Patents by Inventor Ayumi Katsunuma

Ayumi Katsunuma 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: 10368779
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus of an embodiment includes: a bed top plate provided with a connector which can be coupled with a receiving coil; a bed which supports the bed top plate, the bed being configured to shift the bed top plate vertically and horizontally, the bed being configured to be jointly coupled with a stretcher apparatus having a stretcher top plate, and the stretcher top plate being placed on top of the bed top plate in a case where the stretcher apparatus is jointly coupled and; a bed controller configured to control a shift of the bed top plate correspondingly to at least one of a joint coupling condition between the bed and the stretcher apparatus and a coupling condition between the receiving coil and the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ayumi Katsunuma
  • Patent number: 9939499
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes a static magnetic field magnet, a gradient coil, a bore tube and a sealed space forming unit. The gradient coil is formed to be approximately cylindrical, arranged in a cylinder of the static magnetic field magnet, and adds a gradient magnetic field to the static magnetic field. The bore tube is formed to be approximately cylindrical and arranged in the cylinder of the gradient coil. The sealed space forming unit forms a sealed space enclosing the gradient coil between an inner circumferential side of the static magnetic field magnet and an outer circumferential side of the bore tube. At least a part of at least one of the side ends of the gradient coil does not make contact with the sealed space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ayumi Katsunuma, Masatoshi Yamashita, Hiromitsu Takamori, Kota Watanabe, Hiroto Asai
  • Publication number: 20140336500
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus of an embodiment includes: a bed top plate provided with a connector which can be coupled with a receiving coil; a bed which supports the bed top plate, the bed being configured to shift the bed top plate vertically and horizontally, the bed being configured to be jointly coupled with a stretcher apparatus having a stretcher top plate, and the stretcher top plate being placed on top of the bed top plate in a case where the stretcher apparatus is jointly coupled and; a bed controller configured to control a shift of the bed top plate correspondingly to at least one of a joint coupling condition between the bed and the stretcher apparatus and a coupling condition between the receiving coil and the connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventor: Ayumi KATSUNUMA
  • Publication number: 20130314089
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes a static magnetic field magnet, a gradient coil, a bore tube and a sealed space forming unit. The gradient coil is formed to be approximately cylindrical, arranged in a cylinder of the static magnetic field magnet, and adds a gradient magnetic field to the static magnetic field. The bore tube is formed to be approximately cylindrical and arranged in the cylinder of the gradient coil. The sealed space forming unit forms a sealed space enclosing the gradient coil between an inner circumferential side of the static magnetic field magnet and an outer circumferential side of the bore tube. At least a part of at least one of the side ends of the gradient coil does not make contact with the sealed space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicants: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Ayumi KATSUNUMA, Masatoshi YAMASHITA, Hiromitsu TAKAMORI, Kota WATANABE, Hiroto ASAI
  • Patent number: 8362774
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance apparatus includes a static field magnet, a gradient field coil, a cover which forms, inside the static field magnet and the gradient field coil, an internal space in which a bed top and a subject placed on the bed top are to be inserted, a radio frequency coil unit which includes a cylindrical base portion and first electronic elements and second electronic elements and is placed in the internal space, a first flow path which is formed between the base portion and the cover to cool the first electronic elements, a second flow path which is formed between the base portion and the cover and communicates with the first flow path to cool the second electronic elements, and a cooling unit which cools the radio frequency coil unit by generating a cooling gas flow flowing from the first flow path to the second flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Ayumi Katsunuma, Kazuhiko Tsujita, Hiromitsu Takamori
  • Patent number: 8035385
    Abstract: When an RF coil in a magnetic resonance imaging system includes a plurality of conductive members and circuit elements connected to the conductive members, at least part of each of the conductive members is formed to a thickness so as to dissipate heat generated from the circuit elements. Moreover, the magnetic resonance imaging system is configured to include a cooling unit that circulates cooling air over the surfaces of the circuit elements provided in the RF coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Sadanori Tomiha, Takahiro Ishihara, Shinji Mitsui, Hiromitsu Takamori, Ayumi Katsunuma
  • Patent number: 7906967
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a bore tube inside which an imaging space is formed to place a subject, a static field generating section which is placed outside the tube and generates a static field in the imaging space, a gradient field generating section which is placed between the tube and the static field generating section and generates a gradient field to superimpose on the static field, a cover which is mounted to a side end of the static field generating section and forms a vacuum space in a surrounding of the gradient field generating section together with the tube and the static field generating section, wherein the cover is fixed by fixation parts thereof to the static field generating section and a load of an air pressure to be applied on the cover at a different part from the fixation part is received by the static field generating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignees: Kaibushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Ayumi Katsunuma, Kiyoshi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7852080
    Abstract: An MRI apparatus has a gantry, a bed and a lighting unit collective including a plurality of lighting units. The gantry accommodates a static field magnet configured to generate a static field, a gradient coil configured to generate a gradient magnetic field, and an RF coil configured to transmit or receive an RF pulse as well as having an opening into which a person is inserted. The bed has a removable table-top for an inside and an outside of the opening. The lighting unit group is disposed at at least one of an inside position of the opening and an outside position from which an inside of the opening can be lighted so that the lighting units can carry out lighting such that an amount of emitting light increases bit by bit from a bedside to a counter bedside opposite to the bedside across the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Takamori, Ayumi Katsunuma, Kazuhiko Tsujita, Souhei Fukunishi
  • Publication number: 20090134875
    Abstract: When an RF coil in a magnetic resonance imaging system includes a plurality of conductive members and circuit elements connected to the conductive members, at least part of each of the conductive members is formed to a thickness so as to dissipate heat generated from the circuit elements. Moreover, the magnetic resonance imaging system is configured to include a cooling unit that circulates cooling air over the surfaces of the circuit elements provided in the RF coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Sadanori Tomiha, Takahiro Ishihara, Shinji Mitsui, Hiromitsu Takamori, Ayumi Katsunuma
  • Publication number: 20090134874
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance apparatus includes a static field magnet, a gradient field coil, a cover which forms, inside the static field magnet and the gradient field coil, an internal space in which a bed top and a subject placed on the bed top are to be inserted, a radio frequency coil unit which includes a cylindrical base portion and first electronic elements and second electronic elements and is placed in the internal space, a first flow path which is formed between the base portion and the cover to cool the first electronic elements, a second flow path which is formed between the base portion and the cover and communicates with the first flow path to cool the second electronic elements, and a cooling unit which cools the radio frequency coil unit by generating a cooling gas flow flowing from the first flow path to the second flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ayumi Katsunuma, Kazuhiko Tsujita, Hiromitsu Takamori
  • Publication number: 20090039887
    Abstract: A apparatus includes a bore tube inside which an imaging space is formed to place a subject, a static field generating section which is placed outside the tube and generates a static field in the imaging space, a gradient field generating section which is placed between the tube and the static field generating section and generates a gradient field to superimpose on the static field, cover which is mounted to side end of the static field generating section and forms a vacuum space in a surrounding of the gradient filed generating section around together with the tube and the static field generating section, wherein the cover are fixed by fixation parts thereof to the static field generating section and a load of an air pressure to be applied on the covers at a different part from the fixation part is received by the static field generating section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Ayumi Katsunuma, Kiyoshi Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20080204017
    Abstract: An MRI apparatus has a gantry, a bed and a lighting unit collective including a plurality of lighting units. The gantry accommodates a static field magnet configured to generate a static field, a gradient coil configured to generate a gradient magnetic field, and an RF coil configured to transmit or receive an RF pulse as well as having an opening into which a person is inserted. The bed has a removable table-top for an inside and an outside of the opening. The lighting unit group is disposed at at least one of an inside position of the opening and an outside position from which an inside of the opening can be lighted so that the lighting units can carry out lighting such that an amount of emitting light increases bit by bit from a bedside to a counter bedside opposite to the bedside across the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu TAKAMORI, Ayumi Katsunuma, Kazuhiko Tsujita, Souhei Fukunishi
  • Patent number: 6567685
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus generates an MR signal from an object by applying a gradient field pulse generated by a gradient field coil and a high-frequency magnetic field pulse generated by a high-frequency coil to the object in a static field, and reconstructs an image on the basis of the MR signal. The gradient field coil is housed in a sealed vessel. The internal air in the sealed vessel is exhausted by the pump to prevent noise. By controlling the operation of the pump using a control circuit, noise in imaging operation can be reduced more effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Takamori, Ayumi Katsunuma, Hitoshi Kanazawa, Takeshiro Suzuki, Seiji Nozaki, Masatoshi Hanawa, Yoshio Machida, Masaaki Yamanaka, Masao Yui
  • Publication number: 20010010464
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus generates an MR signal from an object by applying a gradient field pulse generated by a gradient field coil and a high-frequency magnetic field pulse generated by a high-frequency coil to the object in a static field, and reconstructs an image on the basis of the MR signal. The gradient field coil is housed in a sealed vessel. The internal air in the sealed vessel is exhausted by the pump to prevent noise. By controlling the operation of the pump using a control circuit, noise in imaging operation can be reduced more effectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Publication date: August 2, 2001
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Takamori, Ayumi Katsunuma, Hitoshi Kanazawa, Takeshiro Suzuki, Seiji Nozaki, Masatoshi Hanawa, Yoshio Machida, Masaaki Yamanaka, Masao Yui
  • Patent number: 6043653
    Abstract: Solid-borne vibrations and airborne vibrations from a gradient coil unit in an MRI gantry environment are markedly reduced thereby reducing ambient noise occurring due to the vibrations. Support assemblies retain the gradient coil unit in a mechanically-uncoupled or substantially-uncoupled state relative to the magnet by supporting the coil unit at separate positions on the floor (e.g., with anchor bolts rigidly coupling coil support assemblies to the floor). Moreover, the gradient coil unit and at least parts of the support assemblies may be retained in a vacuum space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiromitu Takamori, Ayumi Katsunuma, Yasuhiro Uosaki, Takeshi Toyoshima, Kazuhiro Iinuma, Hiromi Kawamoto, Hitoshi Yamagata