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US 11,676,791 B2Granted
X-ray tube liquid metal bearing structure for reducing trapped gases
AssigneeGE Precision Healthcare LLC
InventorsIan Strider Hunt, Andrew Thomas Cross
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AssigneeGE Precision Healthcare LLC
InventorsIan Strider Hunt, Andrew Thomas Cross
Estimating the term…
A bearing structure for an X-ray tube is provided that includes a journal bearing shaft with a radially protruding thrust bearing encased within a bearing sleeve, one of which rotates relative to the other. The stationary component, e.g., the journal bearing and/or the thrust bearing includes at least one vent groove formed therein that improves the ability of the journal bearing structure to enable gases trapped by the liquid metal within the bearing assembly to escape through the vent groove to the exterior of the X-ray tube. By adding a strategically located channel or vent groove of sufficient size in at least one of the journal bearing or the thrust bearing, the pressures resisted by the seal created between the liquid metal and the vent groove(s) in the bearing components is significantly reduced, allowing escape of the gases to avoid detrimental effects to the operation of the X-ray tube, while maintaining the load carrying capacity of the bearing assembly.
A bearing assembly for an X-ray tube, the bearing assembly comprising:
A method for enabling gases trapped in a bearing assembly to be vented from bearing assembly during use in an operating X-ray tube, the method comprising the steps of:
An X-ray tube comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.