Continuous contact x-ray source

• US 10,361,056 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2018
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tribo Labs
• Original Assignee: Tribo Labs
• Inventors: Camara, Carlos G., Valentine, Mark G., Gamlieli, Zachary J., Lucas, Benjamin A., Kamkar, David M., Cortes, Jr., Pedro, Narayan M., Vasish, Jimenez, Gilberto, Cuadra, Daniel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fox, Dani
• Application Number:
  US15/996,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20190131102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 35/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 35/065 Field emission, photo emission or secondary emission cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 35/112 Non-rotating anodes H01J35/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 35/186 used as targets or X-ray converters
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 35/20 Selection of substances for gas fillings; Means for obtaining or maintaining the desired pressure within the tube, e.g. by gettering
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 2/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays, not involving X-ray tubes, e.g. involving generation of a plasma X-ray lasers H01S4/00

Abstract

An x-ray device utilizes a band of material to exchange charge through tribocharging within a chamber maintained at low fluid pressure. The charge is utilized to generate x-rays within the housing, which may pass through a window of the housing. Various contact rods may be used as part of the tribocharging process.

Claims

1. An x-ray device comprising:

a housing configured for maintenance of a low fluid pressure environment in a chamber of the housing, the housing having a window, the housing being substantially opaque to x-rays other than the window, which is substantially transparent to x-rays;

a driving roller;

a motor for driving the driving roller;

a contact material at least partially within the chamber;

a band looped around the driving roller and in contact with the contact material, the band and the contact material being comprised of materials such that varying contact between the band and the contact material generates relative charge imbalance; and

a target shelf within the chamber proximate the contact material, the target shelf having a surface for an electron target.