IP Library Granted Patent US 12672846
Granted Patent B2
US 12672846 · App. 18/796,307 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Ultrasound probe with illumination means for locating needle guide hole

Inventors: Nobuyuki Torisawa (Ashigarakami-gun, JP); Wataru Inoue (Ashigarakami-gun, JP); Satoshi Naito (Ashigarakami-gun, JP); Yukio Haga (Ashigarakami-gun, JP); Shozo Iyama (Ashigarakami-gun, JP)
Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
A61B8/12A61B5/0093A61B5/0095A61B5/0097A61B8/4444A61B90/08
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12672846
App. No.
18/796,307
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An ultrasound probe includes: a distal end part that is provided with an ultrasound oscillator; and a light emitting unit that is provided at the distal end part and that emits light toward an opposite side to a side where the ultrasound oscillator is provided. The light emitting unit emits a plurality of point-like light beams or linear light.

Claims (49)

1 . An ultrasound probe comprising:

a distal end part that is provided with an ultrasound oscillator;

a light emitting unit that is provided at the distal end part and that emits light toward an opposite side to a side where the ultrasound oscillator is provided, wherein the light emitting unit emits a plurality of light beams or linear light; and

a guide unit that is provided at the distal end part and that guides a treatment tool,

wherein the light emitting unit includes a first light emitting unit and a second light emitting unit provided at positions facing each other with the guide unit interposed therebetween,

wherein a first distance between the first light emitting unit and the guide unit and a second distance between the second light emitting unit and the guide unit are different from each other.

2 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light emitting unit emits the plurality of light beams that are based on a shape of the guide unit or the linear light that is based on the shape of the guide unit.

3 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 2 ,

wherein the guide unit is composed of a hole portion formed in the distal end part, and

light emitted by the light emitting unit includes light emitted in a direction along an inner wall surface of the hole portion.

4 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 2 ,

wherein a subject is irradiated with the plurality of light beams emitted from the light emitting unit in a state of being arranged in one direction,

the guide unit is composed of a hole portion formed in the distal end part, and

an emission direction of the light is inclined to an extension line side with respect to a direction in which an extension line of an axial line of the hole portion extends.

5 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 2 ,

wherein the guide unit is composed of a hole portion formed in the distal end part,

a subject is irradiated with the plurality of light beams emitted from the light emitting unit in a state of being arranged in an annular shape or the subject is irradiated with the linear light emitted from the light emitting unit in an annular state, and

an extension line of an axial line of the hole portion intersects an inside of the annular light which irradiates the subject.

6 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 ,

wherein a subject is irradiated with the plurality of light beams emitted from the light emitting unit in a state of being arranged in an annular shape or the subject is irradiated with the linear light emitted from the light emitting unit in an annular state.

7 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 6 ,

wherein the annular shape is an elliptical shape or a perfect circle.

8 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 2 ,

wherein the second light emitting unit is provided on a distal end side of the distal end part with respect to the first light emitting unit, and

the second distance is larger than the first distance.

9 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light emitting unit emits the plurality of light beams or the linear light based on arrangement of the ultrasound oscillator at the distal end part.

10 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 9 ,

wherein the light emitting unit emits the plurality of light beams arranged along an arrangement direction of the ultrasound oscillator or the linear light extending along the arrangement direction of the ultrasound oscillator.

11 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light emitting unit includes a plurality of light sources.

12 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 11 ,

wherein the plurality of light sources generate different colors.

13 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light emitting unit emits laser light.

14 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 ,

wherein a subject is irradiated with the plurality of light beams in a state of being arranged at an interval.

15 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light emitting unit emits a plurality of the linear light beams arranged in one direction, and

a subject is irradiated with the plurality of linear light beams in a state of being arranged at an interval.

16 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 ,

wherein irradiation sizes of the plurality of light beams or an irradiation width of the linear light is non-uniform.

17 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 16 ,

wherein the irradiation sizes of the plurality of light beams or the irradiation width of the linear light is larger in a part of a range irradiated with light than in other portions.

18 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light emitting unit emits a plurality of the linear light beams intersecting each other.

19 . The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light emitting unit dynamically changes the light.