Abstract: Provided is an ultrasound transducer for irradiating a subject with ultrasound and receiving an ultrasound echo reflected from the subject. The ultrasound transducer includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements configured to emit ultrasound according to input of an electric signal and convert ultrasound incident from outside into an electric signal, and a mask portion provided between the plurality of piezoelectric elements and a radiation surface of the ultrasound on the ultrasound transducer. The mask portion is configured to: mask any divided region among a plurality of divided regions obtained by dividing an elevation direction orthogonal to a plane parallel to a scanning direction of the ultrasound; reflect the ultrasound in a direction different from a propagation direction of the ultrasound on the masked division region; and allow the ultrasound to pass in the propagation direction in the plurality of divided regions except the masked divided region.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer includes: an acoustic matching layer bending with a predetermined curvature; a plurality of piezoelectric elements disposed on an inner face on a side of a curvature center of the acoustic matching layer in such a manner that the plurality of piezoelectric elements bend; a plurality of wirings including respective one ends electrically connected to the plurality of piezoelectric elements, respectively; a substrate to which respective other ends of the plurality of wirings are electrically connected; and a holding member provided on the plurality of wirings at a position partway of the plurality of wirings between the plurality of piezoelectric elements and the substrate, the holding member being configured to hold a pitch of the plurality of wirings so as to be a pitch that is equal to or smaller than a predetermined arrangement pitch of the plurality of piezoelectric elements.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrasound transducer for irradiating a subject with ultrasound and receiving an ultrasound echo reflected from the subject. The ultrasound transducer includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements configured to emit ultrasound according to input of an electric signal and convert ultrasound incident from outside into an electric signal, and a mask portion provided between the plurality of piezoelectric elements and a radiation surface of the ultrasound on the ultrasound transducer. The mask portion is configured to: mask any divided region among a plurality of divided regions obtained by dividing an elevation direction orthogonal to a plane parallel to a scanning direction of the ultrasound; reflect the ultrasound in a direction different from a propagation direction of the ultrasound on the masked division region; and allow the ultrasound to pass in the propagation direction in the plurality of divided regions except the masked divided region.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer includes: an acoustic matching layer bending with a predetermined curvature; a plurality of piezoelectric elements disposed on an inner face on a side of a curvature center of the acoustic matching layer in such a manner that the plurality of piezoelectric elements bend; a plurality of wirings including respective one ends electrically connected to the plurality of piezoelectric elements, respectively; a substrate to which respective other ends of the plurality of wirings are electrically connected; and a holding member provided on the plurality of wirings at a position partway of the plurality of wirings between the plurality of piezoelectric elements and the substrate, the holding member being configured to hold a pitch of the plurality of wirings so as to be a pitch that is equal to or smaller than a predetermined arrangement pitch of the plurality of piezoelectric elements.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope, having a cable for connecting the ultrasound endoscope to a driving apparatus, includes an insertion section insertable into a subject, a plurality of transducers provided at a distal end portion, an electrode formed in each of the transducers, a wiring section connected to the electrode to electrically connect the electrode and the cable, and matching circuits, at least one of which is provided at an end of or partway in each of the wiring section. The electrode, the wiring section, and the matching circuits are provided in each of the plurality of transducers. The cable includes a core wire and an insulating layer enwrapping the core wire and functions as a matching section that matches electric impedance of each of the transducers between the plurality of transducers and the driving apparatus by varying a thickness or quality of material of the insulating layer.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope includes an insertion portion that is inserted into a subject, an ultrasound transducer portion that is arranged at a distal end portion of the insertion portion and includes an ultrasound transmitting and receiving surface for transmitting and receiving ultrasound, a first balloon groove that is a groove formed between the insertion portion and the ultrasound transducer portion and is for locking a balloon that covers the ultrasound transmitting and receiving, a distal end face that is arranged on a distal end side with respect to the ultrasound transducer portion and is disposed spaced apart from the ultrasound transmitting and receiving surface, and a convex portion that is provided on the distal end face and on which stress concentrates when a finger is slid on the distal end face.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope distal end portion includes an ultrasound transducer provided at a distal end of an insertion portion, a wiring substrate electrically connected to the ultrasound transducer, a plurality of wires connected to the wiring substrate, a restricting section arranged so as to cover the wiring substrate, wiring substrate side fitting sections provided in the wiring substrate, a first restricting section side fitting section that is provided in the restricting section and fits with the wiring substrate side fitting sections.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope includes: an acoustic lens for transmitting/receiving ultrasound; a transducer element generating ultrasound vibration transmitted/received via the acoustic lens; backing material with an insulation property provided on a face of the transducer element opposite to the acoustic lens; a housing accommodating the acoustic lens, the transducer element and the backing material so as to expose a surface of the acoustic lens to an outside; an insulative cooling portion with thermal conductivity higher than thermal conductivity of the backing material, and laminated on a surface of the backing material opposite to a surface in contact with the transducer element; and a signal wire configured with a metal wire extended from the transducer element into the housing through the backing material, the signal wire, including a curved portion curved so that an area of contact with the cooling portion is increased, being covered with the cooling portion.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope, having a cable for connecting the ultrasound endoscope to a driving apparatus, includes an insertion section insertable into a subject, a plurality of transducers provided at a distal end portion, an electrode formed in each of the transducers, a wiring section connected to the electrode to electrically connect the electrode and the cable, and matching circuits, at least one of which is provided at an end of or partway in each of the wiring section. The electrode, the wiring section, and the matching circuits are provided in each of the plurality of transducers. The cable includes a core wire and an insulating layer enwrapping the core wire and functions as a matching section that matches electric impedance of each of the transducers between the plurality of transducers and the driving apparatus by varying a thickness or quality of material of the insulating layer.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope distal end portion includes an ultrasound transducer provided at a distal end of an insertion portion, a wiring substrate electrically connected to the ultrasound transducer, a plurality of wires connected to the wiring substrate, a restricting section arranged so as to cover the wiring substrate, wiring substrate side fitting sections provided in the wiring substrate, a first restricting section side fitting section that is provided in the restricting section and fits with the wiring substrate side fitting sections.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope includes an insertion portion that is inserted into a subject, an ultrasound transducer portion that is arranged at a distal end portion of the insertion portion and includes an ultrasound transmitting and receiving surface for transmitting and receiving ultrasound, a first balloon groove that is a groove formed between the insertion portion and the ultrasound transducer portion and is for locking a balloon that covers the ultrasound transmitting and receiving, a distal end face that is arranged on a distal end side with respect to the ultrasound transducer portion and is disposed spaced apart from the ultrasound transmitting and receiving surface, and a convex portion that is provided on the distal end face and on which stress concentrates when a finger is slid on the distal end face.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope has an ultrasound probe which is disposed at a distal end side of a distal end rigid portion configuring a distal end portion out of a flexible tube portion, a bending portion and the distal end rigid portion configuring an insertion portion, and forms an ultrasound scanning surface having a normal line in a direction orthogonal to an endoscope insertion axis L1, and a treatment instrument outlet of a treatment hole in the distal end rigid portion. The ultrasound probe is configured by a plurality of ultrasound transducers arranged in a convex circular arc shape, and a center of curvature of the plurality of ultrasound transducers is disposed at a proximal end side from the treatment instrument outlet.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer manufactured by using a micromachining process comprises: a first electrode into which a control signal for transmitting ultrasound is input; a substrate on which the first electrode is formed; a second electrode that is a ground electrode facing the first electrode with a prescribed space between the first and second electrodes; a membrane on which the second electrode is formed and which vibrates and generates the ultrasound when a voltage is applied between the first and second electrodes; a piezoelectric film contacting the membrane; and a third electrode electrically continuous to the piezoelectric film.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer of the present invention includes elements each provided with an electromechanical conversion element that converts an electric signal inputted between a first electrode and a second electrode into vibration, an array section made up of n elements in a row direction and m elements in a column direction (nm) arranged in a matrix form, and an array forming section that switches between a one-dimensional array state column-wise made up of m element groups formed by electrically connecting the first electrode terminals neighboring in the row direction out of the first electrode terminals in the element groups arranged on the same column and a one-dimensional array state row-wise made up of n element groups formed by electrically connecting the first electrode terminals neighboring in the column direction out of the first electrode terminals in the element groups arranged on the same row in the array section.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer manufactured by using a micromachining process comprises: a first electrode into which a control signal for transmitting ultrasound is input; a substrate on which the first electrode is formed; a second electrode that is a ground electrode facing the first electrode with a prescribed space between the first and second electrodes; a membrane on which the second electrode is formed and which vibrates and generates the ultrasound when a voltage is applied between the first and second electrodes; a piezoelectric film contacting the membrane; and a third electrode electrically continuous to the piezoelectric film.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer manufactured by using a micromachining process comprises: a first electrode into which a control signal for transmitting ultrasound is input; a substrate on which the first electrode is formed; a second electrode that is a ground electrode facing the first electrode with a prescribed space between the first and second electrodes; a membrane on which the second electrode is formed and which vibrates and generates the ultrasound when a voltage is applied between the first and second electrodes; a piezoelectric film contacting the membrane; and a third electrode electrically continuous to the piezoelectric film.

Abstract: An electronic radial type ultrasonic transducer arraying, in a cylindrical form, a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements for transmitting and receiving ultrasound, and for storing cables corresponding to the respective ultrasonic transducer elements for transmitting a drive signal for driving each of the ultrasonic transducer elements in the inside of a group of the ultrasonic transducer elements arrayed in the cylindrical form, featuring a conductive film on a surface of an insulator through which the cable group is led, and also comprising an acoustic lens constituted of a lens part which is connected to a ground wire and featured as a convex form and a cover part covering an easily breakable part or conductor material which is electrically connected to a plurality of ultrasonic transducers.

Abstract: A transducer wiring pad group provided in a distal end portion of an ultrasound transducer printed circuit board provided with signal patterns that transmit and receive signals to and from a plurality of ultrasound transducers, a flexible printed circuit board wiring pad group arranged in a longitudinal axis direction of the ultrasound transducer printed circuit board, a second signal pattern group that is connected between the transducer wiring pad group and the flexible printed circuit board wiring pad group and bends at substantially degrees in the middle thereof, and a relay flexible printed circuit board that is connected to the flexible printed circuit board wiring pad group and changes a direction of a signal pattern into the longitudinal axis direction are provided.

Abstract: A micromachined ultrasound transducer including a plurality of ultrasound transducer cells each of which includes a substrate on which a bottom electrode is formed, and a membrane provided apart from the substrate and having an upper electrode formed thereon, said ultrasound transducer generating ultrasound with the membrane vibrating when voltage is applied between the bottom electrode and the upper electrode, comprises: a vibration propagation suppression unit suppressing propagation of vibration of said each ultrasound transducer cell to an adjacent ultrasound transducer cell.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope has an ultrasound probe which is disposed at a distal end side of a distal end rigid portion configuring a distal end portion out of a flexible tube portion, a bending portion and the distal end rigid portion configuring an insertion portion, and forms an ultrasound scanning surface having a normal line in a direction orthogonal to an endoscope insertion axis L1, and a treatment instrument outlet of a treatment hole in the distal end rigid portion. The ultrasound probe is configured by a plurality of ultrasound transducers arranged in a convex circular arc shape, and a center of curvature of the plurality of ultrasound transducers is disposed at a proximal end side from the treatment instrument outlet.