Flexible RF Coil for MRI Using Foldable Skeletons
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional MRI receiving RF coils are heavy, inflexible, and difficult to handle and store due to their rigid resin housing and multiple electronic components, limiting portability and usability.
Innovation Solution
A flexible RF coil design featuring deformable loops supported by rod-shaped skeletons that can be folded, eliminating the need for a resin housing and reducing the number of electronic components, allowing for improved portability and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a resin housing is used to protect electronic components, then reliability is improved, but weight increases and flexibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the resin housing and extracts electronic components from the coil structure. The coil element is designed to function without protective housing, eliminating the weight burden while maintaining essential functionality through simplified construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces rigid resin housing with a flexible coil element structure that can be bent and deformed. The coil element itself becomes the primary structural component, eliminating the need for rigid protective housing and enabling flexibility.
2Reliability
If a resin housing is used to protect electronic components, then reliability is improved, but flexibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the resin housing and extracts electronic components from the coil structure. The coil element is designed to function without protective housing, eliminating the weight burden while maintaining essential functionality through simplified construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces rigid resin housing with a flexible coil element structure that can be bent and deformed. The coil element itself becomes the primary structural component, eliminating the need for rigid protective housing and enabling flexibility.
3Measurement precision
If multiple electronic components are installed for signal detection and frequency adjustment, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines signal detection and frequency adjustment functions into the coil element itself. The coil element integrates multiple functionalities that were previously separated into distinct electronic components, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The coil element is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: signal reception, signal detection, and frequency adjustment. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate electronic components for each function, reducing device complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the coil element is provided outside the housing, then flexibility is improved, but the conductor is vulnerable to metal fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible coil element structure that can be bent and deformed without rigid protection. The coil element's design inherently accommodates flexibility while maintaining structural integrity through its construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction for the coil element, combining materials that provide both flexibility and resistance to metal fatigue. This composite structure enables the coil to be flexible while protecting the conductor from fatigue damage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The flexible RF coil achieves excellent portability and storability by folding into a compact shape, reducing weight and magnetic interference, while maintaining high sensitivity and image quality.
Implementation Method 1
a first loop made from a conductor that receives radio frequency signals
Implementation Method 2
a first signal detector that is inserted in series into the first loop and that detects the signals received by the first loop
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible RF coil with excellent portability is provided. The RF coil includes a first coil, a first skeleton, and a second skeleton, the first skeleton and the second skeleton being rod shaped. The first coil includes a first loop made from a conductor that receives radio frequency signals, and a first signal detector that is inserted in series into the first loop and that detects the signals received by the first loop. The first skeleton and the second skeleton are arranged with a spacing in the short axis direction, the first signal detector is mounted on the first skeleton, and a portion of the first loop that faces the first signal detector is mounted on the second skeleton. The first loop is deformable, and the spacing between the first skeleton and the second skeleton is changeable in accordance with the deformation of the first loop.