US Patent 11660073 Foldable 2-D CMUT-on-CMOS arrays

Apparatus, including an insertion tube, configured to be inserted into a body cavity and having a first lumen having a first lumen diameter and a distal opening, and a tubular channel, having a second lumen and an outer channel diameter smaller than the first lumen diameter, inserted into the first lumen. The apparatus includes a support structure, configured to be passed through a space between an inner wall of the insertion tube and an outer wall of the tubular channel to the distal opening in a folded state and to unfold, upon exit of the support structure through the distal opening, in a direction transverse to the first lumen to reach a support dimension that is greater than the first lumen diameter. A plurality of planar two-dimensional arrays of ultrasonic transducers are supported by the support structure, the arrays having transverse dimensions less than the first lumen diameter.