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:
May. 30, 2000
Filed:
Apr. 27, 1998
Victor Ivan Chornenky, Minnetonka, MN (US);
Dale Loren Schreiner, Cologne, MN (US);
Graham Steven Kerslick, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Michael Roy Satteson, St. Paul, MN (US);
Ali Jaafar, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Other;
Abstract
An apparatus and method for exposing a treatment site in a patient to x-ray radiation is described that uses a pulse voltage source, where the x-ray emitter employs a cold cathode. The invention may further include a current sensor for measuring a current through the x-ray emitter, and, optionally, a current integrator connected to the current sensor. Each voltage pulse may be discontinued when a predetermined amount of charge has passed through the emitter. The step of moving an x-ray emitter past a treatment area at a rate determined by the amount of charge that has passed through the emitter is also described. The present invention also includes an x-ray emitter device with rectangular voltage pulses added to a base direct current voltage. Another step of the invention may be applying a voltage pulse cycle to the x-ray emitter where a duration of the pulse is 2-5 times lower than a thermal relaxation time of an emitter.