Abstract: Ultrasonic equipment for examinations using section images comprises a scanning mechanism, which includes a wheel that can be driven to rotate and carries a plurality of focussing sound transducer heads having working ranges which cover only respective fractional parts of the depth of the section surface. Each sound transducer head is activated as the sound beam emitted by the sound transducer head moves in the section surface. The echoes received by the sound transducer heads are used to generate a section image. In order to improve the image quality, sound transducer heads having working ranges in different depths of the section surface are activated in succession. Pre-entry paths are associated with sound transducer heads for examining regions near the surface of the object to be examined. Selecting means are provided which ensure that only echo signals derived from echoes which have originated in the working range of an activated sound transducer head are used to generate the image.

Abstract: Focussing sound transducer head comprise at least one focussing sound transducer head for transmitting ultrasonic pulses to form a focussed sound beam having a relatively constricted depth zone, in which the sound beam is narrower than a sound beam that would be transmitted by a nonfocussing sound transducer head that is otherwise comparable to the sound transducer head which transmits said focussed sound beam, and for deriving echo signals from echoes generated in response to the pulses. A scanning mechanism moves the sound beam across a section surface in an object to be examined. Display controls are adapted to receive said echo signals and cause the echo signals to be displayed on a fluorescent screen at locations which are geometrically coordinated with the locations at which the corresponding echoes have originated in the section surface.

Abstract: In an ultrasonic scanner, a plurality of sound transducers are operable to project sound beams defining spaced sound paths into a sectional plane of an object and to receive echoes therefrom. The sound paths may be oscillatingly swept in the sectional plane during operating cycles so that the sound path of each sound transducer coincides at least once during each oscillating cycle with a predetermined line of reflection in the sectional plane. A fluorescent screen receives some of the echo signals to display them in a section scan mode while a sound transducer control operates each sound transducer when none of the sound paths coincides with the predetermined line in each given cycle. A scan mode control operates when the sound path coincides with the predetermined line for displaying the section scan mode in response to the echo signals in a different scan mode several times per cycle.

Abstract: In a method of plotting section images of objects subjected to ultrasonic examination, a section surface of the object is scanned with a sound beam and echoes generated in response to the pulses of the sound beam are converted into echo signals which are plotted on a plotting surface, such as a fluorescent screen or a record carrier, to form a section image. The sound beams scans the section surface at a varying velocity. The pulse repetition period of the sound pulses is varied so that the section surface is scanned with a uniform transverse resolution. In equipment for carrying out the method, the pulse repetition frequency of the sound pulses is controlled by a trigger which generates trigger pulses at times which are functionally related to the scanning movement of the sound beam. The trigger may comprise programmed memory.

Abstract: A scanning unit comprises two sound transducer heads for projecting sound beams, which are caused to scan a common section plane. Echo signals are derived from the echoes generated in response to said sound beams and are displayed on a fluorescent screen at locations which are geometrically coordinated with the locations at which the corresponding echoes have originated. The sound beam from one sound transducer head scans the section surface in an area which is generally rectangular or has only slightly divergent side edges. The sound beam from the other sound transducer head scans the section surface in an area which has greatly divergent side edges. These areas of the section surface are displayed on different areas of the fluorescent screen. Such scanning unit can be adapted to object of various shapes.

Abstract: Equipment is disclosed which serves to trace B-scan section displays of specimens and comprises a sound transducer head, which is oscillated by a scanning mechanism and projects sound beams, which scan the section to be displayed. The echoes which originate in response to these sound beams are displayed on a fluorescent screen at locations which are associated with the locations at which said echoes have originated. The sound transducer head comprises two sound transducers, the axes of which in the plane in which they are oscillated include an angle which is not in excess of the angular range of oscillation. As a result, the pitch with which the section to be displayed is scanned by ultrasonic beams is decreased and/or the angular velocity of the sound transducer head may be decreased.

Abstract: The equipment serves to control the tracing of a center mark and of an arc of a circle centered on said mark on a fluorescent screen. A first controller adapted to deliver a first deflecting voltage, which determines the x coordinate of said mark, is operable by a knob to effect coarse and fine adjustments of said first deflecting voltage. A second controller adapted to deliver a second deflecting voltage, which determines the y coordinate of said mark, is operable by said knob to effect coarse and fine adjustments of said second deflecting voltage. Change-over means are provided for conditioning said first and second controllers for said coarse and fine adjustments. A third controller serves to control the radius of said circle.

Abstract: A three-dimensional region of an object is scanned with at least one pulsed ultrasonic beam. Echo signals are generated, which represent echoes that have originated within said region in response to said beam. By a switching operation in accordance with at least one logical function, those of said echo signals are selected which represent echoes that have originated at at least one locus that is defined by said at least one logical function. Each of the thus selected echo signals is displayed at a location which is coordinated with the location at which the echo represented by said signal has originated.

Abstract: Displays of first and second points are generated on a fluorescent screen. A first mark, which coincides with the display of said first point, is displayed on said fluorescent screen. A linear second mark is displayed on said fluorescent screen. A parameter which controls the position of said second mark on said fluorescent screen is varied in a known manner to move said second mark to a plurality of positions, in each of which said second mark constitutes a display of a circle which is centered on said first point, inclusive of one position in which said second mark is in close proximity to the display of said second point, said parameter having a predetermined, known relation to the radius of said circle so that the value of said parameter is a measure of the distance between said first and second points when said second mark is in said one position and said first mark coincides with the display of said first point.

Abstract: Moving section plane pictures of a specimen are produced by contacting a predetermined peripheral portion of an ultrasonic transducer head with the specimen in the section plane. The transducer head has a circular internal cavity in which a wheel is mounted eccentrically for rotation about an axis. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers are mounted peripherally on the wheel. The gap formed between a transducer and the internal surface of the transducer head is a minimum along the peripheral portion where contact to the specimen occurs. Each transducer is energized only when passing through the sector subtended by the peripheral portion in contact with the specimen and echoes received by the transducer are displayed on a screen whose base line is synchronized to the movement of the ultrasonic beam.