X-ray tube with liquid-metal fluid bearing

• US 7,050,541 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2004
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Bittl, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Church, Craig E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yun, Jurie
• Application Number:
  US10/828,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20040213379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 378/125, 378/127, 378/129, 378/130, 378/132, 378/133, 378/136, 378/141, 378/144
• US Class Current: 378/132
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2235/1086 liquid metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 35/10 Rotary anodes; Arrangements for rotating anodes; Cooling rotary anodes

Abstract

An x-ray tube has a stationary cathode and a rotating anode in a vacuum housing. The anode is positioned on a housing-fixed axle such that it can be rotated, and is fashioned as a hollow body in the interior of which an axle-fixed ring projection is disposed, such that, at least between an inner surface of the rotating anode and the adjacent outer surface of the ring projection, a gap exists that is filled with liquid metal and forms a liquid-metal fluid bearing for the rotating anode.

Claims

1. An x-ray tube comprising:

a vacuum housing;

a stationary cathode disposed in said vacuum housing;

an axle fixedly attached to said vacuum housing and proceeding through an interior of said vacuum housing;

a ring projection fixed to said axle, and having an outer surface;

a rotating anode formed by a hollow body surrounding said axle and having an interior, having an inner surface, in which said ring projection is disposed with a gap existing between said inner surface of said interior of said hollow body and said outer surface of said ring projection; and

a liquid metal film filling said gap forming with said gap a liquid-metal fluid bearing for said rotating anode, allowing rotation of said hollow body around said axle.

2. An x-ray tube as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hollow body has body walls disposed adjacent said axle, and wherein said gap filled with said liquid metal continues between said body walls and said axle.

3. An x-ray tube as claimed in claim 2 comprising at least one sleeve connected to one of said body walls and concentrically surrounding said axle with a radial spacing from said axle.

4. An x-ray tube as claimed in claim 3 wherein said gap filled with said liquid metal continues into said radial spacing between said at least one sleeve and said axle.

5. An x-ray tube as claimed in claim 3 comprising a stator mounted at an exterior of said vacuum housing, and wherein said sleeve forms a rotor, said stator and said rotor interacting to form an electromotor for driving said rotating anode.

6. An x-ray tube as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hollow body is annular and has a substantially U-shaped cross section.

7. An x-ray tube as claimed in claim 1 wherein said axle passes completely through said rotating anode.

8. An x-ray tube as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a channel for coolant proceeding in said axle and in said ring projection.

9. An x-ray tube as claimed in claim 8 wherein said channel in said ring projection is disposed next to said outer surface of said ring projection.

10. An x-ray tube as claimed in claim 8 wherein said channel in said ring projection comprises a plurality of branched sub-channels.