Patents by Inventor Michael Thomas Mruzek

Michael Thomas Mruzek 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).

  • Collimator and detector for computed tomography systems
    Patent number: 6134301
    Abstract: The present invention, in one form, is a scatter collimator for a computed tomography system including an x-ray source. The scatter collimator is positioned between a detector array and an object to be imaged. The scatter collimator includes a housing, a plurality of attenuating blades and a plurality of attenuating wires. The blades and wires are mounted to the housing, and oriented substantially perpendicular to each other. Particularly, the blades and wires form a two-dimensional shielding grid. The blades also are oriented so that they are radially and focally aligned with the x-ray source. A detector element of the detector array is secured to the housing so that the blades and wires are between the detector element and the x-ray source. The detector element, in one form, includes a scintillation element which is coated with a light-retaining material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Thomas Mruzek, David M. Hoffman
  • Collimator and detector for computed tomography systems
    Patent number: 5799057
    Abstract: The present invention, in one form, is a scatter collimator for a computed tomography system including an x-ray source. The scatter collimator is positioned between a detector array and an object to be imaged. The scatter collimator includes a housing, a plurality of attenuating blades and a plurality of attenuating wires. The blades and wires are mounted to the housing, and oriented substantially perpendicular to each other. Particularly, the blades and wires form a two-dimensional shielding grid. The blades also are oriented so that they are radially and focally aligned with the x-ray source. A detector element of the detector array is secured to the housing so that the blades and wires are between the detector element and the x-ray source. The detector element, in one form, includes a scintillation element which is coated with a light-retaining material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David M. Hoffman, Michael Thomas Mruzek, August O. Englert