X-Ray Tube Single Anode Bore
AssigneeMoxtek, Inc.
InventorTodd S. Parker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An x-ray tube anode can include an electron hole extending from an electron entry at an exterior of the anode into a core of the anode, and an x-ray hole extending from an x-ray exit at the exterior of the anode into the core of the anode. The x-ray hole can intersect the electron hole at the core of the anode. In one embodiment, the electron hole and the x-ray hole can form a seamless bore from the electron entry to the x-ray exit. In another embodiment, the anode can be a single, integral, monolithic material with a single bore extending therethrough. In another embodiment, the core of the anode can include a target material located at a concave wall of the core of the anode.
Claims20
A side-window x-ray tube comprising:
- a cathode and an anode electrically insulated from one another;
- the anode being a single, integral, monolithic material with a single bore extending therethrough, the single bore consisting of an electron hole intersecting with an x-ray hole in a core of the anode, the electron hole and the x-ray hole having a cylindrical shape;
- the electron hole extending from an exterior of the anode into the core of the anode and aimed to allow the electrons to pass into the core of the anode, and the x-ray hole extending from the exterior of the anode into the core of the anode;
- the cathode configured to emit electrons in an electron beam towards the anode;
- the core of the anode including a target material configured for generation of x-rays in response to impinging electrons from the cathode;
- an x-ray window, separate from the target material, covering the x-ray hole at the exterior of the anode and hermetically sealed to the anode;
- the x-ray hole aimed for emission of x-rays from the core of the anode through the x-ray hole, then through the x-ray window and out of the x-ray tube;
- DS/DL≥0.5, where DS is a smallest diameter of one of the electron hole or the x-ray hole and DL is a largest diameter of the other of the electron hole or the x-ray hole;
- and
- a first vector extending along a center of the electron hole from the core of the anode to the exterior of the anode, a second vector extending along a center of the x-ray hole from the core of the anode to the exterior of the anode, and an angle between the first vector and the second vector is ≥10° and ≤160°.
An x-ray tube comprising:
- a cathode and an anode electrically insulated from one another, the cathode configured to emit electrons in an electron beam towards the anode, and the anode configured to emit x-rays out of the x-ray tube in response to impinging electrons from the cathode;
- a hole extending from an electron entry at an exterior of the anode into a core of the anode and aimed to allow the electrons to pass into the core of the anode, defining an electron hole;
- and
- a hole extending from an x-ray exit at the exterior of the anode into the core of the anode, intersecting the electron hole at the core of the anode, and aimed for emission of the x-rays from the core of the anode out of the x-ray tube, defining an x-ray hole;
- and
- the electron hole and the x-ray hole forming an open seamless bore from the electron entry to the x-ray exit.
An x-ray tube comprising:
- a cathode and an anode electrically insulated from one another, the cathode configured to emit electrons in an electron beam towards the anode, and the anode configured to emit x-rays out of the x-ray tube in response to impinging electrons from the cathode;
- a hole extending from an electron entry at an exterior of the anode into a core of the anode and aimed to allow the electrons to pass into the core of the anode, defining an electron hole;
- a hole extending from an x-ray exit at the exterior of the anode into the core of the anode, intersecting the electron hole at the core of the anode, and aimed for emission of the x-rays from the core of the anode out of the x-ray tube, defining an x-ray hole;
- the core of the anode includes a target material configured for generation of the x-rays in response to the impinging electrons;
- and
- the target material is located at, and the electron beam impinges on, a concave wall of the core of the anode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.