MRI Magnet Structural Support Member Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Misalignment between main coil and shield coil formers in superconducting MRI magnet assemblies leads to electromagnetic forces causing structural failure and magnet inhomogeneity, especially when using separate formers to reduce construction costs and increase efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A structural support member with adjustable mechanical stiffness is affixed to both the main and shield coil formers to allow longitudinal alignment adjustment, ensuring the misalignment does not exceed a maximum allowable value, thereby suppressing electromagnetic forces and maintaining stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If two distinct formers are used to retain main coils and shield coils separately, then manufacturing cost and construction time are reduced, but misalignment between formers occurs causing electromagnetic forces and structural instability
Solution Approach 1:
The magnet assembly is divided into two separate formers: a main coil former for holding main coils and a shield coil former for holding shield coils. This segmentation allows independent manufacturing and assembly of each former, improving manufacturing efficiency while maintaining the functional separation of main coils and shield coils.
Solution Approach 2:
A support member is introduced as an intermediary component between the main coil former and shield coil former. This support member provides mechanical coupling and alignment reference, ensuring that the two separately manufactured formers maintain proper relative positioning, thereby preventing misalignment-induced electromagnetic forces and structural instability.
2Manufacturing precision
If a single former member is used to support both main coils and shield coils, then alignment is maintained, but construction becomes expensive and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The single former member is segmented into two distinct formers (main coil former and shield coil former), each optimized for its specific function. This reduces the complexity of manufacturing a single complex former while maintaining alignment through the support member coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member serves as an intermediary that replaces the need for a single complex former. It provides the alignment function previously embedded in the single former design, but in a modular way that simplifies construction and reduces labor intensity.
3Reliability
If misalignment between formers exceeds maximum allowable value, then electromagnetic forces cause structural failure, but stricter alignment requirements increase manufacturing difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is designed with built-in alignment features and mechanical constraints that pre-establish proper alignment between formers during assembly. This preliminary action ensures that alignment within maximum allowable values is achieved without requiring extremely precise manual adjustment, thereby maintaining structural integrity while managing manufacturing precision requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member acts as a mediator that translates alignment requirements into mechanical constraints. It provides reference surfaces, positioning features, and mechanical coupling that guide the relative positioning of formers, ensuring alignment stays within acceptable limits without requiring excessive manufacturing precision.
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 effectively controls misalignment and prevents structural failure and magnet inhomogeneity, ensuring the stability and accuracy of the MRI magnet assembly by maintaining alignment within acceptable limits.
Implementation Method 1
Misalignment between main coil and shield coil formers in superconducting MRI magnet assemblies leads to electromagnetic forces causing structural failure and magnet inhomogeneity
Implementation Method 2
MR imaging systems are known to employ superconducting magnets for a variety of applications
Implementation Method 3
These superconductive main coils create a static magnetic field within an MRI imaging volume
Implementation Method 4
Active shielding uses a plurality of superconductive shielding coils carrying electrical currents substantially equal to the electrical currents carried in the superconductive main coils, but in an opposite direction
Data Source
AI summary
An MRI apparatus and method comprises an MRI system having a plurality of gradient coils positioned about a bore of a magnet, and an RF transceiver system and an RF switch controlled by a pulse module to transmit RF signals to an RF coil assembly to acquire MR images. The magnet comprises a main coil former and a shield coil former arranged radially around the bore of the magnet, wherein a radius of the shield coil former is greater than a radius of the main coil former. The magnet also includes at least one main coil affixed to the main coil former, at least one shield coil affixed to the shield coil former, and at least one structural member affixed to the main coil former and to the shield coil former to provide structural support and enable longitudinal alignment adjustment between the main coil former and the shield coil former.