Adaptor for ultrasonic transducer probe

Claim 2

An adaptor for a cannula guide type ultrasonic transducer probe which guides a cannula along a cavity of the ultrasonic transducer probe and which holds a bag covering said probe in position, said cavity being formed in one major surface of said probe and being tapered along an array of ultrasonic transducer elements so as to become wider in a direction from an application surface which has the ultrasonic transducer elements thereon to an opposite surface thereto, comprising: a guide unit having a substantially trapezoidal back plate whose unequal sides define upper and lower ends of the back plate and a pair of side plates, said back plate having a shape complementary to the shape of a back wall of said cavity and adapted to be fitted in said cavity while said bag covers said probe to thereby allow cannula access alongside said bag when said cannula is disposed in said quide unit, and said pair of side plates being integrally formed with said back plate along two sides thereof; and a band unit mounted such that upper and lower free ends thereof respectively extend from upper and lower ends of said back plate, said upper and lower free ends of said band unit having engaging means for securing said adaptor to said probe.

Claim 3

An adaptor according to claim 1, wherein said guide unit is formed separately from said band unit.

Claim 4

An adaptor according to claim 1, wherein said guide unit is formed integrally with said band unit.

Claim 5

An adaptor according to claim 1, wherein each of said side plates has a lower end which is lower than the lower end of said back plate by 1 mm.

Claim 6

An adaptor according to claim 1, wherein said guide unit comprises a rigid material, and said band unit comprises a soft material.

Claim 7

An adaptor according to claim 1, wherein said bag comprises a flexible, thermoplastic resin bag having a thickness of not more than several tens of microns.

Claim 8

An adaptor according to claim 1, wherein said stopper means comprises a combination of a slit and a hook.

Claim 9

An adaptor for an ultrasonic transducer probe which holds a bag in position and guides a cannula along the ultrasonic transducer probe having a carrier, said adaptor including a guiding block, said carrier having a cavity defined by a pair of tapering narrow portion side walls and a pair of tapering wide portion side walls, said pair of tapering narrow portion side walls being tapered so as to become further apart in a direction away from an application surface which has ultrasonic transducer elements thereon to an opposite surface thereto, and said pair of tapering wide portion side walls being further tapered next to said tapering narrow portion side walls through stepped portions, and said guiding block having an external shape so as to fit in said cavity and having a cannula guide groove which is formed on at least one major surface of said guiding block so as to extend from an upper surface to a distal end thereof, said guide block having a substantially trapezoidal back plate and a pair of side plates, said back plate having a shape complementary to a portion of a cavity back wall which is defined by said tapering narrow portion side walls, said back plate being fitted in said cavity while said bag covers said probe to thereby allow cannula access alongside said bag when said cannula is disposed in said guide unit, and said pair of side plates being formed integrally with said back plate along two sides thereof; and a band unit extending upward and downward from upper and lower ends of said back plate and having upper and lower free ends which have engaging means for securing said adaptor to said probe.

Claim 10

An adaptor for an ultrasonic transducer probe which holds a bag in position and guides a cannula along the ultrasonic transducer probe having a carrier, said adaptor including a guiding block, said carrier having a cavity defined by a pair of tapering narrow portion side walls and a pair of tapering wide portion side walls, said pair of tapering narrow portion side walls being tapered so as to become further apart in a direction away from an application surface which has ultrasonic transducer elements thereon to an opposite surface thereto, and said pair of tapering wide portion side walls being further tapered next to said tapering narrow portion side walls through stepped portions, and said guiding block having an external shape so as to fit in said cavity and having a cannula guide groove which is formed on at least one major surface of said guiding block so as to extend from an upper surface to a distal end thereof, said guide block having a substantially trapezoidal back plate and a pair of side plates, said back plate having a shape complementary to a portion of a cavity back wall which is defined by said tapering narrow portion side walls, said back plate being fitted in said cavity while said bag covers said probe to thereby allow cannula access alongside said bag when said cannula is disposed in said guide unit, and said pair of side plates being formed integrally with said back plate along two sides thereof; and a band unit extending upward and downward from upper and lower ends of said back plate and having upper and lower free ends which have engaging means for securing said adaptor to said probe.

Claim 11

An adaptor according to claim 8, wherein each of said pair of side plates has a lower end lower than the lower end of said back plate by 1 mm.