Patents Examined by Archie R. Borchelt
  • Patent number: 4076980
    Abstract: Oxygen in a borehole fluid in the vicinity of a reference region, such as an earth formation of known fluid permeability, is activated with a logging instrument by being bombarded with neutrons of 14 MEV energy level to form the unstable isotope nitrogen 16 giving rise to gamma radiation. Flow of the activated fluid is then caused by an electrohydraulic flow generator which forms an intense pressure pulse in the fluid. A gamma ray detector in the logging instrument senses the amount of flow of the activated fluid within the borehole in the reference region. The logging instrument is then moved to a formation whose liquid permeability is to be tested. Borehole fluid opposite the formation to be tested is activated by neutron bombardment, again giving rise to gamma radiation, and fluid flow in the formation under test is caused by the electrohydraulic flow generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1978
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Dan M. Arnold, Donald J. Dowling, Wayne F. Warren
  • Patent number: 4075481
    Abstract: A gas analyzer is provided which is particularly suited for making transcutaneous measurement of the CO.sub.2 concentration in the blood.In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, sample gases from the body are circulated in a cavity of the device. A rotating wheel in the cavity includes two reference cells and a sample cell which are sequentially rotated into the optical path between a source and a detector. Three signals are thereby provided which may be combined to give an output indication of the CO.sub.2 concentration in the body fluids. In a preferred embodiment, the sample cell is an "inverted cell" being in open communication with the sample gas circulating in the device so that the gas in the sample cell is a portion of the circulating gas which also surrounds the two reference cells. An output indication is thereby obtained which is insensitive to contaminants in the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1978
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Paul E. Stoft, John A. Bridgham, Robert L. Chaney, Charles M. Hill, John K. D. Lazier, Barry G. Willis, Jacob Y. Wong, Moshe A. Fostick
  • Patent number: 4075483
    Abstract: An imaging system utilizing a scintillation camera for photographing subjects emitting gamma and X-radiation. Masks are sequentially positioned between the subject and the camera to produce a sequence of shadowgrams upon the face of the camera. Output signals of the camera are summed together to give an array of sum signals, the array of sum signals being Fourier transformed followed by a matched filtering by multiplication of the frequency terms by an array of factors utilized in generating the masks. Phase factors are applied to the camera output signals, either before the Fourier transformation or during the matched filtering, the phase factors identifying the masks utilized in producing the respective shadowgrams. An inverse Fourier transformation then results in an image of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1978
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Roger H. Tancrell, William W. Stoner, David T. Wilson
  • Patent number: 4075487
    Abstract: Two cup-shaped electrodes respectively defining outer walls of a closed and an open ionization chamber and an insulator wall sandwiched therebetween defining an interior wall of both chambers and carrying both an electrode common to both chambers and at least one circuit element of a sensing circuit responsive to the relative impedances of the two chambers for indicating the presence of smoke in the open chamber. Minimizing leakage current-increasing factors as moisture, dust, etc., the body of the circuit element is protectively mounted to the insulator wall within the closed chamber by means of a plurality of leads extending through mating holes in the insulator wall with a header surface of the body pressed against the wall. One of the leads is folded around the edge of a hole in the wall wherein the common electrode is mounted and is squeezed between the insulator wall and a part of the common electrode to make electrical contact therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1978
    Assignee: Patent Development & Management Company
    Inventor: Larry D. Larsen
  • Patent number: 4075482
    Abstract: Each point which can be detected in the tomography plane is localized as the intersection of at least two intersecting "examination lines", each of which is defined by the position of two detectors whose inputs are coupled to a time coincidence circuit. The time coincidence circuits for each of the points per pair of intersecting examination lines are coupled to a contrast circuit which supplies the product of the numbers of strikes detected in time coincidence during a time interval T. After each time interval T, the contrast circuit actuates a monostable circuit which powers a microincandescent lamp for a period of time which is a function of this product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1978
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Jean Robert Perilhou
  • Patent number: 4074136
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining the dose equivalent and dose rate equivalent neutrons, which includes a detector for absorbing neutrons and emitting voltage pulses. The detector is surrounded by a mantle for moderating purposes and for absorbing neutrons. The detector is followed by amplifying means for amplifying the voltage pulses emitted by the detector while a voltage discriminator receives the amplified voltage pulses. The voltage discriminator is followed by recording means for registering the time average number of the voltage pulses emitted by the voltage discriminator while the detector for neutrons with energies up to at least 10.sup.6 eV emits voltage pulses, the height of which, depends both on the energy freed by the nuclear reaction initiated by the absorbed neutrons and on the kinetic energy of the absorbed neutrons. The number of these voltage pulses shows a maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1978
    Assignee: Kernforschungsanlage Julich Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventors: Max Heinzelmann, Fritz Rohloff, Hans Schuren
  • Patent number: 4074137
    Abstract: An improved detector apparatus is provided in combination with a gas cooled dynamoelectric machine for detecting the presence of pyrolysate products in the machine gas coolant indictive of localized overheating of certain dynamoelectric machine parts. The detector apparatus is of the type which analyzes an ionized gas sample by measuring the current flow in the gas sample. A decrease in current flow is indicative of the presence of submicron particulates. The present invention resides in heating the gaseous sample to eliminate more volatile submicron particulates so that the output signal from the detector apparatus is indicative only of the presence of pyrolysate products resulting from the localized overheating of certain dynamoelectric machine parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1978
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Chester C. Carson, Sterling C. Barton, Federico S. Echeverria
  • Patent number: 4072863
    Abstract: A pyroelectric infrared radiation detection system includes a high density solid state pyroelectric detector array for detecting infrared radiation impinging thereon and for producing signals representing the detected radiation, apparatus for readout of the signals from the detector array, and an optical chopper for successively interrupting the radiation impinging on the detector array. In some applications, an integrating device for integrating the signals produced by the detector array would also be included. The optical chopper interrupts or chops the infrared radiation at a relatively high rate to reduce thermal diffusion in the detector array and thereby improve the spatial resolution. In low radiation intensity applications, signals which might otherwise be lost due to the fast chopping are recovered by providing electronic integration or accumulation of the signals produced by the detector array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1978
    Inventor: Carlos B. Roundy
  • Patent number: 4071756
    Abstract: A method for obtaining logging data for use in the determination of the amount of residual oil in a subterranean oil bearing formation, the method comprising the steps of logging the formation, injecting into the formation an aqueous solution of a water soluble radioactive tracer compound, logging the formation, injecting into the formation a second aqueous solution of a radioactive tracer compound which is soluble in both water and oil, and thereafter logging the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1978
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: Burton M. Casad
  • Patent number: 4071770
    Abstract: Perinatal lung maturity is evaluated by determining the fluorescence polarization of a sample of pulmonary effluent containing pulmonary surfactant labeled with a fluorescent dye. The sample is excited with polarized radiation for causing the dye to fluoresce. I.sub.81 and I.sub.195, the intensities of fluorescence polarized in directions parallel to, and perpendicular to, the direction of polarization of the excitation radiation, are measured. From these measurements, the fluorescence polarization P, where P = (I.sub..parallel. - I.sub..perp.)/(I.sub..parallel. + I.sub.195), is determined. The value of P, which is functionally related to the microviscosity of the constituents of the surfactant, has been found to decrease with perinatal lung maturity. When the sample is amniotic fluid containing fetal pulmonary effluent, the evaluation of lung maturity can be carried out antepartum. Postpartum evaluation can be carried out by sampling neonatal tracheal or pharyngeal aspirates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1978
    Assignee: Elscint, Ltd.
    Inventors: Meir Shinitzky, Abraham Bruck
  • Patent number: 4071846
    Abstract: A microstrip linear array of dipoles is disclosed wherein the dipoles are phased in alternate directions thereby enabling them to be spaced at approximately one-half wavelength intervals along or across a microstrip line instead of the typical one wavelength interval. An additional embodiment includes two linear arrays of oppositely polarized dipoles fed by tributary lines located at either side of a main microstrip line. Alternatively, first and second linear arrays of dipoles are disposed on opposite sides of a circuit board and the dipoles fed by microstrip line that evolves into a balanced two wire line. The ground plane on one side of the circuit board is made to gradually taper to a width equal to the microstrip line on the opposite side at which point the latter is called a two-wire line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1978
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Henry G. Oltman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4071762
    Abstract: In a scintillation camera system, the output pulse signals from an array of photomultiplier tubes are coupled to the inputs of individual preamplifiers. The preamplifier output signals are coupled to circuitry for computing the x and y coordinates of the scintillations. A cathode ray oscilloscope is used to form an image corresponding with the pattern in which radiation is emitted by a body. Means for improving the uniformity and resolution of the scintillations are provided. The means comprise biasing means coupled to the outputs of selected preamplifiers so that output signals below a predetermined amplitude are not suppressed and signals falling within increasing ranges of amplitudes are increasingly suppressed. In effect, the biasing means make the preamplifiers non-linear for selected signal levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1978
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kai Lange, Ernest J. Wiesen, Eric M. Woronowicz
  • Patent number: 4070576
    Abstract: The detection of malignant or dysplastic cells in a tissue sample, by treating the sample with a solution containing radioactive gallium and relying upon the greater take-up of the gallium by the malignant or dysplastic cells relative to normal cells to provide a detectable signal of malignancy, is improved by including non-radioactive preemptive species in the solution to pre-empt potential gallium binding sites in protein molecules of normal cells. The pre-emptive species may be one or more of scandium, indium or yttrium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1978
    Assignee: American Science & Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Carolus M. Cobb
  • Patent number: 4070578
    Abstract: A detector array and method are disclosed in which plural sets of electrode elements are provided with each set comprising a plurality of linear extending parallel electrodes. The sets of electrode elements are disposed at an angle (preferably orthogonal) with respect to one another so that the individual elements intersect and overlap individual elements of the other sets. Electrical insulation is provided between the overlapping elements. The thus configured detector array is exposed to a source of charged particles which in accordance with one embodiment comprise electrons derived from a microchannel array plate exposed to photons. Amplifier and discriminator means are provided for each individual electrode element. Detection means is provided to sense pulses on individual electrode elements in the sets, with coincidence of pulses on individual intersecting electrode elements being indicative of charged particle impact at the intersection of the elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1978
    Inventors: John G. Timothy, Richard Lee Bybee
  • Patent number: 4070577
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for improving contrast in the visual image formed by toner deposited on an electrostatic image such as is formed in xerography and ionography. Hard copy and real time electrostatic imaging systems utilizing a fluorescent toner in the form of particles having a fluorescent core and an electrophoretic coating. A viewing system with a radiation source of a wavelength for exciting the fluorescent toner particles and preferably a filter for suppressing the excitation radiation in the fluorescent image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1978
    Assignee: Xonics, Inc.
    Inventors: John H. Lewis, Robert A. Young
  • Patent number: 4069422
    Abstract: In an apparatus for examining a body by means of penetrating radiation, a source directs a fan-shaped distribution of radiation through a slice of a patient. Detectors disposed on the other side of the body provide measurements of the intensity of the radiation for processing to derive a representation of absorption in the slice. Variations of the hardness of the radiation, with angular position in the fan-shaped distribution, can cause errors in the representation. Means are provided for compensating such variations of hardness; the means being in one example a wedge-shaped compensator inserted into the path of the radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1978
    Assignee: E M I Limited
    Inventor: Godfrey Newbold Hounsfield
  • Patent number: 4069421
    Abstract: The device comprises a photocathode for converting light phenomena to photoelectrons, means for focusing the photoelectrons emitted by the photocathode in the form of a large number of separate beams each corresponding to the photoelectrons emitted by a well-localized fraction of the photocathode, and means for detecting and localizing the beams of photoelectrons in a surface which is secant therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1978
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventor: Jacques Bourdel
  • Patent number: 4068124
    Abstract: A system including a linear CCD sensor array included in a gated optical ar which is particularly adapted to permit pattern recognition of wire or wire-like obstacles during low level flight of the radar platform, e.g. helicopters or the like. The system provides a display and/or automatic warning to the pilot of the location of impending danger so that evasive action may be taken with as little human operator function as possible being required to perform the detection and recognition phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1978
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Alfred Kleider
  • Patent number: 4066895
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer wherein the ion beam is deflected for scanning of a mass spectrum or selection of mass numbers, without changing the magnetic field strength and the ion-accelerating voltage. The means for deflecting the ion beam may be arranged between the ion source and the magnetic field or within the magnetic field or between the magnetic field and the ion detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1978
    Assignee: Shimadzu Seisakusho Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaya Iwanaga
  • Patent number: 4066897
    Abstract: This invention relates to testing to determine the residual recoverable energy of a battery of cells or a single cell, without requiring any electrical connection to the battery or the addition of special materials, substances, or devices to the intrinsic cell, and therefore, the remaining useful life of the battery or single cell. Two different embodiments, both of which rely on the fact that the electrodes of a battery or cell undergo chemical change during discharge, are disclosed. In the first embodiment, gamma radiation is transmitted through an electrode of the battery or cell and the level of the radiation exiting from the electrode is measured. This measurement is correlated with a known value obtained for that battery or cell before discharge has taken place. The second embodiment utilizes a beta or photon backscattering technique. A battery or cell undergoing test is subjected to beta or photon radiation and the backscatter is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1978
    Inventors: Ralph L. Belcher, Harry R. Wood