X-ray generator, X-ray imaging apparatus including the X-ray generator, and method of controlling the X-ray generator

An X-ray generator comprising:

• an X-ray tube to generate X-rays;
• and
• a high-voltage generator to supply a voltage to the X-ray tube, the high-voltage generator comprising:
• a high-voltage tank to generate the voltage;
• a switch connected to an output terminal of the high-voltage tank;
• a resistor located outside the high-voltage tank to receive a wave tail voltage according to an on or off status of the switch;
• and
• a step-down transformer to drop the wave tail voltage.

An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:

• an X-ray generator to generate X-rays;
• and
• an X-ray detector to detect the X-rays generated by the X-ray generator, the X-ray generator comprising:
• an X-ray tube to generate the X-rays;
• and
• a high-voltage generator to supply a voltage to the X-ray tube, the high-voltage generator comprising:
• a high-voltage tank including circuit elements disposed inside the high-voltage tank to generate the voltage supplied to the X-ray tube, the circuit elements disposed inside the high-voltage tank including a switch connected in parallel to first and second output terminals of the high-voltage tank, the switch including a first switch terminal connected to the first output terminal of the high-voltage tank;
• and
• a resistor, connected in series to the switch, and disposed outside the high-voltage tank to receive a wave tail voltage according to an on or off status of the switch, the resistor including a first resistor terminal connected to the second output terminal of the high-voltage tank.

An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:

• an X-ray generator to generate X-rays;
• and
• an X-ray detector to detect the X-rays generated by the X-ray generator, the X-ray generator comprising:
• an X-ray tube to generate the X-rays;
• and
• a high-voltage generator to supply a voltage to the X-ray tube, the high-voltage generator comprising:
• a high-voltage tank to generate the voltage;
• a switch connected to an output terminal of the high-voltage tank;
• a resistor located outside the high-voltage tank to receive a wave tail voltage according to an on or off status of the switch;
• and
• a step-down transformer to drop the wave tail voltage.

A method of controlling an X-ray generator comprising an X-ray tube to generate X-rays, and a high-voltage generator to supply a voltage having a pulse waveform to the X-ray tube, the method comprising:

• determining a wave tail generation point of the pulse waveform occurs when output of a predetermined voltage level has stopped and charges accumulated as stray capacitance are discharged;
• synchronizing an on point of a switch disposed inside of a high-voltage tank and connected to an output terminal of the high-voltage tank, with the occurrence of the wave tail generation point;
• and
• closing the switch when the switch is turned on, and applying a wave tail voltage to a resistor disposed outside of the high-voltage tank,
• wherein
• the switch includes a first switch terminal connected to one of an anode output terminal connected to an anode of the X-ray tube and an cathode output terminal connected to a cathode of the X-ray tube, and
• the resistor includes a first resistor terminal connected to the other one of the anode output terminal and the cathode output terminal.

A method of controlling an X-ray generator comprising an X-ray tube to generate X-rays, and a high-voltage generator to supply a voltage having a pulse waveform to the X-ray tube, the method comprising:

• determining a wave tail generation point of the pulse waveform;
• synchronizing an on point of a switch connected to an output terminal of a high-voltage tank, with the wave tail generation point;
• when the switch is turned on, applying a wave tail voltage to a resistor located outside the high-voltage tank, and dropping the wave tail voltage using a step-down transformer located in the high-voltage tank;
• and
• applying the dropped wave tail voltage to the resistor.

An X-ray generator comprising:

• an X-ray tube to generate X-rays, the X-ray tube including an anode connected to an anode output terminal and a cathode connected to a cathode output terminal;
• and
• a high-voltage generator to supply a voltage to the X-ray tube;
• and
• a wave tail blocking circuit connected in parallel to an output terminal of the high voltage generator to prevent wave tails from being supplied to the X-ray tube, the wave tail blocking circuit comprising:
• a switch, disposed inside of a high voltage tank of the high-voltage generator, which is used to control a flow of charges accumulated as stray capacitance into the wave tail blocking circuit based on an output of the voltage supplied to the X-ray tube, the switch including a first switch terminal connected to one of the anode output terminal and the cathode output terminal, and
• a resistor, connected in series with the switch and disposed outside of the high voltage tank, which receives an application of wave tail voltage to discharge the flow of charges accumulated as stray capacitance, the resistor including a first resistor terminal connected to the other one of the anode output terminal and the cathode output terminal.