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US4611141A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Lead structure for a piezoelectric array-type ultrasonic probe

Assignee: Kureha Corp
•
Filing: 1985-02-20
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Granted: 1986-09-09
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Expires: 2005-02-20
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Abstract

Abstract An array-type ultrasonic probe for an ultrasonic transducer has a basic structure comprising a substrate on which are successively disposed a plurality of parallel stripe form back electrodes, a polymer piezoelectric film and a front electrode. One end of each stripe-form back electrode is made thin, bent along the side wall of the substrate and connected to a lead wire from the ultrasonic transducer. Such a connection structure allows a tight arrangement of the back electrodes while avoiding contact between the electrodes, thus providing a high resolution to the ultrasonic probe.

Inventors

  • 👤 Akira Hamada
  • 👤 Akira Funakoshi
  • 👤 Keiichi Ohira

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 16:50
CPC Classifications
B; B06; B06B; B06B1/00; B06B1/02; B06B1/06; B06B1/0607; B06B1/0622

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 148 words
An array-type ultrasonic probe for an ultrasonic transducer comprising: a substrate having a top face and a side wall, a plurality of stripe-form back electrodes arranged in parallel with and spaced apart from each other by a gap which is smaller than the width of said stripe-form back electrodes, said electrodes being arranged on the top face of the substrate, a polymer piezoelectric film applied on the plurality of back electrodes, and a front electrode on the polymer piezoelectric film, each of said plurality of stripe-form back electrodes having an end portion protruding from the top face of the substrate; said end portion being reduced in thickness as compared with the remaining portion of each back electrode on the substrate without an increase in width of the end portion, bent along the side wall of the substrate and electrically connected to a lead wire from the ultrasonic transducer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 148 words
An array-type ultrasonic probe for an ultrasonic transducer comprising: a substrate having a top face and a side wall, a plurality of stripe-form back electrodes arranged in parallel with and spaced apart from each other by a gap which is smaller than the width of said stripe-form back electrodes, said electrodes being arranged on the top face of the substrate, a polymer piezoelectric film applied on the plurality of back electrodes, and a front electrode on the polymer piezoelectric film, each of said plurality of stripe-form back electrodes having an end portion protruding from the top face of the substrate; said end portion being reduced in thickness as compared with the remaining portion of each back electrode on the substrate without an increase in width of the end portion, bent along the side wall of the substrate and electrically connected to a lead wire from the ultrasonic transducer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 44 words
The array-type ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein said substrate has a bore therein and said lead wire from the ultrasonic transducer is stored in the bore until just before the connecting portion thereof with said end portion of the stripe-form back electrode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 42 words
The array-type ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein said substrate has a recess in the side wall below the top face, and the connection between the end portion of the back electrode and the lead wire is stored in the recess.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 36 words
The array-type ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein said end portion of the back electrode has a thickness which is 20 to 50% of that of the portion of the back electrode on the substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 29 words
The array-type ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the back electrode on the substrate has a thickness in the range of 20 to 400 microns.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 38 words
The array-type ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of back electrodes respectively have a width of the order of 1 mm and are arranged at a gap of the order of 0.02 to 0.1 mm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 22 words
The array-type ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein said polymer piezoelectric film comprises a polarized film of a vinylidene fluoride resin.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 146 words
An array-type ultrasonic probe for an ultrasonic transducer comprising: a substrate having a top face and a side wall, a plurality of stripe-form back electrodes arranged in parallel with and spaced apart from each other on the top face of the substrate, a polymer piezoelectric film applied on the plurality of back electrodes, and a front electrode on the polymer piezoelectric film, each of said plurality of stripe-form back electrodes having an end portion protruding from the top face of the substrate; said end portion being thinner than the remaining portion of each back electrode on the substrate bent along the side wall of the substrate and electrically connected to a head wire from the ultrasonic transducer; wherein said end portion of the back electrodes has a thickness which is 20 to 50 percent of that of the portion of the back electrode of the substrate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 146 words
An array-type ultrasonic probe for an ultrasonic transducer comprising: a substrate having a top face and a side wall, a plurality of stripe-form back electrodes arranged in parallel with and spaced apart from each other on the top face of the substrate, a polymer piezoelectric film applied on the plurality of back electrodes, and a front electrode on the polymer piezoelectric film, each of said plurality of stripe-form back electrodes having an end portion protruding from the top face of the substrate; said end portion being thinner than the remaining portion of each back electrode on the substrate bent along the side wall of the substrate and electrically connected to a head wire from the ultrasonic transducer; wherein said end portion of the back electrodes has a thickness which is 20 to 50 percent of that of the portion of the back electrode of the substrate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 44 words
The array-type ultrasonic probe according to claim 8, wherein said substrate has a bore therein and said lead wire from the ultrasonic transducer is stored in the bore until just before the connecting portion thereof with said end portion of the stripe-form back electrode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 42 words
The array-type ultrasonic probe according to claim 8, wherein said substrate has a recess in the side wall below the top face, and the connection between the end portion of the back electrode and the lead wire is stored in the recess.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 29 words
The array-type ultrasonic probe according to claim 8, wherein the portion of the back electrode on the substrate has a thickness in the range of 20 to 400 microns.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 38 words
The array-type ultrasonic probe according to claim 8, wherein said plurality of back electrode respectively have a width of the order of 1 mm and are arranged at a gap of the order to 0.02 to 0.1 mm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 22 words
The array-type ultrasonic probe according to claim 8, wherein said polymer piezoelectric film comprises a polarized film of a vinylidene fluoride resin.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3849681A Cited
US4424465A Cited
US4467237A Cited
US4486681A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-09-08 1990-03-10 1990-09-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-09-08 1994-03-10 1994-09-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-09-08 1998-03-10 1998-09-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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