# US 2014/0153689 A1 · Cooler, x-ray computed tomography apparatus, and maintenance method of x-ray computed tomography apparatus

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- Number: US 2014/0153689 A1
- Document ID: US20140153689A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/173,556
- Filed: 2014-02-05
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-05
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba; Toshiba Elctron Tubes & Devices Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba; Toshiba Elctron Tubes & Devices Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hidero Anno; Tomonari Ishihara; Tetsuya Yonezawa; Harunobu Fukushima; Chiharu Todokoro; Hitoshi Hattori
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153689A1

## CPC

- A61B 6/4488: {Means for cooling (A61B6/045 takes precedence)}
- H05G 1/025: {Means for cooling the X-ray tube or the generator}
- H01J 2235/1216: of the vessel
- H01J 2235/1283: in conjunction with extended surfaces (e.g. fins or ridges)
- Y10T 29/49716: Converting
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- H05G: X-RAY TECHNIQUE (investigating or analysing materials by the use of X-rays G01N23/00; apparatus for X-ray photography G03B42/02; X-ray tubes H01J35/00; TV systems having X-ray input H04N5/321)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

According to one embodiment, a cooler includes a casing, a radiator unit which is installed in a circulation path, where a coolant is circulated, and is configured to externally discharge heat of the coolant, and a fan unit housed in the casing to generate an air flow passing through the radiator unit. A windward side of the radiator unit is exposed to an outer side of the casing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An X-ray computed tomography apparatus comprising:
an X-ray tube device comprising a housing, and an X-ray tube housed in the housing, the X-ray tube including a cathode configured to discharge an electron beam, an anode target configured to discharge an X-ray by receiving the electron beam, and a vacuum envelope which stores the cathode and the anode target;
a coolant where at least a part of heat generated in the X-ray tube is transferred;
a circulation path where the coolant is circulated;
a circulation pump installed in the circulation path to circulate the coolant;
a radiator unit installed in the circulation path to externally discharge the heat of the coolant;
a fan unit configured to generate an air flow passing through the radiator unit;
an X-ray detector configured to detect the X-ray; and
a rotary gantry frame including a ring-shaped frame portion rotating with respect to a rotation axis, the X-ray tube device, the circulation pump, the radiator unit, the fan unit, and the X-ray detector being installed in the rotary gantry frame,
wherein a windward side of the radiator unit is exposed in an inner wall side space of the frame portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the frame portion is positioned in an outermost circumference of the rotary gantry frame and is provided with an opening, and
the fan unit is configured to discharge the air passing through the radiator unit to an outer side of the rotary gantry frame through the opening.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
a distance from the rotation axis to the fan unit is longer than a distance from the rotation axis to the radiator unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a duct positioned between the radiator unit and the fan unit to guide an air flow passing through the radiator unit to the fan unit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
an expansion mechanism installed in the circulation path to absorb a volume change caused by a temperature change of the coolant.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
the housing, the radiator unit, the circulation pump and the expansion mechanism connected to form the circulation path are separable into a pair of channels using a pair of removable couplings.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a casing installed in the rotary gantry frame,
wherein at least the fan unit and the radiator unit are housed and unitized in the casing, and a windward side of the radiator unit is exposed to an outer side of the casing.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the casing has a ceiling wall protruding in a roof shape including a ventilation port, and
the radiator unit is housed in the casing such that the windward side is exposed to an outer side of the casing through the ventilation port.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the fan unit is installed in the rotary gantry frame independently from the radiator unit and the circulation pump.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a casing installed in the rotary gantry frame, the casing including a bottom wall facing an inner wall of the frame portion and a lid including first and second ventilation ports,
wherein the radiator unit is housed in the casing such that the windward side is exposed to an outer side of the casing through the first ventilation port, and
the fan unit is configured to introduce the air passing through the radiator into the casing through the first ventilation port, and discharge the air inside the casing to an outer side of the casing through the second ventilation port.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 10, wherein
the lid comprises
a ceiling wall which comprises the first ventilation port and faces the bottom wall with an interval, and
a circumferential wall which includes the second ventilation port and is formed in a frame shape while one end of the circumferential wall is closed in the ceiling wall, and the other end of the circumferential wall is closed in the bottom wall.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:
a duct,
wherein the frame portion includes an opening deviating from a position facing the bottom wall of the casing, and
the duct guides, to the opening, the air discharged to the outside of the casing through the second ventilation port.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 10, wherein
the circulation pump is housed in the casing.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:
an expansion mechanism installed in the circulation path and housed in the casing to absorb a volume change caused by a temperature change of the coolant.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:
another fan unit,
wherein the bottom wall includes a third ventilation port,
the frame portion includes an opening facing the third ventilation port, and
the another fan unit is configured to introduce the air passing through the radiator unit into the casing through the first ventilation port and discharge the air inside the casing to an outer side of the rotary gantry frame through the third ventilation port and the opening.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the fan unit is an axial flow fan, and
a rotation axis of the axial flow fan is parallel with a rotation axis of the rotary gantry frame.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a rotation axis of a motor of the circulation pump is parallel with a rotation axis of the rotary gantry frame.

### Claim 18

A method of maintaining an X-ray computed tomography apparatus, comprising:
preparing the X-ray computed tomography apparatus comprising an X-ray tube device comprising a housing, and an X-ray tube housed in the housing, the X-ray tube including a cathode configured to discharge an electron beam, an anode target configured to discharge an X-ray by receiving the electron beam, and a vacuum envelope which stores the cathode and the anode target, a coolant where at least a part of heat generated in the X-ray tube is transferred, a circulation path where the coolant is circulated, a circulation pump installed in the circulation path to circulate the coolant, a radiator unit installed in the circulation path to externally discharge the heat of the coolant, a fan unit configured to generate an air flow passing through the radiator unit, an X-ray detector configured to detect the X-ray, a rotary gantry frame including a ring-shaped frame portion rotating with respect to a rotation axis, the X-ray tube device, the circulation pump, the radiator unit, the fan unit, and the X-ray detector being installed in the rotary gantry frame, and an expansion mechanism installed in the circulation path to absorb a volume change caused by a temperature change of the coolant, a windward side of the radiator unit being exposed in an inner wall side space of the frame portion;
dividing the housing, the radiator unit, the circulation pump, and the expansion mechanism connected to form the circulation path into a pair of channels using a pair of removable couplings; and
installing another expansion mechanism in a channel that does not include the expansion mechanism using the removable coupling.

### Claim 19

A cooler mounted on a rotor to cool an X-ray generator rotated around a rotational center axis along with the rotor, the cooler comprising:
a casing comprising a base fixed to a cooler fixing surface of the rotor;
a radiator unit which is installed in a circulation path, where a coolant is circulated, and covers a ventilation port provided in a portion other than the base of the casing to externally discharge heat of the coolant; and
a fan unit housed in the casing to generate an air flow passing through the radiator unit,
wherein the air flow is a flow receding from the rotational center axis, and
a windward side of the radiator unit is exposed to an outer side of the casing.

### Claim 20

A cooler mounted on a rotor to cool an X-ray generator that rotates around a rotational center axis along with the rotor, comprising:
a base which is fixed to a cooler fixing surface of the rotor and includes an exhaust port communicating with a ventilation portion provided in the rotor;
a first base fixing portion configured to fix the base to the cooler fixing surface and provided adjacently to one side in an upstream side of the base in a rotational direction of the rotor;
a second base fixing portion configured to fix the base to the cooler fixing surface and provided adjacently to one side in a downstream side of the base in a rotational direction of the rotor;
a radiator unit configured to discharge heat generated in the X-ray generator to an external atmosphere and connected to the X-ray generator through a pipe;
a circulation pump fixedly arranged on the base to circulate a coolant through the pipe between the X-ray generator and the radiator unit;
a casing which is configured to define a ventilation space on the base and an intake duct where the radiator unit is arranged;
a fan unit which is fixedly arranged in the base on the ventilation portion, and is configured to introduce air from an outer side of the casing to the ventilation space through the radiator unit provided in the intake duct and discharge air from the ventilation space through the exhaust port and the ventilation portion; and
a support structure fixed to the base that supports the radiator unit such that the radiator unit is arranged to protrude in a roof shape toward the rotational center axis side,
wherein a height of an apex portion of the casing from the cooler fixing surface is smaller than a distance between the first and second base fixing portions.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The cooler according to claim 20, wherein
the support structure includes a plurality of posts erected on a post fixation surface of the base, and a fixation seat fixedly installed in fixation seat fixing surfaces of a plurality of the posts,
the fixation seat includes a frame structure configured such that the fixation seat protrudes in a roof shape toward the rotational center axis, and
the radiator unit is fixedly installed in the frame structure.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The cooler according to claim 21, further comprising:
a first support structure fixing portion configured to fix the support structure to the post fixation surface and provided in a plurality of the posts located in an upstream side of the support structure in a rotational direction of the rotor; and
a second support structure fixing portion configured to fix the support structure to the post fixation surface and provided in a plurality of the posts located in a downstream side of the support structure in a rotational direction of the rotor,
wherein a height of the apex portion of the radiator unit from the post fixation surface is smaller than a distance between the first and second support structure fixing portions.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The cooler according to claim 21, further comprising:
a first fixation seat fixing portion configured to fix the fixation seat to the fixation seat fixing surface and provided in the frame structure located in an upstream side of the fixation seat in a rotational direction of the rotor; and
a second fixation seat fixing portion configured to fix the fixation seat to the fixation seat fixing surface and provided in the frame structure located in a downstream side of the fixation seat in a rotational direction of the rotor,
wherein a height of the apex portion of the radiator unit from the fixation seat fixing surface is smaller than a distance between the first and second fixation seat fixing portions.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The cooler according to claim 21, wherein
the radiator unit includes a plurality of radiators connected in parallel with the circulation pump.