Abstract: An apparatus and method for actively managing the current provided to an X-ray filament is provided. A feedback measurement of the actual filament current supplied to an X-ray filament is provided into a current manager and feedback system. An error amplifier compares the feedback measurement to a filament reference command indicating the appropriate current amount to be supplied to the X-ray filament, and the output of the error amplifier runs a pulse width modulator to provide a signal to an inverter to supply a voltage to the X-ray filament transformer. When a comparator senses sufficient high voltage is supplied to the X-ray tube, a second error amplifier is allowed to add to the filament current command an amount sufficient to make the X-ray tube's emission current match the commanded emission current. Additional circuitry and electronic switches are provided to allow the apparatus to operate in a dual-filament system.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided including a cascaded transformer set and a voltage divider. The cascaded transformer set includes a plurality of transformers, each having a primary and a secondary winding. The secondary winding of one transformer feeds the primary winding of an adjacent transformer. The voltage divider includes a plurality of capacitors and a plurality of resistors configured to divide a voltage applied to the cascaded transformer set among the plurality of transformers. The capacitors of the voltage divider may include a series of disks that are also used in the support structure of the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided including a cascaded transformer set and a voltage divider. The cascaded transformer set includes a plurality of transformers, each having a primary and a secondary winding. The secondary winding of one transformer feeds the primary winding of an adjacent transformer. The voltage divider includes a plurality of capacitors and a plurality of resistors configured to divide a voltage applied to the cascaded transformer set among the plurality of transformers. The capacitors of the voltage divider may include a series of disks that are also used in the support structure of the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for actively managing the current provided to an X-ray filament is provided. A feedback measurement of the actual filament current supplied to an X-ray filament is provided into a current manager and feedback system. An error amplifier compares the feedback measurement to a filament reference command indicating the appropriate current amount to be supplied to the X-ray filament, and the output of the error amplifier runs a pulse width modulator to provide a signal to an inverter to supply a voltage to the X-ray filament transformer. When a comparator senses sufficient high voltage is supplied to the X-ray tube, a second error amplifier is allowed to add to the filament current command an amount sufficient to make the X-ray tube's emission current match the commanded emission current. Additional circuitry and electronic switches are provided to allow the apparatus to operate in a dual-filament system.