Superconductor Technologies Inc.

Santa Barbara Research Center

M2m Imaging Corporation

Wallace Y Kunimoto

Michael J Scharen

Erzhen Gao

Jon T DeVries

Angela May Ho

Stephan M Rohlfing

Amr Hassan O'Baid

Arturo Soto

Timothy W James

Roger J Forse

Elna Saito

Gregory Ronald Harrah

C Richard Hullihen, Iii

Gregory Lynton Hey-Shipton

Charles A Cockrum

David R Chase

Leonard E Peck

Mark W Hanes

Arthur A Eneim

William H Wellman

David Joseph Kapolnek

Frank M Boyd

David A Hitzelberger

James A Orr

A magnetic resonance imaging system includes a primary magnet and a secondary magnet operable to produce magnetic fields within a sample being imaged. The MRI system further includes at least one RF coil that is operable to receive electromagnetic frequencies from the sample. The RF coil is formed from tubing that serves as a cooling conduit through which flows a cooling fluid provided by a cooling source. The cooling fluid cools the RF coils to improve imaging of the sample.

Apparatus and method for cryogenically cooling a coil on a magnetic resonance imaging system

A magnetic resonance coil systemallows for the use of modular components and which in one embodiment is particularly well-suited for use with small animals and includes an animal receiving apparatus, a transmit coil module, and a receive coil module. The receive coil moduleincludes a cryogenic receive coil. The coil systemis selectively insertable in the bore of the gradient coil of a magnetic resonance examination system.

Magnetic resonance coil system

A magnetic resonance imaging system () includes a primary magnet and a secondary magnet operable to produce magnetic fields within a sample being imaged. The MRI system further includes at least one RF coil () that is operable to receive electromagnetic frequencies from the sample. The RF coil is formed from tubing () that serves as a cooling conduit through which flows a cooling fluid provided by a cooling source. The cooling fluid cools the RF coils to improve imaging of the sample.

A piston assembly for use in a motor comprises a cylinder having a bore, an electrically conductive piston reciprocally disposed within the cylinder bore, a gas cavity formed within the piston, and one or more gas bearings associated with the piston, each of the one or more gas bearings including an aperture formed within the piston and an electrically conductive tubular member extending through the aperture, the tubular member having a lumen in communication between the gas cavity and the cylinder bore. The piston assembly may be used in connection with a motor used in a cryocooler that is driven by oscillating magnetic energy fields.

Stirling cycle cryocooler with improved magnet ring assembly and gas bearings

An improved dewar design that accelerates the manufacturing process of a dewar. In a preferred embodiment, the dewar includes an evacuation port that may be larger in size by a factor of ten over the size of evacuation ports of conventional dewars. The oversized evacuation port, however, does not result in an increase in the overall size or profile of the dewar. The dewar is evacuated and hermetically sealed using an re-usable evacuation tool.

Method of manufacturing dewars

A magnet ring assembly for use with a piston assembly includes a cylindrical magnet holder having an inner surface, an annular ledge formed around the inner surface of the cylindrical magnet holder, and a swaged axial edge opposite the annular ledge, and a plurality of arcuate magnet sectors having a radially uniform magnetic polarity, the plurality of magnets being bonded around the inner surface of the cylindrical magnet holder, each of the plurality of magnets having opposing axial edges, one of the axial edges being disposed on the annular ledge, and the other of the axial edges being captured by the swaged axial edge of the cylindrical magnet holder. The magnet ring assembly can be used in connection with a crycooler.

A regenerator material for use inside a displacer of a Stirling cycle cryocooler includes a plurality of circular disks formed from a synthetic felt that is preferably polyester. The plurality of disks have an outer diameter that is greater than the inner diameter of the displacer. The plurality of circular disks form a stack within the displacer. The regenerator material minimizes operational variation between different cryocoolers. In addition, the regenerator material can be easily filled into the cryocooler displacer.

Synthetic felt regenerator material for stirling cycle cryocoolers

An electrical interconnect provides a path between cryogenic or cryocooled circuitry and ambient temperatures. As a system, a cryocable is combined with a trough-line contact or transition . In the preferred embodiment, the cryocable comprises a conductor disposed adjacent an insulator which is in turn disposed adjacent another conductor . The components are sized so as to balance heat load through the cryocable with the insertion loss. In the most preferred embodiment, a coaxial cryocable has a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric (e.g. Teflon&trade;) surrounded by an outer conductor which has a thickness between about 6 and 20 microns. The heat load is preferably less than one Watt, and most preferably less than one tenth of a Watt, with an insertion loss less than one decibel. In another aspect of the invention, a trough-line contact or transition is provided in which the center conductor is partially enveloped by dielectric to form a relatively flat portion . The preferred overall geometry of the preferred embodiment of the cable is generally cylindrical, although other geometries are possible (e.g., stripline, microstrip, coplanar or slotline geometries). In a further aspect of the present invention, a push-on connector is provided to facilitate connection and disconnection of the cryocable from an HTS circuit and/or a mating feedthrough

Push on connector for cryocable and mating weldable hermetic feedthrough

Evacuation port and closure for dewars

An improved HTSC filter system design. An improved HTSC filter system comprises a cryocooler and dewar assembly, a heat dissipation assembly and at least one heat pipe providing a thermal coupling between said heat dissipation assembly and said cryocooler and dewar assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the cryocooler and dewar assembly is environmentally sealed within a double-walled aluminum canister, and the heat pipes are formed from stainless steel tubes having a predetermined amount of ammonia provided therein.

Cryocooler for HTSC filter systems

An electrical interconnect provides a path between cryogenic or cryocooled circuitry and ambient temperatures. As a system, a cryocable 10 is combined with a trough-line contact or transition 20. In the preferred embodiment, the cryocable 10 comprises a conductor 11 disposed adjacent an insulator 12 which is in turn disposed adjacent another conductor 13. The components are sized so as to balance heat load through the cryocable 10 with the insertion loss. In the most preferred embodiment, a coaxial cryocable 10 has a center conductor 11 surrounded by a dielectric 12 (e.g. Teflon.TM.) surrounded by an outer conductor 13 which has a thickness between about 6 and 20 microns. The heat load is preferably less than one Watt, and most preferably less than one tenth of a Watt, with an insertion loss less than one decibel. In another aspect of the invention, a trough-line contact or transition 20 is provided in which the center conductor 11 is partially enveloped by dielectric 12 to form a relatively flat portion 28. The preferred overall geometry of the preferred embodiment of the cable is generally cylindrical, although other geometries are possible (e.g., stripline, microstrip, coplanar or slotline geometries). In a further aspect of the present invention, a push-on connector 120 is provided to facilitate connection and disconnection of the cryocable from an HTS circuit and/or a mating feedthrough 124.

A temperature controlled cryogenic package system for efficiently and precisely monitoring and controlling the operating temperature of a high temperature superconductor circuit placed on a substrate. The cryogenic package system comprises a heating element formed on the same substrate as the high temperature superconductor circuit, a control circuit capable of activating and deactivating the heating element, and a temperature sensor placed in thermal proximity to the high temperature superconductor circuit. The temperature sensor monitors the operating temperature of the high temperature superconductor circuit, and conveys temperature information to the control circuit. The control circuit activates or deactivates the heating element according to the warming or cooling effect that is necessary in order to maintain the high temperature superconductor circuit within a predetermined temperature range, where the range of temperature fluctuation is within plus or minus 0.1 K of a predetermined temperature.

Temperature controlling cryogenic package system

An electrical interconnect provides a path between cryogenic or cryocooled circuitry and ambient temperatures. As a system, a cryocable 10 is combined with a trough-line contact or transition 20. In the preferred embodiment, the cryocable 10 comprises a conductor 11 disposed adjacent an insulator 12 which is in turn disposed adjacent another conductor 13. The components are sized so as to balance heat load through the cryocable 10 with the insertion loss. In the most preferred embodiment, a coaxial cryocable 10 has a center conductor 11 surrounded by a dielectric 12 (e.g. Teflon.TM.) surrounded by an outer conductor 13 which has a thickness between about 6 and 20 microns. The heat load is preferably less than one Watt, and most preferably less than one tenth of a Watt, with an insertion loss less than one decibel. In another aspect of the invention, a trough-line contact or transition 20 is provided in which the center conductor 11 is partially enveloped by dielectric 12 to form a relatively flat portion 28. The preferred overall geometry of the preferred embodiment of the cable is generally cylindrical, although other geometries are possible (e.g. stripline, microstrip, coplanar or slotline geometries).

Growing community of inventors

Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

Wallace Y Kunimoto