ULTRASONIC SCANNING DEVICE, ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE, NONDESTRUCTIVE INSPECTING DEVICE, AND ULTRASONIC OSCILLATOR ARRAY

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide two-dimensional image information in real time with a simple structure by steering a received beam which is formed by delaying the received signals of ultrasonic oscillator elements arranged with a lateral inclination. ;SOLUTION: An ultrasonic oscillator 2 is divided into a plurality of laterally inclined ultrasonic oscillator elements 2a. The elements 2a are connected to a transmission and receipt control circuit through a delay circuit. The delay circuit forms an ultrasonic transmitted beam in transmission, and steers this beam. In receipt, also, it steers a received beam. Since the beam is moved along the directivity characteristic when the beam is continuously shaken by steering, the steering is performed every set group of the elements 2a, whereby the directivity characteristics are laterally arranged in order. Thus, a two-dimensional image for every locus can be provided from the loci of the transmitted and received beams. Thus, only by obliquely steering an array having elements one-dimensionally arranged thereon, two-dimensional image information can be provided.;COPYRIGHT: (C)1998,JPO