General Electric Company

Kenwood Dayton

Ian Strider Hunt

Brandon Allan Smith

Donald Robert Allen

Timothy Mathew Behlmer

Chad Allan Smith

Michael Scott Hebert

Ross Christopher Stalter

Edward Emaci

Andrew Thomas Triscari

Ron Kent Hockersmith

Michael Smith

Jonathan Boutot

Robert Surma

Alex Ryan

Mike Hebert

Carey Shawn Rogers

Gregory Alan Steinlage

Thomas Carson Tiearney, Jr

Richard Michael Roffers

Edwin L Legall

Ethan James Westcot

Ronald George Kulas

Ben David Poquette

Michael John Danyluk

Alexander Ryan

Benjamin Bichler

John Gilmore

Santosh Kumar Tiwari

Imaging apparatus

X-ray generator tube for a medical imaging device

A support structure is disclosed. The support structure has at least one cover installed to cover a side of the support structure. The cover is raised pivotally by at least one primary support mechanism. The cover may be secured in place by an additional support mechanism. The additional support mechanism may be set in two different positions, one that allows for load on the primary support mechanism and another that does not allow for load on the primary support mechanism.

Support structure with raisable cover

Various methods and systems are provided for providing coatings and textures to surfaces of a bearing assembly in an x-ray system to control the wettability of the surfaces when components of the bearing assembly rotate during operation of the x-ray system. A lubricant is disposed in a gap formed between a shaft and a sleeve of the bearing assembly such that textured and coated surfaces of the shaft and sleeve alter wetting properties between the lubricant and surfaces. The coatings and textures can be wetting or anti-wetting to further enhance control over the behavior of the lubricant.

Method and systems for texturing liquid bearing surfaces in X-ray tubes

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 tube for generating x-rays includes a cathode adapted to emit electrons, a target positioned to receive the electrons from the cathode on a surface thereof, an anode adapted with an aperture and positioned between the cathode and the target and configured to accelerate the electrons toward the target, and a rotating system adapted to rotate the target about an axis, the rotating system located in a position facing the surface of the target.

Apparatus for wide coverage computed tomography and method of constructing same

A mounting structure for mounting an x-ray tube on a CT rotatable gantry is disclosed. The mounting structure includes base plates that are boltable to the CT rotatable gantry and have bearing strut connections formed thereon. Spherical bearing struts are provided in the mounting structure to mechanically couple the x-ray tube to the base plates, with the spherical bearing struts each having a first end secured in a respective bearing strut connection of the x-ray tube casing and a second end secured in a respective bearing strut connection of the base plates. The spherical bearing struts constrain a gantry-load direction displacement of the x-ray tube and enable rotation and displacement of the x-ray tube around at least one axis of rotation or in one direction other than a gantry load direction, so as to accommodate thermal displacements in the x-ray tube created during operation thereof.

System and method for mounting x-ray tube on a CT gantry for high G-load applications

The embodiments disclosed herein relate to the thermal regulation of components within an X-ray tube, and more specifically to heat transfer between the anode and the rotary mechanism to which the anode is attached. For example, in one embodiment, an X-ray tube is provided. The X-ray tube generally includes a fixed shaft, a rotating bearing sleeve disposed about the fixed shaft and configured to rotate with respect to the fixed shaft via a rotary bearing, an electron beam target disposed about the bearing sleeve and configured to rotate with the bearing sleeve, and a thermally conductive, deformable metallic gasket disposed between the target and the bearing sleeve and configured to conduct heat between the target and the bearing sleeve in operation.

X-ray tube thermal transfer method and system

An x-ray tube includes a cathode and a target assembly positioned to receive electrons emitted from the cathode. The target assembly includes a target and a spiral groove bearing (SGB) configured to support the target. The SGB includes a rotatable component having a first surface and a first material attached to the first surface, a stationary component having a second surface and a second material attached to the second surface, the stationary component positioned such that a gap is formed between the first material and the second material, and a liquid metal positioned in the gap. At least one of the first and second materials has a thickness greater than 0.1 mm.

Interface for liquid metal bearing and method of making same

Growing community of inventors

Mequon, WI, United States of America

Kenwood Dayton