Patent Publication Number: US-2011071398-A1

Title: Three-dimensional probe apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0089458, filed on Sep. 22, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a three-dimensional probe apparatus and, more particularly, to a three-dimensional probe apparatus for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that generates internal images of a patient body using ultrasound waves. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Generally, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus refers to a non-invasive apparatus that irradiates an ultrasound signal from a surface of a patient body towards a target internal organ beneath the body surface and obtains an image of a monolayer or blood flow in soft tissue from information in the reflected ultrasound signal (ultrasound echo-signal). The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus has been widely used for diagnosis of the heart, the abdomen, the urinary organs, and in obstetrics and gynecology due to various merits thereof such as small size, low price, real-time image display, and high stability through elimination of radiation exposure, as compared with other image diagnostic systems, such as X-ray diagnostic systems, computerized tomography scanners (CT scanners), magnetic resonance imagers (MRIs), nuclear medicine diagnostic apparatuses, and the like. 
     The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a cart-shaped main body for receiving main components thereof, a probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals, a control panel having various switches and keys for inputting commands for manipulation of the apparatus, and a display unit for displaying an image of an ultrasonic diagnosis result. 
     The probe includes a transducer that converts electrical signals into sound signals or vice versa. The transducer includes an ultrasound wave vibrator assembly composed of a set of ultrasound wave vibrators, which sends ultrasound signals to a target to obtain an image of the target using the signals reflected from the target. 
     In recent years, with development of image processing techniques, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus has been developed to display a three-dimensional ultrasonic image. In such an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the probe obtains the image of a three-dimensional region using a transducer which transmits and receives to the ultrasound signals while moving along a preset locus. 
     In such a probe, since the transducer can move only along a restricted locus in an advancing direction of the probe, that is, a probing direction, the probe can obtain only an image in one direction if it does not change the probing direction. Therefore, there is a need to provide a probe apparatus that overcomes such a problem. 
     It should be noted that the above description is provided for understanding of the background of the invention and is not a description of a conventional technique well-known in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is conceived to solve the problems of the related art as described above, and an aspect of the invention is to provide a three-dimensional probe apparatus configured to obtain images in many directions without changing a probing direction. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a three-dimensional probe apparatus includes a drive unit configured to generate power in a forward or rearward direction; a power transmission unit configured to transmit the power generated by the drive unit; a transducer configured to receive the power from the power transmission unit to rotate to a location based on the received power; and a location detector configured to detect the location of the transducer. 
     The location detector may include a first detection member coupled to the power transmission unit and configured to move to a location based on the location of the transducer. 
     The location detector may include a second detection member configured to determine the location of the transducer based on the location of the first detection member. 
     The first detection member may be magnetized and the second detection member may include a sensor capable of sensing magnetism of the first detection member. 
     The drive unit may include a drive motor configured to generate the power; a to driving pulley coupled to a shaft of the drive motor; a driven pulley separated from the driving pulley; and a belt member configured to transmit the power from the driving pulley to the driven pulley. 
     The power transmission unit may include a power transmission member configured to receive the power from the drive unit; a wire member connecting the power transmission unit to the transducer; a first guide member configured to guide the wire member in a first direction; and a second guide member disposed in a different direction from the first guide member and configured to guide the wire member in a second direction. 
     The wire member may include a wire connected at one end to the power transmission member and at an opposite end to the transducer; and a pin rod coupled to the wire. 
     The second direction may be perpendicular to the first direction. 
     The three-dimensional probe apparatus may include a base to which the transducer is rotatably coupled. 
     The three-dimensional probe apparatus may be an endocavity probe. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an ultrasound probe includes an elongated member having a longitudinal axis and a distal housing; a transducer having a transducing surface, the transducer pivotally disposed in the housing and configured so that the transducing surface is capable of selectively rotating between a first position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and a second position at least collinear with the longitudinal axis; a transmission unit coupled to the transducer to rotate the transducer between the first and second positions; and a location detector coupled to the transmission unit to provide a signal corresponding to an orientation of the transducer between the first and second positions. 
     The ultrasound probe may include a drive unit configured to drive the transmission unit in response to the signal. The drive unit may include a drive motor. 
     The transmission unit may be configured to stop at any point between the first and second positions. 
     The location detector may include a Hall effect sensor. The location detector may include a light emitting diode configured to emit light. The location detector may to include an optical sensor configured to sense light emitted from the light emitting diode. 
     The ultrasound probe may be an endocavity ultrasound probe. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a three-dimensional probe apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partially cut perspective view of the probe apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of part A of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of part B of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of the three-dimensional probe apparatus of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  shows an operating state of part “A” of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 8  shows an operating state of part “B” of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the drawings are not to precise scale and may be exaggerated in thickness of lines or size of components for descriptive convenience and clarity only. Furthermore, terms used herein are defined by taking functions of the invention into account and can be changed according to the custom or intention of users or operators. Therefore, definition of the terms should be made according to overall disclosures set forth herein. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a three-dimensional probe apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is a partially cut perspective view of the probe apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of part A of  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of part B of  FIG. 2 , and  FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 4 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a three-dimensional probe apparatus  100  according to one embodiment includes a housing  110 , a drive unit  120 , a power transmission unit  130 , a transducer  140 , and a location detector  150 . 
     The housing  110  defines an outer appearance of the probe apparatus  100  according to this embodiment. The housing  110  includes a lower housing  112 , an upper housing  114 , and a cover  116 . 
     The lower housing  112  defines a lower portion of the housing  110 . The lower housing  112  receives the drive unit  120  and the location detector  150 . 
     The upper housing  114  is located on the lower housing  112  and defines an upper portion of the housing  110 . The upper housing  114  receives the transducer  140  therein. Oil is also received in the upper housing  114  such that the transducer  140  is immersed in the oil inside the upper housing  114 . 
     A partition  115  is disposed between the upper and lower housings  112  and  114 . The partition  115  shields the upper and lower housings  112  and  114  from each other to prevent the oil in the upper housing  114  from leaking into the lower housing  112 . 
     The cover  116  is disposed at an open side of the upper housing  114 . The cover  116  is a component to be brought into direct contact with a diagnosis target and covers the upper housing  114  and the transducer  140 . 
     The drive unit  120  generates power in a forward or reverse direction. The drive unit  120  is located inside the lower housing  112  and includes a drive motor  122 , a driving pulley  124 , a driven pulley  126 , and a belt member  128 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     The drive motor  122  generates power. The drive motor  122  can generate a rotational force in the forward or reverse direction. 
     The driving pulley  124  is coupled to a shaft the drive motor  122 . The driving pulley  124  receives the power from the drive motor  122  and is rotated by the rotational force of the drive motor  122  in the forward or reverse direction. 
     The driven pulley  126  is separated from the driving pulley  124 . The driven pulley  126  is rotatably disposed and receives the power from the driving pulley  124  through the belt member  128  which transmits the power from the driving pulley  124  to the driven pulley  126 . 
     The power transmission unit  130  transmits the power in association with the drive unit  120 . The power transmission unit  130  is received inside the lower housing  112  and the upper housing  114 , and includes a power transmission member  132 , a wire member  134 , a first guide member  136 , and a second guide member  138 . 
     The power transmission member  132  receives the power from the drive unit  120 . In this embodiment, the power transmission member  132  is disposed coaxially with the driven pulley  126  and is rotated by rotation of the driven pulley  126  to receive the power from the drive unit  120 . The power transmission member  132  can be rotated in the forward or reverse direction by the rotation of the driven pulley  126 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the wire member  134  connects the power transmission member  132  to the transducer  140 . The wire member  134  includes a wire  134   a  and a pin rod  134   b.    
     The wire  134   a  connects the power transmission member  132  to the transducer  140 . The wire  134   a  is connected at one side thereof with the power transmission member  132  and at the other side thereof with the transducer  140 . In this embodiment, the wire  134   a  penetrates the partition  115  via a through-hole (reference number omitted) formed in the partition  115 . The wire  134   a  is moved while being wound around or unwound from the power transmission member  132  by forward or rearward rotation of the power transmission member  132  to thereby move the transducer  140 . 
     The pin rod  134   b  is provided to the wire  134   a.  The pin rod  134   b  is located at the middle of the wire  134   a  and moved together with the wire  134   a.  The pin rod  134   b  is disposed to be inserted into the through-hole in the partition  115  and has a sufficient length so as not to be deviated from the through-hole while moving together with the wire  134   a.    
     In this embodiment, the through-hole is provided therein with an oil-seal  118  such that the pin rod  134  is brought into close contact with the oil-seal  118  inside the through-hole. Such close contact between the pin rod  134   b  and the oil-seal  118  keeps the through-hole in a sealed state to thereby prevent the oil received in the upper housing  114  from leaking through the through-hole. 
     The first guide member  136  guides the wire member  134  connected to the power transmission member  132  to move in a first direction. The first guide member  136  is separated from the power transmission member  132  and is disposed to be rotated in the same direction as the power transmission member  132 . In this embodiment, the first direction is a tangential direction to the rotating direction of the power transmission member  132 . 
     The second guide member  138  is located in a different direction from the first guide member  136  and guides the wire member  134  to move in a second direction. The second guide member  138  is separated from the first guide member  136  and is disposed to be rotated in a direction perpendicular to the rotating direction of the first guide member  136 . In this embodiment, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. 
     The wire member  134 , which is moved while being wound or unwound by the rotation of the power transmission member  132 , may be changed in movement direction toward the second direction by the second guide member  138  to thereby move the transducer  140 . 
     The transducer  140  moves along a preset locus. The transducer  140  is rotatably coupled to a base  160  disposed inside the upper housing  114 . While moving along the preset locus, the transducer  140  transmits an ultrasound signal to a target and receives an ultrasound echo signal reflected from the target, thereby enabling realization of a three-dimensional image. 
     The transducer  140  includes a piezoelectric layer (not shown) in which a piezoelectric material converts electrical signals into sound signals or vice versa while vibrating, a sound matching layer (not shown) reducing a difference in sound impedance between the piezoelectric layer and a target to allow as much of the ultrasound signals generated from the piezoelectric layer as possible to be transferred to the target, a lens layer (not shown) focusing the ultrasound sounds, which travel in front of the piezoelectric layer, onto a predetermined point, and a backing layer (not shown) blocking the ultrasound signals from traveling in the rearward direction of the piezoelectric layer to prevent image distortion. 
     The transducer  140  receives the power from the power transmission unit  130  to be moved to a plurality of locations for operation. In this embodiment, the transducer  140  may be move to a first location “a” around a second directional axis and a second location “b” around a first directional axis for operation by rotating about a rotational shaft coupled to the base  160 . 
     In this embodiment, the transducer  140  moves right and left along a preset locus at the first location “a” and moves up and down along a preset locus at the second location “b” during operation. In order to allow such movement of the transducer  140 , the wire member  134  may have a sufficient length to allow the transducer  140  to be moved not only to the first location “a” but also to the second location “b” during the operation. 
     The location detector  150  detects a moving location of the transducer  140  to allow the transducer  140  to be moved to the plurality of locations for operation. The location detector  150  includes a first detection member  151 , and second detection members  155 ,  156 . 
     The first detection member  151  is provided to the power transmission unit  130  to detect the moving location of the transducer  140 . In this embodiment, the first detection member  151  is provided to the pin rod  134   b  of the wire member  134  and moves together with the wire member  134 . 
     The location detector  150  includes a plurality of second detection members  155 ,  156 , which are operated in association with the first detection member  151 . The plural second detection members  155 ,  156  are separated from each other by a distance corresponding to the plurality of locations. In this embodiment, the location detector  150  includes two second detection members  155 ,  156  which are separated from each other by a distance corresponding to the distance between the first location “a” and the second location “b”. The second detection members  155 ,  156  detect the location of the first detection member  151  to thereby detect the moving location of the transducer  140 . 
     In this embodiment, when the transducer  140  is located at the first location “a”, the first detection member  151  is located to face the second detection member  155 , which is located at a lower side of the two second detection members  155 ,  156 . Further, when the transducer  140  is located at the second location “b”, the first detection member  151  is located to face the second detection member  156 , which is located at an upper side of the second detection members  155 ,  156 . 
     For example, the first detection member  151  may be magnetized and the second detection members  155 ,  156  may be sensors capable of sensing magnetism of the first detection member  151 . In this embodiment, the second detection members  155 ,  156  are hall sensors which detect the magnetism of the first detection member  151  facing one of the second detection members  155 ,  156 , but not limited thereto. Alternatively, a light emitting unit may be provided as the first detection member  151  and optical sensors may be provided as the second detection members  155 ,  156 . As such, the location detector  150  may be realized in various modifications. 
     The location detector  150  including the first detection member  151  and the second detection members  155 ,  156  detects the moving location of the transducer  140  by detecting the location of the first detection member  151  through the second detection members  155 ,  156 . 
     That is, when the second detection member  155  located at the lower side detects the first detection member  151 , the location detector  150  detects the moving location of the transducer  140  as the first location “a”, and when the second detection member  156  located at the upper side detects the first detection member  151 , the location detector  150  detects the moving location of the transducer  140  as the second location “b”. 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram of the three-dimensional probe apparatus of  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 7  shows an operating state of part “A” of  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 8  shows an operating state of part “B” of  FIG. 2 , and  FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of part “B” of  FIG. 8 . 
     Next, operation and effect of the three-dimensional probe apparatus  100  according to this embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 3 to 9 . 
     First, referring to  FIGS. 3 to 6 , in the probe apparatus  100  according to this embodiment, the transducer  140  performs a probing operation with respect to a target while moving right and left along a preset locus at a first location “a”, so that a three-dimensional image of the target is obtained. Such movement of the transducer  140  may be achieved by the drive unit  120  and the power transmission unit  130 . 
     Specifically, power generated in the forward or reverse direction by the drive motor  122  of the drive unit  120  is transmitted to the power transmission member  132  of the power transmission unit  130  by connection between the driving pulley  124  and the driven pulley  126  via the belt member  128 . 
     In this embodiment, a forward power is defined as a power in a direction of moving the transducer  140  from the first location “a” to the second location “b”, and a reverse power is defined as a power in a direction of moving the transducer  140  from the second location “b” to the first location “a”. 
     When receiving the forward or reverse power from the drive unit  120 , the power transmission unit  132  transmits the forward or reverse power to the wire member  134 . Then, the wire member  134  is moved in the first direction by the first guide member  136  and is moved in the second direction by the second guide member  138  while being wound around or unwound from the power transmission member  132 . 
     While being moved in such a manner, the wire member  134  transmits the forward or reverse power of the drive unit  120  to the transducer  140  to allow the transducer  140  to move right and left along a preset locus at the first location “a”. 
     The location of the transducer  140  is detected by the location detector  150 . Namely, the first detection member  151  is moved to or near a location facing the second detection member  155 , which is located at the lower side of the second detection members  155 ,  156 , so that the second detection member  155  detects the location of the first detection member  151  to thereby detect that the transducer  140  is located at or near the first location “a”. 
     Location information obtained by the location detector  150  is used to define the location of the transducer  140 . That is, the location information of the transducer  140  obtained by the location detector  150  is transmitted to a controller  170  in a main body (not shown) of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and the controller  170  defines the location of the transducer  140  based on the location information of the transducer  140 . 
     When the information is transmitted to the controller  170  from the location detector  150  to inform the controller  170  that the transducer  140  is located at or near the first location “a”, the controller  170  controls the transducer  140  to perform the probing operation in the second direction with reference to the first position “a”. 
     Then, the transducer  140  performs the probing operation with respect to the target while moving right and left along a preset locus with reference to the first location “a”, and the controller  170  generates a three-dimensional image of the target based on an image of the target obtained by the probing operation in the second direction. 
     On the other hand, as shown in  FIGS. 6 to 9 , when the transducer  140  is moved from the first location “a” to a second location “b”, the transducer  140  performs the probing operation with respect to the target while moving up and down along a preset locus with reference to the first location “b”, so that the three-dimensional image of the target is obtained. 
     Such movement of the transducer  140  to the second location “b” may be performed by user manipulation. For example, a control panel  180  of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus may be provided with selection keys  182 ,  184  for selecting whether the transducer  140  is to be moved to the first location “a” or the second location “b”. When the location of the transducer  140  is selected through manipulation of the selection keys  182 ,  184  by a user, the controller  170  controls operation of the drive unit  120  according to the user manipulation of the selection keys  182 ,  184  to allow the transducer  140  to move to the first location “a” or the second location “b”. The location of the transducer  140  at the second location “b” is detected by the location detector  150 . In other words, the first detection member  151  is moved to or near a location facing the second detection member  156 , which is located at the upper side of the second detection members  155 ,  156 , so that the second detection member  156  detects the location of the first detection member  151  to thereby detect that the transducer  140  is located at or near the second location “b”. 
     Location information of the transducer  140  obtained by the location detector  150  is transmitted to the controller  170 , which in turn defines the location of the transducer  140  based on the location information of the transducer  140 . 
     When the information is transmitted to the controller  170  by the location detector  150  to inform the controller  170  that the transducer  140  is located at or near the second location “b”, the controller  170  controls the transducer  140  to perform the probing operation in the second direction with reference to the second position “b”. 
     In this embodiment, the location detector  150  includes two second detection members  155 ,  156  to detect movement of the transducer  140  towards two locations, but it should be noted that this invention is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the location detector  150  may include three or more second detection members to detect movement of the transducer  140  towards two or more locations. As such, it should be noted that the invention can be realized via various modifications. 
     In this embodiment, the three-dimensional probe apparatus  100  is an endocavity probe. Thus, when the three-dimensional probe apparatus  100  performs a probing operation after being inserted into the body cavity of a person, the probe apparatus can perform, at one location, not only a probing operation with respect to the second direction, that is, an insertion direction, by operation of the transducer  140  around the first location “a”, but also a probing operation with respect to the first direction, that is, a lateral direction, by operation of the transducer  140  around the second location “b”. 
     According to the embodiment, the transducer  140  may move towards a plurality of locations for operation and the location detector  150  may detect a moving location of the transducer  140  to define the location of the transducer  140  so as to differently control the operation of the transducer  140  in accordance with the moving location of the transducer  140 , so that the probe apparatus can perform the probing operation in a plurality of directions at one location without changing the probing direction. 
     Further, according to the embodiment, the wire member  134  may be guided to move in a plurality of directions including first and second directions, so that a space occupied by the drive unit  120  and the power transmission unit  130  is reduced, thereby reducing the overall size of the probe apparatus. 
     Although some embodiments have been provided to illustrate the invention in conjunction with the drawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments are given by way of illustration only, and that various modifications and equivalent embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the description of the three-dimensional probe apparatus as provided herein is only one example of the invention, and the invention can be applied not only to the three-dimensional probe apparatus but also to a two-dimensional probe apparatus. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the accompanying claims.