Siemens Corporation

Siemens Magnet Technology Ltd.

Siemens Medical Solutions Usa, Inc.

Stephen Paul Trowell

Neil Charles Tigwell

Keith White

Martin Howard Hempstead

Neil John Belton

Timothy John Hughes

Michael John Disney Mallett

Nicholas John Clayton

Michael Pietsch

Michael Alan Senseney

Joshua Andrew Simmers

Jeremy Francis Williams

Seth Michael DeMarrais

In order to minimize the loss of cryogen during transportation of superconductive magnet systems, or indeed at any time that the refrigerator is turned off, part of the boil-off gas is directed from the cryogen vessel through the refrigerator interface and past the refrigerator to cool the refrigerator. Some of the heat conducted along the refrigerator into the system is intercepted and removed by that part of the boil-off gas. The heat load onto the cryogenic vessel is thereby reduced, which in turn reduces the boil-off of cryogen from the cryogenic vessel. This part of the boil-off gas is then vented from the system along with the remainder of the boil-off gas, for example to leave the cryogenic liquid vessel via the access neck.

Reduction of cryogen loss during transportation

A turret subassembly for use as part of a cryostat, the turret subassembly comprising a vent tube () housing an auxiliary vent (); a refrigerator sock () for housing a refrigerator; a termination box () linking the vent tube and the refrigerator sock, and having an opening () in one wall (); and means () for attachment of the turret subassembly to a cryogen vessel ().

Turret subassembly for use as part of a cryostat and method of assembling a cryostat

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 current lead-through for providing an electrically conductive path between an interior of a vessel and the exterior of the vessel. The electrically conductive path is electrically isolated from the material of the vessel. The current lead-through comprises an electrically conductive pin surrounded by an electrically isolating sealing material, and retained within a tubular carrier body by the sealing material, the electrically conductive pin being exposed at each end of the tubular carrier body to enable electrical connection thereto.

Current leadthrough for cryostat

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 quench line and exit plenum configuration for a mobile MRI system housed in a transportable trailer includes an exit plenum with deflector plates that direct the quench flow of cold gases upward and away from surrounding objects. In addition, the plenum also includes dual vents to facilitate optimum gas flow and water drainage. The deflector plates are configured to utilize the Venturi effect to create an auxiliary flow of the ambient air to help deflect the flow of cold gases away from nearby pedestrians, when the magnet is quenching, and to enable service personnel to fill the magnet safely while in the vicinity of the exit plenum.

Quenchline exit plenum for a cyrogenic unit

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 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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Finstock, United Kingdom

Stephen Paul Trowell