Using Radioactive Tracer Patents (Class 250/356.2)
  • Patent number: 11624710
    Abstract: An optical inspection system for detecting sub-micron features on a sample component. The system may have a controller, a camera responsive to the controller for capturing images, an objective lens able to capture submicron scale features on the sample component, and a pulsed light source. The pulsed light source may be used to generate light pulses. The camera may be controlled to acquire images, using the objective lens, only while the pulsed light source is providing light pulses illuminating a portion of the sample component. Relative movement between the sample component and the objective lens is provided to enable at least one of a desired subportion or an entirety of the sample component to be scanned with the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Jae Hyuck Yoo, Eyal Feigenbaum, Manyalibo Joseph Matthews
  • Patent number: 11401462
    Abstract: Hybrid material for plastic scintillation measurement comprising: a polymeric matrix; and a fluorescent mixture incorporated in the polymeric matrix and comprising, with respect to the total number of moles of primary fluorophore in the incorporated fluorescent mixture, i) from 95.6 molar % to 99.6 molar % of a main primary fluorophore consisting of naphthalene and ii) from 0.4 molar % to 20 molar % of an additional primary fluorophore. The decay constant of the fluorescence of the hybrid material is intermediate between that of a fast plastic scintillator material and of a slow plastic scintillator material. Further, they can be chosen over a wide range. The invention also relates to an associated part, device and item of equipment, to their processes of manufacture or their methods of measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Matthieu Hamel, Guillaume Bertrand
  • Patent number: 10792750
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a rotor assembly for an electrical machine includes printing a first part of a rotor shaft. The method also includes printing a rotor core onto the first part of the rotor shaft. In addition, the method includes printing a second part of the rotor shaft onto the rotor core; printing a first part of the rotor winding. The method also includes coupling the first part of the rotor winding to the rotor core. After coupling the first part of the rotor winding to the rotor core, the method includes printing a second part of the rotor winding onto the first part of the rotor winding to form the rotor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC
    Inventors: Hao Huang, Xiaochuan Jia, Joshua Tyler Mook
  • Patent number: 9618629
    Abstract: An apparatus is for a detector assembly configured to receive a signal from a scintillation detector. The apparatus includes a controller assembly including a controller analysis section. The controller analysis section includes a microprocessor assembly, and a memory assembly operatively coupled to the microprocessor assembly, the memory assembly tangibly storing microprocessor-executable code. The microprocessor-executable code to be read by the microprocessor assembly. The microprocessor-executable code is configured to urge the microprocessor assembly to execute an operation for: (A) establishing an energy calibration using features in a spectrum associated with known gamma radiation from radioactive decay or other nuclear processes; and (B) adjusting a gain to be applied by the detector assembly based on the known energy features and thus maintain the energy calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Inventor: Jens Hovgaard
  • Patent number: 9435899
    Abstract: A radioactive gas monitoring device includes a sample chamber into which a sampled gas is introduced; a plastic scintillation detector outputting first detection signal pulses; an inorganic crystal scintillation detector outputting second detection signal pulses; a first measurement unit calculating a first count rate from the first detection signal pulses to output the first count rate, and issuing a first alert when the first count rate becomes higher than a first preset level and issuing a second alert when the first count rate becomes higher than a second preset level higher than the first preset level; and a second measurement unit calculating a second count rate from the second detection signal pulses to output the second count rate, and issuing a third alert when the second count rate becomes higher than a third preset level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihide Aiba, Kenichi Moteki
  • Patent number: 8324579
    Abstract: A monitor part performs monitoring by detecting contamination on a lower surface of an article to be inspected based on a lower surface detection signal, detecting contamination on an upper surface of the article based on an upper surface detection signal, detecting contamination on a front surface of the article based on a front, lower surface detection signal and a front, upper surface detection signal, detecting contamination on a rear surface of the article based on a rear, lower surface detection signal and a rear, upper surface detection signal, detecting contamination on a left surface of the article based on a left, lower surface detection signal and a left, upper surface detection signal, and detecting contamination on a right surface of the article based on a right, lower surface detection signal and a right, upper surface detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhito Ito, Ryohei Yanagishima
  • Patent number: 8208987
    Abstract: A method for quantifying the uptake of at least one radiotracer in a body region of a patient of interest to a positron emission tomography measurement is disclosed. In at least one embodiment of the method, the uptake of the radiotracer in the body region of the patient of interest to the positron emission tomography measurement is quantified taking into account at least one permeability information item relating to the permeability of at least one blood vessel of the patient, in particular in the body region of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Arne Hengerer, Ralph Strecker
  • Patent number: 8198597
    Abstract: A variable delay device is connected to a photosensor of a time-of-flight gamma ray detection system and includes a substrate on which a plurality of conductive pins are affixed. A first terminal connected to a first of the plurality of pins and a second terminal connected to the second of the plurality of pins are also affixed to the substrate. A jumper electrically connects the plurality of pins at a predetermined distance relative to the substrate, and a time delay of the variable delay device is determined based on the electrical path between the first and second terminals formed by the plurality of pins and the jumper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Kent Burr, Daniel Gagnon, John Jedrzejewski
  • Patent number: 7402800
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the continuous determination of the damage to at least one system (7) used for the post-treatment of exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine (2), caused by the lubricating oil, the fuel and/or at least one lubricating oil additive and/or fuel additive used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignees: Total Fina Elf France, Delta Services Industriels S.P.R.L.
    Inventors: Thierry Delvigne, Jerome Obiols
  • Patent number: 7394074
    Abstract: A protective cover and radionuclide generator assembly. The cover protecting inlet and outlet connections disposed on the radionuclide generator. The radionuclide generator having a distal end having a generally flat top surface. The protective cover removably fixed at the distal end and positioned over the generally flat top surface. The protective cover engaging with the radionuclide generator and providing an interference fit. The interference fit preventing the removal of the cover from the radionuclide generator, unless so desired by a user. The cover being made from a radioactive resistant polypropylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Bracco Diagnostics Inc.
    Inventor: Ernest Balestracci
  • Publication number: 20080149838
    Abstract: An interactive combination of Phoswich detector array (PDA) and differential absorption lidar (DIAL) is proposed to trace the unknown radioactive plumes released into the atmosphere from a reactor stack, containment of the nuclear power plants, radioisotope separation laboratories, reprocessing plants or the uranium conversion facilities. The hybrid system represents a powerful technique for the prompt identification and quantification of the effluents with various radionuclide contents to determine the corresponding external dose rate accordingly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventor: PARVIZ PARVIN
  • Patent number: 7342231
    Abstract: Pulse shape analysis determines if two radiations are in coincidence. A transducer is provided that, when it absorbs the first radiation produces an output pulse that is characterized by a shorter time constant and whose area is nominally proportional to the energy of the absorbed first radiation and, when it absorbs the second radiation produces an output pulse that is characterized by a longer time constant and whose area is nominally proportional to the energy of the absorbed second radiation. When radiation is absorbed, the output pulse is detected and two integrals are formed, the first over a time period representative of the first time constant and the second over a time period representative of the second time constant. The values of the two integrals are examined to determine whether the first radiation, the second radiation, or both were absorbed in the transducer, the latter condition defining a coincident event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Inventors: William K. Warburton, Hui Tan, Wolfgang Hennig
  • Patent number: 7291836
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for the continuous determination of the lubricating oil consumption of an internal combustion engine. The inventive method consists in: placing a determined quantity of at least one radioactive tracer in the lubricating oil of which the consumption is to be measured; and measuring the quantity of radioactive tracer(s) present in the gases released from the engine (2), said measurement being taken downstream of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignees: Totalfinaelf France, Delta Services Industriels Sprl
    Inventors: Thierry Delvigne, Jerome Obiols
  • Patent number: 6653651
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring fluid motion with micron scale spatial resolution has been developed. Here, micron or submicron solid fluorescent particles are injected into the fluid body. The particles are chosen to closely follow the motion of the fluid. Pulses of light, at the excitation wavelength, broadly illuminate the test device and the fluorescent particles, The flourescent particles absorb the excitation light and emit pulses of fluorescent light, at the emission wavelength. The fluorescent light is collected by a microscope objective lens, and relayed through a fluorescent filter to an image recording device, such as a CCD camera. Subsequently, discrete images of discrete particles at two or more instances in time are recorded. These images can then be analyzed using correlation analysis to obtain velocity measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventors: Carl D. Meinhart, Juan G. Santiago, Ronald J. Adrian, Steve T. Wereley
  • Patent number: 6399390
    Abstract: A method of measuring the movement of solid particles and particle interactions in a flowing system includes the step of providing two gamma cameras set up at right angles to each other to periodically record the position of a radioactively tagged particle in the flowing system. Probability distribution functions, particle positions, particle velocities, amongst other useful information, may be determined from the camera data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: University Technologies International Inc.
    Inventors: Apostolos Kantzas, Kelly Hamilton, Tanghi Zarabi, Ian Wright