Claims
- 1. An ultrasonic probe comprising:
- a disk-shaped probe head having a plurality of ultrasonic transducers mounted thereon;
- a support shaft having an axis and a transverse hole;
- means for coupling said probe head to said shaft in a manner whereby said probe head is tiltable about mutually orthogonal first and second axes, said first axis being perpendicular to said shaft axis, wherein said coupling means comprises a sphere-shaped ball having a vertical hole through which said support shaft extends, a transverse hole intersecting said vertical hole, and first and second segments of an annular groove formed in the surface thereof along a great circle through both ends of said vertical hole, and first and second collinear pins slidably seated in said first and second segments of said annular groove respectively, each of said first and second collinear pins being connected to said probe head; and
- a pin inserted inside said transverse hole in said sphere-shaped ball and said transverse hole in said support shaft for securing said sphere-shaped ball to said support shaft.
- 2. The probe as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of ultrasonic transducers comprises a straight beam transducer and an angled beam transducer, said straight beam transducer being arranged at a first azimuthal position on a bottom surface of said probe head and said angled beam transducer being arranged at a second azimuthal position on said bottom surface of said probe head, said first and second azimuthal positions being separated by a predetermined angle.
- 3. The probe as defined in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of at least three rollers pivotably mounted on said probe head and spring means for urging said support shaft in a downward direction which is collinear with said shaft axis.
- 4. The probe as defined in claim 1, further comprising centering means and bearing means, said centering means being rotatably coupled to an end of said support shaft by said bearing means.
- 5. An ultrasonic probe comprising:
- a disk-shaped probe head having at least one ultrasonic transducer mounted thereon;
- a support shaft having an axis;
- a sphere-shaped ball having a vertical hole through which said support shaft extends, and first and second segments of an annular groove formed in the surface thereof along a great circle through both ends of said vertical hole;
- means for securing said sphere-shaped ball to said support shaft; and
- first and second collinear pins slidably seated in said first and second segments of said annular groove respectively, each of said first and second collinear pins being connected to said probe head
- wherein said probe head is tiltable about mutually orthogonal first and second axes, said first axis being the axis of said great circle and said second axis being the axis of said first and second collinear pins.
- 6. The probe as defined in claim 5, wherein said securing means comprises a pin inserted in a hole passing through said sphere-shaped ball and said support shaft.
Parent Case Info
This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/865,507 filed on Apr. 9, 1992, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,734 on Dec. 21, 1993.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
865507 |
Apr 1992 |
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