Patents by Inventor Thomas Carson Tiearney, Jr.

Thomas Carson Tiearney, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9449782
    Abstract: An x-ray tube includes a frame enclosing a high vacuum, a cathode positioned within the enclosure, and a target assembly. The target assembly includes a target cap, a focal track material positioned on the target cap to receive electrons from the cathode, and a foam material positioned within a cavity of the target cap and positioned proximate the focal track. The x-ray tube also includes a bearing assembly attached to the frame and configured to support the target assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ben David Poquette, Thomas Carson Tiearney, Jr., Gregory Alan Steinlage, Michael Scott Hebert, Donald Robert Allen, Christian Bennett Fuller
  • Patent number: 8942353
    Abstract: A system and method for x-ray tube components is disclosed. The method of fabricating an x-ray tube component includes providing a powder into an electrically conductive die constructed to have a cavity shaped as the x-ray tube component being fabricated and simultaneously applying a mechanical pressure and an electric field to the die so as to cause sintering of the powder and thereby fabricate the x-ray tube component, wherein the electric field applied to the die directly passes through the die to the powder, so as to generate heat internally within the powder responsive to the applied electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Carson Tiearney, Jr., Gregory Alan Steinlage, Kirk Alan Rogers, Ben David Poquette
  • Publication number: 20140362977
    Abstract: A system and method for x-ray tube components is disclosed. The method of fabricating an x-ray tube component includes providing a powder into an electrically conductive die constructed to have a cavity shaped as the x-ray tube component being fabricated and simultaneously applying a mechanical pressure and an electric field to the die so as to cause sintering of the powder and thereby fabricate the x-ray tube component, wherein the electric field applied to the die directly passes through the die to the powder, so as to generate heat internally within the powder responsive to the applied electric field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas Carson Tiearney, JR., Gregory Alan Steinlage, Kirk Alan Rogers, Ben David Poquette
  • Publication number: 20140056404
    Abstract: An x-ray tube includes a frame enclosing a high vacuum, a cathode positioned within the enclosure, and a target assembly. The target assembly includes a target cap, a focal track material positioned on the target cap to receive electrons from the cathode, and a foam material positioned within a cavity of the target cap and positioned proximate the focal track. The x-ray tube also includes a bearing assembly attached to the frame and configured to support the target assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Inventors: Ben David Poquette, Thomas Carson Tiearney, JR., Gregory Alan Steinlage, Michael Scott Hebert, Donald Robert Allen, Christian Bennett Fuller
  • Publication number: 20110135956
    Abstract: A method of joining a first component and a second component is provided. The first component has a surface that comprises at least about 75% by volume of a refractory metal. The second component has a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the first component. The method includes disposing a coating on the surface of the first component. The coating includes an adhesion layer and a wetting layer disposed over the adhesion layer. The method further includes disposing a bonding material between the first and second components and joining them. The bonding material has a melting temperature lower than a melting temperature of the second component. An article made using the method is also presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Satish Sivarama Gunturi, Thomas Carson Tiearney, JR., Kristopher John Frutschy, Dalong Zhong, Xi Zhang
  • Patent number: 7522707
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an X-ray target includes a target cap formed of a substrate material and a focal track layer of emitting material, and at least one of the substrate material and the emitting material has a density greater than about 95.0% of theoretical density. In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing an X-ray target includes forming an intermediate target cap form of substrate material and a focal track layer of emitting material, and compacting the intermediate target cap form by application of gas pressure at elevated temperature to form a final target cap form, and at least the substrate material is dense substrate material having a final density greater than an intermediate density or the emitting material is dense emitting material having a final emitting material density greater than an intermediate emitting material density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Steinlage, Thomas Carson Tiearney, Jr., Michael Scott Hebert, Paul Alfred Siemers, Kirk Alan Rogers, Ray Alden Henrichsen
  • Patent number: 6707883
    Abstract: An X-ray target material comprising an oxide-dispersion strengthened Mo (ODS-Mo) alloy. ODS-Mo refers to molybdenum strengthened by a fine dispersion of insoluble oxide particles of one or more of the following compounds: La2O3, Y2O3 and CeO2. ODS—Mo alloy improves upon the prior art by providing higher and more uniform strength and creep resistance over the applicable temperature range of large brazed graphite targets. This, in conjunction with higher-strength graphite, allows the target to spin faster without causing graphite burst, thus providing improvement in peak power. The recrystallization temperature of the fabricated material is high enough to maintain original properties through all target processing, including a very high-temperature braze cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Carson Tiearney, Jr., Srihari Balasubramanian, Pazhayannur Ramanathan Subramanian, Gregory Alan Steinlage, Mark Ernest Vermilyea, Liqin Wang