Functional thermal imaging apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus comprising:
- a table having an opening through which a prone patient'"'"'s breast can be suspended freely downward;
a thermal radiation sensor;
a mirror assembly configured to reflect thermal radiation from the suspended breast to said sensor, said mirror assembly defining a reflective surface area having an effectively conical configuration oriented to extend circumferentially around the suspended breast; and
an air handling system including an air conditioning unit operative to chill ambient air, said air handling system being operative to direct said chilled air against the suspended breast.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thermal imaging apparatus (10) includes a table (12) having an opening 48 through which a prone patient'"'"'s breast (24) can be suspended freely downward. The apparatus (10) further includes an air handling apparatus (14) which chills ambient air and directs the chilled air against the suspended breast (24), a thermal radiation sensor (16), and a mirror assembly (18, 20) which reflects thermal radiation from the suspended breast (24) to the sensor (16).
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising:
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a table having an opening through which a prone patient'"'"'s breast can be suspended freely downward; a thermal radiation sensor; a mirror assembly configured to reflect thermal radiation from the suspended breast to said sensor, said mirror assembly defining a reflective surface area having an effectively conical configuration oriented to extend circumferentially around the suspended breast; and an air handling system including an air conditioning unit operative to chill ambient air, said air handling system being operative to direct said chilled air against the suspended breast. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. Apparatus comprising:
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a table having an opening through which a prone patient'"'"'s breast can be suspended freely downward; a thermal radiation sensor; a mirror assembly configured to reflect thermal radiation from the suspended breast to said sensor, said mirror assembly including a mirror oriented to face horizontally inward toward a top, bottom or side portion of the suspended breast, and to be inclined vertically downward and horizontally outward from the suspended breast; and an air handling system including an air conditioning unit operative to chill ambient air, said air handling system being operative to direct said chilled air against the suspended breast. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. Apparatus comprising:
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a table having first, second and third openings in a row extending across said table, said first and second openings respectively providing clearance for a patients'"'"' left and right breasts to be suspended freely downward when the patient is in a first prone position on said table, said second and third openings respectively providing clearance for the patient'"'"'s left and right breasts to be suspended freely downward when the patient is in a second, laterally shifted prone position on said table; an air handling system operative to chill ambient air and to direct said chilled air beneath said openings in said table; a sensor operative to sense temperatures induced by said chilled air on the surface of one of the patient'"'"'s breasts when said one breast is suspended freely downward through said second breast opening; and a shield assembly configured to block said chilled air from affecting the temperature of the surface of the patient'"'"'s other breast when said other breast is suspended freely downward through either of said first and third breast openings. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. Apparatus comprising:
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a table having a pair of openings through which a prone patient'"'"'s breasts can be suspended freely downward; a thermal radiation sensor; an air handling system operative to chill ambient air and to direct said chilled air against the suspended breasts; and a mirror assembly configured to reflect thermal radiation from the suspended breasts to said sensor, said mirror assembly including a plurality of mirrors oriented to face horizontally inward toward the suspended breasts to reflect thermal radiation from top, bottom and side portions of the suspended breasts to said sensor, and to be inclined vertically downward and horizontally outward from the suspended breasts. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. Apparatus comprising:
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a table having an opening through which a prone patient'"'"'s breast can be suspended freely downward; an air handling system including an air conditioning unit operative to chill ambient air, said air handling system being operative to direct said chilled air against the suspended breast; a sensor operative to sense temperatures induced on the surface of the suspended breast by said chilled air; said opening being one of a pair of openings through which a prone patient'"'"'s breasts can be suspended freely downward; and a breast enclosure structure configured to shield one of the suspended breasts from said chilled air. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification