Abstract: An ultrasound probe includes: a piezoelectric material in which piezoelectric elements to transmit and receive ultrasound are one-dimensionally arrayed; and at least one acoustic matching layer arranged on a subject side of the piezoelectric material, wherein the piezoelectric material includes a plurality of first grooves, and at least a second groove formed between the plurality of first grooves, the piezoelectric material is divided by at least either the first grooves or the second groove, and either each of the first grooves or the second groove is a void, or the first grooves and the second groove are respectively filled with fillers having different hardness.

Abstract: A medical acoustic coupler is to be detachably attached to an ultrasonic probe including a graspable trunk portion and a protruding portion protruding in a width direction from the trunk portion, the medical acoustic coupler including a sheet-like elastic member, the elastic member including: a contact portion located at a central portion of the elastic member in a planar view, the contact portion being brought into contact with an ultrasound transmission/reception surface located at a top edge of the protruding portion when the elastic member is attached to the ultrasonic probe; and loop portions located on the opposite sides of the contact portion from each other, the loop portions each forming a loop, wherein, when the elastic member is attached to the ultrasonic probe, the loop portions are hooked around the protruding portion, to fix the elastic member to the ultrasonic probe.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, includes: a plurality of ultrasound transducers that perform mutual conversion between an ultrasound wave and an electrical signal; a switching circuit that selectively switches ultrasound transducers to be electrically connected to a transmitting/receiving circuit among the plurality of ultrasound transducers; and a matching circuit that is provided at one of a preceding stage and a subsequent stage of the switching circuit, is connected to a position connected directly to the switching circuit, and performs impedance matching between the switching circuit and a circuit disposed at one of the preceding stage and the subsequent stage of the switching circuit.

Abstract: A medical acoustic coupler is to be detachably attached to an ultrasonic probe including a graspable trunk portion and a protruding portion protruding in a width direction from the trunk portion, the medical acoustic coupler including a sheet-like elastic member, the elastic member including: a contact portion located at a central portion of the elastic member in a planar view, the contact portion being brought into contact with an ultrasound transmission/reception surface located at a top edge of the protruding portion when the elastic member is attached to the ultrasonic probe; and loop portions located on the opposite sides of the contact portion from each other, the loop portions each forming a loop, wherein, when the elastic member is attached to the ultrasonic probe, the loop portions are hooked around the protruding portion, to fix the elastic member to the ultrasonic probe.