Acoustic lens, ultrasonic probe, and ultrasonic imaging apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to an acoustic lens, an ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic imaging equipment, the acoustic lens is provided with a front surface, and the acoustic lens comprises a middle area and side areas located on the two sides of the middle area in the curved surface change direction of the front surface; the focal length of the middle area is larger than that of the side area. According to the acoustic lens, the focal length is adjusted in a partitioned mode, multi-dimensional multi-point focusing is achieved, ultrasonic waves passing through the middle area are focused at the deeper position of a measured target, ultrasonic waves passing through the side area are focused at the shallower position of the measured target, wave beams are narrowed obviously, and the measurement accuracy is improved. When a to-be-detected object with a complex structure is detected, a clear image from shallow to deep can be obtained, and the ultrasonic image quality is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of acoustic materials, and in particular to an acoustic lens, an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic imaging device. Background Art

[0002] Ultrasonic imaging equipment usually uses the electroacoustic conversion performance of piezoelectric materials in ultrasonic transducers. It applies voltage pulses to piezoelectric materials to cause them to physically deform and generate corresponding ultrasonic signals. It also receives echo signals from different tissues of the human body and finally generates images of the desired tissues. Among them, ultrasonic transducers and acoustic lenses are the core components of ultrasonic imaging equipment and are widely used in medical diagnosis and treatment processes of various ultrasonic imaging equipment.

[0003] The acoustic lens is located at the outermost layer of the transducer and needs to meet the requirements of protection, focusing, and sound transmission at the same time. With the accumulation and development of ultrasound technology, users have increasing requirements for the clarity of image quality. In order to improve the quality of ultrasound imaging, some researchers have optimized the shape of the acoustic lens so that the center and the outside of the acoustic lens have different shapes, but this type of acoustic lens is prone to deformation during contact with the human body, which makes the ultrasound beam unable to focus at the target depth; in addition, some researchers use memory alloys to dynamically adjust the curvature of the acoustic lens. This method can adjust the curvature of the acoustic lens by controlling the current, but the preparation process of the acoustic lens is complicated and has high requirements for the material of the acoustic lens. Therefore, the current acoustic lens is difficult to meet the requirements of clinical precision and simplification, and it is difficult to obtain clear images when examining complex organs or tissues, which makes it difficult to accurately identify the target position. Summary of the invention

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an acoustic lens, an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic imaging device that can improve imaging quality.

[0005] In one aspect of the present application, an acoustic lens is provided, which has a front surface, and the acoustic lens includes a middle area and side areas on both sides of the middle area in the direction of the curved surface change of the front surface; the focal length of the middle area is greater than the focal length of the side area.

[0006] The acoustic lens adjusts the focal length by partitioning, and the focal length of the middle area of ​​the acoustic lens is greater than that of the side area. By adjusting the focal length and thus changing the focal position of the acoustic lens, multi-dimensional and multi-point focusing is achieved, thereby avoiding the limitations of the acoustic lens with a fixed focal length, increasing the clarity of the ultrasonic image, and enabling the user to accurately identify the position of the target from the ultrasonic image. The acoustic lens allows the ultrasonic waves passing through the middle area to be focused at a deeper depth of the target to be measured, and the ultrasonic waves passing through the side area to be focused at a shallower depth of the target to be measured. When detecting a target to be measured with a complex structure, a clear image from shallow to deep can be obtained, thereby further improving the quality of the ultrasonic image.

[0007] The acoustic lens can significantly narrow the beam and make the beam more uniform, and the beam widths at different depths of the object to be measured are close, thereby further improving the quality of the ultrasound image.

[0008] After being focused by the above-mentioned acoustic lens, the ultrasonic waves can form narrower beams inside the object to be measured. These narrower beams have more concentrated energy, which can improve spatial resolution, increase signal strength and contrast, and reduce sidelobe interference, thereby being able to more accurately distinguish the boundaries of adjacent structures inside the object to be measured and the subtle structures inside the object to be measured, and then these boundaries and subtle structures can be more clearly displayed on the image, avoiding blurred imaging caused by the beam coverage being too large to be clearly distinguished.

[0009] In some embodiments, in the direction of the curvature change of the front surface, the length of the middle area accounts for 10% to 40% of the total length of the acoustic lens, and the length of the side area on one side accounts for 5% to 45% of the total length of the acoustic lens.

[0010] In some embodiments, the acoustic lens satisfies at least one of the following conditions:

[0011] (1) The number of side regions on both sides of the middle region is the same;

[0012] (2) In the direction of the curvature change of the front surface, the lengths of the side areas on both sides of the middle area are the same.

[0013] In some embodiments, the difference in sound velocity between adjacent regions is greater than or equal to 50 m / s, and the difference in acoustic impedance between adjacent regions is less than or equal to 0.1 Mrayl.

[0014] In some embodiments, the acoustic lens is a convex lens, and the sound speeds of the middle area and each of the side areas are less than or equal to 1500 m / s; or,

[0015] The acoustic lens is a concave lens, and the sound speeds in the middle area and each of the side areas are greater than 1500 m / s.

[0016] In some embodiments, the side area on one side includes n sequentially connected sub-areas in the direction of the curvature change of the front surface, and the focal lengths of the n sequentially connected sub-areas decrease in the direction from the middle area to away from the middle area, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1.

[0017] In some embodiments, the acoustic lens is a convex lens, the front surface is a convex surface, the curvature of the front surface in the middle area and each of the side areas is equal, and the sound speed in the middle area is greater than the sound speed in the side areas.

[0018] In some embodiments, the acoustic lens is a convex lens, and the side area on one side includes n sequentially connected sub-areas in the direction of the curvature change of the front surface, and the sound speed of the n sequentially connected sub-areas decreases in the direction from the middle area to away from the middle area, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1.

[0019] In some embodiments, the middle region and each of the side regions are made of at least one of silicone rubber and modified silicone rubber.

[0020] In some embodiments, the raw materials for preparing the modified silicone rubber include, by mass content, 60% to 80% silicone rubber, 10% to 40% high sonic velocity component, and 0% to 10% compatibilizer, and the sonic velocity of the high sonic velocity component is greater than or equal to 1100 m / s.

[0021] In some embodiments, the raw materials for preparing the modified silicone rubber include, by mass content, 60% to 75% silicone rubber, 22% to 40% high sonic velocity component, and 1% to 5% compatibilizer.

[0022] In some embodiments, the sound velocity of the modified silicone rubber is 1100 m / s to 1400 m / s.

[0023] In some embodiments, the high sonic velocity component includes at least one of silicone resin, polyurethane resin, epoxy resin, fluorosilicone rubber, polysulfide rubber and nitrile rubber.

[0024] In some embodiments, the compatibilizer includes at least one of a silane coupling agent and a modified silicone oil.

[0025] In some embodiments, the silicone rubber includes at least one of RTV 630 silicone rubber, DC 184 silicone rubber, 6610 / 60 silicone rubber and LSR 7080 silicone rubber.

[0026] In some embodiments, the acoustic lens is a concave lens, the front surface is a concave surface, the curvature of the front surface in the middle area and each of the side areas is equal, and the sound speed in the middle area is smaller than the sound speed in the side areas.

[0027] In some embodiments, the acoustic lens is a concave lens, and the side area on one side includes n sequentially connected sub-areas in the direction of the curvature change of the front surface, and the sound speed of the n sequentially connected sub-areas increases in the direction from the middle area to away from the middle area, wherein n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1.

[0028] In some embodiments, the middle region and each of the side regions are made of a thermoplastic polymer.

[0029] In some embodiments, the thermoplastic polymer includes at least one of thermoplastic polyurethane, polyether polyamide block copolymer, silicone-based thermoplastic elastomer, styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer, poly-4-methylpentene, polypropylene and polyamide resin.

[0030] A second aspect of the present application provides an ultrasonic probe comprising the acoustic lens as described in the first aspect.

[0031] A third aspect of the present application provides an ultrasonic imaging device, comprising the acoustic lens as described in the first aspect or the ultrasonic probe as described in the second aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the installation status of the acoustic lens and ultrasonic transducer.

[0033] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of an acoustic lens structure with n sub-areas on a single side (n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1).

[0034] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the acoustic lens structure of Example 1.

[0035] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the acoustic lens structure of Example 2.

[0036] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the acoustic lens structure of Example 3.

[0037] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the acoustic lens structure of Example 4.

[0038] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the acoustic lens structure of Example 5.

[0039] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the acoustic lens structure of Example 6.

[0040] Fig. 9 This is a schematic diagram of the acoustic lens structure of comparative example 1.

[0041] Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the acoustic lens of comparative example 1 after the radius of curvature is increased.

[0042] Fig.11 This is a schematic diagram of the acoustic lens structure of comparative example 2.

[0043] Fig.12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the acoustic lens of comparative example 1 after reducing the radius of curvature.

[0044] Fig.13This is a comparison chart of the beam width of the acoustic lens of this application and the traditional single-material acoustic lens at different depths of the target to be measured.

[0045] Description of reference numerals:

[0046] 1. Backing layer; 2. Piezoelectric material; 3. Matching layer; 4. Acoustic lens; 41. Front surface. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] In order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be described more fully below with reference to the relevant drawings. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are given in the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, the purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the understanding of the disclosure of the present invention more thorough and comprehensive.

[0048] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs. The terms used herein in the specification of the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0049] An ultrasonic transducer is a device that can convert electrical energy and ultrasonic energy into each other. Its operation is based on the piezoelectric effect and the inverse piezoelectric effect. When an electric field is applied to certain crystalline materials (such as piezoelectric ceramics), the material will deform. This phenomenon is called the inverse piezoelectric effect. Using the inverse piezoelectric effect, when an AC voltage is applied to both ends of the piezoelectric material, the material will periodically expand and contract, thereby emitting ultrasonic waves. On the contrary, when ultrasonic waves act on piezoelectric materials, piezoelectric materials will generate an electric field due to mechanical stress. This is the piezoelectric effect. By detecting this electric field, the ultrasonic transducer can convert the received ultrasonic signal into an electrical signal, thereby realizing the reception of ultrasonic signals. The ultrasonic imaging device generates an image of the desired tissue by receiving the echo signals from different tissue parts of the object to be measured.

[0050] See also Figure 1 The main components of the ultrasonic transducer include a backing layer 1, a piezoelectric material 2 and a matching layer 3 connected in sequence, wherein the piezoelectric material 2 is the core of the ultrasonic transducer, the matching layer 3 is located in front of the piezoelectric material 2, and the backing layer 1 is located on the back of the piezoelectric material 2, that is, along the ultrasonic emission direction, the backing layer 1 is located upstream of the piezoelectric material 2, and the matching layer 3 is located downstream of the piezoelectric material 2. The acoustic lens 4 is connected to the matching layer 3 and is located downstream of the matching layer 3.

[0051] The acoustic lens can change the propagation direction of ultrasound and focus the ultrasonic beam on a specific area to increase the ultrasonic energy intensity in that area, thereby obtaining clearer image details. The acoustic lens can also match the acoustic impedance and reduce the reflection of ultrasound at the interface between the transducer and the object to be measured. In addition, the acoustic lens can shape the more divergent ultrasonic beam emitted by the ultrasonic transducer into a shape that is more suitable for detection needs.

[0052] With the development of ultrasound technology, users have higher and higher requirements for image quality clarity, requiring ultrasound imaging equipment to have high spatial resolution so that users can accurately identify the location of the target from the ultrasound image. However, current ultrasound imaging technology has certain limitations, and the image quality of ultrasound imaging is difficult to meet the clarity requirements, especially when the structure of the object to be measured is relatively complex.

[0053] Based on this, in the first aspect of the present application, an embodiment provides an acoustic lens, which has a front surface, and the acoustic lens includes a middle area and side areas on both sides of the middle area in the direction of the curved surface change of the front surface; the focal length of the middle area is greater than the focal length of the side area.

[0054] The acoustic lens can be used to focus the sound waves and then emit them through the front surface of the acoustic lens. For example, in an ultrasonic imaging device, the acoustic lens is located in front of the ultrasonic transducer. The ultrasonic waves generated by the transducer are focused by the acoustic lens and then emitted through the front surface to the location of the object to be detected, such as human tissue, thereby forming a narrower beam inside the object to be detected, such as human tissue, thereby achieving ultrasonic imaging.

[0055] The "front surface" of the acoustic lens refers to the surface of the acoustic lens that faces the target to be identified or contacts the target to be identified. Since the acoustic lens is a lens as a whole, the front surface has a curved surface structure of the lens. The curved surface structure has a curved surface change direction, such as Figure 1 Specifically, Figure 1 As shown, the acoustic lens is a convex lens as a whole, and its front surface is a convex surface, which has a curved surface change in the Y direction. Since the acoustic lens is a square as a whole, it has no curved surface change in the X direction. Specifically, as Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1 , the front surface is thickest in the middle region in the Y direction, and the front surface gradually descends toward the acoustic lens body from the middle region to the side regions on both sides. It can be understood that, for a concave acoustic lens, Figure 7 As shown, the front surface is thinnest in the middle area in the Y direction, and extends from the middle area to the side areas on both sides, and the front surface tends to gradually rise away from the acoustic lens body.

[0056] The acoustic lens adjusts the focal length in different zones, and the focal length of the middle zone of the acoustic lens is greater than that of the side zone. By adjusting the focal length and thus changing the focal position of the acoustic lens, multi-dimensional and multi-point focusing is achieved, which avoids the limitations of acoustic lenses with fixed focal lengths in actual clinical scanning processes. When inspecting complex organs or tissues, clear images from shallow to deep can be obtained, which greatly improves the quality of ultrasonic imaging and increases the clarity of ultrasonic images, allowing users to accurately locate the position of the detected object from the ultrasonic image. The acoustic lens allows the ultrasonic waves passing through the middle zone to be focused at a deeper level of the target being measured, and the ultrasonic waves passing through the side zones to be focused at a shallower level of the target being measured, thereby significantly narrowing the beam, making the beam more uniform, and making the beam widths at different depths close, thereby further improving the quality of ultrasonic images.

[0057] After being focused by the above-mentioned acoustic lens, the ultrasonic waves can form narrower beams inside the object to be measured. These narrower beams have more concentrated energy, which can improve spatial resolution, increase signal strength and contrast, and reduce sidelobe interference, thereby being able to more accurately distinguish the boundaries of adjacent structures inside the object to be measured and the subtle structures inside the object to be measured, and then these boundaries and subtle structures can be more clearly displayed on the image, avoiding blurred imaging caused by the beam coverage being too large to be clearly distinguished.

[0058] In some embodiments, in the direction of the curvature change of the front surface, the length of the middle area accounts for 10% to 40% of the total length of the acoustic lens, and the length of the side area on one side accounts for 5% to 45% of the total length of the acoustic lens.

[0059] It is understood that the side area of ​​a single side may be one or more.

[0060] As an example, the length of the middle zone may account for 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30%, 31%, 32%, 33%, 34%, 35%, 36%, 37%, 38%, 39% and 40% of the total length of the acoustic lens, or it may be within the range formed by any two of the above point values ​​as end values.

[0061] The length of the middle zone preferably accounts for 20% to 40% of the total length of the acoustic lens.

[0062] As an example, the length of the side area on a single side may account for 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30%, 31%, 32%, 33%, 34%, 35%, 36%, 37%, 38%, 39%, 40%, 41%, 42%, 43%, 44% and 45% of the total length of the acoustic lens, or it may be within the range formed by any two of the above point values ​​as end values.

[0063] The length of the side area on one side preferably accounts for 10% to 35% of the total length of the acoustic lens.

[0064] In some embodiments, the number of side regions on both sides of the middle region of the acoustic lens is the same.

[0065] In some embodiments, in the direction of the curvature change of the front surface, the lengths of the side regions on both sides of the middle region are the same.

[0066] In some embodiments, the number of side regions on both sides of the middle region of the acoustic lens is the same; in the direction of the curved surface change of the front surface, the lengths of the side regions on both sides of the middle region are the same. When the number and lengths of the side regions on both sides are the same, the acoustic lens has a symmetrical geometric shape, and the sound waves will experience a similar refraction process, which allows the sound wave energy to converge more evenly to the focal point, thereby making the energy focusing more uniform and efficient.

[0067] Furthermore, the sound speed of the side regions on both sides is the same. When the number, length and sound speed of the side regions on both sides are the same, the acoustic lens has a symmetrical geometric shape and physical properties, and the sound waves will experience the same refraction process, which allows the sound wave energy to converge more evenly to the focal point, thereby making the energy focusing more uniform and efficient, and this symmetrical structure of the acoustic lens is conducive to reducing sound wave distortion.

[0068] In some embodiments, the difference in sound velocity between adjacent regions is greater than or equal to 50 m / s, and the difference in acoustic impedance between adjacent regions is less than or equal to 0.1 Mrayl.

[0069] It is understood that adjacent areas refer to two adjacent areas on the acoustic lens with different sound velocities, which can be a middle area and a side area adjacent to the middle area, or two adjacent sub-areas in the side area.

[0070] When the sound velocity difference between adjacent areas is greater than or equal to 50m / s, it is helpful to achieve multi-point focusing and improve imaging quality; when the acoustic impedance difference between adjacent areas is less than or equal to 0.1Mrayl, the acoustic impedance difference between different areas is small, impedance consistency is met, and interface refraction is reduced; when the sound velocity difference between adjacent areas is greater than or equal to 50m / s and the acoustic impedance difference between adjacent areas is less than or equal to 0.1Mrayl, the beam is significantly narrowed and the beam is more uniform, thereby improving imaging resolution, increasing detection depth and penetration, reducing beam obstruction and interference, and improving detection sensitivity.

[0071] As an example, the difference in sound speed between adjacent zones may be 50 m / s, 60 m / s, 70 m / s, 80 m / s, 90 m / s, 100 m / s, 106 m / s, 110 m / s, 120 m / s, 130 m / s, 140 m / s, 150 m / s, 160 m / s, 170 m / s, 180 m / s, 190 m / s, 196 m / s, The speed of the air flow can be as follows: m / s, 200m / s, 210m / s, 220m / s, 230m / s, 240m / s, 250m / s, 260m / s, 270m / s, 280m / s, 290m / s, 300m / s, 310m / s, 320m / s, 330m / s, 340m / s, 350m / s, 360m / s, 370m / s, 380m / s, 390m / s, 400m / s, 410m / s, 420m / s, 430m / s, 440m / s, 450m / s, 460m / s, 470m / s, 480m / s, 490m / s and 500m / s, and can also be within the range consisting of any two of the above point values ​​as end values. The difference in sound velocity between adjacent zones is preferably 100 m / s to 350 m / s.

[0072] As an example, the acoustic impedance difference between adjacent areas can be 0, 0.01 Mrayl, 0.02 Mrayl, 0.03 Mrayl, 0.04 Mrayl, 0.05 Mrayl, 0.06 Mrayl, 0.07 Mrayl, 0.08 Mrayl, 0.09 Mrayl, 0.095 Mrayl and 0.1 Mrayl, or can be within the range formed by any two of the above point values ​​as end values. The acoustic impedance difference between adjacent areas is preferably 0-0.05 Mrayl.

[0073] In some embodiments, the difference in sound velocity between adjacent zones is 100 m / s to 350 m / s, and the difference in acoustic impedance between adjacent zones is 0 to 0.05 Mrayl. When the difference in sound velocity and acoustic impedance between adjacent zones is within this range, the beam narrowing effect is better, and the image resolution obtained by ultrasonic imaging is higher and clearer.

[0074] In some embodiments, the acoustic lens is a convex lens, and the sound speeds of the middle area and each of the side areas are less than or equal to 1500 m / s; or,

[0075] The acoustic lens is a concave lens, and the sound speeds in the middle area and each of the side areas are greater than 1500 m / s.

[0076] The front surface of the convex lens protrudes outward to form a convex surface. When ultrasonic waves propagate from one side, the convex surface of the convex lens will refract the ultrasonic waves toward the central axis. This structure can converge the divergent ultrasonic beams to a focus, thereby achieving focused imaging. The aforementioned convex lens can effectively focus the ultrasonic waves emitted by the transducer to a specific depth area of ​​the object to be measured, thereby improving the resolution of the imaging.

[0077] The front surface of the concave lens is recessed inward to form a concave surface. The function of the concave lens is opposite to that of the convex lens. It will cause the ultrasonic beam to diverge, which can be used to expand the coverage of the ultrasonic wave or to make appropriate divergence adjustments to the beam that has been focused too strongly.

[0078] When sound waves are transmitted from a material with a faster sound speed to a material with a slower sound speed, they tend to deviate from the normal line of the interface. When the sound speed of the acoustic lens material is lower than the sound speed of the object to be measured, it is designed to be convex in the radiation direction of the ultrasonic wave; when its sound speed is higher than the sound speed of the object to be measured, it is designed to be concave.

[0079] In some embodiments, the side area on one side includes n sequentially connected sub-areas in the direction of the curvature change of the front surface, and the focal lengths of the n sequentially connected sub-areas decrease in the direction from the middle area to away from the middle area, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1.

[0080] In some embodiments, the acoustic lens is a convex lens, the front surface is a convex surface, the curvature of the front surface in the middle area and each of the side areas is equal, and the sound velocity in the middle area is greater than the sound velocity in the side areas. The equal curvature of the middle area and each of the side areas can avoid deformation of the acoustic lens caused by contact with the object to be measured, which is conducive to the acoustic lens to achieve multi-dimensional and multi-point focusing, and the sound velocity in the middle area is greater than the sound velocity in the side areas, which is conducive to focusing the ultrasonic waves passing through the middle area at a deeper part of the object to be measured, and focusing the ultrasonic waves passing through the side areas at a shallower part of the object to be measured.

[0081] In some embodiments, the acoustic lens is a convex lens, and the side area on one side includes n sequentially connected sub-areas in the direction of the curved surface change of the front surface, and the sound speed of the n sequentially connected sub-areas decreases from the middle area to the direction away from the middle area, wherein n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1. The sound speed of the n sequentially connected sub-areas decreases from the middle area to the direction away from the middle area, that is, the focal length of the middle area is the largest, and the focal length of the side area gradually decreases, thereby realizing that the ultrasonic beam passing through the middle area Ln+1 of the acoustic lens is converged on the deeper part of the object to be measured, and the ultrasonic beam transmitted through the side area is converged on the shallower part of the object to be measured, so as to realize an ultrasonic beam with a narrow width in the Y direction.

[0082] For understanding, please refer to Figure 2 The side area on one side includes n sub-areas connected in sequence in the direction of the curved surface change of the front surface, forming a convex lens with a 2n+1 partition structure (n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1). By selecting materials with different sound speeds in the partitions, the sound speed of the middle area Ln+1 is the fastest, and the sound speed of the side area gradually decreases (V Ln >V Ln-1 >…>V L2 >V L1 , V Ln+2 >V Ln+3 >…>V L2n >V L2n+1 ), that is, the focal length of the middle area is the largest, and the focal length of the side area gradually decreases, so that the ultrasonic beam passing through the middle area Ln+1 of the acoustic lens converges on the deeper part of the object to be measured, and the ultrasonic beam transmitted through the side area converges on the shallower part of the object to be measured, so as to realize an ultrasonic beam with a narrow width in the Y direction. The material selection can be selected from components with similar impedance, and it is only necessary to ensure that the sound speed of the material selected in the middle area is the fastest, and the sound speed of the material selected in the side area gradually decreases. The materials selected for the symmetrical sub-areas in the two side areas can be the same or different.

[0083] Furthermore, the acoustic lens is a convex lens, and the sound speed of the n sequentially connected sub-areas decreases in a direction from the middle area to a direction away from the middle area, wherein 1≤n≤5 is a natural number.

[0084] Furthermore, the acoustic lens is a convex lens, and the sound speed of the n sequentially connected sub-areas decreases in a direction from the middle area to a direction away from the middle area, wherein 1≤n≤3 is a natural number.

[0085] In some embodiments, the material of the middle area and each of the side areas is at least one of silicone rubber and modified silicone rubber. Silicone rubber will hardly get fatigued during contact with the human body, and can be restored to its original shape before deformation after use, which can play a good protective role. Since the sound speed of silicone rubber is mostly around 1000m / s, it is impossible to form a significant sound speed difference. The modified silicone rubber of the present application can ensure that the sound attenuation of the modified silicone rubber will not be significantly increased while ensuring a significant sound speed difference.

[0086] In some embodiments, the raw materials for preparing the modified silicone rubber contain, by weight, greater than or equal to 50% silicone rubber, less than or equal to 40% high sonic velocity component, and less than or equal to 10% compatibilizer.

[0087] As an example, the mass content of silicone rubber can be 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54%, 55%, 56%, 57%, 58%, 59%, 60%, 61%, 62%, 63%, 64%, 65%, 66%, 67%, 68%, 69%, 70%, 71%, 72%, 73%, 74%, 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89% and 90%, or it can be within the range of any two of the above points as end values. The mass content of silicone rubber is preferably 60% to 80%, more preferably 60% to 75%.

[0088] As an example, the mass content of the high sound velocity component can be 5%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30%, 31%, 32%, 33%, 34%, 35%, 36%, 37%, 38%, 39% and 40%, or it can be within the range of any two of the above points as end values. The mass content of the high sound velocity component is preferably 10% to 40%, more preferably 22% to 40%.

[0089] As an example, the mass content of the compatibilizer can be 0, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9% and 10%, or can be within the range formed by any two of the above point values ​​as end values. The mass content of the compatibilizer is preferably 0.5% to 5%, more preferably 1% to 5%.

[0090] In some embodiments, the raw materials for preparing the modified silicone rubber include 60% to 80% silicone rubber, 10% to 40% high sound velocity components, and 0% to 10% compatibilizer by mass content, and the sound velocity of the high sound velocity component is greater than or equal to 1100 m / s. While ensuring a significant sound velocity difference, the modified silicone rubber does not significantly increase the acoustic attenuation of the modified silicone rubber, and successfully controls the 5MHz acoustic attenuation within 30 dB / cm. In addition, the acoustic lens containing the modified silicone rubber has more obvious beam narrowing and clearer imaging.

[0091] In some embodiments, the raw materials for preparing the modified silicone rubber include 60% to 75% silicone rubber, 22% to 40% high sound velocity components, and 1% to 5% compatibilizers by mass content. The modified silicone rubber ensures a significant sound velocity difference while preventing a significant increase in the acoustic attenuation of the modified silicone rubber, successfully controlling the 5MHz acoustic attenuation within 20 dB / cm, and the acoustic lens containing the modified silicone rubber has a better beam narrowing effect, and the obtained ultrasound image quality is higher.

[0092] In some embodiments, the sound velocity of the modified silicone rubber is 1100 m / s to 1400 m / s.

[0093] In some embodiments, the high-sonic-velocity component is a high-sonic-velocity resin with a sound velocity greater than or equal to 1100 m / s or a high-sonic-velocity rubber with a sound velocity greater than or equal to 1100 m / s.

[0094] Furthermore, the high sound velocity component includes at least one of silicone resin, polyurethane resin, epoxy resin, fluorosilicone rubber, polysulfide rubber and nitrile rubber.

[0095] Furthermore, the high acoustic velocity component includes a curing agent.

[0096] In some embodiments, the compatibilizer includes at least one of a silane coupling agent and a modified silicone oil.

[0097] In some embodiments, the silicone rubber includes at least one of RTV 630 silicone rubber, DC 184 silicone rubber, 6610 / 60 silicone rubber and LSR 7080 silicone rubber.

[0098] In some embodiments, the acoustic lens is a concave lens, the front surface is a concave surface, the curvature of the front surface in the middle area and each of the side areas is equal, and the sound velocity in the middle area is less than the sound velocity in the side areas. A concave lens with equal curvature of the front surface in the middle area and each of the side areas can avoid deformation of the acoustic lens caused by contact with the object to be measured, which is conducive to the acoustic lens to achieve multi-dimensional and multi-point focusing, and the sound velocity in the middle area is less than the sound velocity in the side areas, which is conducive to focusing the ultrasonic wave passing through the middle area at a deeper part of the object to be measured, and focusing the ultrasonic wave passing through the side areas at a shallower part of the object to be measured.

[0099] In some embodiments, the acoustic lens is a concave lens, and the side area on one side includes n sequentially connected sub-areas in the direction of the curvature change of the front surface, and the sound speed of the n sequentially connected sub-areas increases in the direction from the middle area to away from the middle area, wherein n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1.

[0100] In some embodiments, the acoustic lens is a concave lens, and the material of the middle area and each of the side areas is a thermoplastic polymer. By utilizing the injection moldable property of the thermoplastic polymer, it can be combined with liquid silicone rubber by secondary injection molding to form a liquid silicone rubber-thermoplastic polymer partitioned acoustic lens, or by utilizing the properties of the thermoplastic polymer itself and using secondary injection molding to form a partitioned acoustic lens.

[0101] In some embodiments, the thermoplastic polymer includes at least one of thermoplastic polyurethane, polyether polyamide block copolymer, silicone-based thermoplastic elastomer, styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer, poly-4-methylpentene, polypropylene and polyamide resin.

[0102] In some embodiments, the thermoplastic polymer includes a thermoplastic elastomer or a thermoplastic resin. There is a large difference in elastic modulus between thermoplastic elastomers and thermoplastic resins, and there is also a large difference in sound velocity. Thermoplastic elastomers are copolymers formed by alternating polymerization or dynamic mechanical mixing of segments with different chemical structures. They have the characteristics of controllable molecular weight, narrow molecular weight distribution, and designable molecular structure and composition. Thermoplastic elastomers with required acoustic and mechanical properties can be manufactured or selected on demand. Thermoplastic resins have good processing properties and can be designed and injection molded into complex shapes on demand, with high production efficiency.

[0103] In some embodiments, the thermoplastic elastomer includes at least one of thermoplastic polyurethane, polyether polyamide block copolymer, silicone-based thermoplastic elastomer, and styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer.

[0104] In some embodiments, the thermoplastic resin includes at least one of poly-4-methylpentene, polypropylene, and polyamide resin.

[0105] A second aspect of the present application provides an ultrasonic probe comprising the acoustic lens as described in the first aspect.

[0106] In some embodiments, the ultrasound probe includes an ultrasound transducer and an acoustic lens, wherein the acoustic lens is located in front of the ultrasound transducer.

[0107] See also Figure 1 The main components of the ultrasonic transducer include a backing layer 1, a piezoelectric material 2 and a matching layer 3 connected in sequence, wherein the piezoelectric material 2 is the core part of the ultrasonic transducer, the matching layer 3 is located in front of the piezoelectric material 2, and the backing layer 1 is located on the back of the piezoelectric material 2, that is, along the ultrasonic emission direction, the backing layer 1 is located upstream of the piezoelectric material 2, and the matching layer 3 is located downstream of the piezoelectric material 2. The acoustic lens 4 is connected to the matching layer 3 and is located downstream of the matching layer 3. The acoustic lens can change the propagation direction of the ultrasonic wave and play a role in focusing the ultrasonic wave. The ultrasonic wave generated by the ultrasonic transducer is optimized and processed by the aforementioned acoustic lens, and then emitted to the object to be measured after focusing and reducing reflection; when receiving the ultrasonic echo, the echo first passes through the acoustic lens, and then is received by the ultrasonic transducer and converted into an electrical signal for subsequent processing. The aforementioned acoustic lens and the ultrasonic transducer together constitute an ultrasonic probe that can effectively emit and receive ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic probe achieves multi-dimensional and multi-point focusing by optimizing the acoustic lens structure, which makes the ultrasonic beam significantly narrowed in the object to be tested and the beam uniform, thereby improving the detection sensitivity and imaging quality, and can quickly and accurately identify the target position.

[0108] A third aspect of the present application provides an ultrasonic imaging device, comprising at least one of the acoustic lens as described in the first aspect and the ultrasonic probe as described in the second aspect.

[0109] In some embodiments, the ultrasound imaging device includes a control unit, an ultrasound probe, a signal processing unit, an image generating system, and an image display system.

[0110] The control unit controls the transmitting circuit to generate a high-frequency electric pulse signal according to the setting. The high-frequency electric pulse signal is transmitted to the piezoelectric material of the ultrasonic transducer. The piezoelectric material converts the electric pulse into mechanical vibration based on the piezoelectric effect to generate ultrasonic waves. After being optimized by the aforementioned acoustic lens, the ultrasonic waves are emitted to the object to be measured; after the echo passes through the acoustic lens, it is processed by the signal processing unit to optimize the beam characteristics; then the image generation system generates a two-dimensional or three-dimensional ultrasonic image through a specific algorithm based on the delay time, intensity and other information of the echo signal, and transmits the image to the image display system for display. The ultrasonic imaging device realizes multi-dimensional and multi-point focusing by optimizing the acoustic lens structure, so that the ultrasonic beam is significantly narrowed in the object to be measured, and the beam is uniform, so that clear images from shallow to deep can be obtained, which improves the quality of ultrasonic imaging and enables users to accurately identify the location of the target from the ultrasonic image.

[0111] The following are specific embodiments.

[0112] The following materials can be used in the embodiment:

[0113] 1. Silicone rubber

[0114] Liquid silicone rubber can be divided into room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber (RTV) and liquid silicone rubber (LSR) according to different molding methods. RTV silicone rubber is suitable for casting molding. After evenly mixing, it can be poured into the mold cavity for molding. LSR silicone rubber has a higher molding temperature and usually has a higher viscosity. It can be molded using an LSR injection molding machine and is suitable for two-color or multi-color injection molding or secondary injection molding.

[0115] Silicone rubber A: The main component of silicone rubber A is Momentive RTV 630 (RTV630 for short).

[0116] The performance test process of silicone rubber A is as follows: weigh 20g of RTV630 silicone and 2g of curing agent, stir mechanically until the mixture is evenly mixed, vacuum centrifuge to degas, pour the mixture into a mold, and vulcanize at room temperature for 24 hours to obtain the cured silicone rubber A; perform an acoustic performance test on it, and the density of silicone rubber A is 1.28g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 1050 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.34MRayl, and the 5MHz sound attenuation is less than 25dB / cm.

[0117] Silicone rubber B: The main component of silicone rubber B is Dow Corning SYLGARD 184 (DC184 for short).

[0118] The performance test process of silicone rubber B is as follows: weigh 20g of 184 silicone component and 2g of curing agent, stir mechanically until the mixture is evenly mixed, vacuum centrifuge to degas, pour the mixture into a mold, vulcanize at room temperature for 48 hours to obtain a cured product; perform an acoustic performance test on the product, and obtain a density of silicone rubber B of 1.03 g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 1020 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.05 MRayl, and the 5MHz sound attenuation is less than 20 dB / cm.

[0119] Silicone rubber C: The main component of silicone rubber C is WACKER SIPURAN 6610 / 60 (abbreviated as 6610 / 60).

[0120] The performance test process of silicone rubber C is as follows: a sample is prepared using a liquid silicone injection molding machine, the mold size used is 100 mm*100 mm*5 mm, the process conditions are 165℃ for initial vulcanization for 5 minutes, and 200℃ for secondary vulcanization for 4 hours to obtain the sample; the acoustic performance test is performed on it, and the density of silicone rubber C is 1.23 g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 1030 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.27MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 25 dB / cm.

[0121] Silicone rubber D: The main component of silicone rubber D is Momentive Silopren LSR 7080 (LSR7080 for short).

[0122] The performance test process of silicone rubber D is as follows: a sample is prepared using a liquid silicone injection molding machine, the mold size used is 100 mm*100 mm*5 mm, the process conditions are 130℃ for initial vulcanization for 15 minutes, and 200℃ for secondary vulcanization for 2 hours to obtain the sample; the acoustic performance test is performed on it, and the density of silicone rubber D is 1.06 g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 1020 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.08MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 20dB / cm.

[0123] (II) Modified silicone rubber

[0124] Modified silicone rubber E: The raw materials for the preparation of modified silicone rubber E include RTV 630, polyurethane resin, isocyanate propyl triethoxy silane (IPTS), terminal hydroxyl silicone oil and curing agent. The polyurethane resin used is a two-component, and the recommended amount of polyurethane resin and its curing agent is a mass ratio of 10:1.

[0125] The preparation process and performance test of modified silicone rubber E are as follows: weigh 20 g of RTV630 silicone component, add 7 g of polyurethane resin, 0.2 g of isocyanate propyl triethoxysilane (IPTS), and 0.5 g of terminal hydroxyl silicone oil, stir mechanically until uniform, add 0.7 g of polyurethane resin curing agent and 2 g of RTV 630 curing agent, stir mechanically until the mixture is uniform, vacuum centrifuge degassing to obtain a mixture, pour it into a mold and vulcanize it at room temperature for 24 hours to obtain a modified silicone rubber E sample, and test its acoustic performance. The density of modified silicone rubber E is 1.16 g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 1170 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.36 MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 20 dB / cm.

[0126] Modified silicone rubber F: The raw materials for the preparation of modified silicone rubber F include DC 184, epoxy resin, silane coupling agent KH560 and curing agent. The epoxy resin used is a two-component, and the mass ratio of epoxy resin to its curing agent is 5:1.

[0127] The preparation process and performance test of modified silicone rubber F are as follows: weigh 20 g of DC 184 silicone component, add 4 g of epoxy resin and 0.8 g of silane coupling agent KH560, stir mechanically until uniform, add 0.8 g of epoxy resin curing agent and 2 g of DC 184 curing agent, stir mechanically until uniform, vacuum centrifuge to degas, and pour the mixture into a mold and vulcanize at room temperature for 48 hours to obtain a modified silicone rubber F sample, which is subjected to acoustic performance test. The density of modified silicone rubber F is 1.16 g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 1280 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.34 MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 20 dB / cm.

[0128] Modified silicone rubber G: The raw materials for the preparation of modified silicone rubber G include DC 184, polysulfide rubber, silane coupling agent KH-580 and curing agent. The polysulfide rubber used is a two-component, and the mass ratio of polysulfide rubber to its curing agent is 4:1.

[0129] The preparation process and performance test of modified silicone rubber G are as follows: weigh 20 g of DC 184 silicone component, add 8 g of liquid polysulfide rubber, 0.5 g of silane coupling agent KH-580, stir mechanically until uniform, add 2 g of polysulfide rubber curing agent, 2 g of DC 184 curing agent, stir mechanically until uniform, vacuum centrifuge degassing to obtain a mixture, pour it into a mold and vulcanize it at room temperature for 48 hours to obtain a modified silicone rubber G sample, and test its acoustic performance. The density of modified silicone rubber G is 1.06 g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 1330 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.41 MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 30 dB / cm.

[0130] Modified silicone rubber H: The raw materials for the preparation of modified silicone rubber H include 6610 / 60 and silicone resin. The silicone resin used is a single-component heat-curing type, and the curing temperature is not lower than 60°C and not higher than 150°C.

[0131] The preparation process and performance test of modified silicone rubber H are as follows: silicone resin is mixed into the A and B components of 6610 / 60 respectively. The mass fraction of the A component of 6610 / 60 is 80%, and the mass fraction of silicone resin is 20% in the mixed A component. Similarly, the mass fraction of the B component of 6610 / 60 is 80%, and the mass fraction of silicone resin is 20% in the mixed B component. After mixing with a kneader for 60 minutes, a uniform product is obtained. The sample is prepared with a liquid silicone injection molding machine. The mold size used is 100 mm * 100 mm * 5 mm. The process conditions are 160 ℃ initial vulcanization for 10 minutes, and 200 ℃ secondary vulcanization for 4 hours to obtain the modified silicone rubber H sample. The acoustic performance is tested. The density of the modified silicone rubber H is 1.19 g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 1120 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.33 MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 25 dB / cm.

[0132] Modified silicone rubber I: The raw materials for preparing modified silicone rubber I include LSR 7080, nitrile rubber and curing agent. The liquid nitrile rubber used is a two-component one, and the mass ratio of the liquid nitrile rubber to its curing agent is 2:1.

[0133] The preparation process and performance test of modified silicone rubber I are as follows: liquid nitrile rubber curing agent is mixed into component A of LSR 7080, and the mass fraction of component A of LSR 7080, the mass fraction of liquid nitrile rubber and the mass fraction of liquid nitrile rubber curing agent are 70%, 10% and 20% respectively. Liquid nitrile rubber is mixed into component B, and the mass fraction of component B of LSR 7080 and the mass fraction of liquid nitrile rubber are 30% respectively. After mixing for 60 minutes with a kneader, a uniform product is obtained, and a sample is prepared with a liquid silicone injection molding machine. The mold size is 100 mm * 100 mm * 5 mm. The process conditions are 130 ℃ for initial vulcanization for 10 minutes and 200 ℃ for secondary vulcanization for 2 hours to obtain a modified silicone rubber I sample. The acoustic performance test is carried out on it, and the density of component I is 1.10 g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 1226 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.35MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 25 dB / cm.

[0134] Modified silicone rubber J: The raw materials for the preparation of modified silicone rubber J include LSR 7080, fluorosilicone rubber, vinyl fluorosilicone oil and methyl fluorosilicone oil. The liquid fluorosilicone rubber used is a two-component one, and the mass ratio of fluorosilicone rubber to its curing agent is 1:1.

[0135] The preparation process and performance test of modified silicone rubber J are as follows: fluorosilicone rubber and vinyl fluorosilicone oil are mixed into component A of LSR 7080. The mass fraction of component A of LSR7080 after mixing is 65%, the mass fraction of fluorosilicone rubber is 30%, and the mass fraction of vinyl fluorosilicone oil is 5%. Fluorosilicone rubber curing agent and methyl fluorosilicone oil are mixed into component B of LSR 7080. The mass fraction of component B of LSR7080 after mixing is 65%, the mass fraction of fluorosilicone rubber curing agent is 30%, and the mass fraction of methyl fluorosilicone oil is 5%. The mixture is mixed with a kneader for 60 minutes to obtain a uniform product. The sample is prepared with a liquid silicone injection molding machine. The mold size used is 100 mm * 100 mm * 5 mm. The process conditions are 130 °C for initial vulcanization for 10 minutes and 200 °C for secondary vulcanization for 2 hours to obtain the modified silicone rubber J sample. The acoustic performance test is carried out on it, and the density of component J is 1.13 g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 1120 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.26 MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 25 dB / cm.

[0136] (III) Thermoplastic elastomer

[0137] Thermoplastic elastomer K: Thermoplastic elastomer K uses thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), specifically Covestro Desmopan DP 9370AU. The raw material is used to make samples for acoustic performance testing. The density of thermoplastic elastomer K is 1.06 g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 1640 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.77 MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 20 dB / cm.

[0138] Thermoplastic elastomer L: Thermoplastic elastomer L uses polyether polyamide block copolymer (PEBAX), specifically ARKEMA PEBAX 4533. The raw material is used to make samples for acoustic performance testing. The density of thermoplastic elastomer L is 1.01g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 1750 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.76 MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 30 dB / cm.

[0139] Thermoplastic elastomer M: Thermoplastic elastomer M uses silicone thermoplastic elastomer (TPSiV), specifically DuPont TPSiV 5300-80A. The raw material is used to make a sample for acoustic performance testing, and the density of component M is 0.95g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 1430 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.36 MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 35 dB / cm.

[0140] Thermoplastic elastomer N: Thermoplastic elastomer N uses styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer (SIBS), specifically KANEKA SIBSTAR 062T. The raw materials are used to make samples for acoustic performance testing. The density of thermoplastic elastomer N is 0.94 g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 1980 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.86 MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 25 dB / cm.

[0141] (IV) Thermoplastic resin

[0142] Thermoplastic resin O: Thermoplastic resin O uses poly-4-methylpentene (TPX), specifically Mitsul Chemicals TPX RT-31. Samples made from the raw materials are tested for acoustic performance, and the density of thermoplastic resin O is 0.84 g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 2090 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 1.77 MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 15 dB / cm.

[0143] Thermoplastic resin P: Thermoplastic resin P uses polypropylene (PP), specifically Lotte Chemical Titanpro 6431. The raw material is used to make a sample for acoustic performance testing, and the density of thermoplastic resin P is 0.90 g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 2600 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 2.34 MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 20 dB / cm.

[0144] Thermoplastic resin Q: Thermoplastic resin Q uses polyamide resin (PA), specifically ARKEMA Rilsan Clear G820. The raw material is used to make a sample for acoustic performance testing, and the density of thermoplastic resin Q is 1.05 g / cm 3 , the sound velocity is 2260 m / s, the acoustic impedance is 2.37 MRayl, and the 5 MHz sound attenuation is less than 20 dB / cm.

[0145] The main components and acoustic performance parameters of the above materials are listed in Table 1:

[0146] Table 1

[0147]

[0148] The materials of different partitions of the acoustic lens can be selected in Table 1 according to the principle of acoustic impedance matching and sound velocity difference; due to different material molding methods, the molding processing order of each partition can be adjusted according to actual conditions. The specific implementation method is as follows:

[0149] Example 1

[0150] See also Figure 3 , an acoustic lens, the acoustic lens having a front surface, the acoustic lens including a middle area L2 and a first side area L1 and a second side area L3 located on both sides of the middle area along the curved surface change direction from the middle of the front surface. Along the Y-axis direction, the length of L2 accounts for 40%, and the lengths of L1 and L3 each account for 30%.

[0151] The acoustic lens of Example 1 is a convex lens of a three-zone structure prepared by multi-color injection molding. The material of the middle zone L2 is modified silicone rubber I, the material of the first side zone L1 is silicone rubber C, and the material of the second side zone L3 is modified silicone rubber J. The middle zone L2 has the fastest sound velocity, and the sound velocities of the first side zone L1 and the second side zone L3 are relatively low. The focal length F2 of the middle zone L2 is greater than the focal length F1 of the first side zone L1, and the focal length F2 of the middle zone L2 is also greater than the focal length F3 of the second side zone L3.

[0152] The above-mentioned acoustic lens has three focal points with different focal lengths. The ultrasonic beam passing through the middle area L2 converges on the deeper part of the target to be measured, and the ultrasonic beam transmitted through the first side area L1 and the second side area L3 converges on the shallower part of the target to be measured, thereby realizing an ultrasonic beam with a narrow width in the Y direction.

[0153] Example 2

[0154] See also Figure 4 , Embodiment 2 is basically the same as Embodiment 1, except that: the first side region L1 and the second side region L3 are both made of silicone rubber C. Along the Y-axis direction, the lengths of L1 / L2 / L3 are equal, all 33.3%.

[0155] The above-mentioned acoustic lens has two focal points with different focal lengths. The middle area L2 has the fastest sound speed and the largest focal length, while the first side area L1 and the second side area L3 have lower sound speeds and smaller focal lengths. The ultrasonic beam passing through the middle area L2 converges on the deeper part of the target to be measured, and the ultrasonic beam transmitted through the side areas L1 and L3 converges on the shallower part of the target to be measured, thereby realizing an ultrasonic beam with a narrow width in the Y direction.

[0156] Example 3

[0157] See also Figure 5An acoustic lens, the acoustic lens having a front surface, the acoustic lens including a middle area L3 and a first side area L1, a second side area L2, a third side area L4 and a fourth side area L5 located on both sides of the middle area from the middle of the front surface to the lifting direction. Along the Y-axis direction, the length of L3 accounts for 30%, and the lengths of L1 / L2 / L4 / L5 all account for 17.5%.

[0158] The acoustic lens of Example 3 is a convex lens with a five-zone structure. The material of the middle zone L3 is thermoplastic elastomer M, the material of the first side zone L1 and the fourth side zone L5 is silicone rubber C, and the material of the second side zone L2 and the third side zone L4 is modified silicone rubber H. First, the second side zone L2 and the third side zone L4 are molded on both sides of the middle zone L3 by secondary injection molding, and then the first side zone L1 and the fourth side zone L5 are molded by two-color injection molding. The sound velocity in the middle zone L3 is the fastest, and the sound velocity in the two side zones gradually decreases (V L2 >V L1 , V L4 >V L5 ), that is: the focal length of the middle area is the largest, and the focal lengths of the two side areas gradually decrease.

[0159] The above-mentioned acoustic lens has three focal points with different focal lengths. The ultrasonic beam passing through the middle area L3 of the acoustic lens converges on the deeper part of the object to be measured, and the ultrasonic beam transmitted through the first side area L1, the second side area L2, the third side area L4 and the fourth side area L5 converges on the shallower part of the object to be measured, thereby realizing an ultrasonic beam with a narrow width in the Y direction.

[0160] Example 4

[0161] See also Figure 6 , an acoustic lens, the acoustic lens having a front surface, the acoustic lens including a middle area L4 and a first side area L1, a second side area L2, a third side area L3, a fourth side area L5, a fifth side area L6 and a sixth side area L7 located on both sides of the middle area along the curved surface change direction from the middle of the front surface to both sides. Along the Y-axis direction, the length of the middle area L4 accounts for 25%, L1 and L7 account for 15%, L2 and L6 account for 12.5%, and L3 and L5 account for 10%.

[0162] The acoustic lens of Example 4 is a convex lens with a seven-zone structure. The material of the middle zone L4 is modified silicone rubber G, the material of the first side zone L1 and the sixth side zone L7 is silicone rubber A, the material of the second side zone L2 and the fifth side zone L6 is modified silicone rubber E, and the material of the third side zone L3 and the fourth side zone L5 is modified silicone rubber F. The acoustic lens is prepared by a stepwise casting method. The sound velocity in the middle zone L4 is the fastest, and the sound velocity in the two side zones gradually decreases (V L3 >V L2 >V L1 , VL5 >V L6 >V L7 ), that is: the focal length in the middle area is the largest, and the focal lengths on both sides gradually decrease.

[0163] The above-mentioned acoustic lens has four focal points with different focal lengths. The ultrasonic beam passing through the middle area L4 of the acoustic lens converges on the deeper part of the object to be measured, and the ultrasonic beam transmitted through the first side area L1, the second side area L2, the third side area L3, the fourth side area L5, the fifth side area L6 and the sixth side area L7 converges on the shallower part of the object to be measured, thereby realizing an ultrasonic beam with a narrow width in the Y direction.

[0164] Example 5

[0165] See also Figure 7 An acoustic lens, the acoustic lens having a front surface, the acoustic lens including a middle area L2 and a first side area L1 and a second side area L3 located on both sides of the middle area from the middle of the front surface to the lifting direction. Along the Y-axis direction, the length of L2 accounts for 30%, and the lengths of L1 and L3 are both 35%.

[0166] The acoustic lens of Example 5 is a concave lens with a three-partition structure, the material of the middle area L2 is thermoplastic resin P, and the materials of the first side area L1 and the second side area L3 are thermoplastic resin Q. The middle area L2 has the slowest sound velocity, and the first side area L1 and the second side area L3 have faster sound velocity. The focal length F1 of the middle area L2 is greater than the focal length F2 of the first side area L1 and the second side area L3.

[0167] The above-mentioned acoustic lens has two focal points with different focal lengths. The ultrasonic beam passing through the middle area L2 converges on the deeper part of the target to be measured, and the ultrasonic beam transmitted through the first side area L1 and the second side area L3 converges on the shallower part of the target to be measured, thereby realizing an ultrasonic beam with a narrow width in the Y direction.

[0168] Example 6

[0169] See also Figure 8 An acoustic lens, the acoustic lens having a front surface, the acoustic lens including a middle area L3 and a first side area L1, a second side area L2, a third side area L4 and a fourth side area L5 located on both sides of the middle area from the middle of the front surface to the lifting direction. Along the Y-axis direction, the lengths of L1 / L2 / L3 / L4 / L5 are equal, and each accounts for 20%.

[0170] The acoustic lens of Example 6 is a convex lens with a five-zone structure. The material of the middle zone L3 is thermoplastic elastomer K, the material of the first side zone L1 and the fourth side zone L5 is thermoplastic resin O, and the material of the second side zone L2 and the third side zone L4 is thermoplastic elastomer L. The acoustic lens is made by secondary injection molding. The sound velocity in the middle zone L3 is the slowest, and the sound velocity in the two side zones gradually increases (VL2 <V L1 , V L4 <V L5 ), that is: the focal length of the middle area is the largest, and the focal lengths of the two side areas gradually decrease.

[0171] The above-mentioned acoustic lens has three focal points with different focal lengths. The ultrasonic beam passing through the middle area L3 of the acoustic lens converges on the deeper part of the object to be measured, and the ultrasonic beam transmitted through the first side area L1, the second side area L2, the third side area L4 and the fourth side area L5 converges on the shallower part of the object to be measured, thereby realizing an ultrasonic beam with a narrow width in the Y direction.

[0172] Example 7

[0173] Embodiment 7 is basically the same as Embodiment 1, except that the material of the middle area L2 is modified silicone rubber F.

[0174] The above-mentioned acoustic lens has three focal points with different focal lengths. The ultrasonic beam passing through the middle area L2 converges on the deeper part of the target to be measured, and the ultrasonic beam transmitted through the first side area L1 and the second side area L3 converges on the shallower part of the target to be measured, thereby realizing an ultrasonic beam with a narrow width in the Y direction.

[0175] Comparative Example 1

[0176] See also Fig. 9 Comparative Example 1 is basically the same as Example 1, except that the acoustic lens is made of modified silicone rubber I as a whole.

[0177] Comparative Example 2

[0178] See also Fig.11 Comparative Example 2 is basically the same as Example 5, except that the acoustic lens is made of thermoplastic resin P as a whole.

[0179] The acoustic lenses prepared in Examples 1 to 7 and Comparative Examples 1 to 2 were tested for beam width, and the test results are shown in Table 2 below.

[0180] The specific test method is as follows: a test environment is built according to the sound field scanning equipment, ultrasonic transducers using different acoustic lenses are installed and debugged respectively, a plane wave transmitting and receiving mode is set, a ZY Sacn scan is performed, and the beam width of the acoustic lenses of different embodiments is obtained.

[0181] The beam width of a single convex lens in comparative example 1 is defined as d1, and the beam width of a single concave lens in comparative example 2 is defined as d2. The different embodiments are compared according to the acoustic lens type. Specifically, the test results of embodiments 1 to 4 and embodiment 7 are d 测 Compared with d1, the test results of Examples 5-6 are 测Compared with d2. The narrowing effect is evaluated as follows: Narrowing effect α = (d1-d 测 ) / d1 or (d2-d 测 ) / d2.

[0182] Definition evaluation: Narrowing effect A: α>10%;

[0183] Narrowing effect B: 5%<α≤10%;

[0184] Narrowing effect C: 2%<α≤5%;

[0185] Narrowing effect D: 0%<α≤2%.

[0186] The schematic diagram of the comparison of the beam width of the acoustic lens of the present application and the traditional single-material acoustic lens at different depths of the target to be measured is shown in the figure. Fig.13 As shown. Figure 3 It can also be seen that the acoustic lens of the present application makes the beam narrower and more uniform, and the beam widths at different depths of the object to be measured are close.

[0187] Table 2

[0188]

[0189] It can be seen from the data in Table 2 above that the use of the acoustic lens of the present application can achieve multi-point focusing, the beam is significantly narrowed, and the beam is more uniform, thereby obtaining higher quality ultrasound images.

[0190] As can be seen from Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, Fig. 9 , Comparative Example 1 is a convex lens made of a single material. The convex lens of Comparative Example 1 has a fixed sound velocity and a fixed focal length. If you want to change the focal length, you can only change it by changing the radius of curvature. Please refer to Fig.10 (If you want to increase the focal length F1, you can only increase the curvature radius R1, where F1< F2, R1< R2), the function of changing the focal length cannot be achieved; Fig.13 It can be seen that when the beam passes through the acoustic lens of Example 1, compared with the acoustic lens of Comparative Example 1, the beam in Example 1 is more uniform in the target to be measured, and the beam widths at different depths are close, thereby obtaining a higher quality ultrasonic image. Fig.13 It can also be seen.

[0191] As can be seen from Example 5 and Comparative Example 2, Fig.11 Comparative Example 2 is a concave lens made of a single material. The concave lens of Comparative Example 2 has a fixed sound velocity and a fixed focal length. If you want to change the focal length, you can only change it by changing the radius of curvature. Please refer to Fig.12(If you want to increase the focal length F1, you can only reduce the radius of curvature R1, where F1< F2, R1< R2), the function of changing the focal length cannot be achieved, and the beam has no narrowing effect. From Example 1 to Example 7 combined with Table 1, it can be seen that the acoustic lens prepared by using the following raw materials and their mass contents (such as modified silicone rubber E, modified silicone rubber F, modified silicone rubber H, modified silicone rubber J): including 60%~80% silicone rubber, 10%~40% high sound velocity component, 0%~10% compatibilizer, has more obvious beam narrowing and less sound attenuation. The acoustic lens prepared by using the following raw materials and their mass contents (such as modified silicone rubber E, modified silicone rubber F): 60%~75% silicone rubber, 22%~40% high sound velocity component, 1%~5% compatibilizer has a higher beam narrowing degree of more than 10%, and the sound attenuation is further reduced.

[0192] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0193] The above-mentioned embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present invention, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be pointed out that, for ordinary technicians in this field, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present invention shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. An acoustic lens, characterized in that: The acoustic lens has a front surface, and the acoustic lens includes a middle area and side areas located on both sides of the middle area in the direction of the curved surface change of the front surface; the focal length of the middle area is greater than the focal length of the side areas.

2. The acoustic lens according to claim 1, wherein: In the direction of the curved surface change of the front surface, the length of the middle area accounts for 10% to 40% of the total length of the acoustic lens, and the length of the side area on one side accounts for 5% to 45% of the total length of the acoustic lens.

3. The acoustic lens according to claim 1, wherein: At least one of the following conditions is met: (1) The number of side regions on both sides of the middle region is the same; (2) In the direction of the curvature change of the front surface, the lengths of the side areas on both sides of the middle area are the same.

4. The acoustic lens according to claim 1, wherein: The difference in sound velocity between adjacent areas is greater than or equal to 50 m / s, and the difference in acoustic impedance between adjacent areas is less than or equal to 0.1 Mrayl.

5. The acoustic lens according to claim 1, wherein: The acoustic lens is a convex lens, and the sound speeds of the middle area and each of the side areas are less than or equal to 1500 m / s; or, The acoustic lens is a concave lens, and the sound speeds in the middle area and each of the side areas are greater than 1500 m / s.

6. The acoustic lens according to claim 1, wherein: The side area on one side includes n sequentially connected sub-areas in the direction of the curvature change of the front surface, and the focal lengths of the n sequentially connected sub-areas decrease in the direction from the middle area to away from the middle area, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1.

7. The acoustic lens according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The acoustic lens is a convex lens, the front surface is a convex surface, the curvature of the front surface in the middle area and each of the side areas is equal, and the sound speed in the middle area is greater than the sound speed in the side areas.

8. The acoustic lens according to claim 7, wherein: The acoustic lens is a convex lens, and the side area on one side includes n sub-areas connected in sequence in the direction of the curved surface change of the front surface, and the sound speed of the n sub-areas connected in sequence decreases in the direction from the middle area to the direction away from the middle area, wherein n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1.

9. The acoustic lens according to claim 7, wherein: The material of the middle area and each of the side edge areas is at least one of silicone rubber and modified silicone rubber.

10. The acoustic lens according to claim 9, wherein: The raw materials for preparing the modified silicone rubber include, by mass content, 60% to 80% silicone rubber, 10% to 40% high sonic velocity component, and 0% to 10% compatibilizer, wherein the sonic velocity of the high sonic velocity component is greater than or equal to 1100 m / s.

11. The acoustic lens according to claim 10, wherein: The raw materials for preparing the modified silicone rubber include, by weight, 60% to 75% silicone rubber, 22% to 40% high sonic velocity components, and 1% to 5% compatibilizer.

12. The acoustic lens according to claim 10, wherein: The sound velocity of the modified silicone rubber is 1100m / s to 1400m / s.

13. The acoustic lens according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that: The high sonic velocity component includes at least one of silicone resin, polyurethane resin, epoxy resin, fluorosilicone rubber, polysulfide rubber and nitrile rubber.

14. The acoustic lens according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that: The compatibilizer includes at least one of a silane coupling agent and a modified silicone oil.

15. The acoustic lens according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that: The silicone rubber includes at least one of RTV 630 silicone rubber, DC 184 silicone rubber, 6610 / 60 silicone rubber and LSR 7080 silicone rubber.

16. The acoustic lens according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The acoustic lens is a concave lens, the front surface is a concave surface, the curvature of the front surface in the middle area and each of the side areas is equal, and the sound speed in the middle area is smaller than the sound speed in the side areas.

17. The acoustic lens according to claim 16, wherein: The acoustic lens is a concave lens, and the side area on one side includes n sequentially connected sub-areas in the direction of the curved surface change of the front surface, and the sound speed of the n sequentially connected sub-areas increases in the direction from the middle area to the direction away from the middle area, wherein n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1.

18. The acoustic lens according to claim 16, wherein: The material of the middle zone and each of the side edge zones is thermoplastic polymer.

19. The acoustic lens according to claim 18, wherein: The thermoplastic polymer includes at least one of thermoplastic polyurethane, polyether polyamide block copolymer, silicone-based thermoplastic elastomer, styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer, poly-4-methylpentene, polypropylene and polyamide resin.

20. An ultrasonic probe, characterized in that: Comprising the acoustic lens as described in any one of claims 1 to 19.

21. An ultrasonic imaging device, characterized in that: It comprises the acoustic lens as described in any one of claims 1 to 19 or the ultrasonic probe as described in claim 20.

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