General Electric Company

Ge Precision Healthcare LLC

Andrew Thomas Triscari

Ian Strider Hunt

Michael Scott Hebert

Donald Robert Allen

Kevin Shane Kruse

John McCabe

Kenwood Dayton

Adolfo Delgado Marquez

Ryan Dagen

Eric Lubar

Kyle Russell Berndt

Jace Dowd

Gregory Alan Steinlage

Steven Thiel

Ben David Poquette

Alexander Ryan

Andrew Jay Borland

Alxander Thomas Ryan

Systems and methods related to hydrodynamic bearings for use in X-ray sources are provided. In one aspect, a hydrodynamic bearing system includes a sleeve assembly including a cross-member fluidically dividing a first interior cavity from a second interior cavity, a first shaft positioned in the first interior cavity, and a second shaft positioned in the second interior cavity. The hydrodynamic bearing system may further include a first journal bearing including a first fluid interface surrounding at least a portion of the first cantilever shaft and configured to support radial loads and a second journal bearing including a second fluid interface surrounding at least a portion of the second cantilever shaft and configured to support radial loads.

Hydrodynamic bearing system and method for operating said hydrodynamic bearing system

A bearing structure for an X-ray tube is provided that includes a journal bearing shaft with a radially protruding thrust bearing encased within a sleeve. The structure of sleeve is formed with enlarged traps or voids in the sleeve that are disposed adjacent various rotating anti-wetting seals/seal surfaces formed between the sleeve and the shaft. The geometry of the traps is formed to retain liquid metal/lubricating fluid within the gap defined by the bearing assembly and to direct to liquid metal flowing outwardly from the gap defined between the sleeve and the shaft away from the rotating anti-wetting seals and back towards the gap. This geometry allows the centrifugal forces exerted on the liquid metal by the rotation of the bearing structure to move the outflowing liquid metal away from the rotating anti-wetting seals to significantly reduce contact of the liquid metal with the seals.

Liquid metal bearing with enhanced sealing structures

Liquid metal bearing structure with enhanced sealing structures

Systems and methods related to hydrodynamic bearings are provided. One example hydrodynamic bearing system includes a sleeve assembly including a cross-member fluidically dividing a first interior cavity from a second interior cavity, a first shaft positioned in the first interior cavity, and a second shaft positioned in the second interior cavity. The hydrodynamic bearing system further includes a first journal bearing including a first fluid interface surrounding at least a portion of the first cantilever shaft and configured to support radial loads and a second journal bearing including a second fluid interface surrounding at least a portion of the second cantilever shaft and configured to support radial loads.

Systems and methods related to hydrodynamic bearings are provided. One example system includes a hydrodynamic bearing including a rotational component configured to attach to an anode and a stationary component. The stationary component includes a bearing surface having a plurality of grooves configured to generate pressure in a fluid interface during rotation of the rotational component and where the bearing surface includes at least one recessed section profiled based on an expected pattern of wear.

Hydrodynamic bearing system and method for manufacturing the hydrodynamic bearing system

Liquid metal bearing assemblies and methods for operation of said assemblies are provided. One example liquid metal bearing assembly includes a liquid metal interface positioned between a stationary component and a rotational component. The rotational component includes a liquid metal reservoir configured to contain a liquid metal and positioned radially inward from the liquid metal interface, a liquid metal passage extending between the liquid metal reservoir and the liquid metal interface, and an anti-wetting surface in the liquid metal passage.

Liquid metal bearing assembly and method for operating said liquid metal bearing assembly

A ring seal is engaged with a liquid metal bearing assembly and operates to contain metal fluid lubricant leaking through the primary compression seals of a liquid metal bearing to prevent the fluid from entering the high voltage space within the x-ray tube and causing high voltage instability. The ring seal engages the existing configuration for the bearing assembly without deforming the bearing, including effects of thermal expansion and inertial body forces, thus maintaining the tight tolerances for the proper operation of the component parts of the bearing structure. The ring seal retains the leaking liquid metal within the ring seal regardless of the operating state and/or condition of the bearing assembly, such as during operating conditions. i.e., rotation of the bearing assembly or gantry, and non-operating conditions, e.g., shipping and stand-by, and regardless of the corresponding pressures and their locations exerted on the ring seal by the liquid metal.

Ring seal for liquid metal bearing assembly

An X-ray tube is provided. The X-ray tube includes a bearing configured to couple to an anode. The bearing includes a stationary member, a rotary member configured to rotate with respect to the stationary member during operation of the X-ray tube, and a support feature configured to minimize bending moment along a surface of the stationary member to reduce deflection of the stationary member relative to the rotary member due to radial loads during operation of the X-ray tube.

System and method for reducing relative bearing shaft deflection in an X-ray tube

A bearing structure for an X-ray tube is provided that includes a journal bearing shaft with a radially protruding thrust bearing flange encased within a bearing housing or sleeve. The sleeve includes a thrust seal that is engaged with the sleeve in a manner to maintain coaxiality for the rotating liquid metal seal formed in the sleeve about the shaft. The shaft includes a central bore containing a cooling tube that directs coolant within the bore to maximize the heat transfer from the shaft to the coolant, allowing materials with lower thermal conductivities, such as steel, to be used to form the bearing shaft. The thrust flange on the shaft is formed with channel(s) therein that enable the coolant and/or the liquid metal to effect greater heat transfer on the components of the sleeve through the thrust flange, thereby reducing thermal deformation of the bearing components.

Thrust flange for x-ray tube with internal cooling channels

A structure and associated method for forming a liquid metal or spiral groove bearing assembly for an x-ray tube is illustrated that utilizes a unitary sleeve and a thrust ring or seal each formed of a weldable, non-refractory material. The sleeve and the thrust seal are welded to one another to provide an improved construction for minimizing leaks of the liquid metal bearing fluid. The structure of the sleeve and the thrust seal are formed with deformation restricting features that maintain the integrity of the bearing surfaces of the assembly when the thrust seal is secured within the sleeve and welded thereto to form the bearing assembly.

Welded spiral groove bearing assembly

The present disclosure is directed towards the prevention of high voltage instabilities within X-ray tubes. For example, in one embodiment, an X-ray tube is provided. The X-ray tube generally includes a stationary member, and a rotary member configured to rotate with respect to the stationary member during operation of the X-ray tube. The X-ray tube also includes a liquid metal bearing material disposed in a space between the shaft and the sleeve, a seal disposed adjacent to the space to seal the liquid metal bearing material in the space, and an enhanced surface area material disposed on a side of the seal axially opposite the space and configured to trap within the enhanced surface area material liquid metal bearing material that escapes the seal.

Enhanced barrier for liquid metal bearings

A bearing assembly is disclosed that includes a sleeve having an opening formed therein and a shaft positioned within the opening of the sleeve such that a gap is formed between an inner surface of the sleeve and an outer surface of the shaft. A lubricant is disposed in the gap and a plurality of grooves are formed on at least one of the outer surface of the shaft and the inner surface of the sleeve. An anti-wetting coating is disposed on the at least one of the outer surface of the shaft and the inner surface of the sleeve between adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves.

Liquid bearing assembly and method of constructing same

An x-ray tube includes a cathode adapted to emit electrons, a bearing assembly comprising a rotatable shaft having a rotor hub, a target assembly attached to the rotatable shaft and positioned to receive the emitted electrons in order to generate x-rays therefrom, a rotor attached to the rotor hub at an attachment face, wherein the attachment face comprises a first material compressed against a second material, and a first anti-wear coating attached to one of the first material and the second material and positioned between the first material and the second material.

Growing community of inventors

Milwaukee, WI, United States of America

Andrew Thomas Triscari