Patents by Inventor Geoffrey A. Harding

Geoffrey A. Harding 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).

  • Publication number: 20020080919
    Abstract: The invention relates to an X-ray source that is provided with a liquid metal target and an electron source (3) for the emission of an electron beam (4) through a window (23) of a duct section (51) wherethrough the liquid metal target flows in the operating condition. The X-ray source is notably characterized in that the duct section (51) is formed by a first duct segment (10, 20) that includes the window (23) and wherethrough the liquid metal target flows, and by a second duct segment (30, 40) wherethrough a cooling medium flows and which is connected to the first duct segment in such a manner that the area in which the electron beam acts on the first duct segment is cooled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Inventors: Geoffrey Harding, Bernd Ulmer, Bernd David
  • Publication number: 20020048345
    Abstract: The invention relates to a window transparent to electron rays comprising a foil (1, 10, 300a) transparent to electron rays and separated from a carrier substrate as well as a retaining element (2, 300b) for supporting a peripheral region of the foil transparent to electron rays in the operational state, which retaining element (2, 300b) is made of a material which has a linear thermal expansion coefficient which matches the linear thermal expansion coefficient of the foil material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Peter Klaus Bachmann, Volker Van Elsbergen, Bernd David, Rainer Willi Eckart, Geoffrey Harding
  • Publication number: 20020048344
    Abstract: The invention relates to a window transparent to electron rays comprising a foil (1; 101) which is transparent to electron rays and an element (2; 102) for supporting a peripheral region (1a, 1b) of the foil transparent to electron rays in the operational state, which element is made from a material having a greater linear thermal expansion coefficient than the foil material, with an intermediate layer (4; 104a, b) which is arranged between the foil (1; 101) and a retaining element (2; 102) acting as a support element and which consists of a material having a linear thermal expansion coefficient which is equal or similar to the linear thermal expansion coefficient of the foil material and smaller than the linear thermal expansion coefficient of the material of the retaining element, seen over the processing temperature range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Peter Klaus Bachmann, Manfred Beckmann, Peter Flisikowski, Geoffrey Harding
  • Patent number: 6359968
    Abstract: The invention relates to an X-ray tube which includes a device for generating and focusing an electron beam on a target material. In order to avoid the problems of inadmissible heating of the anode while attempting to increase the electron beam density, according to the invention a gaseous target material contained in a chamber is used to generate the X-rays; this target material can be heated to a substantially higher temperature without the anode being damaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
  • Patent number: 6185277
    Abstract: The invention relates to an X-ray tube having a liquid metal target. The electrons emitted by the electron source (3) enter the liquid metal through a thin window (2) and produce X-rays therein. The liquid metal, having a high atomic number, circulates under the influence of a pump so that the heat produced by the interaction with the electrons in the window and the liquid metal can be dissipated. The heat generated at this area is dissipated by a turbulent flow, thus ensuring effective cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
  • Patent number: 5986257
    Abstract: A method of detecting an object in an examination zone is well-suited for detecting land mines buried in the soil. The mean atomic numbers of the object is different from that of the examination zone. The examination zone is irradiated by gamma radiation. The annihilation radiation thus generated is measured and evaluated. The gamma radiation, which is sufficiently strong to generate electron-positron pairs, amounts to less than 10 MeV. The radiation generated in the examination zone by the gamma radiation beam is detected by a plurality of detector elements, which are arranged in such a manner that they can always detect only a respective segment of the gamma radiation beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
  • Patent number: 5602893
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for measuring the pulse transfer spectrum of X-ray quanta using two polychromatic X-ray sources and a detector arrangement which measures the scattered X-ray quanta in an energy-resolved fashion. A secondary diaphragm device, arranged between the examination zone in which the object whose pulse transfer spectrum is to be determined is situated and the detector device, ensures that each detector element of the detector device can be struck by scattered radiation only at a comparatively accurately determined scatter angle. The arrangement in accordance with the invention enables very fast inspection of an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
  • Patent number: 5473653
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of generating slice images of an examination zone which is irradiated by X-rays from a plurality of radiation source positions in order to generate separate single images, each associated with a difficult one of the source position for each single image there being stored image values which correspond to the absorption in its image points, slice images being generated in that slice image values are derived from the image values of the image points of the single images which are geometrically associated with a slice image point. This may give rise to contrast reversal and pseudo-resolution effects. These effects are eliminated in that the slice image values are derived by a weighted summing operation where the weighting factor applied to the image values of the single images enter the summing operation decreases as the distance between the radiation source position associated with the single image a central radiation source position increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
  • Patent number: 5394453
    Abstract: A device for measuring the pulse transfer spectrum of X-ray quanta, includes a polychromatic X-ray source and an energy-resolving detector device for the scattered X-ray quanta. A secondary diaphragm device, arranged between the examination zone in which the object whose pulse transfer spectrum is to be determined is situated, and the detector device ensure on the one that each detector element of the detector device can detect scattered radiation only at a comparatively accurately defined scatter angle, and that the scatter angles of the various detector elements do not excessively deviate from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
  • Patent number: 5394454
    Abstract: A filter method and device for carrying out the method in conjunction with an X-ray system having a beam path for primary radiation between an X-ray source and an examination zone and a beam path for scattered radiation between the examination zone and a detector device, involve subtractive combination of first and second measurement signals produced by the detector device in response to scattered radiation received in first and second filter arrangements. For production of the first measurement signal a filter is arranged in the beam path for primary radiation and not in the beam path for scattered radiation, while for production of the second measurement signal a filter is arranged in the beam path for scattered radiation and not in the beam path for primary radiation. The latter filter consists of the same material as the filter used for the first measurement, and may be the same filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
  • Patent number: 5368258
    Abstract: A system for eliminating turbulence in aerodynamic surfaces, such as engine nacelles, resulting from air passing over joints and gaps in the aerodynamic surface. Basically, this system includes a suction chamber within the nacelle and extending along the inner skin wall adjacent to gaps or joints, such as around access doors, at the interface between the nose cowl and the fan cowl door, etc. Typically, a series of apertures extend through a top portion of the suction chamber below the gap to permit air to pass from the gap to the suction chamber. At least one duct communicates with the chamber and extends to a suction pump. In operation, the pump sucks air through the duct, suction chamber, apertures and gap, to prevent the formation of a transition from low drag laminar flow to high drag turbulent flow at the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventors: Warren A. Johnson, Geoffrey A. Harding
  • Patent number: 5265144
    Abstract: An X-ray apparatus comprises a polychromatic X-ray source for generating a primary beam of small cross-section, an energy-sensitive detector arrangement for detecting the scattered radiation produced by elastic scattering processes in the primary beam, which detector arrangement comprises a plurality of detector elements which are arranged on rings concentric with the primary beam, and a collimator arrangement which is arranged between the X-ray source and the detector arrangement and which encloses the primary beam. In order to enable accurate determination of the pulse transfer spectrum while using a low dose, the collimator arrangement is constructed so that the scattered radiation from the same section of the primary beam is incident on a plurality of detector elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corp.
    Inventors: Geoffrey Harding, Gerhard Martens
  • Patent number: 5231652
    Abstract: A first diaphragm arrangement is between a polychromatic X-ray radiator and an examination region for passing a primary radiation beam traversing the examination region on the generated surface of a cone. A detector arrangement comprising several detector elements receives radiation passed by the first diaphragm arrangement and a second diaphragm arrangement, which is located between the examination region and the detector arrangement and assigns to each respective detector element the scattered radiation which is scattered in a part of the primary radiation beam at a given scattering angle. The association between the individual sections of the primary radiation beam and the different detector elements is such that the second diaphragm arrangement has a slot-shaped opening and the shape of the slot-shaped opening and of the detector elements is adapted to the shape of a cross-section of the primary radiation beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1993
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corp.
    Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
  • Patent number: 5157704
    Abstract: A monochromatic X-ray radiation source includes an anode for producing X-ray radiation, a target enclosed by the anode for converting X-ray radiation into fluorescence radiation and a screen located between the target and the anode for screen the target from electrons. A higher output of fluorescence radiation is attained in that the screen comprises an element having an atomic number greater than 50, for example, tungsten or tantalum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corp.
    Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
  • Patent number: 5038370
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for generating an X-ray or gamma beam with small cross-section and variable direction, having an X-ray or gamma emitter, from the focus of which a bundle of rays emerges, and a diaphragm arrangement, which cuts out a beam from the bundle of rays and comprises a hollow-cylindrical first diaphragm body which is rotatable about its axis of symmetry and has two mutually offset helical slits on the circumference. In this arrangement, an X-ray beam with at least approximately square cross-section is cut out on a relatively long hollow-cylindrical body with small diameter by the slits winding around the diaphragm body in at least one turn each and being shaped in such a way that at least one straight line runs through the slits towards the focus, the position of which line can be varied by turning the diaphragm body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Geoffrey Harding, Petrus Merkelbach, Franciscus L. A. M. Thissen
  • Patent number: 5008911
    Abstract: A device for measuring the pulse transfer of X-ray quanta which are elastically scattered in an examination zone, includes an X-ray source which is arranged on one side of the examination zone, a detector which is situated on the other side of the examination zone and which measures the energy of the X-ray quanta, and a rotationally-symmetrical diaphragm device which is arranged between the detector and the X-ray source. In a device of this kind a comparatively accurate determination of the pulse transfer is also possible for thick objects, because the diaphragm device is constructed so that the X-ray quanta emitted by the X-ray beam source are transmitted to the examination zone only on the envelope of a cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
  • Patent number: 4995066
    Abstract: A device for forming an X-ray beam or gamma beam (11) having a small cross-section and a variable direction, includes an X-ray source or gamma source (1) which supplies an X-ray beam and a diaphragm device which forms the X-ray beam from the radiation beam. The diaphragm device has a stationary diaphragm section (7) provided with a rectilinear slit (8) and a cylindrical first diaphragm body (3) which rotates about an axis of rotation (5) and which is provided with a helical slit (9) on its outer surface. In order to reduce the expenditure for manufacturing a device which is also suitable for different distances between the radiation source and the axis of rotation, the diaphragm body (3) has an at least approximately semi-circular cross-section over at least a part of its length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: U. S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Geoffrey Harding, Josef-Maria Kosanetzky, Karl-Heinz Fischer, Alfred G. Meyer
  • Patent number: 4956856
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for examining a body comprising a radiation source for producing a primary beam of small cross-section, means for producing a relative displacement between the body on the one hand and the primary beam on the other hand, a detector device sensing the radiation elastically scattered at small scattering angles and means for determining the scattering angle and or the momentum. In an embodiment, a spatial resolution in the direction of the primary beam can be obtained in that several diaphragm lamellae are arranged between the body and the detector device in such a manner that scattered radiation from different sections of the primary beam each time strikes different strips on the surface of the detector device and in that the detector has a lateral resolution in the longitudinal direction of the strips. In another embodiment, a gamma camera is employed as the detector device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
  • Patent number: 4903287
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fluorescence radiation source in which an anode which encloses a member is struck by electrons on its side which faces the member and in which the primary X-ray radiation generated in the anode generates fluorescence radiation in the member. The member is preferably arranged within an enclosing shield which keeps scattered electrons remote from the member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Harding
  • Patent number: 4896342
    Abstract: The invention relates to an X-ray apparatus, comprising an essentially monochromatic radiation source which irradiates an examination zone in different positions by means of a primary beam having a small cross-section, a first position-sensitive detector device which measures, on the other side of the examination zone, the radiation elastically scattered in the primary beam, and means for reconstructing an image of the irradiated cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Harding