Dual-helmet magnetoencephalography apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12245857-B2
Application number	US-202217853769-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2022
Priority date	Jun 1, 2020
Publication date	Mar 11, 2025
Grant date	Mar 11, 2025

Abstract

A dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus includes: an internal container storing a liquid refrigerant; an external container disposed to surround the internal container and including a first external helmet and a second external helmet disposed to be spaced apart from each other; a first sensor-mounted helmet disposed to surround the first external helmet between the external container and the internal container; a second sensor-mounted helmet disposed to surround the second external helmet between the externa container and the internal container; a plurality of first SQUID sensor module disposed on the first sensor-mounted helmet; and a plurality of second SQUID sensor module disposed on the second sensor-mounted helmet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus comprising:
an internal container comprising a glass fiber-reinforced plastic and storing a liquid refrigerant;
an external container surrounding the internal container and including a first external helmet and a second external helmet spaced apart from each other;
a first sensor-mounted helmet surrounding the first external helmet between the external container and the internal container;
a second sensor-mounted helmet surrounding the second external helmet between the external container and the internal container;
a plurality of first SQUID sensor modules on the first sensor-mounted helmet, each comprising a first SQUID sensor and a first pick-up coil; and
a plurality of second SQUID sensor modules on the second sensor-mounted helmet, each comprising a second SQUID sensor and a second pick-up coil,
wherein a space between the external container and the internal container is in a vacuum state.

2. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the external container has a T form, including a first branch and a second branch branching off from a cylindrical external container body,
the first external helmet and the second external helmet are coupled to the first branch and the second branch, respectively, and
the first external helmet and the second external helmet face each other and have different sizes.

3. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 2 , further comprising:
a C-shaped external container support portion supporting lower surfaces of the first branch and the second branch; and
a rotational motion unit coupled to the C-shaped external container support portion to provide a rotational motion to the external container.

4. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 3 , further comprising:
a vacuum-sealing portion in a through-hole in the lower surface of each of the first and second branches to seal signal lines, the vacuum-sealing portion being inside the C-shaped external container support portion; and
a signal line connection box below the C-shaped external container support portion and connecting the signal lines to each other, and
wherein the rotational motion unit further comprises:
an upper base box surrounding the signal line connection box;
a lower base box below the upper base box; and
a bearing portion between the upper base box and the lower base box to provide a rotational motion to the upper base box.

5. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 4 , further comprising:
a handle coupled to an external side of the upper base box.

6. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the first external helmet includes a coupled portion with a first long groove,
the first external helmet is coupled to one end of the first branch while rotating along the first long groove in an aligned state,
the second external helmet includes a coupled portion with a second long groove, and
the second external helmet is coupled to one end of the second branch while rotating along the second long groove in an aligned state.

7. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotational motion unit rotating the internal container and the external container about a central axis of the rotational motion unit.

8. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the internal container comprises:
a neck portion,
a baffle insert in the neck portion; and
an internal body portion having an increased diameter as compared with the neck portion, and
wherein the neck portion has a double-wall structure including an internal cylinder and an external cylinder surrounding the internal cylinder.

9. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the neck portion further comprises a heat shielding layer between the internal cylinder and the external cylinder.

10. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the internal cylinder further comprises a plurality of ring projections protruding outwardly from the internal cylinder,
the dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus further comprises thermal anchors coupled to respective ones of the ring projections, and
the ring projections are spaced apart from each other.

11. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 10 , wherein an external circumferential surface of the ring projections and an internal circumferential surface of the thermal anchors are screw-coupled to each other.

12. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 11 , wherein each of the thermal anchors comprises a cylindrical thermal anchor coupling portion and a disc-shaped thermal anchor body portion on an external circumferential surface of the cylindrical thermal anchor coupling portion, and
an internal circumferential surface of the cylindrical thermal anchor coupling portion is screw-coupled to the external circumferential surface of a respective one of the ring projections.

13. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the external cylinder is separated with the ring projection therebetween.

14. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the internal container comprises:
a neck portion,
a baffle insert in the neck portion; and
a body portion having a diameter increased as compared to the neck portion,
wherein the dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus further comprises:
a refrigerant exhaust tube at the baffle insert and exhausting an evaporated refrigerant;
a liquid refrigerant injection tube at the baffle insert and injecting a liquid refrigerant; and
a condenser connected to the refrigerant exhaust tube and the liquid refrigerant injection tube and condensing the evaporated refrigerant, and the liquid refrigerant injection tube has a coaxial structure in the refrigerant exhaust tube.

15. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 14 , wherein each of the refrigerant exhaust tube and the liquid refrigerant injection tube comprises a dual tube including an internal tube and an external tube.

16. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the internal container comprises:
a neck portion,
a baffle insert in the neck portion; and
a first body portion having an increased diameter as compared with the neck portion;
a second body portion having an increased diameter as compared with the first body portion; and
a third body portion having a decreased diameter as compared with the second body portion.

17. The dual-helmet magnetoencephalography measuring apparatus as set forth in claim 16 , further comprising:
a pair of first support portions coupled to an interface between the neck portion and the first body portion and respectively extending in a direction of the first external helmet and a direction of the second external helmet;
a pair of second support portions coupled to an interface between the first body portion and the second body portion and respectively extending in the direction of the first external helmet and the direction of the second extern

Assignees

• Korea Res Inst Standards & Sci

Inventors

• Yu Kwon-Kyu
• Lee Yong-Ho
• Kwon Hyukchan
• Kim Jin-Mok
• Lee Sang-Kil
• Kim Bokyung
• Kim Min-Young
• Kim Kiwong

Classifications

• A61B2562/18

  Shielding or protection of sensors from environmental influences, e.g. protection from mechanical damage · CPC title

• A61B2562/046

  in a matrix array · CPC title

• A61B2562/0223

  Magnetic field sensors · CPC title

• G01R33/34

  Constructional details, e.g. resonators {, specially adapted to MR} · CPC title

• G01R33/0076

  Protection, e.g. with housings against stray fields · CPC title