Patent · US Active

System and method for generating X-rays

US8340250B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
8References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 4, 2009
Grant dateDec 25, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 7, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J2235/06
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In one embodiment, an X-ray tube is provided. The X-ray tube comprises at least one thermionic cathode configured to generate an electron beam, a target assembly configured to generate X-rays when impinged with the electron beam emitted from the thermionic cathode, a high voltage supply unit for establishing an output voltage across the thermionic cathode and the target assembly for establishing an accelerating electric field between the thermionic cathode and the target assembly and a mesh grid disposed between the thermionic cathode and the target assembly, the mesh grid configured to operate at a voltage so as to lower the electric field applied at the surface of the thermionic cathode. Further, the voltage at the mesh grid is negatively biased with respect to the voltage at the thermionic cathode.

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