Computed tomography systems

• US 8,571,179 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2009
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Beland
• Original Assignee: Robert Beland
• Inventors: Beland, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Artman, Thomas R
• Application Number:
  US12/459,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20110002446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 378/4, 378/15, 378/101, 378/197
• US Class Current: 378/101
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 1/10 Power supply arrangements for feeding the X-ray tube supply circuits with converters in general H02M; supply circuits for emitters and amplifiers H04B1/16 - H04B1/1623
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 1/32 Supply voltage of the X-ray apparatus or tube

Abstract

A power delivery system for computed tomography includes at least one transformer (e.g., an isolation transformer, a coupling transformer, an adaptation transformer), a rotary transformer, and at least two power inverters. The rotary transformer includes a stationary winding disposed on a stationary side and a rotational winding disposed on a rotating side. The isolation or adaptation transformer is coupled to the stationary winding or the rotating winding of the rotary transformer. At least two power inverters are constructed and arranged to provide power to the primary winding of the rotary transformer. The high-voltage unit is disposed on the rotating side and connected to receive power from the rotational winding and constructed to provide power to an X-ray source.

Claims

1. A power delivery system for computed tomography, comprising:

a rotary transformer including a stationary winding disposed on a stationary side and a rotating winding disposed on a rotating side;

at least one adaptation isolation transformer coupled to said stationary winding of said rotary transformer, wherein said at least one adaptation isolation transformer is designed to provide power to said stationary winding of said rotary transformer;

at least two power inverters coupled to said adaptation isolation transformer;

a high-voltage unit disposed on said rotating side and connected to receive power transferred to said rotating winding and constructed to provide power used by an X-ray source; and

a control unit coupled to said high-voltage unit and said power inverters, said control unit being constructed and cooperatively arranged with said rotary transformer to provide timing signals to said power inverters in a feedback loop arrangement.

2. The power delivery system of claim 1, wherein said stationary winding includes a power stationary winding, and said rotating winding includes a power rotating winding.

3. The power delivery system of claim 1, wherein said adaptation isolation transformer includes an inverter adaptation circuit constructed to receive AC power generated by at least one of said power inverters.

4. The power delivery system of claim 1, wherein said adaptation isolation transformer is constructed to magnetically couple outputs from at least two said power inverters.

5. The power delivery system of claim 1, wherein said stationary winding includes a control stationary winding, and said rotating winding includes a control rotating winding.

6. The power delivery system of claim 5, wherein said control unit includes a stationary controller comprising an adaptation circuit constructed to provide AC signal to said control stationary winding of said rotary transformer.

7. The power delivery system of claim 5, wherein said control unit includes a rotating controller comprising an adaptation circuit constructed to receive AC signals from said control rotating winding.

8. The power delivery system of claim 5, wherein said control unit is constructed to provide said feedback loop arrangement utilizing said control stationary winding and said control rotating winding.

9. A power delivery system for computed tomography, comprising:

a rotary transformer including a stationary winding disposed on a stationary side and a rotating winding disposed on a rotating side;

at least one adaptation isolation transformer coupled to said stationary winding of said rotary transformer, wherein said at least one adaptation isolation transformer is designed to provide power to said stationary winding of said rotary transformer in a multi phase configuration;

at least two power inverters coupled to said adaptation isolation transformer;

a high-voltage unit disposed on said rotating side and connected to receive power transferred to said rotating winding and constructed to provide power used by an X-ray source; and

a control unit coupled to said high-voltage unit and said power inverters, said control unit being constructed and cooperatively arranged with said rotary transformer to provide timing signals to said power inverters in a feedback loop arrangement.

10. The power delivery system of claim 9, wherein said stationary winding includes a power stationary winding, and said rotating winding includes a power rotating winding.

11. The power delivery system of claim 9, wherein said adaptation isolation transformer includes an inverter adaptation circuit constructed to receive AC power generated by at least one of said power inverters.

12. The power delivery system of claim 9, wherein said adaptation isolation transformer is constructed to magnetically couple outputs from at least two said power inverters.

13. The power delivery system of claim 9, wherein said stationary winding includes a control stationary winding, and said rotating winding includes a control rotating winding.

14. The power delivery system of claim 13, wherein said control unit includes a stationary controller comprising an adaptation circuit constructed to provide AC signal to said control stationary winding of said rotary transformer.

15. The power delivery system of claim 13, wherein said control unit includes a rotating controller comprising an adaptation circuit constructed to receive AC signals from said control rotating winding.

16. The power delivery system of claim 13, wherein said control unit is constructed to provide said feedback loop arrangement utilizing said control stationary winding and said control rotating winding.

17. A power delivery system for computed tomography, comprising:

a rotary transformer including a stationary winding disposed on a stationary side and a rotating winding disposed on a rotating side;

a first adaptation isolation transformer coupled to said stationary winding of said rotary transformer and a second adaptation isolation transformer coupled to said rotating winding of said rotary transformer wherein said second adaptation isolation transformer includes an adaptation circuit, said second adaptation isolation transformer receiving power from said rotating winding disposed on said rotating side;

at least two power inverters coupled to said first adaptation isolation transformer;

a high-voltage unit disposed on said rotating side and connected to receive power transferred to said rotating winding and constructed to provide power used by an X-ray source; and

a control unit coupled to said high-voltage unit and said power inverters, said control unit being constructed and cooperatively arranged with said rotary transformer to provide timing signals to said power inverters in a feedback loop arrangement.

18. The power delivery system of claim 17, wherein said stationary winding includes a control stationary winding, and said rotating winding includes a control rotating winding.

19. The power delivery system of claim 18, wherein said control unit comprises a stationary controller adaptation circuit constructed to receive AC signals from a stationary controller and provide AC signal to said control stationary winding of said rotary transformer.

20. The power delivery system of claim 19, wherein said stationary controller adaptation circuit includes an adaptation coil.

21. The power delivery system of claim 18, wherein said control unit comprises a rotating controller coupled to a rotating controller adaptation circuit constructed to receive AC signals from said control rotating winding.

22. A device for isolating output of power inverters from a rotary transformer adapted to couple power between a stationary winding disposed on a stationary side and a rotational winding disposed on a rotating side of said rotary transformer, the device comprising:

an isolation transformer constructed and arranged to receive power generated by power inverters, wherein said isolation transformer constructed to magnetically couple outputs from at least two power inverters and to drive a stationary winding disposed on a stationary side of a rotary transformer.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein said isolation transformer includes an inverter adaptation circuit constructed to receive AC power generated by at least one of said power inverters.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein said stationary winding includes a power stationary winding, and said rotating winding includes a power rotating winding.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein said stationary winding includes a control stationary winding, and said rotating winding includes a control rotating winding.