Rotating anode x-ray tube with multiple simultaneously emitting focal spots
First Claim
1. An x-ray tube assembly comprising:
- a body defining a vacuum envelope;
a plurality of anode disks disposed within the vacuum envelope, each anode disk defining at least one annular target face; and
a plurality of cathode assemblies mounted within the vacuum envelope for generating an electron beam directed toward an associated target face.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An x-ray tube (10) includes a body (16) defining a vacuum envelope. A plurality of anode elements (18) each defining a target face are rotatably disposed within the vacuum envelope. Mounted within the vacuum envelope, a plurality of cathode assemblies (22) are each capable of generating an electron stream (36) toward an associated target face. A filament current supply (32) applies a current to each of the cathode assemblies, and is selectively controlled by a cathode controller (34) which powers sets of the cathodes based on thermal loading conditions and a desired imaging profile. A collimator (C) is adjacent to the body and defines a series of alternating openings (42) and septa (44) for forming a corresponding series of parallel, fan-shaped x-ray beams or slices (46).
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An x-ray tube assembly comprising:
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a body defining a vacuum envelope; a plurality of anode disks disposed within the vacuum envelope, each anode disk defining at least one annular target face; and a plurality of cathode assemblies mounted within the vacuum envelope for generating an electron beam directed toward an associated target face. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9)
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5. An x-ray tube assembly comprising:
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a body defining a vacuum envelope; a plurality of anode elements disposed within the vacuum envelope, each anode element defining at least one target face, the plurality of anode elements being evenly displaced along an axis; a rotating drive operatively connected to the plurality of anode elements for rotating the anode elements about the axis; a plurality of cathode assemblies mounted within the vacuum envelope which generate electron beams directed toward associated target faces.
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7. An x-ray tube assembly comprising:
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a body defining a vacuum envelope; a plurality of anode elements disposed within the vacuum envelope, each anode element defining at least one target face; and a plurality of cathode assemblies mounted within the vacuum envelope for generating an electron beam directed toward an associated target face; a cathode current supply; and a control circuit selectively electrically connecting the cathode current supply to the cathode assemblies, the control circuit including; a timer which times a length of time the cathode assemblies have been powered; a thermal loading memory which stores a time/temperature curve for the anodes; and a comparator which applies the length of time to the time/temperature curve to provide a determined thermal loading condition, the comparator comparing the determined thermal loading condition with a desired imaging profile and controlling a switch electrically connected between the cathode assemblies and the cathode current supply.
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10. An x-ray tube assembly comprising:
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an air evacuated body which defines an x-ray exit window; a multiplicity of cathode/anode pairs disposed within the body for generating x-ray beams, the cathodes each generating an electron beam which travels along a preselected trajectory, the anodes being displaced from each other along an axis, each anode having at least one target face on which a focal spot is generated by the electron beam, the anodes being rotatably mounted about the axis within the body such that a circular annulus on the target face intersect the trajectory at a preselected distance from each cathode; and a selection circuit for selectively powering at least one of the cathodes in response to a desired diagnostic imaging procedure. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. An x-ray tube assembly comprising:
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a vacuum envelope which defines an x-ray exit window elongated parallel to a primary axis; an anode assembly which defines a plurality of annular target faces disposed generally transverse to the primary axis; a plurality of electron sources for focusing electron beams on at least selected ones of the annular target faces to generate a plurality of x-ray beams; a drive for rotating the anode assembly; and a collimator mounted adjacent the x-ray window for collimating the x-ray beams into a plurality of parallel slices. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of generating a plurality of x-ray beams comprising:
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(a) rotating a plurality of anode elements spaced along a common axis about the axis; (b) concurrently generating a plurality of electron beams; and (c) focusing the electron beams on at least selected anode elements to generate x-rays. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification