Patent ID: 6261232
Filing Date: 2001-07-17
Classification: A61B,G01S

Abstract:
A continuous wave transmission/reception type ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising: a piezoelectric transducer element (1); an acoustic lens (3) for converging ultrasonic waves; at least one ultrasonic wave converter (10) for transmitting/receiving an ultrasonic wave with respect to a checking object (9); a wave transmitting device (20) for supplying a transmitted ultrasonic wave signal to said ultrasonic wave converter; a wave receiving device (50, 55, 56) for receiving an ultrasonic wave reflected from said checking object; a scanning mechanism for scanning said ultrasonic wave converter on either a plain surface or a curved surface perpendicular to a propagation direction of the ultrasonic wave transmitted/received by said ultrasonic wave converter; and a controller (21, 105) for controlling duration time of the transmitted ultrasonic wave by said ultrasonic wave converter to become longer than delay time corresponding to a time difference between a time instant when said piezoelectric transducer element is energized by said transmitted ultrasonic wave signal and another time instant when an ultrasonic wave produced by being energized is propagated to a focal distance of said acoustic lens to be reflected, and is again propagated to said piezoelectric transducer element so as to be converted into a voltage.