| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To prevent cutting, etc., of optical fiber in an ultrasonic probe for insertion into a body cavity by disposing an optical fiber near the axis of a tube to guide optical signals from a rotation information detecting device for detecting information about the rotation of a rotatable ultrasonic vibkator. CONSTITUTION:In the end portion 11 of an ultrasonic probe inserted into a cavity tube 10 inside a human body, a cap 13 made from a material that transmits ultrasonic waves is secured to the end of a flexible tube 12 and an ultrasonic vibrator 17 and an ultrasonic scanning member 16 are enclosed in the cap 13 with a propagation medium (caster oil, etc.) therein. A disc 22, having a signal generating plane 25 on which a reflecting portion 23a and a nonreflecting portion 23b that constitute an encoder device are alternately provided, is disposed opposite to the end face of this fiber scanning member 26. An optical fiber 28 is disposed near the axis of a tube 11 to transmit rays, separated by the light separator 34 of a light emitting/receiving device 30 so as to be applied to the signal generating plane 25, and optical signals reflected at the signal generating plane 25. |
