Patents by Inventor Dave Kirkham
Dave Kirkham has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 12621946Abstract: Some embodiments include an apparatus, comprising: a partition; a feedthrough penetrating the partition and hermetically sealed to the partition, the feedthrough having a major axis; a first wall extending from the partition in a first direction along the major axis; and a second wall extending from the partition in a second direction opposite to the first direction along the major axis, the second wall forming a connector interface with the feedthrough; wherein a ratio of a length of the first wall to a thickness of the first wall is greater than or equal to 3:1.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2022Date of Patent: May 5, 2026Assignee: VAREX IMAGING CORPORATIONInventors: Vance Scott Robinson, Jake Riggle, Dave Kirkham, Travis Harding
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Patent number: 12592354Abstract: Some embodiments include an apparatus, comprising: a vacuum enclosure including an opening; a support structure disposed in the vacuum enclosure, the support structure comprising: a first portion attached to the vacuum enclosure at the opening; and a second portion extending within the vacuum enclosure; and a plurality of getters disposed on the second portion of the support structure.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2023Date of Patent: March 31, 2026Assignee: Varex Imaging CorporationInventors: Dave Kirkham, Amber McMullin, Vance Scott Robinson, Jake Riggle
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Publication number: 20250391626Abstract: Embodiments include an x-ray source, comprising: a vacuum enclosure; one or more field emitters disposed along a line within the vacuum enclosure, each field emitter configured to generate an electron beam; an anode disposed within the vacuum enclosure and including a target configured to generate x-rays in response to the electron beams; and a getter extending along the line within the vacuum enclosure.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2024Publication date: December 25, 2025Applicant: Varex Imaging CorporationInventors: Thomas Anton Morris, Dave Kirkham, Travis Harding
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Patent number: 12465296Abstract: Some embodiments include an x-ray system, comprising: a vacuum enclosure; a plurality of electron sources disposed within the vacuum enclosure; an anode including at least one target with a plurality of focal spots disposed in a planar array within the vacuum enclosure, each focal spot configured to generate an x-ray beam in response to an electron beam from a corresponding one of the electron sources; a plurality of first collimators disposed within the vacuum enclosure, each first collimator associated with a corresponding one of the focal spots and configured to collimate the x-ray beam of the corresponding focal spot; and a second collimator integrated with a housing of the vacuum enclosure or external to the vacuum enclosure, the second collimator configured to collimate each of the x-ray beams.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2023Date of Patent: November 11, 2025Assignee: VAREX IMAGING CORPORATIONInventor: Dave Kirkham
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Publication number: 20250201506Abstract: Some embodiments include an apparatus, comprising: a support substrate; a field emitter device disposed on the support substrate, including a gate and a contact electrically connected to the gate; a conductive plate, including: a protrusion electrically connected to the contact of the field emitter device; and a clamp coupled to the support substrate and the conductive plate such that the conductive plate electrically connects to the contact of the field emitter device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2023Publication date: June 19, 2025Applicant: Varex Imaging CorporationInventor: Dave Kirkham
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Patent number: 12230468Abstract: An x-ray tube, comprising: a field emitter including an emission surface; an anode; and a focus electrode disposed between the field emitter and the anode; wherein: the focus electrode includes: a first surface that is substantially perpendicular to the field emitter emission surface and nearest to the field emitter; a second surface that is axially nearest to the anode, wherein the field emitter and the anode form an axis; and a third surface that extends between the first surface and the second surface; and a first location on the focus electrode between the first surface and the third surface is further from the anode than a second location on the focus electrode between the third surface and the second surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2022Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: Varex Imaging CorporationInventors: Dave Kirkham, Colton B. Woodman
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Publication number: 20240290569Abstract: Some embodiments include an apparatus, comprising: a vacuum enclosure including an opening; a support structure disposed in the vacuum enclosure, the support structure comprising: a first portion attached to the vacuum enclosure at the opening; and a second portion extending within the vacuum enclosure; and a plurality of getters disposed on the second portion of the support structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2023Publication date: August 29, 2024Applicant: Varex Imaging CorporationInventors: Dave Kirkham, Amber McMullin, Vance Scott Robinson, Jake Riggle
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Publication number: 20240224455Abstract: Some embodiments include an apparatus, comprising: a partition; a feedthrough penetrating the partition and hermetically sealed to the partition, the feedthrough having a major axis; a first wall extending from the partition in a first direction along the major axis; and a second wall extending from the partition in a second direction opposite to the first direction along the major axis, the second wall forming a connector interface with the feedthrough; wherein a ratio of a length of the first wall to a thickness of the first wall is greater than or equal to 3:1.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2022Publication date: July 4, 2024Applicant: Varex Imaging CorporationInventors: Vance Scott Robinson, Jake Riggle, Dave Kirkham, Travis Harding
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Publication number: 20240065643Abstract: Some embodiments include an x-ray system, comprising: a vacuum enclosure; a plurality of electron sources disposed within the vacuum enclosure; an anode including at least one target with a plurality of focal spots disposed in a planar array within the vacuum enclosure, each focal spot configured to generate an x-ray beam in response to an electron beam from a corresponding one of the electron sources; a plurality of first collimators disposed within the vacuum enclosure, each first collimator associated with a corresponding one of the focal spots and configured to collimate the x-ray beam of the corresponding focal spot; and a second collimator integrated with a housing of the vacuum enclosure or external to the vacuum enclosure, the second collimator configured to collimate each of the x-ray beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2023Publication date: February 29, 2024Applicant: Varex Imaging CorporationInventor: Dave Kirkham
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Publication number: 20240071707Abstract: Some embodiments include an x-ray device comprising: an access port configured to receive a cathode within an interior volume of an enclosure of the x-ray device; a first vacuum seal configured to seal a cover over the access port; and a second seal configured to seal the cover over the access port, the second seal maintained between the first vacuum seal and the interior volume of the enclosure during removal of the first vacuum seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2022Publication date: February 29, 2024Applicant: Varex Imaging CorporationInventors: Dave Kirkham, Vance Scott Robinson, Colton B. Woodman, Jake Riggle
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Publication number: 20240006144Abstract: An x-ray tube, comprising: a field emitter including an emission surface; an anode; and a focus electrode disposed between the field emitter and the anode; wherein: the focus electrode includes: a first surface that is substantially perpendicular to the field emitter emission surface and nearest to the field emitter; a second surface that is axially nearest to the anode, wherein the field emitter and the anode form an axis; and a third surface that extends between the first surface and the second surface; and a first location on the focus electrode between the first surface and the third surface is further from the anode than a second location on the focus electrode between the third surface and the second surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2022Publication date: January 4, 2024Applicant: Varex Imaging CorporationInventors: Dave Kirkham, Colton B. Woodman
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Publication number: 20230352261Abstract: Embodiments include a system, comprising: a vacuum enclosure; an anode support structure penetrating the vacuum enclosure and including a plurality of first cooling passages; and an anode disposed within the vacuum enclosure, coupled to and supported by the anode support structure, and including: a target; and a plurality of second cooling passages; wherein: each of the second cooling passages is coupled to a corresponding first cooling passage; the anode is coupled to the anode support structure on a side of the anode different from a side of the anode including the target and different from axial ends of the anode on a major axis of the anode; and the anode is a linear anode.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2023Publication date: November 2, 2023Applicant: Varex Imaging CorporationInventors: Dave Kirkham, Vance Scott Robinson
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Patent number: 11749489Abstract: A system, comprising: a vacuum enclosure; an anode support structure penetrating the vacuum enclosure and including a plurality of first cooling passages; and an anode disposed within the vacuum enclosure, coupled to and supported by the anode support structure, and including: a target; and a plurality of second cooling passages; wherein: each of the second cooling passages is coupled to a corresponding first cooling passage; and the anode is coupled to the anode support structure on a side of the anode different from a side of the anode including the target and different from axial ends of the anode on a major axis of the anode.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2021Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Varex Imaging CorporationInventors: Dave Kirkham, Vance Scott Robinson
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Publication number: 20220208503Abstract: A system, comprising: a vacuum enclosure; an anode support structure penetrating the vacuum enclosure and including a plurality of first cooling passages; and an anode disposed within the vacuum enclosure, coupled to and supported by the anode support structure, and including: a target; and a plurality of second cooling passages; wherein: each of the second cooling passages is coupled to a corresponding first cooling passage; and the anode is coupled to the anode support structure on a side of the anode different from a side of the anode including the target and different from axial ends of the anode on a major axis of the anodeType: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2021Publication date: June 30, 2022Applicant: VEC Imaging GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Dave Kirkham, Vance Scott Robinson