MRI Connector With Displacement Unit For Reliable Contact
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plug connections for magnetic resonance devices are prone to mechanical damage, liquid ingress, and corrosion due to exposed contact elements and spring-loaded covers that can be unintentionally opened, posing risks of injury and material degradation.
Innovation Solution
A plug connection design featuring a first connection part with a housing and a displacement unit that securely moves contact modules relative to the housing upon connection, eliminating the need for protective covers and ensuring a stable, MR-compatible connection by using non-magnetic materials and a mechanical displacement mechanism to establish and break contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If contact elements are exposed for easy connection, then ease of operation is improved, but mechanical damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact elements are inverted from the conventional exposed design to a recessed design where they are protected within the housing. The connection is established by inserting the plug into the socket, which causes the contact elements to engage from a protected position rather than being exposed during the connection process.
Solution Approach 2:
The design eliminates fragile spring-loaded covers and uses a robust housing structure with integrated contact elements that are protected by the housing itself. This approach trades the complex protective cover mechanism for a simpler, more durable housing design that inherently protects the contact elements.
2Reliability
If protective covers are added to protect contact elements, then mechanical damage risk is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective function is merged into the housing structure itself rather than being a separate component. The housing both encloses and protects the contact elements while providing the structural framework for the connector, eliminating the need for separate protective covers.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded protective cover mechanism is extracted and removed from the design. Instead of adding a cover, the design uses the housing geometry and contact element positioning to provide protection without the complex opening/closing mechanism.
3Reliability
If spring-loaded covers are used to protect contact elements, then protection is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to unintentional opening
Solution Approach 1:
The design eliminates the spring-loaded cover mechanism entirely, replacing it with a fixed housing structure that provides continuous protection without requiring active engagement or disengagement. This removes the source of unintentional opening problems.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a cover that opens to expose contacts, the design inverts the approach by having the contacts recessed into the housing. Protection is provided by the housing geometry itself rather than a separate cover, and connection is made by inserting the plug to reach the protected contacts.
4Reliability
If recesses are created in the housing for contact elements, then contact establishment is improved, but liquid ingress risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The recesses that could potentially trap liquid are converted into a beneficial feature by designing them with drainage paths and positioning them to allow liquid to drain away from the contact elements. The same recesses that protect contacts mechanically are designed to facilitate liquid drainage rather than accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed with continuous surfaces and smooth transitions that prevent liquid accumulation at different levels. The recesses are designed so that liquid can flow freely through them without creating pockets or reservoirs, maintaining an equipotential surface that prevents liquid trapping.
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 solution provides a safe, easy-to-handle, and reliable plug connection that prevents mechanical damage and liquid ingress, ensuring stable signal transmission while maintaining MR compatibility and ease of cleaning and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a displacement unit, in particular mechanical, which is designed to move the at least one first contact module relative to the housing of the first connection part in the direction of the at least one second contact module
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6
AI summary
The invention relates to a connector for use in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, a first and a second connector part, a patient table, and a local coil. The connector comprises a first connector part with at least one first contact module and a second connector part with at least one second contact module. The first connector part and the second connector part are designed to be detachably connected to one another. The first connector part comprises a housing. The first connector part includes a displacement unit, in particular a mechanical one, which is configured, when the first connector part is connected to the second connector part, to move the at least one first contact module relative to the housing of the first connector part in the direction of the at least one second contact module in order to establish contact between the at least one first contact module and the at least one second contact module.