BACKGROUND

Several embodiments of the present invention disclosure relate to the assembly and electrical interconnection of ultrasound transducers having annular arrays.

SUMMARY

Embodiments (e.g., examples) of ultrasound devices, and associated methods of assembly thereof, are disclosed whereby an annular electrode array of an ultrasound transducer is electrically connected (e.g., wire bonded or conductive epoxied, etc.) to a flexible printed circuit board in a compact configuration. The flexible circuit board includes an elongate flexible segment and a distal distribution segment, where the distribution segment is attached to a peripheral support ring that surrounds at least a portion of the ultrasound transducer. The distribution segment includes a plurality of spatially distributed contact pads, and electrical connectors (e.g., wire bonds or conductive epoxy) are provided between the contact pads and the annular electrodes of the annular array. A backing material may be provided that contacts and extends from the annular array electrodes, and a distal portion of the elongate flexible segment may be encapsulated in the backing material, such that the distal portion extends inwardly from the peripheral support ring, without contacting the electrical connectors (e.g., wire bonds or conductive epoxy) and without contacting the array surface.

Accordingly, in one embodied aspect, there is provided an ultrasound device comprising: an ultrasound transducer comprising an annular ultrasound array, wherein said annular ultrasound array is defined at least in part by a plurality of concentric annular electrodes provided on a first surface of a piezoelectric laver, and wherein a ground plane electrode is provided on a second surface of said piezoelectric layer; a peripheral support ring surrounding at least a portion of said ultrasound transducer; and a flexible printed circuit board comprising: an elongate flexible segment; and a distribution segment that is in contact with at least a portion of said peripheral support ring, such that a plurality of conductive paths extending through said elongate flexible segment are routed through said distribution segment to respective contact pads located at different locations on said peripheral support ring; wherein each annular electrode is electrically connected (e.g., wire bonded or conductive epoxied) to a respective contact pad; and wherein at least one conductive path of said flexible printed circuit board is a ground conductive path that is in electrical contact with said ground plane electrode.

In various embodiments, an ultrasound device includes an ultrasound transducer comprising an annular ultrasound array, wherein the annular ultrasound array is defined at least in part by a plurality of concentric annular electrodes provided on a first surface of a piezoelectric layer, and wherein a ground plane electrode is provided on a second surface of the piezoelectric layer, a peripheral support ring surrounding at least a portion of the ultrasound transducer; and a flexible printed circuit board. In an embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board includes an elongate flexible segment and a distribution segment that is in contact with at least a portion of the peripheral support ring, such that a plurality of conductive paths extending through the elongate flexible segment are routed through the distribution segment to respective contact pads located at different locations on the peripheral support ring. In an embodiment, each annular electrode is electrically connected (e.g., wire bonded and/or conductively epoxied) to a respective contact pad. In an embodiment, at least one conductive path of the flexible printed circuit board is a ground conductive path that is in electrical contact with the ground plane electrode.

In an embodiment, the device also includes a backing material contacting and extending from the first surface, wherein a distal portion of the elongate flexible segment is encapsulated in the backing material, such that the distal portion of the elongate flexible segment extends inwardly (e.g., parallel and along the first surface) from the peripheral support ring and bends outwardly (e.g., perpendicularly) away from the first surface, within the backing material, without contacting the wire bonds and without contacting the first surface. In an embodiment, the plurality of conductive paths are routed bi-directionally within the distribution segment. In an embodiment, the distal portion of the elongate flexible segment comprises a plurality of branched distal segments that contact the peripheral support ring at different locations with gaps defined there between. In an embodiment, one or more of the branched distal segments include only two conductive paths. In an embodiment, the two conductive paths are bi-directionally routed to different contact pads. In an embodiment, one or more wire bonds are formed within each gap. In an embodiment, the distal portion of the elongate flexible segment is bent, within the backing material, over an angle ranging between 90 degrees and 180 degrees relative to the first surface. In an embodiment, the elongate flexible segment is encapsulated within the backing material and emerges from a distal surface of the backing material without extending beyond a side surface of the backing material. In an embodiment, the elongate flexible segment emerges from the backing material at an angle of approximately 90 degrees relative to the first surface. In an embodiment, the elongate flexible segment emerges from the backing material at an angle of greater than or equal to approximately 90 degrees relative to the first surface. In an embodiment, an initial radius of curvature of the distal portion of the elongate flexible segment is less than 8 mm. In an embodiment, a contact surface of the peripheral support ring that contacts the distribution segment is spatially offset from the first surface. In an embodiment, the elongate flexible segment extends outwardly from the peripheral support ring. In an embodiment, the peripheral support ring has a transverse width of less than 1 mm. In an embodiment, the peripheral support ring completely surrounds the ultrasound transducer. In an embodiment, the ultrasound transducer is disc shaped, and wherein the peripheral support ring is at least a portion of an annulus. In an embodiment, an outer diameter of the annulus is less than 10 mm. In an embodiment, the peripheral support ring is electrically conductive, and wherein the peripheral support ring is in electrical communication with the ground conductive path and the ground plane electrode. In an embodiment, the plurality of concentric annular electrodes are provided in a sparse configuration, thereby defining a sparse annular ultrasound array.

A further understanding of the functional and advantageous aspects of the disclosure can be realized by reference to the following detailed description and drawings.

