Internal ultrasound assembly fluid seal

Abstract

There are disclosed embodiments of devices and methods for imaging the inside of a body part, particularly a blood vessel. In particular embodiments, a catheter has a tip chamber, within which is an ultrasound transducer mounted on a pivot mechanism, a motor for turning the transducer, and an implement for pivoting the transducer. Examples of such an implement are a linear motor, a shaft or filament, and the pivot mechanism may be biased to return to a base position when the implement is not pivoting the transducer. In other embodiments, a mirror reflecting ultrasound signals from the transducer may be rotated and/or pivoted, using similar mechanisms.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a housing, the housing having a uniform-diameter chamber defined at least partially by an acoustic window for transmission of ultrasound signals;   a transducer for emitting and/or receiving ultrasound signals, the transducer being within the chamber;   a shaft operatively connected to the transducer, the shaft adapted to rotate with respect to the housing so that the transducer rotates in response to rotation of the shaft; and   a seal partially bounding the chamber, a part of the seal engaged with the housing across the chamber's diameter, the seal having an opening through which the shaft extends, with a portion of the seal around the opening engaging the outside of the shaft to create a fluid-tight connection between the seal and the shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the seal includes a body having a lip portion that is elastically bent with respect to the rest of the body. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the lip portion includes a rounded convex surface facing the opening, and wherein a portion of the rounded convex surface engages the outside of the shaft to create a fluid-tight connection between the seal and the shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the body is fixed substantially perpendicular to the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the lip portion is substantially annular. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the seal has a body including a lip portion, and the seal has a first unstressed position when the shaft does not extend through the opening in which the lip portion is substantially planar with respect to the rest of the body, and a second stressed position when the shaft extends through the opening in which the lip portion is elastically bent with respect to the rest of the body. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the seal is initially in the shape of a disc with the opening having a diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the shaft, and when the shaft extends through the opening, the disc is elastically deformed. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the disc when elastically deformed forms substantially a portion of a cone. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the disc when elastically deformed is substantially uniformly deformed. 
     
     
         10 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for ultrasound procedures, comprising:
 a transducer for emitting and/or receiving ultrasound signals, the transducer being within a chamber, the chamber defined at least partially by a wall forming an acoustic window for transmission of ultrasound signals;   a motor;   a shaft operated by the motor and operatively connected to the transducer, the shaft adapted to move with respect to the wall in at least one of rotation and translation; and   a seal next to the motor and defining an end of the chamber, the seal engaging the outside of the shaft to create a fluid-tight connection between the seal and the shaft.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a housing that encloses the transducer, the motor, the shaft and the seal, the housing having a wall to which the seal is fixed around the entire circumference of the wall. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the seal includes an opening smaller than the diameter of the shaft, through which the shaft passes, at least a portion of the seal bending when the shaft extends through the seal. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the seal includes a substantially circular line around the opening, wherein when the shaft extends through the seal the seal portion between the line and the opening bends substantially around the line. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a housing, the housing having a uniform-diameter chamber;   a microminiature motor positioned within the housing;   a shaft operatively connected to the motor, wherein the motor is configured to move the shaft relative to the housing, the shaft having a first end;   a stationary surface within the housing; and   a seal positioned between the first end and the motor, the seal having an opening through which the shaft extends, wherein a part of the seal is engaged with the stationary surface or the shaft to create a fluid-tight connection.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the seal has a body including a lip portion, and the seal has a first unstressed position when the shaft does not extend through the opening in which the lip portion is substantially planar with respect to the rest of the body, and a second stressed position when the shaft extends through the opening in which the lip portion is elastically bent with respect to the rest of the body. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the seal is attached to the housing, and wherein the seal includes a body having a lip portion that is elastically bent with respect to the rest of the body, and wherein the lip portion includes a rounded convex surface facing the opening, and wherein a portion of the rounded convex surface engages the outside of the shaft to create a fluid-tight connection between the seal and the shaft. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the seal is initially in the shape of a disc with the opening having a diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the shaft, and when the shaft extends through the opening, the disc is elastically deformed, wherein the disc when elastically deformed forms substantially a portion of a cone. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the seal is an O-ring, further comprising a holder having a space configured to accept the O-ring, wherein the holder is a attached to the shaft and wherein the O-ring engages the holder and the housing, wherein the shaft is adapted to move longitudinally and wherein the O-ring moves with the shaft. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the seal is an O-ring, further comprising a holder having a space configured to accept the O-ring, wherein the holder is attached to the stationary surface and wherein the O-ring engages the holder and the shaft, wherein the shaft is adapted to move longitudinally and wherein the shaft moves relative to the O-ring.