JPS6373938A - Production of ultrasonic probe - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] A piezoelectric element is bonded to a predetermined position of a flexible printed board having a predetermined pattern, adhered onto a sound wave absorber, and then cut along the pattern of the flexible printed board with a cutter. A piezoelectric element is divided into a predetermined number of parts to form a vibrator, making it easy to manufacture high-quality products.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and particularly to a method for manufacturing an ultrasonic probe.

Medical technology has made remarkable progress in recent years, and demand for ultrasonic diagnostic equipment is increasing because it can easily perform highly accurate tests without causing pain or adverse effects on patients, and high-quality equipment is desired.

[Conventional technology]

Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment emits ultrasonic pulses into the body for a very short period of time, detects reflected echoes that are reflected one after another as the ultrasonic pulses propagate, and displays them on a display device. The ultrasound probe is used to diagnose the presence or absence of an abnormality in the body and its location, and is used by bringing an ultrasound probe into contact with the subject.

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 7, an ultrasonic probe (hereinafter referred to as a probe) has several tens to 200 rod-shaped transducers 2 placed close to a sound wave absorber 1 in the lateral direction. It is arranged as follows.
A separate conducting wire 3 is connected to each vibrator 2 .

Several adjacent transducers 2 are simultaneously driven to form an ultrasonic beam in front of the transducer group, and scanning is performed by sequentially switching the transducer groups to be used simultaneously using an electronic switch (not shown). .

A so-called 174-wavelength plate 4 made of, for example, epoxy resin containing metal powder and having a thickness of 174 wavelengths is bonded to the front surface of the vibrator group, and an acoustic lens 5 made of, for example, silicone rubber is bonded to the front surface of the 174-wavelength plate 4. ing.

The 174 wavelength plate 4 is used to shorten the ultrasonic pulse to improve distance resolution and to increase the sensitivity of the probe.

The acoustic lens 5 is used to focus the ultrasound beam and improve the so-called lateral resolution in the direction perpendicular to the tomographic plane (scanning plane).

Further, the sound wave absorber 1 absorbs and attenuates the ultrasonic waves radiated to the back surface of the vibrator 2, and epoxy resin is used for -C.

The method for manufacturing the ultrasonic probe will be described below with reference to FIG. 8(a) and the explanatory diagram in FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 5(a), a sound wave absorber 1 is placed using epoxy resin or the like on top of a piezoelectric element 6 which has metal foil 7 made of a material such as silver connected to both ends with solder or conductive paste so as to establish electrical continuity. form.

Next, as shown in the same figure (b), using a cutter (for example, a Dicing Saw that can cant the workpiece with a thin cut groove of about 50 μm), the piezoelectric element 6 and the metal foil 7 are subjected to sound wave absorption. The vibrator 2 is formed by cutting into the body 1 to a predetermined depth (the position indicated by the arrow A-B) and dividing it into a predetermined number of pieces.

Then, the door body 3 is connected to each of the metal foils 7 cut together with the vibrator 2.

Finally, a metal foil 8 (not shown) serving as a common electrode is connected onto the vibrator 2, and a 174 wavelength plate 4 (not shown), an acoustic lens 5 (not shown), etc. are adhered to complete the structure.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Although the probe is manufactured as described above, there is a problem in that conductive wires must be connected to several tens to 200 vibrating tubes, which requires a large number of man-hours.

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram illustrating the method for manufacturing an ultrasonic probe according to the present invention.

In the present invention, a frame having a predetermined pattern; 1-
A piezoelectric element 6 is bonded to a predetermined position of a flexible printed board 9,
After the sound wave absorber 1 is formed on the piezoelectric element 6 through the hole of the flexible printed board 9, the piezoelectric element 6 is cut along the flexible printed board while cutting the sound wave absorber 1 to a predetermined depth with a cutter. is divided into a predetermined number to constitute the vibrator 2, and the embodiments include: (1) the flexible printed board 9 is bent in advance so as to follow the side surface of the sound wave absorber 1; .

(2) After bonding the metal foil 8 to the opposite side of the piezoelectric element 60 to which the flexible printed board 9 is bonded,
At the same time, the piezoelectric element 6 is divided into a predetermined number.

(3) Before the division, a spacer 10 is inserted between the metal 75B and the flexible pudding 1-temporary 9.

(4) The 174 wavelength plate 4 is bonded onto the piezoelectric element 6 provided with the metal foil 8, and then the piezoelectric element 6 is divided into a predetermined number of pieces together with the 174 wavelength plate 4 and the metal 7f38.

[Effect]

Therefore, the divided electrodes and lead wires can be connected all at once to the piezoelectric element to be divided at the time when the flexible printed board and the piezoelectric element are connected, and the metal foil and the piezoelectric element are connected.

For this reason, when this is divided, each line of the flexible printed board can be used as the lead wire, so the vibrator and its lead electrode can be formed at a high yield at one time.

〔Example〕

FIGS. 2 to 6 show an embodiment of the present invention.

Identical parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout the design.

In the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG.
One side with respect to the pitch P of J child 2 (left side in the diagram)
A flexible printed board 9 is used, in which a pattern of leads 9a is provided at twice the pitch, and a pattern of leads 9b is provided at twice the pitch, shifted by one pitch, on the other side (right side in the figure).

By adopting such a pattern, the widths of the leads 9a and 9b can be increased, and in particular, the width of the land at the tip of the leads can be increased.

First, the piezoelectric element 6 is joined to the area 9d indicated by the two-dot chain line with the square hole 9C of the flexible printed board 9 in the center using a conductive paste or solder so as to establish electrical continuity.

Next, as shown in the figure ('), the sound wave absorber 1 is formed on the piezoelectric element 6 together with the flexible printed board 9 through the square hole 9C of the temporary print 9.

The method for forming the sound wave absorber 1 is to place the piezoelectric element 6 with the flat flexible printed board 9 facing upward, fit a formwork having a predetermined depth onto the flexible printed board 9, and then insert the piezoelectric element 6 into the formwork. For example, a liquid prepolymer prepared by mixing metal powder or the like into an epoxy resin is injected and hardened.

Alternatively, a sound wave absorber of a predetermined size may be bonded to the flexible printed board 9 through a square hole without an air layer.

After the sound wave absorber 1 is formed in this way, the piezoelectric elements 6 are divided into a predetermined number along the pattern of the flexible printed board 9 while cutting the sound wave absorber 1 to a predetermined depth up to the two-dot chain line A B) using a cutting saw. and vibrator 2
Configure.

Then, the flexible print pattern 9 (as shown in FIG. 2C) is separated by the grooves 9e to form leads.

By using such a method, the leads (conductors) of each vibrator can be constructed together with the vibrator 2 at one time.

Furthermore, if the flexible printed board 9 is bent in advance along the side surface of the sound wave absorber 1 as shown in the side view of FIG. In addition, the positioning of the adhesion becomes easy, and since the flexible printed board temporary 9 comes into close contact with the side surface of the sound wave absorber 1 after adhesion, the cutting operation of the cutting saw becomes easy and the yield of the product is improved.

Further, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 4, metal foil 8 is soldered or bonded with solder paste to both ends of the piezoelectric element 6 on the opposite side to which the flexible printed board 9 is bonded. By dividing the element 6 into a predetermined number of parts, difficult work (such as preventing adhesive from entering between vibrators) that occurs in the process of joining the metal foil 8 after dividing the piezoelectric element 6 can be avoided.

Furthermore, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 5, a strip-shaped spacer 10 having an insulating property such as glass free-cutting ceramics or polyimide film is placed between the metal foil 8 and the flexible printed temporary 9 using epoxy resin. The metal foil 8 is fixed with a type of adhesive to prevent the risk of the metal foil 8 being caught up and cut when cutting the guising saw.

Furthermore, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. By dividing the wavelength plate 4 into a predetermined number, a type of probe having 174 wavelength plates 4 can be manufactured at once.

Although not shown, the sound lens is glued onto the 174 wavelength plate 4.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, by manufacturing an ultrasonic probe using the ultrasonic probe manufacturing method of the present invention, it is possible to manufacture high-quality products with a high yield with a small number of man-hours, resulting in great economic and industrial benefits. It has the effect of

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a principle diagram of the method of manufacturing an ultrasound probe of the present invention, Figure 2 (al is a side view explaining the method of manufacturing an ultrasound probe of the present invention, Figure 2 (bl is a flexible print) Top view of the plate, 2nd
Figure (C) is a plan view showing the flexible printed board after cutting, Figure 3 is a side view showing the flexible printed board in a bent state, and Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the state in which metal foil is connected to the piezoelectric element. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which a spacer is provided between the metal foil and the flexible printed board, Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which a 174 wavelength plate is connected to the piezoelectric element and the metal foil, and Fig. 7 8 is a perspective view showing an ultrasound probe, and FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) are explanatory diagrams of a conventional method of manufacturing an ultrasound probe. In the figure, 1 is a sound wave absorber, and 2 is a sound wave absorber. A vibrator, 3 is a donor, 4 is a quarter-wave plate, 5 is a speech lens, 6 is a piezoelectric element, 7.8 is a metal foil, 9 is a flexible printed board, and 10 is a spacer. ==== = 41A long board to the mouth■, stirrup H phase super pull fried tiger 1000 n Kenja Yuuri mapo 1 Koki Taniguchi H's Sho ear Tetsu S Maro 4th place angle missing child power ax pass barj way- 0 person ε punch ■ Ai Ri 1 side L1 (CL) Fushi N two pull 7 ゛ j Lutne again θ 乎resistant ■ 4 (Rezso Obal Lf work Ai pot θ) + J pull fu)〉 Tone anti E , 1000th face<C) 2nd drunkenness 15th edition) L71 Ruto also changed his appearance and appeared 1 Aji soup' Tenbi Hiroetsu (1 I rule σ Usu F1 child 5 Prisoner 6 Kunidame) Hikari cup touch cedar groom nail, low setting rod 7 A

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) A method for manufacturing an ultrasonic probe comprising a predetermined number of transducers (2) provided on a sound wave absorber (1), the method comprising a predetermined position of a flexible printed board (9) having a predetermined pattern. After bonding the piezoelectric element (6) to the flexible printed board (9) and forming the sound wave absorber (1) on the piezoelectric element (6) through the hole of the flexible printed board (9), the sound wave absorber (1) is removed using a cutter. The piezoelectric element (6) is divided into a predetermined number of pieces along the pattern of the flexible printed board (9) while cutting the body (1) to a predetermined depth to form the vibrator (2). A method for manufacturing an ultrasonic probe. (2) Claim 1, characterized in that the flexible printed board (9) to which the piezoelectric element (6) is bonded is bent in advance so as to follow the side surface of the sound wave absorber (1). A method of manufacturing the ultrasonic probe described. (3) A metal foil (
8) and the piezoelectric element (8) together with the metal foil (8).
6) is divided into a predetermined number of parts. (4) The ultrasonic probe according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a spacer (10) is provided between the metal foil (8) and the flexible printed board (9). Method of producing children. (5) A quarter wavelength plate (4) is bonded onto the piezoelectric element (6) provided with the metal foil (8), and the quarter wavelength plate (
Claim 1, characterized in that the piezoelectric element (6) is divided into a predetermined number together with the metal foil (8) and the metal foil (8).
5. A method for manufacturing an ultrasonic probe according to items 4 to 4.