X-ray tubes

摘要

An x-ray tube comprising a toroidal housing (A) composed of multiple sections which are clamped together and sealed by elastomeric gaskets (128). An annular anode (B) is mounted in the housing with coolant passages (12, 14) extending thereadjacent. A rotor (30) is rotated within the toroidal housing by a motor (60). At least one cathode assembly (C) is mounted to the rotor adjacent the anode. The rotor is supported by magnetic bearings (40) whose active coils (46) are separated from the vacuum region of the tube by a magnetic window (48). Alternatively, a series of vanes (136, 138) are provided to divide the vacuum region into a high vacuum region (132) adjacent the cathode and anode and a low vacuum region (134) adjacent the motor (60) which houses bearings (40, 150, 152) for rotatably supporting the rotor within the housing. An active vacuum pump, preferably a ion pump (112) and a getter (114) are hermetically sealed into the vacuum region for maintaining the vacuum.