Tiltable or deflectable anode x-ray tube
First Claim
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1. An x-ray tube comprising:
- a. an electron emitter, a flexible coupling with a coupling axis, and a window hermetically sealed to an enclosure;
b. an anode attached to the flexible coupling;
c. the electron emitter configured to emit electrons from the electron emitter to the anode;
d. the anode including a target configured to produce x-rays in response to impinging electrons from the electron emitter;
e. the anode spaced-apart from the window by a gap through which the x-rays emitted from the target travel to the window;
f. the anode being selectively tiltable in all directions from the coupling axis outward to a circle around the coupling axis to selectively position a region of the target material in the electron beam.
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Abstract
A x-ray tube comprising an anode sealed to a flexible coupling. The flexible coupling can allow the anode to deflect or tilt in various directions to allow an electron beam to impinge upon various selected regions of an anode target.
A method of utilizing different regions of an x-ray tube target by tilting or deflecting an x-ray tube anode to cause an electron beam to impinge on a selected region of the target.
122 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An x-ray tube comprising:
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a. an electron emitter, a flexible coupling with a coupling axis, and a window hermetically sealed to an enclosure; b. an anode attached to the flexible coupling; c. the electron emitter configured to emit electrons from the electron emitter to the anode; d. the anode including a target configured to produce x-rays in response to impinging electrons from the electron emitter; e. the anode spaced-apart from the window by a gap through which the x-rays emitted from the target travel to the window; f. the anode being selectively tiltable in all directions from the coupling axis outward to a circle around the coupling axis to selectively position a region of the target material in the electron beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An x-ray tube comprising:
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a. an electron emitter, a flexible coupling with a coupling axis, and a window hermetically sealed to an enclosure; b. an anode attached to, and extending through a core of, the flexible coupling; c. the electron emitter configured to emit electrons from the electron emitter to the anode; d. the anode including a target configured to produce x-rays in response to impinging electrons from the electron emitter; e. the anode spaced-apart from the window by a gap through which the x-rays emitted from the target travel to the window; f. the anode being selectively deflectable in all directions from the coupling axis outward to a circle around the coupling axis to selectively position a region of the target material in the electron beam. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of utilizing different regions of an x-ray tube target, the method comprising:
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a. disposing a target in an electron beam, the target being disposed at an end of an anode and configured to produce x-rays in response to impinging electrons; b. emitting x-rays from the target to an x-ray tube window through a gap between the target and the window; c. deflecting or tilting the anode in all directions in a 360 degree circle to selectively position a region of the target in the electron beam.
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Specification