Patents by Inventor Richard Andrew Ranze
Richard Andrew Ranze 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: 7345559Abstract: A vertically-aligned open MRI magnet system includes first and second (i.e., top and bottom) assemblies each having a longitudinally-extending and vertically-aligned axis, a superconductive main coil, and a vacuum enclosure enclosing the main coil. At least one support beam has a first end attached to the first assembly and has a second end attached to the second assembly. A vibration isolation system supports the magnet system.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2001Date of Patent: March 18, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Yu Wang, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Richard Andrew Ranze
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Patent number: 7227437Abstract: A vertically-aligned open MRI magnet system includes first and second (i.e., top and bottom) assemblies each having a longitudinally-extending and vertically-aligned axis, a superconductive main coil, and a vacuum enclosure enclosing the main coil. At least one support beam has a first end attached to the first assembly and has a second end attached to the second assembly. A vibration isolation system supports the magnet system.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2003Date of Patent: June 5, 2007Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Yu Wang, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Richard Andrew Ranze
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Patent number: 6922885Abstract: A racetrack shaped high temperature superconducting (HTS) coil is fabricated by layer winding HTS tape under tension on a precision coil form with a binder such as pre-preg filament-ply interlayer insulation. The coil form includes a racetrack shaped bobbin, two side plates and a series of blocks that define the outside surface of the coil. The outside surface of the winding is over-wrapped with a copper foil bonded to heat exchanger tubing. The coil is baked in the coil form to cure the epoxy then released from the coil form. The resulting coil structure is a strong winding composite built to close tolerance dimensions.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2001Date of Patent: August 2, 2005Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, James Pellegrino Alexander, Richard Andrew Ranze
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Patent number: 6774633Abstract: A vertically-aligned open MRI magnet system includes first and second (i.e., top and bottom) assemblies each having a longitudinally-extending and vertically-aligned axis, a superconductive main coil, and a vacuum enclosure enclosing the main coil. At least one support beam has a first end attached to the first assembly and has a second end attached to the second assembly. A vibration isolation system supports the magnet system.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2003Date of Patent: August 10, 2004Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Yu Wang, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Richard Andrew Ranze
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Publication number: 20030179060Abstract: A vertically-aligned open MRI magnet system includes first and second (i.e., top and bottom) assemblies each having a longitudinally-extending and vertically-aligned axis, a superconductive main coil, and a vacuum enclosure enclosing the main coil. At least one support beam has a first end attached to the first assembly and has a second end attached to the second assembly. A vibration isolation system supports the magnet system.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2003Publication date: September 25, 2003Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Yu Wang, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Richard Andrew Ranze
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Publication number: 20030174036Abstract: A vertically-aligned open MRI magnet system includes first and second (i.e., top and bottom) assemblies each having a longitudinally-extending and vertically-aligned axis, a superconductive main coil, and a vacuum enclosure enclosing the main coil. At least one support beam has a first end attached to the first assembly and has a second end attached to the second assembly. A vibration isolation system supports the magnet system.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2003Publication date: September 18, 2003Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Yu Wang, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Richard Andrew Ranze
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Publication number: 20030076205Abstract: A vertically-aligned open MRI magnet system includes first and second (i.e., top and bottom) assemblies each having a longitudinally-extending and vertically-aligned axis, a superconductive main coil, and a vacuum enclosure enclosing the main coil. At least one support beam has a first end attached to the first assembly and has a second end attached to the second assembly. A vibration isolation system supports the magnet system.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2001Publication date: April 24, 2003Inventors: Yu Wang, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Richard Andrew Ranze
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Publication number: 20020170166Abstract: A racetrack shaped high temperature superconducting (HTS) coil is fabricated by layer winding HTS tape under tension on a precision coil form with a binder such as pre-preg filament-ply interlayer insulation. The coil form includes a racetrack shaped bobbin, two side plates and a series of blocks that define the outside surface of the coil. The outside surface of the winding is over-wrapped with a copper foil bonded to heat exchanger tubing. The coil is baked in the coil form to cure the epoxy then released from the coil form. The resulting coil structure is a strong winding composite built to close tolerance dimensions.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2001Publication date: November 21, 2002Inventors: Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, James Pellegrino Alexander, Richard Andrew Ranze
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Patent number: 6367643Abstract: A cryostatic vessel 12 is radially interconnected inside a tubular thermal shield 18. A shield first endplate 20 includes a plurality of spacers 30 which are disposed in axial abutment with a corresponding first endplate 14 of the vessel during assembly. A shield second endplate 22 is disposed in axial abutment against an opposite end of the shield, and includes alignment holes 36 receiving corresponding alignment pins 32 extending from an opposite endplate 16 of the vessel. The spacers maintain a predetermined clearance between the endplates of the vessel and shield which clearance is precisely maintained upon fixedly joining both shield endplates to the shield.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2000Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Richard Andrew Ranze, Kenneth Gordon Herd
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Publication number: 20020002829Abstract: A cryostatic vessel 12 is radially interconnected inside a tubular thermal shield 18. A shield first endplate 20 includes a plurality of spacers 30 which are disposed in axial abutment with a corresponding first endplate 14 of the vessel during assembly. A shield second endplate 22 is disposed in axial abutment against an opposite end of the shield, and includes alignment holes 36 receiving corresponding alignment pins 32 extending from an opposite endplate 16 of the vessel. The spacers maintain a predetermined clearance between the endplates of the vessel and shield which clearance is precisely maintained upon fixedly joining both shield endplates to the shield.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2000Publication date: January 10, 2002Inventors: Richard Andrew Ranze, Kenneth Gordon Herd
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Patent number: 6185808Abstract: A cryostatic vessel is radially interconnected inside a tubular thermal shield. A shield first endplate includes a plurality of spacers which are disposed in axial abutment with a corresponding first endplate of the vessel during assembly. A shield second endplate is disposed in axial abutment against an opposite end of the shield, and includes alignment holes receiving corresponding alignment pins extending from an opposite endplate of the vessel. The spacers maintain a predetermined clearance between the endplates of the vessel and shield which clearance is precisely maintained upon fixedly joining both shield endplates to the shield.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1999Date of Patent: February 13, 2001Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Richard Andrew Ranze, Kenneth Gordon Herd
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Patent number: 5999076Abstract: A passive shimming system for a superconducting magnet to improve bore magnetic homogeneity includes a plurality of axially extending non-magnetic drawers each including a plurality of pockets along the drawer with a securable cover for each pocket to enclose the selected ferromagnetic shim disks and compressible spring material to enable individual access and shimming of selected pockets.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1998Date of Patent: December 7, 1999Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert Henry Becker, Jr., Gregory F. Hayworth, Kenneth Gordon Herd, Xianrui Huang, Peter Angus Morgan, Richard Andrew Ranze, Minfeng Xu
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Patent number: 5759960Abstract: A superconductive device (e.g., magnet) having a superconductive lead assembly and cooled by a cryocooler coldhead having first and second stages. A first ceramic superconductive lead has a first end thermally connected to the first stage and a second end thermally connected to the second stage. A jacket of open cell material (e.g., polystyrene foam) is in surrounding compressive contact with the first ceramic superconductive lead, and a rigid, nonporous support tube surrounds the jacket. This protects the first ceramic superconductive lead against shock and vibration while in the device. The rigid support tube has a first end and a second end, with the second end thermally connected to the second stage.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 1996Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert Adolph Ackermann, Kenneth Gordon Herd, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Richard Andrew Ranze
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Patent number: 5691679Abstract: A superconductive lead assembly for a superconductive device (e.g., magnet) cooled by a cryocooler coldhead having first and second stages. A first ceramic superconductive lead has a first end flexibly, dielectrically, and thermally connected to the first stage and a second end flexibly, dielectrically, and thermally connected to the second stage. A first glass-reinforced-epoxy lead overwrap is in general surrounding contact with and attached to the first superconductive lead. The first lead overwrap has a coefficient of thermal expansion generally equal to that of the first superconductive lead. The lead overwrap protects the lead from moisture damage and from breakage during handling. For added protection against shock and vibration while in the device, the lead assembly is surrounded by a (e.g., polystyrene foam) jacket surrounded by a helically-wound metallic wire surrounded by a glass-reinforced-epoxy jacket overwrap surrounded by a rigid support tube.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 1996Date of Patent: November 25, 1997Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert Adolph Ackermann, Kenneth Gordon Herd, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, John Eric Tkaczyk, Kenneth Wilbur Lay, Richard Andrew Ranze
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Patent number: 5681006Abstract: Apparatus for winding an electrical conductor, having a compressible electrical insulation, on a coil form to make a conductive coil. A rotating device rotates the coil form. A guiding device guides the conductor, near the coil form, longitudinally toward the second end of the coil form so that successive turns of the conductor are generally abutting and are laid down in a first layer. A locating and longitudinally-translating device moves a rotatable wheel so that its rim contacts, and is rotated by, the rotating coil form and so that a side of the wheel applies a first longitudinally-compressive force to a portion of a presently-wound turn of the first layer of the conductor in a direction toward the first end of the coil form.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 1996Date of Patent: October 28, 1997Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Kenneth Gordon Herd, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Richard Andrew Ranze
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Patent number: 5649353Abstract: A method for making an electrical coil such as a superconductive switch or an energy dump resistor. The midportion of a coil wire, whose ends are wound around two supply spools, is looped around a radially-extending pin on a shaft. The shaft is turned in one direction and the coil wire is guided such that segments are paid out from the first supply spool and sections are paid out from the second supply spool, such segments and sections being wound from the middle to a corresponding end, then being wound from the corresponding end to the middle where they are crossed over, and then being wound from the middle to the other associated end. A stratum of electrical insulation is positioned, at the appropriate time, on the second segment and second section, and, in the case of the switch, an electrical heater is positioned, at the appropriate time, on the first segment and first section.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 1995Date of Patent: July 22, 1997Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Lembit Salasoo, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Richard Andrew Ranze