X-ray generator with adjustable collimation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9779908-B2
Application number	US-201514729622-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2015
Priority date	Jun 6, 2014
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an X-ray generator with adjustable collimation. The X-ray generator comprises: an assembly of X-ray source, which includes an X-ray tube having a cathode and an anode and a front collimator; a high voltage generator, which is disposed in an extended chamber of a housing for the X-ray tube and which is used for supplying a direct current high voltage between the cathode and the anode of the X-ray tube to excite X-ray beams; a collimation adjustment unit, which is rotatably disposed outside of the front collimator and which is used for adjusting fan-type X-ray beams into continuous pencil-type X-ray beams; and a cooling unit, which is independently mounted to the X-ray tube and which is used for cooling the anode of the X-ray tube; wherein, the assembly of X-ray source, the high voltage generator, the collimation adjustment unit and the cooling unit are integrated as a whole. The X-ray generator with adjustable collimation according to the disclosure has a compact construction, which is helpful in miniaturization, modularization and high efficiency of a security detection equipment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An X-ray generator with adjustable collimation, comprising:
an assembly of X-ray source, which includes an X-ray tube having a cathode and an anode and a front collimator;
a high voltage generator, which is disposed in an extended chamber of a housing for the X-ray tube and which is used for supplying a direct current high voltage between the cathode and the anode of the X-ray tube to excite X-ray beams;
a collimation adjustment ring, which is rotatably disposed outside of the front collimator and which is adapted to rotate about the X-ray source and adjust fan-type X-ray beams into continuous scanning pencil-type X-ray beams; and
a cooling unit, which is independently mounted to the X-ray tube and which is used for cooling the anode of the X-ray tube;
wherein, the assembly of X-ray source, the high voltage generator, the collimation adjustment unit and the cooling unit are integrated as a whole, and
wherein the high voltage generator comprises an annular high voltage circuit, a high voltage transformer and a filament transformer disposed within the extended chamber, wherein the annular high voltage generator, the high voltage transformer and the filament transformer are respectively located on corresponding insulating resin plates and are disposed at sides of the corresponding insulating resin plates away from the X-ray tube.

2. The X-ray generator according to claim 1 , wherein the assembly of X-ray source further comprises:
a heat radiating base for the anode, which base is disposed at a side of the anode of the X-ray tube; and
an end cover and a tympan, which are disposed at a side of the cathode of the X-ray tube and which co-operatively work to provide seal and leakage prevention.

3. The X-ray generator according to claim 2 , wherein the heat radiating base has a heat-transfer surface for contacting with the cooling unit so as to be cooled.

4. The X-ray generator according to claim 3 , wherein the cooling unit comprises a heat radiating plate and a heat tube disposed on the heat radiating plate, and the heat radiating plate is configured to sufficiently contact with the heat-transfer surface of the heat radiating base via thermal conduction silicon grease.

5. The X-ray generator according to claim 3 , wherein the cooling unit comprises a heat tube directly mounted to the heat-transfer surface of the heat radiating base.

6. The X-ray generator according to claim 5 , wherein the cooling unit further comprises:
heat radiating fins, which are disposed on the heat tube; and
a silent fan, which is disposed above the heat radiating fins.

7. The X-ray generator according to claim 5 , wherein the heat tube is in a U-type configuration.

8. The X-ray generator according to claim 2 , wherein the heat radiating base is embedded with a temperature sensor and a temperature switch therein.

9. The X-ray generator according to claim 1 , wherein the X-ray tube communicates with the extended chamber and is filled with insulating oil therein.

10. The X-ray generator according to claim 1 , wherein the insulating resin plate is embodied as an annular insulating resin plate having a hollow portion through which the insulating oil passes and a peripheral portion provided with a plurality of protruded fixing supports.

11. The X-ray generator according to claim 1 , wherein the high voltage generator further comprises a caged positioning spacer fixedly arranged within the extended chamber, the insulating resin plates being fixedly positioned within the extended chamber through the caged positioning spacer.

12. The X-ray generator according to claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical mounting unit at which the assembly of X-ray source, the high voltage generator, the collimation adjustment unit and the cooling unit are supported.

13. The X-ray generator according to claim 12 , wherein the collimation adjustment unit comprises:
a rotary Tungsten ring for adjustment purpose; and
a drive mechanism for driving rotation of the rotary Tungsten ring around the front collimator to achieve a X-ray pointwise continuous scanning, wherein the drive mechanism comprises:
a motor mounted on the mechanical mounting unit;
a driving pulley connected to the motor;
a driven pulley connected to the rotary Tungsten ring; and
a transmission belt connected between the driving pulley and the driven pulley.

14. The X-ray generator according to claim 13 , wherein the drive mechanism further comprises a tensioning structure for adjusting degree of tightness of the transmission belt.

15. The X-ray generator according to claim 1 , further comprising a radiation protection unit consisted of a radiation protection layer, the front collimator and the rotary Tungsten ring disposed within the X-ray tube and the extended chamber.

16. The X-ray generator according to claim 1 , wherein the front collimator comprises a front collimator of heavy metal oxide.

Assignees

• Nuctech Co Ltd
• Univ Tsinghua

Inventors

• Ding Fuhua
• Chen Zhiqiang
• Zhao Ziran
• Wu Wanlong
• Tang Le
• Jin Yingkang
• Wen Yanjie

Classifications

• G21K1/046

  varying the contour of the field, e.g. multileaf collimators · CPC title

• H05G1/12

  with DC or rectified single-phase AC {or double-phase} · CPC title

• G21K1/043

  changing time structure of beams by mechanical means, e.g. choppers, spinning filter wheels · CPC title

• H01J2235/1287

  Heat pipes · CPC title

• H01J35/12 Primary

  Cooling non-rotary anodes · CPC title