Ferrofluidics Corporation

James C Toboni

Thomas J Black, Jr

A ferrofluidic seal arrangement for sealing a high-speed rotary shaft which passes between an environment at atmospheric or high pressure and an environment at high-vacuum is provided, which is especially useful in a high-speed rotating anode apparatus for generating x-rays in a CAT Scan apparatus or the like. A differentially-pumped region between a multi-stage ferrofluidic seal and a single-stage seal insures that no seal bursting into the high-vacuum region occurs. Bearings supporting the shaft are arranged in a mechanically-stable arrangement but are isolated from the high-vacuum environment. Thus, neither the high-vacuum environment nor the differentially-pumped region need be continually mechanically pumped, and a relatively light-weight apparatus results. The apparatus is electrically grounded by transferring the charge on the anode through the high-speed shaft out of the vacuum environment and to a slower-rotating shaft via an electrically conductive, flexible drive belt, the slower shaft rotating at a speed at which grounding by conventional means is feasible.

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Bedford, NH, United States of America

James C Toboni