US3777145A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic limit switch system for a scintillation device and method of operation
Assignee: Philips Nuclear Medicine Inc
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Filing: 1972-06-23
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Granted: 1973-12-04
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Expires: 1992-06-23
Abstract
Abstract A scintillation scanner having an automatic limit switch system for setting the limits of travel of the radiation detection device which is carried by a scanning boom. The automatic limit switch system incorporates position responsive circuitry for developing a signal representative of the position of the boom, reference signal circuitry for developing a signal representative of a selected limit of travel of the boom, and comparator circuitry for comparing these signals in order to control the operation of a boom drive and indexing mechanism.
Inventors
- 👤 C Brunnett
- 👤 B Ioannou
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 00:49
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/16; G01T1/161; G01T1/164; G01T1/166
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
In a scintillation scanning device comprising a housing structure, a scan boom movably supported by said housing structure, reciprocal drive means being operatively connected to said boom for reciprocally driving said boom in a longitudinal scanning path, transverse drive means being operatively connected to said boom for moving said boom transversely in a scan indexing path, a radiation detection element supported at one end of said boom, the improvement in an automatic limit of travel system comprising: position responsive means for developing a monitor signal having a value representative of the position of the scan boom; reference signal circUit means for developing a limit signal having a value representative of the position of a limit of travel of said scan boom; comparator circuit means coupled to said position responsive means and to said reference signal circuit means for developing a control signal when the value of a said monitor signal attains a predetermined level with respect to the value of a said limit signal, said comparator circuit means being coupled to said reciprocal drive means and said transverse drive means for applying a control signal to said reciprocal and transverse drive means to thereby terminate travel of and index said boom.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
201 words
In a scintillation scanning device comprising a housing structure, a scan boom movably supported by said housing structure, reciprocal drive means being operatively connected to said boom for reciprocally driving said boom in a longitudinal scanning path, transverse drive means being operatively connected to said boom for moving said boom transversely in a scan indexing path, a radiation detection element supported at one end of said boom, the improvement in an automatic limit of travel system comprising: position responsive means for developing a monitor signal having a value representative of the position of the scan boom; reference signal circUit means for developing a limit signal having a value representative of the position of a limit of travel of said scan boom; comparator circuit means coupled to said position responsive means and to said reference signal circuit means for developing a control signal when the value of a said monitor signal attains a predetermined level with respect to the value of a said limit signal, said comparator circuit means being coupled to said reciprocal drive means and said transverse drive means for applying a control signal to said reciprocal and transverse drive means to thereby terminate travel of and index said boom.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
121 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 including second reference signal circuit means for developing a second limit signal having a value representative of the position of a second limit of travel of said scan boom; second comparator circuit means coupled to said second position responsive means and to said reference signal circuit means for developing a second control signal when the value of a said monitor signal attains a predetermined level with respect to the value of a said second limit signal, said second comparator circuit means being coupled to said reciprocal drive means and said transverse drive means for applying a control signal to said reciprocal and transverse drive means to thereby terminate travel of and index said boom.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said reference signal circuit means includes clocking circuit means for developing a train of pulses, counting circuit means coupled to said clocking circuit means, and actuator means for actuating said counting circuit means to receive a said train of clocking pulses.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said counting circuit means includes binary counter means, and said reference signal circuit means includes digital-to-analog converter means interposed between said binary counter means and said comparator circuit means for converting signals developed by said binary counter means to signals of analog form.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said reference signal circuit means includes gating means for deactivating said counting circuit means after said counting circuit means has been activated when the value of a signal developed by said digital-to-analog converter means attains a predetermined value with respect clocking the value of said limit signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said reference signal circuit means includes clocking circuit means for developing a train of pulses, counting circuit means coupled to said clocking circuit means, and actuator means for actuating said counting circuit means to receive a said train of clocingin pulses.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said counting circuit means includes binary counter means, and said reference signal circuit means includes digital-to-analog converter means interposed between said binary counter means and said comparator circuit means for converting signals developed by said binary counter means to signals of analog form.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said reference signal circuit means includes gating means for deactivating said counting circuit means after said counting circuit means has been activated when the value of a signal developed by said digital-to-analog converter means attains a predetermined value with respect to the value of a said limit signal.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of setting the limit of travel of a radiation detector in a scintillation device comprising the steps of: positioning the radiation detector at one selected extremity of travel; generating a limit signal having a value representative of the selected postion of the radiation detector; generating a reference signal having a value of a predetermined level with respect to the value of the limit signal; moving the radiation detector to a position away from said selected extremity position; driving the radiation detector in a direction towarD said selected extremity position; developing a position signal having a value representative of the position of the radiation detector; comparing the value of a position signal with the value of a reference signal; terminating movement of the radiation detector when the value of a position signal attains a predetermined value with respect to the value of a reference signal.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of setting the limit of travel of a radiation detector in a scintillation device comprising the steps of: positioning the radiation detector at one selected extremity of travel; generating a limit signal having a value representative of the selected postion of the radiation detector; generating a reference signal having a value of a predetermined level with respect to the value of the limit signal; moving the radiation detector to a position away from said selected extremity position; driving the radiation detector in a direction towarD said selected extremity position; developing a position signal having a value representative of the position of the radiation detector; comparing the value of a position signal with the value of a reference signal; terminating movement of the radiation detector when the value of a position signal attains a predetermined value with respect to the value of a reference signal.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
255 words
A method of setting the limits of travel of a radiation detector in a scintillation device comprising the steps of: positioning the radiation detector at a first extremity of travel; generating a first limit signal having a value representative of the first selected position of the radiation detector; generating a first reference signal having a value of a predetermined level with respect to the value of the first limit signal; positioning the radiation detector at a second selected extremity of travel; generating a second limit signal having a value representative of the second selected position of the radiation detector; generating a second reference signal having a value of a predetermined level with respect to the value of the second limit signal; driving the radiation detector in a direction toward said first selected extremity position; developing a position signal having a value representative of the position of the radiation detector; comparing the value of the position signal with the value of the first reference signal; terminating movement of the radiation detector when the value of a postion signal attains a predetermined value with respect to the value of the first reference signal; driving the radiation detector in a direction away from said first selected extremity position and toward said second selected extremity position; comparing the value of the position signal with the value of the second reference signal; and, terminating movement of the radiation detector when the value of the position signal attains a predetermined value with respect to the value of the second reference signal.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
255 words
A method of setting the limits of travel of a radiation detector in a scintillation device comprising the steps of: positioning the radiation detector at a first extremity of travel; generating a first limit signal having a value representative of the first selected position of the radiation detector; generating a first reference signal having a value of a predetermined level with respect to the value of the first limit signal; positioning the radiation detector at a second selected extremity of travel; generating a second limit signal having a value representative of the second selected position of the radiation detector; generating a second reference signal having a value of a predetermined level with respect to the value of the second limit signal; driving the radiation detector in a direction toward said first selected extremity position; developing a position signal having a value representative of the position of the radiation detector; comparing the value of the position signal with the value of the first reference signal; terminating movement of the radiation detector when the value of a postion signal attains a predetermined value with respect to the value of the first reference signal; driving the radiation detector in a direction away from said first selected extremity position and toward said second selected extremity position; comparing the value of the position signal with the value of the second reference signal; and, terminating movement of the radiation detector when the value of the position signal attains a predetermined value with respect to the value of the second reference signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
187 words
A scintillation scanning device comprising a housing structure, a boom movably supported by said housing structure, reciprocal drive means operatively connected to said boom for reciprocally driving said boom along a longitudinal scanning path, transverse drive means operatively connected to said boom for moving said boom transversely along a scan indexing path, a radiation detection element supported at one end of said boom, the improvement in an automatic limit of travel system comprising: position responsive means for developing a monitor signal having a value representative of the actual position of the boom; reference signal circuit means for developing a limit signal having a value resentative of the position of a selected limit of travel of said boom; comparator circuit means coupled to said position responsive means and said reference signal circuit means for developing a control signal when the value of a said monitor signal attains a predetermined level with respect to the value of a said limit signal; and, control circuit means coupled to said comparator circuit means for, upon receipt of a control signal, controlling said reciprocal drive means to terminate travel of said boom.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
187 words
A scintillation scanning device comprising a housing structure, a boom movably supported by said housing structure, reciprocal drive means operatively connected to said boom for reciprocally driving said boom along a longitudinal scanning path, transverse drive means operatively connected to said boom for moving said boom transversely along a scan indexing path, a radiation detection element supported at one end of said boom, the improvement in an automatic limit of travel system comprising: position responsive means for developing a monitor signal having a value representative of the actual position of the boom; reference signal circuit means for developing a limit signal having a value resentative of the position of a selected limit of travel of said boom; comparator circuit means coupled to said position responsive means and said reference signal circuit means for developing a control signal when the value of a said monitor signal attains a predetermined level with respect to the value of a said limit signal; and, control circuit means coupled to said comparator circuit means for, upon receipt of a control signal, controlling said reciprocal drive means to terminate travel of said boom.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
119 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 11 including second reference signal circuit means for developing a second limit signal having a value representative of the position of a second limit of travel of said scan boom; second comparator circuit means coupled to said second position responsive means and to said reference signal circuit means for developing a second control signal when the value of a said monitor signal attains a predetermined level with respect to the value of a said second limit signal, said second comparator circuit means being coupled to said reciprocal drive means and said transverse drive means for applying a control signal to said reciprocal and transverse drive means to therebY terminate travel of said boom
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said reference signal circuit means includes clocking circuit means for developing a train of pulses, counting circuit means coupled to said clocking circuit means, and actuator means for actuating said counting circuit means to receive a said train of clocking pulses.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said counting circuit means includes binary counter means, and said reference signal circuit means includes digital-to-analog converter means interposed between said binary counter means and said comparator circuit means for converting signals developed by said binary counter means to signals of analog form.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US26014A
Cited
US3465145A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-03 | 1977-06-04 | 1977-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-03 | 1981-06-04 | 1981-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-03 | 1985-06-04 | 1985-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |