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US4602234A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Coil arrangements

Assignee: Philips Design Ltd
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Filing: 1985-02-21
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Granted: 1986-07-22
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Expires: 2005-02-21
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Abstract

Abstract A coil arrangement for use in generating and detecting nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in a body, e.g. an NMR imaging apparatus, which comprises a conductor arrangement which can be used both as an RF field generating coil and an orthogonally polarized RF field detecting coil. The arrangement comprises a plurality of non-magnetic electrically conductive paths (34 to 50) extending generally parallel to the axis of a cylindrical volume, and means (51, 53) interconnecting the paths at each of their ends. An input signal applied to diametrically opposite paths (36 and 46) causes currents to flow in loops formed by the paths and interconnections so as to produce a field directed perpendicular to the axis of the volume, and an output for application to a detector is derived from diametrically opposite paths (31 and 41) which are orthogonal to the paths to which the input signal is applied so that zero current is induced in them by the field produced by the input signal.

Inventors

  • 👤 Peter C. Butson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 13:02
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R33/00; G01R33/20; G01R33/28; G01R33/32; G01R33/34; G01R33/34046

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 147 words
A high frequency coil arrangement for use in generating and detecting nuclear magnetic resonance in a body comprising: a plurality of non-magnetic, electrically conductive paths extending generally parallel to the axis of a generally cylindrical volume and disposed around the volume; means interconnecting said paths at each of their ends, at least in respect of the passage of currents at said high frequency; first coupling means for causing currents corresponding to a high frequency input signal to flow in loops formed by said paths and interconnection means which embrace said volume, thereby to produce a magnetic field in the volume in a given direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of said volume; and second coupling means for applying to detecting means a signal corresponding to the current in at least one said path in which the induced current in the prersence of said field is substantially zero.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 147 words
A high frequency coil arrangement for use in generating and detecting nuclear magnetic resonance in a body comprising: a plurality of non-magnetic, electrically conductive paths extending generally parallel to the axis of a generally cylindrical volume and disposed around the volume; means interconnecting said paths at each of their ends, at least in respect of the passage of currents at said high frequency; first coupling means for causing currents corresponding to a high frequency input signal to flow in loops formed by said paths and interconnection means which embrace said volume, thereby to produce a magnetic field in the volume in a given direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of said volume; and second coupling means for applying to detecting means a signal corresponding to the current in at least one said path in which the induced current in the prersence of said field is substantially zero.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 79 words
A coil arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said first coupling means comprises means for applying an input signal across a gap in each of two paths on opposite sides of said volume, and said second coupling means comprises means for deriving an output from across a gap in each of two further paths on opposite sides of said volume, which further paths lie substantially in a plane at right angles to the plane of said first-mentioned two paths.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 88 words
A coil arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said first coupling means comprises means for applying input signals between the paths of each of two adjacent pairs of paths lying on opposite sides of said volume, and said second coupling means comprises means for deriving outputs from between the paths of each of two further adjacent pairs of paths on opposite sides of said volume which further adjacent pairs of paths lie generally in a plane at right angles to the plane of said first-mentioned two adjacent pairs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
A coil arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said paths are constituted by discrete conductive elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
A coil arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said paths are constituted by portions of sheets of conductive material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 118 words
A coil arrangement according to claim 5 wherein said paths are constituted by portions of four arcuate sheets of conductive material disposed at spaced positions around the curved surface of said volume and each of which subtends an angle of substantially 90° at the axis of the volume, said first coupling means comprises means for applying an input signal between the adjacent edges of one adjacent pair of said sheets and between the adjacent edges of the other pair of sheets; and said second coupling means comprising means for deriving an output from between the adjacent edges of each adjacent pair of sheets comprising one of said one pair and one of said other pair of said sheets.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 12 words
A coil arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said loops incorporate capacitance.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 25 words
A coil arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said interconnecting means is in the form of two rings one at each end of said paths.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 21 words
A coil arrangement according to claim 8 wherein at least one of said rings comprises a plurality of capacitively coupled sections.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 24 words
A coil arrangement according to claim 8 wherein at least one of said rings is capacitively coupled to the adjacent ends of said paths.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

GB2056086A Cited
EP0047065A2 Cited
US4398149A Cited
EP0084946A1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-07-21 1990-01-20 1990-07-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-07-21 1994-01-20 1994-07-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-07-21 1998-01-20 1998-07-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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