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US 2006/0139025 A1Published application
Saturation-resistant magnetoresistive sensor for ferromagnetic screening
AssigneeMedNovus, Inc.
InventorFrederick Jeffers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An MRI pre-screening apparatus having an applied field source and a saturation-resistant magnetoresistive sensor, wherein the applied field source is sufficiently strong to magnetize any anticipated ferromagnetic threat object but the sensor is not saturated by the applied magnetic field. The sensor can be made saturation-resistant by being constructed of non-magnetic materials. A flux concentrator can be implemented to increase sensor sensitivity.
Claims26
An apparatus for screening for the presence of a ferromagnetic threat object, comprising:
- a frame;
- at least one applied field magnetic source mounted on said frame, said applied field source being adapted to produce a magnetic field of sufficient strength to provide detectable magnetization of a ferromagnetic threat object;
- at least one saturation-resistant magnetoresistive sensor mounted on said frame, said sensor being adapted to maintain sufficient sensitivity to detect the presence of a ferromagnetic threat object while said sensor is subjected to said applied field.
A method for screening for the presence of a ferromagnetic threat object, comprising:
- providing an applied field magnetic source and a saturation-resistant sensor;
- producing a magnetic field with said applied field source, said applied field being of sufficient strength to provide detectable magnetization of a ferromagnetic threat object;
- and
- maintaining sufficient sensor sensitivity to detect the presence of a ferromagnetic threat object while said saturation-resistant sensor is subjected to said applied field.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.