An ultrasonic laparoscope
By adding the swing and rotation function of the ultrasound head in the ultrasound laparoscopy, the problem of aligning the probe with the organs was solved, and accurate and clear imaging of ultrasound detection was achieved.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHENZHEN MINDRAY BIO MEDICAL ELECTRONICS CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-13
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-14
AI Technical Summary
The probes of existing laparoscopic ultrasound systems cannot be aligned with the organs to be scanned, resulting in inaccurate and unclear ultrasound imaging.
An ultrasonic laparoscopy was designed, comprising a sound head, an insert, an operating component, a first swing drive mechanism, and a rotation drive mechanism. The sound head can swing along a first direction and rotate around a first axis, increasing the flexibility of the probe and enabling it to be aligned with the abdominal organs.
It achieves accurate and clear imaging in ultrasound detection, improves the probe's freedom of movement, and facilitates the doctor's operation.
Smart Images

Figure CN122376159A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, specifically to an ultrasonic laparoscope. Background Technology
[0002] Ultrasonic laparoscopy is a commonly used auxiliary instrument in medical testing and surgery. It obtains ultrasound images of the components under test by emitting ultrasound waves and collecting the ultrasound waves reflected by the tissue under test.
[0003] Taking laparoscopy as an example, doctors can use a laparoscope inserted into the abdominal cavity to scan the internal organs and obtain ultrasound images of them. Clinically, it has been found that organs have irregular three-dimensional structures, and the probes in current laparoscopes have limited degrees of freedom. In many cases, they cannot be aligned with the parts of the organ that need to be scanned, resulting in inaccurate and unclear ultrasound images. Summary of the Invention
[0004] This invention provides an ultrasound laparoscopy system to solve the problem of inaccurate and unclear ultrasound due to the inability of the probe to align with the area of the organ to be scanned.
[0005] In one embodiment, an ultrasonic laparoscopy is provided, comprising:
[0006] A sound head is used to emit ultrasonic waves and receive ultrasonic echoes, and to generate echo data;
[0007] An insert includes a curved portion and a non-curved portion, both having a first end and a second end. The first end of the curved portion is rotatable relative to its second end. The first end of the curved portion is rotatably connected to a sound head, which is rotatable about a first axis relative to the first end of the curved portion. The second end of the curved portion is connected to the first end of the non-curved portion. The first end of the non-curved portion is used to be inserted into the abdominal cavity of a human body along with the sound head and the curved portion.
[0008] An operating element is connected to the second end of the non-bent portion;
[0009] A first swing drive mechanism includes a first swing control member and a first swing drive member. The first swing control member is disposed outside the operating member, and the first swing drive member is disposed inside the insert member and the operating member. One end of the first swing drive member is connected to the curved portion, and the other end of the first swing drive member is connected to the first swing control member. The first swing control member is used to control the curved portion to swing in a first direction via the first swing drive member, thereby driving the sound head to swing in the first direction.
[0010] A rotary drive mechanism includes a rotary control component and a rotary drive component. The rotary control component is disposed outside the operating component, and the rotary drive component is disposed inside the insert and the operating component. One end of the rotary drive component is connected to the sound head, and the other end of the rotary drive component is connected to the rotary control component. The rotary control component is used to control the rotary drive component to drive the sound head to rotate about a first axis relative to the first end of the curved portion.
[0011] In one embodiment, the first axis is perpendicular to the end face of the first end of the curved portion.
[0012] In one embodiment, the rotary drive includes a first gear set, a transmission shaft, and a drive motor. The first gear set is connected to the sound head. One end of the transmission shaft is connected to the first gear set, and the other end of the transmission shaft is connected to the drive motor. The transmission shaft passes through the insert, and at least the portion of the transmission shaft located at the bend is a flexible structure. The rotary control is electrically connected to the drive motor, and the rotary control is used to control the drive motor to drive the sound head to rotate around the first axis via the transmission shaft and the first gear set.
[0013] In one embodiment, the rotation drive includes a first gear set, a drive shaft, and a second gear set. The first gear set is connected to the sound head. One end of the drive shaft is connected to the first gear set, and the other end of the drive shaft is connected to the second gear set. The drive shaft passes through the insert, and at least the portion of the drive shaft located at the bend is a flexible structure. The rotation control is connected to the second gear set, and the rotation control is used to drive the sound head to rotate around the first axis via the second gear set, the drive shaft, and the first gear set.
[0014] In one embodiment, the first gear set includes a worm gear and a turbine gear that mesh with each other, the worm gear being connected to the sound head and the worm gear being connected to the drive shaft.
[0015] In one embodiment, the drive shaft is eccentrically disposed within the curved portion and the non-curved portion.
[0016] In one embodiment, the drive shaft is located at the radial edge position within the curved portion and the non-curved portion.
[0017] In one embodiment, the drive shaft is an integral flexible structure.
[0018] In one embodiment, the rotary drive further includes a reduction gear assembly, and the drive motor is connected to the transmission shaft via the reduction gear assembly.
[0019] In one embodiment, the rotary control includes at least one of a button, a knob, and a handwheel.
[0020] In one embodiment, the rotation control includes at least one of a knob and a handwheel.
[0021] In one embodiment, the bent portion is a flexible tube structure, and / or the non-bent portion is a rigid tube structure.
[0022] In one embodiment, the first direction is perpendicular to the first axis.
[0023] In one embodiment, the first swing drive includes a first traction line, one end of which is connected to the curved portion, and the other end of which is connected to the first swing control member. The first swing control member is used to control the curved portion to swing along the first direction via the first traction line.
[0024] In one embodiment, a second swing drive mechanism is further included. The second swing drive mechanism includes a second swing control member and a second swing drive member. The second swing control member is disposed outside the operating member, and the second swing drive member is disposed inside the insert member and the operating member. One end of the second swing drive member is connected to the curved portion, and the other end of the second swing drive member is connected to the second swing control member. The second swing control member is used to control the curved portion to swing along a second direction through the second swing drive member. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the first axis.
[0025] In one embodiment, the second swing drive includes a second traction line, one end of which is connected to the curved portion, and the other end of which is connected to the second swing control member. The second swing control member is used to control the curved portion to swing along the second direction via the second traction line.
[0026] According to the ultrasound laparoscopy of the above embodiment, since it is provided with a first swing drive mechanism and a rotation drive mechanism, the first swing drive mechanism is used to drive the ultrasound head to swing along a first direction, and the rotation drive mechanism is used to drive the ultrasound head to rotate around a first axis. The first direction and the first axis are two non-parallel directions. The ultrasound head has at least the degrees of freedom to swing along the first direction and rotate around the first axis in the human abdominal cavity. The ultrasound head has higher flexibility, so that the ultrasound head can move to align with the part of the organs in the abdominal cavity that needs to be scanned, so as to achieve accurate and clear imaging of ultrasound detection. Attached Figure Description
[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ultrasonic laparoscopy system in one embodiment;
[0028] Figure 2This is a side view of an ultrasonic laparoscopy system in one embodiment;
[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of an ultrasonic laparoscopy system in one embodiment;
[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of an ultrasonic laparoscopy system in one embodiment;
[0031] Figure 5 This is a structural block diagram of the control section of an ultrasonic laparoscopy system in one embodiment;
[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of an ultrasonic laparoscopy system in one embodiment;
[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ultrasonic laparoscopy system in one embodiment;
[0034] Figure 8 This is a partial cross-sectional view of an ultrasonic laparoscopy in one embodiment;
[0035] The accompanying diagrams are labeled as follows:
[0036] 1-Attack, 11-Sound surface;
[0037] 2-Insertion, 21-Bent portion, 22-Non-bent portion;
[0038] 3-Operating component, 31-Circuit board;
[0039] 4-First swing drive mechanism, 41-First swing control component, 42-First swing drive component, 421-First traction line;
[0040] 5- Rotary drive mechanism, 51- Rotary control component, 52- Rotary drive component, 521- First gear set, 5211- Turbine, 5212- Worm gear, 522- Transmission shaft, 523- Drive motor, 524- Second gear set, 525- Reduction assembly;
[0041] 6-Second swing drive mechanism, 61-Second swing control component, 62-Second swing drive component, 621-Second traction line. Detailed Implementation
[0042] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. Similar elements in different embodiments are referred to by associated similar element reference numerals. In the following embodiments, many details are described to facilitate a better understanding of this application. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that some features may be omitted in different situations, or may be replaced by other elements, materials, or methods. In some cases, certain operations related to this application are not shown or described in the specification. This is to avoid obscuring the core parts of this application with excessive description. For those skilled in the art, detailed description of these related operations is not necessary; they can fully understand the related operations based on the description in the specification and general technical knowledge in the art.
[0043] Furthermore, the features, operations, or characteristics described in the specification can be combined in any suitable manner to form various embodiments. At the same time, the steps or actions in the method description can be rearranged or adjusted in a manner obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various orders in the specification and drawings are only for the clear description of a particular embodiment and do not imply a necessary order, unless otherwise stated that a particular order must be followed.
[0044] The serial numbers assigned to components in this document, such as "first" and "second," are used solely to distinguish the described objects and have no sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this application, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages). The terms "perpendicular" and "parallel" in this document include absolute perpendicularity and parallelism, and may also include approximately perpendicularity and parallelism.
[0045] In existing technologies, laparoscopy mainly consists of a head section, a curved section, a rigid tube section, an operating section, and a cable socket assembly. In actual use, the head section and the rigid tube section are inserted into the patient's abdominal cavity through a trocar. The doctor controls the head to be close to the patient's organs for ultrasound examination by operating the operating device.
[0046] In clinical practice, when doctors scan the organs in the abdominal cavity using a laparoscope, they often need to rotate the acoustic plane axially to locate the internal structures of the organs. However, the existing laparoscope acoustic head can only be adjusted in different directions by swinging, and the acoustic head section and curved section can be rotated simultaneously by rotating the rigid tube section and the operating section. However, this rotation adjustment method will cause the acoustic head swing position to change at the same time, making it impossible to adjust the acoustic plane according to the doctor's needs, and thus it is difficult or impossible to align the acoustic head with the organs.
[0047] Based on the above analysis, this application proposes a new ultrasound laparoscope. In addition to the original ability for the ultrasound head to swing independently, this ultrasound laparoscope adds the function of allowing the ultrasound head to rotate independently. During the rotation of the ultrasound head, its swing position is not affected, giving the ultrasound head a higher degree of freedom of movement. This allows the ultrasound head to be easily moved and adjusted to be aligned with the organs, greatly facilitating the doctor's ultrasound examination, while ensuring the accuracy and clarity of the ultrasound examination.
[0048] Please refer to Figures 1 to 5 In one embodiment, an ultrasonic laparoscope is provided for insertion into the abdominal cavity of a human body for ultrasonic detection.
[0049] The ultrasound laparoscopy of this embodiment mainly includes a sound head 1, an insert 2, an operating component 3, a first swing drive mechanism 4, and a rotation drive mechanism 5. The sound head 1, insert 2, and operating component 3 are connected sequentially. The first swing drive mechanism 4 and rotation drive mechanism 5 are installed within the insert 2 and operating component 3, respectively, and partially protrude from the operating component 3. The first swing drive mechanism 4 drives the sound head 1 to swing, and the rotation drive mechanism 5 drives the sound head 1 to rotate. The end of the operating component 3 furthest from the sound head 1 and insert 2 can also be connected to a cable and a plug, allowing the ultrasound laparoscopy to achieve wired communication with the ultrasound host via the plug. Alternatively, the operating component 3 may have a wireless communication module, enabling wireless communication between the operating component 3 and the ultrasound host. Alternatively, the operating component 3 may simultaneously have a plug and a wireless communication module, allowing the ultrasound laparoscopy to achieve both wired and wireless communication with the ultrasound host, allowing the physician to choose the communication connection method according to their needs.
[0050] The sound head 1 is equipped with an ultrasonic unit. The sound head 1 is used to emit ultrasonic waves and receive ultrasonic echoes, and generate corresponding echo data. The echo data is transmitted to the circuit board 31 in the operating component 3 in the form of an electrical signal.
[0051] The acoustic head 1 has a columnar structure, and the acoustic surface 11 for emitting and receiving ultrasonic waves is located on the side of the acoustic head 1, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the acoustic surface 11 of the sound head 1 is located on the radial surface of the sound head 1. The axial direction of the sound head 1 is the direction in which it is inserted and removed; that is, the axial direction of the sound head 1 is... Figure 2 The first axis of the sound head 1, the acoustic surface 11 of the sound head 1 emits and receives ultrasonic waves radially toward the sound head 1, that is, the acoustic surface 11 of the sound head 1... Figure 2 The device emits and receives ultrasonic waves in the first direction. The acoustic surface 11 of the acoustic head 1 can be flat or curved to suit different application scenarios.
[0052] In other embodiments, the acoustic surface 11 of the acoustic head 1 may also be disposed on the axial end face of the acoustic head 1, so that the acoustic head 1 can emit and receive ultrasonic waves along the axial direction.
[0053] In this embodiment, the insert 2 includes a bent portion 21 and a non-bent portion 22. Both the bent and non-bent portions 21 and 22 are tubular structures, which can be used for threading cables and transmission structures. The bent portion 21 is a flexible structure, such as a multi-segmented snake-bone tube or a flexible rubber tube, and can bend and swing. The non-bent portion 22 is a rigid structure, such as a rigid metal tube. Both the bent and non-bent portions 21 and 22 have a first end and a second end. The first end of the bent portion 21 can swing relative to the second end. The first end of the bent portion 21 can be rotatably connected to the sound head 1 via a bearing or other rotating structure. The sound head 1 can rotate relative to the first end of the bent portion 21, and simultaneously swing with the first end of the bent portion 21 relative to the second end of the bent portion 21. The second end of the bent portion 21 is fixedly connected to the first end of the non-bent portion 22, and the second end of the non-bent portion 22 is fixedly connected to the operating member 3. The second end of the bent portion 21 and the operating member 3 can be fixedly connected by insertion, snap-fit, welding, or other methods. The axial length of the curved portion 21 is less than that of the non-curved portion 22. The curved portion 21 has a preset axial length to allow the acoustic probe 1 to achieve a preset swing angle. The non-curved portion 22 has a longer axial length, allowing the acoustic probe 1 and the curved portion 21 to be inserted deeper into the human body to meet the needs of in vivo detection.
[0054] The operating component 3 has a handle structure, which is held by the doctor when using this ultrasound laparoscope. The operating component 3 has a receiving cavity, within which components such as the circuit board 31 and the wireless communication module can be installed. The outer surface of the operating component 3 may have operating buttons, which the doctor can use to perform ultrasound scanning and detection, such as power buttons.
[0055] The first swing drive mechanism 4 includes a first swing control member 41 and a first swing drive member 42. The first swing control member 41 is disposed on the outside of the operating member 3 and protrudes from the operating member 3. The first swing drive member 42 is disposed inside the insert member 2 and the operating member 3. One end of the first swing drive member 42 extends from the operating member 3 into the curved portion 21 and connects with the curved portion 21. The other end of the first swing drive member 42 is located inside the operating member 3 and connects with the first swing control member 41. The first swing control member 41 is used to control the curved portion 21 to swing in a first direction through the first swing drive member 42, so as to drive the sound head 1 to swing in the first direction as well. When the sound head 1 swings in the first direction, the orientation of the acoustic surface 11 of the sound head 1 can be used to align the sound head 1 with the area to be scanned.
[0056] The first swing control component 41 can be a lever or similar structure, which is rotatably mounted on the outside of the operating component 3 via a pivot. The first swing drive component 42 is a first traction wire 421, which is a flexible wire, such as a flexible metal wire. One end of the first traction wire 421 is located inside the operating component 3 and connected to the lever, while the other end extends into the curved portion 21 and connects to the inner wall of the curved portion 21. The first traction wire 421 can be slidably connected to the inner wall of the curved portion 21 at multiple points, and the end point of the first traction wire 421 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the first end of the curved portion 21 or the sound head 1. When the operating lever is rotated, it can drive the first traction wire 421 to move axially, thereby driving the sound head 1 and the curved portion 21 to swing in the first direction.
[0057] Specifically, the first traction line 421 can be a U-shaped structure. The two open ends of the first traction line 421 are slidably connected to the inner wall of the curved portion 21, and the two endpoints are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the curved portion 21. The curved portion of the first traction line 421 is connected to the pivot shaft of the lever. This configuration allows the lever to rotate in both directions, causing the sound head 1 to swing in both directions along the first direction, increasing the degree of freedom of the sound head 1's swing and meeting the needs of more application scenarios.
[0058] The first swing drive mechanism 4 is a manually operated structure. It has a relatively simple structure, occupies less space inside the operating component 3, and is conducive to miniaturizing the operating component 3.
[0059] In other embodiments, a first traction line 421 may also be provided to enable the sound head 1 to swing forward or backward along the first direction. This unidirectional swing structure can meet the needs of certain scenarios.
[0060] In other embodiments, two first traction lines 421 can also be provided, and the two first traction lines 421 can be independent of each other. Each first traction line 421 is provided with a lever, and the two levers are used to drive the sound head 1 to swing in the forward and reverse directions along the first direction. These two independent first traction lines 421 can also realize the swinging of the sound head 1 in the forward and reverse directions along the first direction, increasing the degree of freedom of the sound head 1 to swing, and can meet the needs of more usage scenarios.
[0061] In other embodiments, the first swing control member 41 and the first swing drive member 42 may also be other structures. For example, the first swing control member 41 may be a rocker wheel or the like; the first swing drive member 42 may be a traction chain or the like, which can also realize the swing of the traction bending part 21.
[0062] In other embodiments, the first swing drive mechanism 4 is electrically operated. The first swing control component 41 includes a button and a motor. The button is located on the outside of the operating component 3, and the motor is located inside the operating component 3. The motor is connected to the first traction line 421 through a reduction mechanism or a rotating wheel or other transmission component. The doctor can electrically drive the first traction line 421 to extend and retract, causing the vocal head 1 and the curved part 21 to swing, by operating the button. The button may include two operation buttons for swinging in different directions. The first swing drive mechanism 4 is electrically driven, which can improve the accuracy of the swing angle and the swing operation. It can also be set to memorize the swing position, allowing for one-button swing to a preset position for rapid positioning and alignment.
[0063] In this embodiment, the rotary drive mechanism 5 includes a rotary control member 51 and a rotary drive member 52. The rotary control member 51 is disposed outside the operating member 3, and the rotary drive member 52 is disposed inside the insert member 2 and the operating member 3. One end of the rotary drive member 52 is connected to the acoustic head 1, and the other end of the rotary drive member 52 is connected to the rotary control member 51. The rotary control member 51 is used to control the rotary drive member 52 to drive the acoustic head 1 to rotate around the first end of the curved portion 21 relative to the first axis. The first direction and the first axis are not parallel, preferably the first direction and the first axis are perpendicular to each other, and the first axis is perpendicular to the first end of the curved portion 21, so that the acoustic head 1 can rotate around the axial direction, making it easier to realize the rotation control of the acoustic surface 11 of the acoustic head 1, so as to align the acoustic surface 11 with the part to be scanned.
[0064] In other embodiments, the first direction and the first axis can also be set relatively inclined. For example, the rotation center line (first axis) of the first end of the sound head 1 relative to the curved part 21 is inclined at about 5°-10° with the axial direction of the sound head 1. With this setting, the sound head 1 has a larger rotation space relative to the curved part 21, which can achieve alignment in certain scenarios.
[0065] In this embodiment, the rotary drive mechanism 5 can be an electric drive structure. The rotary drive mechanism 5 drives the acoustic head 1 to rotate around the first axis by electric drive. By using electric or electric-assisted drive, a more precise rotation angle can be achieved, so as to quickly align the acoustic surface 11 with the part to be scanned.
[0066] The rotary control component 51 may include any one of a button, a knob, and a handwheel. The button may include two buttons that rotate in different directions. The rotary control component 51 is an operating structure component, through which the doctor can rotate the vocal head 1.
[0067] The rotary drive 52 may include a first gear set 521, a transmission shaft 522, and a drive motor 523. The first gear set 521 is connected to the sound head 1. The first gear set 521 may be disposed inside the sound head 1 and located at one end of the sound head 1 near the curved portion 21. Alternatively, the first gear set 521 may be partially located inside the sound head 1 and the other part located inside the curved portion 21, which can also achieve the connection between the first gear set 521 and the sound head 1.
[0068] The first gear set 521 may include a worm gear 5211 and a worm 5212 that are meshed together. The worm gear 5211 is an internal gear, and its outer circumferential side is fixedly connected to the inner side of the sound head 1. One end of the worm gear 5212 is meshed with the internal gear of the worm gear 5211, and the other end of the worm gear 5212 is fixedly connected to one end of the drive shaft 522. By using the arrangement of the worm gear 5211 and the worm 5212, the worm gear 5212 and the drive shaft 522 can be eccentrically positioned to avoid obstructing the sound head 1 and other components within the insert 2.
[0069] In other embodiments, the first gear set 521 may also include concentrically arranged inner and outer gears, with the outer gear fixedly connected to the sound head 1 and the inner gear fixedly connected to the transmission shaft 522, which can also drive the sound head 1 to rotate around the first axis.
[0070] In this embodiment, one end of the drive shaft 522 is connected to the first gear set 521, and the other end of the drive shaft 522 is fixedly connected to one of the gears in the first gear set 521, driving the gear to rotate, thereby driving the head 1 to rotate. The other end of the drive shaft 522 is connected to the drive motor 523. The drive shaft 522 passes through the insert 2, and at least the portion of the drive shaft 522 located in the bend 21 is a flexible structure, so that the drive shaft 522 can bend and swing along with the bend 21. The entire drive shaft 522 can be a flexible structure, a single flexible shaft; the drive shaft 522 can also include a combination of a flexible shaft and a rigid shaft, with the portion of the drive shaft 522 located in the bend 21 being a flexible shaft, and the portion of the drive shaft 522 located in the non-bend 22 and the operating member 3 being a rigid shaft. A combination of flexible and rigid structures can also achieve rotational transmission and bending along with the bend 21.
[0071] The drive motor 523 is installed inside the operating component 3. The rotation control component 51 is electrically connected to the drive motor 523. The rotation control component 51 can be electrically connected to the drive motor 523 via the circuit board 31. The rotation control component 51 is used to control the drive motor 523 to drive the sound head 1 to rotate through the transmission shaft 522 and the first gear set 521.
[0072] The rotary drive component may also include a reduction gear assembly 525. The drive motor 523 can be connected to the drive shaft 522 through the reduction gear assembly 525. The reduction gear assembly 525 can not only drive the sound head 1 to rotate at a relatively low speed and stably, but also achieve the eccentric setting of the drive shaft 522 relative to the insert 2, so that the drive shaft 522 can avoid other components.
[0073] In other embodiments, the drive motor 523 can also be directly connected to the transmission shaft 522. By positioning the drive motor 523 near the edge of the insert 2, the rotation drive of the sound head 1 can be achieved, and the transmission shaft 522 can be eccentrically positioned relative to the insert 2.
[0074] In this embodiment, when the rotation control component 51 is a button, the button is directly connected to the circuit board 31 for signal connection. The circuit board 31 controls the drive motor 523 to output the corresponding signal according to the input signal of the button, so as to control the sound head 1 to rotate around the first axis in the forward or reverse direction, as well as the rotation angle.
[0075] Alternatively, when the rotary control component 51 is a knob or handwheel, an encoder or other rotary detection component is provided at the shaft of the rotary control component 51. The encoder or other rotary detection component is used to detect the rotation direction and rotation angle of the knob or handwheel, and generate corresponding detection signals, and send the detection signals to the circuit board 31. The circuit board 31 controls the drive motor 523 to output accordingly based on the detection signals, so as to control the forward or reverse direction of the sound head 1 around the first axis, as well as the rotation angle.
[0076] In this embodiment, the rotary drive mechanism 5 is an electric drive scheme. The doctor can control the forward and reverse rotation of the drive motor 523 through the rotary control components 51 such as buttons and knobs, so as to drive the acoustic head 1 to rotate forward and reverse around the first axis. It can also achieve precise control of the rotation angle of the acoustic head 1, so that the acoustic surface 11 of the acoustic head 1 can be quickly aligned with the area to be scanned.
[0077] In this embodiment, the ultrasound head 1 is connected to the bending part 21, allowing it to bend and swing along a first direction. The ultrasound head 1 is also rotatably connected to the first end of the bending part 21, enabling it to rotate around a first axis. The ultrasound head 1 has two degrees of freedom: swinging and rotation, resulting in greater flexibility. Correspondingly, a first swinging drive mechanism 4 and a rotation drive mechanism 5 are provided. The doctor can control the direction and angle of the ultrasound head 1's bending and swinging along the first direction using the first swinging drive mechanism 4, and can also control the direction and angle of the ultrasound head 1's rotation around the first axis using the rotation drive mechanism 5. This allows the ultrasound head 1 to quickly adjust and move to align with the organs in the abdominal cavity that need to be scanned during the scanning process, thereby achieving accurate and clear imaging in ultrasound detection.
[0078] Please refer to Figure 3In one embodiment, the drive shaft 522 is eccentrically disposed within the curved portion 21 and the non-curved portion 22. This arrangement provides more space within the curved portion 21 and the non-curved portion 22 for mounting structures such as the wiring connecting the head 1. In a more preferred embodiment, the drive shaft 522 is disposed at the radial edge position within the curved portion 21 and the non-curved portion 22, that is, the drive shaft 522 is disposed close to the inner sidewall of the curved portion 21 and the non-curved portion 22. This maximizes the space within the curved portion 21 and the non-curved portion 22 for mounting other components.
[0079] In other embodiments, the drive shaft 522 may also be located at the center of the curved portion 21 and the non-curved portion 22, and other components may be set as an eccentric structure, which may also realize the layout of multiple components in the insert 2.
[0080] Please refer to Figure 6 In one embodiment, the rotary drive mechanism 5 can also be a manually operated structure. The rotary drive mechanism 5 includes a rotary control component 51 and a rotary drive component 52, wherein the rotary control component 51 can be a manually operated structure such as a knob or handwheel.
[0081] The rotary drive 52 includes a first gear set 521, a drive shaft 522, and a second gear set 524. The first gear set 521 is connected to the sound head 1. One end of the drive shaft 522 is connected to the first gear set 521, and the other end of the drive shaft 522 is connected to the second gear set 524. The drive shaft 522 passes through the insert 2, and at least the portion of the drive shaft 522 located at the bend 21 is a flexible structure. The rotary control 51 is connected to the second gear set 524. The rotary control 51 is used to drive the sound head 1 to rotate through the second gear set 524, the drive shaft 522, and the first gear set 521.
[0082] The first gear set 521 and drive shaft 522 are the same as those in the above embodiment. The second gear set 524 may include a turbine structure or a structure composed of multiple internal and external teeth. The second gear set 524 is connected to a rotary control component 51 such as a knob and handwheel, allowing the doctor to manually rotate the sound head 1 around the first axis by operating the rotary control component 51.
[0083] The rotary drive mechanism 5 is manually operated to rotate the acoustic head 1, which can also achieve alignment of the acoustic surface 11 of the acoustic head 1 with the part to be scanned.
[0084] Please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 In one embodiment, the ultrasound laparoscopy further includes a second swing drive mechanism 6, which enables the acoustic head 1 to swing along a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction and the first axis, further increasing the degree of freedom of the acoustic head 1 and making it easier to adjust the acoustic head 1 to align with the area to be scanned.
[0085] The second swing drive mechanism 6 and the first swing drive mechanism 4 can adopt the same or different drive structures. The difference between the second swing drive mechanism 6 and the first swing drive mechanism 4 is that they are installed in different positions. For example, the connection positions between the second swing drive mechanism 6 and the first swing drive mechanism 4 and the bending part 21 are different, so that the first swing drive mechanism 4 can drive the bending part 21 and the sound head 1 to swing in the first direction, and the second swing drive mechanism 6 can drive the bending part 21 and the sound head 1 to swing in the second direction.
[0086] The second swing drive mechanism 6 includes a second swing control member 61 and a second swing drive member 62. The second swing control member 61 is disposed on the outside of the operating member 3, and the second swing drive member 62 is disposed inside the insert member 2 and the operating member 3. One end of the second swing drive member 62 is connected to the bent part 21, and the other end of the second swing drive member 62 is connected to the second swing control member 61. The second swing control member 61 is used to control the bent part 21 to swing in a second direction through the second swing drive member 62.
[0087] The second swing control component 61 can be a lever or similar structure, rotatably mounted on the outer surface of the operating component 3 via a pivot. The second swing drive component 62 is a second traction wire 621, which is a flexible wire, such as a flexible metal wire. One end of the second traction wire 621 is located inside the operating component 3 and connected to the lever, while the other end extends into the curved portion 21 and connects to its inner wall. The second traction wire 621 can be slidably connected to the inner wall of the curved portion 21 at multiple points, and its end point is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the second end of the curved portion 21 or to the sound head 1. When the operating lever is rotated, it can drive the second traction wire 621 to move axially, thereby causing the sound head 1 and the curved portion 21 to swing along the first axis.
[0088] Specifically, the second traction line 621 can be a U-shaped structure. Both open ends of the second traction line 621 are slidably connected to the inner wall of the curved portion 21, and both endpoints are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the curved portion 21. The curved portion of the second traction line 621 is connected to the pivot shaft of the lever. This configuration allows the lever to rotate in both directions, causing the sound head 1 to swing along the first axis in both directions, increasing the freedom of the sound head 1's swing and meeting the needs of more scenarios. The connection positions of the first traction line 421 and the second traction line 621 to the curved portion 21 are staggered. For example, the first traction line 421 is located in the plane containing the first direction and the first axis, while the second traction line 621 is located in the plane containing the second direction and the first axis. This allows the first traction line 421 to pull the curved portion 21 to swing in the first direction, and the second traction line 621 to pull the curved portion 21 to swing in the second direction.
[0089] The second swing drive mechanism 6 is a manually operated structure. It has a relatively simple structure, occupies less space inside the operating component 3, and is conducive to miniaturizing the operating component 3.
[0090] In other embodiments, a second traction line 621 may also be provided to enable the sound head 1 to swing forward or backward along the second direction. This unidirectional swing structure can meet the needs of certain scenarios.
[0091] In other embodiments, two second traction lines 621 can also be provided, and the two second traction lines 621 can be independent of each other. Each second traction line 621 is equipped with a lever, and the two levers are used to drive the sound head 1 to swing in both directions along the second direction. These two independent second traction lines 621 can also realize the swinging of the sound head 1 in both directions along the second direction, increasing the degree of freedom of the sound head 1 to swing, and can meet the needs of more usage scenarios.
[0092] In other embodiments, the second swing control member 61 and the second swing drive member 62 may also be other structures. For example, the second swing control member 61 may be a rocker wheel or the like; the second swing drive member 62 may be a traction chain or the like, and may also realize the swing of the traction bending part 21.
[0093] In other embodiments, the second swing drive mechanism 6 is electrically operated. The second swing control component 61 includes a button and a motor. The button is located on the outside of the operating component 3, and the motor is located inside the operating component 3. The motor is connected to the second traction line 621 through a reduction mechanism or a rotating wheel or other transmission component. The doctor can electrically drive the second traction line 621 to extend and retract, causing the vocal head 1 and the curved part 21 to swing, by operating the button. The button may include two operation buttons for swinging in different directions. The second swing drive mechanism 6 is electrically driven, which can improve the accuracy of the swing angle and the swing operation. It can also be set to memorize the swing position, allowing for one-button swing to a preset position for rapid positioning and alignment.
[0094] The above examples illustrate the present invention only to aid in understanding it and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art can make various simple deductions, modifications, or substitutions based on the principles of this invention.
Claims
1. An ultrasonic laparoscopy system, characterized in that, include: A sound head is used to emit ultrasonic waves and receive ultrasonic echoes, and to generate echo data; An insert includes a curved portion and a non-curved portion, both having a first end and a second end. The first end of the curved portion is rotatable relative to its second end. The first end of the curved portion is rotatably connected to a sound head, which is rotatable about a first axis relative to the first end of the curved portion. The second end of the curved portion is connected to the first end of the non-curved portion. The first end of the non-curved portion is used to be inserted into the abdominal cavity of a human body along with the sound head and the curved portion. An operating element is connected to the second end of the non-bent portion; A first swing drive mechanism includes a first swing control member and a first swing drive member. The first swing control member is disposed outside the operating member, and the first swing drive member is disposed inside the insert member and the operating member. One end of the first swing drive member is connected to the curved portion, and the other end of the first swing drive member is connected to the first swing control member. The first swing control member is used to control the curved portion to swing in a first direction via the first swing drive member, thereby causing the sound head to swing in the first direction. A rotary drive mechanism includes a rotary control component and a rotary drive component. The rotary control component is disposed outside the operating component, and the rotary drive component is disposed inside the insert and the operating component. One end of the rotary drive component is connected to the sound head, and the other end of the rotary drive component is connected to the rotary control component. The rotary control component is used to control the rotary drive component to drive the sound head to rotate relative to the first end of the curved portion around the first axis.
2. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first axis is perpendicular to the end face of the first end of the curved portion.
3. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rotary drive component includes a first gear set, a transmission shaft, and a drive motor. The first gear set is connected to the sound head. One end of the transmission shaft is connected to the first gear set, and the other end of the transmission shaft is connected to the drive motor. The transmission shaft passes through the insert, and at least the portion of the transmission shaft located at the bend is a flexible structure. The rotary control component is electrically connected to the drive motor, and the rotary control component is used to control the drive motor to drive the sound head to rotate around the first axis through the transmission shaft and the first gear set.
4. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rotary drive includes a first gear set, a drive shaft, and a second gear set. The first gear set is connected to the sound head. One end of the drive shaft is connected to the first gear set, and the other end of the drive shaft is connected to the second gear set. The drive shaft passes through the insert, and at least the portion of the drive shaft located at the bend is a flexible structure. The rotary control is connected to the second gear set and is used to drive the sound head to rotate around the first axis through the second gear set, the drive shaft, and the first gear set.
5. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The first gear set includes a worm gear and a turbine gear that mesh with each other. The worm gear is connected to the sound head, and the worm gear is connected to the drive shaft.
6. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The drive shaft is eccentrically positioned within the curved portion and the non-curved portion.
7. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The drive shaft is located at the radial edge position within the curved portion and the non-curved portion.
8. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The drive shaft is a flexible structure.
9. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The rotary drive component also includes a reduction gear assembly, and the drive motor is connected to the transmission shaft through the reduction gear assembly.
10. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The rotary control includes at least one of a button, a knob, and a handwheel.
11. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The rotary control includes at least one of a knob and a handwheel.
12. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The curved portion is a flexible tube structure, and / or the non-curved portion is a rigid tube structure.
13. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first direction is perpendicular to the first axis.
14. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The first swing drive includes a first traction line, one end of which is connected to the curved portion, and the other end of which is connected to the first swing control member. The first swing control member is used to control the curved portion to swing along the first direction via the first traction line.
15. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 13, characterized in that, It also includes a second swing drive mechanism, which includes a second swing control member and a second swing drive member. The second swing control member is disposed outside the operating member, and the second swing drive member is disposed inside the insert member and the operating member. One end of the second swing drive member is connected to the curved portion, and the other end of the second swing drive member is connected to the second swing control member. The second swing control member is used to control the curved portion to swing along a second direction through the second swing drive member. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the first axis.
16. The ultrasonic laparoscopy as described in claim 15, characterized in that, The second swing drive includes a second traction line, one end of which is connected to the curved portion, and the other end of which is connected to the second swing control member. The second swing control member is used to control the curved portion to swing along the second direction via the second traction line.