# US 9,753,107 B2 · Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus and manufacturing method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,753,107 B2 - Document ID: US9753107B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/915,859 - Filed: 2013-06-12 - Published: 2014-03-06 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-09-05 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jun Suk Kwak; Sung Il Kim; Seung Je Choi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9753107B2 ## CPC - G01R 33/3804: {Additional hardware for cooling or heating of the magnet assembly, for housing a cooled or heated part of the magnet assembly or for temperature control of the magnet assembly} - G01R 33/3802: {Manufacture or installation of magnet assemblies; Additional hardware for transportation or installation of the magnet assembly or for providing mechanical support to components of the magnet assembly} - G01R 33/3873: using ferromagnetic bodies {; Passive shimming} - G01R 33/4215: {of the gradient magnetic field, e.g. using passive or active shielding of the gradient magnetic field} - Y10T 29/4902: Electromagnet, transformer or inductor - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus and method of manufacture including shims provided in outermost or an innermost part of a gradient coil unit. The MRI apparatus includes: a static coil unit configured to form a static field in a subject; and a gradient coil unit configured to form a gradient field in the static field, wherein the gradient coil unit includes one or more shims in an outermost part or an innermost part. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus comprising: a static coil unit configured to form a static field in a subject; a gradient coil unit configured to form a gradient field in the static field, wherein the gradient coil unit includes one or more shims arranged in an outermost part of the gradient coil unit to provide homogeneity of the static field formed by the static coil unit; and a cooler formed inside the shims, wherein the cooler is configured to prevent a temperature of the shims from being raised at least beyond a threshold temperature by heat transferred to the shims. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The MRI apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gradient coil unit includes: gradient coils configured to form the gradient field in the static field; and shield coils formed along an exterior of the gradient coils, and configured to compensate for influence of an eddy current induced in the static coil unit by the gradient coils. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The MRI apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an installation radius of the shield coils arranged along the exterior of the gradient coils is larger than an installation radius of the gradient coils. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The MRI apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the shims are positioned along an exterior of the shield coils, in the gradient coil unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The MRI apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cooler is formed between the shield coils and the shims. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The MRI apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shims include: one or more shim trays configured to be inserted into one or more shim inserting parts separately formed along an outer circumferential direction of the gradient coil unit; and one or more tokens configured to be accommodated in the shim trays. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The MRI apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the tokens comprise iron tokens. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The MRI apparatus according to claim 6, wherein at least one of intervals between the shims arranged in the outermost part of the gradient coil unit is different from remaining intervals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The MRI apparatus according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the shim inserting parts has a longer length in circumferential direction of a section perpendicular to a central axis of the gradient coil unit, than a length in a circumferential direction of a section of a shim tray inserted into the corresponding shim inserting part. ### Claim 10 A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus comprising: a static coil unit configured to form a static field in a subject; a gradient coil unit configured to form a gradient field in the static field, wherein the gradient coil unit includes one or more shims in an innermost part of the gradient coil unit to provide homogeneity of the static field formed by the static coil unit and a cooler formed inside the shims, wherein the cooler is configured to prevent a temperature of the shims from being raised at least beyond a threshold temperature by heat transferred to the shims. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The MRI apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the gradient coil unit includes: gradient coils configured to form the gradient field in the static field; and shield coils formed along an exterior of the gradient coils, and configured to compensate for influence of an eddy current induced in the static coil unit by the gradient coils. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The MRI apparatus according to claim 11, wherein an installation radius of the shield coils arranged along the exterior of the gradient coils is larger than an installation radius of the gradient coils. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The MRI apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the shims are positioned inside the shield coils, in the gradient coil unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The MRI apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the cooler is formed between the shield coils and the shims. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The MRI apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the shims include: one or more shim trays configured to be inserted into one or more shim inserting parts separately formed along an inner circumference direction of the gradient coil unit; and one or more tokens configured to be accommodated in the shim trays. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The MRI apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the tokens comprise iron tokens. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The MRI apparatus according to claim 15, wherein at least one of intervals between the shims is different from remaining intervals. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The MRI apparatus according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the shim inserting parts has a longer length in a circumferential direction of a section perpendicular to a central axis of the gradient coil unit, than a length in a circumferential direction of a section of a shim tray inserted into the corresponding shim inserting part. ### Claim 19 A manufacturing method of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus, comprising: manufacturing a static coil unit; manufacturing a gradient coil unit by installing one or more shims in an outermost part of the gradient coil unit; disposing the gradient coil unit inside the static coil unit; and forming a cooler inside the shims. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The manufacturing method according to claim 19, wherein the manufacturing of the gradient coil unit comprises: forming gradient coils; forming shield coils outside the gradient coils; and forming the shims outside the shield coils. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The manufacturing method according to claim 20, wherein the cooler is formed between the shield coils and the shims. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The manufacturing method according to claim 20, wherein the forming of the shims comprises forming one or more shim inserting parts separately along an outer circumferential direction of the shield coils, outside the shield coils; and inserting the shims into the shim inserting parts. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The manufacturing method according to claim 22, wherein the forming of the shim inserting parts comprises forming the shim inserting parts such that at least one of intervals between the shim inserting parts is different from remaining intervals. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The manufacturing method according to claim 22, wherein the forming of the shim inserting parts comprises forming the shim inserting parts such that a length in a circumferential direction of a section of at least one shim inserting part perpendicular to a central axis of the gradient coil unit is longer than a length in a circumferential direction of a section of a shim tray inserted into the corresponding shim inserting part. ### Claim 25 A manufacturing method of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus, comprising: manufacturing a static coil unit; manufacturing a gradient coil unit by installing one or more shims in an innermost part of the gradient coil unit; disposing the gradient coil unit inside the static coil unit; and forming a cooler inside the shims. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The manufacturing method according to claim 25, wherein the manufacturing of the gradient coil unit comprises: forming gradient coils; forming shield coils outside the gradient coils; and forming the shims inside the gradient coils. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The manufacturing method according to claim 26, wherein the cooler is formed between the shield coils and the shims. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The manufacturing method according to claim 26, wherein the forming of the shims comprises: forming one or more shim inserting parts separately along an inner circumferential direction of the gradient coils, inside the gradient coils; and inserting the shims into the shim inserting parts. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The manufacturing method according to claim 28, wherein the forming of the shim inserting parts comprises forming the shim inserting parts such that at least one of intervals between the shim inserting parts is different from remaining intervals. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The manufacturing method according to claim 28, wherein the forming of the shim inserting parts comprises forming the shim inserting parts such that a length in the circumferential direction of a section of at least one shim inserting part perpendicular to a central axis of the gradient coil unit is longer than a length in a circumferential direction of a section of a shim tray inserted into the corresponding shim inserting part.