CANTILEVER AND STRADDLE X-RAY TUBE CONFIGURATIONS FOR A ROTATING ANODE WITH VACUUM TRANSITION CHAMBERS

摘要

An imaging tube assembly ( 11 ) for a computed tomography (CT) system ( 10 ) includes an insert ( 60 ) that has a vacuum chamber ( 72 ). An anode ( 58 ) resides within the vacuum chamber ( 72 ) and rotates on a shaft ( 66 ) via one or more bearing ( 70 ). In one embodiment, a seal ( 52 ) resides between the insert ( 60 ) and the shaft ( 66 ). The seal ( 52 ) prevents the passage of a gas ( 80 ) into the vacuum chamber ( 72 ). In another embodiment, a pressure transition chamber ( 104 ) is coupled to an insert ( 60 '') and a shaft ( 66 ''). The pressure transition chamber ( 104 ) has an associated middle fluid pressure that is between an internal fluid pressure of the vacuum chamber ( 104 ) and an external fluid pressure of said insert ( 60 '').