Scanning apparatus and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A scanning apparatus comprising:
- (A) means for obtaining information from an object;
(B) means for oscillating said information obtaining means comprising;
(i) frame means for providing support;
(ii) means for connecting said information obtaining means to said frame means comprising;
(a) transfer means at least partially comprising a cable for transmitting oscillating force to said information obtaining means;
(b) means for providing bidirectional biasing forces comprising at least one spring to oscillate said transfer means;
(c) means for measuring the displacement of a portion of said transfer means in response to the force providing means;
(d) means for comparing the measured displacement of said transfer means portion with a predetermined desired displacement of said transfer means portion; and
(e) means for providing driving forces to said transfer means comprising at least one solenoid to compensate for difference between said measured displacement and said predetermined desired displacement so that the information obtaining means is oscillated and scans a predetermined portion of said object;
(C) housing means surrounding said oscillation means;
said housing means further containing a heat transfer fluid therein for damping vibrations associated with said apparatus; and
(D) means for mounting to said housing means said information obtaining means and said oscillating means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A scanning apparatus and method for scanning an object including a frame, a transducer for obtaining information from an object and a motor oscillating the transducer. The motor comprises a spring/solenoid combination driven at the resonant frequency of the spring/motor system. The actual displacement of the transducer is measured and compared to a desired displacement to provide a control signal to the motor. The scanning apparatus is at least partially enclosed by a housing containing a heat transfer fluid for damping the resonant vibration of the apparatus.
26 Citations
54 Claims
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1. A scanning apparatus comprising:
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(A) means for obtaining information from an object; (B) means for oscillating said information obtaining means comprising; (i) frame means for providing support; (ii) means for connecting said information obtaining means to said frame means comprising; (a) transfer means at least partially comprising a cable for transmitting oscillating force to said information obtaining means; (b) means for providing bidirectional biasing forces comprising at least one spring to oscillate said transfer means; (c) means for measuring the displacement of a portion of said transfer means in response to the force providing means; (d) means for comparing the measured displacement of said transfer means portion with a predetermined desired displacement of said transfer means portion; and (e) means for providing driving forces to said transfer means comprising at least one solenoid to compensate for difference between said measured displacement and said predetermined desired displacement so that the information obtaining means is oscillated and scans a predetermined portion of said object; (C) housing means surrounding said oscillation means;
said housing means further containing a heat transfer fluid therein for damping vibrations associated with said apparatus; and(D) means for mounting to said housing means said information obtaining means and said oscillating means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 25, 27)
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8. A scanning apparatus comprising:
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(A) means for obtaining information from an object; (B) means for oscillating said information means comprising; (i) frame means for providing support; (ii) means for connecting said information obtaining means to said frame means comprising; (a) transfer means at least partially comprising a cable for transmitting oscillating force to said information obtaining means; (b) means attached to said frame for providing bidirectional biasing forces comprising at least one spring to oscillate said transfer means; (c) means for measuring the displacement of a portion of said transfer means in response to the biasing force providing means; (d) means for comparing the measured displacement of said transfer means portion with a predetermined desired displacement of said transfer means portion; and (e) means for providing driving forces to said transfer means comprising at least one solenoid to compensate for the difference between said measured displacement and said predetermined desired displacement so that the information obtaining means scans a predetermined portion of said object. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28)
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29. A scanning apparatus comprising:
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(a) a frame; (b) transducer means for obtaining information from an object to be scanned, said transducer means being mounted for oscillatory movement with respect to said frame; (c) biasing means comprising at least one spring attached to said frame for providing a bidirectional biasing force; (d) cable means attached to said biasing means and in frictional contact with said transducer means for providing said oscillatory movement of said transducer means and biasing of said biasing means; (e) measurement means for measuring linear displacement of said cable means; (f) comparison means for comparing said linear displacement of said cable means as measured by said measurement means to a predetermined desired linear displacement of said cable means; and (g) means for providing a linear driving force to said cable means in order to compensate for a difference between said linear displacement of said cable means as measured by said measurement means and said predetermined desired linear displacement of said cable means. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A scanning apparatus for scanning an object back and forth while transmitting sound waves to the object and receiving reflected sound waves from the object comprising:
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(a) a frame; (b) an ultrasonic transducer mounted to said frame for oscillatory movement with respect to said frame and for obtaining information from said object to be scanned; (c) a spring attached to said frame for providing a bidirectional biasing force; (d) a cable attached to said spring and in frictional contact with said ultrasonic transducer for providing said oscillatory movement of said ultrasonic transducer and biasing of said spring; (e) a transformer in close proximity to a portion of said cable for measuring linear displacement of said cable; (f) a comparator for comparing said linear displacement of said cable as measured by said transformer to a predetermined desired linear displacement of said cable; (g) a solenoid for providing a linear driving force to said cable in order to compensate for a difference between said linear displacement of said cable as measured by said comparator and said predetermined desired linear displacement of said cable; (h) adjusting means for adjusting the resonant frequency associated with said apparatus; and (i) housing means for housing at least one of the group of said frame, said ultrasonic transducer, said spring, said cable, said transformer, said comparator, and said solenoid, said housing means also enclosing a heat transfer fluid for damping said oscillatory movement, wherein the frequency of said oscillatory movement is said resonant frequency associated with said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A scanning apparatus comprising:
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(a) a frame; (b) transducer means for obtaining information from an object to be scanned, said transducer means being mounted for oscillatory movement with respect to said frame; (c) biasing means attached to said frame for providing a bidirectional biasing force; (d) cable means attached to said biasing means and in frictional contact with said transducer means for providing said oscillatory movement of said transducer means and biasing of said biasing means; (e) measurement means for measuring linear displacement of said cable means; (f) comparison means for comparing said linear displacement of said cable means as measured by said measurement means to a predetermined desired linear displacement of said cable means; and (g) means comprising at least one solenoid for providing a linear driving force to said cable means in order to compensate for a difference between said linear displacement of said cable means as measured by said measurement means and said predetermined desired linear displacement of said cable means. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification