Grease bearing with gallium shunt
AssigneeGE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
InventorsPaul Michael Ratzmann, Suryaprakash Ganti, Mark Ernest Vermilyea, James Edward Simpson
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Abstract
An x-ray tube 10 is provided including an anode mounted to a rotatable shaft positioned within a center bore of a stem element, a bearing assembly positioned between the rotatable shaft and the stem element, and at least one liquid metal shunt in thermal communication with both the rotatable shaft and the stem element, located adjacent to the anode between the anode and the bearing assembly, and directing heat generated at the anode away from the bearing assembly by allowing heat to flow from the rotatable shaft into the stem element prior to heat reaching the bearing assembly.
Claims17
An x-ray tube device comprising:
- a rotatable shaft;
- an anode affixed to said rotatable shaft;
- a stem element having a center bore, at least a portion of said rotatable shaft positioned within said center bore;
- a bearing assembly positioned between said rotatable shaft and said stem element;
- a grease supply system in communication with said bearing assembly and supplying lubricant to said bearing assembly;
- and
- at least one liquid metal shunt in thermal communication with both said rotatable shaft and said stem element, said liquid metal shunt located adjacent to said anode and situated between said anode and said bearing assembly;
- wherein said liquid metal shunt directs heat generated at the anode away from said bearing assembly by allowing the heat to flow from said rotatable shaft into said stem element prior to the heat reaching said bearing assembly.
An x-ray tube device comprising:
- a rotatable shaft;
- an anode affixed to said rotatable shaft;
- a stem element having a center bore, at least a portion of said rotatable shaft positioned within said center bore;
- a bearing assembly positioned between said rotatable shaft and said stem element;
- a grease supply system in communication with said bearing assembly and supplying lubricant to said bearing assembly;
- a rotational liquid metal shunt;
- and
- a stationary liquid metal shunt;
- wherein said rotational liquid metal shunt and said stationary liquid metal shunt provide thermal communication between said rotatable shaft and said stem element, are located adjacent to said anode and situated between said anode and said bearing assembly, and direct heat generated at the anode away from said bearing assembly by allowing heat to flow from said rotatable shaft into said stem element prior to said heat reaching said bearing assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.