Celebrity Inventors
Glam girl Heddy Lamar may have used her good looks to good effect on the silver screen, but she put her smarts to better use as an inventor. During World War II, she co-patented a frequency-switching system for torpedo guidance that was considered years ahead of its time.
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US Patent 6198956 - High speed sector scanning apparatus having digital electronic control
US Patent Issued on March 6, 2001
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
September 30, 2019Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
September 30, 2019Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.AbstractAn ultrasonic scanner has a housing, an ultrasonic transducer mounted within the housing for back-and-forth motion about a pivot, a permanent magnet affixed to the rear of the transducer, and electromagnetic means to effect movement of the transducer/magnet assembly. The electromagnetic means comprises two or more longitudinally mounted electromagnets, and optionally two radially mounted permanent magnets which serve as decelerating buffers. Electrical means are provided for energizing the transducer and receiving signals therefrom. Digitizing means are provided to convert the received signals to digital form. Sequential control means are provided to energize the electromagnet coils in a programmed sequence, and furthermore to synchronize transducer motion, periodic energization of the transducer, and digitization of signals received from the transducer. Display means are provided to present the signals received by the transducer to an operator, in the form of a time-varying tomographic image. More generally, a scanning device is provided having electromagnets co-acting with a permanent magnet mounted on a rocker, and coupled with a source and detector for high energy signals, so that a sweeping motion of the rocker can be effected, and an image of the target tissue may be reconstructed. | InventorAssigneeApplicationNo. 409095 filed on 09/30/1999US Classes:600/407, Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation73/633, Having transducer scanning means600/446, Hand-held unit600/459Structure of transducer or probe assemblyField of Search600/437, Ultrasonic600/444, With mechanical and electronic scanning600/445, Mechanical scanning600/446, Hand-held unit600/459, Structure of transducer or probe assembly600/462, Probe placed in vascular system or body orifice600/463, With acoustical or display imaging600/464, Having puncturing means thereon600/466, Catheter600/467, Intravascular73/633, Having transducer scanning means310/14, Solenoid and core type310/15, Reciprocating310/23, Solenoid and core type310/24, Plural cores318/119, RECIPROCATING OR OSCILLATING MOTOR318/128, Noise, sound, vibration, movement or position of motor361/152, Including particular drive circuit361/153, Pulse initiated361/154, Including means to establish plural distinct current levels (e.g., high, low)359/198, Particular mount or driver for element359/199, Particular oscillating driver359/212, Including reflective type moving element359/213Having oscillating elementExaminersPrimary: Jaworski, Francis J.Attorney, Agent or FirmUS Patent References4092867, Ultrasonic scanning apparatusIssued on: 06/06/1978 Inventor: Matzuk4732156, Ultrasonic endoscope Issued on: 03/22/1988 Inventor: Nakamura4785816, Ultrasonic transducer probe assembly Issued on: 11/22/1988 Inventor: Dow , et al.4787247, Scanning apparatus and method Issued on: 11/29/1988 Inventor: Wuchinich , et al.4974918, Device with oscillating mirrors for deviating electromagnetic beams Issued on: 12/04/1990 Inventor: Delache, et al.5159931, Apparatus for obtaining a three-dimensional reconstruction of anatomic structures through the acquisition of echographic images Issued on: 11/03/1992 Inventor: Pini5357963, Sealed magnetic drive means without a passage through a wall and ultrasound probe comprising an application thereof Issued on: 10/25/1994 Inventor: Mayol, et al.5373845, Apparatus and method for forward looking volume imaging Issued on: 12/20/1994 Inventor: Gardineer, et al.5454371, Method and system for constructing and displaying three-dimensional images Issued on: 10/03/1995 Inventor: Fenster, et al.5562095, Three dimensional ultrasound imaging system Issued on: 10/08/1996 Inventor: Downey, et al.5647367, Scanning ultrasonic probe with locally-driven sweeping ultrasonic source Issued on: 07/15/1997 Inventor: Lum, et al.5701901, Ultrasonic probe with back and forth sweeping ultrasonic source Issued on: 12/30/1997 Inventor: Lum, et al.5754327, Device and method for deflecting a laser beam by means of a single mirror Issued on: 05/19/1998 Inventor: Masotti, et al.5827266, Scanner Issued on: 10/27/1998 Inventor: Harel, et al.5842473, Three-dimensional imaging system Issued on: 12/01/1998 Inventor: Fenster, et al.6066998Magnetic actuator with long travel in one direction Issued on: 05/23/2000 Inventor: Trumper, et al. International ClassA61B 005/00 |
