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US 7,068,033 B2Granted
Acoustically damped gradient coil
AssigneeGE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
InventorsMichael Ben Sellers, Tomas Duby, Neil Clarke, Anthony Mantone
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device includes an inner gradient coil assembly proximate a patient positioning area, an outer gradient coil assembly proximate a magnet assembly, and a damping layer sandwiched between the inner and outer gradient coil assemblies.
Claims15
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, comprising:
- an inner gradient coil assembly directly adjacent a patient positioning area along the horizontal length of the inner gradient coil assembly;
- an outer gradient coil assembly directly adjacent a magnet assembly along the horizontal length of the outer gradient coil assembly;
- and
- a damping layer sandwiched directly between said inner and outer gradient coil assemblies, along the horizontal length of the inner and outer gradient coil assemblies, said damping layer comprising at least two vertically separated non-contacting viscoelastic layers, with each viscoelastic layer consisting of at least one of foam or rubber, and at least one high modulus cylinder sandwiched between said two vertically separated non-contacting viscoelastic layers.
1 more element
A method of manufacturing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, comprising:
- forming a space between a first gradient coil assembly and a second gradient coil assembly;
- positioning at least one high modulus cylinder in the space before pouring a liquid viscoelastic material consisting of at least one foam or rubber into the space;
- allowing the liquid viscoelastic material to solidify within the space in order to form a vertically separated damping layer along the horizontal length of the space between the first gradient coil assembly and the second gradient coil assembly, with the damping layer comprising at least one high modulus cylinder sandwiched between at least two vertically separated non-contacting viscoelastic layers, with each viscoelastic layer consisting of at least one of foam or rubber.
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, comprising:
- a magnet assembly configured to generate a magnetic field;
- a patient positioning area;
- a first gradient coil assembly directly adjacent said patient positioning area, along the length of the first gradient coil assembly, configured to produce a magnetic field gradient in response to the presence of a magnetic field generated by said magnet assembly;
- a second gradient coil assembly directly adjacent said magnet assembly, along the length of the first gradient coil assembly, configured to block the magnetic field gradient generated by said first gradient coil assembly from radiating outwardly from the MRI device;
- and
- a damping layer sandwiched between said first and second gradient coil assemblies, along the length of the first and second gradient coil assemblies, wherein said damping layer comprises at least one high modulus cylinder sandwiched between two vertically separated non-contacting viscoelastic layers consisting of at least one of foam or rubber.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.