Open magnetic structure including pole pieces forming a V-shape threbetween for high homogeneity in an NMR device

• US 5,610,522 A
• Filed: 09/26/1994
• Issued: 03/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeandey, Christian, Locatelli, Marcel
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phillips, Roger
• Application Number:
  US08/312,075
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 324/300, 324/303, 324/307, 324/316, 324/318, 324/319, 324/320, 324/321, 128/653.2, 128/653.3
• US Class Current: 324/319
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/34 Constructional details, e.g. resonators , specially adapted to MR
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/34053 Solenoid coils; Toroidal coils
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3808 Magnet assemblies for single-sided MR wherein the magnet assembly is located on one side of a subject only; Magnet assemblies for inside-out MR, e.g. for MR in a borehole or in a blood vessel, or magnet assemblies for fringe-field MR
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/383 using permanent magnets

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an open magnetic structure for producing an intense, stable magnetic field, which is amplitude and direction-controlled in a region adjacent to said structure, having at least one magnetic source (4) for producing said magnetic field, characterized in that it also comprises at least one pole piece (5, 6) associated with the magnetic source and having a shape designed so as to control the magnetic field produced.

Application to petroleum or oil research in drilled wells and to surface magnetic imaging.

Claims

1. Open magnetic structure for producing an intense, stable magnetic field, which is controlled in amplitude and direction in a region adjacent to said structure, having at least one magnetic source (4) for producing said magnetic field, comprising one or more pole pieces (5, 6) associated with the magnetic source and having a shape designed so as to control the magnetic field produced, the said pole piece or pieces for controlling said magnetic field produced having a hollow portion constituting a generally V-shaped space, said region subject to the homogeneous magnetic field being positioned facing the opening of the V.

2. Structure according to claim 1, comprising at least one pole piece (13, 17, 14, 18) per pole of the magnetic source (11, 12).

3. Structure according to claim 1, comprising two aligned magnetic sources (11, 12), two poles of the same nature being positioned facing one another, each of said two poles being provided with a pole piece (13, 14) called the internal main pole piece for producing said controlled magnetic field, said internal main pole pieces being separated by said V-shaped space.

4. Structure according to claim 1, comprising two aligned magnetic sources (21, 22), two poles of the same nature facing one another, each of the said two poles being provided with a pole piece (23, 24) known as the internal main pole piece, said internal main pole pieces being separated by said V-shaped space, an auxiliary, magnetic polarization source (85) not aligned with the two aligned magnetic sources (21, 22) being situated in the V-shaped space, said internal, main pole pieces (23, 24) and the auxiliary magnetic source (85) producing a controlled magnetic field in said region, which faces the opening of the V.

5. Structure according to claim 4, wherein a pole piece (86) is associated with the auxiliary magnetic source (85) and has a shape designed so as to control the magnetic field produced.

15. Structure according to claim 2, further comprising two aligned magnetic sources (11, 12), two poles of the same nature being positioned facing one another, each of said two poles being provided with a pole piece (13, 14) called the internal main pole piece for producing said controlled magnetic field, said internal main pole pieces being separated by said V-shaped space.

16. Structure according to claim 2, further comprising two aligned magnetic sources (21, 22), two poles of the same nature facing one another, each of the said two poles being provided with a pole piece (23, 24) known as the internal main pole piece, said internal main pole pieces being separated by said V-shaped space, an auxiliary, magnetic polarization source (85) not aligned with the two aligned magnetic sources (21, 22) being situated in the V-shaped space, said internal, main pole pieces (23, 24) and the auxiliary magnetic source (85) producing a controlled magnetic field in said region, which faces the opening of the V.

17. Device permitting the analysis of a given region by means of magnetic field, comprising a structure according to claim 5 for producing an intense, static, homogeneous magnetic field in said given region, and means (8, 20, 25, 37, 38, 39, 63, 87, 88) permitting the emission of an electromagnetic signal to said given region and the reception of the response signal from said given region to the emitted signal.

6. Device permitting the analysis of a given region adjacent to the device by means of magnetic field, comprising an open magnetic structure having at least one magnetic source (4) for producing said magnetic field, one or more pole pieces (5, 6) associated with the magnetic source and having a shape designed so as to control the magnetic field produced, the one or more pole pieces having a hollow portion constituting a generally V-shaped space for producing an intense, static, homogeneous magnetic field in said given region, and means (8, 20, 25, 37, 38, 39, 63, 87, 88) permitting the emission of an electromagnetic signal to said given region and the reception of the response signal from said given region to the emitted signal.

7. Device according to claim 6, wherein the emission and reception means are constituted by at least one antenna placed in said V-shaped space.

8. Device according to claim 6, wherein the antenna is formed from an electrically conductive wire (30) and is stiffened by an amagnetic material.

9. Device according to claim 7, wherein the antenna (50) is formed from a channel-shaped portion (46) closed at one of its ends by an element (47), to which is connected a strip (48), the free end (44) of the channel and the free end (43) of the strip forming the electrical connections of the antenna.

10. Device according to claim 6, comprising an electromagnetic screen (9, 82, 83) between the antenna (8, 87, 88) and the adjacent pole piece or pieces (5, 6, 23, 24, 86).

11. Device according to claim 10, wherein the electromagnetic screen is formed from an electrically conductive sheet (40).

12. Device according to claim 6, wherein, for use as a surface magnetic imaging device, it comprises in the V-shaped space, gradient coils (64) for the directions in space x, y and possibly z, z being the direction of the homogeneous magnetic field in the given region.

13. Device according to claim 12, wherein means (65, 66) for correcting the magnetic induction in the given region, said correction means being located in the V-shaped space.

14. Device according to claim 12, further comprising means (73) for the displacement of the magnetic structure for producing the induction gradient in the direction z.

18. Device according to claim 9, further comprising an electromagnetic screen (9, 82, 83) between the antenna (8, 87, 88) and the adjacent pole piece or pieces (5, 6, 23, 24, 86) and optionally said auxiliary magnetic source (85).

19. Device according to claim 11, wherein, for use as a surface magnetic imaging device, it comprises in the V-shaped space, gradient coils (64) for the directions in space x, y and possibly z, z being the direction of the homogeneous magnetic field in the given region.

20. Device according to claim 13, further comprising means (73) for the displacement of the magnetic structure for producing the induction gradient in the direction z.

21. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises an electromagnetic screen (9, 82, 83) between the antenna (8, 87, 88) and the adjacent pole piece or pieces (5, 6, 23, 24, 86) and said auxiliary magnetic source (85).

22. Device permitting the analysis of a given region by means of magnetic field, comprising an open magnetic structure having at least one magnetic source (4) for producing said magnetic field, one or more pole pieces (5, 6) associated with the magnetic source and having a shape designed so as to control the magnetic field produced, the one or more pole pieces having a hollow portion constituting a generally V-shaped space for producing an intense, static, homogeneous magnetic field in said given region, and means (8, 20, 25, 37, 38, 39, 63, 87, 88) comprising at least one antenna placed in the generally V-shaped space for permitting the emission of an electromagnetic signal to said given region and the reception of the response signal from said given region to the emitted signal, the at least one antenna comprising a channel-shaped portion closed at one of its ends by an element, to which is connected a strip, the free end of the channel and the free end of the strip forming the electrical connections of the antenna.

23. The device of claim 22 further comprising an electromagnetic screen between the antenna and the adjacent one or more pole pieces and optionally an auxiliary magnetic source.