Siemens Corporation

Siemens Healthcare Gmbh

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Siemens Pic

Nicholas Mann

Edward Wedderburn Kershaw

Bu Qing Zhang

Michael Simpkins

Marcel Kruip

Trevor Bryan Husband

Matthew Hobbs

Lei Xiao

Neil Charles Tigwell

Li Huang

Martin Howard Hempstead

Neil John Belton

Mark James Le Feuvre

William James Bickell

Graeme Hyson

Richard Gowland

Jennifer Ridley

Hai Tao Xiu

Ashley Fulham

Philip Smith

Frank Zeuch

Paul Dixey

Zong Fang Chen

Paul Lewis

Melanie Rigby

Martin Gambling

Shao Kun Zhao

A suspension apparatus for a superconducting magnet, comprising a support tray and at least two suspension assemblies. The support tray has at least one through-hole and comprises at least two mounting parts. The at least two suspension assemblies pass through the support tray via the through-hole. Each of the suspension assemblies is connected to one of the mounting parts. The suspension apparatus is easy to install. Furthermore, a superconducting magnet comprising the suspension apparatus, and a magnetic resonance imaging device, are also provided.

Suspension apparatus for superconducting magnet, superconducting magnet and magnetic resonance imaging device

An assembly having a cylindrical structure supported by a support structure having at least one support element, the support structure being cradle shaped, such that vertical and horizontal loads are taken largely as shear forces by respective interface surfaces which are substantially parallel to the direction of the respective load, and vertical loads are taken in a direction substantially tangential to the cylindrical surface of the cylindrical structure.

Assembly comprising a cylindrical structure supported by a support structure

A tensioning apparatus for supporting a low-temperature apparatus in a vacuum vessel of a superconducting magnet of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, has a main body that has a fixed end for fixing the main body, and a free end, a locating piece, situated between the fixed end and the free end; and an adjusting piece having a supporting part, supported between the free end and the locating piece, and an operating part, connected to the supporting part, and operable for adjusting the length of the supporting part in the direction of extension of the main body and thereby tensioning the main body.

Tensioning apparatus, superconducting magnet and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus

A thermal radiation shield for a superconducting magnet has an inner tube, an outer tube arranged around the periphery of the inner tube, and an annular end cap disposed therebetween, and connected in a fixed manner to an edge of the inner tube by an inner edge of the annular end cap. A first toothed part is formed at an outer edge of the annular end cap, the first toothed part being connected by meshing with a second toothed part formed by an edge of the outer tube. The annular end cap with a toothed structure allows only a simple cutting process on raw material to be performed in order to obtain the annular end cap and the first toothed part formed at the outer edge thereof, thereby avoiding complex punching, spinning and similar processes, and saving production costs.

Thermal radiation shield for superconducting magnet, superconducting magnet and magnetic resonance imaging device

A mounting plate for locating under a superconducting magnet structure, between the superconducting magnet structure and a supporting surface of a mobile carrier, is controllable between two different states. In a first state, the mount provides rigid attachment and precise location of the superconducting magnet structure onto the supporting surface of the mobile carrier. In a second state, the mount provides vibration isolation between the superconducting magnet and the mobile carrier.

Vibration isolation for superconducting magnets

In a magnet system for MRI imaging comprising a superconducting magnet mounted within a cryogen vessel, apparatus is provided for controlling egress of cryogen gas from the cryogen vessel. The apparatus comprises a controlled valve linking the interior of the cryogen vessel to a gas exit path; and a controller arranged to control the valve. The valve is arranged such that a gas pressure in the cryogen vessel exceeding a gas pressure in the gas exit path acts on the valve to open the valve and allow venting of cryogen gas. The valve is also arranged such that a gas pressure in the cryogen vessel inferior to a gas pressure in the gas exit path acts on the valve to urge it closed, so restricting flow of gas into the cryogen vessel.

Passive overpressure and underpressure protection for a cryogen vessel

A supported superconducting magnet includes a superconducting magnet arranged within an outer vacuum container and a support structure bearing the weight of the superconducting magnet against a support surface. The support structure includes a tubular suspension element located between the magnet and the support surface, the tubular suspension element retaining the magnet in a fixed relative position with reference to the outer vacuum container by means of complementary interface surfaces arranged to transmit the weight of the superconducting magnet to the support structure. The tubular suspension element is arranged about a generally vertical axis, and supports a solenoidal magnet structure which is arranged about a generally horizontal axis.

Supported superconducting magnet

A cryostat, comprising an outer vacuum vessel containing cryogenic equipment suspended from the outer vacuum vessel by a number of suspension rods. At least one of the suspension rods is provided with a tensioning and retaining mechanism for holding that suspension rod in tension braced against a suspension bracket). This tensioning and retaining mechanism includes a tubular rod carrier arranged, in use, to pass through a hole or slot in the suspension bracket, the rod carrier having an axial bore through which, in use, the rod may pass; a thread on its outer surface along at least part of its length; and a rod bearing surface for, in use, transmitting force to the rod. This tensioning and retaining mechanism also comprises a tensioning nut threaded onto the thread so as to, in use, brace against the suspension bracket to urge the tubular rod carrier in the direction of the rod bearing surface so as to apply tension to the rod.

Suspension rod tensioning arrangements for supporting cryogenic equipment within a cryostat

A support system comprising a number of racetrack-shaped tensile support bands held in tension between a supported article and a supporting article, respective curved end portions of each tensile support band being retained by respective mounting points mounted on respective surfaces of the supported article and the supporting article, respectively. At least one of the tensile support bands is arranged so that the curved end portions lie in a plane substantially parallel to the surface upon which the respective mounting point is mounted; and at least one mounting point is a monolithic mounting point having a curved surface which is complementary to an inner curved surface of an end of the tensile support band.

Compact support system using low aspect ratio composite tensile support bands

A supported superconducting magnet, comprising a superconducting magnet arranged within an outer vacuum container; and a support structure bearing the weight of the superconducting magnet against a support surface. The support structure comprises a tubular suspension element located between the magnet and the support surface, said tubular suspension element retaining the magnet in a fixed relative position with reference to the outer vacuum container by means of complementary interface surfaces arranged to transmit the weight of the superconducting magnet to the support structure. The tubular suspension element is arranged about a generally vertical axis, and supports a solenoidal magnet structure which is arranged about a generally horizontal axis.

A support system comprising a number of racetrack-shaped tensile support bands () held in tension between a supported article and a supporting article, respective curved end portions of each tensile support band being retained by respective mounting points () mounted on respective surfaces of the supported article and the supporting article, respectively. At least one of the tensile support bands is arranged so that the curved end portions lie in a plane substantially parallel to the surface upon which the respective mounting point is mounted; and at least one mounting point is a monolithic mounting point having a curved surface () which is complementary to an inner curved surface of an end of the tensile support band.

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

A cryostat comprises a cryogen vessel suspended within an outer vacuum container, the cryogen vessel is supported by an arrangement that includes at least one housing mounted on an exterior surface of the outer vacuum container and arranged to function as a floor mounting foot, for supporting weight of the cryogen vessel and the outer vacuum container, and at least two mounting points mounted within the housing(s). Each of at least two suspension elements (an upper suspension element and a lower suspension element) extends through a hole in the surface of the outer vacuum container, between the respective mounting point and a respective point on the cryogen vessel.

Cryostat comprising a cryogen vessel suspended within an outer vacuum container

A tensioning arrangement for a suspension system comprising an elongate suspension member () for attachment to an element to be suspended under tension at a predetermined location relative to a support surface (); the arrangement comprising a lever arm member () having a component () adapted to engage with and support said elongate suspension member remotely from said suspended element, wherein said lever arm member is formed with first () and second () bearing means adapted to bear respectively against first () and second () spaced-apart regions of said support surface and wherein at least said first bearing means incorporates an adjuster means () permitting the said arm member to be moved relative to said first region of said support surface, thereby to permit adjustment of tension in said suspension member.

Growing community of inventors

Compton, United Kingdom

Nicholas Mann