US3928769A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Laminographic instrument
Assignee: Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp
•
Filing: 1973-03-19
•
Granted: 1975-12-23
•
Expires: 1993-03-19
Abstract
Abstract A laminographic instrument for radiographically imaging on a radiation sensitive imaging medium, such as a photographic plate or fluorescent screen, a selected cross-section of a specimen. The instrument includes a novel articulated support forming a universal parallel link structure which supports the radiation source, specimen, and imaging medium for relative oscillatory motion such that the imaging medium records a radiographic shadow image of a selected specimen cross-section only. The instrument may have an operating mode in which the imaging medium is held stationary and the specimen oscillates or an operating mode in which the specimen is held stationary and the imaging medium oscillates. When operating in the latter mode with a viewing screen as the imaging medium, the instrument is equipped with a direct viewing system which eliminates image movement at the viewing station.
Inventors
- 👤 Webster D Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 14:30
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N23/00; G01N23/02; G01N23/04; G01N23/044; A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/02; A61B6/025; G01N23/046; G01N2223/00; G01N2223/40; G01N2223/419
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
298 words
A laminographic instrument comprising: an articulated support including four frames disposed one over the other, connecting bars extending between and spaced about said frames, and swivel connections joining said frames and bars; the swivel connections for each frame having their swivel centers located in a common swivel center plane, the swivel connections of each bar having swivel centers located on a common swivel center axis, the swivel center planes of said frames being parallel to one another, and the swivel center axes of the bars being parallel to one another; said frames including a pair of radiator support frames adjacent one end of said bars, an image frame adjacent the other end of said bars, and a specimen frame between said support frames and said image frame; a radiation source having a radiation axis parallel to swivel center axes; a pair of swivel connections joining said source to said radiator support frames and having swivel centers located on said radiation axis; said radiation source including means for emitting a beam of radiation along said radiation axis toward said specimen and image frames; said specimen frame having means for supporting on said radiation axis a specimen to be examined; said image frame including means for supporting on said radiation axis a radiation sensitive imaging medium; means for mounting one of said frames in a fixed position, whereby said latter frame is a relatively fixed frame and said support may be driven in an oscillatory motion about the swivel connections of said fixed frame to produce on said imaging medium a shadow image which represents only the cross-section of said specimen located in the swivel center plane of said specimen frame; and drive means connected to said support for oscillating said support about the swivel connections of said fixed frame.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
298 words
A laminographic instrument comprising: an articulated support including four frames disposed one over the other, connecting bars extending between and spaced about said frames, and swivel connections joining said frames and bars; the swivel connections for each frame having their swivel centers located in a common swivel center plane, the swivel connections of each bar having swivel centers located on a common swivel center axis, the swivel center planes of said frames being parallel to one another, and the swivel center axes of the bars being parallel to one another; said frames including a pair of radiator support frames adjacent one end of said bars, an image frame adjacent the other end of said bars, and a specimen frame between said support frames and said image frame; a radiation source having a radiation axis parallel to swivel center axes; a pair of swivel connections joining said source to said radiator support frames and having swivel centers located on said radiation axis; said radiation source including means for emitting a beam of radiation along said radiation axis toward said specimen and image frames; said specimen frame having means for supporting on said radiation axis a specimen to be examined; said image frame including means for supporting on said radiation axis a radiation sensitive imaging medium; means for mounting one of said frames in a fixed position, whereby said latter frame is a relatively fixed frame and said support may be driven in an oscillatory motion about the swivel connections of said fixed frame to produce on said imaging medium a shadow image which represents only the cross-section of said specimen located in the swivel center plane of said specimen frame; and drive means connected to said support for oscillating said support about the swivel connections of said fixed frame.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
An instrument according to claim 1 including: means for adjusting said specimen to locate any selected cross-section of said specimen in the swivel center plane of said specimen frame.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
An instrument according to claim 1 wherein: one of said specimen and image frames comprises said fixed frame.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
An instrument according to claim 1 wherein: said specimen frame comprises said fixed frame.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
An instrument according to claim 1 wherein: said image frame comprises said fixed frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
95 words
An instrument according to claim 1 wherein: said specimen frame comprises said fixed frame; said imaging medium comprises a fluorescent viewing screen on which is formed a visual shadow image of the specimen cross-section located in the swivel center plane of said specimen frame; said specimen image and viewing screen undergo oscillatory motion in unison with said support; and said instrument further comprises viewing means for transmitting light rays emanating from said specimen image to a viewing station in a manner such that said image appears to be relatively stationary as seen from said station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
An instrument according to claim 6 wherein: said viewing means comprises a mirror for reflecting the light rays from such specimen image to said viewing station, and the means for driving said mirror in an oscillatory motion in unison with the oscillatory motion of said viewing screen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
An instrument according to claim 6 wherein: said viewing means comprises a fixed mirror for reflecting light rays from said specimen imagE to said viewing station, and optical means for deflecting said light rays between said mirror and said viewing station in synchronism with oscillatory motion of said viewing screen.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
An instrument according claim 6 wherein: said optical means comprises a pair of rotary optical wedges arranged in series between said mirror and said viewing station, and means for driving said wedges in rotation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-22 | 1979-06-23 | 1979-12-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-22 | 1983-06-23 | 1983-12-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-22 | 1987-06-23 | 1987-12-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |