Siemens Medical Solutions Usa, Inc.

Captive Technologies, LLC

Arc Automotive, Inc.

John David Keller

James Luke Corbeil

Ziad Burbar

Andrew Philip Moor

Stefan B Siegel

James Michael Rose

Robert William Rovito

Joseph Scott DiGangi

Clarence Richard Husband, Jr

A fluid coolant system for a gantry of a medical imaging apparatus cools scalable detector electronic assemblies (DEAs) within the gantry. Each DEA includes within its modular housing a first chill plate thermally conductively coupled to cooling detector elements therein and a separate, second chill plate thermally conductively coupled to other electronic components therein, such as electronic circuit boards and/or power supplies. In some embodiments, the first chill plate is oriented between the detector elements and the second chill plate, for thermally isolating the detector elements from other heat dissipating components within the DEA. In some embodiments, coolant flow cascades sequentially through the first chill plate and then through the second chill plate.

Cooling system integrated within modular, detector electronic assembly for a diagnostic medical imaging apparatus

A fluid coolant system for a gantry of a medical imaging apparatus cools scalable detector electronic assemblies (DEAs) within the gantry. Each DEA includes therein a first chill plate for cooling detector elements and a second chill plate for cooling electronic components and power supplies. Coolant flow cascades sequentially through the first chill plate and then through the second chill plate. Plural DEAs in an interconnected chain cascade coolant in sequence through all their first chill plates, before cascading the coolant through all their second chill plates. A matrix of the scalable DEAs are circumferentially and axially oriented within the imaging system's gantry, for any axial length scanning field of the imaging apparatus.

Modular, scalable cooling system for a diagnostic medical imaging apparatus

A gantry cooling system of a diagnostic medical imaging apparatus transfers apparatus-generated heat, such as gantry heat, to a solid material heatsink, via a circulating-fluid coolant conduit. In some embodiments, the heatsink is incorporated in the ground or within the building structure housing the apparatus.

Cooling system with solid material heatsink for a diagnostic medical imaging apparatus

Provided is a PET scanner system having a PET scanner gantry that is configured for delivering a uniformly distributed cooling air to a plurality of detectors housed in the PET scanner gantry. The PET scanner gantry includes a cooling air delivery manifold that includes a patient tunnel portion; and a front funnel portion. The front funnel portion includes an annular interior wall defining an entry opening of the patient tunnel portion; and an air plenum has an annular structure for carrying a flow of pressurized cooling air received from a remote source supplements the pressurized cooling air with a supply of ambient air and directs it to the plurality of detectors.

Air cooled PET scanner gantry

A method for detecting potential faults in a cooling system that cools a detector electronic assembly (DEA) of a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging system having a plurality of PET detector rings each including a plurality of PET detectors having an associated DEA. The method includes verifying continuity of coolant lines in a coolant flow path of a DEA and calculating a flow rate through a coolant flow path of a DEA. Selected circuit board temperature sensors are used to detect temperature values that serve as surrogates for temperature change of a coolant. Further, the selected temperature sensors are located on hardware that is replicated on different points or locations on the flow path such that the temperature sensors have similar performance characteristics and are of like kind.

Methods for detecting potential faults in cooling path of pet imaging system

Provided is a novel medical image scanner gantry that includes at least one annular nozzle opening within the patient tunnel where the at least one annular nozzle opening directs a flow of pressurized air toward the back end of the patient tunnel which draws an amount of the ambient air into the patient tunnel to supplement the flow of pressurized air in the patient tunnel to help improve the patient's comfort.

Patient comfort in nuclear imaging system

Embodiments described herein include layered mesh containers and methods for using the containers to safely transport and dispose of airbag inflators having ammonium-nitrate-based propellant. For example, a container with at least two single-layer sidewalls is provided that can hold multiple airbag inflators and withstand up to 4 moles of matter being deployed from an inflator having ammonium-nitrate-based propellant. The container can contain the inflator and any shrapnel associated with the explosion while also venting gases expelled as a result of the explosion. Various container designs are provided, along with methods for using these containers.

Single boundary layer optimized recalled airbag inflator container

Embodiments described herein include specialized barrel containers and methods for using the containers to safely transport and dispose of airbag inflators having ammonium-nitrate-based propellant. For example, a container is provided that can hold multiple airbag inflators and withstand up to 4 moles of matter being deployed from an inflator having ammonium-nitrate-based propellant. The container can contain the inflator and any shrapnel associated with the explosion while also venting gases expelled as a result of the explosion. Various container designs are provided, along with methods for using these containers.

Barrel containers for transporting and disposing of recalled airbag inflators

Embodiments described herein include layered mesh containers and methods for using the containers to safely transport and dispose of airbag inflators having ammonium-nitrate-based propellant. For example, a container is provided that can hold multiple airbag inflators and withstand up to 4 moles of matter being deployed from an inflator having ammonium-nitrate-based propellant. The container can contain the inflator and any shrapnel associated with the explosion while also venting gases expelled as a result of the explosion. Various container designs are provided, along with methods for using these containers.

Layered mesh containers for transporting and disposing of recalled airbag inflators

Embodiments described herein include systems and methods for safely transporting and disposing of airbag inflators. For example, a container is provided that can hold multiple airbag inflators and withstand inflator explosion resulting in failure of the metal inflator housing. The container can contain the inflator and any shrapnel associated with the explosion while also venting gases expelled as a result of the explosion. Various container designs are provided, along with methods for using these containers.

Transporting and disposing of recalled airbag inflators

A gas generator comprising a pressure vessel containing a gas under a first predetermined pressure. An initiator housing closes one end of the pressure vessel and has an opening at the inner end thereof that is closed by an initiator rupture disk constructed to rupture at a second predetermined pressure in the initiator housing greater than the first predetermined pressure. A micro-gas generator or initiator is disposed within the initiator housing. A manifold closes the other end of the pressure vessel and has an opening at the inner end thereof closed by a manifold rupture disk constructed to rupture at a third predetermined pressure greater than the first predetermined pressure. Upon the firing of the micro-gas generator or initiator, the gas pressure in the initiator housing increases to or exceeds the second predetermined pressure to rupture the initiator rupture disk and create a pressure wave that travels through the pressure vessel to create a localized pressure at the manifold rupture disk that equals or exceeds the third predetermined pressure to rupture the manifold rupture disk and allow flow of cool pressurized gas through the manifold before the gas in the pressure vessel is significantly heated and pressurized by the gas flow from the initiator housing.

Growing community of inventors

Knoxville, TN, United States of America

John David Keller