Extra-focal beam aperture device for an x-ray emitter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12315693-B2
Application number	US-202418882864-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2024
Priority date	Sep 14, 2023
Publication date	May 27, 2025
Grant date	May 27, 2025

Abstract

One or more example embodiments relates to an extra-focal beam aperture device for an X-ray emitter and to the X-ray emitter. The extra-focal beam aperture device according to one or more example embodiments for an X-ray emitter has a planar beam-shaping element including an X-ray opaque material, the planar beam-shaping element being configured to form a useful X-ray beam and an X-ray measuring beam separate from the useful X-ray beam, from an X-ray beam bundle incident upon the extra-focal beam aperture device, the planar beam-shaping element including two side faces opposite each other, a radial lateral surface between the two side faces, a cross-section through the radial lateral surface having an approximately trapezoid shape, and at least one cut-out for shaping the X-ray measuring beam, the at least one cut-out having a tapering cross-section.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An extra-focal beam aperture device for an X-ray radiator, the aperture device comprising:
a planar beam-shaping element including an X-ray opaque material, the planar beam-shaping element being configured to form a useful X-ray beam and an X-ray measuring beam separate from the useful X-ray beam, from an X-ray beam bundle incident upon the extra-focal beam aperture device, the planar beam-shaping element including,
two side faces opposite each other,
a radial lateral surface between the two side faces, a cross-section through the radial lateral surface having an approximately trapezoid shape, and
at least one cut-out for shaping the X-ray measuring beam, the at least one cut-out having a tapering cross-section.

2. The extra-focal beam aperture device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cut-out separates the planar beam-shaping element into two separate parts.

3. The extra-focal beam aperture device of claim 2 , wherein
the planar beam-shaping element is configured in one piece as a portion of a block of the same X-ray opaque material,
the block has a tapering external form, the radial lateral surface of the planar beam-shaping element is part of an external form of the block,
the block surrounds a tapering through shaft for the useful X-ray beam,
the tapering through shaft for the useful X-ray beam and the at least one cut-out of the planar beam-shaping element for shaping the X-ray measuring beam are separated via the planar beam-shaping element, and
a volume enclosed by the through shaft is larger by a factor of at least 2 than a volume enclosed by the at least one cut-out.

4. The extra-focal beam aperture device of claim 1 , wherein the X-ray opaque material includes a metal.

5. The extra-focal beam aperture device of claim 4 , wherein the X-ray opaque material includes at least one of brass, tungsten, lead or molybdenum.

6. The extra-focal beam aperture device of claim 1 , wherein the X-ray opaque material includes a plastics material.

7. The extra-focal beam aperture device of claim 1 , wherein the X-ray opaque material is an additively manufactured material.

8. The extra-focal beam aperture device of claim 1 , wherein the X-ray opaque material is a solid material.

9. The extra-focal beam aperture device of claim 1 , wherein
the planar beam-shaping element is configured in one piece as a portion of a block of the same X-ray opaque material,
the block has a tapering external form, the radial lateral surface of the planar beam-shaping element is part of an external form of the block,
the block surrounds a tapering through shaft for the useful X-ray beam,
the tapering through shaft for the useful X-ray beam and the at least one cut-out of the planar beam-shaping element for shaping the X-ray measuring beam are separated via the planar beam-shaping element, and
a volume enclosed by the through shaft is larger by a factor of at least 2 than a volume enclosed by the at least one cut-out.

10. The extra-focal beam aperture device of claim 9 , wherein an exterior form of the block is a truncated pyramidal form.

11. The extra-focal beam aperture device of claim 9 , wherein the block has a cut-out for a holder for an X-ray beam measuring device.

12. The extra-focal beam aperture device of claim 9 , wherein
the block has a further tapering through shaft for the X-ray measuring beam, and
the further tapering through shaft is delimited by the at least one cut-out of the planar beam-shaping element.

13. The extra-focal beam aperture device of claim 12 , wherein
the block has at least one part configured as a shell, and
the part configured as the shell and the planar beam-shaping element delimit the further tapering through shaft.

14. An X-ray emitter, comprising:
an X-ray tube configured to generate an X-ray beam bundle; and
the extra-focal beam aperture device of claim 1 ,
wherein the X-ray tube has an X-ray beam outlet window for the X-ray beam bundle and the extra-focal beam aperture device is perpendicular to the ray beam outlet window such that the side faces of the planer beam-shaping element are oriented approximately parallel to the X-ray beam bundle.

15. The X-ray emitter of claim 14 , further comprising:
a collimator, wherein the extra-focal beam aperture device is between the X-ray tube and the collimator, wherein the collimator is oriented for collimation of the useful X-ray beam.

16. The X-ray emitter of claim 14 , wherein the X-ray tube is rotatable relative to the extra-focal beam aperture device.

Assignees

• Siemens Healthineers Ag

Inventors

• Fritzler Anja
• Maurer Petra
• Geithner Peter
• Jud Christoph

Classifications

• H05G1/02

  Constructional details · CPC title

• H01J35/14 Primary

  Arrangements for concentrating, focusing, or directing the cathode ray · CPC title

• H01J35/10

  Rotary anodes; Arrangements for rotating anodes; Cooling rotary anodes · CPC title

• A61B6/40

  Arrangements for generating radiation specially adapted for radiation diagnosis · CPC title

• H01J35/153 Primary

  Spot position control · CPC title