Patent ID: 8231533

Claim:
An ultrasound coupling device for transmitting ultrasound waves from an ultrasound transducer to a human or animal body, the coupling device comprising: (a) a gel pad ( 2 ) for transmitting the ultrasound waves, the gel pad ( 2 ) having an edge ( 10 ), (b) a support ( 3 ) comprising a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, rubber, latex, woven textile, and non-woven textile, and having (i) a main body ( 9 ), (ii) a transducer side (T), (iii) a body side (B), and (iv) an aperture ( 11 ) through the transducer side (T) and the body side (B) of support ( 3 ), (c) the main body ( 9 ) being provided with an adhesive element ( 13 ) on the body side (B), the adhesive element ( 13 ) being capable of securely fixing the ultrasound coupling device ( 1 ) to the human or animal body, (d) the gel pad ( 2 ) being received within the aperture ( 11 ) such that the gel pad ( 2 ) is adapted to contact the human or animal body, and (e) the gel pad ( 2 ) being encircled by a frame ( 8 ) alongside the edge ( 10 ), the frame ( 8 ) being fixed to the main body ( 9 ), the frame ( 8 ) comprising foam, (f) the gel pad ( 2 ) and frame ( 8 protruding from the body side (B) of the main body ( 9 ), the gel pad ( 2 ) being flush with the frame ( 8 ), (g) the frame ( 8 ) comprising a fixing area (A) on the transducer side (T), the fixing area (A) comprising a fastener ( 17 ) surrounding the aperture ( 11 ) for fixing the ultrasound transducer.