Ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic imaging apparatus

Abstract

The application provides an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic imaging device. The ultrasonic probe comprises a shell assembly, a sound head assembly, a connecting assembly and a driving assembly. The shell assembly comprises a sound window, a first shell and a second shell. The first shell surrounds to form a first accommodating cavity. The second shell surrounds to form a second accommodating cavity which is isolated from the first accommodating cavity. The sound window is provided with an accommodating space which is communicated with the first accommodating cavity. The sound head assembly is accommodated in the accommodating space. The connecting assembly is accommodated in the first accommodating cavity and connected with the sound head assembly. The driving assembly is accommodated in the second accommodating cavity and connected with the connecting assembly. The first accommodating cavity is filled with a sound-transmitting liquid medium. The ultrasonic probe provided by the application can avoid that the long-term friction between the components of the driving assembly will drop dust into the sound-transmitting liquid medium by setting the isolated first accommodating cavity and the second accommodating cavity, filling the sound-transmitting liquid medium in the first accommodating cavity and accommodating the driving assembly in the second accommodating cavity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of ultrasound medical equipment technology, specifically to an ultrasound probe and an ultrasound imaging device. Background Technology

[0002] An ultrasonic probe is a device that emits and receives ultrasonic waves during ultrasonic testing. It mainly uses a stepper motor to drive a transmission mechanism to swing the transducer. During the swing, the transducer emits and receives ultrasonic waves to collect image data from different planes and transmits it to the ultrasonic host for calculation and processing, ultimately obtaining a three-dimensional image.

[0003] The transmission mechanism is typically immersed in a sound-transmitting liquid medium inside the probe, which serves as a lubricant. However, long-term friction between the components of the transmission mechanism can cause dust to fall into the sound-transmitting liquid medium, making it turbid and thus affecting the probe's measurement performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application aims to provide an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic imaging device to solve the problem that ultrasonic probes and ultrasonic imaging devices have poor measurement results after long-term use.

[0005] One embodiment of this application provides an ultrasonic probe, which includes a housing assembly, a sound head assembly, a connecting assembly, and a driving assembly. The housing assembly includes a sound window, a first housing, and a second housing. The first housing forms a first accommodating cavity, and the second housing forms a second accommodating cavity isolated from the first accommodating cavity. The sound window has a receiving space communicating with the first accommodating cavity. The sound head assembly is received in the receiving space. The connecting assembly is received in the first accommodating cavity and connected to the sound head assembly. The driving assembly is received in the second accommodating cavity and connected to the connecting assembly. The first accommodating cavity is filled with a sound-transmitting liquid medium.

[0006] Another aspect of this application provides an ultrasonic imaging device, which includes a host and the ultrasonic probe described in the foregoing embodiments. The host is connected to the acoustic head assembly and the driving assembly, and is used to control the operation of the driving assembly, acquire images collected by the acoustic head assembly, and form a three-dimensional image based on the acquired images.

[0007] The ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic imaging device provided in this application embodiment, by setting up a first accommodating cavity and a second accommodating cavity that are isolated from each other, filling the first accommodating cavity with an acoustically transparent liquid medium, and housing the driving component in the second accommodating cavity, can avoid dust falling into the acoustically transparent liquid medium due to long-term friction between the components of the driving component, thus preventing the acoustically transparent liquid medium from becoming turbid and affecting the measurement effect of the probe. Furthermore, the driving component can be used to drive the acoustic head assembly to acquire images, and the host computer can form a three-dimensional image based on the acquired images. Attached Figure Description

[0008] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0009] Figure 1 These are schematic diagrams of the ultrasonic probes in some embodiments of this application;

[0010] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the acoustic head assembly of an ultrasonic probe in some embodiments of this application;

[0011] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the ultrasonic probe in some embodiments of this application;

[0012] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the cooperation structure between the connecting component and the sound head component in the embodiment;

[0013] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of the ultrasonic probe in some embodiments of this application;

[0014] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A partial cross-sectional structural diagram of the ultrasonic probe in the embodiment;

[0015] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 A partial structural breakdown diagram of the ultrasonic probe in the embodiment;

[0016] Figure 8 yes Figure 5 A partial structural schematic diagram of the ultrasonic probe in the embodiment;

[0017] Figure 9 This is a schematic block diagram of the structure of an ultrasound imaging device in some embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be particularly noted that the following embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the application. Similarly, the following embodiments are only some, not all, embodiments of the present application, and all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0019] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0020] The "ultrasonic probe" used here, also known as an "ultrasonic transducer," is a device that emits and receives ultrasonic waves during ultrasonic testing. Specifically, the ultrasonic probe utilizes the piezoelectric effect of a transducer to convert electrical energy into acoustic energy. The basic working principle of an ultrasonic probe is to emit and receive ultrasonic waves through the piezoelectric effect. Specifically, an alternating voltage is applied to the piezoelectric crystal inside the probe, causing two metal plates of equal area spaced a certain distance inside the probe to carry equal amounts of opposite charges, forming an electric field. The piezoelectric crystal, situated in this electric field, deforms under the influence of the electric force, thus emitting ultrasonic waves. Ultrasonic waves are generated by vibration. When ultrasonic waves detect defects, they cause the defects to vibrate. Because ultrasonic waves possess a certain amount of energy, they act on the piezoelectric crystal, causing it to generate an alternating electric field, thereby enabling the reception of ultrasonic waves.

[0021] The "ultrasound imaging device" used here is an imaging device that uses an ultrasonic probe to emit and receive ultrasonic waves in order to acquire image data from different planes and form a three-dimensional image.

[0022] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ultrasonic probe 100 in some embodiments of this application, wherein, Figure 1The diagram roughly illustrates the external structure of the ultrasonic probe 100. The ultrasonic probe 100 may include a housing assembly 10, which generally includes a first housing 11, a second housing 12, and an acoustic window 13. Specifically, the first housing 11 is connected to both the acoustic window 13 and the second housing 12, i.e., the first housing 11 is located between the acoustic window 13 and the second housing 12. The first housing 11, the second housing 12, and the acoustic window 13 are assembled to roughly form the external outline of the ultrasonic probe 100. In some embodiments, the housing assembly 10 may also include a rear housing 14, which is located on the side of the second housing 12 opposite to the first housing 11 and connected to the second housing 12. The rear housing 14 can be connected to the second housing 12 by means of screwing, bonding, welding, snap-fitting, or detachable connection. In this application embodiment, all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly.

[0023] The first housing 11 forms a first accommodating cavity 110, and the second housing 12 forms a second accommodating cavity 120, with the first accommodating cavity 110 and the second accommodating cavity 120 being isolated from each other. The acoustic window 13 has a receiving space 130 communicating with the first accommodating cavity 110. Furthermore, the acoustic window 13 can be connected to the first housing 11 by means of screwing, bonding, welding, snap-fitting, or detachable connection. The first housing 11 can be connected to the second housing 12 by means of screwing, bonding, welding, snap-fitting, or detachable connection. It is understood that the ultrasonic probe 100 has a visually strip-shaped structure for easy gripping during use. The receiving space 130, the first accommodating cavity 110, and the second accommodating cavity 120 constitute the internal accommodating space of the ultrasonic probe 100 for assembling structural components such as the acoustic head assembly, connecting assembly, and driving assembly of the ultrasonic probe 100.

[0024] Please refer to the following: Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the acoustic head assembly 20 of the ultrasonic probe 100 in some embodiments of this application, which is housed in the housing space 130. The acoustic head assembly 20 generally includes a first support 21, a second support 22, and a transducer 23.

[0025] Specifically, the first bracket 21 is located at the end of the first housing 11 opposite to the second housing 12 and is connected to the first housing 11. The first bracket 21 can be connected to the first housing 11 by means of screwing, bonding, welding, snap-fitting, or detachment. The second bracket 22 is located on the side of the first bracket 21 opposite to the first housing 11 and is movably connected to the first bracket 21. The transducer 23 is located on the side of the second bracket 22 opposite to the first bracket 21, and the transducer 23 can move synchronously with the second bracket 22 relative to the first bracket 21. The acoustic window 13 can be a groove-shaped structure with one open end, forming a receiving space 130, with its opening facing and communicating with the first receiving cavity 110. The first receiving cavity 110 is filled with a sound-permeable liquid medium to improve the transmission of sound energy received or emitted by the ultrasonic probe 100. It should be understood that, based on the connection between the receiving space 130 and the first receiving cavity 110, and the isolation between the first receiving cavity 110 and the second receiving cavity 120, the acoustically transparent liquid medium can flow from the first receiving cavity 110 to the receiving space 130 to improve the transmission of acoustic energy received or transmitted by the sound head assembly 20. This can be understood as both the first receiving cavity 110 and the receiving space 130 being filled with an acoustically transparent liquid medium. Simultaneously, the acoustically transparent liquid medium in the first receiving cavity 110 will not flow into the second receiving cavity 120, thus preventing dust from falling into the acoustically transparent liquid medium due to long-term friction between the components of the driving assembly in the second receiving cavity 120. This avoids the acoustically transparent liquid medium becoming turbid, thereby preventing it from affecting the probe's measurement performance. In one embodiment, the acoustically transparent liquid medium can be a coupling agent, water, potting fluid, or other liquid acoustic medium.

[0026] Understandably, the transducer 23 is configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic signals, and can collect two-dimensional image data of different planes during movement and transmit them to the host of the ultrasonic imaging device for calculation and processing, and finally form a three-dimensional image, i.e., a stereoscopic image.

[0027] Furthermore, the first bracket 21 is provided with a rotating position 211, and the second bracket 22 is provided with a rotating pin 221 corresponding to the rotating position 211. The rotating pin 221 is at least partially inserted into the rotating position 211 and can rotate relative to the rotating position 211, thereby driving the second bracket 22 to swing back and forth relative to the first bracket 21. In other words, the rotating pin 221 is in rotational engagement with the rotating position 211.

[0028] In one embodiment, the first support 21 has a protrusion 212 on the side opposite to the first housing 11, and a rotation position 211 is formed on the side of the protrusion 212 opposite to the first support 21. The rotation position 211 is generally an arc-shaped groove structure, and the rotating pin 221 can be partially received within the rotation position 211. In other embodiments, the rotation position 211 can be formed on the side of the protrusion 212 near the second support 22. In this case, the rotation position 211 can be a groove structure, and the rotating pin 221 is at least partially inserted into the groove-shaped rotation position 211. In yet another embodiment, the rotation position 211 can be a hole-like structure penetrating the protrusion 212, and the rotating pin 221 is at least partially inserted into the hole-like rotation position 211.

[0029] In another embodiment, the rotation position 211 can be formed on the side of the first support 21 away from the first housing 11. In this case, the rotation position 211 is generally an arc-shaped groove structure, and the rotating pin 221 can be partially received within the rotation position 211. Of course, in other embodiments, the rotation position 211 can also be formed on the side of the first support 21 near the second support 22. In this case, the rotation position 211 can be a groove structure, and the rotating pin 221 is at least partially inserted into the groove-shaped rotation position 211. In yet another embodiment, the rotation position 211 can be a hole-like structure penetrating the first support 21, and the rotating pin 221 is at least partially inserted into the hole-like rotation position 211.

[0030] The rotating pin 221 is at least partially inserted into the rotating position 211 and can rotate relative to the rotating position 211 to drive the second bracket 22 to swing back and forth relative to the first bracket 21, thereby enabling the transducer 23 to swing synchronously with the second bracket 22 to acquire two-dimensional image data of different planes.

[0031] In one embodiment, two rotating pins 221 may be provided, with each pin 221 positioned on opposite sides of the second support 22. Simultaneously, two rotating positions 211 may be provided, each corresponding to one of the two rotating pins 221, so that each rotating pin 221 can engage with each rotating position 211, thereby ensuring the stability of the swing of the second support 22. Of course, in other embodiments, multiple rotating pins 221 and rotating positions 211 may be provided, each corresponding to one other. Meanwhile, multiple rotating pins 221 may be located at opposite ends of the transducer 23.

[0032] The first support 21 is generally annular in shape, with a hollowed-out area in its center. This area allows communication between the receiving space 130 and the first accommodating cavity 110, and also provides space for the second support 22 to rotate. The second support 22 is generally spherical, allowing it to rotate relative to the first support 21. The transducer 23 can be mounted around or attached to the spherical surface of the second support 22, and rotating pins 221 are located at opposite ends of the transducer 23. Furthermore, the rotating pins 221 can cooperate with the rotating position 211 to achieve rotation of the second support 22, and also position the transducer 23 on the second support 22.

[0033] See also Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the ultrasonic probe 100 in some embodiments of this application. Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the mating structure between the connecting component 30 and the acoustic head assembly 20 of the ultrasonic probe 100 in the embodiment. The first housing 11 forms a first accommodating cavity 110, the connecting component 30 is housed in the first accommodating cavity 110, and is connected to the acoustic head assembly 20.

[0034] The connecting component 30 is configured to drive the second support 22 of the sound head assembly 20 to reciprocate. The connecting component 30 generally includes a connector 31 connected to the second support 22, an elastic member 32 connected to the connector 31, and a movable member 33 connected to one end of the elastic member 32 away from the connector 31. That is, both ends of the elastic member 32 are connected to the connector 31 and the movable member 33, respectively.

[0035] See also Figure 2 The connector 31 is configured to drive the second support 22 to move relative to the first support 21, that is, to drive the second support 22 to reciprocate. The connector 31 can be a linear, sheet-like, strip-like, or other structural component. For example, the connector 31 can be a rope-like component. Furthermore, the connector 31 extends from the receiving space 130 into the first receiving cavity 110 to achieve connection with the elastic member 32.

[0036] The second support 22 is provided with a connecting groove 222 and a positioning groove 223 that are connected. The connecting groove 222 extends from the end of the second support 22 away from the first support 21 toward the direction closer to the first support 21, and the connecting groove 222 is formed on the spherical surface of the second support 22, that is, the connecting groove 222 is approximately arc-shaped. The connector 31 can be partially received in the connecting groove 222 to prevent the connector 31 from being misaligned during the rotation of the second support 22. The positioning groove 223 is provided at the end of the connecting groove 222 away from the first support 21 and communicates with the connecting groove 222. The connector 31 may include a first connecting end 311 and a second connecting end 312 that are disposed opposite to each other. The first connecting end 311 is embedded in the positioning groove 223 to realize the connection between the connector 31 and the second support 22, and the second connecting end 312 is connected to the elastic member 32. It can be understood that the part of the connector 31 received in the receiving space 130 is embedded in the connecting groove 222 to prevent the connector 31 from being misaligned.

[0037] There are approximately two connecting slots 222, symmetrically distributed on opposite sides of the second support 22, meaning the two connecting slots 222 are symmetrically distributed on opposite sides of the transducer 23. Similarly, there are approximately two positioning slots 223, symmetrically distributed on opposite sides of the second support 22, meaning the two positioning slots 223 are symmetrically distributed on opposite sides of the transducer 23. Each positioning slot 223 is located at one end of its corresponding connecting slot 222 and communicates with that connecting slot 222.

[0038] The connector 31 generally includes a first connector 31a and a second connector 31b symmetrically distributed on opposite sides of the second support 22, that is, the first connector 31a and the second connector 31b are symmetrically distributed on opposite sides of the transducer 23. The first connecting end 311 of the first connector 31a is embedded in a positioning groove 223 and partially received in a connecting groove 222; the first connecting end 311 of the second connector 31b is embedded in another positioning groove 223 and partially received in another connecting groove 222.

[0039] The elastic element 32 generally includes a first elastic element 32a and a second elastic element 32b housed within the first accommodating cavity 110. The first elastic element 32a is connected to the first connecting element 31a, and the second elastic element 32b is connected to the second connecting element 31b. The first elastic element 32a and the second elastic element 32b can be springs, rubber, or foam, etc., structural components with a certain elasticity, to respectively tighten the first connecting element 31a and the second connecting element 31b, ensuring that the first connecting element 31a and the second connecting element 31b remain in a tightened state, thus preventing reverse clearance from occurring during the reciprocating swing of the second support 22.

[0040] The movable component 33 generally includes a first movable component 33a and a second movable component 33b housed within the first accommodating cavity 110. The two ends of the first elastic component 32a are connected to the first connecting component 31a and the first movable component 33a, respectively. The two ends of the second elastic component 32b are connected to the second connecting component 31b and the second movable component 33b, respectively. In other words, one end of the first connecting component 31a is connected to the second support 22, and the other end is connected to the first elastic component 32a; one end of the second connecting component 31b is connected to the second support 22, and the other end is connected to the second elastic component 32b. The first movable component 33a is connected to the end of the first elastic component 32a opposite to the first connecting component 31a, and the second movable component 33b is connected to the end of the second elastic component 32b opposite to the second connecting component 31b. The first movable component 33a and the second movable component 33b can move relative to the first housing 11 to drive the first connecting component 31a and the second connecting component 31b to move, thereby driving the second support 22 to move and enabling the second support 22 to reciprocate.

[0041] Understandably, the movable member 33 can be a shaft-like or columnar structural member, configured to move relative to the first housing 11 along its axial direction. It should be noted that the terms "first" and "second" in this application are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature.

[0042] Please refer to the following: Figures 5 to 8 , Figure 5 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of the ultrasonic probe 100 in some embodiments of this application. Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A partial cross-sectional view of the ultrasonic probe 100 in the embodiment. Figure 7 yes Figure 5 A partial structural breakdown diagram of the ultrasonic probe 100 in the embodiment. Figure 8 yes Figure 5 A partial structural schematic diagram of the ultrasonic probe 100 in the embodiment.

[0043] The ultrasonic probe 100 may also include a drive assembly 40 housed in the second accommodating cavity 120. The drive assembly 40 is connected to the connecting assembly 30 to drive the connecting assembly 30 to move, thereby driving the second bracket 22 and the transducer 23 to reciprocate.

[0044] The housing assembly 10 may further include a spacer 15 disposed between the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 to isolate the first accommodating cavity 110 and the second accommodating cavity 120. In other words, the spacer 15 cooperates with the first housing 11 to form the first accommodating cavity 110, and the spacer 15 cooperates with the second housing 12 to form the second accommodating cavity 120. The movable member 33 may be inserted into the spacer 15 and may move relative to the spacer 15 to drive the second support 22 to reciprocate during the movement of the movable member 33. The drive assembly 40 is received in the second accommodating cavity 120 and connected to the movable member 33 to drive the movable member 33 to move relative to the spacer 15.

[0045] In one embodiment, the ultrasonic probe 100 may further include an injection tube 50 (e.g., accommodating an injection tube 50 within the second receiving cavity 120) Figure 3 As shown, the injection tube 50 is inserted into the isolation member 15 and communicates with the first accommodating cavity 110. The injection tube 50 is filled with a sound-permeable liquid medium to buffer the internal pressure of the first accommodating cavity 110 and the receiving space 130.

[0046] like Figure 5 As shown, the drive assembly 40 generally includes a drive member 41 housed in the second accommodating cavity 120 and a transmission assembly 42. Specifically, the drive member 41 is located on the side of the isolation member 15 opposite to the first accommodating cavity 110, and the transmission assembly 42 is located on the side of the isolation member 15 opposite to the first accommodating cavity 110. The transmission assembly 42 is connected to both the drive member 41 and the movable member 33, allowing the movable member 33 to move relative to the isolation member 15 under the drive of the drive member 41. Preferably, the transmission assembly 42 is located on the isolation member 15, and the drive member 41 is located on the side of the transmission assembly 42 opposite to the isolation member 15.

[0047] The driving component 41 can be a motor, lead screw, or turbine, or other structural device that can convert electrical energy into mechanical energy. Taking a motor as an example, the output shaft of the driving component 41 is connected to the transmission assembly 42 so that the transmission assembly 42 moves synchronously when the driving component 41 is running.

[0048] In one embodiment, the drive component 41 can be mounted via a mounting bracket 43. Specifically, the second accommodating cavity 120 is provided with a mounting bracket 43, which can be connected to the second housing 12 and / or the isolator 15 via screwing, bonding, welding, snap-fitting, or detachable connection methods. Preferably, the mounting bracket 43 can be a frame-type structural component with a hollow interior to facilitate spatial layout. The mounting bracket 43 can be mounted on the isolator 15, the drive component 41 is assembled on the side of the mounting bracket 43 facing away from the isolator 15, and the transmission assembly 42 can be disposed between the isolator 15 and the drive component 41.

[0049] Furthermore, the transmission assembly 42 generally includes a first transmission member 421, a second transmission member 422, and a third transmission member 423. The first transmission member 421 is connected to the driving member 41 and is also connected to the second transmission member 422 in a transmission manner. The third transmission member 423 is connected to both the second transmission member 422 and the movable member 33. In other words, one end of the first transmission member 421 is connected to the second transmission member 422 in a transmission manner, and the other end is connected to the driving member 41.

[0050] Specifically, the first transmission component 421 can be a rotating shaft-like structure, which can be directly or indirectly connected to the output shaft of the driving component 41, enabling the first transmission component 421 to rotate under the action of the driving component 41. Taking the first transmission component 421 as a rotating shaft as an example, the axis of the first transmission component 421 is generally parallel or collinear with the axis of the output shaft of the driving component 41. One end of the first transmission component 421 can be directly connected to the output shaft of the driving component 41 through bonding, welding, or other connection methods. Of course, in other embodiments, one end of the first transmission component 421 can also be indirectly connected to the output shaft of the driving component 41 through structural components such as gears or couplings. Figure 5 As shown, the drive assembly 40 may also include a coupling 44, through which the first transmission member 421 is connected to the output shaft of the drive member 41, so as to achieve synchronous operation of the drive member 41 and the first transmission member 421 by means of the coupling 44.

[0051] The second transmission component 422 can be a rack or belt, etc., and is connected to the first transmission component 421 for transmission. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the second transmission component 422 is a rack and pinion, and can be connected to the first transmission component 421 via a gear. Preferably, the transmission assembly 42 may further include a gear 424 sleeved on the first transmission component 421, which meshes with the rack. When the first transmission component 421 rotates, the gear 424 rotates synchronously, thereby driving the rack, i.e., the second transmission component 422, to perform linear reciprocating movement. The third transmission component 423 is connected to the second transmission component 422 and the movable component 33 respectively. When the second transmission component 422 performs linear reciprocating movement, it can synchronously drive the third transmission component 423 to move, thereby driving the movable component 33 to move. The direction of movement of the second transmission component 422 is substantially perpendicular to the direction of rotation of the first transmission component 421.

[0052] Understandably, the oscillation rate of transducer 23 during reciprocating oscillation can be controlled by changing the pitch circle diameter of gear 424. This avoids unclear image acquisition when the oscillation rate is too fast, and failure to acquire useful information in time when the oscillation rate is too slow. Alternatively, the oscillation rate of transducer 23 can be controlled by adjusting the reduction ratio between gear 424 and rack. For example, the reduction ratio can be 4:1. Of course, the reduction ratio can be set according to different specifications of gear 424 and rack, or according to actual usage requirements. Generally, reduction ratios can be 2:1, 3:1, 5:1, 6:1, 10:1, 15:1, 18:1, etc.

[0053] In one embodiment, the third transmission member 423 may be a linear structure, a sheet structure, a strip structure, or other structure. For example, the third transmission member 423 may be a rope structure, with one end connected to the second transmission member 422 and the other end connected to the movable member 33.

[0054] The drive assembly 40 may further include a guide wheel 45, with a third transmission member 423 wound around the guide wheel 45 and connected to the second transmission member 422 and the movable member 33, respectively. When the second transmission member 422 performs linear reciprocating motion, it synchronously drives the third transmission member 423 to move, thereby driving the movable member 33 to perform linear reciprocating motion. The direction of movement of the second transmission member 422 is substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the movable member 33. It is understood that the movable member 33 is inserted into the isolation member 15 and can move relative to the isolation member 15, meaning the direction of movement of the movable member 33 is substantially perpendicular to the isolation member 15. The second transmission member 422 is located on the side of the isolation member 15 opposite to the first accommodating cavity 110, and the direction of movement of the second transmission member 422 is substantially parallel to the isolation member 15.

[0055] In one embodiment, the drive assembly 40 may further include a guide wheel shaft 46, which passes through the guide wheel 45 and is connected to the spacer 15, so that the guide wheel 45 can rotate around the guide wheel shaft 46. Preferably, the spacer 15 has a lug 151 protruding on the side opposite to the first receiving cavity 110, the guide wheel shaft 46 is inserted into the lug 151, and the guide wheel 45 is sleeved on the guide wheel shaft 46.

[0056] In one embodiment, the isolating member 15 has a movable hole 152 connecting the first accommodating cavity 110 and the second accommodating cavity 120, i.e., the movable hole 152 extends through the isolating member 15. A movable member 33 is inserted into the movable hole 152 and can reciprocate along the axial direction of the movable hole 152. At least one first sealing member 331 is fitted onto the movable member 33, and the first sealing member 331 is interference-fitted with the inner wall of the movable hole 152. In other words, the movable member 33 achieves a sealed connection with the movable hole 152 through the first sealing member 331, thereby preventing the sound-permeable liquid medium in the first accommodating cavity 110 from flowing into the second accommodating cavity 120 through the movable hole 152, thus preventing turbidity of the sound-permeable liquid medium.

[0057] In one embodiment, a guide platform 153 protrudes from the side of the isolator 15 opposite to the second accommodating cavity 120. A movable hole 152 extends from the isolator 15 along the axial direction of the movable hole 152 and passes through the guide platform 153. The movable member 33 passes through the guide platform 153 and is inserted into the movable hole 152. It can be understood that by setting the guide platform 153 and allowing the movable member 33 to pass through the guide platform 153, the movement stability of the movable member 33 is ensured, and shaking is avoided.

[0058] As mentioned above, the movable component 33 includes a first movable component 33a and a second movable component 33b spaced apart. Correspondingly, the isolation component 15 has two movable holes 152. The first movable component 33a is inserted into one of the two movable holes 152, and the second movable component 33b is inserted into the other of the two movable holes 152. At least one first sealing element 331 is fitted onto both the first movable component 33a and the second movable component 33b to ensure the airtight connection between the movable component 33 and the isolation component 15.

[0059] Accordingly, two guide wheels 45 may be provided, and the two guide wheels 45 are spaced apart and sleeved on the guide wheel shaft 46. Two third transmission members 423 and two second transmission members 422 may be provided respectively. One third transmission member 423 is connected at one end to the first movable member 33a and at the other end to one of the two second transmission members 422, and is wound around one of the two guide wheels 45; the other third transmission member 423 is connected at one end to the second movable member 33b and at the other end to the other of the two second transmission members 422, and is wound around the other of the two guide wheels 45.

[0060] like Figure 7As shown, two second transmission members 422 are located on opposite sides of the gear 424 and are respectively connected to the gear 424 for transmission. When the gear 424 rotates, it drives the two second transmission members 422 to move in opposite directions, and the moving distances of the two second transmission members 422 are approximately equal. At this time, the first movable member 33a and the second movable member 33b move in opposite directions by means of two third transmission members 423, and the moving distances of the first movable member 33a and the second movable member 33b are approximately equal. At the same time, the first connecting member 31a and the second connecting member 31b pull the second support 22, so that the second support 22 can swing back and forth, synchronously realizing the swinging back and forth of the transducer 23.

[0061] In one embodiment, the second transmission member 422 is provided with a first mounting hole 401, and the movable member 33 is provided with a second mounting hole 402 at the end opposite to the elastic member 32. One end of the third transmission member 423 is connected to the second transmission member 422 through the first mounting hole 401, and the other end is connected to the movable member 33 through the second mounting hole 402.

[0062] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 5 The isolating member 15 has a mounting groove 154 on the side opposite to the first accommodating cavity 110. One end of the first transmission member 421 is inserted into the mounting groove 154 and can rotate relative to the mounting groove 154. The end of the first transmission member 421 inserted into the mounting groove 154 is equipped with a flange bearing 155 and a deep groove ball bearing 156 to ensure that the first transmission member 421 can rotate relatively smoothly.

[0063] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 7A mounting base 157 is provided on the side of the isolator 15 away from the first accommodating cavity 110. A second transmission member 422 is located on the side of the mounting base 157 away from the isolator 15 and is movable relative to the mounting base 157. Preferably, a limiting portion 158 is provided on the side of the mounting base 157 away from the isolator 15, and a limiting groove 159 is provided on the second transmission member 422 opposite to the limiting portion 158. The limiting portion 158 and the limiting groove 159 cooperate to limit the travel of the second transmission member 422. Preferably, the length of the limiting portion 158 in the travel direction of the second transmission member 422 is less than the length of the limiting groove 159 in the travel direction of the second transmission member 422, and the length difference between the two can be used to provide the travel of the second transmission member 422. When the second transmission member 422 is mounted on the mounting base 157, the limiting portion 158 is received within the limiting groove 159. In other embodiments, the second transmission member 422 is further provided with a limiting member 425, which passes through the second transmission member 422 and is connected to the mounting base 157 or the limiting part 158 ​​to ensure the movement stability of the second transmission member 422. The limiting member 425 can be a screw, bolt, or other structural component. Taking a screw as an example, the width of the screw nut is generally greater than the width of the limiting groove 159, and the width of the screw shank generally does not exceed the width of the limiting groove 159.

[0064] Understandably, since there are two second transmission components 422, there can be two mounting bases 157, limiting parts 158, limiting grooves 159 and limiting components 425 respectively.

[0065] Please refer to the following: Figure 5 and Figure 8 The ultrasonic probe 100 may further include a sealing cover 60 disposed on the side of the isolator 15 opposite to the first accommodating cavity 110, the sealing cover 60 being sealed to the isolator 15. For example, the sealing cover 60 may be sealed to the isolator 15 using adhesive. The sealing cover 60 and the isolator 15 form a sealed space 610, within which structural components such as the second transmission component 422, the third transmission component 423, the gear 424, and the guide wheel 45 are housed. The first transmission component 421 passes through the sealing cover 60 to achieve a transmission connection with the second transmission component 422.

[0066] Understandably, the structural parts of the drive assembly 40 that may generate friction are almost all contained within the sealed space 610. When friction causes dust to fall off, the dust is also contained within the sealed space 610 and will not fall into the sound-permeable liquid medium.

[0067] The sealed space 610 is filled with lubricating fluid or grease to ensure the smooth movement of each component in the drive assembly 40.

[0068] In one embodiment, the sealing cover 60 is provided with a second sealing element 62, through which the first transmission member 421 can achieve a sealed connection with the sealing cover 60. The second sealing element 62 can be a sealing ring, such as a silicone ring, rubber ring, or other sealing ring. The second sealing element 62 is sleeved on the first transmission member 421 and located at the junction of the first transmission member 421 and the sealing cover 60 to ensure the airtightness of the sealing space 610.

[0069] See again Figure 5 In order for the ultrasonic probe 100 to acquire better image information, the rotation position of the first transmission component 421 can be obtained by setting photoelectric devices, so that the host can control the operation of the drive component 41 by acquiring the position information.

[0070] Specifically, the ultrasonic probe 100 may further include a light-shielding member 71, a photoelectric sensor 72, and a circuit board 73. The photoelectric sensor 72 is mounted on the circuit board 73, enabling it to transmit acquired position information to the host computer via the circuit board 73. This allows the host computer to control the operation of the drive unit 41 based on the acquired position information. The light-shielding member 71 is sleeved on the first transmission member 421 and rotates synchronously with it to characterize the position of the first transmission member 421. Preferably, the light-shielding member 71 may have a light-transmitting hole. When the light-shielding member 71 rotates with the first transmission member 421, the light sensed by the photoelectric sensor 72 can either pass through the light-transmitting hole or be blocked by the light-shielding member 71, thus characterizing the rotational position of the first transmission member 421. In other words, the photoelectric sensor 72 can acquire the position information of the first transmission member 421, and then establish a communication connection with the host computer via the circuit board 73.

[0071] The ultrasonic probe provided in this application embodiment, by setting up a first accommodating cavity and a second accommodating cavity that are isolated from each other, filling the first accommodating cavity with an acoustically transparent liquid medium, and housing the driving component in the second accommodating cavity, can prevent dust from falling into the acoustically transparent liquid medium due to long-term friction between the components of the driving component, thus preventing the acoustically transparent liquid medium from becoming turbid and affecting the measurement effect of the probe. In addition, by setting up a sealing cover and an isolation component to form a closed space, almost all the structural parts of the driving component that may generate friction are contained in the sealed space, and a lubricating material is filled in the sealed space to ensure the smooth operation of the driving component.

[0072] In addition, this application also provides an ultrasound imaging device, please refer to... Figure 9 , Figure 9This is a schematic block diagram of the structure of an ultrasonic imaging device 900 in some embodiments of this application. The ultrasonic imaging device 900 generally includes a host 800 and the ultrasonic probe 100 described in the foregoing embodiments.

[0073] Specifically, the host 800 connects the acoustic head assembly 20 and the drive assembly 40, and is used to control the operation of the drive assembly 40, acquire images collected by the acoustic head assembly 20, and form a three-dimensional image based on the acquired images. The acoustic head assembly 20 includes a transducer 23 for performing ultrasonic scanning detection on the object under test. The drive assembly 40 is connected to the acoustic head assembly 20 and is used to drive the transducer 23 to swing in a preset direction for image acquisition. The host 800 connects the transducer 23 and the drive assembly 40, and is used to control the operation of the drive assembly 40, acquire images collected by the transducer 23, and form a three-dimensional image based on the acquired images.

[0074] The host 800 can employ a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) to process the images acquired by the transducer 23. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the rear cover 14 allows the cable 70 to pass through, and the cable 70 is configured to realize the electrical connection between the host 800 and the ultrasonic probe 100. That is, the image information collected by the acoustic head component 20 in the ultrasonic probe 100 can be transmitted to the host 800 via the cable 70, and the control commands of the host 800 can be sent to the drive component 40 of the ultrasonic probe 100 via the cable 70.

[0075] The ultrasonic imaging device provided in this application uses a drive component to drive the transducer to reciprocate so that the transducer can acquire images from different angles, and the host computer can form a three-dimensional image based on the acquired images. The ultrasonic probe of the ultrasonic imaging device isolates the acoustically transparent liquid medium from the structural parts of the drive component that may rub against each other. This avoids dust falling into the acoustically transparent liquid medium due to long-term friction between the components of the drive component, thus preventing the acoustically transparent liquid medium from becoming turbid and affecting the measurement effect of the probe.

[0076] It should be noted that the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the steps or units listed, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to those processes, methods, products, or setups.

[0077] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic probe, characterized in that, The ultrasonic probe includes: The housing assembly includes an acoustic window, a first housing, and a second housing. The first housing encloses a first receiving cavity, and the second housing encloses a second receiving cavity isolated from the first receiving cavity. The acoustic window has a receiving space communicating with the first receiving cavity. The sound head assembly is housed within the housing space; A connecting component, housed in the first receiving cavity and connected to the acoustic head assembly; and A drive assembly is housed in the second accommodating cavity and connected to the connection assembly; The first accommodating cavity is filled with a sound-permeable liquid medium. The housing assembly further includes a spacer, which is disposed between the first housing and the second housing. The spacer cooperates with the first housing to form the first receiving cavity, and the spacer cooperates with the second housing to form the second receiving cavity. The spacer has a movable hole that communicates with the first receiving cavity and the second receiving cavity. The connecting assembly includes a connector connected to the sound head assembly, an elastic member connected to the connector, and a movable member connected to one end of the elastic member away from the connector; the movable member is inserted into the movable hole and can move along the axial direction of the movable hole.

2. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic probe also includes an injection tube housed in the second accommodating cavity, the injection tube being inserted into the isolator and communicating with the first accommodating cavity.

3. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The movable part is fitted with a first sealing element, which is interference-fitted with the inner wall of the movable hole.

4. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting member includes a symmetrically distributed first connecting member and second connecting member; the elastic member includes a first elastic member and a second elastic member; and the movable member includes a first movable member and a second movable member. Wherein, one end of the first connector is connected to the sound head assembly and the other end is connected to the first elastic member; one end of the second connector is connected to the sound head assembly and the other end is connected to the second elastic member; the first movable member is connected to the first elastic member; and the second movable member is connected to the second elastic member.

5. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive assembly includes a drive component and a transmission assembly disposed on the side of the isolator opposite to the first accommodating cavity. The transmission assembly is connected to the driving member and the movable member respectively, so that the movable member moves relative to the isolating member under the drive of the driving member.

6. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 5, characterized in that, The transmission assembly includes a first transmission component, a second transmission component, and a third transmission component. One end of the first transmission component is connected to the second transmission component, and the other end is connected to the drive component. The third transmission component is connected to both the second transmission component and the movable component.

7. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first transmission component is a rotating shaft and is connected to the output shaft of the driving component; the second transmission component is a rack. The first transmission component is meshed with the second transmission component, and the moving direction of the second transmission component is perpendicular to the rotating direction of the first transmission component.

8. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 7, characterized in that, The drive assembly further includes a guide wheel, and the third transmission member is wound around the guide wheel and connected to the second transmission member and the movable member respectively; The direction of movement of the second transmission component is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the movable component.

9. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 6, characterized in that, The ultrasonic probe further includes a sealing cover disposed on the side of the isolation member away from the first accommodating cavity. The sealing cover and the isolation member form a sealed space. The second transmission member and the third transmission member are housed in the sealed space, and the first transmission member passes through the sealing cover.

10. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 9, characterized in that, The sealing cover is provided with a second sealing element, and the first transmission element achieves a sealed connection with the sealing cover through the second sealing element.

11. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 9, characterized in that, The sealed space is filled with a lubricating substance.

12. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sound head assembly includes a first bracket connected to the first housing, a second bracket connected to the connector, and a transducer disposed on the side of the second bracket opposite to the first bracket. The second bracket is located on the side of the first bracket away from the first housing, and the connector is configured to drive the second bracket to move relative to the first bracket. The transducer moves synchronously with the second bracket relative to the first bracket.

13. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 12, characterized in that, The first bracket is provided with a rotating position, and the second bracket is provided with a rotating pin corresponding to the rotating position. The rotating pin is at least partially inserted into the rotating position and can rotate relative to the rotating position.

14. An ultrasonic imaging device, characterized in that, The ultrasound imaging device includes a main unit and as claimed in claim 1. The ultrasonic probe according to any one of the 13 claims, wherein the host is connected to the acoustic head assembly and the drive assembly, and is used to control the operation of the drive assembly, acquire images collected by the acoustic head assembly, and form a three-dimensional image based on the acquired images.

Images