Non-magnetic Load Plate for MRI Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for mounting large medical devices, particularly magnetic resonance imaging devices, face challenges such as limited building stability, special vibration requirements, and magnetic interference, leading to high costs and extended delivery times due to the need for heavy, rigid, and non-magnetic load plates that are difficult to transport and install.
Innovation Solution
A load plate with a flat hollow body filled with high-density non-magnetic material, cast into a rigid composite using a solidifying casting material, allowing for a compact, stable, and non-magnetic solution that can be assembled on-site, reducing weight and installation height while minimizing magnetic interference and noise transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If iron plates are used as load plates for commercial machines, then the load plate achieves high weight and rigidity, but magnetic interference distorts the homogeneous basic magnetic field making high-quality imaging impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from ferromagnetic (iron) to non-magnetic materials (stainless steel, aluminum, or concrete), fundamentally altering the magnetic properties while maintaining the load-bearing function. This allows the load plate to support heavy medical devices without distorting the magnetic field required for high-quality MRI imaging
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by combining non-magnetic structural materials (stainless steel plates, aluminum profiles, or concrete) with appropriate fastening and damping elements. This composite approach achieves the required rigidity and load-bearing capacity while maintaining non-magnetic properties essential for MRI compatibility
2Object-affected harmful factors
If stainless steel plates are used to create a non-magnetic load plate, then magnetic interference is avoided, but the weight remains high (at least 160 kg) and transport within buildings becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the load plate into multiple separable components (individual stainless steel plates, aluminum profiles, or concrete sections) that can be transported separately through building corridors and elevators, then assembled on-site. This segmentation reduces the weight of individual transport units while achieving the required total weight and rigidity through composite construction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies non-magnetic materials and structural reinforcement locally where needed to achieve the required rigidity and load-bearing capacity without uniformly increasing the weight of the entire load plate structure
3Object-affected harmful factors
If concrete load plates are used, then non-magnetic properties are achieved, but the plate structure becomes significantly thicker (12 to 18 cm) and installation requires extended drying time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from concrete to denser non-magnetic materials like stainless steel or aluminum, which achieve the required rigidity and load-bearing capacity with significantly reduced thickness (from 12-18 cm to much thinner profiles), enabling faster installation without extended drying times
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction with thin stainless steel plates or aluminum profiles combined with appropriate fastening and damping elements to achieve the required structural performance with minimal thickness, avoiding the bulky concrete construction
4Weight of moving object
If multiple large stainless steel plates are screwed together to form a load plate, then the required weight (1.8 to 2.0 tons) and non-magnetic properties are achieved, but the mechanical rigidity remains relatively low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite construction by combining multiple stainless steel plates, aluminum profiles, or concrete sections with rigid fastening elements and damping mechanisms. This composite structure achieves both the required weight (1.8 to 2.0 tons) for noise dampening and high mechanical rigidity through the synergistic combination of components and their structural arrangement
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates arc-shaped or curved reinforcement elements (arc plates, arc profiles) in the composite structure. These curved elements provide enhanced rigidity and structural stability compared to flat plates, improving the overall mechanical performance while maintaining the non-magnetic properties and required weight
5Object-generated harmful factors
If load plates with high weight (1.8 to 2.0 tons) are used to dampen structure-borne noise, then noise emissions are reduced, but the installation height is increased and room height is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material density parameter by using high-density non-magnetic materials (stainless steel, aluminum, or concrete) to achieve the required weight (1.8 to 2.0 tons) in a more compact form factor, reducing the installation height compared to less dense materials while maintaining effective noise dampening
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction with multiple layers of non-magnetic materials (stainless steel plates, aluminum profiles, concrete sections) combined with damping elements. This composite structure achieves the required weight for noise dampening in a compact configuration with reduced overall height, preserving room height while effectively reducing structure-borne noise emissions
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
This solution provides a cost-effective, stable, and non-magnetic load plate that can be easily transported and installed, effectively reducing noise emissions and magnetic interference, and can be used universally for various medical devices, offering significant time and cost savings while maintaining the necessary mechanical rigidity.
Implementation Method 1
a rigid composite which has been cast using a solidifying casting material
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a load-bearing plate (1, 1') for supporting a bulky device of medical engineering, especially a magnetic resonance imaging device (3). Said load-bearing plate comprises a flat hollow body (9, 9') which is filled with a high-density filler (11, 13), said filler (11, 13) being cast to give a rigid composite by means of a solidified casting compound (15) and the hollow body (9, 9') as well as the filler (11, 13) and the casting material (15) consist of a non-magnetic material. The invention further relates to a method for producing a load-bearing plate (1, 1') of the above type and to a method for supporting a bulky device (3) of medical engineering.