Patents by Inventor Earl L. Cook

Earl L. Cook 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: 5637882
    Abstract: A detector plate for use in a radiation imaging system includes a first conductive layer, a dielectric layer, a photoconductive layer and a second conductive layer, arranged as a stack in that order. The first conductive layer and the dielectric layer are substantially transparent to radiation energy so as to allow the energy to pass therethrough to be received by the photoconductive layer. The first conductive layer has a periphery defined by a first edge and the dielectric layer has a periphery defined by a second edge, wherein the first edge is offset inward of the second edge defining a margin between the first and second edges. In use, this margin helps inhibit electrical arcing from the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer when a high voltage is applied between these two layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Ranjith Divigalpitiya, Bimsara W. Disanayaka, William B. Robbins, Earl L. Cook, Keith K. McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 5510626
    Abstract: A system and method for conditioning a photoconductive radiation detector achieve charge redistribution within a photoconductive layer without the need for charge removal or charge injection techniques. A first conditioning voltage is applied across the detector to establish a first electric field. The first electric field is reversed relative to fields applied to the detector during image exposure and image read-out operations. While the first conditioning voltage is maintained, the photoconductive layer is exposed for a period of time to first conditioning radiation having one or more wavelengths selected to penetrate at least a portion of the photoconductive layer. A second conditioning voltage, less than the first conditioning voltage, then can be optionally applied across the detector to establish a forward bias electric field. While the second conditioning voltage is maintained, the photoconductive layer is exposed for a period of time to second, broad spectrum conditioning radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Owen L. Nelson, Jathan D. Edwards, Earl L. Cook, Padmanabham A. Arimilli