Electron Tube Patents (Class 378/121)
  • Publication number: 20110222665
    Abstract: An X-ray tube is produced by forming a first housing section 20 from sheet metal; forming a second housing section 22 from sheet metal, mounting an electron source 18 in one of the housing sections; mounting an anode 16 in one of the housing sections; and joining the housing sections 20, 22 together to form a housing defining a chamber with the electron source 18 and the anode 16 therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventor: Edward James Morton
  • Publication number: 20110211676
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for locally applying material to the surface of an anode of an X-ray source as well as a corresponding anode is presented. Anode material such as a repair material for filling a recess (121) in an X-ray emitting surface (115) is applied to the X-ray emitting surface of an anode (101). The location where such material is to be applied may be detected using a laser beam (133). The applied repair material including particles (41) of anode material such as tungsten, rhenium or molybdenum, is subsequently locally sintered using a high-energy laser beam (151). The sintered material may then be melted using a high-energy electron beam (163). Using such method, a damaged surface of an anode may be locally repaired. Alternatively, structures of different anode materials or of protrusions having different levels can be provided on the X-ray emitting surface (115) in order to selectively manipulate the X-ray emitting characteristics of the anode (101).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Ralf Dorscheid, Gereon Vogtmeier, Rainer Pietig
  • Patent number: 8009806
    Abstract: An x-ray tube includes a center shaft having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface forming a portion of a cavity therein, a mount having an inner surface, the mount having an x-ray target attached thereto, and a liquid metal positioned between the outer surface of the center shaft and the inner surface of the mount. The x-ray tube further includes a flow diverter positioned in the cavity, the flow diverter having a wall with an inner surface, and a plurality of jets passing through the wall, wherein the plurality of jets are configured such that when a fluid is flowed into the flow diverter and passes along its inner surface, a portion of the fluid passes through the plurality of jets and is directed toward the inner surface of the center shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Edwin L. Legall
  • Patent number: 8000450
    Abstract: An x-ray tube electron shield is disclosed for interposition between an electron emitter and an anode configured to receive the emitted electrons. The electron shield is configured to withstand the elevated levels of heat produced by electrons backscattered from the anode and incident on the electron shield. This in turn equates to a reduced incidence of failure in the electron shield. In one embodiment the electron shield includes a body that defines a bowl-shaped aperture having a narrowed throat segment. The body of the electron shield includes a first body portion, a second body portion, and a disk portion. These portions cooperate to define the bowl and the throat segment. The throat segment and the lower portion of the bowl are composed of a refractory material and correspond with the regions of the electron shield that are impacted by relatively more backscattered electrons from the anode surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory Andrews
  • Patent number: 8000448
    Abstract: An electron beam detection device (34) is arranged on an electron beam passing path so that a beam delay time tB from a passing moment of an electron beam (1) to a moment when the beam reaches a predicted collision point (9a) is longer than a laser delay time tL from a moment when a command for generating laser light (3) is issued to the moment when the laser light reaches the predicted collision point (9a) by at least a predetermined delay time ?t. The device (34) may detect passing therethrough without affecting the electron beam and output a laser light generation command from a laser light command delay circuit (36) when the predetermined delay time ?t (=tB?tL) has elapsed after the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignees: IHI Corporation, The University of Tokyo
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nose, Daisuke Ishida, Namio Kaneko, Yasuo Sakai, Mitsuru Uesaka, Fumito Sakamoto, Katsuhiro Dobashi
  • Patent number: 7991121
    Abstract: In one example embodiment, an x-ray tube comprises an anode configured to rotate at an operating frequency, and a bearing assembly configured to rotatably support the anode and tuned to a resonant frequency that is different than the operating frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Ricky Smith
  • Patent number: 7983393
    Abstract: A betatron is provided for producing pulses of accelerated electrons, particularly in an x-ray testing device, comprising at least one main field coil, one expansion coil for transferring the accelerated electrons to a target, and one electronic control system of the expansion coil for applying an expansion pulse to the expansion coil. The electronic control system of the expansion coil is designed such that the time of the expansion pulse for adjusting the final energy of the electrons is variable relative to the main field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Smiths Heimann GmbH
    Inventors: Joerg Bermuth, Georg Geus, Gregor Hess, Urs Viehboeck
  • Patent number: 7978824
    Abstract: An x-ray tube assembly includes an x-ray tube envelope, a cathode assembly and a transmission anode assembly. The transmission anode assembly includes an x-ray generation layer and an anode substrate. The x-ray generation layer may be annular and mounted on a rotating disc-shaped anode substrate or cylindrical and mounted on a rotating and/or oscillating cylindrical anode substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Multi-Dimensional Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph W. Motz, Donald R. Ouimette
  • Patent number: 7965818
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an x-ray field emission apparatus, system and method, the apparatus having a hollow probe held at vacuum; a cathode enclosed within the probe, the cathode producing an electron stream when connected to a high negative potential; an anode enclosed within the probe and separated from the cathode by a gap, said the providing a target for the electron stream; and a shield assembly comprising a hollow shield electrode positioned within the probe and about the cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Minnesota Medical Physics LLC
    Inventors: Ali Jaafar, Victor I. Chornenky
  • Publication number: 20110129053
    Abstract: A system for determining ionization susceptibility including a sample, an x-ray generator configured to generate a pulsed x-ray beam, and focusing optics disposed between the sample and the x-ray generator, the focusing optics being configured to focus the pulsed x-ray beam into a spot on the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Mark Joseph Clemen, JR., Clarence Lavere Gordon, III, Jerry Lee Wert
  • Patent number: 7949100
    Abstract: An x-ray tube disclosed here in includes an emitter arranged to emit electrons on to a focal spot on a rotatable anode. The x-ray tube also includes a hollow tube arranged to receive electromagnetic radiation from the focal spot at one end of the hollow tube and transmit it to another end. The x-ray tube also includes two or more sensors arranged to detect the electromagnetic radiation through the hollow tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Rainer Pietig, Christoph Martiny
  • Patent number: 7949099
    Abstract: An x-ray system is disclosed that includes a bipolar x-ray tube. The bipolar x-ray tube includes two insulators that are separated by an intermediate electrode in an embodiment, wherein each insulator forms a portion of an outer wall of a vacuum envelope of the bipolar x-ray tube surrounding at least a portion of a path of an electron beam within the vacuum envelope. In further embodiments, the bipolar x-ray tube includes a first electrode at a positive high voltage potential with respect to a reference potential, a second electrode at a negative high voltage potential with respect to the reference potential, and an x-ray transmissive window that is at the positive high voltage potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Newton Scientific Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Klinkowstein, Ruth E. Shefer
  • Publication number: 20110103553
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an X-ray tube target. The X-ray tube target has a structure in which a carbon base material is bonded with an Mo base material or Mo alloy base material with a joint layer. The joint layer includes an MoNbTi diffusion phase, an NbTi alloy phase, an Nb-rich phase and a ZrNb alloy phase when the ratios of components in the joint layer are detected by EPMA.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA MATERIALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihisa NITTA, Shinichi YAMAMOTO, Hiromichi HORIE
  • Publication number: 20110085641
    Abstract: A compact apparatus can form multi-X-ray beams with good controllability. Electron beams (e) emitted from electron emission elements (15) of a multi-electron beam generating unit (12) receive the lens effect of a lens electrode (19). The resultant electron beams are accelerated to the final potential level by portions of a transmission-type target portion (13) of an anode electrode (20). The multi-X-ray beams (x) generated by the transmission-type target portion (13) pass through an X-ray shielding plate (23) and X-ray extraction portions (24) in a vacuum chamber and are extracted from the X-ray extraction windows (27) of a wall portion (25) into the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiko Okunuki, Osamu Tsujii, Takeo Tsukamoto
  • Publication number: 20110080997
    Abstract: In a radiation source and a method for the generation of X-radiation, a liquid is arranged in a liquid line, the liquid being completely surrounded by the liquid line in the direction of an evacuated chamber. A portion of the liquid line is permeable to an electron beam such that the electron beam extending through the chamber is able to enter via the liquid line so as to interact with the liquid in an interaction zone for the generation of X-radiation. The radiation source ensures a good dissipation of heat from the interaction zone and prevents liquid from entering the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Inventors: Frank Sukowski, Norman Uhlmann
  • Patent number: 7916838
    Abstract: A Betatron having a toroidal passageway disposed in a cyclical magnetic field with a main electron orbit circumnavigating the toroidal passageway. Within the toroidal passageway is a first electrode that is spaced apart from a second electrode. The combination of the first electrode and the second electrode define a central space having a first opening and a second opening. A cathode is disposed within the central space. This cathode has a first electron emitter aligned to inject electrons through the first opening and a second electron emitter aligned to inject electrons through the second opening. Electrons injected in a proper direction are accelerated in the main electron orbit. At a time of maximum electron acceleration, the electrons are deflected and impact a target that generates x-rays on impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Luke T. Perkins, Christian Stoller, Sicco Beekman
  • Publication number: 20110064202
    Abstract: To scan an object with differently shaped cone beams (112, 122), the present invention provides a CT scanner with a moveable X-ray tube (the meaning of “move the x-ray tube among a plurality of predefined positions” also covers the situation that the anode disk is moved among a plurality of corresponding positions, while the shell of the x-ray tube does not move). The X-ray tube is not only moveable along the axial direction, but also along the radial direction of the CT scanner gantry. The scanner comprises an X-ray tube, which X-ray tube further comprises: an anode disk (100), comprising a plurality of focal tracks (110, 120) each focal track being cone-shaped with an anode angle (114, 124) different from the anode angle(s) of the other focal track(s); and a first cathode (210), configured to emanate an electron beam targeting at least one of the plurality of focal tracks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Axel Thran, Peter Forthmann, Roland Proksa, Thomas Koehler
  • Patent number: 7903788
    Abstract: An electron emitter assembly for use in an x-ray emitting device or other electron emitter-containing device is disclosed. In one embodiment, an x-ray tube is disclosed, including a vacuum enclosure that houses both an anode having a target surface, and a cathode positioned with respect to the anode. The cathode includes an electron emitter having a plurality of substantially parallel emission surfaces that collectively emit a beam of electrons for impingement on the target anode. In one aspect, the plurality of substantially parallel emission surfaces are angled relative focusing region so as to provide a substantially uniform thermal load on the target anode. In another aspect, the electron emitter includes a plurality of cut-outs that accommodate thermal expansion in the plane of the emitter. Accommodating thermal expansion in the plane of the emitter prevents distortions to the emitter that would tend to alter the focusing of the electrons on the target anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Moore, James Russell Boye
  • Publication number: 20110051899
    Abstract: An X-ray target assembly includes a substrate, a target supported by the substrate adapted to generate X-rays when impinged by an electron beam, and an enclosure over the target providing a volume for the target. The enclosure is made of a material substantially transparent to electrons. The volume is substantially vacuum or filled with an inert gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Schumacher, David K. Jensen, Maynard C. Harding, Randall D. Robinson
  • Publication number: 20110051898
    Abstract: One example embodiment includes an electron emitter. The electron emitter comprises a conductive member that defines a plurality of filament segments that are integral with each other. Each filament segment includes an intermediate portion and an interconnecting portion attached to an adjacent filament segment. The intermediate portions are substantially coplanar with each other and each intermediate portion includes a substantially planar electron emission surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Paul D. Moore, Stephen G. Bandy, Clifford K. Nishimoto, David H. Humber, Gary F. Virshup
  • Patent number: 7876883
    Abstract: A conical anode X-ray source with a spot size approximately one tenth of the size of existing mammography devices. The source produces the same or higher radiance than the prior art. It also produces almost no high-energy Bremstrahlung. The electron beam is directed into a conical anode so that it strikes the reflecting surface at an angle which produces total internal reflection. The X-rays emitted via the reflection would ordinarily exit the small end of the conical anode in a diverging conical pattern—producing an undesirable “ring” configuration at the image plane. A homogenizing optic is therefore preferably added to the small end of the conical anode. The homogenizing optic is sized to reflect the X-rays emerging from the conical anode and thereby create a uniform “spot” source at the far end of the homogenizing optic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Inventor: David O'Hara
  • Patent number: 7872241
    Abstract: An electron beam production and control assembly includes a vacuum chamber, a beam source, and a target. The target has an active section and an inactive section. The active section is adapted to generate x-rays when the beam impinges on the x-ray producing section. The electron beam production and control assembly also includes a focusing unit positioned along the chamber at a location intermediate the rearward end and the forward end. The focusing unit directs the beam towards the target in a converging manner to impinge on the target. The focusing unit sweeps the beam along a scanning path over the active section of the target. The focusing unit moves the beam to a retrace path on the inactive section of the target between sweeps of the scanning path to maintain ion accumulation in the beam between sweeps over the active section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Telesecurity Sciences, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy E. Rand
  • Publication number: 20110007875
    Abstract: An electron beam detection device (34) is arranged on an electron beam passing path so that a beam delay time tB from a passing moment of an electron beam (1) to a moment when the beam reaches a predicted collision point (9a) is longer than a laser delay time tL from a moment when a command for generating laser light (3) is issued to the moment when the laser light reaches the predicted collision point (9a) by at least a predetermined delay time ?t. The device (34) may detect passing therethrough without affecting the electron beam and output a laser light generation command from a laser light command delay circuit (36) when the predetermined delay time ?t (=tB?tL) has elapsed after the detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicants: IHI CORPORATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nose, Daisuke Ishida, Namio Kaneko, Yasuo Sakai, Mitsuru Uesaka, Fumito Sakamoto, Katsuhiro Dobashi
  • Publication number: 20110007872
    Abstract: An x-ray tube target and method of repairing a damaged x-ray tube target. The x-ray tube target includes an original substrate and a portion of the original substrate that includes a new portion of a substrate and a new target track that is attached to a void in the original substrate. The method includes removal and replacement of damaged materials on used anode targets of x-ray tubes, thereby enabling recovery of used anode targets without the use of expensive and time consuming layer deposition methods. The method also avoids the high costs and long development cycles associated with known repair and refabrication methods for anode targets of x-ray tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Steinlage, Michael Scott Hebert
  • Publication number: 20100239071
    Abstract: The present invention provides an X-ray tube that improves and stabilizes a withstanding voltage performance and thus ensures the reliability of a product. The present invention is an X-ray tube comprising a cathode for emitting electrons, an anode for emitting an X-ray which an irradiation of the electrons emitted from the cathode causes, and a glass tube for confining the cathode and the anode in a vacuum, wherein an inside surface of the glass tube is covered with a glass thin film having a melting point lower than that of a glass of the glass tube and particles adhered to the glass tube by the glass thin film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryozo Takeuchi, Hiroshi Morita, Yoshitaka Seki, Yoshiaki Tsumuraya
  • Patent number: 7796737
    Abstract: An x-ray tube includes a cathode positioned within a vacuum chamber and configured to emit electrons. The x-ray tube includes an anode positioned within the vacuum chamber to receive electrons emitted from the cathode and configured to generate a beam of x-rays from the electrons, a window positioned to pass the beam of x-rays therethrough, and an electron collector structure attached to the x-ray tube having an aperture formed therethrough to allow passage of x-rays therethrough. The aperture is shaped to prevent diffracted x-rays from combining with the beam of x-rays passing through the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Robert Allen, Brian Lounsberry, James J. VanBogart
  • Patent number: 7783011
    Abstract: A transmission type X-ray tube includes an electrode lead (4) holding a cathode filament (7) and a stem unit (1) to which a sealing member (5), an exhaust tube (2), and the like are attached by brazing, and an irradiation window frame (8) having an X-ray irradiation window (9) attached by brazing. The other end side (52) of the sealing member (5) is attached to an open end (83) of the irradiation window frame (8) by welding. Thus, it is possible to obtain a high-quality transmission type X-ray tube having a long service life at a low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichi Ito, Toru Moriike, Seiji Hosoya, Yoshihiko Dan, Makoto Otsuka
  • Patent number: 7783012
    Abstract: An insulator for a vacuum tube is disclosed and includes an electrically insulative bulk material and a first antiferroelectric coating applied to a first portion of the bulk material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yang Cao, Daniel Qi Tan, Richard Michael Roffers, Carey Shawn Rogers
  • Patent number: 7778391
    Abstract: A field emission cathode has a field emitter and an extraction grid, and the field emitter and the extraction grid can be moved relative to one another. Such a field emission cathode is highly durable and exhibits a longer lifespan. An x-ray tube has a field emission cathode composed of a field emitter and an extraction grid that can be moved relative to one another. Such an x-ray tube is highly durable and exhibits a longer lifespan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jens Fuerst, Stefan Popescu, Georg Wittmann
  • Patent number: 7771117
    Abstract: A medical X-ray tube system for dental diagnosis and oral cancer therapy based on nano-material is disclosed. The medical X-ray tube system may include a body and an X-ray emission module emitting X-rays using a cathode having a chipped nano-structured material. The X-ray emission module may be separable from the body. The medical X-ray tube system may be formed as a pen that can be inserted in the oral cavity for displaying an accurate image of an inner location of the oral cavity needing a diagnosis. For treatment of oral cancer requiring an appropriate amount of radiation therapy, brachytherapy may be conducted without concern of exposure of normal tissues to radiation because radiation can be directly irradiated to a diseased part. The X-ray emission module may use a chipped nano-structured material, for example, a carbon nanotube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute
    Inventors: Jong Uk Kim, Hae Young Choi
  • Patent number: 7773726
    Abstract: In an X-ray source 1 and an X-ray tube 4, there is formed a shield portion 42 adapted to shield the portion W where a target support body 18 and an opening portion 34 on the other end side of a valve 20 are fixed to each other when viewed from the one end side of the valve 20. Therefore, the generation of discharge between the one end side of the valve 20 and the fixation portion W can be suppressed. Also, the other end portion of the valve 20 is formed as a narrowed portion 37 and the opening portion 34 on the other end side of the valve 20 is fixed to the target support body 18, whereby the shapes of the valve 20 and the shield portion 42 can be made simpler than in conventional X-ray tubes in which an inner cylindrical portion is formed in a valve. Such a simple structure can improve the stability of an electric field in the valve 20 when generating X-rays and thereby achieve an effective suppression of the generation of discharge in the valve 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventor: Tutomu Inazuru
  • Publication number: 20100150312
    Abstract: A betatron magnet having at least one electron injector positioned approximate an inside of a radius of a betatron orbit, the betatron magnet further includes a first guide magnet having a first pole face and a second guide magnet having a second pole face. Both the first and the second guide magnet have a centrally disposed aperture and the first pole face is separated from the second pole face by a guide magnet gap. A core is disposed within the centrally disposed apertures in an abutting relationship with both guide magnets. The core has at least one core gap. A drive coil is wound around both guide magnet pole faces. An orbit control coil has a core portion wound around the core gap and a field portion wound around the guide magnet pole faces. The core portion and the field portion are connected but in opposite polarity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Felix K. Chen
  • Patent number: 7720199
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an X-ray tube, having a structure for effectively suppressing discharge at a tip of an anode, irradiated with electrons in order to generate X-rays, and an X-ray source including the X-ray tube. In the X-ray tube, electrons emitted from an electron gun are made to collide with an X-ray target, and X-rays generated at the X-ray target due to the collision are taken out to an exterior. The X-ray tube includes: a head, defining an internal space that houses a tip of an anode; an irradiation window, transmitting the generated X-rays to the exterior; an exhaust port, disposed at an inner wall surface of a casing and being for vacuum drawing of the internal space; and a shielding structure, hiding the exhaust port from the tip of the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventor: Tutomu Inazuru
  • Publication number: 20100111260
    Abstract: An x-ray tube assembly includes an x-ray tube envelope, a cathode assembly and a transmission anode assembly. The transmission anode assembly includes an x-ray generation layer and an anode substrate. The x-ray generation layer may be annular and mounted on a rotating disc-shaped anode substrate or cylindrical and mounted on a rotating and/or oscillating cylindrical anode substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Joseph W. Motz, Donald R. Ouimette
  • Patent number: 7706506
    Abstract: A system for irradiating material used in transfusions. The material can be pre-transfused blood, blood components and marrow. The system includes a vacuum chamber with a plate cathode inside. The cathode has a large beam electrode field-electron emissive surface with a selected cross-sectional shaped area. A power supply is connected to the cathode for generating negative high-voltage pulses and causing a selected cross-sectional shaped beam of electrons to be emitted. An electron window is also disposed inside the vacuum chamber and made of thin metal foil. The electron window receives the selected cross-sectional shaped beam of electrons therethrough and onto an electron target disposed outside the vacuum chamber. The electron target receives the selected cross-sectional shaped beam of electrons thereon and generates a selected cross-sectional shaped X-ray beam. A cathode filter is disposed next to the electron target and eliminates low energy beams from the spectrum of the X-ray beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Applied X-Rad Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Ralph R. Woodruff, Stoyan A. Toshkov, Todor I. Donchev
  • Patent number: 7702077
    Abstract: A modular insulator assembly for an x-ray tube includes an annular insulator having a cylindrical perimeter wall, the insulator constructed of an electrically insulative material. A wall member is fixedly attached to and extending beyond the cylindrical perimeter wall, and a first shield positioned adjacent to the wall member and having an end extending proximate a corner formed by the wall member and the insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yang Cao, Louis Paul Inzinna, Richard Michael Roffers, Daniel Qi Tan, Mark E. Vermilyea, Yun Zou
  • Publication number: 20100094266
    Abstract: A resonant laser powered micro accelerator platform capable of producing relativistic or near relativistic electrons and, optionally, x-rays. The apparatus has a pair of parallel slab-symmetric dielectric slabs that are separated by a narrow vacuum gap that is preferably tapered. The slabs have a top surface with reflective layers with many periodic slots creating longitudinal periodicity in the structure fields when laser light is directed on the reflectors in one embodiment. Electrons introduced into the gap are accelerated along the length of the slabs. The reflective surface of the slabs is preferably a laminate of alternating layers of high index and low index of refraction materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Gil Travish, Rodney B. Yoder, James Rosenzweig
  • Publication number: 20100080356
    Abstract: A charged particle beam decelerating device includes a high-frequency cavity 34 provided on an orbit of a charged particle beam 1, and a phase synchronizing device 40 for synchronizing the charged particle beam 1 in the high-frequency cavity with a phase of a high-frequency electric field 4. By moving the high-frequency cavity 34 or changing an orbit length of the charged particle beam 1, the charged particle beam in the high-frequency cavity is synchronized with a phase of the high-frequency electric field 4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicants: IHI CORPORATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Daisuke Ishida, Hiroyuki Nose, Namio Kaneko, Yasuo Sakai, Masashi Yamamoto, Mitsuru Uesaka, Katsuhiro Dobashi, Fumito Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20100067655
    Abstract: A radiation image photographing apparatus capable of easily obtaining a high quality long length image representing the entirety of a subject by combining a plurality of images, without a noticeable step density difference at a joint, obtained by serially radiographing a plurality of adjacent areas of the subject using the same radiation source and the same radiation image detector, in which a photographing condition for performing each radiographing is obtained by a photographing condition obtaining unit, a photographable width in a long length direction in each radiographing is obtained by a photographable range obtaining unit from the photographing condition, and the plurality of areas of the subject is allocated by an allocation unit such that a photographing width in the long length direction in each radiographing does not exceed the photographable width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Yamaguchi, Tatsuya Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20100067661
    Abstract: An insulator for a vacuum tube is disclosed and includes an electrically insulative bulk material and a first antiferroelectric coating applied to a first portion of the bulk material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Yang Cao, Daniel Qi Tan, Richard Michael Roffers, Carey Shawn Rogers
  • Patent number: 7668297
    Abstract: In an X-ray tube 1A that makes electrons emitted from an electron gun 17 into a target 9 of an anode 8 arranged in a tubular vacuum enclosure body 6, and extracts the X-rays through an X-ray exit window 18, the anode 8 is arranged on a tube axis C1 of the vacuum enclosure body 6, and in a sealing portion 5g provided at an end portion of the vacuum enclosure body 6, provided is the X-ray exit window 18 eccentric with respect to the tube axis C1 of the vacuum enclosure body 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Tutomu Inazuru, Tomoyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 7664230
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an X-ray tube that has an electron source in the form of a cathode and an anode within a housing. The anode is a thin film anode, so that most of the electrons which do not interact with it to produce X-rays pass directly through it. A retardation electrode is located behind the anode and is held at a potential which is negative with respect to the anode and slightly positive with respect to the cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward James Morton, Russell David Luggar, Paul De Antonis
  • Patent number: 7664229
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an X-ray tube, having a structure enabling capturing of a clear magnified transmission image and enabling increase of a magnification factor of the magnified transmission image, and an X-ray source including the X-ray tube. In the X-ray tube, X-rays are generated by making electrons from an electron gun incident onto an X-ray target of an anode, disposed inside an anode housing unit, and the generated X-rays are taken out from an X-ray emission window. In particular, the anode housing unit has a pair of conductive flat portions disposed parallel to a reference plane, orthogonal to an electron incidence surface of the X-ray target, and so as to sandwich the X-ray target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Okada, Tutomu Inazuru
  • Publication number: 20100020936
    Abstract: An x-ray tube has a vacuum housing supported so that it can rotate around a rotation axis, an anode that is arranged within the vacuum housing and that is connected in a rotationally fixed manner with the vacuum housing. The anode has an anode surface fashioned substantially in the shape of a ring. The center axis of which anode surface corresponds to the rotation axis. A cathode is mounted within the vacuum housing such that it can be rotated around the rotation axis. The cathode has a cathode surface fashioned substantially in the shape of a ring. The center axis of which cathode surface corresponds to the rotational axis. The cathode surface is arranged opposite the anode surface. A first actuator rotates the vacuum housing around the rotation axis with a first rotation speed ?1. A second actuator rotates the cathode around the rotation axis with a second rotation speed ?2, wherein ?2<?1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: SVEN FRITZLER, STEFAN POPESCU, GEORG WITTMANN
  • Publication number: 20100020934
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward an X-ray scanner that has an electron source and an anode. The anode has a target surface with a series of material areas spaced along it in a scanning direction. The material areas are formed from different materials. The electron source is arranged to direct electrons at a series of target areas of the target surface, in a predetermined order, so as to generate X-ray beams having different energy spectra.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventor: Edward James Morton
  • Publication number: 20100008469
    Abstract: The system uses an X-ray imaging system having an elongated lifetime. Further, the system uses an X-ray beam that lies in substantially the same path as a charged particle beam path of a particle beam cancer therapy system. The system creates an electron beam that strikes an X-ray generation source located proximate to the charged particle beam path. By generating the X-rays near the charged particle beam path, an X-ray path running collinear, in parallel with, and/or substantially in contact with the charged particle beam path is created. The system then collects X-ray images of localized body tissue region about a cancerous tumor. Since, the X-ray path is essentially the charged particle beam path, the generated image is usable for precisely target the tumor with a charged particle beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventor: Vladimir Balakin
  • Publication number: 20090316860
    Abstract: A compact apparatus can form multi X-ray beams with good controllability. Electron beams (e) emitted from electron emission elements (15) of a multi electron beam generating unit (12) receive the lens effect of a lens electrode (19). The resultant electron beams are accelerated to the final potential level by portions of a transmission-type target portion (13) of an anode electrode (20). The multi X-ray beams (x) generated by the transmission-type target portion (13) pass through an X-ray shielding plate (23) and X-ray extraction portions (24) in a vacuum chamber and are extracted from the X-ray extraction windows (27) of a wall portion (25) into the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: CANNON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiko Okunuki, Osamu Tsujii, Takeo Tsukamoto
  • Publication number: 20090310742
    Abstract: The present invention relates to applying an existing carbon nanotube X-ray tube for a dental X-ray imaging system that can replace a carbon nanotube electron emission source installed in a cathode portion. An X-ray tube system formed in a pen according to the present invention can be inserted in the oral cavity due to its thin thickness, thereby displaying an accurate image of an inner location of the oral cavity needing a diagnosis. For therapy of oral cancer requiring an appropriate amount of radiation therapy, since radiation can be directly irradiated to a diseased part, brachytherapy is enabled without concern of exposure dose of normal tissues. Therefore, when the system is commercialized, a great amount of distribution effect may be expected. The X-ray tube system that can be used for medical services such as a dental service includes an X-ray emission module emitting X-rays using a chipped nano-structured material, for example, carbon nanotube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute
    Inventors: Jong Uk Kim, Hae Young Choi
  • Publication number: 20090290684
    Abstract: A betatron is provided for producing pulses of accelerated electrons, particularly in an x-ray testing device, comprising at least one main field coil, one expansion coil for transferring the accelerated electrons to a target, and one electronic control system of the expansion coil for applying an expansion pulse to the expansion coil. The electronic control system of the expansion coil is designed such that the time of the expansion pulse for adjusting the final energy of the electrons is variable relative to the main field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Inventors: Joerg BERMUTH, Georg Geus, Gregor Hess, Urs Viehboeck
  • Patent number: RE41741
    Abstract: A therapeutic radiation source includes a spiral-shaped, laser-heated thermionic cathode. A fiber optic cable directs a beam of radiation, having a power level sufficient to heat at least a portion of the electron-emissive surface to an electron emitting temperature, from a laser source onto the cathode. The cathode generates an electron beam along a beam path by thermionic emission, and strikes a target positioned in its beam path. The target includes radiation emissive material that emits therapeutic radiation in response to incident accelerated electrons from the electron beam. The spiral-shaped conductive element has a plurality of spaced apart turns, and is disposed in a vacuum. An interstitial spacing is defined between adjacent turns, so that heat transfer across the spacing between each adjacent turn is essentially eliminated, thereby substantially reducing heat loss in the cathode caused by thermal conduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss AG
    Inventor: Mark Dinsmore