Superconducting Magnet Bracket Stability Against Earthquake

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Solution Overview

Problem

Superconducting magnet apparatuses in NMR systems are prone to falling and damage due to strong vibrations like earthquakes, as existing support systems fail to maintain stability during such events, leading to the main body bouncing off the stands.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus includes a main body with protruding brackets supported by legs and surrounding members that maintain a non-contact perimeter around the legs, limiting the tilt angle and providing a predetermined distance to prevent the main body from falling, ensuring the stands remain securely attached during vibrations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rim is provided on the tip of the bracket to prevent it from coming off the stand, then the bracket is secured during normal operation, but the rim rides over the stand during strong vibration and the main body comes off

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebracket attachment reliabilityVSAvoidearthquake damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention adds a surrounding member that creates a lateral constraint dimension around the leg, in addition to the vertical support provided by the stand. This dimensional addition prevents the leg from tilting beyond a certain angle during earthquakes, solving the problem where traditional rim-only constraints fail under strong vibration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The surrounding member acts as an intermediary constraint between the leg and the external environment. It provides a protective boundary that limits the leg's movement range without directly interfering with the leg's normal function, allowing the leg to tilt within safe limits while preventing catastrophic failure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If the stand is bolted on the bracket to prevent falling, then attachment is strengthened, but the stand itself may fall over during strong vibration and the main body is damaged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment strengthVSAvoidoverall system stability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The surrounding member introduces a lateral constraint dimension that complements the vertical bolting strength. By limiting the tilt angle in the horizontal dimension, it prevents the bolting from failing due to excessive lateral forces during earthquakes, thereby improving overall system reliability without sacrificing attachment strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The surrounding member provides beforehand cushioning by pre-establishing a protective boundary that limits the leg's movement range. This preventive constraint reduces the impact of strong vibrations before they can cause catastrophic failure, cushioning the system against earthquake damage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the leg is allowed to tilt freely to accommodate vibration, then flexibility is improved, but the main body may fall down during strong earthquake

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration accommodationVSAvoidmain body stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The surrounding member creates a dynamic constraint system that allows the leg to tilt within a safe angular range during normal vibration, but prevents excessive tilting during strong earthquakes. This dynamic behavior accommodates normal operational flexibility while ensuring reliability under extreme conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameter of tilt angle from unbounded to bounded by introducing the surrounding member. This parameter change allows the system to maintain adaptability for normal vibrations while ensuring reliability during strong earthquakes by limiting the maximum tilt angle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2975616B1Superconducting magnet device
Publication Date: 2017.11.29 JAPAN SUPERCONDUCTOR TECH
  • EP2975616B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2975616B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2975616B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention is such that a main body neither drops out nor is destroyed. A plurality of brackets (4), provided on a side surface of a main body (2) in which a superconducting magnet is mounted internally in a state in which each protrudes therefrom, are each supported by a stand (3) from the bottom, and enclosing members (5) are attached to the side surface of the main body (2) with a prescribed space (a) opened from the bottom of the brackets (4). At least part of the inside surface of an enclosing member (5) surrounds a stand (3) in a non-contact state.