Moxtek, Inc.

Varex Imaging Corporation

Kasey Otho Greenland

Todd S Parker

Vance Scott Robinson

Dan Paas

Neil Bostrom

Wayne Rollins Hansen

Robert Steven Miller

Gangqiang Wang

Paul D Moore

Rick Steck

Santosh Ramachandran

Ronald Wayne Boutte

Patrick Kevin Lewis

Jonathan Miller

Santosh K Tiwari

Michael S Almond

A collimator for an x-ray tube can be a monolithic, integral structure. The collimator can include a proximal-end closest to a cathode and a distal-end farthest from the cathode. The proximal-end can adjoin a vacuum inside of the x-ray tube. The distal-end can adjoin the air. The collimator can include an aperture extending therethrough. An x-ray window can be mounted across the aperture. The aperture can include a collimation-region between the x-ray window and the distal-end, and a drift-region between the x-ray window and the proximal-end. X-rays can be generated inside of the collimator.

X-ray tube anode with integrated collimator

X-rays can be used for material identification. X-ray beam purity, target adhesion the x-ray window, and a robust hermetic seal of the x-ray window are useful. To achieve these objectives, a targetcan be mounted by an adhesion-layeron the x-ray window. The adhesion-layercan include chromium. A sealing-layercan seal the x-ray window to a flange. Material of the sealing-layercan be different from material of the adhesion-layer. There can be a gapbetween the flangeand the target. There can be a conductive-layeron the x-ray windowin the gap. A thickness Ts of the adhesion-layerbetween the sealing-layerand the x-ray windowcan be different than a thickness Tt of the adhesion-layerbetween the targetand the x-ray window

X-ray tube with improved spectrum

A planar filament for an x-ray tube can have a different cross-sectional area at different locations. In regions of smaller cross-sectional area, there can be higher current density, and thus increased heating and higher temperature of the wire. In regions of larger cross-sectional area, there can be lower current density, and thus decreased heating of the wire. Regions of larger cross-sectional area can also be stronger, thus reducing early filament failures. Wider regions can have increased area for electron emission. By adjusting the cross-sectional area and width of the wire at different locations, electron emission can be largely confined to a center of the filament, and filament life can increase.

Planar filament with focused, central electron emission

As an x-ray tube expands and contracts during heating and cooling, its hermetic seal can be damaged. A more robust hermetic seal, particularly as the x-ray tube is heated and cooled, is desirable. The x-ray tube described herein can include a proximal-housingand a distal-housing, which can be connected to each other by an interface-ringfor improved hermetic seal. Added x-ray tube weight, of material used for blocking x-rays, can make it difficult to transport the x-ray tube. Reducing this weight is desirable. A maximum outer diameter Dp of the proximal-housingcan be greater than a maximum outer diameter Dd of the distal-housing, for improved blocking of x-rays. This diameter difference can allow improved x-ray shielding with less material.

X-ray source shielding

An x-ray tube can include an x-ray window sealed to a mount. An inner-collimator can be adjacent to, but not sealed to, the x-ray window. The inner-collimator can be sandwiched between the x-ray window and an insulating-layer. The insulating-layer can span an inner-collimator-aperture of the inner-collimator, forming an isolated cavity at the inner-collimator-aperture. Walls of the cavity can include the x-ray window, the inner-collimator, and the insulating-layer. The x-ray tube can have a light weight, can block x-rays in undesirable directions, and can shape the x-ray beam.

X-ray tube with inner-collimator

A monolithic housing for an x-ray source can wrap at least partially around a power supply and an x-ray tube. The monolithic housing can include Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Si, Sr, Zn, or combinations thereof. Mg can be a major component of the monolithic housing. The monolithic housing can be formed by injection molding. The monolithic housing can provide one or more of the following advantages: (a) light weight (for easier transport), (b) high electrical conductivity (to protect the user from electrical shock), (c) high thermal conductivity (to remove heat generated during use), (d) corrosion resistance, (e) high strength, and (f) high electromagnetic interference shielding (to shield power supply components from external noise, to shield other electronic components from power supply noise, or both).

Monolithic x-ray source housing

An x-ray tubecan have (a) an enclosure electrically-insulating a cathodefrom an anode; (b) a coating-ringon an inner-face of the enclosure, the coating-ringencircling a longitudinal-axisof the enclosure; and (c) an interruption-ringlocated at the inner-face of the enclosure at a different location than the coating-ring. The interruption-ringcan encircle the longitudinal-axisat a different location along the longitudinal-axiswith respect to the coating-ring. The interruption-ringcan encircle the longitudinal-axisat a different radius from the longitudinal-axisthan the coating-ring. The coating-ringand the interruption-ringcan reduce uneven electrical charge build-up on the inner-face of the enclosure, and can protect the triple-point.

Interruption-ring in an x-ray tube

Electrons can rebound from an x-ray tube target, causing electrical-charge build-up on an inside of the x-ray tube. The charge build-up can increase voltage gradients inside of the x-ray tube, resulting in arcing failure of the x-ray tube. Also, the electrical charge can build unevenly on internal walls of the x-ray tube, causing an undesirable shift of the electron-beam. An x-ray tube (or) with multiple protrusions () on an interior wall of a drift-tube () can reduce this electrical-charge build-up. The protrusions () can reflect stray electrons back to the anode target (), thus suppressing backscatter. Each protrusion () can have a peak () extending into the hole (), and receding to a base () farther from the electron-beam, on an entry-side () nearest the drift-tube-entry () and on an exit-side () nearest the drift-tube-exit ().

X-ray tube backscatter suppression

Interruption-ring in an X-ray tube

Some embodiments include an x-ray system, comprising: a structure having a hole having an axially extending wall; and a nozzle disposed in the hole; wherein the nozzle and the axially extending wall form a plurality of axially extending helical fluid channels. Some embodiments include an x-ray system formed by shaping tubing to form a plurality of axially extending helical flutes; and forming a plurality of axially extending helical fluid channels by inserting the shaped tubing into a hole in a structure.

Enhanced thermal transfer nozzle and system

An emitter for a closed x-ray tube includes an emitter body formed of a low work function emitter material, the emitter body having a major surface and a secondary surface. The major surface is adapted for emission of electrons from the low work function material. The emitter assembly is adapted to reduce an emission current density emitted from the secondary surface of the emitter body, as compared to the major surface.

X-ray tube emitter

In one example, a lift assembly may exert a force on a rotatable anode of an X-ray source. The lift assembly may include a lift shaft and a lift electromagnet. The lift shaft may be coupled to an anode and configured to rotate around an axis of rotation of the anode. The lift electromagnet may be configured to apply a magnetic force to the lift shaft in a radial direction. The lift electromagnet may include a coupling portion extending between an interior of a vacuum envelope and an exterior of the vacuum envelope and a winding portion coupled to the coupling portion. Windings may at least partially surround the winding portion.

Growing community of inventors

West Jordan, UT, United States of America

Kasey Otho Greenland