Plug Connection for use in a Magnetic Resonance Device

Abstract

A plug connection, a first connecting part and a second connecting part of the plug connection, a patient couch, and a local coil are provided. The plug connection includes a first connecting part with at least one first contact module and a second connecting part with at least one second contact module. The first connecting part and the second connecting part are detachably connectable to one another. The first connecting part includes a housing. The first connecting part includes a displacement unit configured, during a connection of the first connecting part to the second connecting part, to move the at least one first contact module relative to the housing of the first connecting part in a direction of the at least one second contact module, in order to establish contact between the at least one first contact module and the at least one second contact module.

Claims

1. A plug connection for use in a magnetic resonance device, the plug connection comprising: a first connecting part with at least one first contact module and a second connecting part with at least one second contact module, wherein the first connecting part and the second connecting part are detachably connectable to one another, wherein the first connecting part comprises a housing, wherein the first connecting part comprises a displacement unit, the displacement unit being configured, during a connection of the first connecting part to the second connecting part, to move the at least one first contact module relative to the housing of the first connecting part in a direction of the at least one second contact module, such that contact between the at least one first contact module and the at least one second contact module is established.

2. The plug connection of claim 1, wherein the displacement unit is a mechanical displacement unit.

3. The plug connection of claim 1, wherein the displacement unit is configured, during a connection of the first connecting part to the second connecting part, to transmit a force from the second connecting part to the at least one first contact module.

4. The plug connection of claim 1, wherein the displacement unit of the first connecting part comprises a first force transmitter, and the second connecting part comprises a second force transmitter, and wherein during a connection of the first connecting part to the second connecting part, the second force transmitter is configured to introduce a first force into the first force transmitter, so that a second force is introduced into the at least one first contact module.

5. The plug connection of claim 4, wherein the housing of the first connecting part comprises at least one recess, and wherein the second force transmission unit comprises at least one projecting element that is arrangeable in the at least one recess of the housing.

6. The plug connection of claim 4, wherein the displacement unit comprises at least one pivotably supported lever operable to redirect the first force to the second force.

7. The plug connection of claim 4, wherein the second force comprises a component that is aligned in opposition to the first force.

8. The plug connection of claim 4, wherein the displacement unit comprises at least one spring unit operable to counteract the first force.

9. The plug connection of claim 1, wherein the second connecting part comprises at least one latching element that holds the second connecting part in a connected state.

10. The plug connection of claim 1, wherein the at least one first contact module, in an unconnected state, is flush, is set back in relation to an adjoining outer surface of the housing of the first connecting part, or is flush and set back in relation to the adjoining outer surface of the housing of the first connecting part.

11. The plug connection of claim 1, wherein the at least one first contact module comprises electrically-conductive contact elements that, in an unconnected state, are located within the housing of the first connecting part.

12. The plug connection of claim 1, wherein the at least one first contact module comprises electrically-conductive contact elements that, in at least one plane, are flat, wherein the at least one plane is essentially oriented in parallel to a direction in which the at least one first contact module moves during a connection of the first connecting part to the second connecting part.

13. The plug connection of claim 1, wherein the second connecting part comprises a housing with at least one recess, and wherein the at least one first contact module, during a connection of the first connecting part to the second connecting part, is insertable into the at least one recess of the housing of the second connecting part.

14. The plug connection of claim 1, wherein the at least one second contact module comprises electrically-conductive contact elements that are spring-loaded.

15. The plug connection of claim 1, wherein the second connecting part, during a connection of the first connecting part to the second connecting part, is guided to make a form fit.

16. A first connecting part configured to enter into a plug connection with a second connecting part, the first connecting part and the second connecting part being detachably connectable to one another, the first connecting part comprising: at least one first contact module, wherein the second connecting part comprises at least one second contact module; a housing; and a displacement unit configured, during a connection of the first connecting part to the second connecting part, to move the at least one first contact module relative to the housing in a direction of the at least one second contact module, such that contact between the at least one first contact module and the at least one second contact module is established.

17. A connecting part configured to enter into a plug connection with another connecting part, the other connecting part comprising one or more contact modules, a housing, and a displacement unit, the connecting part and the other connecting part being detachably connectable to one another, the connecting part comprising: at least one contact module, wherein during a connection of the other connecting part to the connecting part, the displacement unit of other connecting part is configured to move the one or more contact modules of the other connecting part relative to the housing of the other connecting part in a direction of the at least one contact module, such that contact between the one or more contact modules of the other connecting part and the at least one contact module is established.

18. A patient couch comprising: a first connecting part configured to enter into a plug connection with a second connecting part, the first connecting part and the second connecting part being detachably connectable to one another, the first connecting part comprising: at least one first contact module, wherein the second connecting part comprises at least one second contact module; a housing; and a displacement unit configured, during a connection of the first connecting part to the second connecting part, to move the at least one first contact module relative to the housing in a direction of the at least one second contact module, such that contact between the at least one first contact module and the at least one second contact module is established.

19. A local coil comprising: a connecting part configured to enter into a plug connection with another connecting part, the other connecting part comprising one or more contact modules, a housing, and a displacement unit, the connecting part and the other connecting part being detachably connectable to one another, the connecting part comprising: at least one contact module, wherein during a connection of the other connecting part to the connecting part, the displacement unit of other connecting part is configured to move the one or more contact modules of the other connecting part relative to the housing of the other connecting part in a direction of the at least one contact module, such that contact between the one or more contact modules of the other connecting part and the at least one contact module is established.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] Parts that correspond to one another are labeled with the same reference characters in all figures.

[0059] FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a magnetic resonance device with a patient couch, a local coil, and a plug connection between the local coil and the patient couch, in a schematic diagram;

[0060] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary plug connection in an unconnected state, in a schematic diagram;

[0061] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary plug connection in a connected state, in a schematic diagram;

[0062] FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of a second connecting part and a patient couch with three first connecting parts, in a detailed diagram;

[0063] FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of a second connecting part, in a detailed diagram; and

[0064] FIG. 6 shows an internal view of one embodiment of a first connecting part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] FIG. 1 shows a schematic of one embodiment of a magnetic resonance device 10. The magnetic resonance device 10 includes a magnet unit 11 that has a main magnet 12 for creating a strong and, for example, temporally constant main magnetic field 13. The magnetic resonance device 10 has a patient receiving area 14 for receiving a patient 15. The patient receiving area 14, in the present exemplary embodiment, is embodied in a cylindrical shape and is surrounded in a circumferential direction by the magnet unit 11 in a cylindrical shape. An embodiment of the patient receiving area 14 deviating therefrom may, however, be provided. The patient 15 may be pushed into the patient receiving area 14 by a patient support facility 16 of the magnetic resonance device 10. The patient support facility 16 has a patient couch 17 embodied so that the patient couch 17 may be moved within the patient receiving area 14. The patient is supported by, for example, lying on a surface of patient couch 17.

[0066] The magnet unit 11 also has a gradient coil unit 18 for creation of magnetic field gradients that are used for spatial encoding during imaging. The gradient coil unit 18 is controlled by a gradient control unit 19 of the magnetic resonance device 10. The magnet unit 11 further includes a radio frequency antenna unit 20 that is configured in the present exemplary embodiment as a body coil integrated permanently into the magnetic resonance device 10. The radio frequency antenna unit 20 is configured to excite atomic nuclei that occur in the main magnetic field 13 created by the main magnets 12. The radio frequency antenna unit 20 is controlled by a radio frequency antenna control unit 21 of the magnetic resonance device 10 and radiates radio-frequency magnetic resonance sequences into an examination space that is essentially formed by a patient receiving area 14 of the magnetic resonance device 10.

[0067] The patient couch 17 includes a first connecting part 101.

[0068] The magnetic resonance device 10 further includes a local coil 26 with a cable 27 and a second connecting part 102 configured as, for example, a manual plug. The first connecting part 101 and the second connecting part 102 form a plug connection 100 with each other. The local coil 26 is configured to receive magnetic resonance signals that may be transmitted via the plug connection 100 for further processing.

[0069] To control the main magnets 12, the gradient control unit 19, and to control the radio frequency antenna control unit 21, the magnetic resonance device 10 has a system control unit 22. The system control unit 22 controls the magnetic resonance device 10 centrally, such as, for example, carrying out a prespecified magnetic resonance imaging sequence. The system control unit 22 includes an evaluation unit not shown in FIG. 1 for evaluating the magnetic resonance signals that are acquired during the magnetic resonance examination. The magnetic resonance device 10 also includes a user interface 23 that is connected to the system control unit 22. Control information such as imaging parameters, for example, and also reconstructed magnetic resonance images may be displayed on a display unit 24 (e.g., on at least one monitor) of the user interface 23 for an operator. The user interface 23 also has an input unit 25, by which information and/or parameters may be entered by the operating personnel during a measuring process.

[0070] FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show examples in each case of a plug connection 100 for use in a magnetic resonance device 10 in various states (e.g., FIG. 2 in a disconnected state and FIG. 3 in a connected state). The plug connection 100 includes a connecting part 101 with a first contact module 103 and a second connecting part 102 with a second contact module 104. The first connecting part 101 and the second connecting part 102 are detachably connectable to each other. The second connecting part 102 includes a housing 121. The first connecting part further includes a housing 105 and a displacement unit 106. The displacement unit 106 is embodied, during a connection of the first connecting part 101 to the second connecting part 102, to move the first contact module 103 relative to the housing 105 of the first connecting part 101 in the direction of the second contact module 104 in order to establish contact between the first contact module 103 and the second contact module 104. The further figures show exemplary embodiments of such a plug connection 100.

[0071] FIG. 4 shows a detailed diagram of a section of the patient couch 17. In this example, the patient couch 17 includes three first connecting parts 100a, 100b. The connecting parts 100a, 100b form plug-in locations for making contact with one or more local coils 26. The two first connecting parts 101a are embodied to make a plug connection 100 with a second connecting part 102 in the form of a manual plug. Manual plugs may be used for making contact with local coils able to be used in different positions on the patient couch 17 such as, for example, a body coil and/or a flex coil. Such local coils may be connected via a cable 27 to the second connecting part 102.

[0072] A further first connecting part 100b is embodied to make a plug connection to a second connecting part in the form of a direct plug. Direct plugs may be used for making contact with fixed-location local coils such as, for example, a head coil that may be plugged in via, for example, guide rails 28.

[0073] The first connecting parts 100a, 100b each include two first contact modules 103. In this view, the two first contact modules of the plug connection 100 shown on the left are hidden by the second connecting part 102.

[0074] For the housing 105 of the first connecting part, connecting parts 100a, 100b each include two recesses, into which first force transmission units 107 (e.g., first force transmitters; in the form of push rods) are arranged as part of a displacement unit. The second connecting parts 102 include second force transmission units 108 (e.g., second force transmitters) corresponding thereto, with projecting elements, as are shown by way of example in FIG. 5 in the form of guide pins. The projecting elements are able to be arranged in the recesses, so that on connection of the displacement units, second force transmission units 108 move the first force transmission units 107.

[0075] For movement of the contact module 103, the second force transmission units 108, of the second connecting part 102 (e.g., of the manual plug) push the first force transmission units 107 into the patient couch 17. During this process, a force (e.g., a mechanical force) is transmitted from the second connecting part 102 to the first contact module. For example, during a connection of the first connecting part 101 to the second connecting part 102 by the first force transmission unit, a first force K1 (e.g., a mechanical force) is introduced into the second force transmission unit, so that a second force K2 (e.g., a mechanical force) is introduced into the first contact module 103, as will be explained below with reference to FIG. 6.

[0076] The displacement unit includes a spring unit 118 (e.g., a compression spring) that counteracts the first force K1. The first force transmission unit 107 actuates the spring unit 118, which realizes a backwards movement of the contact module 103 after the contacting is released, but only touches the housing 105 of the first connecting part 101 as far as a stop 109 of the first force transmission unit 107. This, for example, enables too great an inwards movement of the first contact module to be prevented.

[0077] The movement of the first force transmission unit 107 is diverted via a lever 110 that reaches down into the first force transmission unit 107 and is supported pivotably by a shaft (e.g., the pivotably supported lever diverts the first force K1 to the second force K2). In this case, the second force K2 is aligned in opposition to the first force K1.

[0078] Via a stud 112 that, with an elongated slot 113 in the first contact module 103, forms a shift link, the first contact module 103 is pushed from a parking position in the patient couch 17 into a recess 114, such as is shown, for example, in FIG. 5 as a slot, of a housing 121 of the second connecting part 102 (e.g., the first contact module 103) and is introduced during a connection of the first connecting part 101 to the second connecting part 102 into the recess 114 of the housing 121 of the second connecting part 102. The first contact module 103 is guided in the housing 105 without sticking by a linear guide.

[0079] The first contact module 103, in an unconnected state, as shown in FIG. 6, is flush or set back (e.g., slightly set back) in relation to an adjoining outer surface F of the housing 105 of the first connecting part 101. The first contact module includes electrically-conductive contact elements 115 that are located in an unconnected state within the housing 105 of the first connecting part 101.

[0080] The electrically-conductive contact elements 115 are embodied flat in a plane E, where the plane E is essentially oriented in parallel to the direction in which the first contact module 103 moves during a connection of the first connecting part 101 to the second connecting part 102.

[0081] The second contact module 104 in the housing 121 likewise includes electrically-conductive contact elements that may be arranged in the recess 114. The planar contact elements 115 are contacted electrically during a connection of the first connecting part 101 to the second connecting part 102 via the electrically-conductive contact elements of the second contact module 104. The electrically-conductive contact elements of the second contact module 104 may, for example, be embodied as spring-loaded (e.g., as bendable contact springs). The electrically-conductive contact elements 115 may be arranged on one side and/or on several sides (e.g., on two parallel planes) and/or on all sides of the first contact module 103.

[0082] The form of embodiment of the plug connection described in FIG. 4 includes two first contact modules 103 per plug-in location. However, just one first contact module 103 or more than two first contact modules 103 may also be provided. Likewise, the individual plug-in locations may be equipped differently. The shape of the contact module 103 is a flat design in the exemplary embodiment, but the contact module 103 may also have any other sensible shape. For example, the first contact module 103 may be embodied as a printed circuit board, on which the electrically-conductive contact elements 115 and optional conductor tracks for signal forwarding are present. This enables an especially low-cost first contact module 103 to be produced. For transfer of signals from first contact module 103 to the patient couch 17, electrical lines may be soldered or plugged in directly at the first contact module 103, for example.

[0083] As shown by way of example in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the second connecting part 102 has a V-shaped design 117 on a base side. The patient couch 17 has a matching mating shape 116 at the plug-in locations. In this way, a form fit that provides a better guidance of the first connecting part 102 is achieved. The form fit may also be configured with a different geometry (e.g., round, as a tongue and groove, etc.). At the moment that the second force transmission unit 108 penetrates into the recess of the housing 105 of the first connecting part 101, a forced guidance is created, so that the second connecting part may no longer tilt and the first contact module 103 penetrates into the recess 114 of the housing of the second connecting part 102.

[0084] Since contact is made against the force of the spring unit 118, the second connecting unit 102 is advantageously prevented from being pushed backwards again. This is secured in the second connecting part 102 (e.g., by sprung-supported latching elements 119 that penetrate into form-fit recesses 120 in the patient couch 17). As an alternative, corresponding recesses of the second connecting part 102, into which latching elements that are arranged on the patient couch may penetrate, may be provided. This enables the second connecting part 102 to be held in a connected state. The holding force is advantageously dimensioned so that the holding force is greater than an ejection force of the spring unit 118. In the event of a direct connection, this requirement may be fulfilled by the weight force of a head coil, for example. The plug-in force and the during pulling of the second connecting part may be applied by the operating personnel for a manual plug.

[0085] The method described and the acquisition pattern creation unit and magnetic resonance facility shown here merely involve exemplary embodiments that may be modified by the person skilled in the art in a very wide variety of ways, without departing from the field of the invention. The use of the indefinite article a or an does not exclude the features concerned also being present more than once. Likewise, the term unit does not exclude the components concerned consisting of a number of interacting sub-components that may also be distributed physically if necessary.

[0086] The elements and features recited in the appended claims may be combined in different ways to produce new claims that likewise fall within the scope of the present invention. Thus, whereas the dependent claims appended below depend from only a single independent or dependent claim, it is to be understood that these dependent claims may, alternatively, be made to depend in the alternative from any preceding or following claim, whether independent or dependent. Such new combinations are to be understood as forming a part of the present specification.

[0087] While the present invention has been described above by reference to various embodiments, it should be understood that many changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments. It is therefore intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that all equivalents and/or combinations of embodiments are intended to be included in this description.