Patents by Inventor Horst Kröckel
Horst Kröckel 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: 9151814Abstract: A power electronics assembly for a magnetic resonance device includes a housing and at least one printed circuit board (PCB) arranged in the housing with at least one power electronics component to be cooled. The PCB has an at least one millimeter thick backside layer that may be made of copper. The power electronics assembly also includes a stabilizing cooling plate configured as part of the housing and/or the housing includes at least one coolant channel open on at least one side, so that the PCB mounted on the cooling plate comes into direct contact with coolant guided in the coolant channel in an area of the power electronics components with the backside layer.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2011Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Adam Albrecht, Horst Kröckel
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Publication number: 20150170825Abstract: A planar transformer includes a printed circuit board, at least two conductor tracks, a base plate, and a recess that is formed in the base plate. A shroud that is formed from an at least partially electrically conductive material is arranged in the recess. The shroud is electrically connected to the printed circuit board.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2014Publication date: June 18, 2015Inventor: Horst Kröckel
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Patent number: 8777937Abstract: A catheter for magnetic resonance-supported interventional procedures has an electric cable that connects a first electric component attached to one catheter end with a second electric component attached to the other catheter end, with the electric cable being coiled at least in sections thereof.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2007Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Horst Kroeckel
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Patent number: 8618802Abstract: A power amplifier unit for a magnetic resonance device includes at least two power amplifier modules. Symmetrical output signals from the at least two power amplifier modules are fed to a shared balun. The shared balun is provided on a printed circuit board (PCB) and is realized in a unit with the at least two power amplifier modules. The balun is configured to asymmetrize a sum signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2011Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Adam Albrecht, Horst Kröckel, Markus Vester
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Publication number: 20120188717Abstract: A power electronics assembly for a magnetic resonance device includes a housing and at least one printed circuit board (PCB) arranged in the housing with at least one power electronics component to be cooled. The PCB has an at least one millimeter thick backside layer that may be made of copper. The power electronics assembly also includes a stabilizing cooling plate configured as part of the housing and/or the housing includes at least one coolant channel open on at least one side, so that the PCB mounted on the cooling plate comes into direct contact with coolant guided in the coolant channel in an area of the power electronics components with the backside layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2011Publication date: July 26, 2012Inventors: Adam Albrecht, Horst Kröckel
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Publication number: 20120187951Abstract: A power amplifier unit for a magnetic resonance device includes at least two power amplifier modules. Symmetrical output signals from the at least two power amplifier modules are fed to a shared balun. The shared balun is provided on a printed circuit board (PCB) and is realized in a unit with the at least two power amplifier modules. The balun is configured to asymmetrize a sum signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2011Publication date: July 26, 2012Inventors: Adam Albrecht, Horst Kröckel, Markus Vester
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Patent number: 7821336Abstract: An amplifier device has an amplifier circuit, an energy supply device, a switching matrix and a control device. A radio-frequency, low-energy signal pulse can be amplified into a high-energy power pulse by the amplifier circuit. The amplifier circuit is supplied with electrical energy by the energy supply device. The energy supply device has a number of electrical energy sources that are separated in terms of potential relative to one another in a state in which they are not connected to the amplifier circuit. The electrical energy sources can be selectively connected to the amplifier circuit by the switching matrix. The switching state of the switching matrix can be dynamically set for this purpose by the control device.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2007Date of Patent: October 26, 2010Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Adam Albrecht, Horst Kroeckel
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Patent number: 7684427Abstract: A switching matrix has a first number of inputs and a second number of outputs as well as a conductor arrangement and controllable switching elements by means of which the inputs can be connected with the outputs. The controllable switching elements are fashioned such that at least two independent control signals are required to trigger a switching event.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2005Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Horst Kröckel
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Patent number: 7663370Abstract: An arrangement to control an antenna arrangement in a magnetic resonance examination representatively has a device for signal splitting. This device has an input and a first input and a second output. A radio-frequency transmission signal is supplied at the input. The device for signal splitting has phase-shaping components with which the transmission signal supplied via the input is divided into a first transmission signal for the first output and a second transmission signal for the second output. A phase difference between the first transmission signal and the second transmission signal can be adjusted by the phase-shaping components. An antenna arrangement is provided that has a first and second connections and that is fashioned to radiate a circularly-polarized transmission signal as soon as the two transmission signals with a phase difference of 90° are present at both connections. Each output of the device for signal splitting is connected with an associated connection of the antenna arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2008Date of Patent: February 16, 2010Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Horst Kroeckel
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Patent number: 7570117Abstract: An amplifier device has an input distributor block to which a radio-frequency input signal to be amplified is fed via an input, and that has a number of distributor elements connected in series. Each distributor element splits the input signal supplied thereto into a divided signal and a remainder signal. The divided signal and the remainder signal are appropriately amplified and re-combined by combiner elements. The distributor elements, the amplifiers and the combiner elements are designed to operate in combination with one another so that the divided signals exhibit identical amplitudes among one another, the amplified signals exhibit identical amplitudes among one another, and the delay from the input to the output is the same for all of the amplifiers.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2007Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Horst Kroeckel
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Patent number: 7532067Abstract: A radio-frequency power amplifier is supplied by a voltage supply device. The voltage supply device has a voltage divider chain that is connected at the input side with a base potential and a ground voltage. The voltage divider chain has a number of Zener diodes connected in series, with which at least one capacitor is connected in parallel. Intermediate voltages that lie between the ground voltage and the base potential can be tapped at respective node points between each two immediately adjacent Zener diodes. A first supply input of the radio-frequency power amplifier is connected with the ground voltage. The voltage divider chain is connected with the radio-frequency power amplifier via a switching device. The switching device has a number of switching elements connected in parallel with one another, these switching elements being connected at the output side with a second supply input of the radio-frequency power amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2007Date of Patent: May 12, 2009Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Adam Albrecht, Horst Kroeckel
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Publication number: 20080297155Abstract: An arrangement to control an antenna arrangement in a magnetic resonance examination representatively has a device for signal splitting. This device has an input and a first input and a second output. A radio-frequency transmission signal is supplied at the input. The device for signal splitting has phase-shaping components with which the transmission signal supplied via the input is divided into a first transmission signal for the first output and a second transmission signal for the second output. A phase difference between the first transmission signal and the second transmission signal can be adjusted by the phase-shaping components. An antenna arrangement is provided that has a first and second connections and that is fashioned to radiate a circularly-polarized transmission signal as soon as the two transmission signals with a phase difference of 90° are present at both connections. Each output of the device for signal splitting is connected with an associated connection of the antenna arrangement.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2008Publication date: December 4, 2008Inventor: Horst Kroeckel
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Publication number: 20080143438Abstract: An amplifier device has an amplifier circuit, an energy supply device, a switching matrix and a control device. A radio-frequency, low-energy signal pulse can be amplified into a high-energy power pulse by the amplifier circuit. The amplifier circuit is supplied with electrical energy by the energy supply device. The energy supply device has a number of electrical energy sources that are separated in terms of potential relative to one another in a state in which they are not connected to the amplifier circuit. The electrical energy sources can be selectively connected to the amplifier circuit by the switching matrix. The switching state of the switching matrix can be dynamically set for this purpose by the control device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2007Publication date: June 19, 2008Inventors: Adam Albrecht, Horst Kroeckel
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Publication number: 20080122532Abstract: An amplifier device has an input distributor block to which a radio-frequency input signal to be amplified can be fed via an input and that has a number of distributor elements connected in series. The input signal to be amplified is fed to the first distributor element as its input signal. Each distributor element splits the input signal supplied thereto into a divided signal and a remainder signal. With the exception of the first distributor element, each distributor element feeds its divided signal to a corresponding main amplifier of an amplifier block. With the exception of the last distributor element, each distributor element feeds its remainder signal to another distributor element as its input signal. Each main amplifier amplifies the divided signal fed to it into a corresponding amplified partial signal and feeds the amplified partial signal to a corresponding main combiner element of an output combiner block.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2007Publication date: May 29, 2008Inventor: Horst Kroeckel
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Publication number: 20080079488Abstract: A radio-frequency power amplifier is supplied by a voltage supply device. The voltage supply device has a voltage divider chain that is connected at the input side with a base potential and a ground voltage. The voltage divider chain has a number of Zener diodes connected in series, with which at least one capacitor is connected in parallel. Intermediate voltages that lie between the ground voltage and the base potential can be tapped at respective node points between each two immediately adjacent Zener diodes. A first supply input of the radio-frequency power amplifier is connected with the ground voltage. The voltage divider chain is connected with the radio-frequency power amplifier via a switching device. The switching device has a number of switching elements connected in parallel with one another, these switching elements being connected at the output side with a second supply input of the radio-frequency power amplifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2007Publication date: April 3, 2008Inventors: Adam Albrecht, Horst Kroeckel
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Publication number: 20080033281Abstract: A catheter for magnetic resonance-supported interventional procedures has an electric cable that connects a first electric component attached to one catheter end with a second electric component attached to the other catheter end, with the electric cable being coiled at least in sections thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2007Publication date: February 7, 2008Inventor: Horst Kroeckel
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Patent number: 7266406Abstract: In a magnetic resonance apparatus, the transmission coil for generating the radiofrequency excitation field is stationarily arranged. The geometry of the transmission coil is permanently prescribed. For acquiring the magnetic resonance signal, the reception arrangement includes at least one first local coil. This is secured to a movable carrier, so that it can be placed against the person from a remote position. The carrier is secured in a carrier mount arranged stationarily within the examination volume.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2002Date of Patent: September 4, 2007Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Horst Kroeckel
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Patent number: 7123010Abstract: In a magnetic resonance system and operating method, antenna elements in an antenna array are disposed around an examination volume, and each antenna element has a separate transmission channel and reception channel associated therewith. The magnetic resonance apparatus is operated to obtain magnetic resonance signals, from which amplitude and phase information are derived for the individual antenna elements, and this information is used to subsequently operate the antenna elements in the array to emit RF energy with a predetermined phase and amplitude so as to generate focused RF energy for hyperthermic treatment. The magnetic resonance apparatus can also be used to obtain magnetic resonance signals in intervals which during which the hyperthermic treatment is interrupted, from which the temperature of the region being treated can be ascertained.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2002Date of Patent: October 17, 2006Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Horst Kröckel
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Patent number: 7119543Abstract: A generator device for a magnetic resonance excitation signal has a signal divider that divides an input signal supplied to it via an input element into at least two sub-signals and supplies them to amplification stages. The amplification stages amplify the respective sub-signals to produce amplified signals and supply the amplified signals to a signal combiner that combines them to form an aggregate signal, which is made externally available via an output element. Sensor devices that precede the signal divider and the signal combiner, acquire a reference signal that corresponds to the input signal and actual signals that correspond to the amplified signals and supply them to a control device. The control device acts on at least one of the amplification stages to cause the amplified signals to exhibit a predetermined amplitude ratio and a predetermined phase relation relative to one another.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2004Date of Patent: October 10, 2006Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Adam Albrecht, Horst Kröckel, Wilfried Schnell, Markus Vester
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Patent number: 6876197Abstract: In a transmission arrangement for a magnetic resonance apparatus, a high-frequency input signal, via an input terminal is supplied to a high-frequency power amplifier. The amplifier amplifiers the input signal with from a high-frequency output signal and supplies it to an antenna arrangement that emits it as a magnetic resonance excitation signal. Directional couplers are respectively connected between the input terminal and the amplifier and between the amplifier and the antenna arrangement. The acquired signals are supplied to an amplitude controller that drives an amplitude regulator preceding the high-frequency power amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2004Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Adam Albrecht, Horst Kröckel, Wilfried Schnell, Markus Vester