Patents by Inventor Robbi McDonald

Robbi McDonald 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: 8735723
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for mounting cables within a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system are provided. One apparatus includes a cable assembly having a rigid support structure defining a channel with a cross-section and an electrical cable having a cross-section smaller than the cross-section of the channel. The electrical cable is secured within the channel of the rigid support structure, with the rigid support structure configured for coupling to a stationary component of the MRI system to resist movement from a movable component to which the electrical cable is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Longzhi Jiang, Robert Belinski, Robbi McDonald
  • Patent number: 8676282
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet coil support with cooling and a method for coil cooling are provided. One superconducting coil support arrangement includes a superconducting coil and at least one support beam supporting the superconducting coil and defining a tank for storing a cooling fluid therein. The superconducting coil support arrangement further includes a plurality of cooling tubes coupled to the superconducting coil and connected to the at least one support beam, wherein the plurality of cooling tubes are configured to transfer the cooling fluid therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Longzhi Jiang, Clifford Ginfrida, Jr., Neil Clarke, Weijun Shen, Ernst Wolfgang Stautner, Tao Zhang, Robbi McDonald
  • Patent number: 8314615
    Abstract: An MRI apparatus and method comprises an MRI system having a plurality of gradient coils positioned about a bore of a magnet, and an RF transceiver system and an RF switch controlled by a pulse module to transmit RF signals to an RF coil assembly to acquire MR images. The magnet comprises a main coil former and a shield coil former arranged radially around the bore of the magnet, wherein a radius of the shield coil former is greater than a radius of the main coil former. The magnet also includes at least one main coil affixed to the main coil former, at least one shield coil affixed to the shield coil former, and at least one structural member affixed to the main coil former and to the shield coil former to provide structural support and enable longitudinal alignment adjustment between the main coil former and the shield coil former.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Longzhi Jiang, John Scaturro, Jr., William Einziger, Yuri Lvovsky, Robbi McDonald, Xiaoxue Diao
  • Publication number: 20120118630
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for mounting cables within a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system are provided. One apparatus includes a cable assembly having a rigid support structure defining a channel with a cross-section and an electrical cable having a cross-section smaller than the cross-section of the channel. The electrical cable is secured within the channel of the rigid support structure, with the rigid support structure configured for coupling to a stationary component of the MRI system to resist movement from a movable component to which the electrical cable is connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Longzhi Jiang, Robert Belinski, Robbi McDonald
  • Publication number: 20120108433
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet coil support with cooling and a method for coil cooling are provided. One superconducting coil support arrangement includes a superconducting coil and at least one support beam supporting the superconducting coil and defining a tank for storing a cooling fluid therein. The superconducting coil support arrangement further includes a plurality of cooling tubes coupled to the superconducting coil and connected to the at least one support beam, wherein the plurality of cooling tubes are configured to transfer the cooling fluid therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: Longzhi Jiang, Clifford Ginfrida, JR., Neil Clarke, Weijun Shen, Ernst Wolfgang Stautner, Tao Zhang, Robbi McDonald
  • Publication number: 20110148416
    Abstract: An MRI apparatus and method comprises an MRI system having a plurality of gradient coils positioned about a bore of a magnet, and an RF transceiver system and an RF switch controlled by a pulse module to transmit RF signals to an RF coil assembly to acquire MR images. The magnet comprises a main coil former and a shield coil former arranged radially around the bore of the magnet, wherein a radius of the shield coil former is greater than a radius of the main coil former. The magnet also includes at least one main coil affixed to the main coil former, at least one shield coil affixed to the shield coil former, and at least one structural member affixed to the main coil former and to the shield coil former to provide structural support and enable longitudinal alignment adjustment between the main coil former and the shield coil former.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Longzhi Jiang, John Scaturro, JR., William Einziger, Yuri Lvovsky, Robbi McDonald, Xiaoxue Diao