Ultrasound endoscope and methods of manufacture thereof

Abstract

To address limitations of conventional transducers, a phased array transducer is provided with a form factor suitable for packaging into, e.g., an endoscope. A method of manufacture of small packaging transducers is also provided, whereby the overall package size is reduced by electrically connecting signal wires to array electrodes at an angle approximately normal to the array surface, thus largely eliminating the bend radius requirements of conventional printed circuit boards or flex circuits.

1 . A printed circuit board comprising:
 a substrate comprising a set of electrically conductive paths;   a linear array of vias formed within said substrate at an edge of said substrate, the vias intersecting respective electrically conductive paths within said substrate;   wherein said vias are filled with an electrically conductive material; and   wherein a lateral surface of said substrate is defined at a location that intersects the linear array of vias, such that a plurality of electrical contacts are formed in said lateral surface.   
     
     
         2 . The circuit board according to  claim 1  wherein the vias are partial vias. 
     
     
         3 . The circuit board according to  claim 1  wherein the printed circuit board is flexible. 
     
     
         4 . A method of forming a plurality of lateral bonding pads on an edge of a printed circuit board, the method comprising:
 forming a linear array of vias within the printed circuit board, the vias intersecting respective electrically conductive paths that extend longitudinally through the printed circuit board;   filling the vias with an electrically conductive material, thereby forming a linear array of filled vias within the printed circuit board; and   cutting the printed circuit board transversely through the linear array of filled vias to form the edge of the printed circuit board, such that the linear array of filled vias are cut to form the plurality of lateral bonding pads and to expose the plurality of lateral bonding pads at the edge, wherein the lateral bonding pads are in electrical communication with respective electrically conductive paths within the printed circuit board.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4  wherein the printed circuit board is flexible. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4  wherein the vias are partial vias.