Patent ID: 6063035
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
In an ultrasound examination system employing an endoscopically inserting ultrasound probe to be introduced into a body cavity through a biopsy channel provided in an endoscopic insertion instrument, said ultrasound probe having a bulky ultrasound scanner assembly at the nose end of an elongated flexible cord containing a flexible rotation transmission means and an electrical signal cable for an ultrasound transducer element on said ultrasound scanner assembly, and a thin and narrow tail end connector provided at the tail end of said flexible cord for electrically and rotationally coupling said ultrasound probe with a rotational drive and electrical wiring contacts on a separate probe control unit, both of said flexible cord and tail end connector having an outside diameter smaller than inside diameter of said endoscopic biopsy channel for passage therethrough:a coupling adaptor to be disconnectibly connected to said tail end connector of said endoscopically inserting ultrasound probe for electrically and rotationally coupling same with said probe control unit stably in a protected state, said coupling adaptor having within a stationary housing a pair of rotationally interconnected front and rear rotary members to be disconnectibly coupled with said tail end connector and said rotational drive means on said probe control unit, respectively, said front and rear rotary members of said coupling adaptor internally carrying electrical connection means to establish electrical connections between said ultrasound probe and said probe control unit when coupled therewith to transmit rotation from said rotational drive means to said ultrasound transducer element.