US 11,835,485 B2
Ultrasonic probe having flexible stabilizing element for probe alignment
Tobias Bruch, Hurth (DE); and Thorsten Michalk, Houston, TX (US)
Assigned to Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Sep. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/472,581.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/085,601, filed on Sep. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0099631 A1, Mar. 31, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 29/24 (2006.01); G01N 29/28 (2006.01); G01N 29/22 (2006.01); G01N 29/265 (2006.01); G01N 29/34 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 29/2468 (2013.01) [G01N 29/225 (2013.01); G01N 29/28 (2013.01); G01N 29/265 (2013.01); G01N 29/343 (2013.01); G01N 2291/011 (2013.01); G01N 2291/015 (2013.01); G01N 2291/044 (2013.01); G01N 2291/0421 (2013.01); G01N 2291/106 (2013.01); G01N 2291/2638 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ultrasonic probe, comprising:
a housing extending from a proximal end to a distal end and defining a first cavity therein;
at least one ultrasonic transducer positioned within the housing;
a flexible delay line including a recessed portion and a hemispherical tip portion, wherein the recessed portion is positioned within the cavity and extends from the at least one ultrasonic transducer to the distal end of the housing, and wherein the tip portion extends from the distal end of the housing to a distal terminal end of the delay line; and
a stabilizing element coupled to the distal end of the housing and extending distally from the distal end of the housing to a target facing surface, wherein the stabilizing element circumferentially surrounds at least part of the tip portion of the flexible delay line
wherein an elastic modulus of the material from which the stabilizing element is formed is greater than or equal to an elastic modulus of the delay line.