Patents by Inventor Erzhen Gao
Erzhen Gao 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).
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Patent number: 7772842Abstract: The present invention relates to dedicated superconductor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) RF apparatus and method of constructing the same. One Embodiment of the present invention provides an MRI breast imaging apparatus comprising an examination region, a patient support, at least one vacuum thermal isolation housing, a main magnet system, and a cryogenic system. The vacuum thermal isolation housing comprises a low vacuum space between at least one inner and an outer high vacuum enclosure. The low vacuum space hosts at least one superconductor RF coil and a heat sink assembly therein. The RF coil is in thermal contact with the heat sink assembly that is coupled to the cryogenic system through a heat pipe to achieve and maintain a desired low temperature at the superconductor RF coil. The system provides a local examination region substantially surrounded by the superconductor RF coil.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2008Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Time Medical Holdings Company LimitedInventors: Erzhen Gao, Qiyuan Ma, Sze Man Yeung
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Patent number: 7759935Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging system (10) includes a primary magnet and a secondary magnet operable to produce magnetic fields within a sample being imaged. The MRI system further includes at least one RF coil (50) that is operable to receive electromagnetic frequencies from the sample. The RF coil is formed from tubing (221) that serves as a cooling conduit through which flows a cooling fluid provided by a cooling source. The cooling fluid cools the RF coils to improve imaging of the sample.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2005Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: m2m Imaging Corp.Inventors: Jon T. DeVries, Erzhen Gao, Wallace Kunimoto
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Patent number: 7728592Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) RF apparatus and method of constructing the same. One Embodiment of the present invention provides an MRI apparatus comprising an examination region, a patient support, at least one vacuum thermal isolation housing, a main magnet system for generating a main magnetic field in the examination region, and a cryogenic system. The vacuum thermal isolation housing comprises a hermetically sealed high vacuum jacket that encloses a low vacuum space hosting at least one superconductor RF coil and a heat sink assembly therein. The RF coil is in thermal contact with the heat sink assembly that is coupled to the cryogenic system through a heat pipe to achieve and maintain a desired low temperature at the superconductor RF coil.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2008Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: Time Medical Holdings Company LimitedInventors: Qiyuan Ma, Erzhen Gao, Sze Man Yeung
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Publication number: 20100066368Abstract: The present invention relates to dedicated superconductor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) RF apparatus and method of constructing the same. One Embodiment of the present invention provides an MRI breast imaging apparatus comprising an examination region, a patient support, at least one vacuum thermal isolation housing, a main magnet system, and a cryogenic system. The vacuum thermal isolation housing comprises a low vacuum space between at least one inner and an outer high vacuum enclosure. The low vacuum space hosts at least one superconductor RF coil and a heat sink assembly therein. The RF coil is in thermal contact with the heat sink assembly that is coupled to the cryogenic system through a heat pipe to achieve and maintain a desired low temperature at the superconductor RF coil. The system provides a local examination region substantially surrounded by the superconductor RF coil.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2008Publication date: March 18, 2010Inventors: Erzhen Gao, Qiyuan Ma, Sze Man Yeung
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Publication number: 20100066367Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) RF apparatus and method of constructing the same. One Embodiment of the present invention provides an MRI apparatus comprising an examination region, a patient support, at least one vacuum thermal isolation housing, a main magnet system for generating a main magnetic field in the examination region, and a cryogenic system. The vacuum thermal isolation housing comprises a hermetically sealed high vacuum jacket that encloses a low vacuum space hosting at least one superconductor RF coil and a heat sink assembly therein. The RF coil is in thermal contact with the heat sink assembly that is coupled to the cryogenic system through a heat pipe to achieve and maintain a desired low temperature at the superconductor RF coil.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2008Publication date: March 18, 2010Inventors: Qiyuan Ma, Erzhen Gao, Sze Man Yeung
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Publication number: 20090230965Abstract: A radio frequency coil array (50) includes at least first (501) and second (502) receive coils. A flux pipe (52) includes electrically connected first (2521) and second (2522) loop coils. The first (2521) and second (2522) loop coils are coupled to the respective first and second receive coils. The flux pipe (52) reduces mutual inductance between the first (501) and second (502) receive coils.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2005Publication date: September 17, 2009Applicant: M2M IMAGING CORP.Inventors: Jon T. DeVries, Erzhen Gao, Ingmar Viohl, Greig Scott, Kamal Vij, Joseph R. Flicek
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Publication number: 20090102484Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging system includes a primary magnet and a secondary magnet operable to produce magnetic fields within a sample being imaged. The MRI system further includes at least one RF coil that is operable to receive electromagnetic frequencies from the sample. The RF coil is formed from tubing that serves as a cooling conduit through which flows a cooling fluid provided by a cooling source. The cooling fluid cools the RF coils to improve imaging of the sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2005Publication date: April 23, 2009Applicant: M2M IMAGING CORP.Inventors: Jon T. DeVries, Erzhen Gao, Ingmar Viohl, Greig Scott, Kamal Vij, Joseph R. Flicek
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Publication number: 20090021255Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging system (10) includes a primary magnet and a secondary magnet operable to produce magnetic fields within a sample being imaged. The MRI system further includes at least one RF coil (50) that is operable to receive electromagnetic frequencies from the sample. The RF coil is formed from tubing (221) that serves as a cooling conduit through which flows a cooling fluid provided by a cooling source. The cooling fluid cools the RF coils to improve imaging of the sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2005Publication date: January 22, 2009Applicant: m2m Imaging Corp.Inventors: Jon T. DeVries, Erzhen Gao, Wallace Kunimoto
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Publication number: 20080204028Abstract: A magnetic resonance coil system 18 allows for the use of modular components and which in one embodiment is particularly well-suited for use with small animals and includes an animal receiving apparatus 202, a transmit coil module 204, and a receive coil module 206. The receive coil module 206 includes a cryogenic receive coil. The coil system 18 is selectively insertable in the bore of the gradient coil of a magnetic resonance examination system.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2008Publication date: August 28, 2008Applicant: M2M IMAGING CORP.Inventors: Jon T. DeVries, Erzhen Gao, C. Richard Hullihen, Timothy W. James, Wallace Y. Kunimoto
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Patent number: 7378848Abstract: A magnetic resonance coil system 18 allows for the use of modular components and which in one embodiment is particularly well-suited for use with small animals and includes an animal receiving apparatus 202, a transmit coil module 204, and a receive coil module 206. The receive coil module 206 includes a cryogenic receive coil. The coil system 18 is selectively insertable in the bore of the gradient coil of a magnetic resonance examination system.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2006Date of Patent: May 27, 2008Assignee: M2M Imaging Corp.Inventors: Erzhen Gao, Jon T. DeVries, C. Richard Hullihen, III, Wallace Y. Kunimoto, Timothy W. James
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Publication number: 20070257674Abstract: A magnetic resonance coil system 18 allows for the use of modular components and which in one embodiment is particularly well-suited for use with small animals and includes an animal receiving apparatus 202, a transmit coil module 204, and a receive coil module 206. The receive coil module 206 includes a cryogenic receive coil. The coil system 18 is selectively insertable in the bore of the gradient coil of a magnetic resonance examination system.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2006Publication date: November 8, 2007Applicant: Supertron Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Erzhen Gao, Jon DeVries, C. Hullihen, Wallace Kunimoto, Timothy James
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Publication number: 20030119677Abstract: A tunable superconductor resonator including a superconductor resonator coil and a variable capacitance portion. The superconductor resonator is adjustable to a first resonant frequency and a second resonant frequency. A variable capacitance portion is electrically coupled to the superconductor resonator coil to vary electrical capacitance between a first capacitance and a second capacitance. The variable capacitance portion providing the first capacitance adjusts the superconductor resonator to its first resonant frequency. The variable capacitance portion providing the second capacitance adjusts the superconductor resonator to its second resonant frequency. Different aspects of the tunable superconductor resonator can be tuned using dynamic tuning and/or static tuning techniques.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2002Publication date: June 26, 2003Inventors: Ma Qiyan, Erzhen Gao
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Publication number: 20030020553Abstract: A tunable superconductor apparatus or associated method. The apparatus comprises a coil, a first superconductor film portion, a second superconductor film portion, and an actuator. The first superconductor film portion is electrically coupled to the coil. The second superconductor film portion is inductively coupled to the first superconductor film portion. Displacement of the second superconductor film portion relative to the first superconductor film portion changes the capacitance between the second superconductor film portion and the first superconductor film portion. The actuator is capable of relatively displacing the second superconductor film portion and the first superconductor film portion to change a resonant frequency of the tunable superconductor apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2001Publication date: January 30, 2003Applicant: Supertron Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Erzhen Gao, Qiyuan Ma