Hand held precision X-ray source

A hand held x-ray source including an x-ray tube and integral generator for exciting the tube at precisely controllable high voltage and direct current levels,

• the tube including an elongated cylindrical insulating envelope, an elongated electrically conductive anode support structure extending axially in said envelope from a high voltage connection end to an electron beam target adjacent a target end of the tube, a thermionic emission filament ground potentinal formed and located in said tube at the target end for creating an electron beam directed at said target, and an x-ray window at said target end,
• the integral generator including:
• an elongated housing grippable by the hand,
• an elongated unitary molded block mounted in the housing and thermally sumped thereto, the block being generally oval in cross section and having two end walls, the block having three longitudinal regions aligned in tandem, a first region at one end of the block defining a first heat conduction fluid fillable longitudinally extending cavity having an exterior opening at one of the endwalls of the block, the cavity for receiving the tube and for providing a high voltage connection to the anode support structure at an interior end enclosed by the block adjacent to the high voltage connection of the tube, the block having a second region adjacent the first region for containing and encapsulating interconnected capacitor and diode elements providing a single voltage multiplier stack, and the block having a third region adjacent the second region containing and encapsulating primary and secondary windings of a single high voltage switching transformer means having a ferrite magnetic core for generating a high voltage and having internal connections of the secondary to the voltage multiplier stack and external primary leads,
• heat conduction fluid disposed between the tube and the block for conducting heat generated during tube operation to the block,
• an elongated electronic circuit substrate in the housing adjacent to a side of the block and carrying circuit elements connected to said primary of said single transformer and to said grounded filament for generating a precisely controllable, regulated exciting direct current high voltage applicable to said target and for generating a precisely controllable, regulated filament current through said filament.