Patent ID: 8257263
Filing Date: 2012-09-04
Classification: A61B,G01S

Abstract:
1. An ultrasonic probe comprising: a housing part for housing a first group of ultrasonic transducers and a second group of ultrasonic transducers in a first edge part and a second edge part having different curvatures from each other, respectively, said first and second groups of ultrasonic transducers transmitting ultrasonic waves according to drive signals and receiving ultrasonic echoes to output reception signals; a grip part rotatable relative to said housing part; a detecting unit for detecting whether an axis direction of said housing part is at a first predetermined angle or a second predetermined angle relative to an axis direction of said grip part; signal transmission means for transmitting and receiving signals between said ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body; and a switch circuit for connecting said signal transmission means to said first group of ultrasonic transducers when the axis direction of said housing part is at the first predetermined angle relative to the axis direction of said grip part, and connecting said signal transmission means to said second group of ultrasonic transducers when the axis direction of said housing part is at the second predetermined angle relative to the axis direction of said grip part according to a detection result of said detecting unit.