Patent US4142101A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4142101A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Low intensity X-ray and gamma-ray imaging device
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
•
Filing: 1977-07-20
•
Granted: 1979-02-27
•
Expires: 1997-07-20
Abstract
Abstract A radiation to visible light converter is combined with a visible light intensifier. The converter is a phosphor or scintillator material which is modified to block ambient light. The intensifier includes fiber optics input and output face plates with a photocathode-microchannel plate amplifier-phosphor combination. Incoming radiation is converted to visible light by the converter which is piped into the intensifier by the input fiber optics face plate. The photocathode converts the visible light to electrons which are amplified by a microchannel plate amplifier. The electrons are converted back to light by a phosphor layer and piped out for viewing by the output fiber optics face plate. The converter-intensifier combination may be further combined with it's own radiation source or used with an independent source.
Inventors
- 👤 Lo I Yin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:58
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/16; G01T1/161; G01T1/164; G01T1/1641; G01T1/1645; A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/42; A61B6/4208; A61B6/4258; H; H01; H01J; H01J29/00; H01J29/02; H01J29/10; H01J29/36; H01J29/38; H01J29/385; H01J31/00; H01J31/08; H01J31/50; H01J31/506; H01J31/507
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
47 words
Apparatus for converting radiation to visible light, comprising: means for converting incoming invisible radiation to visible light; means for visible light intensification, which means includes a microchannel plate amplifier; and means for light coupling said means for converting incoming radiation and said means for visible light intensification.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus for converting radiation to visible light, comprising: means for converting incoming invisible radiation to visible light; means for visible light intensification, which means includes a microchannel plate amplifier; and means for light coupling said means for converting incoming radiation and said means for visible light intensification.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus is mechanically coupled with a radiation source.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said radiation means is a radioactive souce.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said radiation means is a radiation generator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said radiation source may be made to radiate upon said means for converting incoming radiation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said incoming radiation are X-rays.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said incoming radiation are gamma-rays.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said incoming radiation are charged particles.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said incoming radiation are neutral particles.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for converting incoming radiation is mechanically coupled to said means for visible light intensification.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for converting incoming radiation is phosphor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said phosphor is one with high efficiency of conversion of X-rays to visible light.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said phosphor is a rare earth phosphor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said phosphor is terbruim activated 90% gadolinuim and 10% lanthanum oxysulfide.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for converting incoming radiation is a scintillator material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said scintillator material has a high efficiency of conversion of gamma-rays to visible light.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said scintillator material is selected from the group consisting of sodium iodide and cesuim iodide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said sodium iodide and cesium iodide is impurity activated.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said scintillator material is plastic.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for converting incoming radiation includes a visible light shield which is transparent to X-ray and gamma-ray radiation.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for visible light intensification is contained in an evacuated area and said means for converting incoming radition is contained outside said evacuated area.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for converting incoming radiation is light coupled to said means for visible light intensification through fiber optics means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said means for converting incoming radiation includes a phosphor layer deposit on said fiber optics means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said means for converting incoming radiation is mechanically connected to said means for visible light intensification in a mechanically interchangeable fashion.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said means for converting incoming radiation is a luminescent layer deposited on a fiber optics plate independent of said means for visible light intensification.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said microchannel plate amplifier is two amplifiers in a chevron configuration.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said microchannel plate amplifier has curved channels.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said microchannel plate amplifier has channels with conical inputs.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
44 words
A method of radiation imaging consisting of: positioning a radiation source before an object and positioning a device behind the object which converts invisible radiation to visible light and subsequently intensifies visible light by means of a light intensifier including a microchannel plate amplifier.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
44 words
A method of radiation imaging consisting of: positioning a radiation source before an object and positioning a device behind the object which converts invisible radiation to visible light and subsequently intensifies visible light by means of a light intensifier including a microchannel plate amplifier.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 29 wherein said radiation source is of low intensity and said device exhibits a high gain.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 29 wherein said radiation source is an X-ray source.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 29 wherein said radiation source is a gamma-ray source.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 29 wherein said radiation source is a charged particle source.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 29 wherein said radiation source is a neutral particle source.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 29 wherein said radiation source is radioactive.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 29 wherein said radiation source is a radiation generator.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 29 wherein said radiation source is mechanically coupled to said device.
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) | 1982-02-26 | 1982-08-28 | 1983-02-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-02-26 | 1986-08-28 | 1987-02-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-02-26 | 1990-08-28 | 1991-02-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |