Apparatus for supporting and method for forming a support for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnet
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsLongzhi Jiang, John Scaturro, Jr., Clifford Ginfrida, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for supporting a magnetic resonance imaging magnet are provided. The apparatus includes a magnet coil support structure having a main former body with a plurality of channels and an end flange at each end of the main former body. The end flanges are reinforced with a strengthening material at least at corner regions of the end flanges.
Claims21
A magnet coil support structure for a superconducting magnet, the magnet coil support structure comprising:
- a main former body having a plurality of channels;
- and
- an end flange forming part of each end of the main former body, the end flanges reinforced with a strengthening material at least at corner regions of the end flanges.
A magnet coil support structure for a superconducting magnet, the magnet coil support structure comprising:
- a main former body having a plurality of channels;
- and
- an end flange coupled to and forming part of each end of the main former body and not part of a vessel in which the main former body is positioned, the main former body and end flanges comprising different materials.
A method for fabricating a magnet coil support structure for a superconducting magnet, the method comprising:
- forming a main former body from an epoxy material;
- and
- forming end flanges with reinforced corner regions extending circumferentially along at least one end of the main former body, the end flanges formed from a material different than the epoxy material forming the main former body.
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprising:
- a gantry having a bore therethrough;
- and
- a superconducting magnet within the gantry and having a hybrid magnet coil support structure supporting superconducting coils, the gantry including a vessel, the hybrid magnet coil support structure having reinforced end flanges and being within the vessel, and wherein the reinforced end flanges are separate from the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.