Siemens Healthcare Gmbh

Siemens Corporation

Siemens Magnet Technology Ltd.

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Siemens Medical Solutions Usa, Inc.

Lucas Industries Limited

Siemens Pic

Neil Charles Tigwell

Stephen Paul Trowell

Patrick William Retz

Matthew Hobbs

Michael Simpkins

Nicholas Mann

Mark James Le Feuvre

Paul William Edgley

Michael John Disney Mallett

Nicholas John Clayton

Seth Michael DeMarrais

Kevin Paul Wastie

Jamie Bodley-Scott

Jeremy Francis Williams

Philip Smith

Frank Zeuch

Michael Pietsch

Michael Alan Senseney

Joshua Andrew Simmers

An assembly for closure of an opening into a vessel, has a valve chamber, a valve biased toward a closed position in which the valve closes the first opening, and a retainer that retains the valve in an open position. A flow of cryogen from a first opening through the valve chamber to a second opening acts to displace the retainer and allow the valve to close.

Assembly for closure of an opening into a cryogen vessel

An assembly has a two-stage cryogenic refrigerator and an associated mounting arrangement, and a sock having first and second stages corresponding to first and second stages of the refrigerator, with the first stage of the refrigerator being in thermal contact with the first stage of the sock and the second stage of the refrigerator being in thermal contact with the second stage of the sock.

Assembly comprising a two-stage cryogenic refrigerator and associated mounting arrangement

An abstract for a quench valve of a cryostat, in particular for use in a magnetic resonance imaging system, is attachable to the quench valve so as to raise the cracking pressure of the quench valve without changing the operability of the quench valve. Such an accessory device is usable to enable the cryostat, containing a cryogen, to be safely transported by air transportation.

Pressure limiting valve for a cryostat containing a cryogen and a superconducting magnet

In a cryostat, in particular for use in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, and a method for reducing heat input into such a cryostat, an insert is provided that is adapted to be inserted into an opening of the cryostat. The insert is adapted to provide one or more passageways for a cryogen through the opening by defining at least one space between the outer surface of the insert and at least one part of the inner surface of the opening. This space allows the cryogen to pass over the part of the inner surface of the opening.

Cryostat and method for reducing heat input into a cryostat

A mechanical actuation arrangement for remotely applying a force to a cryogenically-cooled device has a mechanical actuator composed of multiple parts. In use, the parts bear against one another to enable a force to be applied to the device by an actuator device, and when not in use, the parts separate.

Actuation arrangement

A cryogen vessel port arrangement for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system has a port for guiding cryogen into a cryogen vessel. The port has a siphon tube, a siphon cone, which is in flow connection with the siphon tube, and a pipe with an inlet opening and an outlet opening. The inlet opening is configured for connecting it with a coldhead sock and the outlet opening is in flow connection with the port and the siphon cone. The port has a port component that has a flow channel with a first opening configured for connecting it with a service siphon, a second opening in flow connection with the siphon cone, and a third opening in flow connection with the outlet opening of the pipe.

Helium vessel port arrangement for a magnetic resonance imaging system

An over-pressure limiting arrangement for a cryogen vessel includes an access neck providing access into the cryogen vessel, a tubular structure extending through the access neck, a turret outer assembly joined leak-tight to the cryogen vessel and defining an interior volume that is separated from the atmosphere by a protective valve or burst disc, enclosing an upper extremity of the access neck and the tubular structure. An egress path defines a route for cryogen gas to escape from the turret outer assembly, and a pressure-responsive quench valve seals the egress path and opens when a differential pressure between the interior of the turret outer assembly and the interior of the egress path exceeds a predetermined value. An auxiliary burst disc, or a valve, is attached to the tubular structure within the turret outer assembly, with an inner surface thereof exposed to the interior of the tubular structure and an outer surface thereof exposed to the interior of the turret outer assembly.

Over-pressure limiting arrangement for a cryogen vessel

A cooled current lead for conducting electrical current into a cooled vessel. The current lead comprises an electrical conductor () comprising a region () which, in use, is heated by electrical current flowing through it; a cooled component () situated above a the region () and which is provided with a path for removal of heat; and a thermo-siphon comprising a cavity () in thermal contact with both the region of the electrical conductor and the cooled component, said cavity containing a fluid ().

Cooled current leads for cooled equipment

The present invention provides a cryostat comprising a cryogen vessel (), a thermal radiation shield (), and a sleeve () for accommodating a cryogenic refrigerator. Also provided is a first thermal contact for thermally and mechanically connecting a first stage of a cryogenic refrigerator to the radiation shield for cooling thereof. A secondary recondensing chamber is provided () for accommodating a second stage of a cryogenic refrigerator, and means () are provided for thermally connecting the secondary recondensing chamber to a recondensing surface () exposed to the interior of the cryogen vessel. The cryostat further comprises a pressure control arrangement () for controlling the pressure of a gas within the secondary recondensing chamber.

Method and apparatus for controlling the cooling power of a cryogenic refrigerator delivered to a cryogen vessel

A protection apparatus for a superconductive magnet unit has a support frame for location relative to a portion of the superconductive magnet unit. The support frame is arranged to carry a buffer for protecting the superconductive magnet unit from a shock load.

Protection apparatus, method of locating a superconductive magnet unit and superconductive magnet unit apparatus

An imaging magnet has a patient bore for receiving a human or animal patient, including a body coil assembly having a body coil former and a body coil. The body coil assembly is provided with at least one source of light that is incorporated within the body coil assembly, and embedded within the body coil former, that radiates light into the patient bore.

MR imaging magnet with body coil illuminating the imaging bore

A portable MRI or NMR imaging system comprising a cryogen vessel housing cooled equipment, said system being housed within a transportable container, said container being divided into at least three sections. A first section provides accommodation for an operator and access to equipment as required to operate the cooled equipment. A second section houses the cryogen vessel. A third section houses auxiliary equipment required for operation of the cooled equipment but which is not required to be accessed by the operator to operate the equipment. Also provided is a cryostat comprising an outer vacuum container, itself housing a cryogen vessel for containing cooled equipment, wherein space between the cryogen vessel and the outer vacuum container is evacuated. The outer vacuum container is in the form of at least a section of a standard shipping container.

Transportable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system

An MRI system is housed within a housing that is provided with a set of deployable barriers that are attachable to the housing. The magnet in the MRI system may be operated at a first magnetic field intensity, such that the magnetic field outside of the housing remains below a safety limit when the barriers are not deployed. The magnet in the MRI system may be operated at a second magnetic field intensity, higher than the first, when the barriers are deployed, such that the magnetic field outside of the barriers remains below the safety limit.

High-magnetic field MRI system within a housing and a method of operating an MRI system within a housing

A patient table for use in equipment such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners that are susceptible to electrical or magnetic interference, is moved by hydraulic means, thus avoiding the need for electric motors that give rise to such interference.

Patient table

A trailer for housing a mobile MRI system has magnetic shielding in the form of a plurality of sheets of magnetic material which are supported within the trailer, by a rigid supporting structure or frame. The layers are arranged in a stacked or laminar configuration with the laterally longest layer disposed inward of the remaining layers, such that the width of the gap between that layer and the exterior walls of the trailer at the lateral extremities of the shielding is greater than its width in a central area. The rigid frame maintains the gap and prevents contacting of the shielding and the trailer walls.

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Witney, United Kingdom

Neil Charles Tigwell