Abstract: An ultrasonic probe is provided which includes a piezoelectric vibrator having an earth electrode and a signal electrode on a rear surface, an acoustic matching layer disposed on a front surface side of the piezoelectric vibrator, a packing material disposed on the rear surface of the piezoelectric vibrator, and a flexible printed circuit that is interposed between the piezoelectric vibrator and the packing material to cover the entire rear surface of the piezoelectric vibrator and has an earth wiring layer and a signal wiring layer. The earth wiring layer and the signal wiring layer are exposed from a surface facing the piezoelectric vibrator of the flexible printed circuit so as to be electrically connected to the earth electrode and the signal electrode through an exposed surface of the earth wiring layer and an exposed surface of the signal wiring layer, respectively.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes piezoelectric elements each including grooves parallel to each other and arrayed in a direction substantially parallel to the grooves, and a mixed member which is to fill the grooves and obtained by mixing in a nonconductive resin member a nonconductive granular substance with a coefficient of thermal expansion of not more than substantially 10?5 K?1.

Abstract: A plurality of piezoelectric elements are arrayed two-dimensionally. A plurality of electrodes are respectively formed on the plurality of piezoelectric elements. A plurality of non-conductive members have columnar shape and are arranged on the plurality of electrodes. A plurality of internal metal layers are respectively provided for the plurality of non-conductive members. The internal metal layers reach from arrangement surfaces of the non-conductive members to other surfaces of the non-conductive members. The arrangement surfaces are opposite to the other surfaces.

Abstract: A ultrasonic probe has a plurality of piezoelectric transducers arranged in the array direction. Each piezoelectric transducer has a piezoelectric element which vibrates in the thickness direction. A signal electrode is formed on the lower surface of the piezoelectric element. An earth electrode is formed on the upper surface of the piezoelectric element. Inside the piezoelectric element, a plurality of non-piezoelectric elements are arranged along the lens direction. Each non-piezoelectric element does not come in contact with the signal electrode and the earth electrode.

Abstract: Provided is an acoustic lens composition which comprises 40 wt % or more of silicone rubber and 15 to 60 wt % of a zinc oxide powder, suppresses ultrasonic attenuation, and has superior molding properties.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis system including a motor driving multi-plane ultrasound probe for acquiring image data at a voluntary scanning plane in a body of a patient is provided. The data acquisition is performed by driving rotation of a plurality of transducers arranged in a head portion of the probe toward a target angle of a prescribed rotation range by driving an arranged surface of the plurality transducers so as to make a plurality of scanning planes toward a first direction in a normal mode. The driving direction of the head portion is automatically reversed by 180 degrees to a second direction opposite to the first direction at a high speed in a reverse mode when the rotation angle of the head portion arrives at the target angle. The reversed head portion can continue to acquire image data at the same scanning planes to the previous scanning planes of the rotation drive to the first direction.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes piezoelectric elements each including grooves parallel to each other and arrayed in a direction substantially parallel to the grooves, and a mixed member which is to fill the grooves and obtained by mixing in a nonconductive resin member a nonconductive granular substance with a coefficient of thermal expansion of not more than substantially 10?5 K?1.

Abstract: A two-dimensional array ultrasonic probe has an ultrasonic transducer. The transducer has transducer elements that are arranged in a first direction and a second direction, forming a lattice. Acoustic-emission electrodes are provided on the acoustic-emission surfaces of the transducer elements. Back electrodes are provided on the backs of the transducer elements. A transmitting-circuit unit is connected to the acoustic-emission electrodes. A receiving-circuit unit is connected to the back electrodes. Of the acoustic-emission electrodes, two electrodes are short-circuited to the transmitting circuits of the transmitting-circuit unit. The remaining two acoustic-emission electrodes are short-circuited to the receiving circuits of the receiving-circuit unit.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes ultrasonic piezoelectric elements that are arranged in a first direction at predetermined intervals and transmit and receive ultrasonic waves in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction. The respective ultrasonic piezoelectric elements have plural grooves, which are parallel to the first direction and do not pierce through an end face, on at least one end face of two end faces substantially orthogonal to the second direction of the respective ultrasonic piezoelectric elements. The ultrasonic waves are weighted in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction according to shapes and arrangement of the respective plural grooves and transmitted and received. In addition, a conductive member is joined to the end face having the grooves of the respective ultrasonic piezoelectric elements along the third direction.

Abstract: A puncture adapter is provided for being mounted on an ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe to be mounted comprises a rod-like insertion portion that is insertable into a subject and has a search unit for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves at the tip end of the insertion portion, and in which a guide channel for guiding a puncture needle is formed on a side surface of the insertion portion. This puncture adapter has a first tubular component on which a gap is provided on a side surface along the length direction, which gap is from one end to the other side of the side surface. The first tubular component is mounted so as to contact the outside of the insertion portion and cover the guide channel, and is turnable in the circumferential direction thereof.

Abstract: A generating unit generates a polurality of ultrasonic cross-sectional images at a plurality of angles when an ultrasonic wave emitting surface in an ultrasonic probe is rotated. A regenerating unit saves information on the angle of the ultrasonic wave emitting surface when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and rotates the ultrasonic wave emitting surface from the angle of the ultrasonic wave emitting surface different from the saved angle information to the angle based on the saved angle information.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe is provided which includes a piezoelectric vibrator having an earth electrode and a signal electrode on a rear surface, an acoustic matching layer disposed on a front surface side of the piezoelectric vibrator, a packing material disposed on the rear surface of the piezoelectric vibrator, and a flexible printed circuit that is interposed between the piezoelectric vibrator and the packing material to cover the entire rear surface of the piezoelectric vibrator and has an earth wiring layer and a signal wiring layer. The earth wiring layer and the signal wiring layer are exposed from a surface facing the piezoelectric vibrator of the flexible printed circuit so as to be electrically connected to the earth electrode and the signal electrode through an exposed surface of the earth wiring layer and an exposed surface of the signal wiring layer, respectively.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes a piezoelectric oscillator layer having plural arranged piezoelectric oscillators for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and plural electrodes formed in the piezoelectric oscillators, an acoustic lens for focusing or diffusing the ultrasonic waves, and an acoustic matching layer that is provided between the piezoelectric oscillator layer and the acoustic lens and includes a resin base and fine particles, which have electric conductivity, mixed in the resin base.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe including a piezoelectric vibrator configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves, an acoustic lens configured to focus the ultrasonic waves and an acoustic matching layer arranged between the piezoelectric vibrator and the acoustic lens and configured to modify acoustic impedance from the piezoelectric vibrator to the acoustic lens. The acoustic matching layer includes a first region arranged at center areas along a direction of transmitting and receiving of the ultrasonic waves, a second region arranged between the first region and the piezoelectric vibrator and having a rate of change of acoustic impedance which is less than rate of change of acoustic impedance of the first region and a third region arranged between the first region and the acoustic lens, and having a rate of change of acoustic impedance which is less than a rate of change of acoustic impedance of the first region.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus including an ultrasonic probe transmitting and receiving ultrasound toward and from a subject, a puncture adaptor configured to be fixed to the ultrasonic probe and to hold a puncture needle, wherein the puncture adaptor has moving part movable in relation to the ultrasonic probe with the puncture needle, and a sensor provided at the ultrasonic probe, and configured to detect the position of the moving part. As the puncture needle is moved relative to the probe, the movable part is correspondingly moved relative to the probe, and movement of the movable part, and therefore also of the puncture needle, is detected by the sensor.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes ultrasonic piezoelectric elements that are arranged in a first direction at predetermined intervals and transmit and receive ultrasonic waves in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction. The respective ultrasonic piezoelectric elements have plural grooves, which are parallel to the first direction and do not pierce through an end face, on at least one end face of two end faces substantially orthogonal to the second direction of the respective ultrasonic piezoelectric elements. The ultrasonic waves are weighted in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction according to shapes and arrangement of the respective plural grooves and transmitted and received. In addition, a conductive member is joined to the end face having the grooves of the respective ultrasonic piezoelectric elements along the third direction.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes a piezoelectric oscillator layer having plural arranged piezoelectric oscillators for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and plural electrodes formed in the piezoelectric oscillators, an acoustic lens for focusing or diffusing the ultrasonic waves, and an acoustic matching layer that is provided between the piezoelectric oscillator layer and the acoustic lens and includes a resin base and fine particles, which have electric conductivity, mixed in the resin base.

Abstract: Provided is an acoustic lens composition which comprises 40 wt % or more of silicone rubber and 15 to 60 wt % of a zinc oxide powder, suppresses ultrasonic attenuation, and has superior molding properties.

Abstract: A repolarization system including an ultrasonic probe includes a plurality of transducers, a voltage generator, a switch, a connector, an interface, and a controller. The plurality of transducers are provided in the ultrasonic probe. Each one or more of the transducers is provided with a pair of electrodes. The voltage generator is configured to generate a predetermined voltage high enough to repolarize the transducers. The switch is configured to switch to supply the voltage to the pair of electrodes. The connector is configured to connect the pair of electrodes to the switch through a plurality of lands. Each of the plurality of lands corresponds to the pair of electrodes. The lands are provided to keep insulation enough to repolarize the transducers among the lands. The interface is configured to give an instruction. The controller is configured to control the voltage generator to generate the predetermined voltage.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus transmits an ultrasonic wave to an object to be examined and forms an image of tomographic information in the object obtained through an ultrasonic probe. The apparatus measures a comulative operation time of the ultrasonic probe and output the cumulative operation time.