Modular portable X-ray source with integral generator
AssigneeKevex Corporation
InventorBrian Skillicorn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular portable X-ray source with integral generator system for generating continuous X-rays of regulated intensity and energy level over a range from zero to maximum and includes a unitary housing containing an X-ray tube, a direct current high voltage power supply for generating a directly controllable, regulated high voltage, a regulated filament supply for generating a directly controllable, regulated beam current, both supplies being directly connected to the X-ray tube without cabling, both supplies being controlled by feedback control signals directly from the X-ray tube, and both being operated directly from a low voltage high current supply, such as a storage battery.
Claims23
A modular portable x-ray source with integral generator system for generating continuous x-rays of regulated intensity and energy level, said system comprising:
- an x-ray tube having a cathode and a grounded anode emitting x-rays as a consequence of bombardment of an accelerated electron beam emitted by said cathode,
- a direct current high voltage power supply including a high voltage step-up transformer having coaxially wound primary and secondary windings and a ceramic ferrite core coaxial therewith, and a voltage multiplier of plural cascaded capacitors and diodes for generating a directly controllable continuous, smoothly variable direct current high voltage from a low voltage externally supplied from a low voltage direct current supply, said direct current high voltage being directly connected and applied without external cables across said cathode and anode to generate x-rays of predetermined, substantially constant energy level,
- unitary housing means including a molded solid block of rigid cured plastic resin material in which substantially all air pockets and other voids have been removed, said block having an electrostatic outer shield coating, said block defining a well in which said x-ray tube is removably mountable and wherein the cathode thereof is connectable to the voltage multiplier of said direct current high voltage power supply and said block encapsulating said primary and secondary windings of said transformer and said voltage multiplier, said ceramic ferrite core being external to said block and passing through an opening defined therethrough which is coaxial with said primary and secondary windings, thereby facilitating differential thermal expansion of said core relative to said block without damage to said core.
A modular portable x-ray source with very high stability integral generator for generating continuous x-rays of regulated intensity and energy level, said system comprising:
- an x-ray tube having a cathode and a grounded anode emitting x-rays as a consequence of bombardment of an accelerated electron beam emitted by said cathode,
- a direct current high voltage power supply for generating a continuous, directly controllable, smoothly variable direct current negative high voltage in a range from zero volts to maximum negative high voltage by modulating the pulse width of a switching inverter operating at a substantially constant frequency supplied by an oscillator and driven from a low voltage externally supplied from a low voltage supply, the selected high voltage from said supply being connected and applied across said cathode and grounded anode to generate continuous x-rays of predetermined, substantially constant energy level, said high voltage supply including means for monitoring said high voltage directly at the cathode of said x-ray tube and for generating a voltage control signal for maintaining high voltage at its selected value irrespective of voltage level from said low voltage supply and beam current between said cathode and anode of said x-ray tube,
- unitary housing means for mounting and enclosing said x-ray tube and said direct current high voltage power supply as a single module.
A modular portable x-ray source with integral generator system for generating continuous x-rays of regulated intensity and energy level, said system comprising:
- an x-ray tube having a directly heated filament and a grounded anode emitting x-rays as a consequence of bombardment of an accelerated electron beam emitted by said filament,
- a direct current high voltage power supply for generating a directly controllable, continuous, smoothly variable direct current negative high voltage from a low voltage externally supplied from a low voltage supply, the selected negative high voltage from said supply being connected and applied across said cathode and grounded anode to generate x-rays of predetermined, substantially constant energy level,
- filament power supply means including a switching filament supply inverter operating at a substantially constant switching frequency for generating regulated filament current to operate said filament of said x-ray tube from a low voltage externally supplied from said low voltage supply, said filament power supply means including means for presetting beam current in a range from zero beam current to maximum beam current by controlling x-ray tube filament current by modulating the pulse width of said switching filament supply inverter, said filament power supply means further including means for monitoring said beam current directly and for feeding back a beam current control signal for maintaining beam current at a said preset value,
- unitary housing means for mounting and enclosing said x-ray tube, said direct current high voltage power supply and said filament power supply means as a single module,
- an overcurrent set circuit responsive to said beam current control signal and connected to reduce said high voltage supply in the event that x-ray tube current exceeds a predeterminable maximum set point thereby preventing excessive dissipation and resultant damage of said anode, and
- means for monitoring filament current and for limiting monitored current to a maximum preset value, thereby preventing filament burnout.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.