Patents by Inventor Keith A. Esser

Keith A. Esser 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: 5497828
    Abstract: A thermally conductive feedthrough has a conductive member extending through a fiber-reinforced plastic plate. The feedthrough is sealed against leakage from one side of the plate to the other by placing the plate in local compression to seal it against the plate and/or by using small individual conductive members that minimize the effects of thermal expansion differences. The feedthrough can be used between vacuum and cryogenic liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Biomagnetic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith A. Esser, Scott W. Riley, Laurence Warden
  • Patent number: 5494033
    Abstract: A biomagnetometer includes a magnetic field sensor including a magnetic field pickup coil and a detector of small electrical currents flowing within the pickup coil. A vacuum-tight enclosure surrounds the sensor. The enclosure has a concavely upwardly curved first wall, with the magnetic field pickup coil located adjacent to the first wall. A vented reservoir of liquefied gas is located within the enclosure, and a solid thermal conductor extends from the sensor. There is a vacuum-tight thermal feedthrough by which the solid thermal conductor passes between the interior and the exterior of the enclosure. Electronic circuitry for filtering and amplifying the signals of the detector is also provided. Such a biomagnetometer is placed below the body of a reclining subject, and a second portion of the biomagnetometer can be placed above the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Biomagnetic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: D. Scott Buchanan, Laurence Warden, Scott W. Riley, Richard T. Johnson, K. Randy Brimhall, Keith A. Esser
  • Patent number: 5494101
    Abstract: A thermally conductive feedthrough has a conductive member extending through a fiber-reinforced plastic plate. The feedthrough is sealed against leakage from one side of the plate to the other by placing the plate in local compression to seal it against the plate and/or by using small individual conductive members that minimize the effects of thermal expansion differences. The feedthrough can be used between vacuum and cryogenic liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Biomagnetic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith A. Esser, Scott W. Riley, Laurence Warden
  • Patent number: 5441107
    Abstract: A thermally conductive feedthrough has a conductive member extending through a fiber-reinforced plastic plate. The feedthrough is sealed against leakage from one side of the plate to the other by placing the plate in local compression to seal it against the plate and/or by using small individual conductive members that minimize the effects of thermal expansion differences. The feedthrough can be used between vacuum and cryogenic liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: Biomagnetic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith A. Esser, Scott W. Riley, Laurence Warden
  • Patent number: 5346570
    Abstract: A dewar includes an inner dewar and a dewar thermal shield. The dewar thermal shield has a thermal shield body formed of a layer of radiative insulation, an inner layer of fiberglass cloth overlying the layer of radiative insulation, a metallic screen overlying the inner layer, and an outer layer of fiberglass cloth overlying the metallic screen. The dewar thermal shield also has a thermal shield tail cap attached to the thermal shield body. The tail cap is formed of a layer of radiative insulation, a layer of fiberglass cloth overlying the layer of radiative insulation, a layer of thermal foil overlying the layer of fiberglass cloth, the thermal foil being formed of thermal conductors embedded in a film adhesive matrix with the thermal conductors extending to the body, and a top layer of fiberglass cloth overlying the layer of thermal foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Biomagnetic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Laurence Warden, Keith Esser
  • Patent number: 5341555
    Abstract: A thermal foil material is made of a layer of B-staged curable epoxy film adhesive and a plurality of substantially parallel insulated copper wires embedded in the epoxy layer. The copper wires are arranged in a side-by-side fashion in at least one layer within the epoxy. Such a thermal foil material is prepared by furnishing a first sheet of a B-staged film adhesive material, preferably wrapped over a mandrel, and placing a layer of metallic elements onto the first sheet with the metallic elements arranged in a side-by-side fashion. A second sheet of a B-staged film adhesive material is placed over the layer of metallic elements and the first sheet. The stack is heated and pressure is applied perpendicular to the first and second sheets to cause the B-staged film adhesive mate rial to flow into the interstices between the metallic elements. This material may be used immediately or stored to prevent further curing of the epoxy until it is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Biomagnetic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Laurence Warden, Keith Esser