Vibration cancellation for C-shaped superconducting magnet

[0002] This invention relates to a C-shaped superconducting magnet assembly for a magnetic resonance imaging system (hereinafter called “MRI”), and more particularly to improved and simplified vibration cancellation in such an assembly.

[0003] As is well known, a superconducting magnet can be made superconducting by placing it in an extremely cold environment, such as by enclosing it in a cryostat or pressure vessel containing liquid helium or other cryogen. The extreme cold ensures that the magnet coils can be made superconducting, such that when a power source is initially connected to the coil (for a relatively short period) current continues to flow through the coils even after power is removed due to the absence of resistance, thereby maintaining a strong magnetic field. Superconducting magnets find wide application in the field of MRI.

[0004] Imaging quality is dependent on the production of a strong yet highly homogeneous and stabe magnetic field in the imaging region of the superconducting magnet.

[0005] In order to compensate for the inhomogeneities in MRI magnets, various arrangements including ferromagnetic shim materials and correction coils have been used. However, even after extensive shimming to provide the required magnetic field homogeneity for a particular installation, it has been found that superconducting magnets are subject to vibration which can adversely affect field homongeneity and imaging quality, particularly the so-called C-shaped configuration in which heavy magnet elements are supported in a cantilever manner. Even light vibrations induced by people walking in the vicinity or other normal vibrations such as vehicles passing outside the installation encountered during use can adversely affect the imaging quality, particularly if the vibrations induce resonant frequency vibrations in the magnet structure.

[0006] Thus, there is a particular need for a system to cancel vibrations of the superconducting magnet structure to avoid the aforementioned problems.

[0007] In accordance with one form of the subject invention, a vibration cancellation system for a cantilever supported magnet structure includes a vibration sensor at a remote unsupported end to provide a signal responsive to vibration which is phase inverted and amplified for application to an actuator which provides an out of phase force for application to a support member for the supported end of the magnet structure. The out of phase force is applied through a rigid structure interposed between the magnetoresistive actuator and separated portions of the support member. In the case of a C-shaped magnet, the vibration sensor is at the unsupported end of the separated pole pieces and the force can be applied to the connecting member between the opposite ends of the pole pieces.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a simplified cross-sectional side view of a C-shaped superconducting magnet including the subject invention.

[0009] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1 with details of the antivibration actuator system added.

[0010] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, superconducting magnet 10 includes spaced parallel pole pieces 12 and 13 separated and supported at one end by a pair of connecting members or posts 14. Pole pieces 12 and 13 and posts 14 are of non-magnetic material such as stainless steel. Pole faces 16 are shaped 18 to improve magnetic field homogeneity within imaging region 20 along axis 22 of superconducting magnet 10. Supports 24 secure magnet 10 to floor 26.

[0011] The main magnetic field, Bo, indicated generally by arrow 28 within imaging region 20 is generated by magnet coils shown generally as 30 within cryogen vessels 32 cooled by cryocooler 34. Magnetic field shimming apparatus such as correction coils (not shown) within cryogen vessels 32 and passive shims in external shim drawers indicated generally as 36 compensate for magnetic field inhomogeneities within imaging region 20 in the manner well known in the art.

[0012] However, the relatively heavy cantilevered upper pole piece 12 supported at only one end 40 is subject to vibration, particularly at the unsupported distal or remote end 41. Such vibrations and deflection of pole piece 12 may be caused by matters as simple as footsteps, building vibration, or movements of equipment or vehicles in the area surrounding the installation of superconducting magnet 10 and its associated MRI equipment. Such deflections can be particularly pronounced in the event of vibrations which are of the resonant frequency of the pole pieces. However, even very small deflections of pole piece 12 or relative movement of pole faces 16 can, and do, adversely affect the homogeneity of magnetic field 28.

[0013] Vibration sensor 43 is secured between distal or remote cantilever-supported end 41 and floor 26 to provide an electrical vibration signal 44 responsive to the vibration of end 41 of pole piece 12 relative to the floor. Vibration sensor 43 may be a force transducer such as the type 8200 vibration sensor sold by Bruel Kjaer of Naerum, Denmark.

[0014] Vibration signal 44 is provided to electronic amplifier and phase inverter 48 which provides an amplified signal 50 the phase of which is opposite to that of vibration signal 44. Phase inverted amplified signal 50 is provided to magnetostrictive actuator 57 which includes magnetostriction element 52 and surrounding self-shielded coils 56 as shown in FIG. 2.

[0015] Magnetostrictive element 52 expands and contracts in accordance with applied phase inverted drive signal 50 applied from amplifier inverter 48 across coil 56 which surrounds magnetoresistive material 52, that is the electrical drive signal is converted to a mechanical motion opposite to the vibration sensed by vibration sensor 43. The output force or movement 54 of actuator 57 is applied across connecting member or post 14 to oppose and cancel the vibration sensed by vibration sensor 44 as described in detail below.

[0016] The coil is a self-shielded coil well known to those skilled in the art of gradient coil design for MRI units. Magnetostrictive element 52 is a magnetic material which changes in dimension in accordance with changes in the magnetic field provided to it by coil 56 arising from reorientation of atomic magnetic moments of the material which may, for example, be Terfenol-D, an alloy of terbium, dysprosium and iron, with the diameter determined by the force required. Actuator 57 could be a piezoelectric cell, such as, for example, type PZT, to convert the electrical signal 50 to a responsive mechanical signal.

[0017] Magnetostrictive actutator 52 thus provides a force or motion indicated by arrow 54 which is phase opposed to the vibration sensed by vibration sensor 44. Force 54 is transmitted to the ends 40 of pole pieces 12 through rigid structures 62 interposed between the end members 60 of magnetostrictive element 52 and ends 40 of pole pieces 12. Rigid structures 62 comprise triangular assemblies formed by horizontal members 64, vertical members 66 and diagonal connecting members 68 as best shown in FIG. 2 supported. Force or motion 54 is thus applied to supported end 40 of pole pieces 12 and 13 to oppose or cancel the vibrations applied to the opposite distal end 41. Force 54 opposes vibrations of end 41 of pole piece 12 to cancel magnetic field homogeneity perturbations which would otherwise result and which would cause deterioration of imaging quality in imaging region 20.

[0018] While the subject invention has been shown applied to a C-shaped superconducting magnet 10, it is applicable to other open architecture magnets such as those with a configuration of separated superconducting magnet cryogen assemblies connected by posts and in which the cryogen assemblies are subject to vibration which may be canceled in accordance with the subject invention with the inverted cancellation force of actuator 57 applied to the magnet.

[0019] While the present invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that numerous variations and details of construction, the arrangement and combination of parts, and the type of materials used may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.