Abstract: A process for mechanically bonding a sheet of rubber to a sheet of another, e.g. a reinforcing, material, and a composite article made by the process. A molded sheet of rubber having integral upstanding posts is assembled with the sheet of the other material in such a manner that the posts extend through openings in the sheet of the other material. The distal ends of the rubber posts are then reformed (preferably by heating) to shape or form the rubber posts into rivets which mechanically lock the rubber sheet and the sheet of other material together and provide good shear resistance. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcement material is a high melting temperature plastic which has an upstanding post and the molded rubber sheet and has openings therein. The plastic posts are reformed as with a laser to bond the plastic sheet to the rubber sheet.

Abstract: A patient handling system for an NMR imaging system includes a portable patient table having a bottom portion and a top portion. The table is docked adjacent to the magnet of an NMR system. The top portion may be elevated to align the top portion with the magnet bore. A patient pallet, located on the top portion of the table, is then moved into and out of the magnet bore. The pallet includes a number of modules upon which the patient reclines. At least one module includes a radio frequency coil for NMR imaging. The other modules are dummy modules which do not contain r.f. coils and support other parts of the patients's body.

Abstract: A tomographic scanner for subjecting a planar region of a patient to radiation and producing an image representing the planar region in which at least the source or beam of radiation is moved with a varying speed. In particular, in a traverse and rotate type scanner, a carriage carrying the radiation source and detector(s) is traversed relative to the patient with generally simple harmonic motion. Additionally, vibration is reduced by using a motor, which may include a flywheel, running at substantially constant speed to traverse the carriage. Vibration is further reduced by connecting the motor for rotating the carriage to the carriage through a flexible, e.g. chain, drive. Cable connections to the X-ray tube and other elements carried by the moveable carriage are simplified with a bicycle-chain like flexible cable support.