The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 16, 1993
Filed:
Sep. 27, 1991
Katsuhiro Ono, Utsunomiya, JP;
Hidero Anno, Ootawara, JP;
Hiroyuki Sugiura, Ootawara, JP;
Takayuki Kitami, Tochigi, JP;
Hiroaki Tazawa, Ootawara, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Kawasaki, JP;
Abstract
In a rotary-anode type X-ray tube, a rotary-anode is fixed to a cylindrical rotary structure, and a columnar stationary shaft is fitted in the rotary structure. A gap is formed between the rotary structure and the stationary shaft. The gap is filled with a liquid metal lubricant. Spiral grooves are formed in part of the outer surface of the stationary shaft to form a radial sliding bearing between the stationary shaft and the rotary structure. Spiral grooves are formed in the end faces of the stationary shaft to form a thrust sliding bearing between the stationary shaft and the rotary structure. A recess is formed in the stationary shaft to communicate with gaps in the radial sliding bearing. A lubricant storage chamber for storing the liquid metal lubricant is formed in the stationary shaft along the center axis. The storage chamber communicates with communicating holes which radially extend to be open to an outer surface region, of the stationary shaft, in which no spiral grooves are formed. With this structure, a sufficient amount of liquid metal lubricant required for a long-term operation of the sliding bearings can be stored in the X-ray tube, thereby maintaining a stable dynamic pressure type sliding bearing operation for a long period of time.