Magnetic coil support in magnetic resonance imaging method and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10832856-B2
Application number	US-201816232784-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2018
Priority date	Dec 26, 2018
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

An imaging device may include multiple magnetic coils to generate a magnetic field. Additionally, the imaging device may include an outer support affixed to at least one coil of the plurality of magnetic coils and an axial support between at least two coils of the plurality of magnetic coils, wherein the outer support and the axial support operatively share a load corresponding to the generated magnetic fields.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An imaging device comprising:
a plurality of primary magnetic coils configured to generate a magnetic field via current flow through each of the plurality of primary magnetic coils;
an outer diameter support structure comprising one or more cylindrical structures affixed to at least one coil of the plurality of primary magnetic coils; and
at least two axial spacing supports distributed circumferentially around an axis of the imaging device, wherein each axial spacing support of the at least two axial spacing supports is positioned within an axial gap formed between a respective pair of coils of the plurality of primary magnetic coils, wherein at least one of the one or more cylindrical structures of the outer diameter support structure is positioned between a respective pair of the at least two axial spacing supports.

2. A hybrid coil support system comprising:
an outer diameter support structure comprising one or more cylindrical structures attached to an outer surface of a plurality of superconducting primary magnetic coils of an imaging device via an adhesive layer and configured to provide structural support for the plurality of superconducting primary magnetic coils against forces generated by the plurality of superconducting primary magnetic coils while in operation; and
a plurality of axial spacing supports distributed circumferentially around an axis of the imaging device and each located within an axial gap formed between respective adjacent coils of the plurality of superconducting primary magnetic coils and configured to provide structural support for the plurality of superconducting primary magnetic coils against the forces generated by the superconducting primary magnetic coils while in operation, wherein the forces are shared amongst the outer diameter support structure and the plurality of axial spacing supports, and wherein at least one of the one or more cylindrical structures of the outer diameter support structure is positioned between a respective pair of the plurality of axial spacing supports.

3. A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:
a plurality of primary coils configured to generate a magnetic field along a central axis of the plurality of primary coils;
an inner diameter support structure comprising a cylindrical structure affixed to the plurality of primary coils along an inner diameter of the plurality of primary coils, wherein the cylindrical structure of the inner diameter support structure has a uniform thickness in a radial direction; and
at least two axial spacing supports distributed circumferentially around the central axis, wherein each axial spacing support of the at least two axial spacing supports is positioned within an axial gap formed between a respective pair of coils of the plurality of primary coils.

4. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of primary magnetic coils comprise a plurality of superconducting coils maintained at or below a temperature threshold for superconductivity, wherein the temperature threshold corresponds to a material composition of the plurality of superconducting coils.

5. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter support structure and the at least two axial spacing supports share a load on the plurality of primary magnetic coils that corresponds to the current flow and the generated magnetic field during operation, wherein the load comprises a force operatively pulling the at least one coil of the plurality of primary magnetic coils axially toward a midplane of the imaging device, wherein the outer diameter support structure is configured to maintain a position of the at least one coil of the plurality of primary magnetic coils by bearing at least a first portion of the load.

6. The imaging device of claim 5 , wherein the first portion of the load induces shear stresses in the at least one coil.

7. The imaging device of claim 5 , wherein the axial supports are configured to bear a second portion of the load, wherein the second portion of the load induces axial stresses in the at least one coil.

8. The imaging device of claim 7 , wherein the first portion of the load is less than the second portion of the load.

9. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter support structure is affixed to an outer surface of the at least one coil of the plurality of primary magnetic coils via an epoxy layer.

10. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter support structure is configured to be affixed or contiguous with the at least two axial spacing supports.

11. The imaging device of claim 1 , comprising an inner diameter support structure affixed to the at least one coil of the plurality of primary magnetic coils, wherein the inner diameter support structure comprises at least one cylindrical support affixed to an inner diameter of the at least one coil.

12. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of primary magnetic coils comprises at least a first subset of primary magnetic coils of a first thickness in a radial direction and a second subset of primary magnetic coils of a second thickness in the radial direction greater than the first thickness.

13. The imaging device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more cylindrical structures of the outer diameter support structure comprises two or more cylindrical structures affixed to the at least one coil of the plurality of primary magnetic coils along an outer diameter of the plurality of primary magnetic coils, wherein a first cylindrical structure of the outer diameter support structure is positioned radially outside the first subset of primary magnetic coils and has a third thickness in the radial direction and a second cylindrical structure of the outer diameter support structure is positioned radially outside the second subset of primary magnetic coils and has a fourth thickness in the radial direction, wherein the fourth thickness is less than the third thickness.

14. The imaging device of claim 12 , wherein the first subset of primary magnetic coils has a first axial extent and the second subset of primary magnetic coils has a second axial extent greater than the first axial extent.

15. The hybrid coil support system of claim 2 , wherein the outer diameter support structure comprises a gusset on an outer edge of the outer diameter support structure, wherein the gusset is configured to provide additional structural stiffness to the outer diameter support structure.

16. The hybrid coil support system of claim 2 , wherein the outer diameter support structure comprises cooling tubes affixed to an outer edge of the outer diameter support structure.

17. The hybrid coil support system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of axial spacing supports comprises a composite material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion within 10% of a second coefficient of thermal expansion of the plurality of superconducting primary magnetic coils.

18. The hybrid coil support system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of axial spacing supports comprise a plurality of separate and discrete components arranged circumferentially around the axis.

19. The hybrid coil support system of claim 2 , wherien the one or more cylindrical structures of the outer diameter support structure comprises two or more cylindrical structures attached to the outer surface of the plurality of superconducting primary magnetic coils, wherein a first cylindrical structure of the outer diameter support structure has a first thickness in a radial direction and a second cylindrical st

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Kagan Alexander
• Parizh Michael
• Wu Anbo
• Xu Minfeng
• Thompson Paul St Mark Shadforth
• Vermilyea Mark Ernest

Classifications

• H01F6/06 Primary

  Coils, e.g. winding, insulating, terminating or casing arrangements therefor · CPC title

• H01F27/30 Primary

  Fastening or clamping coils, windings, or parts thereof together; Fastening or mounting coils or windings on core, casing, or other support · CPC title

• G01R33/34023

  Superconducting RF coils · CPC title

• G01R33/421

  of main or gradient magnetic field · CPC title

• G01R33/035

  using superconductive devices · CPC title