Devices, methods, and systems involving castings

• US 20030235272A1
• Filed: 12/03/2002
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mikro Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Fraser, Iain, Atkinson, James E., Appleby, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,141,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/147
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/302 Assembling a large number of mould elements to constitute one cavity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/3842 Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/42 characterised by the shape of the moulding surface, e.g. ribs or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/021 by casting in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/34 for undercut articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 69/001 a shaping technique combined with cutting, e.g. in parts or slices combined with rearranging and joining the cut parts for reinforced material B29C70/545; B29C49/4278, B29C51/268 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/00 Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/02 using diaphragms, collimators
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/025 using multiple collimators, e.g. Bucky screens; other devices for eliminating undesired or dispersed radiation

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention comprise a device comprising a cast collimator derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said collimator defining a feature adapted to contain a plurality of radiation detection elements. In certain embodiments, the collimator can define a feature adapted to contain a plurality of radiation detection elements, such as scintillators. Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention comprise a device comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold. In various exemplary embodiments, the cast components can be a mechanical, electrical, electronic, optical, fluidic, biomedical, and/or biotechnological component. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. This abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Claims

1. A device, comprising a cast collimator derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said collimator defining a feature adapted to contain a plurality of scintillators.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said collimator comprises a ceramic.

3. A device, comprising a cast collimator derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said collimator defining a feature adapted to contain a plurality of radiation detection elements.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said plurality of radiation detection elements are secured by said feature.

5. A device, comprising a cast collimator derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said collimator defining a cross grid.

6. A device, comprising a cast collimator derived from a metallic foil derived stack lamination mold, said collimator adapted to absorb radiation scattered in two orthogonal directions.

7. A device, comprising a cast collimator derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said collimator adapted to shield a plurality of radiation detectors from scattered radiation.

8. A device, comprising a cast collimator derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said collimator adapted to shield a plurality of radiation reflectors from scattered radiation.

9. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of less than 4 centimeters.

10. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of less than 3 centimeter.

11. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of less than 1 centimeters.

12. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of less than 1 centimeter.

13. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of less than 500 microns.

14. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of less than 250 microns.

15. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of less than 200 microns.

16. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of less than 150 microns.

17. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of less than 100 microns.

18. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of less than 50 microns.

19. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of less than 25 microns.

20. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of less than 20 microns.

21. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of less than 15 microns.

22. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of between approximately 4 centimeters and approximately 30 centimeters.

23. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said component defining a feature having a dimension of greater than 4 centimeters.

24. A device, comprising a cast component derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold.

25. The device of claim 24, said component comprising a mechanical component.

26. The device of claim 24, said component comprising an electrical component.

27. The device of claim 24, said component comprising an electronic component.

28. The device of claim 24, said component comprising an optical component.

29. The device of claim 24, said component comprising a fluidic component.

30. The device of claim 24, said component comprising a biomedical component.

31. The device of claim 24, said component comprising a biotechnological component.

32. A system, comprising:

a computed-tomography scanner comprising a cast computed-tomography collimator descended from a lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil stack lamination mold.

33. A system, comprising:

a computed-tomography scanner comprising an x-ray source mounted to a circumference of a rotatable gantry, an array of x-ray detectors mounted to the circumference of the gantry, and a cast computed-tomography collimator descended from a lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil stack lamination mold, said collimator mounted between said x-ray source and said x-ray detectors.

34. A system, comprising:

a nuclear medicine imaging camera comprising a cast nuclear medicine collimator descended from a lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil stack lamination mold.

35. A system, comprising:

a nuclear medicine imaging camera comprising a scintillator and a cast nuclear medicine collimator descended from a lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil stack lamination mold, said collimator interposed between said scintillator and a predetermined position of a patient.

36. A system, comprising:

a mammography X-ray imaging apparatus comprising a cast mammography scatter reduction grid descended from a lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil stack lamination mold.

37. A system, comprising:

a mammography machine comprising a cast mammography scatter reduction grid descended from a lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil stack lamination mold, said grid disposed between an radiation source and a radiation detector.

38. An imaging system, comprising a cast collimator descended from a lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil stack lamination mold.

39. An imaging system, comprising a cast collimator descended from a micro-machined metallic foil stack lamination mold.

40. An imaging system, comprising a cast collimator descended from a metallic foil stack lamination mold.

41. An image derived from a computed-tomography scanner comprising a cast computed-tomography collimator descended from a lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil stack lamination mold.

42. An image derived from a nuclear medicine imaging camera comprising a cast nuclear medicine collimator descended from a lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil stack lamination mold.

43. An image derived from a mammography machine comprising a cast mammography scatter reduction grid descended from a lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil stack lamination mold.

44. An image derived from an imaging system comprising a cast collimator descended from a lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil stack lamination mold.

45. An image derived from an imaging system comprising a cast collimator descended from a micro-machined metallic foil stack lamination mold.

46. An image derived from an imaging system comprising a cast collimator descended from a metallic foil stack lamination mold.