Dennis L Mueller

US Patent:

6697453, Feb 24, 2004

Filed:

Mar 21, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/102992

Inventors:

Dennis William Mueller - Lake Dallas TX
Russell F. Pinizzotto - Maryville MO

Assignee:

MetScan Technologies, LLC - Savannah GA

International Classification:

G01N 2320

US Classification:

378 72, 378 76, 378 81, 378198

Abstract:

In one embodiment, a portable apparatus adapted to be battery powered is used to scan an object in situ with x-rays and measure the intensity of the diffracted x-rays. The apparatus includes a scanning head having an x-ray source that is battery powered and an x-ray detector. The x-ray source and the x-ray detector are aligned in one of a plurality of predetermined alignments such that x-rays from the x-ray source are incident upon an object at a specific angle and the x-ray detector is aligned to detect x-rays that are diffracted at a specific angle, wherein the specific angle is a Bragg angle for a particular plane of atoms in the object.

US Patent:

6909773, Jun 21, 2005

Filed:

Dec 22, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/743896

Inventors:

Dennis William Mueller - Lake Dallas TX, US
Russell F. Pinizzotto - Maryville MO, US

Assignee:

MetScan Technologies, LLC - Savannah GA

International Classification:

G01N023/20
H05G001/02

US Classification:

378 72, 378 71, 378 76, 378189, 378198

Abstract:

In one embodiment, a portable apparatus adapted to be battery powered is used to scan an object in situ with x-rays and measure the intensity of the diffracted x-rays. The apparatus includes a scanning head having an x-ray source that is battery powered and an x-ray detector. The x-ray source and the x-ray detector are aligned in one of a plurality of predetermined alignments such that x-rays from the x-ray source are incident upon an object at a specific angle and the x-ray detector is aligned to detect x-rays that are diffracted at a specific angle, wherein the specific angle is a Bragg angle for a particular plane of atoms in the object.

US Patent:

6940212, Sep 6, 2005

Filed:

May 31, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/191044

Inventors:

Dennis William Mueller - Lake Dallas TX, US

Assignee:

MetScan Technologies, LLC (a Georgia Limited Liability Corporation) - Savannah GA

International Classification:

H01L041/04

US Classification:

310334

Abstract:

An apparatus examines the internal structure of an object disposed substantially in a medium such as air, which essentially totally reflects acoustic signals in the 1-200 MHz frequency range. The apparatus has an acoustic transducer that emits and receives acoustic signals in the 1-200 MHz frequency range and an acoustic coupler that acoustically couples the acoustic transducer to the object. The acoustic coupler has a first end adapted to couple to the acoustic transducer and a second end adapted to make contact with a section of a surface of the object. The acoustic coupler carries acoustic signals in the 1-200 MHz frequency range between the acoustic transducer and the contacted section of the surface of the object. In operation, the apparatus examines the internal structure of the object using reflection mode acoustic microscopy, wherein emitted and reflected signals are carried between the acoustic transducer and the object by acoustic coupler.

US Patent:

6951134, Oct 4, 2005

Filed:

May 31, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/159585

Inventors:

Dennis William Mueller - Lake Dallas TX, US

Assignee:

MetScan Technologies, LLC - Savannah GA

International Classification:

G01N029/06

US Classification:

73644, 73606, 73627

Abstract:

An apparatus examines the internal structure of an object disposed substantially in a medium such as air, which essentially totally reflects acoustic signals in the 1–200 MHz frequency range. The apparatus has an acoustic transducer that emits and receives acoustic signals in the 1–200 MHz frequency range and an acoustic coupler that acoustically couples the acoustic transducer to the object. The acoustic coupler is adapted to receive a fluid stream and emit a fluid stream that carries acoustic signals in the 1–200 MHz frequency range between the acoustic transducer and the object. In operation, the apparatus sprays a section of the object with a fluid stream such as water and examines the internal structure of the sprayed section using reflection mode acoustic microscopy, wherein the transducer of the apparatus pings the object by emitting an acoustic signal in the 1–200 MHz frequency range and the fluid stream carries the emitted acoustic signal to the sprayed section of the object and carries reflections of the emitted acoustic signal from the object to the transducer.

US Patent:

6973832, Dec 13, 2005

Filed:

May 31, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/160493

Inventors:

Dennis William Mueller - Lake Dallas TX, US

Assignee:

MetScan Technologies, LLC - Savannah GA

International Classification:

G01N029/00

US Classification:

73644, 73606, 73620

Abstract:

An apparatus examines the internal structure of an object disposed substantially in a medium such as air, which essentially totally reflects acoustic signals in the 1-200 MHz frequency range. The apparatus has an acoustic transducer that emits and receives acoustic signals in the 1-200 MHz frequency range and an acoustic coupler that acoustically couples the acoustic transducer to the object. The acoustic coupler is adapted to essentially retain a body of fluid such as water between a section of the surface of the object and the acoustic transducer for carrying acoustic signals in the 1-200 MHz frequency range between the acoustic transducer and the object.

US Patent:

6981418, Jan 3, 2006

Filed:

May 31, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/159547

Inventors:

Dennis William Mueller - Lake Dallas TX, US

Assignee:

MetScan Technologies, LLC - Savannah GA

International Classification:

G01N 9/24

US Classification:

73633, 73618, 73627

Abstract:

A system uses reflection mode acoustical scanning of an object to examine the internal characteristics of the object. The system includes a controller and a jig removably attached to the object. The jig includes an acoustic transducer assembly that is in communication with the controller, which controls the positioning of the acoustic transducer assembly. The jig is adapted to enable the controller to scan the acoustic transducer assembly over the object and to adjust the position of the acoustic transducer assembly during the scan to compensate for the contour of the scanned portion of the object.

US Patent:

7055389, Jun 6, 2006

Filed:

May 31, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/159441

Inventors:

Dennis William Mueller - Lake Dallas TX, US

Assignee:

MetScan Technologies, LLC - Savannah GA

International Classification:

G01N 29/04

US Classification:

73620, 73606, 73644

Abstract:

An apparatus examines the internal structure of an object disposed substantially in a medium such as air, which essentially totally reflects acoustic signals in the 1-200 MHz frequency range. The apparatus has an acoustic transducer that emits and receives acoustic signals in the 1-200 MHz frequency range and an acoustic coupler that acoustically couples the acoustic transducer to the object. The acoustic coupler is adapted to essentially retain a body of fluid such as water between a section of the surface of the object and the acoustic transducer. The fluid carries acoustic signals in the 1-200 MHz frequency range between the acoustic transducer and the object.

US Patent:

7104132, Sep 12, 2006

Filed:

Dec 6, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/005181

Inventors:

Dennis William Mueller - Lake Dallas TX, US

Assignee:

MetScan Technologies, LLC - Savannah GA

International Classification:

G01N 29/14

US Classification:

73620, 73606, 73618

Abstract:

An apparatus examines the internal structure of an object disposed substantially in a medium such as air. The apparatus has an acoustic transducer assembly that emits and receives acoustic signals and an acoustic coupler that acoustically couples the acoustic transducer assembly to the object. The acoustic coupler is adapted to essentially retain a body of fluid such as water between a section of the surface of the object and the acoustic transducer assembly for carrying acoustic signals between the acoustic transducer assembly and the object.