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:
Sep. 24, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 12, 2001
Paul M. Ratzmann, Germantown, WI (US);
Douglas J. Snyder, Brookfield, WI (US);
GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC, Waukesha, WI (US);
Abstract
A multiple row spiral grooved bearing assembly for use in a rotating anode X ray tube device has an intermediate race having a spiral grooved inner and outer surface placed between an outer housing and an inner bearing shaft A layer of gallium is interposed between the spiral grooved inner surface and the inner bearing shaft and between the spiral grooved outer surface and outer housing to provide lubrication for the surfaces of the intermediate race The intermediate race reduces the relative velocity between moving parts, thereby reducing heat generation of the bearing assembly for a given anode rotation speed. This enables higher target velocities, and hence higher focal spot power, available to the x-ray tube device as compared with traditional ball-type bearing designs.