Abstract: A vehicle body decklid hinge includes at least one hinge set carried by a bracket that retains a pivot pin and a retainer bar in a cantilevered manner. The pivot pin supports a lever, such as a gooseneck strap, that will be coupled to the hood, while the bracket includes a mount that will be carried by peripheral body structure around the decklid opening. The retainer bar carries a helically wound spring that secures one end of the spring for resistance to rotation about the axis of the bar. The other end of the spring engages an adjuster that variably urges the lever to pivot toward the open position. The method and apparatus reduce specificity of components and improve adaptably to various models and styles by reducing adjustments to tension variability in adjusting the biasing force applied to the decklid strap.

Abstract: A vehicle body decklid hinge includes at least one hinge set carried by a bracket that retains a pivot pin and a retainer bar in a cantilevered manner. The pivot pin supports a lever, such as a gooseneck strap, that will be coupled to the hood, while the bracket includes a mount that will be carried by peripheral body structure around the decklid opening. The retainer bar carries a helically wound spring that secures one end of the spring for resistance to rotation about the axis of the bar. The other end of the spring engages an adjustor that variably urges the lever to pivot toward the open position. The method and apparatus reduce specificity of components and improve adaptably to various models and styles by reducing adjustments to tension variability in adjusting the biasing force applied to the decklid strap.

Abstract: A vehicle decklid displacement mechanism includes a linkage for leveraging displacement of the lid with respect to a vehicle body, an extension strut having spring means biasing the ends of the strut away from each other and a motorized crank. The crank is driven by the motor for pivotal engagement with the extendable strut so that the combined leverage of the linkage and the biasing of the strut geometrically urge the decklid to an open position. A position of the crank is adjusted by the motor to retract the decklid from its fully open position, at which point the weight of the lid overcomes the leverage of the linkage and the biasing of the extendable strut to displace the decklid toward its open position.

Abstract: A link assembly forming a 6 bar linkage is integrally combined with a spring having a laterally coiled strand to form a hinge that is particularly well adapted to be installed in a small footprint. Such a unit is well adapted for installation within a peripheral channel of a vehicle body opening and to prop the closure in its open position. The present invention also provides a method for reducing packaging footprint of a vehicle closure hinge by integrating the 6 bar linkage with the laterally coiled strand, and selecting a strand shaping to reduce radial dimension of the coil and the coil cross-section while maximizing the radial dimension of material in the strand.

Abstract: A latch restraint and safety anchorage system for securing a child safety seat in an automotive vehicle behind the vehicle's seat is provided. One or more latch wires are generally mounted to a cross member of the anchorage system comprised of a pair of spatially separated legs joined at one end by a transverse latch bar. Each leg includes a tapered portion and an end portion. The end portion is exposed to allow the legs to be retained by the cross member.

Abstract: A latch restraint and safety anchorage system for securing a child safety seat in an automotive vehicle behind the vehicle's seat is provided. One or more latch wires are generally mounted to a cross member of the anchorage system comprised of a pair of spatially separated legs joined at one end by a transverse latch bar. Each leg includes a tapered portion and an end portion. The end portion is exposed to allow the legs to be retained by the cross member.

Abstract: A frame for an x-ray tomography device allows a gantry of the frame to be tilted with a minimum applied force. The frame includes a stand including two substantially upright arms, a gantry positioned between and pivotally mounted to the arms of the stand for tilting about a tilt axis extending between the arms, a tilt guide secured to one of the gantry and the stand, and at least two spaced-apart wheels, each wheel operatively engaging the tilt guide such that turning the wheels applies a force to the tilt guide so that the gantry tilts about the tilt axis.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a collimator including providing a plate-like body, coating a predetermined portion of a surface of the body with an x-ray absorbing material, and machining at least one collimating slit through the coating and the plate-like body. According to one exemplary embodiment, the coating is applied through a thermal spray process. According to another exemplary embodiment, wire electrical discharge machining (EDM) is used to machine the collimating slits. A collimator manufactured in accordance with the presently disclosed method produces precise energy beam cross-sections, yet is less expensive to manufacture.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for mounting an x-ray tube to a gantry disk of a CT scanner. The system is designed to make lifting and handling a heavy and cumbersome x-ray tube easier for a person removing or replacing the x-ray tube in a CT scanner. The system includes a harness adapted to be secured to the x-ray tube, at least two elongated rods secured to the harness, and two elongated tracks adapted to be secured to the gantry disk such that the tracks extend generally parallel with a z-axis of the CT scanner. Each track includes a channel for slidingly receiving one of the rods. The present disclosure also provides a method of mounting an x-ray tube in a gantry of a CT scanner.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for mounting an x-ray tube to a gantry disk of a CT scanner. The system is designed to make lifting and handling a heavy and cumbersome x-ray tube easier for a person removing or replacing the x-ray tube in a CT scanner. The system includes a harness adapted to be secured to the x-ray tube, at least two elongated rods secured to the harness, and two elongated tracks adapted to be secured to the gantry disk such that the tracks extend generally parallel with a z-axis of the CT scanner. Each track includes a channel for slidingly receiving one of the rods. The present disclosure also provides a method of mounting an x-ray tube in a gantry of a CT scanner.

Abstract: A frame for an x-ray tomography device allows a gantry of the frame to be tilted with a minimum applied force. The frame includes a stand including two substantially upright arms, a gantry positioned between and pivotally mounted to the arms of the stand for tilting about a tilt axis extending between the arms, a tilt guide secured to one of the gantry and the stand, and at least two spaced-apart wheels, each wheel operatively engaging the tilt guide such that turning the wheels applies a force to the tilt guide so that the gantry tilts about the tilt axis.

Abstract: A frame for an x-ray tomography device allows a gantry of the frame to be tilted with a minimum applied force. The frame includes a stand having two arms, and the annular gantry is positioned between the two arms and has an outer support pivotally mounted to the arms of the stand for tilting of the gantry about a tilt is of the gantry extending between the arms. An inner support is rotatable within and with respect to the outer support about a spin axis of the gantry extending substantially normal to the tilt axis. The inner support is adapted to hold x-ray tomography components for rotation therewith. The frame also includes a tilt guide secured to one of the gantry and the stand at an outermost circumference of the gantry, and a drive mechanism secured to the other of the gantry and the stand for applying a force to the tilt guide so that the gantry tilts about the tilt axis.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an adjustable collimator for collimating a beam of energy emitted from a focal spot of a beam source. The collimator is particularly intended for collimating an x-ray beam of a computed tomography scanner after the x-ray beam has passed through a patient being scanned. The collimator includes two elongated parallel plates arranged side by side to define a collimating slit between the plates. At least one of the plates is movably relative to the other plate for varying a width of the collimating slit. The collimator also includes a movable cam operatively arranged with respect to the at least one movable plate such that movement of the cam in a first direction causes the width of the collimating slit to increase, while movement of the cam in a second direction causes the width of the collimating slit to decrease.

Abstract: A collimator having slits of varied widths, wherein each slit includes a curved side profile having a common axis of curvature for providing a cross-section of an emitted beam of energy with a substantially uniform width when the common axis of curvature of the slit intersects a focal spot of a source of the beam. The collimator is curved about a rotation axis substantially normal to the common axis of curvature, such that rotating the collimator about the rotation axis will sequentially position the slits to collimate the emitted beam.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a collimator having slits of varied widths, wherein each slit includes a curved side profile having a common axis of curvature for providing a cross-section of an emitted beam of energy with a substantially uniform width when the common axis of curvature of the slit intersects a focal spot of a source of the beam. The collimator is curved about a rotation axis substantially normal to the common axis of curvature, such that rotating the collimator about the rotation axis will sequentially position the slits to collimate the emitted beam. An assembly for selecting one of the collimator slits includes a selection motor having a rotatable shaft, and a gear mechanism coupling the motor shaft to the collimator for rotating the collimator about its rotation axis to select a slit. Preferably, resilient material is seated in a circumferential groove of at least one gear of the gear mechanism for absorbing shock.

Abstract: A frame for an x-ray tomography device allows a gantry of the frame to be tilted with a minimum applied force. The frame includes a stand having two arms, and the annular gantry is positioned between the two arms and has an outer support pivotally mounted to the arms of the stand for tilting of the gantry about a tilt axis of the gantry extending between the arms. An inner support is rotatable within and with respect to the outer support about a spin axis of the gantry extending substantially normal to the tilt axis. The inner support is adapted to hold x-ray tomography components for rotation therewith. The frame also includes a tilt guide secured to one of the gantry and the stand at an outermost circumference of the gantry, and a drive mechanism secured to the other of the gantry and the stand for applying a force to the tilt guide so that the gantry tilts about the tilt axis.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a gantry of a CT scanner. The gantry includes an annular outer support having a radially inwardly facing, continuous circumferencial bearing chamber, an annular drum concentrically positioned within the outer support and having a continuous circumferential bearing lip radially extending into the bearing chamber of the outer support to define two circumferential bearing runs within the bearing chamber, and an annular disk extending radially inwardly from an inner circumferential surface of the drum. The disk is adapted to receive and support computed tomography components. The gantry also includes roller bearings in the bearing runs rotatably supporting the drum within the outer support, such that the drum and the disk are rotatable about a rotation axis of the drum.

Abstract: In an improved computed tomography scanner drive system and bearing configuration, a gantry disk (30) is sheaved about its perimeter (65) such that the gantry is operable as a driven pulley rotatable about an object to be scanned. A motor (46) assembles mounted to a stationary frame (33) includes a similar sheaved drive pulley (80). A belt (64) tensioned between the drive pulley (80) of the motor assembly and the driven pulley of the gantry disk (30) transfers rotational motion of the motor to drive the gantry rotationally about the object. In a preferred embodiment, the belt comprises a V-belt or poly-V-belt (64), and the bearing comprises a wire bearing (59) located proximal to the gantry center of mass. In this manner, the present invention provides a simple and effective technique for driving the gantry about the object, providing sufficiently accurate angular positioning in a reliable and cost effective drive system. Various embodiments of an improved bearing system are also disclosed.

Abstract: In an improved computed tomography scanner drive system and bearing configuration, a gantry disk is sheaved about its perimeter such that the gantry is operable as a driven pulley rotatable about an object to be scanned. A motor assembly mounted to a stationary frame includes a similar sheaved drive pulley. A belt tensioned between the drive pulley of the motor assembly and the driven pulley of the gantry disk transfers rotational motion of the motor to drive the gantry rotationally about the object. In a preferred embodiment, the belt comprises a V-belt or poly-V-belt, and the bearing comprises a wire bearing located proximal to the gantry center of mass. In this manner, the present invention provides a simple and effective technique for driving the gantry about the object, providing sufficiently accurate angular positioning in a reliable and cost effective drive system.

Abstract: An adjustable hinge assembly and method for mounting a hinge strap of a deck lid to a vehicle body is disclosed. The assembly and method permit rapid adjustment of the deck lid to properly fit the vehicle body. The assembly includes a hinge box, a pivot pin, and an adjustment screw. The hinge box mounts to the vehicle body and has spaced apart sides. The sides of the hinge box are shaped to provide aligned adjustment slots formed on a tangent to an arc centered at substantially the deck lid striker. The pivot pin extends through the adjustment slots and is slidable therealong. The hinge strap has a proximal end for pivotal connection to the pivot pin. The adjustment screw extends within the hinge box and is connected thereto. The adjustment screw is threadingly engaged with the pivot pin.