Ultrasonic Probe Backing Material for Heat Dissipation and Wave Attenuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasonic probes face challenges in achieving high thermal conductivity and favorable acoustic characteristics due to difficulties in mixing graphene-based backing materials, leading to inadequate ultrasonic wave attenuation and heat dissipation.
Innovation Solution
The ultrasonic probe incorporates a backing material composed of a matrix resin and thermally conductive particles, with a specific thermal conductivity ratio in the thickness direction to the horizontal direction of 3 or more, utilizing oriented thermally conductive particles to enhance thermal conductivity and acoustic performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a large amount of graphene is added to the backing material to increase thermal conductivity, then the thermal conductivity is improved, but the mixing and moldability deteriorate and ultrasonic wave attenuation performance worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the matrix resin from liquid to powder form. This parameter change enables the thermally conductive particles to be uniformly distributed throughout the backing material while maintaining favorable mixing and moldability, and achieving high thermal conductivity without requiring excessive particle amounts that would harm acoustic performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite backing material consisting of powder matrix resin and thermally conductive particles. This composite structure allows the particles to be uniformly dispersed in the powder resin, achieving both high thermal conductivity and favorable acoustic characteristics while maintaining ease of manufacture
2Temperature
If a large amount of graphene is added to the backing material to increase thermal conductivity, then the thermal conductivity is improved, but the ultrasonic wave attenuation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the matrix resin from liquid to powder form. This parameter change enables achieving high thermal conductivity with a balanced particle content that does not excessively harm acoustic performance, as the powder resin allows uniform distribution and effective use of thermally conductive particles
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates local thermal conductivity enhancement through uniformly distributed thermally conductive particles in the powder matrix resin, achieving high heat dissipation performance in specific regions without compromising the overall acoustic attenuation properties of the backing material
3Temperature
If thermally conductive particles are oriented in the thickness direction to enhance thermal conductivity, then the thermal conductivity in thickness direction is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the matrix resin to powder form, which enables thermally conductive particles to be oriented in the thickness direction during the molding process. This parameter change facilitates particle orientation through simple compression molding without requiring complex manufacturing steps, achieving high thermal conductivity in the thickness direction while maintaining ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the thickness direction as a specific dimension for particle orientation. By changing the matrix resin to powder form, the particles can be arranged in the thickness direction during molding, creating anisotropic thermal conductivity that enhances heat dissipation from the piezoelectric element while using straightforward manufacturing processes
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 provides improved heat dissipation and reduced ultrasonic wave reflection, resulting in higher-quality diagnostic images and increased sensitivity of the ultrasonic probe.
Implementation Method 1
the backing material dissipates heat from the piezoelectric element to the back surface side to suppress overheat or the like of an acoustic lens
Implementation Method 2
The backing material attenuates (including absorption/scattering) the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the piezoelectric element to a back surface side to suppress generation of noise (artifact) or the like due to reflection of the ultrasonic wave
Implementation Method 3
The piezoelectric element receives an electric signal (transmission signal) transmitted from the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, converts the received transmission signal into an ultrasonic signal to transmit the ultrasonic signal
Implementation Method 4
receives an ultrasonic wave reflected in a living body to convert the ultrasonic wave into an electric signal (reception signal), and transmits the reception signal converted into the electric signal to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic probe includes: a piezoelectric element; and a backing material including a matrix resin and thermally conductive particles, arranged on one direction side with respect to the piezoelectric element, wherein a ratio of thermal conductivity of the backing material in a thickness direction to the thermal conductivity of the backing material in a horizontal direction is 3 or more.