Sealing Membrane for Transient Elastography Probe
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transient elastography probes face challenges in maintaining water resistance and ensuring patient comfort during liver stiffness measurements, with existing solutions struggling to provide effective dielectric insulation and adapt to varying patient morphologies.
Innovation Solution
A transient elastography probe design featuring an ultrasonic transducer integrated with a sealing membrane that covers the transducer's external contours, providing water resistance, painless examination, and improved dielectric insulation, with a detachable tip and flexible membrane made of elastomer materials to accommodate different patient morphologies and enhance ultrasonic beam focusing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ultrasonic transducer is made water-resistant by adding a sealing membrane, then the reliability of the probe is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing membrane is integrated directly into the ultrasonic transducer assembly, merging the sealing function with the transducer structure itself rather than adding a separate sealing component. This integration approach provides water resistance while minimizing additional structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible sealing membrane made of elastomer material is used to cover the ultrasonic transducer. This thin film provides effective water sealing while maintaining acoustic transparency for ultrasonic wave transmission and conforming to the transducer's external contours
2Manufacturing precision
If the ultrasonic transducer has angular points on its face, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the object-affected harmful factors increase due to patient discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible sealing membrane covers the angular points and sharp edges of the ultrasonic transducer face, creating a smooth contact surface with the patient's skin. This eliminates discomfort from sharp edges while the membrane's elasticity allows it to conform to the transducer's precise geometric shape
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing membrane acts as an intermediary layer between the ultrasonic transducer and the patient's skin. It mediates the interaction by providing a comfortable, smooth contact surface while allowing the transducer to maintain its precise manufactured shape for accurate ultrasonic beam generation
3Reliability
If the sealing membrane covers the entire ultrasonic transducer, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of manufacture worsens due to dielectric insulation challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing membrane is applied selectively to cover the face and external contours of the ultrasonic transducer where water exposure occurs, rather than enclosing the entire transducer. This localized sealing provides adequate water protection while leaving the rear portions accessible for dielectric insulation treatments
Solution Approach 2:
The use of a thin elastomer membrane provides effective sealing with minimal material, reducing the complexity of achieving dielectric insulation compared to thicker rigid sealing structures. The thin film allows for simpler insulation layers while maintaining water resistance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures the probe's durability, patient comfort, and precise measurements by preventing water damage and dielectric leaks, while allowing for adaptable tip sizes and improved ultrasonic beam focusing, leading to effective liver stiffness assessments.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic transducer configured to generate an ultrasonic beam along an axis, the ultrasonic beam being generated from a face of the ultrasonic transducer
Implementation Method 2
a vibrator located inside the probe body and arranged to induce movement of the ultrasonic transducer along a predefined axis; This pulsed movement generates a transient shear wave that propagates inside the liver
Implementation Method 3
a sealing membrane matching the external contours of the ultrasonic transducer covering the face of the ultrasonic transducer; the membrane is made of elastomer
Implementation Method 4
The displacement caused by the propagation of the shear wave is then probed by sending short high-frequency ultrasound pulses into the medium under study
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
An aspect of the invention concerns a transient elastography probe (100) comprising: - a probe body (101); - an ultrasound transducer (103) configured for generating an ultrasound beam along an axis, the ultrasound beam being generated from a face (107) of the ultrasound transducer (103); - a vibrator (102) located inside the probe body (101) and designed to induce a movement of the ultrasound transducer (103) along a predefined axis; the ultrasound transducer (103) being mounted on the vibrator (102) in such a way that the predefined axis and axis of the ultrasound beam are coincident, characterised in that it comprises a sealing membrane (104) matching the outer contours of the ultrasound transducer (103).