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US 6,647,282 B2Granted
Laser adjustment mechanism
AssigneeGE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
InventorSteven E. Hair
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for aligning a laser beam with a hidden target. In particular, a coupling is rotated which rotates a laser diode and simultaneously translates the diode to produce a spiral shaped laser beam path. The coupling is continuously rotated until it is determined that the beam has become aligned with the target.
Claims9
An apparatus for systematically aiming a laser beam to a hidden target in an MRI machine, comprising:
- an outer housing extending generally along a central axis;
- a laser diode operable to emit the laser beam in a general direction of the hidden target;
- an adjustable coupling for mounting the laser diode to the outer housing;
- and a manually operated actuator in mechanical communication with the coupling being operable to systematically move the laser beam in a spiral search path that intersects with the hidden target, wherein the spiral has a resolution between adjacent revolutions that is smaller than the target;
- and
- a laser module housing the laser diode and having a protrusion extending therefrom, wherein the apparatus further includes a ramp that engages the protrusion to move the laser beam in the spiral search path.
3 more elements
An apparatus for systematically aiming a laser beam to a target in an MRI machine, comprising:
- an outer housing extending generally along a central axis;
- a laser diode operable to emit the laser beam in a general direction of the target;
- an adjustable coupling including an elongated inner housing that is threadedly connected to the outer housing for mounting the laser diode to the outer housing, wherein the coupling is rotatable about an axis of rotation and translatable along a sloped ramp to systematically move the laser beam in a spiral search path that intersects with the target;
- and
- a laser module housing the laser diode and having a protrusion extending therefrom, wherein the ramp is disposed in the inner housing that is sloped with respect to the axis of rotation and configured to accept the protrusion therein.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.