Patent · US Expired

Method of and apparatus for controlling the electric power applied to a rotary-anode X-ray tube

US4363971A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
1References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 14, 1980
Grant dateDec 14, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 14, 2000

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05G1/36
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The temperature of the anode disc of a rotary-anode X-ray tube is continuously determined by means of the method apparatus in accordance with the invention. When the temperature exceeds a first limit value, the power of the X-ray tube is reduced to a fraction (for example, 80%) of the otherwise permissible power. When a second limit value of the anode disc temperature is exceeded, exposures are completely inhibited. In the case of exposures which are performed in rapid succession with a comparatively low power, it may occur that the anode disc temperature does not reach the second limit value, but that the mean value of the applied electric power is so high that the bearing of the rotary anode, and possibly also the joint between the anode shaft and the rotor, is overloaded. Overloading is prevented by generating a bearing-temperature signal indicative of the rotary anode bearing temperature and comparing it with a third limit value.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.