Coupling agent heating continuous supply device for medical ultrasonic phased array probe

Abstract

The invention discloses a coupling agent heating continuous supply device for a medical ultrasonic phased array probe, and relates to the field of ultrasonic probe auxiliary equipment. According to the coupling agent heating and continuous supplying device for the medical ultrasonic phased array probe, the heating assembly is arranged on the conveying pipe, the heating assembly can continuously heat and store a coupling agent conveyed to the coating box from the pumping box through the conveying pipe, and the situation that the temperature of the coupling agent discharged out of the coating box is low, and the skin of a patient is stimulated is avoided; by arranging the partition plate and the sliding box in the coating box, a user can install the coating box on the upper middle portion of an ultrasonic probe, the coating box is prevented from influencing use of the ultrasonic probe, meanwhile, the skin of a patient is prevented from being scratched, and when a coupling agent needs to be squeezed out, the user can slide out of the sliding box; the distance between the discharge port and the skin of the patient is reduced, so that the coupling agent falls on the skin of the patient, and the coupling agent is prevented from adhering to the ultrasonic probe.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to ultrasonic probe auxiliary equipment technology, specifically to a continuous supply device for heating coupling agent for a medical ultrasonic phased array probe. Background Technology

[0002] When doctors perform ultrasound examinations on patients, they need to continuously apply medical ultrasound coupling gel to the patient's skin. Ultrasound coupling gel is a transparent gel applied between the skin and the ultrasound probe during the examination. Its core function is to act as an efficient "megaphone," ensuring that ultrasound waves can clearly enter and exit the body, thereby obtaining accurate diagnostic images. Medical coupling gel is typically composed of water-based polymer gel, glycerin, and purified water, among other ingredients.

[0003] When performing an ultrasound examination, an ultrasound coupling agent needs to be applied to the patient's examination site first. The coupling agent feels cold to the touch and can easily cause discomfort to the patient when first applied, leading to muscle twitching in the examination area. Moreover, the ultrasound probe often needs to be moved around to locate the patient's examination point. Therefore, the ultrasound coupling agent often needs to be applied to the patient's examination site multiple times, and the ultrasound probe needs to be moved away when applying the coupling agent, which can easily cause the positioning point to change, affecting the efficiency and accuracy of the examination.

[0004] Chinese patent CN202397968U discloses an ultrasonic coupling agent extruder, comprising a cylindrical body. The body has an elastic band outside and a push rod inside, with a push plate at the front and a push handle at the rear. An extrusion hole is located at the front of the body, below which is a guide tube. An extrusion head is located below the guide tube, and a flow regulating switch is mounted on the guide tube. The extrusion head is fixed to the ultrasonic probe. In use, coupling agent is first loaded into the body, then the elastic band is fitted onto the push handle. The body is placed in a convenient location, and the flow regulating switch is then turned on. The advantages of this invention are: it can be operated with one hand, which is both convenient and time-saving.

[0005] The existing ultrasound coupling agent extruder has a significant problem: while it extrudes the coupling agent, it cannot heat it, and the cool coupling agent can still cause skin discomfort for the patient. Furthermore, a more noticeable flaw is its inability to balance the extruder's installation position. If the extruder is installed at the lower end of the ultrasound probe, it will come into contact with the patient's skin during probe movement, causing scratches, affecting probe operation, and contaminating the coupling agent within the extruder. If the extruder is installed at the upper end of the ultrasound probe, the extruded coupling agent tends to adhere to the sides of the probe, affecting its use. Therefore, the existing coupling agent extrusion device needs to be redesigned. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a continuous supply device for heating coupling agent for medical ultrasound phased array probes, so as to solve the problem that existing coupling agent extrusion equipment cannot heat the coupling agent and cannot be used in conjunction with ultrasound probes.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a continuous supply device for heating coupling agent for a medical ultrasound phased array probe, comprising:

[0008] Storage pumping box for storing and pumping coupling agent outwards;

[0009] A feed pipe, connected to the outlet of the storage pump box, is used to transmit the coupling agent output from the storage pump box;

[0010] A heating assembly, sleeved on the feed pipe, is used to heat the coupling agent in the feed pipe;

[0011] A coating box, connected to the end of a feed tube, is used to receive and deliver coupling agent supplied by the feed tube. It includes a housing connected to the end of the feed tube and a partition connected inside the housing. The housing is connected to an ultrasonic probe. The partition divides the interior of the housing into a storage chamber and an installation chamber. The storage chamber communicates with the feed tube. The partition has a first connection port for connecting the storage chamber and the installation chamber. A sliding box located inside the installation chamber is slidably connected to the housing. The sliding box has a second connection port that slidably communicates with the first connection port. A discharge port is located at the lower end of the sliding box.

[0012] A switch, located on the housing, is used to control the start and stop of feeding of the storage pump box.

[0013] Preferably, the outer casing has a groove communicating with the mounting cavity, a spring is provided inside the mounting cavity, one end of the spring is connected to the inner wall of the outer casing and the other end is connected to the sliding box, a push plate is provided outside the outer casing, and the push plate is connected to the sliding box through a connecting block provided in the groove.

[0014] Preferably, the push plate has an S-shaped cross-section, and the switch is mounted on the push plate.

[0015] Preferably, the side wall of the partition with the first connection port is in close contact with the side wall of the sliding box with the second connection port.

[0016] Preferably, the outer wall of the outer shell is connected to two opposite sides by connecting strips, and the two connecting strips are bonded to each other.

[0017] Preferably, the heating assembly includes an inner tube sleeved on the feed pipe and an outer tube connected to the outside of the inner tube. The inner tube and the outer tube form a double-layer tube structure. A heating wire is sandwiched between the inner tube and the outer tube, and a connecting line connected to the heating wire is provided on the outer tube.

[0018] Preferably, the space between the inner tube and the outer tube is filled with gas, which isolates the inner tube and the outer tube.

[0019] Preferably, the outer tube end is connected in a ring array with multiple curved plates at equal intervals, and an elastic membrane is connected between the curved plates. The elastic membrane is configured to pull the curved plates to abut against the feed tube.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a continuous supply device for heating coupling agent for medical ultrasound phased array probes. By setting a heating component on the delivery tube, the heating component can continuously heat the coupling agent delivered from the storage pump box to the coating box through the delivery tube. Moreover, the delivery tube is relatively long, and the coupling agent flows in it for a long time, so the heating component has enough time to heat the coupling agent flowing through it, thus avoiding the coupling agent discharged from the coating box being too cold and irritating the patient's skin.

[0021] By incorporating a partition and a sliding box inside the coating box, when the sliding box is not sliding inside the outer shell, the partition and the sliding box block the first and second connection ports. At this time, the coupling agent inside the storage cavity cannot flow into the sliding box through the connection ports. When the sliding box slides outward to connect the first and second connection ports, the coupling agent inside the storage cavity flows into the sliding box through the connection ports and then flows out from the discharge port of the sliding box. This sliding discharge design allows the user to install the coating box in the upper middle part of the ultrasound probe, preventing the coating box from affecting the use of the ultrasound probe and avoiding scratching the patient's skin. Moreover, when it is necessary to squeeze out the coupling agent, the user can slide out the sliding box to reduce the distance between the discharge port and the patient's skin, allowing the coupling agent to fall onto the patient's skin and preventing the coupling agent from adhering to the ultrasound probe. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heating assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 Provided for embodiments of the present invention Figure 2 Enlarged view of part A in the middle;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the paint box structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the outer shell cross-sectional structure provided for an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0028] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the outer shell cross-sectional structure provided for an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0029] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the sliding box structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 .

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0031] 1. Storage pump box; 2. Conveying pipe; 3. Heating assembly; 31. Inner tube; 32. Outer tube; 33. Heating wire; 34. Curved plate; 35. Elastic membrane; 36. Connecting wire; 4. Paint box; 41. Outer shell; 42. Slide groove; 43. Partition; 44. First connection port; 45. Sliding box; 46. Second connection port; 47. Discharge port; 48. Spring; 49. Push plate; 5. Connecting belt; 6. Switch. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] As attached Figure 1 To be continued Figure 7 As shown:

[0034] Example 1:

[0035] This invention provides a continuous supply device for heating coupling agent for a medical ultrasound phased array probe, comprising:

[0036] Storage pump box 1, used to store and pump out coupling agent;

[0037] The feed pipe 2 is connected to the outlet of the storage pump box 1 and is used to transmit the coupling agent output from the storage pump box 1.

[0038] Heating component 3 is sleeved on the conveying pipe 2 and is used to heat the coupling agent in the conveying pipe 2;

[0039] The coating box 4, connected to the end of the feed pipe 2, is used to receive and transfer the coupling agent delivered by the feed pipe 2. It includes a shell 41 connected to the end of the feed pipe 2 and a partition 43 connected inside the shell 41. The shell 41 is connected to the ultrasonic probe. The partition 43 divides the interior of the shell 41 into a storage cavity and an installation cavity. The storage cavity is connected to the feed pipe 2. The partition 43 has a first connection port 44 for connecting the storage cavity and the installation cavity. The shell 41 is slidably connected to a sliding box 45 located inside the installation cavity. The sliding box 45 has a second connection port 46 that is slidably connected to the first connection port 44. The side wall of the partition 43 with the first connection port 44 is in close contact with the side wall of the sliding box 45 with the second connection port 46. The lower end of the sliding box 45 has a discharge port 47.

[0040] Switch 6 is disposed on the housing 41 and is used to control the start and stop feeding of the storage pump box 1.

[0041] As can be seen from the above, by setting a heating component 3 on the delivery pipe 2, the heating component 3 can continuously heat the coupling agent delivered by the storage pump box 1 to the paint box 4 through the delivery pipe 2. Moreover, the delivery pipe 2 is relatively long, and the coupling agent flows in it for a long time. The heating component 3 has sufficient time to heat the coupling agent flowing through it, thus avoiding the coupling agent ejected from the paint box 4 from being too cold and irritating the patient's skin.

[0042] By setting a partition 43 and a sliding box 45 inside the coating box 4, when the sliding box 45 is not sliding inside the outer shell 41, the partition 43 and the sliding box 45 block the first connection port 44 and the second connection port 46. At this time, the coupling agent inside the storage cavity cannot flow into the sliding box 45 through the connection port. When the sliding box 45 slides out of the outer shell 41 to connect the first connection port 44 and the second connection port 46, the coupling agent inside the storage cavity flows into the sliding box 45 through the connection port and then flows out from the discharge port 47 of the sliding box 45. This sliding discharge setting allows the user to install the coating box 4 in the upper middle part of the ultrasound probe to prevent the coating box 4 from affecting the use of the ultrasound probe and to avoid scratching the patient's skin. Moreover, when it is necessary to squeeze out the coupling agent, the user can slide out the sliding box 45 to reduce the distance between the discharge port 47 and the patient's skin, so that the coupling agent falls on the patient's skin and avoids the coupling agent adhering to the ultrasound probe.

[0043] The outer shell 41 has a groove 42 that communicates with the mounting cavity. A spring 48 is installed inside the mounting cavity. One end of the spring 48 is connected to the inner wall of the outer shell 41 and the other end is connected to the sliding box 45. A push plate 49 is installed outside the outer shell 41. The push plate 49 and the sliding box 45 are connected by a connecting block installed in the groove 42.

[0044] Spring 48 provides tension to sliding box 45, ensuring that sliding box 45 remains stably in outer shell 41 after being subjected to force. It also ensures that the stationary sliding box 45 can block the first connection port 44 in real time, preventing leakage from the paint box 4 when stationary. When the user needs to dispense coupling agent from paint box 4, they only need to push push plate 49 to move sliding box 45. The moving sliding box 45 will stretch spring 48. When the second connection port 46 on sliding box 45 connects with the first connection port 44 on partition plate 43, the coupling agent received inside the storage cavity and transmitted by conveying pipe 2 will transfer from the connection port to sliding box 45 and then be ejected from the discharge port 47 at the bottom of sliding box 45, thus completing the coupling agent ejection. After a suitable amount of coupling agent is ejected, the user only needs to release push plate 49, and the stretched spring 48 will reset, causing sliding box 45 to reset. Sliding box 45 and partition plate 43 cooperate to block the first connection port 44 and the second connection port 46, preventing coupling agent leakage.

[0045] Example 2:

[0046] This invention provides a continuous supply device for heating coupling agent for a medical ultrasound phased array probe, comprising:

[0047] Storage pump box 1, used to store and pump out coupling agent;

[0048] The feed pipe 2 is connected to the outlet of the storage pump box 1 and is used to transmit the coupling agent output from the storage pump box 1.

[0049] Heating component 3 is sleeved on the conveying pipe 2 and is used to heat the coupling agent in the conveying pipe 2;

[0050] The coating box 4, connected to the end of the feed pipe 2, is used to receive and transfer the coupling agent delivered by the feed pipe 2. It includes a shell 41 connected to the end of the feed pipe 2 and a partition 43 connected inside the shell 41. The shell 41 is connected to the ultrasonic probe. The partition 43 divides the interior of the shell 41 into a storage cavity and an installation cavity. The storage cavity is connected to the feed pipe 2. The partition 43 has a first connection port 44 for connecting the storage cavity and the installation cavity. The shell 41 is slidably connected to a sliding box 45 located inside the installation cavity. The sliding box 45 has a second connection port 46 that is slidably connected to the first connection port 44. The side wall of the partition 43 with the first connection port 44 is in close contact with the side wall of the sliding box 45 with the second connection port 46. The lower end of the sliding box 45 has a discharge port 47.

[0051] Switch 6 is disposed on the housing 41 and is used to control the start and stop feeding of the storage pump box 1.

[0052] As can be seen from the above, by setting a heating component 3 on the delivery pipe 2, the heating component 3 can continuously heat the coupling agent delivered by the storage pump box 1 to the paint box 4 through the delivery pipe 2. Moreover, the delivery pipe 2 is relatively long, and the coupling agent flows in it for a long time. The heating component 3 has sufficient time to heat the coupling agent flowing through it, thus avoiding the coupling agent ejected from the paint box 4 from being too cold and irritating the patient's skin.

[0053] By setting a partition 43 and a sliding box 45 inside the coating box 4, when the sliding box 45 is not sliding inside the outer shell 41, the partition 43 and the sliding box 45 block the first connection port 44 and the second connection port 46. At this time, the coupling agent inside the storage cavity cannot flow into the sliding box 45 through the connection port. When the sliding box 45 slides out of the outer shell 41 to connect the first connection port 44 and the second connection port 46, the coupling agent inside the storage cavity flows into the sliding box 45 through the connection port and then flows out from the discharge port 47 of the sliding box 45. This sliding discharge setting allows the user to install the coating box 4 in the upper middle part of the ultrasound probe to prevent the coating box 4 from affecting the use of the ultrasound probe and to avoid scratching the patient's skin. Moreover, when it is necessary to squeeze out the coupling agent, the user can slide out the sliding box 45 to reduce the distance between the discharge port 47 and the patient's skin, so that the coupling agent falls on the patient's skin and avoids the coupling agent adhering to the ultrasound probe.

[0054] The outer shell 41 has a groove 42 that communicates with the mounting cavity. A spring 48 is installed inside the mounting cavity. One end of the spring 48 is connected to the inner wall of the outer shell 41 and the other end is connected to the sliding box 45. A push plate 49 is installed outside the outer shell 41. The push plate 49 and the sliding box 45 are connected by a connecting block installed in the groove 42.

[0055] Spring 48 provides tension to sliding box 45, ensuring that sliding box 45 remains stably in outer shell 41 after being subjected to force. It also ensures that the stationary sliding box 45 can block the first connection port 44 in real time, preventing leakage from the paint box 4 when stationary. When the user needs to dispense coupling agent from paint box 4, they only need to push push plate 49 to move sliding box 45. The moving sliding box 45 will stretch spring 48. When the second connection port 46 on sliding box 45 connects with the first connection port 44 on partition plate 43, the coupling agent received inside the storage cavity and transmitted by conveying pipe 2 will transfer from the connection port to sliding box 45 and then be ejected from the discharge port 47 at the bottom of sliding box 45, thus completing the coupling agent ejection. After a suitable amount of coupling agent is ejected, the user only needs to release push plate 49, and the stretched spring 48 will reset, causing sliding box 45 to reset. Sliding box 45 and partition plate 43 cooperate to block the first connection port 44 and the second connection port 46, preventing coupling agent leakage.

[0056] To facilitate the user's pushing of the push plate 49, the push plate 49 can be designed to fit the shape of the user's fingers. Therefore, the cross-section of the push plate 49 is S-shaped. From the overall view, the push plate 49 is an S-shaped plate, and the switch 6 is installed on the push plate 49. When the user pushes the push plate 49, the switch 6 can be activated at the same time, so that the storage pump box 1 is activated to provide moving pressure for the coupling agent, helping the coupling agent to be discharged from the outlet 47.

[0057] The outer wall of the outer shell 41 is connected to two opposite sides by connecting straps 5. The two connecting straps 5 are bonded together. The width of the paint box 4 is set to be small, so that it can be attached to the side of the ultrasonic probe of different specifications. Then, the outer shell 41 can be stably installed on the ultrasonic probe by the two connecting straps 5. By changing the connection position of the connecting straps 5, the outer shell 41 can be installed on ultrasonic probes of different thicknesses.

[0058] The heating assembly 3 includes an inner tube 31 sleeved on the feed pipe 2 and an outer tube 32 connected to the outside of the inner tube 31. The inner tube 31 and the outer tube 32 form a double-layer tube structure. A heating wire 33 is sandwiched between the inner tube 31 and the outer tube 32. A connecting line 36 connected to the heating wire 33 is provided on the outer tube 32. When the connecting line 36 is energized, the heating wire 33 heats up and generates heat, which is radiated to the feed pipe 2. The coupling agent in the feed pipe 2 receives the heat and heats up. The inner tube 31 and the outer tube 32 can isolate the heating wire 33, preventing the heating wire 33 from short-circuiting and damaging the feed pipe 2, and can also maintain the stable working environment of the heating wire 33.

[0059] The space between the inner tube 31 and the outer tube 32 is filled with gas, which isolates the inner tube 31 and the outer tube 32. The gas establishes a low heat exchange zone between the inner tube 31 and the outer tube 32, which can reduce the heat transferred from the heating wire 33 to the air, improve the heat receiving efficiency of the conveying pipe 2, and avoid energy waste.

[0060] The outer tube 32 has multiple curved plates 34 connected in a ring array at equal intervals at its end. An elastic membrane 35 is connected between the curved plates 34. The elastic membrane 35 is configured to pull the curved plates 34 against the material conveying pipe 2, thereby increasing the friction between the curved plates 34 and the material conveying pipe 2 and preventing the heating component 3 from shifting on the material conveying pipe 2.

[0061] The foregoing has only described certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention by way of illustration. Undoubtedly, those skilled in the art can modify the described embodiments in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing drawings and descriptions are illustrative in nature and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A continuous supply device for heating coupling agent for a medical ultrasound phased array probe, characterized in that, include: Storage pump box (1) for storing and pumping coupling agent outward; The feed pipe (2) is connected to the outlet of the storage pump box (1) and is used to transmit the coupling agent output from the storage pump box (1); Heating component (3) is sleeved on the conveying pipe (2) and is used to heat the coupling agent in the conveying pipe (2); A coating box (4), connected to the end of the feed pipe (2), is used to receive and transfer the coupling agent delivered by the feed pipe (2). It includes a shell (41) connected to the end of the feed pipe (2) and a partition (43) connected inside the shell (41). The shell (41) is connected to the ultrasonic probe. The partition (43) divides the interior of the shell (41) into a storage cavity and an installation cavity. The storage cavity is connected to the feed pipe (2). The partition (43) has a first connection port (44) for connecting the storage cavity and the installation cavity. The shell (41) is slidably connected to a sliding box (45) located inside the installation cavity. The sliding box (45) has a second connection port (46) that is slidably connected to the first connection port (44). The lower end of the sliding box (45) has a discharge port (47). A switch (6) is provided on the housing (41) for controlling the start and stop feeding of the storage pump box (1).

2. The continuous supply device for heating coupling agent for a medical ultrasound phased array probe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer shell (41) is provided with a sliding groove (42) that communicates with the mounting cavity. A spring (48) is provided inside the mounting cavity. One end of the spring (48) is connected to the inner wall of the outer shell (41) and the other end is connected to the sliding box (45). A push plate (49) is provided outside the outer shell (41). The push plate (49) and the sliding box (45) are connected by a connecting block provided in the sliding groove (42).

3. The continuous supply device for heating coupling agent for a medical ultrasound phased array probe according to claim 2, characterized in that, The push plate (49) has an S-shaped cross section, and the switch (6) is mounted on the push plate (49).

4. The continuous supply device for heating coupling agent for a medical ultrasound phased array probe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The side wall of the partition (43) with the first connection port (44) is in close contact with the side wall of the sliding box (45) with the second connection port (46).

5. The continuous supply device for heating coupling agent for a medical ultrasound phased array probe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer wall of the outer shell (41) is connected to two opposite sides by connecting strips (5), and the two connecting strips (5) are bonded to each other.

6. The continuous supply device for heating coupling agent for a medical ultrasound phased array probe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating assembly (3) includes an inner tube (31) sleeved on the feed pipe (2) and an outer tube (32) connected to the outside of the inner tube (31). The inner tube (31) and the outer tube (32) form a double-layer tube structure. A heating wire (33) is sandwiched between the inner tube (31) and the outer tube (32). A connecting line (36) connected to the heating wire (33) is provided on the outer tube (32).

7. A continuous supply device for heating coupling agent for a medical ultrasound phased array probe according to claim 6, characterized in that, Gas is filled between the inner tube (31) and the outer tube (32), and the gas isolates the inner tube (31) and the outer tube (32).

8. A continuous supply device for heating coupling agent for a medical ultrasound phased array probe according to claim 6, characterized in that, The outer tube (32) has multiple curved plates (34) connected in a ring array at equal intervals at its end. An elastic membrane (35) is connected between the curved plates (34). The elastic membrane (35) is configured to tighten the curved plates (34) and abut against the feed tube (2).

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