Method and apparatus for preferentially heating a substructure in a composite material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019015673-A1
Application number	US-201716068292-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 13, 2017
Priority date	Jan 14, 2016
Publication date	Jan 17, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system (2) for transferring radio frequency energy to a composite structure (22) is provided that includes a radio signal generator (14) that produces a pulse modulated waveform with variable carrier frequency and variable pulse repetition frequency. The pulse modulated waveform is applied to the composite structure (22) for heating. An infrared imaging element (4, 6) measures the rate of heating in the composite structure (22) for particular values of the variable carrier frequency and the variable pulse repetition frequency. The infrared imaging element (4, 6) produces a representation illustrating the effects of heating on the composite structure (22) as well as the composite's molecular, nanoscopic structural, or chemical characteristics. A controller (8) determines the optimum variable center frequency and the variable pulse repetition frequency for optimum heating of the composite structure (22) while minimizing damage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for transferring radio frequency energy to a composite structure comprising:
a radio signal generator that produces a pulse modulated waveform with variable carrier frequency and variable pulse repetition frequency, the pulse modulated waveform is applied to the composite structure for heating; an infrared imaging element that measures the rate of heating in the composite structure for particular values of the variable carrier frequency and the variable pulse repetition frequency, the infrared imaging element produces a representation illustrating the effects of heating on the composite structure as well as the sample's molecular, nanoscopic structural, or chemical characteristics; and a controller that determines the optimum variable center frequency and the variable pulse repetition frequency for optimum heating of the composite structure while minimizing damage.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the infrared imaging element comprises a thermal camera.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the thermal camera illustrates regions of heating using color.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the infrared imaging element comprises a Raman spectrometer.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the Raman spectrometer illustrates position, shape and intensity of spectral lines characteristic of molecules.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the optimum carrier frequency and pulse repetition frequency by sending a control signal to the radio signal generator.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the optimum carrier frequency and pulse repetition frequency are determined by the maximum difference in heating between regions subject to a constraint of a minimum degree of heating of the composite structure.

8 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the thermal camera incorporates magnification and focus to record an image on a digital focal plane to be transmitted to the image processor.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the radio signal generator comprises a bank of oscillators that are coupled to a bank of amplifiers for amplification.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the composite structure is a mixture of water and collagen.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein pulse modulated waveform vibrates water molecules near the collagen to produce heating.

12 . A method of transferring radio frequency energy to a composite structure comprising:
producing a pulse modulated waveform with variable carrier frequency and variable pulse repetition frequency using a radio signal generator, the pulse modulated waveform is applied to the composite structure for heating; measuring the rate of heating in the composite structure for particular values of the variable carrier frequency and the variable pulse repetition frequency using an infrared imaging element, the infrared imaging element produces a representation illustrating the effects of heating on the composite structure as well as the sample's molecular, nanoscopic structural, or chemical characteristics; and determining the optimum variable center frequency and the variable pulse repetition frequency for optimum heating of the composite structure while minimizing damage using a controller.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the infrared imaging element comprises a thermal camera.

14 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the thermal camera illustrates regions of heating using color.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the infrared imaging element comprises a Raman spectrometer.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the Raman spectrometer illustrates position, shape and intensity of spectral lines characteristic of molecules.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the controller determines the optimum carrier frequency and pulse repetition frequency by sending a control signal to the radio signal generator.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the optimum carrier frequency and pulse repetition frequency are determined by the maximum difference in heating between regions subject to a constraint of a minimum degree of heating of the composite structure.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the thermal camera incorporates magnification and focus to record an image on a digital focal plane to be transmitted to the image processor.

20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the radio signal generator comprises a bank of oscillators that are coupled to a bank of amplifiers for amplification.

21 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the composite structure is a mixture of water and a collagen structure.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein pulse modulated waveform vibrates water molecules near the collagen structure to produce heating.

23 . A system for transferring radio frequency energy to a collagen structure comprising:
a radio signal generator that produces a pulse modulated waveform with variable carrier frequency and variable pulse repetition frequency, the pulse modulated waveform is applied to the collagen structure for heating; an infrared imaging element that measures the rate of heating in the composite structure for particular values of the variable carrier frequency and the variable pulse repetition frequency, the infrared imaging element produces a representation illustrating the effects of heating on the collagen structure as well as the sample's molecular, nanoscopic structural, or chemical characteristics; and a controller that determines the optimum variable center frequency and the variable pulse repetition frequency for optimum heating of the collagen structure while minimizing damage.

24 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the infrared imaging element comprises a thermal camera.

25 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the thermal camera illustrates regions of heating using color.

26 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the infrared imaging element comprises a Raman spectrometer.

27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the Raman spectrometer illustrates position, shape and intensity of spectral lines characteristic of molecules.

28 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the controller determines the optimum carrier frequency and pulse repetition frequency by sending a control signal to the radio signal generator.

29 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the optimum carrier frequency and pulse repetition frequency are determined by the maximum difference in heating between regions subject to a constraint of a minimum degree of heating of the composite structure.

30 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the thermal camera incorporates magnification and focus to record an image on a digital focal plane to be transmitted to the image processor.

31 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the radio signal generator comprises a bank of oscillators that are coupled to a bank of amplifiers for amplification.

32 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the collagen structure is mixed with water.

33 . The system of claim 32 , wherein pulse modulated waveform vibrates water molecules near the collagen structure to produce heating.

Assignees

• Massachusetts Inst Technology

Inventors

• Masic Admir
• Brommer Karl D

Classifications

• A61N1/403 Primary

  for thermotherapy, e.g. hyperthermia · CPC title

• A61B5/4836

  Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods (A61B5/0036 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B2576/00

  Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis (A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B5/0075 Primary

  by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy (A61B5/0071 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B5/015

  By temperature mapping of body part · CPC title