X-ray tube metal frame gettering device

An x-ray tube comprising:

• an envelope which encloses an evacuated chamber, the envelope having at least one narrow region and a wide region, the wide region including at least an electrically conductive portion;
• a cathode disposed within the narrow region of the envelope for providing a source of electrons and cathode being electrically insulated from the envelope;
• an anode disposed within the wide region of the envelope and positioned to be struck by the electrons accelerated from the cathode and generate x-rays;
• a strip of gettering material disposed in the widest region electrically insulated from and adjacent the electrically conductive portion such that when the gettering material is flashed, the gettering material forms of a layer on the electrically conductive portion of the widest region of the envelope.

An x-ray tube comprising:

• an envelope which encloses an evacuated chamber, the envelope including an electrically conductive portion;
• a cathode disposed within the chamber for providing a source of electrons;
• an anode disposed within the chamber positioned to be struck by the electrons and generate x-rays;
• a gettering material in electrical contact with the electrically conductive portion for absorbing stray gases within the chamber;
• a shield mounted to the electrically conductive portion of the envelope which surrounds the gettering material while permitting access to the gettering material by stray gases in the chamber, the shield including openings which permit access to the gettering material by stray gases in the chamber.

An x-ray tube comprising:

• an envelope which defines an evacuated chamber;
• a cathode disposed within the chamber for providing a source of electrons;
• an anode disposed within the chamber positioned to be struck by the electrons and generate x-rays;
• a piece of gettering material, spaced radially outward from the cathode and supported by an adjacent electrically conductive portion of the envelope, which gettering material, when activated, deposits a layer of gettering material on the adjacent electrically conductive portion.

An x-ray tube comprising:

• an envelope which defines an evacuated chamber;
• a cathode cup disposed within the chamber for providing a source of electrons;
• an anode disposed within the chamber positioned to be struck by the electrons and generate x-rays;
• a piece of gettering material disposed adjacent a cylindrical portion of an electrically conductive portion of the envelope which surrounds the anode the gettering material being positioned radially outward of the cathode cup, such that when the gettering material is activated, it deposits a layer of gettering material on the adjacent electrically conductive portion of the envelope.

A method of removing gases from an evacuated chamber of an x-ray tube, the method comprising:

• disposing a gettering material radially outward of a cathode assembly which is biased to a negative potential and adjacent a conductive portion of an envelope which defines a chamber;
• and
• flashing at least a portion of the gettering material such that a layer of the gettering material is deposited on the conductive portion of the envelope;
• and
• grounding the conductive portion of the envelope, such that the flashed gettering material is grounded to prevent accumulation of static charge.