Patent ID: 6648130
Filing Date: 2003-11-18
Classification: F17C,G01R,Y10S

Abstract:
A transport unit for transporting containers of hyperpolarized gas products, comprising:a housing; at least four discrete spaced-apart permanent magnets having a width held in said housing, wherein said permanent magnets are configured such that they are symmetrically arranged in spaced-apart relationship about a longitudinally extending axis defining a center therebetween, wherein the discrete magnets are arranged in the housing to form magnet gap spaces between at least a plurality of the adjacently positioned discrete permanent magnets, the respective magnet gap spaces having a width that is greater than the width of the permanent magnets disposed on either side thereof to provide a magnetic holding field with a region of homogeneity substantially centered with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein each of said discrete permanent magnets is oriented such that the field direction produced thereby is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis; and at least one container holding a quantity of hyperpolarized gas product positioned in said housing proximate to said region of homogeneity and first and second space-apart opposing end plates formed of a material that is substantially non-depolarizing to the hyperpolarized gas product.