Journal bearing and radiation shield for rotating housing and anode/stationary cathode X-ray tubes
US5384820A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 16, 1993 |
| Grant date | Jan 24, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 16, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J2235/162
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A housing (A) which has a radiation transmissive window (52) defines a coolant oil reservoir (50). An x-ray tube (B) is mounted within the cooling oil reservoir. The x-ray tube includes a vacuum envelope having a cylindrical wall portion (10). A cylindrical sleeve (70) is mounted around the cylindrical wall (10) defining a narrow coolant oil gap (100). In one embodiment, a motor (16) rotates the vacuum envelope and an anode (14). The cylindrical sleeve (70) and the cylindrical rotating vacuum envelope wall portion (10) with the cooling oil film in the gap define a journal bearing which minimizes the horsepower requirements of the motor (16). A diaphragm (102) is expanded to reduce the thickness of the coolant oil film in the journal bearing gap. The cylindrical sleeve (70) is preferably constructed of a radiation blocking material such that the body of coolant oil (50) is shielded from x-rays (42). A window (76) is defined in alignment with the housing window (52) such that a beam of x-rays is permitted to leave the assembly. A radiation blocking disk (84) is mounted between the cathode and one end of the tube to block radiation exiting in that direction. The anode blocks radiation…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.