US 12,465,330 B2
Divergent lens array
Clément Papadacci, Paris (FR); Mickael Tanter, Paris (FR); Hugues Favre, Paris (FR); and Mathieu Pernot, Paris (FR)
Assigned to INSERM (INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTÉ ET DE LA RECHERCHE MÉDICALE), Paris (FR); CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, Paris (FR); and ECOLE SUPÉRIEURE DE PHYSIQUE ET DE CHIMIE INDUSTRIELLES DE LA VILLE DE PARIS, Paris (FR)
Appl. No. 18/553,591
Filed by INSERM (INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTÉ ET DE LA RECHERCHE MÉDICALE), Paris (FR); CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, Paris (FR); and ECOLE SUPÉRIEURE DE PHYSIQUE ET DE CHIMIE INDUSTRIELLES DE LA VILLE DE PARIS, Paris (FR)
PCT Filed Apr. 1, 2022, PCT No. PCT/EP2022/058808
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 2, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/207928, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 6, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 21305434 (EP), filed on Apr. 2, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0180524 A1, Jun. 6, 2024
Int. Cl. A61B 8/00 (2006.01); B06B 1/06 (2006.01); G01S 7/52 (2006.01); G01S 15/89 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 8/483 (2013.01) [A61B 8/4488 (2013.01); A61B 8/481 (2013.01); A61B 8/5269 (2013.01); A61B 8/54 (2013.01); B06B 1/0629 (2013.01); B06B 1/0651 (2013.01); G01S 7/52039 (2013.01); G01S 7/52046 (2013.01); G01S 7/52079 (2013.01); G01S 15/8925 (2013.01); G01S 15/8981 (2013.01); G01S 15/8993 (2013.01); G01S 15/8997 (2013.01); B06B 2201/76 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Ultrasound 3D imaging probe comprising an array having transducers, each transducer being configured for at least acquiring a backscattered ultrasonic wave from a region to image in a medium following an ultrasound emission in said medium, said backscattered ultrasonic wave having a central frequency corresponding to a wavelength λ when said backscattered ultrasonic wave is propagated in said medium, said array forming an array surface adapted to be placed in contact with said medium and each transducer having a reception surface for at least receiving said backscattered ultrasonic waves, wherein each transducer has a shape in the array surface which defines an inscribed circle having a diameter larger than 2λ, and wherein each transducer:
either has a reception surface that is curved in at least one plane perpendicular to said reception surface,
and/or wherein each transducer is fitted with an acoustic lens designed to emulate a transducer with a curved shape with a curvature in at least one plane perpendicular to said reception surface,
and/or is formed by a matrix of transducer elements adapted to be controlled independently.