Ultrasonic sector scanner

Claim 1

A diagnostic probe comprising: a transducer means for supplying and receiving a diagnostic energy beam, scanning means for producing a sector scan of said transducer means, said scanning means including a cam means and an input shaft rotatable about a first fixed axis, and cam follower means in contact with said cam means and said transducer means for translating rotation of said cam means into oscillation of said transducer means about a second fixed axis, drive means for said scanning means including a motor means and Cardon joint, and a driveshaft means connecting said motor means to said Cardon joint, said scanning means input shaft being connected to said Cardon joint and serving as the output shaft therefrom, said driveshaft means and said input shaft being at a fixed predetermined angle at said joint, said scanning means cam and cam follower means being adapted to compensate for variations in rotational angular velocity of said scanning means input shaft due to the said predetermined Cardon joint angle whereby a linear relationship is maintained during transducer scanning between the change in transducer means scan angle as defined by the angle formed between the scan axis during scan motion and the scan axis at a fixed reference orientation, and the change in angle of rotation of said driveshaft means relative to a fixed reference rotational position, whereby linear sector scanning is enacted, and housing means for providing an enclosure for said transducer means, said scanning means and said drive means while allowing entry and exit of said energy beam and a connection of said diagnostic probe to associated equipment.