Including Cryostat Patents (Class 62/51.1)
  • Publication number: 20080314051
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cryogenic processing comprising a chamber having a specially optimized configuration and geometry and having internal insert array of pathways and supporting elements to facilitate advanced materials processing. The pathways and supporting components can be configured by bending and positioning in different planes with bending the pathways with optimal radii and in different planes. The pathways bending radii can be within an optimal range for the size of the chamber and the angles between the pathway bending planes can be within an optimal range. The angles between the supporting components positioning planes and the pathway bending planes can be in an optimal range. The invention can also include structural supporting components that are attached at the pathway small movement points and the length of attachment can vary from about approximately zero to the full length of the supporting component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventor: Charles Patrick McKee
  • Publication number: 20080307801
    Abstract: A cryogenic storage container is provided with a storage container, a vacuum container containing the storage container, and a heat shield. The cryogenic storage container is coupled to a cooling source equipped with a cryogenic freezer via transport piping so that the vibration of the cryogenic freezer cannot be directly delivered to the cryogenic storage container. The vibration can be further reduced by providing a bellows unit for transport piping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Hiroyuki TANAKA, Norihide Saho, Hisashi Isogami
  • Patent number: 7464558
    Abstract: A low eddy current cryogen circuit for superconducting magnets including at least a first cooling coil made of an electrically conducting material and having at least one electrical isolator incorporated in the first cooling coil. The electrical isolator is located to inhibit induced eddy current loops due to inductive coupling of the first cooling coil with eddy current inducing field sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xianrui Huang, Paul Shadforth Thompson, David Thomas Ryan, Gregory Alan Lehmann, Timothy John Havens
  • Publication number: 20080295528
    Abstract: A cryostat, comprising an outer vacuum vessel containing cryogenic equipment suspended from the outer vacuum vessel by a number of suspension rods. At least one of the suspension rods is provided with a tensioning and retaining mechanism for holding that suspension rod in tension braced against a suspension bracket). This tensioning and retaining mechanism includes a tubular rod carrier arranged, in use, to pass through a hole or slot in the suspension bracket, the rod carrier having an axial bore through which, in use, the rod may pass; a thread on its outer surface along at least part of its length; and a rod bearing surface for, in use, transmitting force to the rod. This tensioning and retaining mechanism also comprises a tensioning nut threaded onto the thread so as to, in use, brace against the suspension bracket to urge the tubular rod carrier in the direction of the rod bearing surface so as to apply tension to the rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Nicholas Mann, Jennifer Ridley
  • Patent number: 7451719
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for degaussing a water vessel. The invention involves the use of a light-weight reduced-size degaussing system that comprises a plurality of degaussing coils arranged in a plurality of axes. An electrical current is passed through the plurality of coils to create a degaussing field. The degaussing coils comprise a high temperature superconductor material, the coils cooled by a single-phase gaseous cryogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Brian K. Fitzpatrick, Thomas H. Fikse, William A. Lynch
  • Publication number: 20080271467
    Abstract: A substantially cylindrical cryostat defining an axial imaging region, the cryostat housing a magnet which, in use, provides a substantially homogeneous magnetic field in the imaging region, further comprising a refrigerator arranged to cool certain elements of the cryostat, said refrigerator comprising a magnetic material which, in use, oscillates along an axis of the refrigerator. The cryostat is arranged such that the axis of the refrigerator is substantially tangential to a circle centred on the axis of the cylindrical cryostat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicants: SIEMENS MAGNET TECHNOLOGY LTD, SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Graham Gilgrass, Timothy John Hughes, Florian Steinmeyer, Keith White
  • Patent number: 7444826
    Abstract: A fault current limiter comprising: an input node; an output node; a variable impedance element coupled between the input node and the output node; a multi-cycle refrigeration system, comprising a first coolant cycle for cooling the variable impedance element and a second coolant cycle, thermally coupled to the first coolant cycle, for cooling the first coolant, wherein the variable impedance element comprises Magnesium Diboride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Philip M Sargent, Peter Malkin, Brian E Simmers
  • Publication number: 20080264072
    Abstract: To provide a liquefied gas supply device and supply method that has good operability and a compact structure, and enables stable supply of large flow rates of liquefied gas while managing the consumption amount of liquefied gas promptly in real time. A liquefied gas supply device characterized by having container 1 filled with liquefied gas, load cell 2 for measuring the weight of container 1, halogen lamp unit 3 for heating container 1, and a gas transfer means to transfer gas in the gas-phase section of container1, and arranging halogen lamp unit 3, comprising halogen lamp heater 3a and space 3b for the lamp, and load cell 2 in an integrated structure at bottom section 1a of container 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Shinji MIYOSHI, Minoru Ino, Kazuo Yokogi
  • Patent number: 7430872
    Abstract: An NMR apparatus comprising a superconducting magnet coil system, in particular, an NMR spectrometer, with a cryostat which comprises an outer shell and a helium tank which contains the magnet coil system, and with an NMR probe head which is disposed in a room temperature bore of the cryostat and which contains a cooled RF resonator for receiving NMR signals from a sample to be examined and is cooled, together with the NMR probe head, by a cold head of a common, multi-stage, compressor-operated refrigerator, is characterized in that the cold head of the refrigerator is disposed in a neck tube, the upper end of which is connected to the outer shell of the cryostat and the lower end of which is connected to the helium tank in such a manner that the neck tube and the helium tank delimit a helium space, with at least one cooling circuit with thermally insulated transfer lines being provided between the helium space and the NMR probe head, wherein the cryogenic helium in the helium space is used as coolant for the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin GmbH
    Inventor: Marco Strobel
  • Patent number: 7430871
    Abstract: An NMR spectrometer comprising a magnet coil system disposed in the helium tank (8) of a cryostat and an NMR probe head (4) which is disposed in a room temperature bore of the cryostat and contains a cooled RF resonator (13) for receiving NMR signals from a sample to be examined, wherein the helium tank (8) and the NMR probe head (4) are cooled by a common, multi-stage, compressor-operated refrigerator, is characterized in that the common refrigerator comprises a cold head (6) and several heat exchangers (21, 24, 25, 28, 31, 33, 34) at different temperature levels, wherein the refrigerator is disposed at a spatial separation from the cryostat in a separate, evacuated and thermally insulated housing (5), and several cooling circuits (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b) having thermally insulated transfer lines (14a, 14b, 15) are provided between the housing (5) containing the heat exchangers (21, 24, 25, 28, 31, 33, 34) and the cryostat, and also between the housing (5) and the NMR probe head (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin GmbH
    Inventor: Marco Strobel
  • Publication number: 20080227647
    Abstract: A cryostat assembly (1) for a superconducting magnet assembly, with a helium tank (2) for liquid helium, whereby the superconducting magnet assembly (6) is located in the helium tank (2), with a nitrogen tank (3) for liquid nitrogen, whereby the nitrogen tank (3) encloses the helium tank (2), and with at least one access tube (4) in which the current lead is mounted through which current can be lead from the room-temperature warm area of the cryostat (1) into the superconducting magnet assembly (6), whereby the current lead assembly comprises at least one current lead with a normal conductor part (13) and a superconductor part (14) made of HTS material, characterized in that a terminal (12) of the at least one current lead, through which the normal conductor part (13) is electrically connected with the superconductor part (14) is thermally coupled with a wall of the nitrogen tank (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventors: Concetta Beneduce, Andreas Kraus, Michael Bauernschmitt
  • Publication number: 20080209919
    Abstract: A system can include a heat transfer structure and a heat exchanger. The heat transfer structure is to cool an object, and the heat exchanger is to cool a portion of the heat transfer structure. The system can be cooled significantly faster than a conventional system that uses conductive cooling. The system has no or less liquid cryogen that would be vaporized as compared to a conventional system that immerses the object to be cooled within a bath of liquid cryogen or has a substantial mass of liquid cryogen within a cooling loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: PHILIPS MEDICAL SYSTEMS MR, INC.
    Inventors: Robert A. Ackermann, Philippe Menteur, Chandra T. Reis
  • Publication number: 20080202127
    Abstract: A cooling system for a superconducting power apparatus including a reservoir tank for reserving a liquefied gas, a circulating pump, a heat exchanger for cooling the liquefied gas, and a circulation loop through which the liquefied gas is circulated, the superconducting power apparatus being cooled by circulating the liquefied gas in a subcooled state using the circulating pump. The cooling system further includes a pressurizing mechanism for pressurizing the liquefied gas in the reservoir tank with the same type of gas as the liquefied gas, wherein a liquid level in the reservoir tank for reserving the liquefied gas in a pressurized state is located above an outlet of a return piping of a circulating liquefied gas at least by a dissolving depth of the pressurizing gas+(plus) a liquid level movement correction amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicants: The Furukawa Electric Co, Ltd., Central Research Institute of Electric Power Ind.
    Inventors: Shinichi Mukoyama, Noboru Ishii, Masashi Yagi, Satoru Maruyama, Tatsuki Okamoto, Hiroshi Suzuki, Michiharu Ichikawa, Toshihiro Takahashi, Shirabe Akita
  • Patent number: 7415830
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for improving heat transfer between a cold finger of a cryogenic cooler and a Dewar includes forming an annulus between the cold finger of the cryogenic cooler and the Dewar by inserting the cold finger into the Dewar. The cold finger has a first end and a second end. The method also includes inhibiting the formation of convective currents within the annulus in a direction between the first end and the second end. According to another embodiment of the invention, the cooling system includes a cryogenic cooler that includes a cooling section operable to generate cooling fluid and a cold finger operable to receive the cooling fluid. The cooling system also includes a Dewar formed with a void region coupled to an infrared detector. The cold finger is positioned within the void region of the Dewar creating an annulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: William G. Wyatt, Morris E. Finneburgh
  • Publication number: 20080173026
    Abstract: A cylinder used for a cold head of a regenerative cryocooler, the cylinder includes an inside having a hollow-shaped configuration for a regenerative material, wherein the thickness of the cylinder at a high temperature end is greater than the thickness of the cylinder at a low temperature end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hisae MITA, Mingyao XU
  • Publication number: 20080168777
    Abstract: A cryostat for transporting cooled equipment at an upper cryogenic temperature, the cryostat being arranged to cool the cooled equipment by a working cryogen which boils at a lower cryogenic temperature, comprising a vacuum container surrounding the cooled equipment and defining a nominally evacuated layer between the vacuum container and the cooled equipment. Means are provided to reduce contamination of the nominally evacuated layer by a vacuum contaminant which is present in gaseous form within the evacuated layer at the upper cryogenic temperature, but which is retained in liquid or solid form at the lower cryogenic temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Applicant: Siemens Magnet Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Andrew Farquhar ATKINS, Marcel Jan Marie KRUIP
  • Patent number: 7395671
    Abstract: A cryogenic system includes a containment vessel in which a body to be cooled is housed in such a manner that the body is immersed in a liquid coolant; a tubular refrigerator sleeve; and a refrigerator, inserted in the opening section of the refrigerator sleeve, for recondensing coolant gas generated from the coolant, wherein a gas flow-forming means for forming a flow of purge gas toward an opening section of the refrigerator sleeve is provided. The purge gas prevents air from entering a refrigerator sleeve during the replacement of a refrigerator of a cryogenic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventor: Takashi Miki
  • Publication number: 20080155995
    Abstract: In order to minimize the loss of cryogen during transportation of superconductive magnet systems, or indeed at any time that the refrigerator is turned off, part of the boil-off gas is directed from the cryogen vessel through the refrigerator interface and past the refrigerator to cool the refrigerator. Some of the heat conducted along the refrigerator into the system is intercepted and removed by that part of the boil-off gas. The heat load onto the cryogenic vessel is thereby reduced, which in turn reduces the boil-off of cryogen from the cryogenic vessel. This part of the boil-off gas is then vented from the system along with the remainder of the boil-off gas, for example to leave the cryogenic liquid vessel via the access neck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: SIEMENS MAGNET TECHNOLOGY LTD.
    Inventors: Timothy John Hughes, Stephen Paul Trowell, Keith White
  • Patent number: 7383688
    Abstract: The superconducting device has a cryogenic system to whose first refrigerant there is thermally coupled a superconducting unit and a superconducting switching path, which is electrically connected to said unit and is to be activated thermally by a heater, of a superconducting switch. A first pipeline to whose end the superconducting switching path is thermally coupled is to be connected to a refrigerant space of the superconducting unit. In order to ensure reliable heating of the switching path upon activation of the heater, the first pipeline is to have a cross sectional constriction impeding the exchange of heat with the refrigerant space. Moreover, the switching path is to be thermally coupled to a comparatively higher temperature level via a further, closed pipeline with a second refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Atkiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter van Hasselt
  • Publication number: 20080115510
    Abstract: A cryostat cooled by a pulse tube refrigerator and containing electrically powered equipment, wherein an electrical conductor is provided to the electrically powered equipment, said electrical conductor being in thermal and mechanical contact with one or more of the tubes of the pulse tube refrigerator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: Siemens Magnet Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: David Michael Crowley, Graham Gilgrass, Wolfgang Stautner
  • Publication number: 20080104966
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for producing hyperpolarized samples for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are provided. The apparatus comprises an ultra-compact cryogen-free cryostat structure for use in polarizing a sample of selected material, wherein the cryostat structure comprises a central bore being adapted to be evacuated to create a vacuum region, and a cooling device inserted in the central bore or optionally close to the central bore for maintaining a selected temperature of the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventor: Ernst Wolfgang Stautner
  • Publication number: 20080098752
    Abstract: A low temperature cryostat is disclosed. The low temperature cryostat may include a cryostat vessel, a cooling device arranged in the cryostat vessel for producing a cooling temperature level, a microscopy device for examining a sample, and at least one thermal coupling for thermally and mechanically connecting the microscopy device to the cooling device. The cooling device may comprise a pulse tube cooling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: VeriCold Technologies GmbH
    Inventor: Jens Hohne
  • Publication number: 20080092557
    Abstract: A cryostat configuration comprising an outer shell and a cryocontainer (2) for cryogenic fluid installed therein, wherein the cryocontainer (2) is connected to the outer shell via at least two suspension tubes (16), and with a neck tube (1) whose upper warm end is connected to the outer shell and whose lower cold end is connected to the cryocontainer (2) and into which a cold head (3) of a multi-stage cryocooler is installed, wherein the outer shell, the cryocontainer (2), the suspension tubes (16) and the neck tube (1) delimit an evacuated space, and wherein the cryocontainer (2) is moreover surrounded by at least one radiation shield which is connected to the suspension tubes (16) and optionally to the neck tube (1) of the cryocontainer (2) in a thermally conducting fashion, is characterized by a seal which can be manually and/or automatically actuated to separate the cold end of the neck tube (1) from the cryocontainer (2) in such a manner that fluid flow between the cryocontainer (2) and the neck tube (1)
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: Bruker BioSpin AG
    Inventors: Beat Mraz, Urs Meier, Agnes Glemot, Dietrich Vogel
  • Patent number: 7350363
    Abstract: The present invention relates to pulse tube refrigerators for recondensing cryogenic liquids. In particular, the present invention relates to the same for magnetic resonance imaging systems. In many cryogenic applications components, e.g. superconducting coils for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), superconducting transformers, generators, electronics, are cooled by keeping them in contact with a volume of liquified gases (e.g. Helium, Neon, Nitrogen, Argon, Methane . . . ). Any dissipation in the components or heat getting into the system causes the volume to part boil off. To account for the losses, replenishment is required. This service operation is considered to be problematic by many users and great efforts have been made over the years to introduce refrigerators that recondense any lost liquid right back into the bath. The present invention addresses the problems arising from convection which occurs within a pulse tube refrigerator. The invention provides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Magnet Technology, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Stautner, Florian Steinmeyer
  • Patent number: 7330029
    Abstract: A cryostat configuration has at least three centering elements (4) which are distributed about the periphery of a cryocontainer (1). Each end (6) of the centering elements (4) facing away from an outer jacket (3) of the cryostat configuration is connected to an actuator (7) which exerts a pressure or tensile force on the respective centering element (4) to generate a mechanical tension in a corresponding centering element (4) which loads the centering elements (4) with a nearly constant pressure or tension, irrespective of the temperature changes within the cryostat configuration. This yields a cryostat configuration which permits pressure centering without overloading the centering elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin AG
    Inventors: Beat Mraz, Johannes Boesel
  • Patent number: 7323963
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a MRI superconductive magnet enables sharp images representing patients' health states to be produced. [Means for Achieving the Object] A MRI superconductive magnet having a superconductive coil, a liquid vessel of liquid helium used to cool the superconductive coil, a heat shield to accommodate the liquid vessel therein, a vacuum chamber to accommodate the heat shield therein, a load supporting body for supporting the superconductive coil from the vacuum chamber and securing the superconductive coil, a second cold part of a multi-stage refrigerator for cooling a heat exchanger to condense evaporated helium gas, and a first cold part of the multi-stage refrigerator for cooling the heat shield, wherein a magnetic shield is provided from the first cold part of the multi-stage refrigerator to an outer periphery of the second cold part of the multi-stage refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeo Nemoto, Ryuya Ando, Hiroyuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7318318
    Abstract: A cryostat (1) with a first helium tank (4) which contains helium at an operating temperature T1<3K, and a second helium tank (2) which is connected to the first helium tank (4) and contains liquid helium at an operating temperature T2>3K, wherein a cooling means (6) is provided in the first helium tank (4) which generates an operating temperature T1<3K in the first helium tank (4), wherein the cooling means (6) is designed as a Joule-Thomson valve with downstream heat exchanger from which pumped helium is transported to a room temperature region outside of the cryostat (1) is characterized in that a refrigerator (11) is provided whose cold end (19) projects into the second helium tank (2) and the supplied helium is returned during normal operation in a closed loop along the refrigerator (11) and into the second helium tank (2), thereby being pre-cooled and liquefied at the cold end (19) of the refrigerator (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Bruker BioSpin GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Roth
  • Patent number: 7310954
    Abstract: A cryogenic system includes a space formed between a cooling stage of a cryocooler unit and an element to be cooled, and a thermal joint placed in the space, wherein the thermal joint is composed of a substance that has a melting point higher than the cooling temperature of the element to be cooled and that is in a liquid or gaseous state at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The cryogenic system can achieve reproducible and excellent thermal contact at a cooling stage without applying a large mechanical stress to a cryocooler unit structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventor: Takashi Miki
  • Patent number: 7305845
    Abstract: A system and method for de-icing a recondensor includes at least one heating element configured to melt iced particles from a recondensing system. A power delivery circuit is included configured to deliver power to the at least one resistive heating element such that the at least one resistive heating element delivers a supply of heat sufficient to melt the iced particles from the recondensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Roy A. Mangano, In-Hua Xu, Gregory A. Lehmann, Deborah R. Mantone
  • Patent number: 7305836
    Abstract: A cryogenic container includes an inner vessel for containing a cryogenic fluid, and an outer vessel for insulating the cryogenic fluid from the environment. The inner vessel includes a superconductive layer formed of a material having superconducting properties at the temperature of the cryogenic fluid. The superconductive layer forms a magnetic field around the cryogenic container, that repels electromagnetic energy, including thermal energy from the environment, keeping the cryogenic fluid at low temperatures. The cryogenic container has a portability and a volume that permits its' use in applications from handheld electronics to vehicles such as alternative fueled vehicles (AFVs). A SMES storage system includes the cryogenic container, and a SMES magnet suspended within the cryogenic fluid. The SMES storage system can also include a recharger and a cryocooler configured to recharge the cryogenic container with the cryogenic fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Eden Innovations Ltd.
    Inventor: Gregory J. Egan
  • Patent number: 7290396
    Abstract: A cryogenic biological preservation unit having a removable lid and an integrated cryocooler positioned apart from, or within a fixed portion of, the lid and which provides refrigeration to the upper portion of the interior of the unit which also contains a pool of liquid cryogen and at least one biological sample preferably positioned above the pool of liquid cryogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryce Mark Rampersad, John Henri Royal, Barry Minbiole
  • Patent number: 7287388
    Abstract: A cryostat (1) having a sealable housing (2) is described. The housing (2) encloses a coolable cryostat chamber (3), and a refrigeration device (4), a control system (5) and a power supply (6) are provided for cooling the cryostat chamber (3). For cutting frozen samples, a microtome is arranged in the cryostat chamber (3), a staining station (7) being integrated into the housing (2) outside the cryostat chamber (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Claudia Dorenkamp, Stefan Kuenkel
  • Patent number: 7263841
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet system wherein a cryocooler provides refrigeration to a cryogenic shield for the superconducting magnet and a heat pipe extends from the cryogenic shield to a cryogen vessel for the provision of supplementary refrigeration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bayram Arman, Arun Acharya, Richard C. Fitzgerald, James J. Volk
  • Patent number: 7257953
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for preparing frozen tissue specimens includes a base supporting a pair of rotary motion platforms and a center platform. The rotary motion platforms are movable from an open, side-by-side position to a closed, center platform-covering position. The rotary motion platform includes a plurality of cryogenic discs, each identified for receiving a plurality of tissue samples. The center platform includes a plurality of cryogenic discs, each having a plurality of bores for receiving object holders thereon, each object holder for receiving a frozen specimen thereon. The center platform cryogenic discs each have a channel system with intersecting peripheral, chordal and radial channels. A moistening tray includes structure having a closed, object holder wetting position and an open, object holder elevating position. Further disclosed is the use of a tissue orientation map, usable on temporary tattoos and tissue receiving sheets for specimen orientation and mapping of tumor roots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Inventor: David C. Rada
  • Patent number: 7240496
    Abstract: The invention relates to a superconductive device containing a rotor that can be rotated about an axis of rotation and that comprises a superconductive winding in a winding support. Said winding support has a central cavity, into which two fixed thermal tubes project axially. One of said tubes forms a cooling finger that is closed at the end and contains a second coolant with a higher condensation temperature. The other tube supplies a first cooling with a lower condensation temperature to the central cavity and evacuates said coolant from the cavity. To condense the coolants, the tubes lead to a refrigeration unit, situated outside the rotor and equipped with a refrigeration head and a condenser device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Frank, Wolfgang Nick, Peter van Hasselt
  • Patent number: 7240497
    Abstract: A cryostat (1) having a sealable housing (2) is described, the housing (2) enclosing a coolable cryostat chamber (3). For cooling the cryostat chamber (3), a refrigeration device (4), a control system (5) and a power supply (6) are provided. For cutting frozen samples, a microtome is arranged in the cryostat chamber (3). A temperature-controllable heating plate (7) is integrated into the housing (2) of the cryostat (1), outside the cryostat chamber (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Claudia Dorenkamp, Stefan Kuenkel
  • Patent number: 7234308
    Abstract: A metallic, reusable mold with one or more wells. The mold is kept within a cryostat at low temperature. The mold is removed from the cryostat and a tissue specimen is placed into a well within the mold. An embedding medium is added to the well around the tissue specimen. A pre-chilled chuck is then placed against the well opening. The mold with tissue specimen, embedding medium and chuck are returned to the cryostat and the specimen is frozen into a block. The mold and contents are removed and hot water poured against the mold releasing the block with attached chuck from the well. The chuck with attached block is then available for sectioning or other processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Inventor: Carl H. Critz
  • Patent number: 7222490
    Abstract: An NMR spectrometer comprising an NMR magnet system (27) disposed in a helium tank of a cryostat and an NMR probe head (11) disposed in a room temperature bore of the cryostat, which contains a cooled RF resonator (9) for receiving NMR signals from a sample to be investigated, and a cooled pre-amplifier (10), wherein the NMR probe head (11) is cooled by a common multi-stage compressor-operated refrigerator (2), wherein the refrigerator (2) comprises a cold head and several heat exchangers (5, 6) at different temperature levels, wherein the refrigerator (2) is disposed at a spatial separation from the cryostat in a separate, evacuated and thermally insulated housing (1) and wherein at least one cooling circuit with cooling lines, which are thermally insulated by a transfer line (13, 14) is disposed between the housing (1) containing the heat exchangers (5, 6) and the NMR probe head (11), is characterized in that additional cooling lines to an LN2 tank (18) or radiation shield (21) disposed in the cryostat and
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin AG
    Inventors: René Triebe, Daniel Marek, Oskar Schett, Daniel Guy Baumann
  • Patent number: 7207178
    Abstract: The superconducting device has a rotor which is rotatable about an axis of rotation and is provided with a superconductive winding in a heat conducting winding carrier. The winding carrier has a central cooling agent cavity with a lateral cavity leading out of the winding carrier connected thereto. A cold head associated with a cooling unit is connected to a condenser unit which condenses the cooling agent. A fixed heat tube guiding the cooling agent is coupled to the condenser unit, protruding axially into the coorotating lateral cavity and is sealed in relation thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Florian Steinmeyer
  • Patent number: 7201003
    Abstract: A magnet vent assembly for venting a cryogenic gas from a superconducting magnet of an MRI system. The assembly comprises: a first burst disc, the first burst disc comprising a first inlet and a first outlet; a second burst disc, the second burst disc comprising a second inlet coupled to the first inlet and a second outlet coupled to the first outlet; and wherein the magnet vent assembly is configured to switchably direct a flow path of cryogenic gas through either of the following: the first burst disc and the second burst disc. A service tool for a magnet vent assembly for venting a cryogenic gas from a superconducting magnet of an MRI system. The magnet vent assembly comprises a first burst disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Neil Clarke
  • Patent number: 7191601
    Abstract: A magnetic field generating assembly comprises a superconducting magnet located in a cryostat defining a bore accessible from outside the cryostat, and a mechanical refrigerator having at least two cooling stages for at least partly cooling the cryostat. A coolant path extends from the refrigerator into the magnet bore. The coolant path is coupled for heat exchange with a cooling stage of the refrigerator other than the coldest cooling stage, so that the refrigerator is adapted also to cool coolant in the coolant path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Oxford Instruments Superconductivity Ltd
    Inventor: Milind Diwakar Atrey
  • Patent number: 7170377
    Abstract: A zero boiloff cryogen cooled recondensing superconducting magnet assembly including superconducting magnet coils suitable for magnetic resonance imaging including a cryogen pressure vessel to contain a liquid cryogen reservoir to provide cryogenic temperatures to the magnet coils for superconducting operation; a vacuum vessel surrounding the pressure vessel and spaced therefrom; a first thermal shield surrounding and spaced from the pressure vessel; a second thermal shield surrounding and spaced from the first thermal shield and intermediate the vacuum vessel and the first shield; a cryocooler thermally connected by a first and a second thermal interface to the first and second thermal shields, respectively; a recondenser positioned in the space between the pressure vessel and the first thermal shield and thermally connected by a thermal interface to the cryocooler to recondense, back to liquid, cryogen gas provided from the pressure vessel; and means for returning the recondensed liquid cryogen the pressure
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Longzhi Jiang, Gregory Alan Lehmann, Edwin Lawrence Legall
  • Patent number: 7165422
    Abstract: A cryogenic gas is liquefied using a refrigeration system [101] thermally coupled at an evaporator [125] to a cold end of a gas supply system [103] within a dewar [116]. The refrigerator has a minimum temperature at an evaporator [125] above the boiling point of the gas at atmospheric pressure but below the boiling point of the gas at a high pressure. Thus, the gas is compressed [128] to high pressure so it condenses when cooled by the evaporator [125]. As it expands at a flow restrictor [148], a portion evaporates and cools a fraction to the temperature of the boiling point of the gas at atmospheric pressure, producing liquefied gas. Opening a purge valve [142] sends warm gas upward through heat exchange section [146] and out through a three-way valve [138] for defrosting. To reduce clogging, the gas supply valve [138] is controlled by a gas purity sensor [158].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: MMR Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: William A. Little
  • Patent number: 7162888
    Abstract: A method and robot-based automation system are provided for cryogenic crystal sample mounting, for example, for use for cryogenic crystal sample mounting in the x-ray crystallography station at an x-ray source. The system includes a robot arm carrying a handset. The handset includes a pair of elongated fingers for sample mounting, and each finger carrying a set of strain gauge arrays for providing force sensing. A slim finger design allows a sample mounting process with no interference with the beam stop, cryostreem and x-ray detectors. The handset can detect the contact force intensity and direction; provide a precise gripping action; and feel the results of the gripping. The finger design incorporates a mechanism to maintain the sample temperature well below the cryogenic safety margin for the crystal viability. A Dewar container is provided with an ice control system and liquid nitrogen flow control. A triangular sample magazine maximizes the Dewar space usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne LLC
    Inventors: Deming Shu, Andrzej Joachimiak, Curt A. Preissner, Daniel Nocher, Yufeng Han, Juan Barraza, Jr., Peter Lee, Wah-Keat Lee, Zhonghou Cai, Stephan Ginell, Randy Alkire, Robert G. Schuessler
  • Patent number: 7140190
    Abstract: A cryogenic chamber comprising an outer vacuum vessel (9), an inner cryogen vessel (11), a turret (40) housing a neck tube (8) itself providing external access to the inner cryogen vessel (11), and a pulse tube refrigerator (20) itself comprising at least one pulse tube and at least one regenerator tube. The pulse tube refrigerator is located within a vacuum contained between the outer vacuum vessel (9) and the inner cryogen vessel (11) and the pulse tube refrigerator (20) and the neck tube (8) share a single turret (40). The cooling stage(s) (6, 7) of the pulse tube refrigerator (20) is/are rigidly mechanically connected to the neck tube (8) by highly conductive thermal links. The pulse tube(s) and regenerator tube(s) are displaced away from the neck tube and from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Oxford Magnet Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Peter Derek Daniels
  • Patent number: 7114340
    Abstract: An alloy made of heat treated material represented by Gd5(SixGe1?x)4 where 0.47?x?0.56 that exhibits a magnetic entropy change (??Sm) of at least 16 J/kg K, a magnetostriction of at least 2000 parts per million, and a magnetoresistance of at least 5 percent at a temperature of about 300K and below, and method of heat treating the material between 800 to 1600 degrees C. for a time to this end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexandra O. Pecharsky, Karl A. Gschneidner, Jr., Vitalij K. Pecharsky
  • Patent number: 7073340
    Abstract: A low-leakage enclosure for cryogenic compressor apparatus includes climate control equipment and guide fixtures to direct ultra-cold coolant lines to a superconducting utility power transformer. The self-contained system maintains the required number of high performance chillers within a narrow temperature range to ensure reliable operation in an unprotected outdoor environment. The enclosure advances the technology of superconducting power systems closer to final deployable status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Waukesha Electric Systems
    Inventor: Edward F. Pleva
  • Patent number: 7059138
    Abstract: A refrigeration system especially useful for refrigerating biological samples wherein a cryocooler, such as one employing a pressure wave from a pressure wave generator, is used to generate refrigeration for cooling liquid coolant or purging fluid, which is employed within hollow structures bordering an enclosed space of a storage unit or within the storage space of a storage unit and is subsequently cleaned of contaminants purged from the storage space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dante Patrick Bonaquist, John Henri Royal, Bryce Rampersad, Richard J. Jibb
  • Patent number: 7040099
    Abstract: A cryostat having a connecting branch which is connected to a coolant chamber and is open on the end side. The connecting branch expands from an inside diameter to an outside diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Norbert Huber, Rudolf Röckelein
  • Patent number: 7018249
    Abstract: A boat propulsion system includes at least one propeller, at least one electric motor by which the at least one propeller can be driven, and one converter-fed power supply unit. The at least one electric motor can be supplied with electric power by the power supply unit which includes at least one prime mover and at least one generator powered by the prime mover. The at least one electric motor and the at least one generator of the power supply unit may be embodied as three-phase synchronous machines. In order to reduce the volume and weight of such a boat propulsion system while increasing its effectiveness, at least one of the electric motor and the at least one generator configured as a three-phase synchronous machine, includes a rotating excitation coil made of high-temperature super conductor wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Günter Ries, Bernd Wacker