Eldec Corporation

Other

Bernard J Burreson

M Dexter Hagy

Jeff Lamping

Kevin G Woolsey

Ted M Daniels

Jon F Beutler

Jeffrey J Green

Gregory A Kromholtz

Andrew Petrov

Andre Doudkin

Delbert F Flagg, Jr

Alan Orr

Walter A Van Schalkwijk

Patrick A Knappert

Disclosed are ultrasound devices and methods for use in guiding a subdermal probe during a medical procedure. A device can be utilized to guide a probe through the probe guide to a subdermal site. In addition, a device can include a detector in communication with a processor. The detector can recognize the location of a target associated with the probe. The processor can utilize the data from the detector and create an image of a virtual probe that can accurately portray the location of the actual probe on a sonogram of a subdermal area. In addition, disclosed systems can include a set of correlation factors in the processor instructions. As such, the virtual probe image can be correlated with the location of the actual probe.

Virtual image formation method for an ultrasound device

A target device is carried by or mounted on a first part movable relative to a second part. The second part has a sensing device including an array of sensors providing outputs responsive to the magnet field of the target device. A processing device receives the outputs of the sensors and calculates relative positions of the two parts based on the outputs.

Position indicating system

Disclosed is a method and system for unobtrusively measuring physical properties in electrochemical processes occurring in a predefined volume, such as the state of charge in an electrochemical battery. The invention provides for a coil (22) or (42) positioned relative to the predefined volume to minimize the reluctance path between the coil and the electrochemical process, with the winding axis of the coil generally transverse to a surface bounding the predefined volume. In this position, an alternating current is applied to the coil to generate an oscillatory magnetic field. Preferably, the coil includes a core (24) or a backing plate (46) for concentrating the magnetic field in a direction towards the process in the predefined volume. The physical properties are determined based upon a measurement of the electrical complex impedance of the coil, and data correlating the physical properties of the process with the electrical complex impedance of the coil.

Method and system for unobtrusively measuring physical properties in

A variable reluctance saturable core proximity sensor assembly comprising a target and a sensor. The target consists of a magnet having a high field strength, a base plate having a high relative permeability, and a nonmagnetic metal housing surrounding the magnet and base plate. The sensor consists of a core made from a material having a high relative permeability, a coil surrounding the core and a housing made from a nonmagnetic material surrounding the core and coil. At its distal end of the core is a flux director that intercepts the magnetic field produced by the target. The flux director comprises a plurality of radially extending arms having the same permeability as the core. The flux director has a cross-sectional area selected so that the flux director and core saturate at substantially the same time. The sensor assembly may be used in either a slide-by or head-on mode.

Saturable core proximity sensor including a flux director and a magnetic

Disclosed is an inductive divider sensor that comprises a variable inductor (12) connected in series with a fixed inductor (16) between a source of AC voltage and ground. A target element (18) is moved by an object whose position is to be sensed along an axis that extends through the variable inductor thereby changing its impedance. The impedance of the variable inductor is designed to vary such that the voltage taken at a node where the variable inductor and fixed inductor are connected varies according to a predetermined linear output signal.

Inductive divider position sensor with fixed and variable impedance

A variable reluctance saturable core proximity sensor assembly comprising a target and a sensor. The target consists of a magnet having a high field strength, a base plate having a high relative permeability, and a non-magnetic metal housing surrounding the magnet and base plate. The sensor consists of a core made from a material having a high relative permeability, a coil surrounding the core and a housing made from a non-magnetic material surrounding the core and coil. The sensor assembly may be used in either a slide-by or head-on mode. Depending upon the configuration of the sensor, the assembly may be used as either a proximity sensor or as a distance sensor.

Saturable core proximity sensor aligned perpendicular to a magnet target

A method and apparatus for sensing the proximity of a target object includes a sensor inductor (L.sub.S, 38) connected in series with an identical reference inductor (L.sub.R, 36) between an input and ground to form an inductive divider network. The sensor inductor is positioned so that its inductance can be varied in response to the proximity of a target object (14, 40) while the inductance of the reference inductor remains constant. Voltage pulses are periodically applied to the divider network from a source (32, 34) and divide across the reference and sensor in accordance with the ratio of the inductances, as varied or not by the presence of the target object. A detector (30) monitors the output of the divider network and provides a target status signal indicative of the proximity of the target object. For low-power operation, the detector circuit and conductive divider network are periodically and momentarily energized in synchronism. This enables configuration of a self-contained, leadless proximity sensor having a battery power source and an optical output.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Bernard J Burreson