Patents by Inventor Beat Mraz

Beat Mraz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7503181
    Abstract: A cryostat configuration comprising an outer shell and a cryocontainer (2) for cryogenic fluid installed therein, wherein the cryocontainer (2) is connected to the outer shell via at least two suspension tubes (16), and with a neck tube (1) whose upper warm end is connected to the outer shell and whose lower cold end is connected to the cryocontainer (2) and into which a cold head (3) of a multi-stage cryocooler is installed, wherein the outer shell, the cryocontainer (2), the suspension tubes (16) and the neck tube (1) delimit an evacuated space, and wherein the cryocontainer (2) is moreover surrounded by at least one radiation shield which is connected to the suspension tubes (16) and optionally to the neck tube (1) of the cryocontainer (2) in a thermally conducting fashion, is characterized by a seal which can be manually and/or automatically actuated to separate the cold end of the neck tube (1) from the cryocontainer (2) in such a manner that fluid flow between the cryocontainer (2) and the neck tube (1)
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin AG
    Inventors: Beat Mraz, Urs Meier, Agnès Glémot, Dieter Vogel
  • Publication number: 20080092557
    Abstract: A cryostat configuration comprising an outer shell and a cryocontainer (2) for cryogenic fluid installed therein, wherein the cryocontainer (2) is connected to the outer shell via at least two suspension tubes (16), and with a neck tube (1) whose upper warm end is connected to the outer shell and whose lower cold end is connected to the cryocontainer (2) and into which a cold head (3) of a multi-stage cryocooler is installed, wherein the outer shell, the cryocontainer (2), the suspension tubes (16) and the neck tube (1) delimit an evacuated space, and wherein the cryocontainer (2) is moreover surrounded by at least one radiation shield which is connected to the suspension tubes (16) and optionally to the neck tube (1) of the cryocontainer (2) in a thermally conducting fashion, is characterized by a seal which can be manually and/or automatically actuated to separate the cold end of the neck tube (1) from the cryocontainer (2) in such a manner that fluid flow between the cryocontainer (2) and the neck tube (1)
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: Bruker BioSpin AG
    Inventors: Beat Mraz, Urs Meier, Agnes Glemot, Dietrich Vogel
  • Patent number: 7330029
    Abstract: A cryostat configuration has at least three centering elements (4) which are distributed about the periphery of a cryocontainer (1). Each end (6) of the centering elements (4) facing away from an outer jacket (3) of the cryostat configuration is connected to an actuator (7) which exerts a pressure or tensile force on the respective centering element (4) to generate a mechanical tension in a corresponding centering element (4) which loads the centering elements (4) with a nearly constant pressure or tension, irrespective of the temperature changes within the cryostat configuration. This yields a cryostat configuration which permits pressure centering without overloading the centering elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin AG
    Inventors: Beat Mraz, Johannes Boesel
  • Publication number: 20070089432
    Abstract: A cryostat configuration for keeping cryogenic fluids in at least one cryocontainer, comprising an outer shell and a neck tube containing a cold head of a cryocooler, wherein the coldest cold stage of the cold head is disposed in a contact-free manner relative to the neck tube and the cryocontainer, and wherein a cryogenic fluid is located in the neck tube, is characterized in that the neck tube is disposed between the outer shell and a cryocontainer and/or the radiation shield, the neck tube is closed in a gas-tight manner at the end facing the cryocontainer and/or the radiation shield, the neck tube is coupled to the cryocontainer and/or a radiation shield disposed between the cryocontainers or a cryocontainer and the outer shell, via a connection having a good thermal conductivity, the neck tube comprising a fill-in device at an end located at ambient temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Applicant: Bruker BioSpin AG
    Inventors: Johannes Boesel, Urs Meier, Andreas Kraus, Beat Mraz
  • Publication number: 20070051115
    Abstract: A cryostat configuration for keeping liquid helium comprises an outer jacket (1) surrounding a helium container (2) connected at at least two suspension tubes (3) to the outer jacket (1), and with a neck tube (4) whose upper warm end (5) is connected to the outer jacket (1) and whose lower cold end (6) is connected to the helium container (2) and into which a multi-stage cold head of a cryocooler (7) is installed, wherein the outer jacket (1), the helium container (2), the suspension tubes (3) and the neck tube (4) delimit an evacuated space, and the helium container (2) is surrounded by at least one radiation shield (8) which is connected in a heat-conducting fashion to the suspension tubes (3) and also to a contact surface (9) on the neck tube (4) of the helium container (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Publication date: March 8, 2007
    Applicant: Bruker BioSpin AG
    Inventors: Andreas Kraus, Beat Mraz, Johannes Boesel
  • Publication number: 20070007962
    Abstract: Cryostat configuration for keeping cryogenic fluids in at least one cryocontainer (1) which is suspended on thermally insulating suspension tubes (2) and/or suspension devices which are connected to an outer jacket (3) of the cryostat configuration, wherein the at least one cryocontainer (1) is centered relative to a container disposed further outside, preferably the outer jacket (3), using at least three centering elements (4) which are distributed about the periphery of the cryocontainer (1), wherein one end (5) of each centering element (4) abuts or is connected to the container disposed further outside, characterized in that in at least one of the cryocontainers (1), each end (6) of the centering elements (4) facing away from the outer jacket (3) is connected to an actuator (7) which exerts a pressure or tensile force on the respective centering element (4), and which is mounted to the cryocontainer (1) at at least one contact point (A, A?, B, B?), wherein, through fixation of the actuator (7) to the cryo
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Applicant: Bruker BioSpin AG
    Inventors: Beat Mraz, Johannes Boesel
  • Patent number: 5744959
    Abstract: A NMR measurement apparatus comprising a cryostat (10) in which a superconducting magnet coil system (9) is disposed in a first tank (8) having cryogenic liquid and surrounded by additional cooling devices such as radiation shields (5, 6), superinsulating foil (7) and, if appropriate, a second tank (3) having cryogenic liquid, is characterized by a pulse tube cooler (11) cryotechnically connected to at least one of the additional cooling devices in a good heat conducting fashion with this cooling device being mechanically attached in the cryostat (10) in such a fashion that vibrational and cryotechnical decoupling is achieved between the cooling device and the first tank (8) having the cryogenic liquid and, in particular, between the cooling device and the superconducting magnet coil system (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Spectrospin AG
    Inventors: Rene Jeker, Silvio Di Nardo, Beat Mraz
  • Patent number: 5267445
    Abstract: A cryomagnet system, in particular for use with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments or ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) experiments, with a low-loss helium cryostat (1) comprising a helium container (2) and one or a plurality of tubes for the feed or exit of helium into or out of the helium container (2), respectively, the tubes being sealed to the atmosphere outside the helium container (2) by at least one non-return low-pressure valve (4), wherein at least one exhaust pipeline (3) is provided with a device for dissipating the energy of the expanding helium. Such a device may consist of a chamber which is deviated from the exhaust pipeline (3) and has a wall material of very high extensibility, e.g. a folding balloon. Yet the device may also consist of a flow baffle which is provided in the exhaust pipeline (3), for example a porous disc (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Spectrospin AG
    Inventors: Werner Schittenhelm, Charles Martin, Beat Weber, Beat Mraz
  • Patent number: 5187938
    Abstract: In a method and a device for precooling the helium tank of a cryostat, in particular one for accommodating a superconductive magnet coil, contamination of the helium tank is avoided by the fact that helium gas is cooled down to the temperature of boiling nitrogen in a closed circuit, the helium gas is then circulated through the helium tank and thereafter cooled down again to the temperature of boiling nitrogen. The helium tank is cooled by means of the helium gas, which has a temperature of 77 K, until the tank has reached that temperature. The interior of the helium tank getting into contact exclusively with helium, the helium tank can be filled with liquid helium immediately after it has reached the precooling temperature, without the need to clean the tank first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: Spectrospin AG
    Inventors: Beat Mraz, Christoph Notzli, Ernst Ungricht, Daniel Marek
  • Patent number: 5140823
    Abstract: A cryostat, in particular for superconductive magnets, comprising different components nested in each other, one of them forming an outer shell and at least another one forming a tank arranged in the latter for receiving a coolant, and comprising further tension bars for interconnecting each inner component with its respective adjacent outer component, the said tension bars containing reinforcing fibers and being equipped at their ends with tie rods by means of which they are fixed to the respective component. A bond of high strength is achieved between the tension bars and tie rods due to the fact that the tie rods are provided with an outwardly widening bore, that each end of each tension bar is arranged in the bore in such a manner that the ends of the reinforcing fibers, being spread apart and impregnated with a glue, are located at the wider end of the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: Spectrospin AG
    Inventor: Beat Mraz
  • Patent number: 5094084
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cryostat, in particular a helium cryostat with an additional nitrogen tank and a vacuum section, comprising a pressure-relief cover arranged at the outside of the tank wall of the cryostat for closing an opening therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1992
    Assignee: Spectrospin AG
    Inventor: Beat Mraz