254 results about "Spin axis" patented technology

An X-ray diagnostic apparatus includes a floor rotating arm which is installed at one end on a floor surface so as to be rotatable around a first rotation axis, a C-arm which is mounted on the other end of the floor rotating arm so as to be rotatable around a second rotation axis, an X-ray tube which is mounted on one end of the C-arm, an X-ray detector which is mounted on the other end of the C-arm, and a bed which has a table top provided to be movable along a longitudinal axis. The bed is placed such that the longitudinal axis is spaced apart from the first rotation axis by a predetermined distance.

A radiation therapy / surgery device optimised to meet the needs of the Neurosurgeon is provided, i.e. one for the treatment of tumours in the brain. It combines the qualities of a good penumbra and accuracy, simple prescription and operation, together with high reliability and minimal technical support. The device comprises a rotateable support, on which is provided a mount extending from the support out of the plane of the circle, and a radiation source attached to the mount via a pivot, the pivot having an axis which passes through the axis of rotation of the support, the radiation source being aligned so as to produce a beam which passes through the co-incidence of the rotation axis and the pivot. It will generally be easier to engineer the apparatus if the rotateable support is planar, and more convenient if the rotateable support is disposed in an upright position. The rotation of the rotateable support will be eased if this part of the apparatus is circular. A particularly preferred orientation is one in which the radiation source is spaced from the rotateable support, to allow it to pivot without fouling the latter. It is thus preferred that the mount extends transverse to the support. In this way, the pivot axis is spaced from the rotateable support providing free space in which the radiation source can pivot. Another way of expressing this preference is to state that the pivot axis is located out of the plane of the rotateable support. To simplify the geometry of the device and the associated arithmetic, it is preferred both that the pivot axis is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis, and that the beam direction is perpendicular to the pivot axis. It is preferred that the radiation source is a linear accelerator. The output of the radiation source is preferably collimated to conform to the shape of the area to be treated.

An engine-propelled monowheel vehicle comprises two wheels, close together, that circumscribe the remainder of the vehicle. When the vehicle is moving forward, the closely spaced wheels act as a single wheel, and the vehicle turns by leaning the wheels. A single propulsion system provides a drive torque that is shared by the two wheels. A separate steering torque, provided by a steering motor, is added to one wheel while being subtracted from the other wheel, enabling the wheels to rotate in opposite directions for turning the vehicle at zero forward velocity. The vehicle employs attitude sensors, for sensing roll, pitch, and yaw, and an automatic balancing system. A flywheel in the vehicle spins at a high rate around a spin axis, wherein the spin axis is rotatable with respect to the vehicle's frame. The axis angle and flywheel spin speed are continually adjustable to generate torques for automatic balancing.

A low-cost minimal-loss zero-maintenance flywheel battery, to store electric power from a DC power source by conversion to kinetic energy, and regenerate electric power as needed. Its vertical spin-axis rotor assembly is supported axially by repelling annular permanent magnets, and is centered by ceramic ball bearings which have axial preload that prevents vibration and augments axial rotor support. A regenerative multi-pole permanent-magnet motor, controlled by its 2-phase stator current, and connected by power and signal conductors to power interface electronics, is integrated within the flywheel assembly, in a vacuum enclosure supported by a self-leveling structure. Sinusoidal 2-phase stator currents are controlled by high-frequency pulse-width-modulated H-bridge power electronics that draw and regenerate controlled DC current with minimal ripple, responsive to respective 2-phase rotation angle sensors, the DC power voltage, and other settings. The electronics includes logic and over-voltage protection to prevent otherwise possible damaging current and voltage.

A method of and apparatus for determining and controlling the inertial attitude of a spinning artificial satellite without using a suite of inertial gyroscopes. The method and apparatus operate by tracking three astronomical objects near the Earth's ecliptic pole and the satellite's and / or star tracker's spin axis and processing the track information. The method and apparatus include steps and means for selecting preferably three astronomical objects using a histogram method and determining a square of a first radius (R12) of a track of a first astronomical object; determining a square of a second radius (R22) of a track of a second astronomical object; determining a square of a third radius (R32) of a track of a third astronomical object; determining the inertial attitude of the spin axis using the squares of the first, second, and third radii (R12, R22, and R32) to calculate pitch, yaw, and roll rate; determining a change in the pitch and yaw of the artificial satellite; and controlling on-board generated current flow to various orthogonally-disposed current-carrying loops to act against the Earth's magnetic field and to apply gyroscopic precession to the spinning satellite to correct and maintain its optimum inertial attitude.

Certain embodiments provide staggered circular scans for CT imaging. In certain embodiments, a CT imaging system comprises a plurality of source-detector assemblies that are axially offset from one another and rotate about a rotation axis to provide staggered circular CT scanning.

Methods of operating surface reactors, and such reactors, particularly spinning disc reactors require that a first reactant is fed to the reactor surface and forms a thin film on the surface. A second reactant is fed to the surface in the form of a second thin film to interact with the first film so as to overcome the impedance to interaction between the two films imposed by the existence of molecular clusters in the films. Thus, each film is fed into the receiving film at a rate such as to break up the molecular clusters in the film and thereby permit the molecules to aggressively and completely interact with one another. In the spinning disc apparatus the films are fed at respective distances from the spin axis. The interaction takes place in a thin chamber (less than 1 mm) between a retaining surface coextensive with the reactor surface whose distance from one another can be varied continuously, with the components being sheared between the surfaces to break up the molecular clusters to facilitate molecular, forced interdiffusion. Preferably each film is fed into the reaction chamber through a respective annular nozzle producing an improved uniformity of initial and continuous contacting of the reactants followed by an increase in forced interdiffusion of reactant molecules.

An improved paint mixer of the type rotating a paint container about a tumbling axis and a perpendicular spin axis, the improvements of a clamp assembly and lock, splash guards protecting a range-of-travel of upright clamp portions, low friction guide plates, an adjustable height strike plate and roller, a rigid gear assembly, an offset in the clamp to return the paint container to an upright position after mixing, and a relief in a raised portion on a lower plate of the clamp for assisting loading and unloading of the paint container.

The invention discloses the bearing micro-load friction measuring method and the equipment. The measuring frame comprises the extruding arm, the measuring dial, the loading bolt, the measured bearing and the baffle. Equip the measured bearing in the hole of the measuring dial; add the force on the measuring frame from the top by the upward force and realize the micro-load measuring through the gravity of the measuring frame paralleled floating above the spin axis. The angle produced by the parallel of the friction and the pull force of the deviation is amplified into the vertical displacement of the extruding arm end. The non-contacting sensor realizes the precise measurement of the friction and the frictions coefficients of the sliding bearing and rolling bearing.

A gyrostabilizer system that counteracts the natural rolling motion of a small boat or vessel. The invention constitutes an improvement in prior art systems of this type in that the system weighs less because it has a much lighter rotor made of composite materials spinning at much higher speeds. The gyrostabilizer system includes a lightweight rotor spinning at very high speeds to attain a large angular momentum. The mass of the rotor is concentrated away from the spin axis of the rotor to maximize angular momentum while minimizing weight. The rotor is mounted in a frame that, in turn, is mounted on gimbals so that the frame can be rotated about an axis that is normal to the longitudinal roll axis of the vessel. When the rotor is rotated about the gimbals, a torque is created that opposes the torque created by the sea and reduces the rolling motion of the vessel. The rotor may be mounted in an evacuated chamber to reduce air drag. Rotation of the rotor frame around the gimbal axis is controlled by an active servo system using information provided by roll angular position and angular velocity sensors

A method of and apparatus for determining and controlling the inertial attitude of a spinning artificial satellite without using a suite of inertial gyroscopes. The method and apparatus operate by tracking three astronomical objects near the Earth's ecliptic pole and the satellite's and / or star tracker's spin axis and processing the track information. The method and apparatus include steps and means for selecting preferably three astronomical objects using a histogram method and determining a square of a first radius (R12) of a track of a first astronomical object; determining a square of a second radius (R22) of a track of a second astronomical object; determining a square of a third radius (R32) of a track of a third astronomical object; determining the inertial attitude of the spin axis using the squares of the first, second, and third radii (R12, R22, and R32) to calculate pitch, yaw, and roll rate; determining a change in the pitch and yaw of the artificial satellite; and controlling on-board generated current flow to various orthogonally-disposed current-carrying loops to act against the Earth's magnetic field and to apply gyroscopic precession to the spinning satellite to correct and maintain its optimum inertial attitude.

A gyroscopic paint mixer having a ratcheting lead screw paint container clamp and lock with a pawl releasably engaging an axial relief in the lead screw. A clamping frame is driven by a shaft maintained in concentricity with a stationary ring gear by an antifriction bearing mounted between the shaft and ring gear. A support plate has a peripheral lip forming a first recess sized to position either a generally square paint container or a generally D-shaped paint container. The support plate has a second recess to position a cylindrical paint container concentric to a spin axis.

A null slit antenna pattern receives GPS signals from at least three GPS satellites functioning as pseudo stars for spin rate and spin axis attitude determination of a spinning space vehicle in an earth orbit below the GPS satellites.

The invention discloses a dual-plane X-ray imaging device comprising a second C-shaped arm and a first C-shaped arm. The first C-shaped arm is slidably arranged on the second C-shaped arm. A first X-ray generator and a first image receiver are arranged on the first C-shaped arm to form a first imaging device. A second X-ray generator and a second image receiver are arranged on the second C-shaped arm to form a second imaging device. The spin axis of the first C-shaped arm is identical to that of the second C-shaped arm. Different angles can be formed between the first imaging device and the second imaging device when the first C-shaped arm slides along the second C-shaped arm, and the spin axis of the first C-shaped arm is identical to that of the second C-shaped arm, so that the first imaging device and the second imaging device are ensured to have the same spin axis.

An engine-propelled monowheel vehicle comprises two wheels, close together, that circumscribe the remainder of the vehicle. When the vehicle is moving forward, the closely spaced wheels act as a single wheel, and the vehicle turns by leaning the wheels. A single propulsion system provides a drive torque that is shared by the two wheels. A separate steering torque, provided by a steering motor, is added to one wheel while being subtracted from the other wheel, enabling the wheels to rotate in opposite directions for turning the vehicle at zero forward velocity. The vehicle employs attitude sensors, for sensing roll, pitch, and yaw, and an automatic balancing system. A flywheel in the vehicle spins at a high rate around a spin axis, wherein the spin axis is rotatable with respect to the vehicle's frame. The axis angle and flywheel spin speed are continually adjustable to generate torques for automatic balancing.

The invention relates to a four-rotor aircraft, relates to the fields of aircrafts, and solves a problem that existing four-rotor aircrafts have weak yawing capability. The four-rotor aircraft comprises an aircraft body, an avionics system, a landing gear, a work loading module, four supporting arms and driving units, wherein the supporting arms are connected with the avionics system, the supporting arms expand along a center shaft of the aircraft body towards all around with equal angles, and the driving units are disposed at the front ends of the supporting arms. The included angles between the center shaft of the aircraft body and the supporting arms are the same, and are less than 90 degrees and greater than 0 degree. The projections of the supporting arms on the oxy plane are two axisymmetric and intersectant straight lines. The projections of the driving units on the xoy plane are respectively in the four quadrants or are respectively on the x positive axis, the y positive axis, the x negative axis and the y negative axis. A projection, of the spin axis of the driving units, on the yoz plane or the xoz plane respectively has an included angle theta with the z axis, wherein the theta is not more than 65 degrees and not less than -65 degrees, and 0 is not included. The projection, of a connecting line between the spin center and the origin of the aircraft body coordinate system, on the xoy plane is perpendicular to the projection of the spin axis of the driving units on the xoy plane. The yawing moment of the four-rotor aircraft is increased by an order of magnitude, and the yawing capability of the four-rotor aircraft is greatly enhanced.

A system for delivering objects, such as soccer balls, the system including a delivery device and a methodology for training individuals that can be used with the delivery device, the delivery device including an accelerator that accepts, accelerates, and launches the object with motion characteristics, such as linear acceleration, angular acceleration, or a combination of both, and an assembly that adjusts the position of the accelerator to adjust an exit trajectory of the object that includes adjustment about a yaw axis, an elevation axis, and a spin axis of the object. Highly and accurate and consistent delivery of the object facilitates single and multi-player use for training, such as in the sport of soccer.

A low-cost minimal-loss zero-maintenance flywheel battery, to store electric power from a DC power source by conversion to kinetic energy, and regenerate electric power as needed. Its vertical spin-axis rotor assembly is supported axially by repelling annular permanent magnets, and is centered by ceramic ball bearings which have axial preload that prevents vibration and augments axial rotor support. A regenerative multi-pole permanent-magnet motor, controlled by its 2-phase stator current, and connected by power and signal conductors to power interface electronics, is integrated within the flywheel assembly, in a vacuum enclosure supported by a self-leveling structure. Sinusoidal 2-phase stator currents are controlled by high-frequency pulse-width-modulated H-bridge power electronics that draw and regenerate controlled DC current with minimal ripple, responsive to respective 2-phase rotation angle sensors, the DC power voltage, and other settings. The electronics includes logic and over-voltage protection to prevent otherwise possible damaging current and voltage.

In an X-ray CT imaging, an X-ray generator (11) and a two-dimensional X-ray detector (21) are opposed to each other between an object and are rotated by a rotary shaft (32) around the object. At least one of the rotary shaft supporter (61) and an object holder (40) includes a movement mechanism (42, 65) for moving a supporter (30) for the X-ray generator and the X-ray detector relative to the object. In offset scan CT imaging, the rotation of the supporter by the rotary shaft is performed simultaneously with the relative two-dimensional movement of the rotary shaft by the movement mechanism. In the relative two-dimensional movement, the position of the rotary shaft is moved according to the rotary angle of the supporter along a circular orbit around the center of a CT imaging region in a plane crossing the rotary shaft. Thus, it becomes possible to image a larger region of interest of the object.

A gyroscopic exercise device has a pair of handles attached to a housing. A user holds and rotates the handles along a cone-like path causing precession of a rotor, which is rotating about its spin axis, to provide resistance to the user. The device has a ring guide that holds ends of a shaft, which is coupled to the rotor. The periphery of the ring guide and the ends of the shaft are within a circular race defined by the housing. A motor attached to the ring guide drives a wheel that rotates the rotor about a spin axis by using energy provided by batteries in one of the handles. The energy passes through a conducting conduit that rotates about the precession axis. The ring guide, motor, and rotor can rotate together during precession of the rotor.

The present invention refers to 3D rotational X-ray imaging systems for use in computed tomography (CT) and, more particularly, to a fast, accurate and mathematically robust calibration method for determining the effective center of rotation (I) in not perfectly isocentric 3D rotational C-arm systems and eliminating substantially circular ring artifacts (RA) which arise when using such a CT scanner system for acquiring a set of 2D projection images of an object of interest to be three-dimensionally reconstructed. For this purpose, a C-arm based rotational CT scanner comprising at least one radiation detector (D) having an X-radiation sensitive surface exposed to an X-ray beam emitted by at least one X-ray tube (S), each rotating along a non-ideal circular trajectory (TF, TCD) about an object of interest to be three-dimensionally reconstructed from a set of 2D projection images is used for providing geometrical calibration data by scanning a calibration phantom from a plurality of distinct projection directions and calculating, for each projection direction, the 3D positions of the X-ray tube's focal spot and the X-ray detector's center. For approximating the exact 3D position and angular direction of the axis of rotation about which the at least one X-ray tube and the at least one radiation detector rotate, a circular regression technique using a number of mathematically robust least squares fits is applied.

In an X-ray CT imaging, an X-ray generator (11) and a two-dimensional X-ray detector (21) are opposed to each other between an object and are rotated by a rotary shaft (32) around the object. At least one of the rotary shaft supporter (61) and an object holder (40) includes a movement mechanism (42, 65) for moving a supporter (30) for the X-ray generator and the X-ray detector relative to the object. In offset scan CT imaging, the rotation of the supporter by the rotary shaft is performed simultaneously with the relative two-dimensional movement of the rotary shaft by the movement mechanism. In the relative two-dimensional movement, the position of the rotary shaft is moved according to the rotary angle of the supporter along a circular orbit around the center of a CT imaging region in a plane crossing the rotary shaft. Thus, it becomes possible to image a larger region of interest of the object.

A gyrostabilizer system that counteracts the natural rolling motion of a small boat or vessel. The invention constitutes an improvement in prior art systems of this type in that the system weighs less because it has a much lighter rotor made of composite materials spinning at much higher speeds. The gyrostabilizer system includes a lightweight rotor spinning at very high speeds to attain a large angular momentum. The mass of the rotor is concentrated away from the spin axis of the rotor to maximize angular momentum while minimizing weight. The rotor is mounted in a frame that, in turn, is mounted on gimbals so that the frame can be rotated about an axis that is normal to the longitudinal roll axis of the vessel. When the rotor is rotated about the gimbals, a torque is created that opposes the torque created by the sea and reduces the rolling motion of the vessel. The rotor may be mounted in an evacuated chamber to reduce air drag. Rotation of the rotor frame around the gimbal axis is controlled by an active servo system using information provided by roll angular position and angular velocity sensors.

A spinstand having a vacuum chuck clamping mechanism for securing magnetic discs includes a cap (9) and a base (10). A disk-to-be-clamped is held between the cap (9) and the base (10). Vacuum, applied through a port (4) in a mounting screw (12) of the base, provides the clamping force. The vacuum is held constant using a circumferential seal (27) on a piston (2) of the cap, which extends into a cylindrical countering bushing (3) extending from the base. In one form, the cap (9) is centered about a spin axis (SA) extending through the base (10), using a hardened pin (1) extending from the cap and a locating bushing (19) affixed to the base. When the cap (9) is inserted into the base (10), the pin (1) prevents a piston (2) in the cap from contacting the inside walls / sealing surface (11) of the centering bushing (3) of the base. To remove the cap, positive air pressure is applied to the air passage (4), collapsing the seal (27), and forcing the cap (9) out of the base (10) without causing wear on the seal (27) or the sealing surface (11) of the centering bushing (3).

An apparatus for stabilizing the spin axis of a rotating system, the rotating system having a rotor and motor means to cause rotation of the rotor about the spin axis and a magnet, windings, a source of drive current and an actuator combined with the motor means and forming a source of actuator current energizing the windings to generate a radial force which stabilizes the position of the spin axis and dampens other than rotational movements of the rotor.

A system for delivering objects, such as soccer balls, the system including a delivery device and a methodology for training individuals that can be used with the delivery device, the delivery device including an accelerator that accepts, accelerates, and launches the object with motion characteristics, such as linear acceleration, angular acceleration, or a combination of both, and an assembly that adjusts the position of the accelerator to adjust an exit trajectory of the object that includes adjustment about a yaw axis, an elevation axis, and a spin axis of the object. Highly and accurate and consistent delivery of the object facilitates single and multi-player use for training, such as in the sport of soccer.

A radiation therapy / surgery device optimised to meet the needs of the Neurosurgeon is provided, i.e. one for the treatment of tumours in the brain. It combines the qualities of a good penumbra and accuracy, simple prescription and operation, together with high reliability and minimal technical support. The device comprises a rotateable support, on which is provided a mount extending from the support out of the plane of the circle, and a radiation source attached to the mount via a pivot, the pivot having an axis which passes through the axis of rotation of the support, the radiation source being aligned so as to produce a beam which passes through the co-incidence of the rotation axis and the pivot. It will generally be easier to engineer the apparatus if the rotateable support is planar, and more convenient if the rotateable support is disposed in an upright position. The rotation of the rotateable support will be eased if this part of the apparatus is circular. A particularly preferred orientation is one in which the radiation source is spaced from the rotateable support, to allow it to pivot without fouling the latter. It is thus preferred that the mount extends transverse to the support. In this way, the pivot axis is spaced from the rotateable support providing free space in which the radiation source can pivot. Another way of expressing this preference is to state that the pivot axis is located out of the plane of the rotateable support. To simplify the geometry of the device and the associated arithmetic, it is preferred both that the pivot axis is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis, and that the beam direction is perpendicular to the pivot axis. It is preferred that the radiation source is a linear accelerator. The output of the radiation source is preferably collimated to conform to the shape of the area to be treated.

An internal conduit vehicle, also called a pipeline vehicle. The vehicle includes first and second wheel assemblies that are rotated in opposite directions to move the vehicle along the pipeline, or that are mutually independent to perform a more complex movement. Each wheel assembly includes a number of wheels at the free end of wheel arms, each wheel having a spin axis that is angled in respect of an axis of the chassis. Each wheel is shaped as a rotation symmetric body with a large end and a small end, and is unilaterally mounted to a wheel arm by the large end.

A gyroscopic exercise device has a pair of handles attached to a housing. A user holds and rotates the handles along cone-like paths causing precession of a rotor, which is rotating about its spin axis, to provide resistance to the user. The device has an axle disc that holds ends of an axle of the rotor. The periphery of the axle disc and the ends of the rotor axle are within a circular race in the housing. A retracting spool allows pull starting. An optional motor attached to the axle disc has a wheel for rotating the rotor about a spin axis by a temporary supply of power from included batteries in one of the handles. An optional abdominal rolling ring provides abdominal exercise.