MRI Patient Couch Power Connectors for Cable-Free RF Coils
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical imaging systems face challenges with the weight and complexity of patient couches due to integrated motors, motor controls, and extensive cabling for radio frequency coils, which increases cost, weight, and safety concerns related to RF burns.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves reducing the weight of the couch by removing motor components and using wireless or power-cabled RF coils with sliding electrical connectors, allowing for detachable power connections and battery-powered operation to minimize cable entanglement and weight, while also reducing the number of data cables needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If motors and motor controls are integrated into the couch to enable automated positioning, then positioning precision and automation are improved, but the weight and complexity of the couch increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes motors and motor controls from the couch structure itself, extracting these heavy components out of the moving couch assembly. Instead, the couch is positioned manually or through alternative lightweight mechanisms, thereby reducing the weight of the moving couch while maintaining positioning capability through simplified means.
2Loss of information
If extensive cabling is used to connect RF coils to data ports, then data transmission capability is improved, but cable entanglement and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cabling system with wireless communication technology. RF coils are connected to the imaging system through wireless data transmission, eliminating physical cables that cause entanglement and safety hazards. This substitution maintains full data transmission capability while removing the harmful effects associated with extensive cabling.
3Loss of information
If multiple data cables are used per RF coil to transmit imaging data, then data communication capability is improved, but the number of cables and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate data communication channels into a single integrated wireless communication link. Instead of using multiple individual cables for different data streams (imaging data, control signals, power), all communication is consolidated through wireless transmission, dramatically reducing cable quantity and simplifying the overall system architecture.
4Reliability
If fixed power connectors are used on the couch, then power supply reliability is improved, but adaptability to different configurations decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from fixed, static power connectors to dynamic, movable power connectors that can be repositioned along the couch structure. This allows the power connection points to adapt to different couch configurations and positions while maintaining reliable electrical contact, thereby achieving both reliability and versatility through a dynamic connector system.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient couch for use in a medical imaging system that includes a gantry, a power supply unit and a driving unit for positioning the patient couch with respect to the gantry. The patient couch includes at least a first connector for supplying a wireless coil (e.g., a radio frequency (RF) coil for an MRI imaging apparatus) with power. The patient couch is detachably connected to the gantry. The power supply is configured to supply the first connector with power and an optional clock synchronization signal.