Hollow Spherical Joint Assembly for Ultrasonic Cable Passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
The fixed connection between an ultrasonic transducer assembly and a cable in ultrasonic imaging devices results in a nondetachable configuration that cannot pass through a spherical joint, leading to increased volume and wear due to squeezing, and compromises the smoothness and regularity of the spherical joint's surface.
Innovation Solution
A spherical joint with a body portion and a blocking portion, featuring a gap less than half the radial circumference, allows for a detachable connection and a hollow structure that accommodates a cable, maintaining the spherical joint's integrity and enabling passage through a middle opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ultrasonic transducer assembly is fixedly connected to the cable, then electrical connection performance is improved, but the assembly becomes nondetachable and cannot pass through the spherical joint
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical joint is divided into a body portion and a blocking portion that can be detachably connected. The blocking portion can be removed to create a passage for the cable and transducer assembly, allowing them to pass through the spherical joint structure without requiring permanent detachment of electrical connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable and transducer assembly are positioned to pass through the hollow interior of the spherical joint structure. The blocking portion creates a controlled opening that allows the cable assembly to be nested within the spherical joint's internal space while maintaining electrical connections.
2Ease of operation
If the cable avoids the spherical joint by winding, then cable passage is achieved, but the volume of the spherical joint assembly increases and cable wear risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking portion is extracted or removed from the spherical joint body to create a direct passage channel. This allows the cable to pass straight through the spherical joint structure rather than winding around it, reducing the overall assembly volume and eliminating cable wear from contact with the spherical joint exterior.
3Ease of operation
If the spherical joint is designed as a split structure, then cable passage is enabled, but the outer surface loses smoothness and regularity, impacting movement smoothness
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical joint structure is modified locally at specific positions to create the blocking portion that can be detached. The majority of the outer surface maintains its original smooth and regular spherical shape, preserving movement smoothness, while only the localized blocking portion area is modified to enable cable passage when detached.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the blocking portion is detachably connected to the body portion, then assembly flexibility is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical joint is segmented into two main parts: the body portion and the blocking portion. These segments are connected through simple detachable connection structures that minimize added complexity while maximizing assembly flexibility, allowing the blocking portion to be easily attached or removed as needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A spherical joint includes a body portion and a blocking portion. The body portion includes a ball portion and a joint portion. The ball portion and the joint portion have an inner surface that links the two portions together in an axial direction and an outer surface opposite to the inner surface. The outer surface of the ball portion includes a spherical surface. The body portion further includes a first section and a second section. Each of the first section and the second section intersects with the inner surface and the outer surface such that the two sections together define a gap. The blocking portion is detachably connected to the body portion and shaped to match the gap, so that the blocking portion blocks the gap to form a hollow spherical joint structure. Further disclosed in the present application are a spherical joint assembly and an ultrasonic imaging device.