Kyle N Johnson

US Patent:

7532922, May 12, 2009

Filed:

Aug 11, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/915762

Inventors:

Chad Allan Smith - Milwaukee WI, US
Kyle Marcus Johnson - Menomonee Falls WI, US
Timothy Matthew Behlmer - Milwaukee WI, US
James Loren Dodge - Waukesha WI, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

A61B 6/04
A47B 13/00
A61G 7/00

US Classification:

600407, 600436, 5601, 5943

Abstract:

A system and method for translating a patient table is described. The described patient table includes a linearly translatable portion, a drive screw assembly, a power transmission assembly, and a drive train. The translatable portion is configured to be positioned in a plurality of selectable positions between a fully inserted position and a fully extracted position. The drive screw assembly includes a drive nut and a screw member. The drive nut is fixedly coupled to the translatable portion of the patient table and threadily engaged to the screw member. The screw member is drivingly coupled to the power transmission assembly. The drive train is configured to drive the translatable portion of the patient table at a predetermined insertion force in the insertion direction, and a predetermined extraction force in the extraction direction. The predetermined extraction force is greater than the predetermined insertion force.

US Patent:

8487620, Jul 16, 2013

Filed:

Jun 16, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/816879

Inventors:

Brian Brown - Wauwatosa WI, US
Steven Wolff - New York NY, US
Kyle Johnson - Waukesha WI, US
Glenn Wells - Elm Grove WI, US
Venkat Goruganti - Pewaukee WI, US

Assignee:

Neocoil, LLC - Pewaukee WI

International Classification:

G01V 3/00

US Classification:

324318

Abstract:

The present invention discloses a modular MRI imaging system. The imaging system includes MRI radio-frequency antenna arrays separate from the patient support structure. The antenna arrays are affixed to a thin, flexible film such that they may be located next to the anatomical region of interest. In addition, multiple antenna arrays may be configured in various planar or three-dimensional arrangements to optimize the FOV and SNR. Separate patient support structures are provided that enhance ergonomics and patient stabilization. By removing the antenna from the housing, the support structures may be designed without the constraints of supporting the antenna or the associated electronics. The MRI imaging system further employs a preamplifier module. The preamplifier module houses the preamplifier and much of the other associated circuitry for each of the antennae. The preamplifier module operates to combine the signals from the antenna arrays and pass the signals to the MRI system.