Superconductive Type Patents (Class 335/216)
  • Patent number: 11949311
    Abstract: Halbach array of magnetically isotropic electromagnets, comprised of loosely-wound, spring-like nested electromagnetic coils, wound and arranged in close proximity in Halbach array sequence, encased in various combinations of powdered magnetic metal composite and binder, formed, wired, and assembled to serve as a stater and/or rotor of an electric motor or generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Inventor: Roberto Sanchez Catalan
  • Patent number: 11944846
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a medical apparatus (100), comprising: a structure defining a bore (104) in which a patient or part of a patient can be positioned during use; an MRI system comprising: a receiving coil device (116) positioned within the bore, the receiving coil device (116) comprising a receiving coil for detecting radio signals emitted by relaxing nuclei within the patient; a constraining mechanism (118) coupled between the structure and the receiving coil device (116), the constraining mechanism (118) permitting movement of the receiving coil device (116) in a single linear dimension; and one or more retractable suspension mounts (120a, 120b), each of the one or more retractable suspension mounts (120a, 120b) comprising a flexible line arranged to suspend at least part of the receiving coil device (116) within the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Elekta Limited
    Inventor: Duncan Bourne
  • Patent number: 11874351
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance system may include a magnetic resonance magnet and a storage container configured to accommodate the magnetic resonance magnet. The storage container may also contain an endothermic liquid. The magnetic resonance system may further include a ramping-down device configured to trigger releasing electric energy by the magnetic resonance magnet. The first ramping-down device may include an electric energy consumption device configured to consume at least a portion of the released electric energy by the magnetic resonance magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jianfeng Liu
  • Patent number: 11871683
    Abstract: A charging and field supplement circuit for superconducting magnets based on a pulsed current includes a capacitor charging circuit, an energy-storage capacitor, a capacitor discharging circuit, a superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit, and a superconducting persistent-current switch. Two output ends of the capacitor charging circuit are respectively connected to two ends of the energy-storage capacitor. Two input ends of the capacitor discharging circuit are respectively connected to the two ends of the energy-storage capacitor. Two output ends of the capacitor discharging circuit are respectively connected to two input ends of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit. Two output ends of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit are respectively connected to two input ends of the superconducting persistent-current switch. Two output ends of the superconducting persistent-current switch are configured to charge and magnetize a target superconducting magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: SHANGHAI JIAO TONG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Xiaofen Li, Zhiwei Zhang, Zhijian Jin, Yanbo Bi
  • Patent number: 11725925
    Abstract: A high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnetic levitation (maglev) Dewar capable of increasing damping and levitation force and a width calculation method thereof. The HTS maglev Dewar includes an outer container and an inner container. The outer container is fixedly connected to the inner container through a connecting column. The inner container has a cavity configured to accommodate liquid nitrogen. A bottom of the inner container is provided with a bulk superconductor. The inner container is communicated with outside through a liquid nitrogen feeding pipe. The outer container is made of an electrically conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Southwest Jiaotong University
    Inventors: Zigang Deng, Xucheng Zhou, Xueli Li
  • Patent number: 11675035
    Abstract: An electromagnet for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) apparatus. The electromagnet includes a coil configured to generate a magnetic field. The coil has a first axially outer surface, and a support element configured to mount the coil in the MRI. The support element is bonded to the first axially outer surface of the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Limited
    Inventors: Michael John Disney Mallett, Jonathan Noys, Adrian Mark Thomas
  • Patent number: 11613794
    Abstract: A superconductivity stabilizing material used for a superconducting wire and which is formed of a copper material containing at least one of additive elements selected from Ca, Sr, Ba, and rare earth elements in a range of 3 ppm by mass or more and 100 ppm by mass or less in total, with a remainder being Cu and unavoidable impurities, in which the total concentration of the unavoidable impurities, excluding O, H, C, N, and S which are gas components, is 5 ppm by mass or more and 100 ppm by mass or less, the half-softening temperature thereof is 200° C. or lower, the Vickers hardness thereof is 55 Hv or more, and the residual resistance ratio (RRR) thereof is 50 or more and 500 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosei Fukuoka, Yuki Ito, Kazunari Maki
  • Patent number: 11570880
    Abstract: An isochronous cyclotron including one or more coils and a plurality of pairs of bulk superconductor sectors. The one or more coils can be configured to generate a magnetic field in the beam chamber having a magnetic flux density that increases radially from the central axis of the beam chamber, and is orientated substantially perpendicular to the median acceleration plane of the beam chamber. Each pair of bulk superconductor sectors can be disposed on opposite sides of the median acceleration plane. The plurality of pairs of bulk superconductor sectors can be configured to guide or concentrate the magnetic field to provide an axial focusing component of the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Particle Therapy GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Bock, Arno Godeke
  • Patent number: 11549830
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement, including: a rotatable driving shaft extending along a rotation axis and comprising a bore extending from a first end face of the shaft along the rotation axis; a substantially ring-shaped magnet arranged within the bore and coupled to the driving shaft, the magnet configured to generate a magnetic field within the bore; and a sensor configured to sense a rotation of the magnetic field in response to rotation of the driving shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Udo Ausserlechner, Leo Aichriedler, Peter Slama
  • Patent number: 11536787
    Abstract: A magnetic field z-gradient coil is manufactured by inserting elements (38) into openings (36) on an outside of an insulating carrier (32), wrapping an electrical conductor turn (34) around the outside of the insulating carrier with one side of the wrapped electrical conductor alongside elements inserted into openings on the outside of the insulating carrier, removing the elements alongside the one side of the wrapped electrical conductor from the openings, and repeating to wrap conductor turns of a z-gradient coil (20) around the electrically insulating carrier. A transverse magnetic field gradient coil is manufactured by laying electrical conductor (44) onto a mold (50) with a keying feature (46, 46a) extending along the conductor engaging a mating keying feature (52, 52a) of the mold that defines a winding pattern (56), attaching an insulating back plate (58) to the resulting coil section opposite from the mold, and removing the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Peter Forthmann, Jerry Alden, Thomas Erik Amthor, Jeffrey Edward Leach, Joseph C. Testa
  • Patent number: 11521771
    Abstract: A quench protection system for a superconducting machine, such as a superconducting generator having a plurality of series-arranged superconducting coils, includes at least one switch heater electrically coupled to each of the superconducting coils. A quench protection switch is provided in series with the coils, wherein each switch heater is in thermal contact with the quench protection switch. A heater network is configured in parallel with the quench protection switch and is in thermal contact with each of the coils. A quench of any one of the coils triggers a quench of the quench protection switch, wherein the heater network then triggers a quench of all of the remaining coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Anbo Wu, Michael Parizh, Minfeng Xu
  • Patent number: 11508506
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet (10) includes a cryogenic container (22, 32) containing a superconducting magnet winding (20). A sealed electrical feedthrough (36) passes through the cryogenic container. A contactor (40) inside the cryogenic container has an actuator (42) and feedthrough-side and magnet-side electrical terminals (46, 47). A high temperature superconductor (HTS) lead (60) also disposed in the cryogenic container has a first end (62) electrically connected with the magnet-side electrical terminal of the contactor and a second end (64) electrically connected to the superconducting magnet winding. A first stage thermal station (52) thermally connected with the first end of the HTS lead has a temperature (T1) lower than the critical temperature (TC,HTS) of the HTS lead. A second stage thermal station (54) thermally connected with the second end of the HTS lead has a temperature (T2) lower than a critical temperature (TC) of the superconducting magnet winding (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: John Urbahn, Philippe Abel Menteur, Glen George Pfleiderer, Matthew Voss
  • Patent number: 11442124
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet may include magnet coils including at least one group of outer coils and at least one group of inner coils, a container including an accommodating space, at least one first chamber that is disposed within the accommodating space and houses the at least one group of the inner coils, and at least one second chamber that is disposed within the accommodating space and houses the at least one group of the outer coils. The at least one first chamber and the at least one second chamber may be configured to be filled with a cooling medium and are in fluid communication with each other. The cooling medium may be configured to cool the magnet coils to a superconducting state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jianfeng Liu, Yanqing Cai, Lijun Zou, Jin Qian, Jian Gu
  • Patent number: 11404191
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet arrangement comprises a field coil assembly with coil windings that when in operation are electrically superconducting. The field coil assembly is circuited between connection ports for a voltage supply. A switching module switches a sub-section of the field coil assembly's coil windings between its electrical superconducting and electrical resistive states, said sub-section forming a switching coil circuited between the connection ports. In the operational state where both the switching coil and the field coil(s) are superconducting and carry a permanent electrical current, the field coil(s) and the switching coil together generate a stationary magnetic field. According to the invention the switch windings give a significant contribution to the magnetic field. The field coil assembly's coil windings that may be switched between it electrically superconducting and resistive states form the switching coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventor: Johannes Adrianus Overweg
  • Patent number: 11393615
    Abstract: A method for charging an HTS shim device in a cryostat having a room temperature bore using a charging device. A shim switch temporarily interrupts the superconducting state in a section of an HTS shim conductor path. The charging device includes a primary circuit with a normal-conducting charging coil and the conductor path forms a secondary circuit. A current change in the secondary circuit results from a change in magnetic flux generated by the charging coil through the secondary circuit. In a first phase the shim switch is opened to interrupt the superconducting state in a section of the conductor path, the charging coil is positioned in the bore, and the current in the primary circuit is changed; in a second phase, the conductor path is superconductingly closed; in a third phase, the current in the primary circuit is changed and/or the charging coil is removed from the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: BRUKER SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Guenter, Robert Schauwecker
  • Patent number: 11393614
    Abstract: A current lead assembly for minimizing heat load to a conduction cooled superconducting magnet during a ramp operation is provided. The current lead assembly includes a vacuum chamber having a through hole to enable a first end of a current lead contact to remain outside the vacuum chamber and a second end of the current lead contact to penetrate within the vacuum chamber. A vacuum boundary wall is located between the vacuum chamber and the current lead contact. At least one superconducting magnet is arranged inside of the vacuum chamber and includes a magnet lead. A second end of the current lead contact is coupled to the magnet lead via an internal lead. A vacuum cap is removably disposed to sealingly encompass therein the first end of the current lead contact during a first state of operation. The first end of the current lead contact is arranged to contact a power supply during a second state of operation, wherein the contact occurs exterior the vacuum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Susumu Mine, Minfeng Xu, Anbo Wu, Paul St. Mark Shadforth Thompson
  • Patent number: 11394263
    Abstract: An electric coil device includes a winding support which is made of an elongated hollow tube that has the shape of a ring such that a higher-order loop of the winding device is formed entirely by the annular shape of the winding support, and a winding which is made of a superconductive conductor and is attached to the winding support. The superconductive conductor is wound in a helical manner about the hollow tube in a plurality of individual windings such that at least one higher-order winding of the entire helix is produced by the annular shape of the winding support. The interior of the hollow tube is designed as a coolant channel for circulating a fluid coolant. A rotor for an electric machine includes at least one such coil device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Tabea Arndt
  • Patent number: 11342100
    Abstract: A cryocooler includes a second-stage cooling stage, a second cylinder which includes the second-stage cooling stage on a terminal of the second-stage cylinder, a second-stage displacer which includes a magnetic regenerator material and is accommodated in the second-stage cylinder so as to be able to reciprocate in the second-stage cylinder, and a tubular magnetic shield which is installed on the second-stage cooling stage and extends along the second-stage cylinder outside the second-stage cylinder. The magnetic shield is formed of a normal conductor and a product of an electrical conductivity in a temperature range of 10 K (Kelvin) or less and a thickness of the tubular magnetic shield is 60 MS (Mega-Siemens) to 1980 MS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yosuke Matsumura, Takaaki Morie, Jun Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11333728
    Abstract: A pre-polarisation magnet arrangement for generating a pre-polarisation field for use in a low field magnetic resonance imaging process, the pre-polarisation magnet arrangement including a pre-polarisation field array including a plurality of permanent pre-polarisation magnets mounted in a support and provided in a circumferentially spaced arrangement surrounding an field of view, a number of the pre-polarisation magnets being movable between respective first and second positions, wherein in the first position the pre-polarisation magnets are configured as a cylindrical Halbach array to generate a pre-polarisation field in the field of view and in the second position the pre-polarisation magnets are configured to minimize the pre-polarisation field in the field of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
    Inventors: Michael Werner Vogel, David Charles Reutens, Andrea Giorni, Ruben Pellicer-Guridi, Viktor Vegh
  • Patent number: 11309110
    Abstract: A persistent current switch system is presented. One embodiment of the persistent current switch system includes a vacuum chamber having a winding unit and dual cooling paths. The dual cooling paths are configured to circulate a coolant flow. The dual cooling paths are defined by a first cooling path and a second cooling path. The first cooling path includes a solid thermal component disposed in direct contact with the winding unit and the second cooling path includes a cooling tube disposed in direct contact with the winding unit and configured to circulate a coolant therein. The dual cooling paths cool the temperature of the winding unit below the threshold temperature to transition the persistent current switch system from the first mode to the second mode. A method of for cooling a winding unit in a persistent current switch system and a switching system including dual cooling paths are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Susumu Mine, Ye Bai, Anbo Wu, Minfeng Xu, Paul St. Mark Shadforth Thompson
  • Patent number: 11307276
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging device is described that includes multiple magnetic coils to generate a magnetic field. Additionally, the magnetic resonance imaging device may include one or more radial gaps within some or all of the magnetic coils (e.g., primary magnetic coils, bucking coils, and so forth) in which radial spacers may be located to help preserve the homogeneity of the magnetic isocenter of the primary magnetic coils during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Anbo Wu, Ye Bai, Minfeng Xu, Paul St. Mark Shadforth Thompson, Mark Ernest Vermilyea, Michael Parizh
  • Patent number: 11289829
    Abstract: Provided is a connection structure for superconductor wires, in which two superconductor wires include respective oxide superconducting conductor layers each formed on one surface of a base material. The oxide superconducting conductor layers are conjoined with each other while facing each other at a connected end of each of the two superconductor wires. An embedment material for reinforcement is provided from one of the two superconductor wires to the other one of the two superconductor wires in a thickness direction of the two superconductor wires at the connected end of each of the two superconductor wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamano, Akinobu Nakai, Hisaki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 11289253
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an HTS coil is provided. The method comprises winding an HTS coil cable to produce a coil having a plurality of turns. During winding of a turn of the coil, one or more HTS shunt cables are placed adjacent to the previous turn of the coil along a first arc of the coil, and then the turn is wound such that the HTS shunt cable is sandwiched between the turn and the previous turn of the coil such that current can be shared between the HTS shunt cable and the HTS coil cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Tokamak Energy Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert Slade
  • Patent number: 11274857
    Abstract: A cryogenic cooling system (10) comprising a cryostat (12), a two-stage cryogenic cold head (24) and at least one thermal connection member (136; 236; 336; 436) that is configured to provide at least a portion of a heat transfer path (138; 238; 338; 438) from the second stage member (30) to the first stage member (26) of the two-stage cryogenic cold head (24). The heat transfer path (138; 238; 338; 438) is arranged outside the cold head (24). A thermal resistance of the provided at least portion of the heat transfer path (138; 238; 338; 438) at the second cryogenic temperature is larger than a thermal resistance of the provided at least portion of the heat transfer path (138; 238; 338; 438) at the first cryogenic temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Erik Amthor, Miha Fuderer, Gerardus Bernardus Jozef Mulder, Christoph Leussler, Peter Forthmann, Philippe Abel Menteur
  • Patent number: 11249156
    Abstract: The present invention provides a radiation shield (204), in particular for shielding main coils (202) of a magnetic resonance imaging system (110), whereby the radiation shield (204) comprises a cavity (214) for housing at least one main coil (202), whereby the cavity (214) is formed between an inner cylindrical wall (206), an outer cylindrical wall (208), which are arranged essentially concentrically to each other, and two ring-shaped base walls (212), which interconnect the inner cylindrical wall (206) and the outer cylindrical wall (208), wherein at least one out of the inner cylindrical wall (206), the outer cylindrical wall (208), and the two ring-shaped base walls (212) is provided at least partially with an inner layer (216), which faces the cavity (214), and an outer layer (218), wherein the inner layer (216) is a layer comprising carbon fiber reinforced plastic, and the outer layer (218) comprises a metal, which is paramagnetic or diamagnetic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Erik Amthor, Christoph Leussler
  • Patent number: 11094438
    Abstract: An active feedback controller for a power supply current of a no-insulation (NI) high-temperature superconductor (HTS) magnet to reduce or eliminate the charging delay of the NI HTS magnet and to linearize the magnet constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Seungyong Hahn, David Larbalestier
  • Patent number: 11070123
    Abstract: An energy storage device includes multiple bulk superconductor rings and at least one superconductor wire coil between the multiple bulk superconductor rings. The multiple bulk superconductor rings and the at least one superconductor wire coil are interconnected to define a closed geometric shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPAN
    Inventors: Bruno Zamorano Senderos, John R. Hull, Daniel Elliott Sievers
  • Patent number: 10981209
    Abstract: Assisted magnetic forming uses a magnetic field to assist in the forming or molding of metallic and non-metallic materials. For example, such a forming process may form a blank of ferromagnetic metals like high-strength steel and high-hard armor, non-ferromagnetic metals like aluminum and magnesium, as well as non-metals like ceramics, plastics, and fiber-reinforced composites into formed or molded parts. The magnetic field is generated to partially or completely saturate the blank during the forming process, which increases the blank's formability and/or moldability while in the presence of the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: TEMPER IP, LLC
    Inventors: William C. Dykstra, Luke A. Martin
  • Patent number: 10971291
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a chamber and a bulk superconductor disposed within the chamber. The apparatus also includes a heating element coupled to the bulk superconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: John R. Hull, Michael Strasik, Daniel Elliott Sievers
  • Patent number: 10964466
    Abstract: Disclosed is an insulation treatment method for a helium inlet pipe of a superconducting magnet. The superconducting magnet has a structure with varying T-shaped cross section. The irregular parts of the magnet are filled with G10 to reduce the difficulty in the insulation treatment caused by the irregular shape. Moreover, a skirt-shaped insulating material is provided around the metal conduit to overcome the reduction in the insulation electrical performance caused by the defects in the insulation treatment for such irregular parts. The application designs a sample structure for insulation treatment, and can wrap the superconducting magnet having the T-shaped varying cross-section with insulating materials before vacuum pressure impregnation, meeting special requirements of high-voltage insulation treatment for the superconducting magnet with a complex structure under low temperature and vacuum environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: HEFEI INSTITUTES OF PHYSICAL SCIENCE, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Yuntao Song, Guang Shen, Kun Lu, Bing Hu, Xiaowu Yu, Jing Wei
  • Patent number: 10868241
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for fabricating a magnetic semiconductor device, including receiving a semiconductor wafer, disposing the semiconductor wafer under a first electromagnetic element, wherein the first electromagnetic element comprises a primary dimension and a secondary dimension from a top view perspective, the primary dimension being greater than the secondary dimension, and displacing the semiconductor wafer along a predetermined path along the secondary dimension of the first electromagnetic element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Jim-Wei Wu, Li Tseng, Chia-Hsun Chang, Wen-Chih Wang, Keith Kuang-Kuo Koai
  • Patent number: 10847269
    Abstract: Neutron shielding for the central column of a tokamak nuclear fusion reactor. The neutron shielding comprises an electrically conductive neutron absorbing material. The neutron shielding is arranged such that the electrically conductive neutron absorbing material forms a solenoid for the initiation of plasma within the tokamak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Tokamak Energy Ltd.
    Inventors: Paul Noonan, Marcel Kruip
  • Patent number: 10840737
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a highly efficient, utility scale energy storage and retrieval system. The system is characterized by a chain of multiple rotating interconnected masses (8), a hollow toroid-shaped housing (1), plural pairs of permanent magnets (7, 11), magnets (7, 11) and coils (10) for the charging and discharging of electric energy and is operated by an automated control system. The mass (8) chain is fitted and rotating inside the housing (1), and the energy is stored into the rotational energy of the chain. The transformation of electrical energy into rotational energy or vice versa is carried out by using coil units (10). In order to minimize losses, the chain is magnetically levitating and a vacuum is pumped into the housing (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Teraloop OY
    Inventors: Petri Saarinen, Atte Oskari Heikkila
  • Patent number: 10790078
    Abstract: An apparatus for magnetic field compression includes a plurality of tubes of different dimensions. Each smaller tube extends within a larger tube and each tube includes an electrically conductive material for generating a magnetic field in response to electric current flowing in the conductive material. A longitudinal slot is formed in each tube. The longitudinal slot in each tube is aligned to form an aperture in which the magnetic field is compressed or has a highest magnetic flux in the aperture in response to the electric current flowing in the conductive material of each tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Mark Joseph Clemen, Jr., John R. Hull
  • Patent number: 10742100
    Abstract: A coil segment, in particular for a stator coil, wherein the coil segment has a conductor bundle, wherein the conductor bundle has a multiplicity of electrical conductors, wherein the conductor bundle has a form fit, wherein the conductor bundle has at least one cutout for feeding coolant. Furthermore, a method for manufacturing a stator coil, a stator coil having a coil segment according to the present invention, a machine having a stator coil according to the present invention, and a vehicle having a machine according to the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johannes Lange, Axel Heitmann, Tobias Engelhardt, Jan Nägelkrämer, Stefan Oechslen, Stefan Schmitz
  • Patent number: 10712077
    Abstract: An arrangement for cryogenic cooling includes a cryogen tank, a cryogenic recondensing refrigerator arranged to cool a heat exchanger that is exposed to the interior of the cryogen tank, and an arrangement for conducting heat from a cooled article to the cryogen tank. A further cryogen tank is provided below the heat exchanger and arranged to receive cryogen liquid recondensed on the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Limited
    Inventors: Adam Paul Johnstone, Jonathan Noys, Michael Simpkins, John Anthony Robert Teah
  • Patent number: 10698051
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a magnetic field of a magnetic resonance tomography (MRT)-device having a magnet includes: transferring the magnet from an operating state to a non-operating state in a ramp-down mode; subsequently transferring the magnet from the non-operating state to the operating state in a ramp-up mode; observing a reference parameter different from the magnetic field; setting a target value for the reference parameter; comparing the observed reference parameter to the target value; and finishing the ramp-up mode when the reference parameter reaches the target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Nicholas Aley, Stephan Biber
  • Patent number: 10614940
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet device with which device breakage caused by a quench can be avoided while helium consumption is reduced. A sheet-like convection-preventing member is disposed at least either above or below a heat transfer member transferring to gaseous helium heat transferred from the outside, so as to cover a helium gas release tube for the gaseous helium, and thus heat exchange performance during transportation is improved. In the case where the quench occurs, the convection-preventing member is lifted upward in the release tube, thereby ensuring to provide a flow path for the gaseous helium and avoiding excessive increase of the internal pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Iwamoto, Hajime Tamura, Tatsuya Inoue, Ryo Eguchi
  • Patent number: 10566120
    Abstract: A superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) device having a plurality of interwoven windings provides for alternative discharge paths for energy stored as magnetic fields in the windings in response to an open-circuit winding fault in one of the windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Michael James Armstrong, Andrew Mark Bollman
  • Patent number: 10535463
    Abstract: A cylindrical superconducting coil assembly has multiple individual coil units stacked together and retained in place by retaining structures, each coil unit having a resin-impregnated annular superconducting coil bonded at its axial extremities to respective rings of non-ferromagnetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Limited
    Inventors: Peter Jonathan Davis, David William Ford, Matthew John Longfield
  • Patent number: 10490329
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet includes: a superconducting coil; a coolant container; a radiation shield; a vacuum container; a refrigerator configured to cool the inner part of the coolant container and the radiation shield; a first exhaust pipe connected to the coolant container from the outside of the vacuum container and serving as a flow path of the coolant vaporized; a first pressure release valve connected to a distal end of the first exhaust pipe outside the vacuum container and configured to open when a pressure in the coolant container becomes a first set value or higher; a heater provided at the first exhaust pipe and configured to heat the first exhaust pipe; and a detector provided at the first exhaust pipe and configured to detect a change due to occurrence of freezing in the first exhaust pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Eguchi, Hajime Tamura, Tatsuya Inoue
  • Patent number: 10427244
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for generatively producing components by layer-by-layer building from a powder material by selective material bonding of powder particles by a high-energy beam. An eddy current testing is carried out concurrently with the material bonding. Also disclosed is an apparatus which is suitable for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: MTU AERO ENGINES AG
    Inventors: Andreas Jakimov, Georg Schlick, Joachim Bamberg, Thomas Hess
  • Patent number: 10401447
    Abstract: A cooling device (1) has a cryostat (2) and a cold head (3) of a cooling system (52), and additionally includes a pivot bearing (35), with which the cold head (3) is mounted on the cryostat (2) so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis (A). A connecting line (15) for a working gas of the cooling system (52) is connected to the cold head so that forces caused by the cooling system (52) act on the cold head (3) via the connecting line (15) at a force application point (EP) in a force application direction (ER). The force application direction (ER) is inclined by no more than 40° with respect to the normal (N) of a lever plane (HE) which contains the rotation axis (A) and the force application point (EP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: BRUKER BIOSPIN AG
    Inventors: Patrick Wikus, Steffen Bonn
  • Patent number: 10365338
    Abstract: An apparatus includes at least a first electrically conductive coil having at least first and second coil sections which are separated and spaced apart from each other, and a support structure disposed to support the first and second coil sections. The support structure, and an associated method of supporting the electrically conductive coil, maintain relative axial positions of the first and second coil sections to be fixed when the first electrically conductive coil is energized and de-energized, and allow each of the first and second coil sections to expand radially when energized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Philip Alexander Jonas, Johannes Adrianus Overweg, Matthew Voss, Derk Reefman, James Howard Kralick, Xianrui Huang, Gerardus Bernardus Jozef Mulder, Joshua Kent Hilderbrand
  • Patent number: 10332664
    Abstract: An arrangement for current limitation which is suitable for integration in a power supply serving network and which has a superconductive conductor, which is attached to at least one plate like support composed of insulation material. On the at least one support three separate from each other superconductive conductors in spiral form windings parallel to each other running to a separate connection is arranged on the phases of a three phase alternating current network. The support equipped with the phase conductors is built in to a container constructed as a cryostat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: NEXANS
    Inventors: Mark Stemmle, Beate West
  • Patent number: 10320251
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a flexible support apparatus for superconducting magnet in superconducting rotating machine. The present disclosure relates to a flexible support apparatus for superconducting magnet in superconducting rotating machine that includes a superconducting magnet that is located in a rotor body of a superconducting rotating machine, a vacuum container that internally stores the superconducting magnet, a first support that supports the superconducting magnet by being internally attached to the vacuum container, a third support that supports the superconducting magnet by being externally attached to the superconducting magnet, and a second support that is located between the first support and the second support and that supports the superconducting magnet by including a flexible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION CHANGWON NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Min Won Park, In Keun Yu, Hae Jin Sung, Byeong Soo Go, Hyun Kyung Shin
  • Patent number: 10247691
    Abstract: In one embodiment, non-contact assessment of reinforced concrete is performed by positioning a reference electrode in close proximity to a surface of the concrete without contacting the electrode to the surface, vibrating the electrode with a vibration generator, and measuring the electrical potential difference between the electrode and the concrete surface, the potential difference being indicative of the condition of a portion of a reinforcement member positioned below the concrete surface at the location of the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventors: Alberto Antonio Sagüés, Michael Thomas Walsh
  • Patent number: 10241168
    Abstract: A magnet coil system (1) has a first end section (19a) of an HTSL-tape conductor (4) located ahead of a first end (19) of an HTSL-tape conductor (4) and a first end section (20a) of an LTS wire (7) located prior to a first end (20) of the LTS wire (7) which are connected electrically but not in a superconducting way in a connecting section (17) along the length of the connecting section. The LTS wire (7) has a flat shape at least within the connecting section (17) and one side of the flat LTS wire (7) abutting the HTSL-tape conductor (4) and the connecting section (17) has a length of at least 5 m. The magnet coil system has an acceptably small residual ohmic resistance which is achieved by simple means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Bruker BioSpin GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Roth, Arne Kasten
  • Patent number: 10233913
    Abstract: A liquid supply system includes first and second bellows 41 and 42 arranged in series in an expanding/contracting direction thereof in a vessel 12 and having first end portions respectively, which are close to each other and fixed to an inner wall of the vessel 12, and also having second end portions respectively, which are distant from each other and movable in the expanding/contracting direction. An inner space of the vessel 12 located outside the first bellows 41 serves as a first pump chamber P1. An inner space of the vessel 12 located outside the second bellows 42 serves as a second pump chamber P2. An inner space of the vessel 12 located inside the first and second bellows 41 and 42 serves as a sealed space R1. A shaft 15 to which the respective second end portions of the first and second bellows 41 and 42 are fixed is reciprocally moved to expand/contract the first and second bellows 41 and 42.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: EAGLE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koichi Mori, Yoshio Osawa, Kiyotaka Furuta
  • Patent number: 10186858
    Abstract: A device (10) for a current limiter is described, the device (10) comprising: at least one coil assembly (12) adapted to carry a current, the coil assembly (12) comprising: a first coil (14), comprising a first superconducting element, adapted to carry a first portion of said current, and a second coil (16), comprising a second superconducting element, adapted to carry a second portion of said current, wherein said first and second coils (14, 16) are arranged such that, when said first and second superconducting elements are each in a superconducting state and said coil assembly (12) carries said current, a magnetic field generated by said first portion of said current in said first coil (14) is substantially cancelled by a magnetic field generated by said second portion of said current in said second coil (16); and wherein said device is adapted such that, in use, the first superconducting element carries a higher proportion of said current than the second superconducting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: David William Klaus, Adrian Wilson