US3779234A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ultrasonic catheter with rotating transducers
Assignee: INTERSC RES INST
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Filing: 1971-06-30
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Granted: 1973-12-18
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Expires: 1991-06-30
Abstract
Abstract An instrument and method which allows real time examination of internal organs of the body such as the heart comprising a catheter which has a rotating tip in which a number of ultrasonic transducers are mounted and which can be selectively connected to a pulser to transmit a ultrasonic pulse into the body and receive an echo from such pulse and including commutating, indexing and presentation means such that display of the conditions within the body may be obtained.
Inventors
- 👤 R Eggleton
- 👤 A Weidner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 16:23
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/42; A61B8/4272; A61B8/4281; A61B8/12; A61B8/44; A61B8/4444; A61B8/445; A61B8/4461; G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/02; G01S15/04; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/8934; G01S15/8938; G01S15/894; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/0043; A61M25/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A clincal instrument for noninvasive ultrasonic examination of the dynamic aspects of organ activity on a real time basis comprising: a catheter for insertion into a body opening; driving means for rotating said catheter through 360*; a plurality of ultrasonic transducers mounted on said catheter and rotated at speed sufficient to produce a data acquisition rate which comprises normal movie speed; ultrasonic pulsing means connected to said plurality of transducers to sequentially excite individual ones of said transducers to scan a sector; receiving means sequentially connected to said plurality of transducers to receive ultrasonic echoes from individual ones of said transducers; and a presentation means connected to said receiving means for displaying two dimensional traces of organ activity from said echoes at a data acquisition rate which comprises normal movie speed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
A clincal instrument for noninvasive ultrasonic examination of the dynamic aspects of organ activity on a real time basis comprising: a catheter for insertion into a body opening; driving means for rotating said catheter through 360*; a plurality of ultrasonic transducers mounted on said catheter and rotated at speed sufficient to produce a data acquisition rate which comprises normal movie speed; ultrasonic pulsing means connected to said plurality of transducers to sequentially excite individual ones of said transducers to scan a sector; receiving means sequentially connected to said plurality of transducers to receive ultrasonic echoes from individual ones of said transducers; and a presentation means connected to said receiving means for displaying two dimensional traces of organ activity from said echoes at a data acquisition rate which comprises normal movie speed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A clinical instrument according to claim 1 wherein there are four ultrasonic transducers mounted equally spaced in a plane normal to the catheter and on one end portion of said catheter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A clinical instrument according to claim 2 comprising commutating means electrically connected to said pulsing means, said receiving means and said plurality of transducers to sequentially connect each of said transducers to the pulsing and receiving means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A clinical instrument according to claim 3 comprising a radial sweep timing generator connected to said pulsing means and said presentation means and a sine-cosine resolver connected to said catheter and said presentation means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
A clinical instrument according to claim 3 wherein said commutating means comprises a plurality of switches which rotate with said catheter and with their first sides respectively connected to said plurality of transducers and their second sides connected to said pulsing and receiving means and means for selectively closing said plurality of switches.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A clinical instrument according to claim 5 wherein said plurality of switches are magnetically operated reed switches and said means for selectively closing them comprises a magnetic field producing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A clinical instrument according to claim 6 wherein said magnetic field producing means comprises a permanent magnet which sequentially closes said switches as the catheter rotates.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A clincal instrument according to claim 5 including rotating electrical conducting means to which the second sides of said switches are connected and an electrical conductor electrically connected to said rotating electrical means and connected to said receiving and pulsing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A clinical instrument according to claim 8 wherein said rotating electrical conducting means comprises a mercury-filled container.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A clinical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said catheter includes a non-rotatable shield means which surrounds it and said shield means includes a portion about said transducers which transmits ultrasonic energy.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A clinical instrument according to claim 10 including a first sound transmitting fluid between said shield means and said transducers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A clinical instrument according to claim 11 including an inflatable portion connected to said shield means about said transducers and a second sound transmitting fluid receivable in said inflatable portion to inflate it.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A clinical instrument according to claim 12 wherein said first and second sound transmitting fluids have sound transmitting characteristics similar to that of animal tissue.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-17 | 1977-06-18 | 1977-12-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-17 | 1981-06-18 | 1981-12-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-17 | 1985-06-18 | 1985-12-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |