Granted Patent B2

US 12,553,968 · App. 18/649,879 · Granted Feb 17, 2026

Inventors: Cedric Hugon (Guilford, CT); Hadrien A. Dyvorne (New York, NY); Michael Stephen Poole (Guilford, CT)

Assignee: Hyperfine Operations, Inc.

G01R33/383A61B5/055G01R33/34092G01R33/385G01R33/3873G01R33/445

Abstract

Claims (29)

1 . An apparatus for providing a B 0 magnetic field for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the apparatus comprising:

at least one permanent B 0 magnet to contribute a magnetic field to the B 0 magnetic field for the MRI system, the at least one permanent B 0 magnet having an imaging region face and a non-imaging region face;

a plurality of blades positioned proximate to the non-imaging region face of the at least one permanent B 0 magnet; and

a ferromagnetic frame to capture and direct at least a portion of the magnetic field generated by the at least one permanent B 0 magnet.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blades are arranged in a radial pattern about a center of the at least one permanent B 0 magnet.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blades are arranged in a parallel pattern relative to a center of the at least one permanent B 0 magnet.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blades are arranged in an orthogonal pattern relative to a center of the at least one permanent B 0 magnet.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ferromagnetic frame further comprises:

a first post having a first end and a second end; and

a first multi-pronged member coupled to the first end.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first multi-pronged member comprises a stem and two prongs coupled to the stem.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the ferromagnetic frame further comprises:

a second multi-pronged member coupled to the second end,

wherein the first and second multi-pronged members support the at least one permanent B 0 magnet.

8 . The apparatus as described in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blades are composed of a same material as the ferromagnetic frame.

9 . The apparatus as described in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blades are composed of a material different from the ferromagnetic frame.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blades comprises a first plurality of ferromagnetic blades and a second plurality of ferromagnetic blades, wherein:

an end of each of the first plurality of ferromagnetic blades is coupled to a first multi-pronged member; and

an end of each of the second plurality of ferromagnetic blades is coupled to a second multi-pronged member.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the ferromagnetic blades of the first and second pluralities of ferromagnetic blades are arranged to extend radially from a common center.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of blades is arranged to extend along a direction substantially parallel to one of an x- or y-gradient magnetic field.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of blades is conductive.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blades includes a first pair of blades separated by a gap that is at least 110 mm and no greater than 140 mm.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of blades further includes a second pair of blades separated by the gap.

16 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of blades comprises a tapered profile.

17 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blades comprises a blade that is tapered along its length.

18 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blades comprises 8 to 32 blades.

19 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blades comprises 2 to 8 blades.

20 . A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprising the apparatus of claim 1 .

Assignments (2)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (225)