Probe Assembly Having Cable Assembly with Wire Pairs

Abstract

Probe assembly includes an ultrasound probe and a cable assembly configured to communicatively couple the ultrasound probe to a control system and transmit signals therethrough. The cable assembly includes a cable jacket surrounding a channel of the cable assembly. The cable assembly also includes a plurality of wire pairs extending through the channel. The channel being sized and shaped to permit the wire pairs to move relative to one another within the channel when the probe assembly is moved. The wire pairs and the channel are configured to have a designated pack ratio (AreaWPS/AreaC). The AreaWPS includes a collective cross-sectional area of the wire pairs, and the AreaC is equal to a cross-sectional area of the channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A probe assembly comprising:
 an ultrasound probe; and   a cable assembly configured to communicatively couple the ultrasound probe to a control system and transmit analog signals therethrough, the cable assembly comprising:
 a cable jacket surrounding a channel of the cable assembly; and 
 at least 32 wire pairs extending through the channel, the channel being sized and shaped to permit the wire pairs to move relative to one another within the channel when the probe assembly is moved, the channel being an available space through which the wire pairs and other longitudinal elements, if any, are permitted to extend through during operation of the probe assembly, the wire pairs and the channel being configured to have a designated pack ratio (Area WPS /Area C ), wherein the Area WPS  includes a collective cross-sectional area of the wire pairs and the longitudinal elements, if any, extending through the channel, and wherein the Area C  is equal to a cross-sectional area of the channel, the designated pack ratio being between 0.20 and 0.75. 
   
     
     
         2 . The probe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the wire pairs include first twisted pairs and second twisted pairs, each of the first twisted pairs being twisted in a first direction about a central axis of the corresponding first twisted pair, each of the second twisted pairs being twisted in an opposite second direction about a central axis of the corresponding second twisted pair. 
     
     
         3 . The probe assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first twisted pairs and the second twisted pairs are interspersed within the channel. 
     
     
         4 . The probe assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising a communication sub-assembly having a printed circuit, the first and second twisted pairs being terminated to the printed circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The probe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the designated pack ratio is between 0.45 and 0.65. 
     
     
         6 . The probe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cable assembly further comprising longitudinal elements that extend through the channel, the Area WPS  including the collective cross-sectional area of the wire pairs and the collective cross-sectional area of the longitudinal elements. 
     
     
         7 . The probe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the wire pairs form a plurality of ribbon layers, the wire pairs of each ribbon layer being terminated to a printed circuit. 
     
     
         8 . The probe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the wire pairs include at least 64 wire pairs. 
     
     
         9 . The probe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the probe assembly is configured to communicate the analog signals through the wire pairs at frequencies between 0.5 MHz and 50.0 MHz and have a maximum near end crosstalk that is −26 dB or better. 
     
     
         10 . A cable assembly comprising:
 a cable jacket surrounding a channel of the cable assembly, the cable jacket extending between opposite ends; and   at least 32 wire pairs extending through the channel, the channel being sized and shaped to permit the wire pairs to move relative to one another within the channel when the probe assembly is moved, the channel being an available space through which the wire pairs and other longitudinal elements, if any, are permitted to extend through the cable jacket during usage of the cable assembly, wherein the wire pairs and the channel are configured to have a designated pack ratio (Area WPS /Area C ), wherein the Area WPS  includes a collective cross-sectional area of the wire pairs and the longitudinal elements, if any, extending through the channel, and wherein the Area C  is equal to a cross-sectional area of the channel, the designated pack ratio being between 0.20 and 0.75.   
     
     
         11 . The cable assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the wire pairs include first twisted pairs and second twisted pairs, each of the first twisted pairs being twisted in a first direction about a central axis of the corresponding first twisted pair, each of the second twisted pairs being twisted in an opposite second direction about a central axis of the corresponding second twisted pair. 
     
     
         12 . The cable assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first twisted pairs and the second twisted pairs are interspersed within the channel. 
     
     
         13 . The cable assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the designated pack ratio is between 0.45 and 0.65.