US4835388A — Thermoluminescence dosimetry card reader heating …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 119 words

A TLD card reader comprising: at least one means for detecting light emitted by a heated TL element; and means for heating a TL element, said means for heating comprising conduit means for channeling and heating a flow of a gas, said conduit means having an outlet end for discharging said gas against said TL element, and means for controllably heating said conduit means to heat said gas flowing through said conduit means, said conduit means being electrically conducting and said means for controllably heating including means operatively connected to said conduit means for controllably passing an electrical current through said conduit means to heat said conduit means, thereby controllably to heat said gas flowing through said conduit means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 119 words

A TLD card reader comprising: at least one means for detecting light emitted by a heated TL element; and means for heating a TL element, said means for heating comprising conduit means for channeling and heating a flow of a gas, said conduit means having an outlet end for discharging said gas against said TL element, and means for controllably heating said conduit means to heat said gas flowing through said conduit means, said conduit means being electrically conducting and said means for controllably heating including means operatively connected to said conduit means for controllably passing an electrical current through said conduit means to heat said conduit means, thereby controllably to heat said gas flowing through said conduit means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

The TLD card reader of claim 1 including temperature sensing means for measuring the temperature of a gas being discharged from said outlet end.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 48 words

The TLD card reader of claim 2 including control means, operatively connected to said temperature sensing means and said means for controllably passing a current, for heating a gas flowing through said conduit means to a temperature varying with time according to a prescribed temperature versus time characteristic.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 78 words

The TLD card reader of claim 3 wherein said control means comprises means for generating an electrical signal varying with time according to said prescribed characteristic, means for comparing the temperature indicated by said temperature sensing means to said electrical signal to produce a difference signal and means for controlling said means for passing a current in response to said difference signal, thereby to vary the temperature of said discharging gas with time according to said prescribed characteristic.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 26 words

The TLD card reader of claim 4 wherein said means for generating comprises a programmable computer means for producing a digital signal having said prescribed characteristic.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 33 words

The TLD card reader of claim 5 including means, operatively connected to said programmable computer means, for converting said digital signal into a corresponding analog signal for application to said means for comparing.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 46 words

The TLD card reader of claim 2 including means for holding said TL element spaced from said outlet end, and wherein said sensing means is spaced with respect to said outlet end by a distance less than the spacing between said outlet end and TL element.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 96 words

The TLD card reader of 1 wherein said conduit means has an inlet end opposite said outlet end and said means for passing an electrical current comprises a pair of electrical leads, one of said electrical leads mechanically and electrically contacting said conduit means at a first location near said outlet end and the other of said electrical leads mechanically and electrically contacting said conduit means at a second location spaced from said first location along said conduit means, and a controllable current source means, operatively connected to said leads, for controllably generating an electrical current.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 96 words

The TLD card reader of 1 wherein said conduit means has an inlet end opposite said outlet end and said means for passing an electrical current comprises a pair of electrical leads, one of said electrical leads mechanically and electrically contacting said conduit means at a first location near said outlet end and the other of said electrical leads mechanically and electrically contacting said conduit means at a second location spaced from said first location along said conduit means, and a controllable current source means, operatively connected to said leads, for controllably generating an electrical current.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 26 words

The TLD card reader of claim 1 wherein said conduit means comprises a metal tube having a wall thickness of no more than about 0.25 mm.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 21 words

The TLD card reader of claim 9 where said metal tube has a wall thickness no greater than about 0.064 mm.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 37 words

The TLD card reader of claim 1 including means, operatively connected to said means for heating, for preventing heating of said conduit means when the pressure of gas within said conduit means falls below a predetermined threshold.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 81 words

The TLD card reader of claim 1 including a tubular support for said conduit means, said tubular support having a side wall including aperture means for passing said conduit means into the interior of said tubular support from outside said tubular support, said conduit means having a portion thereof extending from said aperture means axially through said tubular support to an end wall of said support, said end wall including an opening aligned with said outlet end of said conduit means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 30 words

The TLD card reader of claim 12 wherein said portion of said conduit means has a major part thereof spaced from contact with said side wall of said tubular support.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 63 words

The TLD card reader of claim 12 including temperature sensing means disposed proximate said outlet end for measuring the temperature of a gas being discharged from said outlet end, said sensing means including a sensing element, and means for securing said sensing means to said tubular support with said sensing element located at said opening in said end wall of said tubular support.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 21 words

The TLD card reader of claim 14 wherein said means for securing includes a tubular sleeve telescoped over said tubular support.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 141 words

A TLD card reader comprising: a plurality of means for detecting light emitted by respective heated TL elements; and means for heating each of a plurality of TL elements, said means for heating comprising a plurality of conduit means each associated with a respective one of said plurality of means for detecting for channeling a flow a gas to a respective one of said TL elements, each of said conduit means having an outlet end for discharging said gas against a respective TL element, and means for independently heating each of said conduit means to heat the gas flowing through each of said conduit means, thereby independently, controllably to heat each TL element, and said conduit means being heated by said means for independently heating over a portion thereof terminating in close proximity to said outlet end of said conduit means.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 141 words

A TLD card reader comprising: a plurality of means for detecting light emitted by respective heated TL elements; and means for heating each of a plurality of TL elements, said means for heating comprising a plurality of conduit means each associated with a respective one of said plurality of means for detecting for channeling a flow a gas to a respective one of said TL elements, each of said conduit means having an outlet end for discharging said gas against a respective TL element, and means for independently heating each of said conduit means to heat the gas flowing through each of said conduit means, thereby independently, controllably to heat each TL element, and said conduit means being heated by said means for independently heating over a portion thereof terminating in close proximity to said outlet end of said conduit means.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 49 words

The TLD card reader of claim 16 wherein each of said conduit means is electrically conducting and said means for heating comprises means operatively connected to each of said conduit means for controllably passing an electrical current through said conduit means to heat gas flowing through said conduit means.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 77 words

An assembly for heating a TL element comprising an electrically conducting conduit means for channeling and heating a flow of gas, said conduit means having an outlet end for discharging said gas against a TL element, and means operatively connected to said conduit means for controllably passing an electrical current through said conduit means to heat said conduit means, thereby controllably to heat said gas flowing through said conduit means for controllably heating a TL element .

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 77 words

An assembly for heating a TL element comprising an electrically conducting conduit means for channeling and heating a flow of gas, said conduit means having an outlet end for discharging said gas against a TL element, and means operatively connected to said conduit means for controllably passing an electrical current through said conduit means to heat said conduit means, thereby controllably to heat said gas flowing through said conduit means for controllably heating a TL element .

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 27 words

The assembly of claim 18 including temperature sensing means disposed proximate said outlet end for measuring the temperature of a gas being discharged from said outlet end.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 46 words

The assembly of claim 19 including control means, operatively connected to said temperature sensing means and said means for controllably passing a current, for heating a gas flowing through said conduit means to a temperature varying with time according to a prescribed temperature versus time characteristic.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 76 words

The assembly of claim 20 wherein said control means comprises means for generating an electrical signal varying with time according to said prescribed characteristic, means for comparing the temperature indicated by said temperature sensing means to said electrical signal to produce a difference signal and means for controlling said means for passing a current in response to said difference signal, thereby to vary the temperature of said discharging gas with time according to said prescribed characteristic.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 24 words

The assembly of claim 21 wherein said means for generating comprises a programmable computer means for producing a digital signal having said prescribed characteristic.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 31 words

The assembly of claim 22 including means, operatively connected to said programmable computer means, for converting said digital signal into a corresponding analog signal for application to said means for comparing.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 25 words

The assembly of claim 18 wherein said conduit means comprises a stainless steel tube having a wall thickness of no more than about 0.25 mm.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 19 words

The assembly of claim 24 wherein said metal tube has a wall thickness no greater than about 0.064 mm.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 79 words

The assembly of claim 18 including a tubular support for said conduit means, said tubular support having a side wall including aperture means for passing said conduit means into the interior of said tubular support from outside said tubular support, said conduit means having a portion thereof extending from said aperture means axially through said tubular support to an end wall of said support, said end wall including an opening aligned with said outlet end of said conduit means.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 28 words

The assembly of claim 26 wherein said portion of said conduit means has a major part thereof spaced from contact with said side wall of said tubular support.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 61 words

The assembly of claim 26 including temperature sensing means disposed proximate said outlet end for measuring the temperature of a gas being discharged from said outlet end, said sensing means including a sensing element, and means for securing said sensing means to said tubular support with said sensing element located at said opening in said end wall of said tubular support.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 95 words

The assembly of claim 18 wherein said conduit means has an inlet end opposite said outlet end and said means for passing an electrical current comprises a pair of electrical leads, one of said electrical leads mechanically and electrically contacting said conduit means at a first location near said outlet end and the other of said electrical leads mechanically and electrically contacting said conduit means at a second location spaced from said first location along said conduit means, and a controllable current source means, operatively connected to said leads, for controllably generating an electrical current.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 35 words

The assembly of claim 18 including means, operatively connected to said means for heating, for preventing heating of said conduit means when the pressure of gas within said conduit means falls below a predetermined threshold.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 24 words

The assembly of claim 18 wherein said conduit means comprises a metal tube having a wall thickness of no more than about 0.25 mm.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 140 words

A TLD card reader comprising: a plurality of means for detecting light emitted by heated TL elements; and means for heating each of a plurality of TL elements, said means for heating comprising a plurality of conduit means for channeling a flow of a gas, each of said conduit means having an outlet end for discharging said gas against a TL element, and means for independently heating each of said conduit means to heat the gas flowing through each of said conduit means, thereby independently, controllably to heat each TL element, and each of said conduit means being electrically conducting and said means for heating comprising means operatively connected to each of said conduit means for controllably passing an electrical current through said conduit means to heat said conduit means thereby controllably to heat said gas through said conduit means.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 140 words

A TLD card reader comprising: a plurality of means for detecting light emitted by heated TL elements; and means for heating each of a plurality of TL elements, said means for heating comprising a plurality of conduit means for channeling a flow of a gas, each of said conduit means having an outlet end for discharging said gas against a TL element, and means for independently heating each of said conduit means to heat the gas flowing through each of said conduit means, thereby independently, controllably to heat each TL element, and each of said conduit means being electrically conducting and said means for heating comprising means operatively connected to each of said conduit means for controllably passing an electrical current through said conduit means to heat said conduit means thereby controllably to heat said gas through said conduit means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-05-29	1992-11-28	1993-05-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-05-29	1996-11-28	1997-05-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-05-29	2000-11-28	2001-05-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Thermoluminescence dosimetry card reader heating assembly

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