X-ray sources

• US 9,001,973 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rapiscan Systems Incorporated (OSI Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Rapiscan Systems Incorporated (OSI Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Morton, Edward James
• Primary Examiner(s): SONG, HOON K
• Application Number:
  US13/313,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20120201358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 378119-144
• US Class Current: 378/143
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/02 using diaphragms, collimators
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2235/068 Multi-cathode assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2235/08 Targets (anodes) and X-ray converters
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2235/086 Target geometry
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2235/1204 of the anode
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2235/1262 Circulating fluids
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 35/13 Active cooling, e.g. fluid flow, heat pipes

Abstract

The present application is directed to an anode for an X-ray tube. The X-ray tube has an electron aperture through which electrons emitted from an electron source travel subject to substantially no electrical field and a target in a non-parallel relationship to the electron aperture and arranged to produce X-rays when electrons are incident upon a first side of the target, wherein the target further comprises a cooling channel located on a second side of the target. The cooling channel comprises a conduit having coolant contained therein. The coolant is at least one of water, oil, or refrigerant.

Claims

1. An anode for an X-ray tube comprising

an electron aperture through which electrons emitted from an electron source travel subject to substantially no electrical field;

and

a target, wherein said target comprises more than one target segment, wherein each of said target segments is in a non-parallel relationship to said electron aperture and arranged to produce X-rays when electrons are incident upon a first side of at least one of said target segments, wherein each of said target segments further comprises a cooling channel located on a second side of the target segment.

2. The anode of claim 1 wherein the cooling channel comprises a conduit having coolant contained therein.

3. The anode of claim 2 wherein the coolant is at least one of water, oil, or refrigerant.

4. The anode of claim 1 wherein said second sides of each of said target segments are attached to a backbone.

5. The anode of claim 4 wherein the backbone is a rigid, single piece of metal.

6. The anode of claim 5 wherein the backbone comprises stainless steel.

7. The anode of claim 6 wherein at least one of said target segments is connected to said backbone using a bolt.

8. The anode of claim 7 wherein at least one of said target segments is connected to said backbone by placing said backbone within crimped protrusions formed on the second side of said target segment.

9. The anode of claim 1 wherein each of the target segments is held at a high voltage positive electrical potential with respect to said electron source.

10. The anode of claim 1 wherein the first side of each of the target segments is coated with a target metal, wherein said target metal is at least one of molybdenum, tungsten, silver, metal foil, or uranium.

11. The anode of claim 4 wherein the backbone is made of stainless steel and said target segments are made of copper.

12. The anode of claim 2 wherein the conduit is electrically insulated and the cooling channel has at least one of a square, rectangular, semi-circular, or flattened semi-circular cross-section.

13. An X-ray tube comprising:

an anode further comprising

at least one electron aperture through which electrons emitted from an electron source travel subject to substantially no electrical field;

a target, wherein said target comprises more than one target segment, wherein each of said target segments is in a non-parallel relationship to said electron aperture and arranged to produce X-rays when electrons are incident upon a first side of at least one of said target segments, wherein each of said target segments further comprises a cooling channel located on a second side of the target segment; and

an X-ray aperture through which X-rays from the target pass through and are at least partially collimated by the X-ray aperture.

14. The anode of claim 13 wherein the cooling channel comprises a conduit having coolant contained therein.

15. The anode of claim 14 wherein the coolant is at least one of water, oil, or refrigerant.

16. The anode of claim 13 wherein said second sides of each of said target segments are attached to a backbone.

17. The anode of claim 16 wherein at least one of said target segments is connected to said backbone by a bolt or by placing said backbone within crimped protrusions formed on the second side of said target segment.

18. The anode of claim 13 wherein each of the target segments is held at a high voltage positive electrical potential with respect to said electron source.