X-ray tube arc suppressor

Abstract

A high frequency voltage generator (10) produces a high positive voltage and a high negative voltage. A parallel connected coil (26) and diode (30) are connected between the high voltage supply and a target (44) of an x-ray tube (40). A second parallel connected coil (28) and diode (32) are connected between the negative voltage and an electron source (42) of the x-ray tube. The coils are preferably a multiple pancake design (FIG. 3 ). When the tube starts to arc, the sudden increase in current flow through the coil is converted and stored in a magnetic field leaving only a small current to contribute to arcing. The coils are sized such that the current which passes to the x-ray tube is sufficiently small that the arcing is usually extinguished without an avalanche phenomenon occurring. The diodes permit the energy stored in the magnetic field to be converted into a current flow through the coil and diode such that the energy is dissipated as heat by the inherent electrical resistance of the coil with only a minimal amount of the energy passing over time to the x-ray tube.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.