Patents Examined by Janice A. Howell
  • Patent number: 5125020
    Abstract: The apparatus is an anode for an X-ray tube which is rotated at high speeds during operation. The anode include a plate of refractory material with high mechanical strength. On both faces of the plate are fixed two blocks of light weight refractory material. One of the blocks is formed of several sub-blocks fixed to one another through brazing. A layer of X-ray emitting mattering is deposited on the outer surface of these sub-blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric CGR S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Marie Penato, Michel Laurent, Philippe Thomas
  • Patent number: 5125017
    Abstract: A Compton x-ray backscatter gage apparatus directing x-rays from an isotopic radiation source to a region of interest in a composite structure to monitor structural integrity. The backscattered x-rays from the region of interest are directed by guides in the gage housing to radiation detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Brian M. Lempriere
  • Patent number: 5124564
    Abstract: A method for recording and reproducing a radiation image comprising the steps of (i) causing a visible radiation stimulable phosphor to absorb a high-energy radiation passing through an object, (ii) stimulating said phosphor with visible radiation to release the stored energy as fluorescent light and (iii) detecting said fluorescent light with light detecting means, is characterized by the fact that the photostimulable phosphor is selected within the group of divalent europium activated alkali earth metal halosilicates.Apparatus for recording and reproducing a radiation image using the above described method.Panel for storing a radiation image containing the above described photostimulable phosphors.Phosphors selected within the group of alkali earth metal halosilicates activated with divalent europium in the presence of Al and/or Ga and/or Na and/or K.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Claude Fouassier, Romano Morlotti
  • Patent number: 5125016
    Abstract: Procedure based on X-ray diffraction for measuring the stress state of metals, in particular austenitic steels. In the procedure the detector surface (10) is inclined about an axis (A--A) lying on the surface of the sample (20) being examined which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the stresses (.sigma..sub.xx) being examined. By means of the detector surface (10) the diameters (2S.sub.ax) of the so-called Debye rings in the direction of the surface being examined are recorded at two or several inclination angles (.psi.). The detector surface (10) has arcuate shape, as viewed in the direction (B--B) at right angles against the inclination axis (A--A), and in the procedure is used such as arcuate detector surface (10) elongated in the direction of said inclination axis (A--A) and narrow enough in the opposite direction that an inclination angle (.psi.) of the detector surface (10) large enough in view of the procedure's implementation is feasible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Outokumpu Oy
    Inventors: Matti Korhonen, Veikko Lindroos
  • Patent number: 5125015
    Abstract: A method for determining a lower-bound quantity per unit volume of a physical property associated with a body, the property being susceptible to measurement in a plurality of directions. In general, the method comprises the steps of scanning a volume of interest in a predetermined number of directions so as to derive for each direction an area having a plurality of projections thereon each representing a cumulative value of said property within the volume of interest along a respective one of the directions, and determining an estimated volume of the body as the intersection of all volume elements bounded by the derived areas. For each area the sum of all the projections are compared and correction is applied as required so as to remove any disparity between the sums so as to produce a uniform sum in each of the directions. The lower-bound quantity per unit volume of the property of the body is then calculated as the quotient of the uniform sum divided by the estimated volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: The State of Israel Atomic Energy Commission, Soreq Nuclear Research Center
    Inventors: Yair Shimoni, David Vartsky, Yair Shamai, Acher Sayah
  • Patent number: 5122662
    Abstract: A compact circular magnetic induction accelerator (betatron) for use as a borehole gamma ray source includes a field magnet and generally circular pole pieces composed of a class of ferrite having the general formula M.sup.2+ Fe.sub.2.sup.3+ O.sub.4, where M represents two or more divalent metal ions from the group consisting of Mn, Zn and Ni. The core magnet is in the form of two symmetrical closed loops, with one leg of each loop passing axially through the circular pole pieces. The field coil and the core coil may be arranged in series or in parallel, and switching circuits are provided for effecting electron beam capture and ejection. In an illustrative borehole application, the betatron is used as a gamma ray source in a bulk density logging tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Felix K. Chen, William Bertozzi, Gary W. Corris, William Diamond, Joseph A. Doucet, Jeffrey S. Schweitzer
  • Patent number: 5122907
    Abstract: A light polarizing material has contrast greater than 10,000 for wavelengths in the visible and near-infrared spectral band (400 nm to 3,000 nm) includes prolate spheroid metal particles uniformly distributed and aligned on the surface of an optical material. The particles are evaporatively coated on a smooth glass surface. The wavelength of peak absorption is chosen by selecting the aspect ratio of the metal particles and the refractive index of the material surrounding the metal particles. The wavelength of peak absorption can be selected to fall at a desired wavelength in the range from 400 nm to 3,000 nm by control of the deposition process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Polatomic, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Slocum
  • Patent number: 5123039
    Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and method for obtaining energy from high electrical charge density entities. The energy may be received by the conductor of a traveling wave device positioned along the path which the propagating entities follow. Multiple traveling wave devices may be combined. Energy output from a traveling wave device may also be directed to the generation of a subsequent such entity. Thermal energy may also be obtained from an EV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Jupiter Toy Company
    Inventor: Kenneth R. Shoulders
  • Patent number: 5123038
    Abstract: An X-ray generator for operating an X-ray tube having parts of the tube connected to ground includes a high-voltage transformer arrangement having distinct secondary windings for producing positive and negative high voltages, for the anode and the cathode, respectively, of the X-ray tube. The unfavorable voltage distribution inherent in the feeding of such an X-ray tube by a high-ohmic generator is removed in a simple manner in that the secondary windings are each associated with a primary winding and that in series with the primary winding for producing the anode voltage an inductance is connected by means of a switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Negle, Bernd Freiheit-Jensen
  • Patent number: 5123037
    Abstract: In order to represent the bone structure of a patient's body, acquisitions are made with different irradiation energies. The irradiations are compared with these two energies in order to deduce a two-dimensional projected image which is representative of the bone structure alone. To this end, there is assigned to each pixel in the projected images a value corresponding to the thickness of bone traversed by an x-ray which has terminated at said pixel. This value is obtained by calibrating the measuring system, detector cell by detector cell, so as to correct the spatial non-uniformities of the acquisition system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric CGR S.A.
    Inventors: Catherine Picard, Anne Rougee, Didier Saint-Felix, Yves Trousset
  • Patent number: 5122668
    Abstract: In the present invention, semiconductor fibers electrical resistance of which varies in response to temperature change are arranged unidirectionally or bidirectionally, so that a detection element which has excellent response characteristic, can detect also a position of infrared source, and is inexpensive can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Sogo Keibi Hosho Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teijiro Kajiwara, Hiroaki Yanagida, Masaru Miyayama, Norio Muto
  • Patent number: 5123036
    Abstract: An X-ray exposure apparatus for exposing a resist on a substrate to a pattern of an original includes a radiation source for providing X-rays; and an illumination system for irradiating the original and the substrate with the X-rays such that the resist of the substrate is exposed to the pattern of the original with the X-rays; wherein the illumination system has a convex mirror having a reflection surface of a shape like a cylindrical surface, for reflecting the X-rays from the radiation source to the original; and wherein the reflection surface of the mirror has such an aspherical surface shape that, with respect to a top of the reflection surface, a radiation source side and an original side are asymmetrical in shape, that, in the neighborood of the top, the radiation source side has a radius of curvature smaller than that of the original side, and that at a peripheral potion the reflection surface has a curvature of a radius larger than that at the top of the reflection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichiro Uno, Yutaka Watanabe, Noritaka Mochizuki, Ryuichi Ebinuma, Yasuaki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 5120968
    Abstract: The invention is a device to measure the emittance of a charged particle beam. The device is capable of providing precise time resolution limited only by the chosen detector. The device allows a complete emittance determination as a function of time. The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a plurality of thin foils 11 which generate an optical transistion radiation (OTR) pattern 13; a lens system 14 to collect the OTR pattern 13 from the said foils 11: an optical mask 16 to allow passage of the OTR pattern 13 :and a detector array 17 or similar device placed behind the mask 16 which intercepts, senses and measures the point source OTR pattern 13 for each perforation in the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Ralph B. Fiorito, Donald W. Rule
  • Patent number: 5121419
    Abstract: The apparatus comprises an X-ray source (6) to generate a beam of radiations (7) through an object (4) or the body of a patient to be examined and a multichannel detector (8) to provide information concerning the intensity of the radiation retransmitted by the object examined. Both the source and detector are mounted on a rotor (2) integral with the stator (1) which surrounds the object (4) examined. It also comprises at least one lateral diffusion light guide (14, 15) wound round the rotor (2) or on the internal surface of the stator (1) to transmit optically between optical receiver and emitter means (9, 10) of the rotor (2) and corresponding optical means (16, 17) of the stator (1), the information provided by the multichannel detector (8) and the control information of the X-ray source (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: Thomson-CGR
    Inventors: Francois Micheron, Sylvain Kretschmer, Jean C. Lehureau, Francois Zinger, Michel Hommerin
  • Patent number: 5119411
    Abstract: An X-ray optical apparatus comprises an X-ray optical system which is capable of projecting an enlarged sample image by soft X-rays and a visible optical system to observe the sample with a visible radiation. To enable simultaneous observation using both optical systems, the systems utilize a common objective zone plate. The objective zone plate includes a base plate having an opening at the center thereof to pass the soft X-rays which have passed through the sample and also having a visible radiation passing section to the outside of the opening. A zone plate is supported centrally on the base plate for converging soft X-rays which have passed through the sample and forming the sample image at a predetermined position. An eyepiece is provided in a position displaced from the X-ray optical axis to enable visual observation of the sample with the light passed through the visible radiation transmitting section of the objective zone plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1992
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Hajime Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5119408
    Abstract: A method for inspecting a component having dimensions larger than a fan beam angle of an x-ray inspection system includes the steps of: providing an x-ray beam having a selected fan angle in a source focal point; positioning a portion of the component substantially completely within the x-ray beam; rotating the component 360 degrees around a component inspection rotational axis; collecting the attenuated x-ray beam that passes through the component during rotation; generating a multiplicity of electrical signals responsive to the collected x-ray beam; incrementally moving the component inspection rotational axis about the x-ray source focal point to position another portion of the component within the x-ray beam; and repeating the steps of rotating the part 360 degrees about a component inspection rotational axis and incrementally moving the part inspection rotational axis about the x-ray source focal point until the entire component has passed through the fan beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Francis H. Little, Andrew J. Galish, Ralph G. Isaacs
  • Patent number: 5118940
    Abstract: Apparatus for continuously determining the basis weight of paper simultaneously at multiple points across the full width of a substrate. The apparatus includes a radioactive source which extends across one side of the web of paper. A detector array, on the opposite side of the substrate, detects the emission from the source. The array includes scintillating fibers and multi- or single-anode photomultipliers which may be connected by a scintillating or non-scintillating fiber optic elements to the photomultiplier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1992
    Assignee: Jefferson Smurfit Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Davis, Walter R. Binns, Joseph Klarmann, John W. Epstein
  • Patent number: 5119410
    Abstract: An x-ray film positioning device wherein the film holder and x-ray beam alignment rod can rotate together while the biteblock remains stationary. Such rotation is accomplished by means of an axle placed through the body of the biteblock, or through tubes attached to the biteblock, and attaching the film holder to one end of an extension bar and attaching the other end of the extension bar to one end of the axle, and further attaching the beam alignment rod to the other end of the axle. By the configuration of this assembly, a predetermined relationship of the film to the x-ray beam e.g. parallel, can be maintained with all angles of rotation. Simultaneously, the biteblock remains stationary in a flat, occlusally parallel position, held securely between the upper and lower teeth. This rotational concept is particularly helpful, but not limited to, film holder biteblock arrangements which are laterally off-set one to the other when viewed from the x-ray source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1992
    Inventor: Dominic A. Donato
  • Patent number: 5119409
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for dynamically controlling the generation of radiation pulses during pulse-type fluoroscopic imaging. Brightness of an image produced by a pulse is detected, converted to a digital value and compared to an acceptable predetermined value range. If the brightness is not acceptable, the pulse rate is reset to a predetermined, relatively fast rate and the energy level for the next pulse adjusted up or down to increase or decrease the brightness as necessary. Once the brightness is found to be acceptable, the pulse rate is returned to the original pulse rate. If it is determined that motion is occurring, the pulse rate will increase to the relatively fast predetermined pulse rate to provide substantially real-time imaging. If the brightness becomes unacceptable for a pulse during the period of motion, the energy level for the subsequent pulse will be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1992
    Assignee: Fischer Imaging Corporation
    Inventors: Morgan W. Nields, Menachem Assa, Mark E. Novak, Pascal Perin
  • Patent number: 5117119
    Abstract: A film densitometer for generating digital density values as a function of analog transmittance signals received at an input. A comparator coupled to the input compares the transmittance signals to one or more range references characterizing a plurality of ranges of transmittance signal magnitudes, and provides digital transmittance range signals as a function of the comparison. An amplifier amplifies the transmittance signals to provide amplified transmittance base signals. A gain control circuit coupled to the amplifier and the comparator controls the gain factor of the amplifier as a function of the magnitudes of the transmittance signals. The amplified transmittance base signals are converted to digital transmittance base values by an analog-to-digital converter. A lookup table of data characterizing the logarithmic relationship between transmittance base values and density base values is stored in base memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Paul C. Schubert, Richard R. Lemberger