 of the ball joint to the greatest extent, ensuring that even if there is an opening, the regular shape of the spherical surface will not be damaged. On the other hand, due to the small volume of the slot structure of the notch 117, the inner surface 113 of the main body 110 can be guaranteed to the greatest extent. During the installation of the cable and the ball joint, the cable is not easy to fall off in the recess formed by the inner surface 113. After the installation is completed, the high-integrity inner surface 113 is also not easy to cause wear to the cable. In addition, the first cutting surface 115 and the second cutting surface 116 arranged oppositely can also limit the sliding of the blocking part 121 during assembly, thereby avoiding the problem of irregular shape of the ball joint after installation.

[0029] In addition, from Figure 2 , it can be more clearly seen that the size of the notch 117 at the position of the outer surface 114 is small enough. Its size on any radial circumference of the spherical surface of the outer surface 114 (in this top view, it is any direction parallel to the paper surface) is less than half of the radial circumference length, and can also be understood as less than a semicircle. In the slot-shaped configuration manner, the size of the notch is smaller, and the influence on the outer surface integrity of the spherical surface is also smaller.

[0030] Continuing to refer to Figure 2 , the blocking part 120 can have two side surfaces matched with the first cutting surface 115 and the second cutting surface 116. In this way, after the installation is completed, the blocking part 120 can block the notch 117 to form a hollow ball joint with a middle channel 201. The blocking part 120 can also include a blocking part outer surface 121 and a blocking part inner surface 122. Among them, the blocking part outer surface 121 cooperates with the outer surface 114 of the main body 110, and the blocking part inner surface 122 cooperates with the inner surface 113 of the main body 110. In some embodiments, the blocking part outer surface 121 and the blocking part inner surface 122 can respectively have a bending degree matched with the outer surface 114 and the inner surface 113 of the main body 110. In some other embodiments, the blocking part outer surface 121 and the blocking part inner surface 122 can be flat in the radial plane direction as shown in Figure 2 . Such a setting manner can reduce the processing precision requirement and cost of the blocking part 120. This is due to the configuration manner of the slot-shaped notch 117, which maximizes the integrity of the inner and outer surfaces of the main body 110, so that the influence of the blocking part 120 on it can be ignored.

[0031] The wear of the cable by the ball joint during use should be as small as possible to ensure a longer service life and user experience. In order to achieve this purpose, in addition to the slot-shaped notch 117 described above, further solutions are provided in some other embodiments of the present application. Referring toFigure 3 Fig. 8 shows a cross-sectional view along the axial direction of the main body portion 310 of the ball joint in some embodiments of the present application.

[0032] Similar to the embodiments described above, the main body portion 310 can include a spherical portion 320 and a joint portion 330. Further, the inner surface 321 of the spherical portion 320 gradually increases in size in the direction towards the end portion 340 of the spherical portion 320.

[0033] Such an arrangement can provide the cable with as much space as possible for movement after the cable is assembled. In this way, the pressure between the cable and the inner surface 321 is smaller during movement of the ball joint, and the friction is correspondingly smaller, thereby improving the service life of the cable.

[0034] It can be understood that the gradual increase in size can be implemented in any manner. For example, as shown in Fig. 9, the gradual increase in size can be in the form of a conical configuration. In other embodiments, it can also be in the form of a circular arc or other shapes, and will not be described again. Figure 3

[0035] With reference to Fig. 10, in some embodiments, the inner surface 321 of the spherical portion 320 includes a curved surface 323 at the end portion 340 of the spherical portion 320. The curved surface 323 connects the outer surface 324 of the spherical portion 320. Figure 3 Such a configuration can provide the cable with a larger contact area at the end portion of the spherical portion 320, thereby further reducing the degree of wear of the cable when it contacts the end portion 322 of the spherical portion 320.

[0036] As described above, the detachable connection between the main body portion and the blocking portion of the ball joint can be in various manners. The following provides an exemplary description of a preferred detachable connection. In some embodiments, the ball joint can further include a connecting portion. Further, the main body portion and the blocking portion are detachably connected through the connecting portion. Compared to the detachable connection between only the main body portion and the blocking portion, the provision of the third connecting portion can further improve the reliability of the ball joint. The arrangement of the connecting portion is described in detail below.

[0037] With reference to Fig. 11, the main body portion 310 and the blocking portion 320 of the ball joint 300 in some embodiments of the present application are shown in a perspective view of the connection manner. It can be understood that the shape, structure, and other manners of the main body portion 310 and the blocking portion 320 can be in any manner of other embodiments of the present application. The main body portion 310 is provided with a through hole 311. The blocking portion 320 is provided with a threaded hole 321 corresponding to the position of the through hole 311. The connecting portion 330 includes a screw 331. The screw 331 passes through the through hole 311 and is connected with the threaded hole 321, thereby realizing the detachable connection of the main body portion 310 and the blocking portion 320.

[0038] Figure 4 ​​​

[0039] The above configuration has the advantages of easy disassembly and firm connection. More importantly, based on the above-mentioned notch configuration, the disassembly of the main body 310 and the blocking part 320 is more convenient and reliable. Specifically, the size of the notch 340 is smaller than half the size of the circumference or even a slot shape, so that the screw 331 is not easy to slip between the blocking part 320 and the main body 310 during assembly, and the through hole 311 and the screw hole 321 are not difficult to align, which affects the assembly. Moreover, the smaller size of the notch also makes it possible for the main body 310 and the blocking part 320 to be assembled not completely tight after the screw 331 is assembled, without affecting the integrity of most of the spherical surface of the spherical surface of the spherical joint 300.

[0040] With reference to the above Figure 4 In some embodiments, the outer surface 312 of the main body 310 can include a recess 313. The size of the recess 313 is configured to be able to accommodate the end of the screw 331. The through hole 311 is arranged in the recess 313.

[0041] Such an arrangement allows the end of the screw 311 to be accommodated in the recess 313 after the main body 310 and the blocking part 320 are connected, thereby avoiding the end of the screw 311 protruding from the outer surface 312 and affecting the smoothness of the outer surface. It can be understood that the recess 313, although it is a recess on the outer surface 312, its size will not be too large, and therefore will not affect the integrity of the outer surface 312.

[0042] In addition, the number of screws 331 and their corresponding through holes 311 and screw holes 321 can be two, as Figure 4 Such a configuration can ensure that the connection between the main body 310 and the blocking part 320 is more stable and will not rotate. The two through holes 311 can be arranged in the same recess 313 as Figure 4 shown to reduce processing cost and precision.

[0043] The main body 310 can also be provided with a slot 314. The slot 314 can be used to cooperate with the structure such as a block structure in the housing of the spherical joint assembly (for example, the housing disclosed below) for limiting the movement of the spherical joint. However, the present application does not make any limitation here, and the slot 314 is not necessarily required.

[0044] Some embodiments of the present application also provide a spherical joint assembly. Referring to Figure 5 , a perspective view of the spherical joint assembly 500 in some embodiments of the present application is shown.

[0045] The ball joint assembly can include a ball joint 501 and a cover 502. The ball joint 501 can be any of the ball joints disclosed in the embodiments of the present application, and will not be described again. The cover 502 can include a first end 522 and a second end 523 arranged oppositely. The first end 522 includes a circular-arc-shaped inner cavity 524 and an opening 525. The shape of the inner cavity 524 matches the spherical part 511 of the ball joint 501. The size of the opening 525 is configured to be smaller than the outer diameter of the spherical part 511 and can allow the joint part 512 to pass through.

[0046] In this way, any of the ball joints disclosed in the embodiments of the present application and the cover can jointly constitute a ball joint assembly structure. In this way, when two devices in which one device can be connected to the cover, for example, the second end 523 of the cover 502, and the other device can be connected to the joint part 512, direct high-degree-of-freedom connection between the two devices can be achieved, and the problem that the cable end cannot pass through the middle channel of the ball joint can be solved. Further, as described above, the arrangement of the ball joint of the present application ensures that no deliberate alignment is required during assembly, and the integrity of the spherical surface of the ball joint can be ensured to the greatest extent after assembly.

[0047] It should be noted that the matching degree of the shape of the inner cavity 524 and the spherical part 511 does not need to be very strict, and the size of the inner cavity 524 can be slightly larger than the spherical surface of the spherical part 511, so that the spherical part 511 has a higher degree of freedom.

[0048] The assembly of the cover 502 and the ball joint 501 can be achieved in any way. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5B, the cover 502 can be arranged as a detachable structure composed of multiple parts. For example, the first end 522 of the cover 502 is detachably connected to the body 521 of the cover. In this arrangement, during assembly, the first end 522 of the cover 502 can be first detached, then the ball joint 501 is assembled, and then the first end 522 is connected to the body 521 of the cover 502. Figure 5

[0049] For example, as shown in FIG. 5C, a through hole 531 can be arranged on the first end 522. The through hole 531 can be arranged along the circumference of the first end 522 to ensure the firmness of the connection. It can be understood that the corresponding position of the body 521 of the cover 502 can be provided with a threaded hole. Further, the first end 522 can be detachably connected to the body 521 by a screw 532. Figure 5

[0050] In some embodiments of the present application, an ultrasonic imaging device is also provided. Referring to FIG. 6, the ultrasonic imaging device can include a probe 601 and a cable 602. The probe 601 can include a ball joint 501. The cable 602 can include a cover 502. The ball joint 501 can be detachably connected to the cover 502. Figure 6 ​​FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an ultrasound imaging device 600 in some embodiments of the present application.

[0051] The ultrasound imaging device 600 can include a scan assembly 601 including an ultrasound transducer, an adjustable arm 602, a main body 603 connecting one end of the adjustable arm 602, and a spherical joint assembly 604, which can be as described in any of the embodiments disclosed above. The joint portion 641 connects the scan assembly 601, and the second end 643 of the housing 642 connects the other end of the adjustable arm 602.

[0052] The spherical joint disclosed above and the spherical joint assembly including the spherical joint are applied to the ultrasound imaging device 600 described above, which has obvious advantages. On the one hand, from the perspective of assembly, the cable (not shown in the figure) for realizing the electrical connection between the main body 603 and the scan assembly 601 will not be affected by the end connected to the ultrasound transducer assembly such as a PCB and will not be unable to pass through the spherical joint during the assembly process. Moreover, due to the configuration of the spherical joint of the present application, the two parts of the spherical joint (i.e., the main body portion and the blocking portion) do not need to be very strictly aligned during the assembly of the spherical joint. On the other hand, after the assembly is completed, due to the high integrity of the spherical surface of the spherical joint of the present application, the user will not be affected by the operation for operating when rotating the scan assembly 601 during use. In addition, due to the above design of the through hole in the spherical joint of the present application, the cable is not easy to wear in it, which improves the service life of the device.

[0053] It can be understood that the way of assembling the second end 643 of the housing 642 to the other end of the adjustable arm 602 can be various, for example, the two can be connected by screws. Alternatively, the other end of the adjustable arm 602 can be provided with an external threaded structure, and the second end 643 of the housing 642 can be provided with an internal threaded structure to connect the two. The disclosure does not exhaustively enumerate.

[0054] The main components of the ultrasound imaging apparatus 600 are described in more detail below. The main housing 603 of the ultrasound imaging apparatus 600 can include a frame 613, an ultrasound processor housing 614 containing an ultrasound processor, and electrical components and mechanical structures disposed inside the housing. In one embodiment, the adjustable arm 602 can include a hinge joint 612, which allows the adjustable arm 602 to rotate more freely in the horizontal plane. In addition, the ultrasound imaging apparatus 600 can include a display 605 that can facilitate a user's observation of the ultrasound scanning process and results during an ultrasound scan. The display 605 is connected to the frame 613 at an interface where the adjustable arm 602 enters the frame 613. Because the display 605 is connected directly to the frame 613 and not the adjustable arm 602, the display 605 does not affect the weight of the adjustable arm 602 and the balancing mechanism (e.g., a counterweight disposed inside the frame 613) of the adjustable arm 602. In one example, the display 605 can be rotatable in the horizontal and lateral directions (e.g., rotatable about a central axis of the frame 613), but not vertically movable. In alternative examples, the display 605 can also be vertically movable. Although Figure 6 Although the display 605 is depicted as being connected to the frame 613, in other examples, the display 605 can be connected to different components of the ultrasound imaging system 600, such as to the ultrasound processor housing 614, or positioned away from the ultrasound imaging apparatus 600.

[0055] In one embodiment, the adjustable arm 602 is configured and adapted such that the scan assembly 601 is neutrally buoyant in space, or has a light net downward weight (e.g., 1-2 kg) for breast compression, while allowing easy user operation. In alternative embodiments, the adjustable arm 602 is structured such that the scan assembly 601 is neutrally buoyant in space during positioning of the scanner on the patient tissue. Then, after positioning the scan assembly 601, the internal components of the ultrasound imaging apparatus 600 can be adjusted to exert a desired downward weight for breast compression and increased image quality. In one example, the downward weight (e.g., force) can be in the range of 2-11 kg.

[0056] As described above, the adjustable arm 602 includes a hinge joint 612. The hinge joint 612 divides the adjustable arm 602 into a first arm portion and a second arm portion. The first arm portion is connected to the scan assembly 601 and the second arm portion is connected to the frame 613. The hinge joint 612 allows the second arm portion to rotate relative to the second arm portion and the frame 613. For example, the hinge joint 612 allows the scan assembly 601 to translate laterally and horizontally but not vertically relative to the second arm portion and the frame 613. In this way, the scan assembly 601 can be rotated toward or away from the frame 613. However, the hinge joint 612 is configured to allow the entire adjustable arm 602 (e.g., the first arm portion and the second arm portion) to move vertically as one piece (e.g., translate up and down with the frame 613).

[0057] The bottom of the scan assembly 601 can include an at least partially conforming membrane (not shown) in a substantially taut state for compressing a breast, the membrane having a bottom surface that contacts the breast while the transducers scan across a top surface thereof to scan the breast. In one example, the membrane is a piece of taut fabric.

[0058] The scan assembly 601 can also include a handle 611. A user can hold the handle 611 to adjust the height of the scan assembly 601 while performing a scan with the ultrasound imaging device 600. The adjustment can be to raise or lower the adjustable arm 602 until the scan assembly 601 has a suitable position relative to the surface to be scanned. Further, the user can hold the handle 611 to twist the scan assembly 601. Due to the high degree of freedom of the spherical joint assembly 604, the scan assembly 601 can be rotated or tilted over a large range of angles. This ultimately enables the user to select an optimal imaging angle for imaging.

[0059] A full-featured ultrasound engine can be provided within the ultrasound processor housing 614 for driving the ultrasound transducers and producing volumetric breast ultrasound data from scans in conjunction with associated position and orientation information. In some examples, the volumetric scan data can be transmitted to another computer system for further processing using any of a variety of data transmission methods known in the art, or the volumetric scan data can be processed by the ultrasound engine. A general purpose computer / processor can also be provided integrated with the ultrasound engine for general user interface and system control. The general purpose computer can be a self-contained standalone unit, or can be remotely controlled, configured, and / or monitored by a remote station connected across a network.

[0060] It should be noted that the above is merely an exemplary description of the ultrasound imaging device 600, and the configuration of its components can be any in the art, which is not limited herein.

[0061] The above specific embodiments are provided so as to make the disclosure of the present application more comprehensive and complete, but the present application is not limited to these specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, equivalent replacements and changes, etc. can also be made to the present application, as long as these modifications do not violate the spirit of the present application, and should be within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A ball joint comprising: a body portion comprising a ball portion and a joint portion, the ball portion and the joint portion having an inner surface and an outer surface disposed opposite to the inner surface, the outer surface of the ball portion comprising a spherical surface, the body portion further comprising a first tangent surface and a second tangent surface, the first tangent surface and the second tangent surface intersecting the inner surface and the outer surface respectively to define a gap, the gap having a dimension along any radial circumference of the spherical surface that is less than half of the length of the radial circumference; and a blocking portion detachably connected to the body portion and configured to match the gap such that the blocking portion blocks the gap to form a hollow ball joint structure.

2. The ball joint of claim 1, wherein: the first tangent surface and the second tangent surface are configured to be disposed opposite to each other such that the gap is defined as a slot shape.

3. The ball joint of claim 1, wherein: the inner surface of the ball portion gradually increases in dimension in a direction towards an end of the ball portion.

4. The ball joint of claim 1, wherein: the inner surface of the ball portion comprises a curved surface at an end of the ball portion, the curved surface connecting the outer surface of the ball portion.

5. The ball joint of claim 1, wherein, further comprising: a connecting portion by which the body portion and the blocking portion are detachably connected.

6. The ball joint of claim 5, wherein: the body portion is provided with a through hole; the blocking portion is provided with a screw hole corresponding to a position of the through hole; the connecting portion comprises a screw that passes through the through hole and connects with the screw hole to achieve detachable connection of the body portion and the blocking portion.

7. The ball joint of claim 6, wherein: the outer surface of the body portion comprises a recess configured to accommodate an end of the screw, the through hole being disposed in the recess.

8. The ball joint of claim 1, wherein: the joint portion is configured as a cylindrical rod near an end of the ball portion.

9. A ball joint assembly comprising: a ball joint according to any one of the preceding claims; and a cover comprising first and second ends disposed opposite to each other, the first end comprising a circular-arc-shaped inner cavity matching the ball portion of the ball joint and an opening configured to be smaller than an outer diameter of the ball portion and to allow the joint portion to pass through.

10. The ball joint assembly of claim 9, wherein: the first end of the cover is detachably connected to a body of the cover.

11. An ultrasound imaging device comprising: a scan assembly comprising an ultrasound transducer; an adjustable arm; a host machine connected to one end of the adjustable arm; and the ball joint assembly of claim 9 or 10, wherein the joint portion of the ball joint is connected to the scan assembly and the second end of the cover is connected to another end of the adjustable arm. ​ ​

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