Acoustic micro imaging device having at least one balanced linear motor assembly
AssigneeSonoscan, Inc.
InventorLawrence W. Kessler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A scanning acoustic microscope including an ultrasonic transducer and a balanced linear motor assembly is disclosed. The balanced linear motor assembly includes a counterweight that is mounted for movement along a linear path that is parallel to the first linear path on which the transducer travels. The counterweight has a mass that is generally equal to the mass of the rotor and the transducer. The counterweight is being adapted to be moved, when the scanning acoustic microscope is used to interrogate a sample, along the second linear path at the same time that the rotor and transducer are being moved along the first linear path to allow the transducer to accelerate and decelerate without creating vibration.
Claims15
A scanning acoustic microscope, comprising:
- an ultrasonic transducer:
- a balanced linear motor assembly including
- a rotor on which the transducer is mounted,
- a stator on which the rotor and transducer are mounted for movement along a first linear path defined by the stator, and
- a counterweight that is mounted for movement along a second linear path that is parallel to the first linear path, the counterweight having a mass that is generally equal to the mass of the rotor and the transducer;
- a controller that is electrically connected to the transducer and the balanced linear motor assembly, the controller being adapted to cause the rotor and transducer to be moved along the first linear path in a predetermined sequence of movements to at least partially interrogate a sample;
- and
- the counterweight being adapted to be moved, when the sample is being interrogated, along the second linear path at the same time that the rotor and transducer are being moved along the first linear path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.