Patent · US Expired

Superconducting medical cyclotron

US4641104A · kind A · utility

83Cited by
4References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 26, 1984
Grant dateFeb 3, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 26, 2004

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S505/88
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An improved superconducting cyclotron (10) particularly useful for medical or therapeutic purposes is described. The vessel (105) for liquified gas surrounding superconducting coils (101, 101a) is provided with a capillary tube (200) joined to a semi-circular tube (123) leading into an exit tube (201) from the vessel which provides Joule-Thompson effect cooling upon flow of a portion of the liquified gas in the vessel into the semi-circular tube. The cooling maintains the liquified gas in the vessel in a subcooled condition to prevent boiling. The liquified gas from the exit tube can be used to cool the magnetic poles (103, 104) and then can be vented to the atmosphere or recycled. A special external magnetic yoke (102) configuration for weight reduction is described. Also described is a flexible hose (37) for supplying the liquified gas to and from the cyclotron which is mounted in a helical coil so as to allow up to a 360.degree. of rotation of the cyclotron. Finally a movable floor (27) around the cyclotron is described.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.