X-ray device including a piezoelectric transformer

US6111933A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• U.S. Philips Corporation · US

Inventors

• Uwe Schaaf · Alsbach, DE
• Heinz Van Der Broeck · Zülpich, DE
• Martin Wimmer · Neubiberg, DE
• Arne Lunding · Norderstedt, DE
• Reinhard v. Hacht · Halstenbek, DE
• Diethard Peter · Hamburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 21, 1998
• Grant date: Aug 29, 2000
• Expiry date: Jan 21, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H05G1/10
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In an X-ray device which includes an X-ray tube (12) provided with means (15, 22, 23) for influencing the electron flow through the X-ray tube (12), a control voltage for the means for influencing the electron flow is customarily generated by means of a complex circuit which, because of its size, is not suitable to be accommodated within the protective tube housing. This has the drawback that the control voltage for the X-ray tube, usually of high voltage potential, must be supplied additionally to the high-voltage supply. Therefore, it is desirable to realize a simple generation means the control voltage which is suitable for accommodation in the protective tube housing. To this end, the invention proposes a piezoelectric transformer (21, 24, 25) for generating the control voltage for the X-ray tube. The invention also relates to a piezoelectric transformer which is particularly suitable for generating such a control voltage.