# US 12,222,410 B2 · Head coil arrangement with automatically positionable send coil unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,222,410 B2 - Document ID: US12222410B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/950,198 - Filed: 2020-11-17 - Published: 2021-05-27 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-11-26 - Assignees: Siemens Healthineers AG - Applicants: Siemens Healthcare GmbH - Inventors: Ralph Kimmlingen; Martin Schroeder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222410B2 ## CPC - G01R 33/341: comprising surface coils - A61B 5/055: involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging - A61B 5/704: {Tables} - G01R 33/34007: {Manufacture of RF coils, e.g. using printed circuit board technology; additional hardware for providing mechanical support to the RF coil assembly or to part thereof, e.g. a support for moving the coil assembly relative to the remainder of the MR system} - G01R 33/288: {Provisions within MR facilities for enhancing safety during MR, e.g. reduction of the specific absorption rate [SAR], detection of ferromagnetic objects in the scanner room} - G01R 33/3415: comprising arrays of sub-coils {, i.e. phased-array coils with flexible receiver channels} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A head coil arrangement is for a magnetic resonance tomograph. In an embodiment, the head coil arrangement includes a send coil unit and a receive coil unit. The send coil unit, in the position in which the head coil arrangement is normally used on a patient, is automatically positionable in the longitudinal direction of the patient relative to the head coil arrangement. A further embodiment relates to a magnetic resonance facility comprising the head coil arrangement and a guide element, embodied to transmit a force to a dog. The send coil unit is positionable via the force on the dog. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A head coil arrangement for a magnetic resonance facility, the head coil arrangement comprising: a receive coil including a first housing; and a transmission coil including a second housing, the transmission coil configured to be automatically positioned by being moved, in a longitudinal direction of a patient, towards the receive coil while the receive coil is stationary from the perspective of the transmission coil, and connected to the head coil arrangement by the automatic positioning via the second housing latching into the first housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The head coil arrangement of claim 1, further comprising: a linear guide, wherein the transmission coil is configured to be positioned freely along the linear guide on a defined movement path. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The head coil arrangement of claim 1, wherein the transmission coil is pivotably supported on the head coil arrangement at a maximum angle in relation to the head coil arrangement, and wherein the maximum angle between the transmission coil and the head coil arrangement allows a head of the patient to be unhindered in the head coil arrangement. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The head coil arrangement of claim 1, further comprising: a drive configured to move the transmission coil along a movement path by exerting a force on the transmission coil. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The head coil arrangement of claim 4, wherein the drive is a hydraulic drive or a pneumatic drive. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The head coil arrangement of claim 4, wherein the drive includes a motor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The head coil arrangement of claim 2, wherein at least one of the head coil arrangement or the transmission coil includes a mechanical damping element configured to accommodate the transmission coil at a stop position with damping. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The head coil arrangement of claim 1, wherein the transmission coil includes a dog configured to position the transmission coil by transmitting a force in response to mechanical contact with a guide element of the magnetic resonance facility. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The head coil arrangement of claim 8, wherein the dog is connected to a drive and the dog is configured to transmit a movement to the transmission coil. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The head coil arrangement of claim 8, wherein the dog is configured to vary an amount of the force on the guide element in a direction of movement of the transmission coil as a function of a position of the transmission coil. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The head coil arrangement of claim 8, wherein the dog is configured to vary a direction of the force on the guide element as a function of a position of the transmission coil. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The head coil arrangement of claim 1, wherein the transmission coil and the receive coil are operably connected and are configured to be positioned relative to the head coil arrangement. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A magnetic resonance facility comprising: the head coil arrangement of claim 1; and a guide element configured to transmit a force to a dog, wherein the transmission coil is configured to be positioned via the force on the dog. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The magnetic resonance facility of claim 13, wherein the guide element is configured to vary at least one of a direction of a force on the dog or an amount of a force on the dog in a direction of movement of the transmission coil as a function of a position of the transmission coil. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The magnetic resonance facility of claim 13, further comprising: a patient couch including a guide element configured to transmit a force to the dog of the transmission coil. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The magnetic resonance facility of claim 13, further comprising: a drive connected to the guide element, the drive configured to exert a force on the dog. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The magnetic resonance facility of claim 16, wherein the drive is connected to a motor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 2) The head coil arrangement of claim 2, wherein the transmission coil is pivotably supported on the head coil arrangement at a maximum angle in relation to the head coil arrangement, and wherein the maximum angle between the transmission coil and the head coil arrangement allows a head of the patient to be unhindered in the head coil arrangement. ### Claim 19 (depends on 2) The head coil arrangement of claim 2, further comprising: a drive configured to move the transmission coil along a movement path by exerting a force on the transmission coil. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The head coil arrangement of claim 19, wherein the drive is a hydraulic drive or a pneumatic drive. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The head coil arrangement of claim 1, wherein the transmission coil is further configured to initiate the automatic positioning of the transmission coil in response to a head of the patient entering a patient tunnel of the magnetic resonance facility. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The head coil arrangement of claim 1, wherein the receive coil is stationary with respect to a patient couch when the transmission coil is automatically positioned. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The head coil arrangement of claim 1, wherein the receive coil is configured to be positioned above a head of the patient, and wherein the transmission coil is configured to be automatically positioned by being moved in the longitudinal direction towards the receive coil positioned above the head of the patient.