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Patent No. 5983411

Toilet Tank Aquarium

A new toilet tank assembly aquarium for housing aquatic creatures.

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Assignee: General Scanning, Inc.


Location: Watertown, MA
No. of patents: 56

1    
NumberTitleIssue Date
6337462Laser processing
A controlled, switched laser system for vaporizing a target structure on a substrate includes a diode-pumped, solid-state laser for producing a laser output, a controllable switch for controlling the on/off state and power level of the laser, and a wavele...
01/08/2002
6243188Light beam scanning system
A non-symmetrical scanning mirror for a laser scanning system is stiffer at a bottom end than at a top end. The mirror, which is driven from the bottom end, has a relatively high resonant frequency and can thus accelerate quickly and smoothly. The mirror ...
06/05/2001
6078390Scanning system and method of operation for automatically setting detection sensitivity
An optical scanning system uses a low-resolution scanning operation, to automatically adjust the sensitivity of the system. The system performs a low-resolution scanning operation by scanning a line, automatically and iteratively setting the levels of exc...
06/20/2000
6075613Optical scanner calibration device
An optical scanning system includes a power meter that during calibration operations is illuminated by an attenuated excitation beam. The power meter measures optical power in the attenuated excitation beam at various index settings of a variable optical ...
06/13/2000
6053469Low-cost 2-axis mirror mount
An system for orienting optical components comprises a spherical mirror support that rests in an indentation and a separate fixture for aligning the support. The alignment fixture engages the support for alignment and then is removed once the desired orie...
04/25/2000
6000801Multi-color laser projector for optical layup template and the like
A system that projects a multi-color laser beam image based on assembly or alignment data of a manufacturing process onto a work surface. The system provides, for example, an optical layup template in manufacturing processes, especially the layup of compo...
12/14/1999
5998759Laser processing
A controlled, switched laser system for vaporizing a target structure on a substrate includes a diode-pumped, solid-state laser for producing a laser output, a controllable switch for controlling the on/off state and power level of the laser, and a wavele...
12/07/1999
5895915Bi-directional scanning system with a pixel clock system
A bi-directional optical scanning system includes a spring-stiffened, taut-band mechanical subsystem that translates rotational motion of a servo-controlled actuator to translational (scan line or "fast axis") motion of a sample relative to a stationary o...
04/20/1999
5670779Electro-optical shaft angle transducer having a rotatable refractive optical element
A shaft angle transducer uses a rectangular prism to refract a light beam in proportion to the angular displacement of a shaft and then measures the refraction with a pair of light sensors. A fixed light source projects a light beam through a cylindrical ...
09/23/1997
5576741Configurable chart recorder
A modular-design recorder consists of a "print engine," a drive assembly for moving a print medium, e.g., paper, through the print engine, and a chassis for supporting the engine and the assembly. The chassis includes two identical sets of mounting studs,...
11/19/1996
5537109Capacitive transducing with feedback
A variable capacitance high precision, stable transducer for detecting position of a moving member including a first stationary conducting surface connected to a source, a second surface with at least two conducting, sensing regions and a third movable co...
07/16/1996
5528411Resonant scanner
A resonant scanner mounts a mirror on a support that is torsionally compliant, yet stiff in the lateral directions. A torsion bar serves as the torsional spring that resonates with the rotating mass. One end of the bar is rigidly coupled to the mirror, th...
06/18/1996
5521740Resonant optical scanner
Leaf springs suspend a frame within an outer housing of a resonant optical scanner. The leaf springs are substantially perpendicular to the axis of torsional oscillation and to the direction of transverse oscillation of the rotor and, therefore, reduce th...
05/28/1996
5424632Moving magnet optical scanner with novel rotor design
A galvanometer is shown, which includes a cylindrical magnetic rotor polarized into two essentially semi-cylindrical poles on opposite sides of its axis. Two coil portions are disposed on opposite sides of the rotor, separated by a plane of symmetry that ...
06/13/1995
5400132Rectification of a laser pointing device
Methods of compensating for errors in a laser pointing device, particularly for use in three-dimensional applications, by accurately controlling the angle that the laser beam makes in space. A method for rectifying a laser pointing device that aims a laser bea...
03/21/1995
5300756Method for severing integrated-circuit connection paths by a phase-plate-adjusted laser beam
A method for severing integrated-circuit conductive links by laser power employs a phase plate (26) to shape the laser beam's intensity profile. The profile thus imparted to the beam approximates the Fourier transform of the intensity profile desired on t...
04/05/1994
5235180Rotary motor having an angular position transducer and galvanometer scanning system employing such motor
An analog optical position transducer for detecting angular position of a rotatable member of a motor. The transducer includes a plurality of sensing surfaces placed in one frame of reference and a modulator located in another frame of reference, one of t...
08/10/1993
5225923Scanning microscope employing improved scanning mechanism
A confocal microscope (10) includes a scanner assembly (38) in which the x-axis deflector assembly includes two resonant scanners (50 and 52) that oscillate about parallel axes at different frequencies, one of which is a harmonic of the other. As a conseq...
07/06/1993
5225770Moving magnet galvanometers having a varied density winding distribution coil for a desired performance characteristic
A galvanometer is shown, which includes a cylindrical magnetic rotor polarized into two essentially semi-cylindrical poles on opposite sides of its axis. Two coil portions are disposed on opposite sides of the rotor, separated by a plane of symmetry that ...
07/06/1993
5169050Wire bonder with improved actuator
To provide the necessary vertical motion of a wire- bonding head (20) mounted on a flexural pivot (16), a wire-bonding machine (10) includes an actuator comprising a permanent magnet (56) mounted on the flexural pivot (16) and extending into the central p...
12/08/1992
5150249Two-mirror scanner with pincushion error correction
A two-dimensional scanner employs first and second pivotable mirrors (36 and 40) to control the position of the target point that a light spot assumes in a target plane (44). The second mirror (40) is driven in a resonant mode. An f.multidot.θ lens (42) ...
09/22/1992
5123024Apparatus and method for controlling the light intensity of a laser diode
A closed loop circuit for controlling the intensity of light emitted by a laser diode. A portion of the light emitted by the laser diode is used as an optical feedback signal and applied to a photodetector. The difference between a current produced by the...
06/16/1992
5121138Resonant scanner control system
A resonant scanner control system controls a laser source using a pixel clock which uses a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and a phase detector to track continuously throughout the entire scan cycle the pixel-to-pixel and cycle-to-cycle operations of ...
06/09/1992
5099386Variable-capacitance position transducing
A variable-capacitance transducer detects the angular position of a rotatable member. The transducer includes a first capacitance plate having a plurality of electrically conductive capacitance electrodes, a second capacitance plate spaced therefrom, and ...
03/24/1992
5097356Optical scanner with damped coupling
An optical scanner has a visco-elastic material within a flexible coupling in its shaft assembly. The flexible coupling serves to permit bending of the assembly in response to lateral vibration. However, in response to the bending, the visco-elastic mater...
03/17/1992
5048904Two-mirror scanner with pincushion error correction
A two-dimensional scanner employs first and second pivotable mirrors (36 and 40) to control the position of the target point that a light spot assumes in a target phase (44). The second mirror (40) is driven in a resonant mode. An f.multidot.θ lens (42) ...
09/17/1991
4990808Symmetrical resonant scanner and drive
A resonant rotationally oscillating mechanical system has masses supported by a resilient structure held at both ends on a stationary base to define a natural resonance frequency of intended rotational motion about an axis relative to the base. The resili...
02/05/1991
4959568Dynamically tunable resonant device with electric control
An element that moves resonantly has its resonant frequency dynamically tuned to a desired frequency by two components that cooperate via magnetic fields, one component being mounted for motion with the moving element....
09/25/1990
4919500Torsion bar scanner with damping
A resonant scanner has at least one torsionally rigid damper located at at least one torsional node point of a torsion bar. At least one node of an unwanted vibrational mode is determined to be at a distinct node point, whereby the damper damps the unwant...
04/24/1990
4878721Resonant mechanical system
A resonant rotationally oscillating mechanical system has a plurality of masses supported by a resilient structure held at both ends on a stationary base to define a natural resonance frequency of intended rotational motion about an axis relative to the b...
11/07/1989
4874215Tunable resonant mechanical system
The natural resonant frequency (and phase) of a resonant mechanical system (having an spring structure that includes a material whose elastic properties change with temperature, e.g., by at least 0.05% per °C.) is tuned to a desired value by changing the...
10/17/1989
4830496Interferometer
A reference mirror (50) in an interferometer is fixed in position with respect to a laser (34). A refractive block (40) having parallel upper and lower surfaces is mounted for pivoting about a pivot axis (60) parallel to the reference mirror (40). The ref...
05/16/1989
4816920Planar surface scanning system
A surface scanning system defining an optical path for scanning a planar surface, in which an angularly moving scanner deflects a portion of the path, an optical element aligned with stationary portions of the optical path is driven in rectilinear sinusoi...
03/28/1989
4797749Scanning system with tunable resonant actuator
A surface-scanning system of the kind that defines an optical path and has a scanning assembly comprised of X and Y angularly oscillating scanners for deflecting a portion of the path, and first and second optical elements aligned with stationary portions...
01/10/1989
4787546Apparatus for automatic threading of a web
A recorder or printer device including apparatus for threading a continuous web of printable material from a supply through a main drive nip, including a main drive nip formed by a drive surface of a rotatable roll and a main presser which urges the web a...
11/29/1988
4763967Tunable resonant device
A dynamically resonant system including a linearly movable element having a neutral position and a range of excursion centered on the neutral position, a spring-like element for urging the movable element toward the neutral position, the resonant system h...
08/16/1988
4694235Capacitive position sensor
A capacitive position sensor for sensing changes in the position of a rotating element, in which there are two sets of stationary capacitive surfaces, one set forming a first integral unit, the other set forming a second integral unit; the two units are h...
09/15/1987
4694212Magnetic preloading of actuator bearings
Radial free play is reduced in rotor bearings of a limited rotation electromechanical actuator of the kind having a stator assembly with a plurality of stator pole faces, a rotor with a plurality of rotor pole faces, two bearings supporting opposite ends ...
09/15/1987
4673876Two-element angular positive sensor for rotatable shaft
An angular position sensor for determining the angular position of a shaft relative to a fixed support to which the shaft is rotatably connected, including a pair of interactive sensor elements respectively on the shaft and on the support, the elements be...
06/16/1987
4655543Mount for attaching an optical element to a rotating shaft
A mount for attaching an optical element to a rotating shaft combines a first portion which bears the optical element and is sufficiently rigid to limit dynamic distortion of the optical element, a clamp portion spaced axially from the first portion for c...
04/07/1987
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