阅读说明：本技术 用于使医学成像设备中的真空破裂的系统 (System for breaking vacuum in medical imaging devices ) 是由 大卫·A·纳尔逊 于 2020-07-22 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明题为“用于使医学成像设备中的真空破裂的系统”。本发明公开了一种用于使医学成像设备中的真空破裂的系统。该系统包括真空塞,该真空塞附接到该医学成像设备并且被构造成保持该医学成像设备中的真空。刺穿工具被构造成刺穿该真空塞以使医学成像机器中的真空破裂。刺穿工具保持器将该刺穿工具能够移除地耦接到该医学成像设备。(The invention is entitled "system for breaking vacuum in a medical imaging device". A system for breaking vacuum in a medical imaging device is disclosed. The system includes a vacuum plug attached to the medical imaging device and configured to maintain a vacuum in the medical imaging device. The piercing tool is configured to pierce the vacuum plug to break a vacuum in the medical imaging machine. A piercing tool holder removably couples the piercing tool to the medical imaging device.)

1. A system for breaking vacuum in a medical imaging device, the system comprising:

a vacuum plug attached to the medical imaging device and configured to maintain a vacuum in the medical imaging device;

a piercing tool configured to pierce the vacuum plug to break a vacuum in a medical imaging machine; and

a piercing tool holder removably coupling the piercing tool to the medical imaging device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the piercing tool holder removably couples the piercing tool to the vacuum plug.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the vacuum plug defines a rupture channel therethrough, the system further comprising a rupture disk sealingly covering the rupture channel to maintain the vacuum in the medical imaging device, wherein the vacuum plug has an outer surface and an inner surface, the rupture channel being defined through the vacuum plug, and wherein the rupture disk is coupled to the inner surface of the vacuum plug.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the piercing tool is configured to pierce the rupture disc inwardly away from the outer surface.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the rupture disc is a reverse buckling rupture disc having a bulged portion having a center extending toward the upper surface of the vacuum plug.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the piercing tool has a handle opposite a piercing tip, wherein a force is applied with the piercing tip via the handle to pierce the vacuum plug, wherein the handle defines a piercing tool holder through-hole therein, wherein the vacuum plug defines a piercing tool holder receiver therein, and wherein the piercing tool holder extends through the piercing tool holder through-hole and is received within the piercing tool holder receiver to removably couple the piercing tool to the vacuum plug.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the piercing tool holder is a Christmas tree plug.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the piercing tool, when removably coupled to the vacuum plug, is perpendicular to when the piercing tool is used to pierce the rupture disc.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the piercing tool holder through-hole and the piercing tool holder receiver are parallel when the piercing tool is removably coupled to the vacuum plug.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the piercing tip of the piercing tool is cylindrical and defines an opening therein.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the piercing tip is angled.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the piercing tool is non-metallic.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical imaging machine has a covering, and wherein the vacuum plug and the piercing tool are configured to be hidden from view by the covering when the piercing tool is removably coupled to the medical imaging device.

14. A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) device, the MRI device comprising:

a vacuum plug attached to a body of the MRI apparatus and configured to maintain a vacuum in the MRI apparatus;

a piercing tool configured to pierce the vacuum plug to break the vacuum in the MRI apparatus; and

a piercing tool holder removably coupling the piercing tool to the MRI apparatus.

15. The MRI apparatus of claim 14, wherein the piercing tool holder removably couples the piercing tool to the vacuum plug, the MRI apparatus further comprising a removable cover covering the vacuum plug, wherein the vacuum plug defines a rupture channel therethrough, the MRI apparatus further comprising a rupture disc sealingly covering the rupture channel to maintain the vacuum in the MRI apparatus, wherein the vacuum plug has an outer surface and an inner surface, the rupture channel being defined through the vacuum plug, and wherein the rupture disc is coupled to the inner surface of the vacuum plug.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to systems for breaking vacuum in medical imaging devices, and more particularly to point-of-use systems for breaking vacuum in magnetic resonance imaging devices.

Background

Some medical imaging devices, such as magnetic resonance or MR devices, require a vacuum to activate the magnetic components. The process of releasing or "quenching" the vacuum after use is completed is typically performed electronically, which disables the magnetic force generated by the medical device. However, it is also necessary to provide manual backup to quickly quench or break the vacuum vessel to quickly disable the magnetic force. In particular, in emergency situations where patients, equipment (i.e., oxygen cylinders), and/or other persons or objects are trapped in or otherwise inadvertently magnetically attracted to the medical imaging device, the vacuum must be quickly broken. For example, an emergency situation may arise by the accidental introduction of ferrous material in the vicinity of the magnetic device during operation.

Disclosure of Invention

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.

One embodiment of the present disclosure generally relates to a system for breaking a vacuum in a medical imaging device. The system includes a vacuum plug attached to the medical imaging device and configured to maintain a vacuum in the medical imaging device. A piercing tool configured to pierce the vacuum plug to break a vacuum in the medical imaging machine. A piercing tool holder removably coupling the piercing tool to the medical imaging device.

Another embodiment relates generally to a system for breaking a vacuum in a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. The system includes a vacuum plug configured to be coupled to the magnetic resonance imaging device. The vacuum plug has parallel outer and inner surfaces and perpendicularly defines a rupture channel through the vacuum plug. A piercing tool holder receptacle is also defined within the outer surface. A rupture disk sealingly covers a rupture channel defined within the vacuum plug to maintain a vacuum in the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. A piercing tool extends from the handle to a piercing tip that is angled and configured to pierce the rupture disc when a force is applied by the piercing tip via the handle on the rupture disc. A piercing tool holder is receivable within the piercing tool holder receiver such that the piercing tool holder removably couples the piercing tool to the vacuum plug. When the rupture disc is pierced, the vacuum ruptures.

Another embodiment relates generally to a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) device including a vacuum plug attached to a body of the MRI device and configured to maintain a vacuum in the MRI device. A piercing tool is configured to pierce the vacuum plug to break a vacuum in the MRI apparatus. A piercing tool holder removably couples the piercing tool to the MRI apparatus.

Various other features, objects, and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

The present disclosure is described with reference to the following drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front close-up view of a medical imaging device according to the present disclosure with a cover removed to show a system for breaking a vacuum;

fig. 2 and 3 are isometric top and bottom views of the system shown in fig. 1 removed from a medical imaging device;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the system shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and is

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to that shown in fig. 5, now with the piercing tool removed and inserted to break the vacuum, in accordance with the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

As discussed above, Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging apparatuses require a mechanism to quickly break the vacuum to make it atmospheric in an emergency. In the context of medical equipment, which may involve a patient, a manual mechanism for breaking the vacuum is required as a backup. Manual methods currently known in the art rely on vacuum break tools that can be connected to the vacuum break access point to perform such safe backups in such emergency situations. Specifically, the vacuum break tool function opens the MR magnet vacuum vessel to the atmosphere and breaks the thermal properties for maintaining the superior connectivity of the magnet, thereby inducing quenching to cause a loss of magnetic field.

While currently known vacuum break tools function when properly used, the present inventors have recognized that the effectiveness of these tools depends on the proper training of the MRI facility, the field engineer, nearby medical personnel, and technicians that train on the use of the tools. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the tool depends on the location of the tool being known at all times by people in the vicinity. After recent research in the field, the present inventors have recognized that the number of sites where emergency vacuum break tools are lost or not immediately accessible is a concern. Accordingly, the present inventors have developed a simpler point-of-use system for breaking vacuum in medical imaging devices, thereby replacing problematic devices currently known in the art.

Fig. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a system 10 for breaking a vacuum in a medical imaging device according to the present disclosure. In particular, fig. 1 shows a part of a Magnetic Resonance (MR) device 1, wherein the cover is removed to reveal vacuum break access points 4 as currently known in the art. However, in contrast to MR devices currently known in the art, the MR device 1 shown incorporates the presently disclosed system 10. The system 10 includes a novel vacuum plug 20 for sealing a vacuum vessel within the MR system 1, and a piercing tool 50 for rupturing the vacuum at the point of use.

As shown in fig. 2-6, the vacuum plug 20 has an outer surface 22, an inner surface 23, and a sidewall 28 extending therebetween. The side wall 28 comprises coupling features 27 for sealingly coupling the vacuum plug 20 to the MR device 1 in a manner known in the art. These coupling procedures 27 provide that the disclosed vacuum plug 20 can be retrofitted into MR devices 1 currently known in the art to seal the respective vacuum vessel therein.

As shown in fig. 5, the vacuum plug 20 defines a rupture channel 26 between the outer surface 22 and the inner surface 23. A rupture disc 30 is provided at the inner surface 23 of the vacuum plug 20 and an airtight seal is provided over the rupture channel 26 so that the vacuum plug 20 can maintain the vacuum within the MR device 1 when the rupture disc 30 is intact.

System 10 also includes a piercing tool 50 configured to rupture disc 30 in a manner to be described further below. As shown in fig. 4, the piercing tool 50 has a handle 60 and a piercing portion 70 extending from the handle 60 to a piercing tip 74. In certain embodiments, handle 60 is intended for a user to grasp piercing tool 50 to apply the force required for piercing tip 70 to pierce rupture disc 30 in a manner described further below.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 4, the piercing portion 70 of the piercing tool 50 has an angled portion 76. Providing angled portion 76 reduces the surface area in which a force applied to piercing tool 50 is applied to rupture disc 30 to assist in the rupture of the disc. Additionally or alternatively, piercing tip 74 may be hollow such that it defines an opening 78 therein, thereby further helping to maximize the force provided by piercing tip 74 on rupture disc 30.

As best shown in fig. 5, the rupture disc 30 is coupled to the inner surface 23 of the vacuum plug 20, in this embodiment within a groove 25 defined therein. In the illustrated embodiment, rupture disc 30 has a flange 32 for coupling to inner surface 23 of vacuum plug 20, such as by welding, adhesive, or other techniques known in the art. Rupture disc 30 includes a central section 34, and in this embodiment is a reverse buckling rupture disc. The hub 34 includes a convex portion 36 and a convex portion 38 extending toward the outer surface 22 of the vacuum plug 20. As shown in fig. 3, the rupture disc 30 as presently depicted includes a score line 33 similar to that provided on the top of a can. Score line 33 also aids in puncturing rupture disc 30 and defines the location within rupture disc 30 where the puncturing occurs.

As discussed above, the present inventors have recognized that any system currently known in the art does not incorporate a piercing tool 50 when combined with a vacuum plug 20 at the point of use. In contrast, prior art tools are usually kept in a repository, desktop or management area remote from the MR device 1. The presently disclosed system 10 provides a piercing tool holder 90 that removably couples the piercing tool 50 directly to the vacuum plug 20. Fig. 2 and 4-5 depict piercing tool 50 held on or removably coupled to vacuum plug 20. Fig. 6 depicts piercing tool 50 removed and actively piercing rupture disk 30 of vacuum plug 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the piercing tool holder 90 has a head 92 and extends to an interior point 94 with a retaining feature 96 (shown here as a rib) therebetween. The piercing tool holder 90 is first received through the piercing tool holder through-bore 62 defined within the handle 60 of the piercing tool 50 and then extends into the piercing tool holder receiver 24 defined within the outer surface 22 of the vacuum plug 20. As best shown in fig. 5, the retention feature 96 is designed to engage the piercing tool holder receiver 24 to prevent removal of the piercing tool 50 from the vacuum plug 20. In the illustrated embodiment, piercing tool holder 90 is a christmas tree plug that holds piercing tool 50 on the surface of vacuum plug 20. As such, the piercing tool 50 is removable without the use of tools by applying a force away from the outer surface 22 to overcome the friction and/or other retaining force provided by the retaining features 96. It should be appreciated that the retention feature 96 may also or alternatively include threads, a rotational lock system, or other methods for removably coupling the piercing tool 50 to the vacuum plug 20, which may be disposable or reinsertible, for example.

As best shown in fig. 6, once the piercing tool 50 is removed from the storage position on the vacuum plug 20, the piercing tool is rotated in a vertical orientation such that the piercing portion 70 of the piercing tool 50 can be inserted into the fracture channel 26 defined through the vacuum plug 20. As shown, the piercing tip 74 of the piercing tool 50 has pierced the rupture disc 30 along a score line 33 defined therein that, in some embodiments, does not completely encircle the center 34 of the rupture disc 30.

The present inventors have recognized that a truncated reverse bend (FRB) rupture disc as rupture disc 30 provides particular advantages in the following respects: small, require low pressure to rupture, are readily available in the commercial market, and provide reliable and accurate performance exhibited within the aircraft, defense, automotive, and OEM industries. Rupture disc 30 of this type also includes the following benefits: low cost, designed for not breaking upon piercing, having an accurate and reliable rupture rating, fully open for gas or liquid service, withstanding full vacuum, allowing small diameters, and having a standard custom holder design readily available on the market.

In addition, the inventors have recognized that the presently disclosed design 10 is advantageous in the context of an MR device 1 because it does not produce variations in and is not affected by magnetic fields, has a low number of parts, provides for the mounting of the vacuum plug 20 and piercing tool 50 in a single familiar location, and provides that the piercing tool 50 can be made from inexpensive parts, including plastics and other polymers. Furthermore, the piercing tool 50 is located at the point of use, but is still hidden behind the current cover of the MR device 1. The system 10 also has the benefit of having a low probability of accidental actuation which would destroy the magnets of the MR device 1 and which must be retained for use only in emergency situations.

The inventors have conducted real world tests as a confirmation of the system 10 operating in the MR device 1. In the embodiment tested, a 75psi rupture disc 30 was used in conjunction with a piercing tool 50 having a piercing tip 74 with an outer diameter of 3/16 ". When using a piercing tip 74 constructed of nylon 6/6, the inventors have recognized that an average breaking force of 8 to 10 pounds is required to pierce rupture disc 30. The use of nylon 6/6 is further preferred over certain other materials because it provides the necessary strength, the nylon is also non-corrosive and thermally stable at-40 ℃ to +55 ℃.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be inferred therefrom other than as required by the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes only and are intended to be broadly construed. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have features or structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent features or structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.