X-ray tube
AssigneeEMI Limited
InventorReginald S. Webley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
For certain applications it is desired to provide an X-ray tube in which the emitted X-rays can be scanned in relation to the fixed body of the tube. A rotating anode X-ray tube is described in which the periphery of the anode is so shaped that, in the course of rotation, the point of incidence of an electron beam moves relative to the tube as a whole. In response to this the emitted X-rays are similarly moved. Various shapes of anode can be used. In examples described one or more sections of equiangular spirals provide linear X-ray scans, with or without a rapid flyback.
Claims9
An X-ray tube including an envelope and an anode movable with respect thereto, a source of a beam of energy, for example an electron beam, arranged to impinge on said anode to generate X-radiation substantially at a region of contact with said anode and means for moving said anode in a predetermined manner relative to said tube envelope to move said region of contact relative to said tube envelope to scan the generated X-radiation in a predetermined manner relative to said tube envelope.
An X-ray generating tube comprising an evacuated envelope, an anode mounted inside the envelope for rotation about an anode axis and having a peripheral surface at least partially surrounding said axis, a source of an electron beam propagating at least some of the time along a beam axis fixed with respect to the envelope and impinging on said peripheral surface at an area which moves along the peripheral surface upon rotation of the anode about said anode axis, said peripheral surface being irregularly shaped to cause said area of impingement of the electron beam to move with respect to the envelope upon rotation of the anode, said peripheral surface being made of a material generating X-ray radiation when said electron beam impinges thereon, said X-ray radiation originating at the area of impingement and propagating away from the anode, and means for rotating the anode about the anode axis to thereby move the area of impingement relative to the envelope and scan the X-ray radiation relative to the envelope in a manner determined by the shape of the peripheral surface and the anode rotation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.