Patents by Inventor Thomas C. Tiearney

Thomas C. Tiearney 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: 7933382
    Abstract: An x-ray tube includes a cathode and a target assembly positioned to receive electrons emitted from the cathode. The target assembly includes a target and a spiral groove bearing (SGB) configured to support the target. The SGB includes a rotatable component having a first surface and a first material attached to the first surface, a stationary component having a second surface and a second material attached to the second surface, the stationary component positioned such that a gap is formed between the first material and the second material, and a liquid metal positioned in the gap. At least one of the first and second materials has a thickness greater than 0.1 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ian Strider Hunt, Gregory Alan Steinlage, Kenwood Dayton, Thomas C. Tiearney, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7903786
    Abstract: A target assembly for generating x-rays includes a target substrate, and an emissive coating attached to the target substrate, the emissive coating including a textured material including a plurality of granular protrusions arranged to increase gray body emissive characteristics of the target assembly above that of the target substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dalong Zhong, Dennis M. Gray, Michael Hebert, Thomas Raber, Gregory Alan Steinlage, Thomas C. Tiearney
  • Patent number: 7869574
    Abstract: A bonded assembly includes a member, and a substrate comprising beryllium, the substrate configured to be bonded to the member. The bonded assembly includes a first barrier applied to a surface of the substrate, a second barrier applied to a surface of the first barrier, a bonding material disposed between the second barrier and the member, and wherein the second barrier is configured to prevent dissolution of the first barrier into the bonding material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Steinlage, Thomas C. Tiearney, Donald Robert Allen
  • Publication number: 20100135466
    Abstract: A bonded assembly includes a member, and a substrate comprising beryllium, the substrate configured to be bonded to the member. The bonded assembly includes a first barrier applied to a surface of the substrate, a second barrier applied to a surface of the first barrier, a bonding material disposed between the second barrier and the member, and wherein the second barrier is configured to prevent dissolution of the first barrier into the bonding material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Steinlage, Thomas C. Tiearney, Donald Robert Allen
  • Patent number: 7720200
    Abstract: A composite target for generating x-rays includes a target substrate and at least one material applied to the target substrate with a laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Steinlage, Michael Hebert, Michael Lathrop, Kirk A. Rogers, Thomas C. Tiearney, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7672433
    Abstract: A target assembly for generating x-rays includes a target substrate, and an emissive coating applied to a portion of the target substrate, the emissive coating comprising one or more of a carbide and a carbonitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dalong Zhong, Dennis M. Gray, Michael Hebert, Don Mark Lipkin, Thomas Raber, Gregory Alan Steinlage, Thomas C. Tiearney
  • Publication number: 20100046717
    Abstract: A target assembly for generating x-rays includes a target substrate, and an emissive coating attached to the target substrate, the emissive coating including a textured material including a plurality of granular protrusions arranged to increase gray body emissive characteristics of the target assembly above that of the target substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Dalong Zhong, Dennis M. Gray, Michael Hebert, Thomas Raber, Gregory Alan Steinlage, Thomas C. Tiearney
  • Patent number: 7643614
    Abstract: A target for generating x-rays includes a target substrate, a target shaft attached to the target substrate, and a radiation emissive coating applied to at least one of the target substrate and the target shaft, wherein a center-of-gravity of the target is positioned between a front bearing assembly and a rear bearing assembly of an x-ray tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Hebert, Gregory Alan Steinlage, Thomas C. Tiearney, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20090285363
    Abstract: A target assembly for generating x-rays includes a target substrate, and an emissive coating applied to a portion of the target substrate, the emissive coating comprising one or more of a carbide and a carbonitride.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Inventors: Dalong Zhong, Dennis M. Gray, Michael Hebert, Don Mark Lipkin, Thomas Raber, Gregory Alan Steinlage, Thomas C. Tiearney
  • Publication number: 20090086919
    Abstract: A composite target for generating x-rays includes a target substrate and at least one material applied to the target substrate with a laser beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Steinlage, Michael Hebert, Michael Lathrop, Kirk A. Rogers, Thomas C. Tiearney, JR.
  • Publication number: 20090080615
    Abstract: A target for generating x-rays includes a target substrate, a target shaft attached to the target substrate, and a radiation emissive coating applied to at least one of the target substrate and the target shaft, wherein a center-of-gravity of the target is positioned between a front bearing assembly and a rear bearing assembly of an x-ray tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Michael Hebert, Gregory Alan Steinlage, Thomas C. Tiearney, JR.
  • Patent number: 7505565
    Abstract: An x-ray anode for use in an x-ray tube is provided. The x-ray anode includes a substrate material, a target material, and one or more graded coefficient of thermal expansion material layers. The target material is coupled to the one or more graded coefficient of thermal expansion material layers and the graded coefficient of thermal expansion material layers are coupled to the substrate material. A method of making the x-ray anode is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Tiearney, Jr., Brian D. Lounsberry
  • Patent number: 7194066
    Abstract: An x-ray anode for use in an x-ray tube is provided. The x-ray anode includes a substrate material, a target material, and one or more graded coefficient of thermal expansion material layers. The target material is coupled to the one or more graded coefficient of thermal expansion material layers and the graded coefficient of thermal expansion material layers are coupled to the substrate material. A method of making the x-ray anode is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas C. Tiearney, Jr., Brian D. Lounsberry
  • Patent number: 6584172
    Abstract: A brazed X-ray target includes a metallic cap and a graphite back including a nonlinear record groove attached thereto along a stepped surface. An upper corner joint of the stepped surface is distanced from a cap outer edge and a focal track where the maximum heat is generated during use of the target. The graphite back is extended outward toward the cap outer edge to increase a thermal storage of the graphite, and a recess is formed into the cap to maintain a selected moment of inertia of the target and thereby maintain the rotordynamics of a given X-ray tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas C. Tiearney, Thomas Robert Raber, Pazhayannur Ramanathan Subramanian, Srihari Balasubramanian
  • Patent number: 6529580
    Abstract: An x-ray imaging apparatus having an anode stem assembly with explosion-bonded joints is provided. Explosion-bonding the components of an anode stem assembly to one another provides a hermetic seal with increased reliability as well as reducing the anode stem's susceptibility to thermal and/or mechanical induced fracture. By eliminating the need for brazing and/or welding material within the anode stem, the present invention also provides an anode stem with increased heat transfer capabilities. Further, providing explosion-bonded joints creates a simple joint microstructure absent any voids and temperature-induced phases not previously present in the anode stem materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Co., LLC
    Inventors: Gregory A. Steinlage, Thomas C. Tiearney, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20020191748
    Abstract: A brazed X-ray target includes a metallic cap and a graphite back including a nonlinear record groove attached thereto along a stepped surface. An upper corner joint of the stepped surface is distanced from a cap outer edge and a focal track where the maximum heat is generated during use of the target. The graphite back is extended outward toward the cap outer edge to increase a thermal storage of the graphite, and a recess is formed into the cap to maintain a selected moment of inertia of the target and thereby maintain the rotordynamics of a given X-ray tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas C. Tiearney, Thomas Robert Raber, Pazhayannur Ramanathan Subramanian, Srihari Balasubramanian
  • Patent number: 5349626
    Abstract: A rotating anode target for X-ray devices comprises a circular graphite disc structure both of whose front and back sides or faces taper equally towards each other and define a narrow rim surface and central hub section. A larger area of the front face is coated with a focal track metal which extends coextensively over the front face to overlap part of the rim surface. The slant height dimension of the focal track metal is greater than the diameter of the hub section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Paul U. Ujari, Thomas C. Tiearney
  • Patent number: 5159619
    Abstract: A high performance x-ray tube rotating target having a reactive barier layer between the substrate and the emissive coating and, if desired, a protective layer of molybdenum between the reactive barrier and the emissive coating is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark G. Benz, Melvin R. Jackson, Robert J. Zabala, Karen A. Lou, Thomas C. Tiearney, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5008918
    Abstract: A composite target for an x-ray tube has a graphite substrate portion and a metal portion, the two portions being bonded together by platinum and platinum alloying materials. The preferred alloying materials are tungsten and nickel which act in conjunction with the platinum to improve the bond resulting in an x-ray tube having a longer life span.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David S. Lee, Thomas C. Tiearney, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4978051
    Abstract: A composite target for an x-ray tube has a graphite substrate portion and a metal portion, the two portions being bonded together by a platinum braze. A tantalum wetting agent layer on the graphite acts to improve the bond by causing the platinum to better wet the graphite portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Tiearney, Jr., William D. Love, David K. Moorman