Abstract: A belt buckle includes a housing having a base, first and second sidewalls projecting from the base so as to form a substantially U-shaped member and a lug member projecting from said base. There is also an electrical switching fastened to the base that has a pair of contact pins. A tongue plate preferably has a base portion and an elongated portion projecting from the base portion. The elongated portion may have a free-end opposite the base portion, a lower planar surface having a recess and mating member mounted at the free end thereof. In an assembled position the tongue plate is inserted in the housing such that the lug engages the recess and the mating member engages the contact pins.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for magnetic resonance imaging are provided. The apparatus desirably comprises an MRI magnet subsystem and a control kiosk spatially separate from the MRI subsystem. The control kiosk may be advantageously located inside or outside the shielded room housing the MRI subsystem. The method comprises the steps of providing a control kiosk spatially separate from the MRI subsystem and positioning and viewing a patient within a patient-receiving space of the main subsystem. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising a relay having a power input and power output connected to a power supply of an actuator control unit is provided.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a belt buckle comprises a housing and locking member that are secured by a pair of locking levers. The housing includes the locking levers along with a base plate to which the locking levers are individually mounted in association with a spring bias. In another embodiment, a belt buckle comprises a housing, a locking member and an optical switch that provides and indication of when the locking member is secured to the housing. In another aspect of the invention, the buckle assemblies are magnetically translucent.