Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Plansee Se

Zoryana Terletska

Stefan Hauttmann

Wolfgang Glatz

Christoph Helmut Bathe

Peter Rödhammer

Jürgen Schatte

Ulrich Hove

Tobias Schlenk

Marcus Walter Foellmer

Thomas Müller

The invention relates to a cathode for an X-ray tube and a corresponding method for assembly. The cathode comprises a filament (), at least two support structures (), a body structure comprising a recess for the filament. The filament is provided to emit electrons towards an anode in an electron emitting direction (). The filament is held by the support structures, which are fixedly connected to the body structure. The filament is totally recrystallized before assembly and has an at least partial helical structure. The support structures comprise a reception end () for releasably receiving two ends of the filament by means of a locking mechanism and the complete alignment of the filament and the recess is given by the geometry of the filament, the at least two support structures and the body structure which comprises a recess for the filament. An improved and facilitated cathode assembly with increased reliability of the precision of the positioning in operation is achieved.

Cathode for an X-ray tube

A cathode for an X-ray tube, an X-ray tube, a system for X-ray imaging, and a method for an assembly of a cathode for an X-ray tube include a filament, a support structure, a body structure, and a filament frame structure. The filament is provided to emit electrons towards an anode in an electron emitting direction, and the filament at least partially includes a helical structure. Further, the filament is held by the support structure which is fixedly connected to the body structure. The filament frame structure is provided for electron-optical focusing of the emitted electrons, and the filament frame structure is provided adjacent to the outer boundaries of the filament. The filament frame structure includes frame surface portions arranged transverse to the emitting direction, and the filament frame structure is held by the support structure.

Cathode filament assembly

A rotary anode for a rotary anode X-ray tube has an anode disc with a supporting portion. A focal track is located in the vicinity of an outer diameter of the anode disc. The supporting portion has inhomogeneous material properties along a radial coordinate of the anode disc to provide a high mechanical load capacity in the area of an inner diameter of the anode disc and a high thermal load capacity at the focal track. These measures provide for a rotary anode for a rotary anode X-ray tube that meets the extreme thermal and mechanical loads during operation. Further, a method for manufacturing such a rotary anode is described as well.

Rotary anode for a rotary anode X-ray tube and method for manufacturing a rotary anode

An embodiment of the invention relates to a cathode cup () comprising a receptacle for holding an electron emitter (), wherein the cathode cup is provided at least in the area facing the electron emitter () with a surface comprising a plurality of cavities (). Further, the invention provides an electron source and an x-ray system comprising such a cathode cup ().

Electron source and cathode cup thereof

A thermionic electron emitter () is proposed comprising an emitter part () with a substantially flat electron emission surface () and a bordering surface () adjacent thereto. In order to better absorb main stress loads (L) induced by external forces, the emitter part is provided with an anisotropic polycrystalline material having a crystal grain structure of elongated interlocked grains the longitudinal direction (G) of which is oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction (L) of the main stress loads occurring under normal operating conditions.

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Hamburg, Germany

Zoryana Terletska