An ultrasonic probe

Abstract

This application relates to the technical field of medical devices, and in particular to an ultrasound probe. The ultrasound probe includes a backing and a heat dissipation bracket for supporting the backing. The heat dissipation bracket includes an upward-opening receiving space, and the backing is at least partially placed within the receiving space. The heat dissipation bracket includes a bottom wall and an extension extending upward from the bottom wall and disposed within the receiving space. The backing has a groove for receiving the extension, and when the backing is placed in the receiving space, the extension extends into the groove. The ultrasound probe of this application, by providing an extension on the bottom wall and a groove on the backing for receiving the extension, increases the contact area between the backing and the heat dissipation bracket when the backing is placed in the receiving space, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect of the ultrasound probe.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of medical devices, and in particular to an ultrasound probe. Background Technology

[0002] The working principle of an ultrasound probe is to convert an excited electrical pulse signal into an ultrasonic signal that enters the patient's body, and then convert the ultrasonic echo signal back into an electrical signal, thereby achieving energy conversion. During the conversion between acoustic and electrical energy, due to mechanical losses and losses in the electroacoustic conversion process, some energy is converted into heat, producing a thermal effect. If this heat cannot be dissipated in time, the temperature of the ultrasound probe will continuously rise, which will not only affect the quality of the ultrasound image but may also cause burns to the patient, resulting in a very poor patient experience. Therefore, heat dissipation of the ultrasound probe is essential in its clinical use.

[0003] Traditional ultrasonic phased array probes typically employ an aluminum or copper backing behind the piezoelectric material during design. The high thermal conductivity of the metal conducts heat to the probe housing, which then dissipates it into the surrounding environment. While this heat dissipation structure is simple and inexpensive, the heat dissipation capacity of the metal backing is limited, especially during prolonged high-power operation, which can still lead to overheating. With technological advancements, alternative heat dissipation solutions have emerged, such as incorporating micro-fluid circulation channels within the probe to remove heat with coolant. This method offers high heat dissipation efficiency and is suitable for high-power probes. However, this approach is complex and expensive, requiring additional cooling systems, which can be a burden for convenient and rapid ultrasound diagnostics. In summary, existing ultrasonic probe heat dissipation structures suffer from either low heat dissipation capacity or complex and costly designs, hindering their usability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to overcome the shortcomings of existing ultrasonic probes, such as low heat dissipation capacity, which affects the use of ultrasonic probes.

[0005] Therefore, this application provides an ultrasonic probe, including a backing and a heat dissipation bracket for supporting the backing. The heat dissipation bracket includes an upward-opening receiving space. The backing is at least partially placed in the receiving space. The heat dissipation bracket includes a bottom wall and an extension extending upward from the bottom wall and disposed in the receiving space. The backing has a groove for receiving the extension. When the backing is disposed in the receiving space, the extension extends into the groove.

[0006] Furthermore, when the backing is placed in the receiving space, the bottom surface of the backing and the bottom wall are spaced apart.

[0007] Furthermore, the heat dissipation bracket has a first side extending upward from one end of the bottom wall and a second side extending upward from the opposite end of the bottom wall, and the first side, the second side, the bottom wall and the extension are integrally formed.

[0008] Furthermore, the first side, the second side, and the extension are arranged in parallel, and the height of the extension is less than the height of the first side and the second side, while the heights of the first side and the second side are equal.

[0009] Furthermore, the ultrasonic probe also includes a support plate located below the bottom wall and fixed to the bottom wall by assembly, wherein the extension direction of the support plate is parallel to the extension direction of the extension portion.

[0010] Furthermore, when the extension direction of the extension is vertical, the support plate is located directly below the extension.

[0011] Furthermore, the first side, the second side, the extension, and the support plate are all provided with several through holes.

[0012] Furthermore, the backing includes a main body, a first edge extending outward from the main body, and a second edge extending outward from the main body. The bottom surface of the first edge abuts against the upper end of the first side, and the bottom surface of the second edge abuts against the upper end of the second side.

[0013] Furthermore, the groove is provided on the main body.

[0014] Furthermore, the groove is designed with openings on three sides, and the backing can be inserted into the receiving space from directly above the extension, the front end of the extension, or the rear end of the extension.

[0015] The ultrasonic probe of this application has an extension on the bottom wall and a groove in the backing to accommodate the extension. When the backing is placed in the accommodating space, the extension extends into the groove, thereby increasing the contact area between the backing and the heat dissipation bracket and improving the heat dissipation effect of the ultrasonic probe. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ultrasonic probe of this application;

[0017] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the backing and heat dissipation bracket of this application.

[0018] In the figure: 1. Backing; 11. Main body; 111. Groove; 12. First edge; 13. Second edge; 2. Heat dissipation bracket; 21. Receiving space; 22. Extension; 23. Bottom wall; 24. First side; 25. Second side; 3. Support plate; 4. Through hole. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0020] To keep the drawings concise, only the parts relevant to the invention are shown schematically in each figure, and they do not represent the actual structure of the product. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, in some figures, only one of components with the same structure or function is shown schematically, or only one is labeled. In this document, "one" can mean not only "only one" but also "more than one".

[0021] It should also be further understood that the term “and / or” as used in this application specification and the appended claims means any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0022] In this document, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0023] Furthermore, in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the specific implementation methods of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings and other implementation methods can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative effort.

[0025] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2This application provides an ultrasonic probe, which includes a backing 1 and a heat dissipation bracket 2 for supporting the backing 1. The heat dissipation bracket 2 includes an upward-facing receiving space 21. The backing 1 is at least partially placed in the receiving space 21. The heat dissipation bracket 2 includes a bottom wall 23 and an extension 22 extending upward from the bottom wall 23 and disposed in the receiving space. The backing 1 is provided with a groove 111 for receiving the extension 22. When the backing 1 is disposed in the receiving space 21, the extension 22 extends into the groove 111.

[0026] The aforementioned ultrasonic probe has an extension 22 on the bottom wall 23 and a groove 111 for receiving the extension 22 on the backing 1. When the backing 1 is placed in the receiving space 21, the extension 22 extends into the groove 111, thereby increasing the contact area between the backing 1 and the heat dissipation bracket 2 and improving the heat dissipation effect of the ultrasonic probe.

[0027] Reference Figure 1 When the backing 1 is placed in the receiving space 21, the bottom surface of the backing 1 and the bottom wall 23 are spaced apart. This spaced arrangement creates acoustic isolation between the backing 1 and the heat dissipation bracket 2, reducing the possibility that unabsorbed ultrasonic signals transmitted to the base and reflected back into the probe, causing noise and affecting image quality. The ultrasonic probe of this application improves heat dissipation while ensuring image quality, achieving a balance between the two. Furthermore, the spaced arrangement between the backing 1 and the bottom wall 23 facilitates the assembly of the backing 1 and the heat dissipation bracket 2, reducing machining accuracy issues caused by close contact between them.

[0028] Preferably, the gap between the backing 1 and the bottom wall 23 is set to 0.02-0.2 mm. The backing 1 is made of high thermal conductivity graphite (thermal conductivity 180 W / m·K), and the heat dissipation bracket 2 is made of high thermal conductivity aluminum (thermal conductivity 217 W / m·K), which further improves the heat dissipation performance of the ultrasonic probe.

[0029] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2The heat dissipation bracket 2 has a first side 24 extending upward from one end of the bottom wall 23 and a second side 25 extending upward from the opposite end of the bottom wall 23. The first side 24, the second side 25, the bottom wall 23, and the extension 22 are integrally formed. Integrating the first side 24, the second side 25, the bottom wall 23, and the extension 22 into one piece improves the structural stability of the heat dissipation bracket 2. The first side 24, the second side 25, and the extension 22 are arranged in parallel, with the height of the extension 22 being less than the height of both the first side 24 and the second side 25, while the heights of the first side 24 and the second side 25 are equal. Setting the height of the extension 22 to be less than the heights of the first side 24 and the second side 25 reduces the possibility of insufficient absorption of ultrasonic waves by the backing 1 while still achieving the heat dissipation function of the extension 22.

[0030] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The ultrasonic probe also includes a support plate 3 located below the bottom wall 23 and fixed to the bottom wall 23 by assembly. The extending direction of the support plate 3 is parallel to the extending direction of the extension portion 22. The support plate 3 further increases the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation bracket 2, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect of the heat dissipation bracket 2. The support plate 3 and the heat dissipation bracket 2 are fixed together by assembly, that is, the support plate 3 and the heat dissipation bracket 2 are detachably connected. When assembling the ultrasonic probe, the detachable connection between the support plate 3 and the heat sink bracket 2 allows for the assembly of the heat sink bracket 2 with the backing 1 first, followed by the connection of the heat sink bracket 2 and the support plate 3. Previously, assembling the heat sink bracket 2 and the backing 1 required fixing the heat sink bracket 2 to a tooling mold. If the support plate 3 was already connected to the heat sink bracket 2 during assembly, its length and location below the heat sink bracket 2 increased the difficulty of assembling the heat sink bracket 2 and the backing 1 using the tooling mold. However, if the backing 1 and the heat sink bracket 2 were assembled first, and then the support plate 3 was connected to the heat sink bracket 2, the flat bottom of the heat sink bracket 2 reduced the difficulty of assembling the heat sink bracket 2 and the backing 1 using the tooling mold. Specifically, the support plate 3 is detachably connected to the heat sink bracket 2 using screws.

[0031] Reference Figure 2 When the extension direction of the extension 22 is vertical, the support plate 3 is located directly below the extension 22. If the support plate 3 is not directly below the extension 22, the screws connecting the support plate 3 and the heat sink bracket 2 may be too long and may pass through the support plate 3, hitting the backing 1 and damaging its integrity. By placing the support plate 3 directly below the extension 22, the possibility of the screws passing through the bottom wall 23 of the heat sink bracket 2 and hitting the backing 1 is lower, reducing the possibility of damaging the integrity of the backing 1.

[0032] Reference Figure 2The first side 24, the second side 25, the extension 22, and the support plate 3 are all provided with a plurality of through holes 4. On the one hand, the through holes 4 on the first side 24, the second side 25, the extension 22, and the support plate 3 can reduce the weight of the heat dissipation bracket 2, facilitating the use of the ultrasonic probe while ensuring heat dissipation effect; on the other hand, when the thermal expansion coefficients of the heat dissipation bracket 2 and the backing 1 have a large difference, the through holes 4 on the first side 24, the second side 25, and the extension 22 provide a certain deformation space for the heat dissipation bracket 2 and the backing 1, reducing the possibility of stress concentration caused by thermal expansion leading to cracking of the backing 1 or the heat dissipation bracket 2, and extending the service life of the ultrasonic probe. Preferably, the plurality of through holes 4 are evenly distributed on the first side 24, the second side 25, the extension 22, and the support plate 3, further improving the heat conduction uniformity of the heat dissipation bracket 2 and improving the stability of imaging quality.

[0033] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The backing 1 includes a main body 11, a first edge 12 extending outward from the main body 11, and a second edge 13 extending outward from the main body 11. The bottom surface of the first edge 12 abuts against the upper end of the first side 24, and the bottom surface of the second edge 13 abuts against the upper end of the second side 25. The arrangement of the first edge 12 and the second edge 13 reduces the possibility of ultrasonic waves being transmitted to the first side 24 and the second side 25, and reduces the possibility of the first side 24 and the second side 25 reflecting ultrasonic waves back to the transducer, thereby generating noise that affects image quality. Specifically, a groove 111 is provided in the main body 11 of the backing 1. The groove 111 is a three-sided opening, and the backing 1 can be inserted into the receiving space 21 from directly above the extension 22, the front end of the extension 22, or the rear end of the extension 22.

[0034] Preferably, thermally conductive silicone grease with a high thermal conductivity can be filled into the through hole 4 to further improve the heat dissipation effect of the heat sink 2.

[0035] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic probe, characterized in that, The device includes a backing and a heat dissipation bracket for supporting the backing. The heat dissipation bracket includes an upward-opening receiving space. The backing is at least partially placed within the receiving space. The heat dissipation bracket includes a bottom wall and an extension extending upward from the bottom wall and disposed within the receiving space. The backing has a groove for receiving the extension. When the backing is disposed within the receiving space, the extension extends into the groove.

2. An ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the backing is placed in the receiving space, the bottom surface of the backing and the bottom wall are spaced apart.

3. An ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat dissipation bracket extends upward from one end of the bottom wall to form a first side and extends upward from the opposite end of the bottom wall to form a second side. The first side, the second side, the bottom wall, and the extension are integrally formed.

4. An ultrasonic probe according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first side, the second side, and the extension are arranged in parallel. The height of the extension is less than the height of the first side and the second side, and the heights of the first side and the second side are equal.

5. An ultrasonic probe according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a support plate located below the bottom wall and fixed to the bottom wall by assembly, wherein the extension direction of the support plate is parallel to the extension direction of the extension portion.

6. An ultrasonic probe according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the extension direction of the extension is vertical, the support plate is located directly below the extension.

7. An ultrasonic probe according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first side, the second side, the extension, and the support plate are all provided with several through holes.

8. An ultrasonic probe according to claim 3, characterized in that, The backing includes a main body, a first edge extending outward from the main body, and a second edge extending outward from the main body. The bottom surface of the first edge abuts against the upper end of the first side, and the bottom surface of the second edge abuts against the upper end of the second side.

9. An ultrasonic probe according to claim 8, characterized in that, The groove is located on the main body.

10. An ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The groove is designed with openings on three sides, and the backing can be inserted into the receiving space from directly above the extension, the front end of the extension, or the rear end of the extension.

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