Abstract: An x-ray tube assembly (1) includes a cathode housing (30) which has a neck connected to a frame (14) of the x-ray tube assembly. An anode (10) is positioned within an evacuated chamber defined by the frame. To reduce overheating of the neck by backscattered electrons, a cooling collar (70, 70?, 70?) is positioned around the neck of the cathode housing. Cooling fluid enters the collar through a fluid inlet tube (72, 72?, 72?). A cover member (110, 110?, 110?) of the collar includes a wall (118, 118?, 118?) which defines an aperture (126, 126?, 126?) sized for receiving the neck of the cathode housing. Cooling fluid flows around an interior annular flow path (152, 152?) defined within the cover member and leaves the cover member through the aperture or associated notches. In this way, stagnation of the flow is minimized.

Abstract: An x-ray tube assembly (1) includes a cathode housing (30) which has a neck connected to a frame (14) of the x-ray tube assembly. An anode (10) is positioned within an evacuated chamber defined by the frame. To reduce overheating of the neck by backscattered electrons, a cooling collar (70, 70?, 70?) is positioned around the neck of the cathode housing. Cooling fluid enters the collar through a fluid inlet tube (72, 72?, 72?). A cover member (110, 110?, 110?) of the collar includes a wall (118, 118?, 118?) which defines an aperture (126, 126?, 126?) sized for receiving the neck of the cathode housing. Cooling fluid flows around an interior annular flow path (152, 152?) defined within the cover member and leaves the cover member through the aperture or associated notches. In this way, stagnation of the flow is minimized.

Abstract: An x-ray tube (24) includes an anode (42) defining a target. A cathode assembly (40) is in operative relationship with the anode to produce x-rays (56). An evacuated envelope (35) encloses the anode and cathode. The evacuated envelope includes a metal frame portion (39). The material comprising the metal frame portion has a backscatter coefficient. An x-ray transmissive window (41) is joined in a vacuum tight manner to the metal frame portion of the evacuated envelope. The material comprising the x-ray transmissive window has a backscatter coefficient. A backscatter layer (90) is deposited on the x-ray transmissive window and the metal frame portion of the evacuated envelope around the x-ray transmissive window. The backscatter layer has a backscatter coefficient greater than the backscatter coefficient of both of the window and the metal frame.

Abstract: A cathode assembly (18, 216) for an x-ray tube (1) includes a base (60, 220) to which a filament (66) is mounted. A pair of deflectors (82, 84) are carried by the base for deflecting a beam (A) of electrons generated by the filament. Metal tubes (130, 132) are mounted in bores (106) of insulator blocks (104, 105). Metalized ends (150) of the insulator blocks are brazed into bores (122, 222, 224) in the base. A rod (130, 132) attached to the deflector is slid into the tube and the deflector's position and alignment are gauged and accurately set. The rod and tube are crimped to set the deflector position then welded.

Abstract: An apparatus (20) for setting a filament (22) on an electrode (24) comprises a body (52) having a central member (54) with a longitudinal axis (A—A), a first end member (56) and a second end member (58). The first and second end members (56, 58) are located at opposite ends of the central member (54) and each extends away from the longitudinal axis (A—A) thereby forming a recess (59). Each end member (56, 58) includes a surface generally facing the recess (61, 63) and an outer surface (74, 76). A bore (68) in the body is adapted to receive a retaining member (not shown) for mounting the body (52) to the electrode (24). A cavity (70) extends through the first end member (56) from its outer surface (74) to its recess facing surface (61). A cavity (80) in the second end member (58) opens toward the recess (59). The cavities (70, 80) in the first end member (56) and second end member (58) are located opposite one another across the recess (59).

Abstract: An x-ray tube assembly (16) includes a housing (40) and an insert frame (54) supported within the housing (40), such that the insert frame (54) defines a substantially evacuated envelope in which a cathode assembly (60) and a rotating anode assembly (58) operate to produce x-rays. The rotating anode assembly (58) includes an anode target plate (64) coupled to a rotor (66) and bearing shaft (82), which is rotatably supported within a bearing housing (84), by a plurality of ball bearings (86). A heat barrier (90) substantially surrounds the bearing housing (84) and is coupled, along with the bearing housing (84) to an anode cold plate (100). The anode cold plate (100) includes a grooved cover (102), a basin (110), and a plurality of corrugated fins (120) disposed therein. Coupling both the bearing housing (84) and the heat barrier (90) to the anode cold plate (100) provides an effective means for cooling the bearing assembly (80).

Abstract: A cathode assembly (18) for an x-ray tube (1) includes a base (60) to which a filament (70) is mounted. A pair of deflectors (82, 84) are carried by the base for deflecting a beam (A) of electrons generated by the filament. Metal tubes (130, 132) are mounted in bores (106) of insulator blocks (104, 105). Metalized ends (150) of the insulator blocks are brazed into bores (122) in the base. A rod (130, 132) attached to the deflector is slid into the tube and the deflector's position and alignment are gauged and accurately set. The rod and tube are crimped to set the deflector position then welded.

Abstract: An apparatus (20) for setting a filament (22) on an electrode (24) comprises a body (52) having a central member (54) with a longitudinal axis (A-A), a first end member (56) and a second end member (58). The first and second end members (56, 58) are located at opposite ends of the central member (54) and each extends away from the longitudinal axis (A-A) thereby forming a recess (59). Each end member (56, 58) includes a surface generally facing the recess (61, 63) and an outer surface (74, 76). A bore (68) in the body is adapted to receive a retaining member (not shown) for mounting the body (52) to the electrode (24). A cavity (70) extends through the first end member (56) from its outer surface (74) to its recess facing surface (61). A cavity (80) in the second end member (58) opens toward the recess (59). The cavities (70, 80) in the first end member (56) and second end member (58) are located opposite one another across the recess (59).

Abstract: An evacuated tube (24) includes an envelope (50) and an electrode (78) in the tube envelope (50). The electrode (78) is electrically connected to conductors (74a, 74b) that extend through the tube envelope (50). A getter (72) is included in the tube envelope (50) and is electrically connected to the conductors (74a, 74b) extending through the tube envelope (50). Diodes (82a, 82b) are connected to the electrode (78) and the getter (72) for selectively providing electrical energy through the conductors (74a, 74b) extending through the tube envelope (50) to one of the electrode (78) and the getter (72).

Abstract: An x-ray tube (14) has an evacuated envelope (30) in which an anode (32), a cathode (34), and a getter shield (60) are disposed. The shield includes a sleeve (62) and a cap (64). The cap defines an annular groove (70). A getter material (72) is deposited in the groove and sintered to define a porous volume. The getter material is activated during normal exhaustion of the x-ray tube during manufacture. During operation of the tube to generate x-rays, the waste heat is absorbed by the cap passively raising the getter material to its pumping temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for use in the manufacture of a tension-mask color cathode ray tube provides for mechanically severing a waste portion from the useful portion of an in-process foil mask secured to mask-support means extending from a faceplate. The apparatus comprises means for support mask-servering means adjacent ot the mask outside the mask support means, and means for translating the mask-severing means into engagement with the mask to sever the mask from the mask support means adjacent all points along the mask-support means.

Abstract: A magnetic collector disposed about the nozzle of a laser used for welding and severing a steel foil tension mask (FTM) in a color cathode ray tube (CRT) removes debris produced during laser welding and cutting. A plurality of magnets are mounted to a soft iron ring disposed about the laser beam exit aperture and are positioned in close proximity to the FTM and its support rail during laser welding and cutting. The magnets may be arranged with like poles disposed about the laser beam exit aperture or with the magnetic poles arranged in an alternating manner, which latter arrangement provides somewhat broader magnetic field coverage, for collecting and preventing small metallic particles produced during welding and cutting from becoming attached to and obstructing the apertures in the FTM.

Abstract: Continuous, or seam, welding of a foil tension mask (FTM) to a support structure in a color cathode ray tube (CRT) affords various advantages such as a more uniform, stronger weldment, reduced weld power, faster welding speeds, and reduced contamination of the FTM and the CRT's glass faceplate. A continuous CO.sub.2 laser beam operated at approximately 185 watts output power provides sufficient energy to form a high strength FTM-support structure bond while avoiding severing the FTM as well as fouling of the small FTM spertures by the heated, molten portions of the FTM and its support structure.

Abstract: Shielding means are disclosed for use in the manufacture of a tension mask color cathode ray tube having a glass faceplate and a substantially rectangular mask support structure having outwardly tapered sides for deflecting a mask-trimming laser beam away from the glass. The shielding means according to the invention are detachably supported by the support structure, or by the faceplate, for bridging only the corner areas of the support structure where the glass is exposed. The shielding means have a configuration effective to intercept the laser beam and shield the glass from the destructive effects of the laser beam. A process for use of the shielding means in manufacture is also disclosed.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a method and associated apparatus, in the manufacture of flat tension mask cathode ray tubes, for detecting the edges of a mask receiving surface in a plane, identifying its coordinates and subsequently delineating the path of an attachment device for permanently affixing a tensed foil shadow mask to the mask receiving surface of a mask support structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for testing a line screen CRT for misregistration between its electron beam and the beam's phosphor stripe targets. The test method includes sensing light output at a plurality of test areas on the CRT screen as the electron beam is stepped across its phosphor targets. The maximum and minimum light outputs of each test area, and the beam locations at which the maximum and minimum light outputs were obtained, are used to compute the degree of misregistration for each test area.