Wiring assembly and method of forming a channel in a wiring assembly for receiving conductor and providing separate regions of conductor contact with the channel

The United States Government may have certain rights in this invention pursuant to U.S. Government Contract Number DE-FG02-06ER84492 awarded by the United States Department of Energy.

This invention relates to electromagnetic systems, including systems which generate magnetic fields, systems which generate electric power, motors, and magnets generally. More particularly, the invention relates to systems of the type including conductor assemblies which, when conducting current, generate a magnetic field or which, in the presence of a changing magnetic field, induces a voltage.

It is of continued importance across many business sectors of the economy (e.g., R&D, power generation, motors and medical applications) to achieve improved performance in magnetic conductor assemblies. Development of new and improved commercial applications is dependent on an ability to create large and uniform magnetic fields. For example, potential uses of medical procedures such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) may be realized with improved performance of magnets. Further, advancements are needed in numerous performance and reliability factors in order to realize commercially useful embodiments for wider use in medical, industrial and commercial applications. For example, it is desirable to make charged particle cancer treatment (e.g. proton and carbon therapy) more available to patients, but these systems require cyclotrons and very large magnets to steer beams of high energy charged particles, e.g., proton beams or carbon beams. System size and cost severely limit availability of these applications. Currently, the gantries used for proton therapy treatment rooms may extend multiple stories in height and weigh over one hundred tons. Generally, a major impediment to further deployment of these and other charged particle beam systems is the size and cost of the beam acceleration, steering and focusing equipment.

In the long term, for charged particle therapy and certain other high magnetic field applications, it is likely that superconducting magnets will be preferred over resistive magnets. Generally, superconducting magnets offer relatively higher fields and can be substantially smaller in size. Moreover, for a given field strength, a superconducting magnet consumes less power. However, reliability of these magnets is sometimes problematic because the well-known phenomenon of quenching (when the superconducting material transitions to a normal, non-superconducting state) can result in rapid formation of a high temperature hot spot which can destroy a magnet.

Designs which improve reliability have been costly. Cost is a major constraint for conventional superconducting magnet technologies which rely on saddle or racetrack coils. Moreover, for a given set of operating conditions, significant design efforts must be employed to assure that quenching does not occur during normal system use.

Whether future systems employ resistive or superconductive windings, a need will remain to improve design efficiency, reliability and field quality. For example, in order to deploy carbon-based systems for charged particle cancer treatment, the use of superconducting magnets may be imperative in order to meet the bending requirements of the high energy carbon beam. Coil segments used to bend beams are very complex and must be mechanically very stable in order to prevent conductor movement which leads to quenches of superconducting coils.

At the same time, it is necessary to provide lower cost systems costs in order to encourage wider uses that benefit society. By way of illustration, mechanical structures required to assure stabilization of conductor windings in the presence of large fields are effective, but they are also a significant factor in overall system cost. Moreover, being subject to wear, e.g., affecting the insulation system of the conductor, under conditions of continued use, such systems also require costly maintenance and repair. Design improvements which substantially reduce these life cycle costs and the overall affordability of high field systems can accelerate deployment of useful systems that require generation of large magnetic fields.

In accord with exemplary embodiments of the invention, there is provided a conductor assembly of the type which, when conducting current, generates a magnetic field or which, in the presence of a changing magnetic field, induces a voltage. An associated method for constructing the conductor assembly is also provided.

In one series of embodiments, the method includes providing a first insulative layer tubular in shape and including a surface along which a conductor segment may be positioned. A channel is formed in the surface of the insulative layer defining a first conductor path. The channel includes a surface of first contour in cross section along a first plane transverse to the conductor path. A segment of conductor is provided, having a relatively large length dimension in proportion to a thickness measurable along a direction transverse to the length dimension. The segment has a surface of second contour in cross section along a plane transverse to the length dimension. The segment of conductor is positioned at least partly in the channel with the length dimension extending along the conductor path. Along the first plane, contact between the conductor surface of second contour and the channel surface of first contour includes at least two separate regions of contact. In one example of the method, the channel surface includes a relatively flat portion extending along the channel path with the flat portion including one of the two separate regions of contact. Along multiple spaced-apart positions of the conductor path an angle of the relatively flat channel surface portion relative to an adjacent portion of the insulative layer surface into which the channel is formed is substantially invariant. In another example of the method, a portion of the channel surface includes three relatively flat surfaces each generally positioned along a rectangular contour. By rectangular contour it is meant that the channel includes a profile in cross section which includes three adjoining sides that are similar to three adjoining sides in a rectangle, although the sides and angles may not conform precisely with those of a rectangular shape and the contour may therefore be referred to as being of rectangular-like profile or shape. The three sides may have angular relationships which are similar to or approximate that characteristic of a rectangle.

According to an embodiment of the conductor assembly a layer includes a surface of tubular shape with a channel formed therein. The layer follows a path about an axis. The channel is characterized by a cross sectional shape along a plane passing transversely through a portion of the path. A conductive segment is positioned in the channel and extends along the channel path. The segment has an outermost surface region positioned at least partly within the channel, with a first portion of the outermost surface region contacting the channel surface at a first location on the channel surface and a second portion of the outermost surface region contacting the channel surface at a second location on the channel surface. A third portion of the outermost surface region of the conductive segment is positioned between the first and second portions and is spaced away from an area of the channel surface positioned between the first and second locations on the channel surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1M illustrate fabrication features for construction of a coil according to embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates, in cross section, several shapes of conductor which may be used in the coil shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate exemplary paths of segments of coil conductor according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 4A-4C are perspective views illustrating an exemplary loop of conductor shaped and positioned according to an embodiment of the invention;

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