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US 11,309,160 B2Granted
Methods and systems for a magnetic motor X-ray assembly
AssigneeGE Precision Healthcare LLC
InventorsNidhishri Tapadia, Vasile Bogdan Neculaes, Andrew Thomas Cross, Ian Strider Hunt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various methods and systems are provided for an x-ray imaging system. In one example, an x-ray tube of the imaging system includes a rotor with a core forming a continuous unit with at least one of a retention sleeve and a bearing assembly sleeve. The rotor further includes one or more magnets disposed in the core and maintained in place by the retention sleeve.
Claims20
An x-ray tube, comprising:
- a rotor with a core formed from a non-magnetic material;
- a bearing assembly coupling the core of the rotor to a target of the x-ray tube, the bearing assembly having a rotatable component, a stationary component, and at least one of a liquid metal bearing assembly and a ball bearing assembly, the core forming a continuous unit with at least one of a retention sleeve and a bearing assembly sleeve, the continuous unit reducing a number of individually fabricated components;
- and
- one or more magnets disposed in the core and maintained in place by the retention sleeve.
1 more element
A rotor for an x-ray tube, comprising:
- a core arranged in a vacuum chamber of the x-ray tube and forming a continuous unit with a sleeve of a bearing assembly;
- a first set of thermal barriers positioned between the core and the bearing assembly sleeve;
- and
- a rotating target driven by the core and linked to the core by the bearing assembly, the bearing assembly including bearings enabling rotation of the sleeve about a shaft of the bearing assembly.
1 more element
An imaging system, comprising:
- an x-ray tube having a motor with a stator positioned external to a vacuum chamber;
- a rotor positioned inside of the vacuum chamber and configured to drive rotation of a target of the x-ray tube, the rotor including a core with magnets and a retention sleeve;
- and
- a bearing assembly coupling the core of the rotor to the target of the x-ray tube, the bearing assembly having a rotatable component, a stationary component, and at least one of a liquid metal bearing assembly and a ball bearing assembly;
- wherein the core, the retention sleeve, and a sleeve of the bearing assembly are formed from a non-magnetic material, the core forming a continuous unit with at least one of the retention sleeve and a bearing assembly sleeve, the continuous unit reducing a number of individually fabricated components.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.