Multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun and assembly method

Abstract

The disclosure provides a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun and an assembling method. The multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun comprises: a first shell assembly in a cylindrical structure, an upper end of the first shell assembly is provided with a first welding edge for connecting an anode; a cathode heat shield assembly, comprising: a plurality of cathode cylinders, the cathode cylinders are provided with cathode cakes; a focusing electrode assembly, comprising: a focusing electrode support arranged in the first shell assembly; a focusing electrode body arranged on the focusing electrode support, the focusing electrode body is provided with a plurality of focusing electrodes, and the plurality of focusing electrodes are arranged correspondingly with the plurality of cathode cakes; and an anode assembly, comprising: an anode body provided with a plurality of anodes corresponding to the focusing electrodes; a second welding edge arranged on the anode body; and an L-shaped connecting piece, comprising: a first side in a cylindrical structure; and a second side in a ring shape, extending radially outward from the top of the first side; wherein the first side is used for connecting the first welding edge, and the second welding edge is used for connecting the second side, so as to compensate for the assembly error when the focusing electrodes and the anodes are assembled.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of microwave and millimeter-wave vacuum electronic devices, and in particular to a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun and its assembly method. Background Technology

[0002] Multi-beam traveling wave tubes (TWTs) are widely used devices in microwave electronic systems. Their most significant characteristic is the simultaneous presence of multiple electron beams within a single TWT, each with its own independent transmission channel, arranged either in a planar, equally spaced pattern or in a circumferentially distributed pattern. This design gives multi-beam TWTs advantages such as increased efficiency-bandwidth product, low operating voltage, high beam-wave interaction efficiency, and low conductivity coefficients for each electron beam. Multi-beam TWTs possess excellent power output capabilities, making them particularly suitable for applications requiring high power. They can achieve high power output through the parallel operation of multiple electron beams, thus meeting the power requirements of some specialized systems. Compared to other microwave devices, multi-beam TWTs typically have a smaller size and lighter weight. This makes them easier to integrate into various systems, facilitating system miniaturization and weight reduction.

[0003] The electron gun is a crucial component of a traveling wave tube (TWT), and its design is vital to the TWT's performance. The primary function of the electron gun is to emit an electron beam, which is then focused into a narrow, high-speed electron stream by a focusing system. The TWT electron gun mainly consists of three functional parts: the focusing electrode, the cathode, and the anode. The anode primarily attracts electrons from the cathode, while the focusing electrode compresses the electrons into a specific shape so that they can enter the slow-wave system in a suitable form and interact with the electromagnetic waves. The design and manufacturing of the electron gun significantly impact the TWT's performance. Its parameters, such as operating current, operating voltage, beam waist radius, cathode current density, and range, need precise control to ensure the quality and stability of the electron beam. Furthermore, the electron gun design must consider its compatibility and assembly with other components, such as the interface with the slow-wave structure and heat dissipation design. All of this requires a deep understanding of the overall structure and operating principles of the TWT.

[0004] However, multi-beam traveling wave tubes contain multiple electron beams, making their structure relatively complex. Each electron beam requires precise positioning and placement. This demands extremely high precision and stability during electron gun assembly to ensure that each electron beam functions correctly and achieves the expected power and efficiency.

[0005] In terms of structural design, multi-beam traveling wave tube electron guns present significant challenges. Because they need to process multiple electron beams simultaneously, the cathode, focusing electrode, and anode components associated with each electron beam must be precisely positioned to achieve focusing and guidance of the electron beams. The large number of structures with tolerances and fits increases the complexity of the structural design.

[0006] In terms of assembly, the precision requirements for multi-beam traveling wave tube electron guns are extremely high. It is necessary to account for assembly errors and welding deformations from multiple processes, as even minor assembly errors can lead to instability in electron beam transmission or performance degradation. Traditional assembly methods typically involve designing with strict tolerances and using manual adjustments to ensure the relative positions of parts. This method is inefficient and cannot fully guarantee accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of this, this disclosure provides a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun and its assembly method, which can achieve extremely demanding multi-target alignment accuracy requirements by adopting an extremely simple product structure.

[0008] According to one aspect of the inventive concept of this disclosure, a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun is provided, comprising:

[0009] The first housing assembly is a cylindrical structure with a first welding edge at the upper end for connecting the anode; the cathode heat shield assembly includes:

[0010] Multiple cathode cylinders, each cathode cylinder having a cathode cake mounted on it;

[0011] Focusing electrode assembly, including:

[0012] A focusing electrode support is disposed within the first housing assembly;

[0013] A focusing electrode body is disposed on the focusing electrode support member. Multiple focusing electrodes are disposed on the focusing electrode body, and the multiple focusing electrodes are disposed in one-to-one correspondence with multiple cathode cakes.

[0014] Anode assembly, including:

[0015] The anode body is provided with multiple anodes that correspond one-to-one with the focusing electrode;

[0016] The second welding edge is provided on the anode body;

[0017] L-shaped connector, including:

[0018] The first side view is cylindrical;

[0019] The second side is ring-shaped and extends radially outward from the top of the first side;

[0020] The first side is used to connect the first weld edge, and the second weld edge is used to connect the second side, in order to compensate for assembly errors when assembling the focusing electrode and the anode.

[0021] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a plurality of the cathode heat shield assemblies are arranged in a planar, equally spaced manner within the first housing assembly.

[0022] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a plurality of the cathode heat shield assemblies are arranged in a circumferentially uniform manner within the first housing assembly.

[0023] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun further includes:

[0024] The second housing assembly is cylindrical and sleeved on the outside of the cathode cylinder. The top of the second housing assembly extends radially outward to form a third weld edge, and the bottom extends axially outward to form a fourth weld edge. The third weld edge is suitable for connection with the focusing electrode body, and the fourth weld edge is suitable for connection with the cathode heat shield assembly to compensate for assembly errors between the assembled cathode and the focusing electrode.

[0025] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the focusing electrode body and the plurality of focusing electrodes are integrally manufactured, and the anode body and the plurality of anodes are integrally manufactured.

[0026] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the cathode heat shield assembly further includes:

[0027] The cathode support cylinder positioning component is connected to the bottom of the inner wall of the second housing assembly;

[0028] The cathode support cylinder is connected at both ends to the top of the cathode support cylinder positioning member and the bottom of the cathode cylinder, respectively.

[0029] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the welding position of the first housing assembly and the anode assembly is close to one end of the focusing electrode body, and the welding position of the focusing electrode body and the cathode heat shield assembly is close to one end of the focusing electrode body.

[0030] According to another aspect of the inventive concept of this disclosure, a method for assembling a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun as described above is also provided, comprising:

[0031] Multiple cathode heat shield assemblies are assembled and welded separately. Each cathode heat shield assembly includes a cathode cylinder, and a cathode cake is disposed on the cathode cylinder.

[0032] The cathode heat shield assembly and the second housing assembly are positioned using a mold tooling, placed together on a tool microscope, and their height difference and parallelism are measured. After being adjusted to a value better than the preset value, they are welded.

[0033] The assembled cathode hot shield assembly and the corresponding focusing electrode are placed together on the image measuring instrument. The concentricity of the two is measured and adjusted to be better than the preset value before welding to obtain the cathode-focusing electrode assembly. The assembly and welding of multiple sets of cathode-focusing electrode assemblies are completed in sequence.

[0034] The assembled multiple cathode-focusing electrode assemblies are then assembled and welded to the first housing assembly.

[0035] A traveling wave tube alignment and welding platform is used to assemble the cathode-focusing electrode assembly and the anode assembly. The traveling wave tube alignment and welding platform includes a coordinate measuring machine and a six-axis parallel robot.

[0036] The anode assembly and the first housing assembly are placed on two sets of fixtures respectively. The included angle, concentricity, height difference and parallelism of the anode assembly and the focusing electrode assembly are detected. The electronic control platform is adjusted and the six-axis parallel robot is driven to compensate for multiple error data until the preset conditions are met. The anode assembly and the housing assembly are welded using the first side and the second side of the L-shaped connector respectively.

[0037] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, during the welding process, sensors on a six-axis parallel robot obtain information on welding stress changes. When the pressure value detected by the sensors approaches the initial free state, the mold is removed. If the pressure value detected by the sensors deviates from the initial free state, welding is repeated at the previous welding position, corrected by additional heat input. The multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun and assembly method according to embodiments of this disclosure have the following technical advantages compared to the prior art:

[0038] (1) Simplified structure: Most tolerance requirements are handled by the adjustment device of the coordinate measuring machine, which simplifies the structure of the electron gun itself;

[0039] (2) By digitally allocating resources and setting the location of solder joints, the accuracy and efficiency of assembly have been improved;

[0040] (3) The structure, assembly sequence and assembly scheme of the electron gun have been improved, which makes the assembly of the sealing parts simple, improves the ease of assembly, provides a good foundation for automation transformation and improves the ease of assembly.

[0041] (4) The manufacturing cost of the electron gun itself is reduced.

[0042] (5) It has structural adaptability and flexibility of modification. The electrical boundary area is open and has good adaptability to electrode parts of various shapes. It is a basic structure with flexible manufacturing characteristics. Whether the diameter is increased or decreased, some parts can be reused. For example, the electron gun shell without electrode parts, insulation components, etc. can be reused on the original basis as long as there is enough space and the insulation withstand voltage meets the design requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0043] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become clearer from the following description of embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0044] Figure 1The diagram schematically illustrates a three-view and isometric view of a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0045] Figure 2 The diagram schematically illustrates a three-view and isometric view of a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0046] Figure 3 A perspective view of a first housing assembly and a second housing assembly of a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to two embodiments of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0047] Figure 4 The schematic diagram illustrates a multi-view structural diagram of the cathode-focusing electrode assembly of a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to two embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0048] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a half-section of a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0049] Figure 6 This schematic diagram illustrates the relative positional relationship between the cathode and focusing electrode of a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] Figure 7 This is a multi-view structural schematic diagram of the cathode-focusing electrode assembly of the multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 The diagram shows a magnified view of the local structure of the cathode-focusing electrode assembly positioning and adjustment of the multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun.

[0052] Figure 9 Is with Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the tooling focusing electrode protection cap adapted to the assembly components shown;

[0053] Figure 10 Is with Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the positioning seat for another tooling cathode heat shield assembly that is compatible with the assembly components shown.

[0054] Figure 11 Is with Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of another tooling focusing electrode protection cap that is compatible with the assembly components shown;

[0055] Figure 12 Is with Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a cathode heat shield assembly positioning seat that is adapted to the assembly components shown.

[0056] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of a traveling wave tube alignment and welding platform according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0057] Figure 14 An assembly flowchart of a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0058] The meanings of the reference numerals in the above figures are as follows:

[0059] 1-First housing assembly;

[0060] 101 - First weld edge;

[0061] 2-Cathode assembly;

[0062] 201-Cathode cylinder;

[0063] 202-Cathode;

[0064] 203 - Cathode support cylinder positioning component;

[0065] 204 - Second housing assembly;

[0066] 205 - Heat shielding cylinder;

[0067] 3-Focusing electrode assembly;

[0068] 301 - Focusing electrode support;

[0069] 3011 - Focused Electrode Support Ring;

[0070] 3012 - Focusing electrode support frame;

[0071] 302 - Focusing electrode body;

[0072] 303 - Focusing electrode;

[0073] 4-Anode assembly;

[0074] 401 - Anode body;

[0075] 402 - Anode;

[0076] 403 - Second weld edge;

[0077] 5- L-shaped connector;

[0078] 501 - First side view;

[0079] 502 - Second side;

[0080] 6-Cathode-Focusing Electrode Assembly;

[0081] 7-Focusing electrode protection cap;

[0082] 8-Cathode heat shield assembly positioning seat;

[0083] 9- Coordinate Measuring Machine;

[0084] 901 - Cathode-Focusing Electrode Fixture and Electrical Control Platform;

[0085] 902 - Anode clamp and electrical control platform;

[0086] A and B represent the corresponding regions. Detailed Implementation

[0087] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

[0088] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. The terms “comprising,” “including,” etc., as used herein indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, or components.

[0089] All terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. It should be noted that the terms used herein are to be interpreted in a manner consistent with the context of this specification, and not in an idealized or overly rigid way.

[0090] When using expressions such as "at least one of A, B, and C," the meaning should generally be interpreted according to the understanding of someone skilled in the art. For example, "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" should include, but is not limited to, systems having A alone, having B alone, having C alone, having A and B, having A and C, having B and C, and / or having A, B, and C. Similarly, when using expressions such as "at least one of A, B, or C," the meaning should generally be interpreted according to the understanding of someone skilled in the art. For example, "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" should include, but is not limited to, systems having A alone, having B alone, having C alone, having A and B, having A and C, having B and C, and / or having A, B, and C.

[0091] It should also be noted that the directional terms mentioned in the embodiments, such as "up," "down," "front," "back," "left," and "right," are only for reference to the directions in the accompanying drawings and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. Throughout the drawings, the same elements are represented by the same or similar reference numerals. Conventional structures or constructions will be omitted where they may cause confusion in understanding this disclosure.

[0092] This disclosure provides a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun and its assembly method. It achieves extremely stringent multi-target alignment accuracy requirements using an extremely simple product structure. This method is based on digital assembly to achieve precision manufacturing of electron optical systems. It ignores the cumulative effect of errors and instead develops digital devices (e.g., coordinate measuring machines) in several key processes, possessing the ability to detect and compensate for various errors. It solves multiple problems faced in precision assembly in one go, such as welding deformation, pressure deformation, vacuum tightness, high-voltage insulation, low assembly efficiency, poor accuracy, and assembly contamination. This solution is applicable to both planar equally spaced multi-beam traveling wave tubes and circumferentially uniformly distributed multi-beam traveling wave tubes.

[0093] Figure 1 The diagram schematically illustrates a three-view and isometric view of a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 The diagram schematically illustrates a three-view and isometric view of a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 A perspective view of a first housing assembly and a second housing assembly of a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to two embodiments of the present disclosure is shown schematically. Figure 4 The schematic diagram illustrates a multi-view structural diagram of the cathode-focusing electrode assembly of a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to two embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 5 The schematic diagram illustrates a partial cross-section of the internal structure of a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0094] According to one aspect of the inventive concept of this disclosure, such as Figures 1-5A multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun is provided, comprising: a first housing assembly 1, a cathode heat shield assembly 2, a focusing electrode assembly 3, an anode assembly 4, and an L-shaped connector 5. The first housing assembly 1 has a cylindrical structure, and its upper end is provided with a first welding edge 101 for connecting the anode. The cathode heat shield assembly 2 includes multiple cathode cylinders 201, each disposed within the first housing assembly 1, and each cathode cylinder 201 has a cathode 202 disposed thereon. The focusing electrode assembly 3 includes a focusing electrode support 301 and a focusing electrode body 302. The focusing electrode support 301 is cylindrical and sleeved around the multiple cathode cylinders 201; the focusing electrode body 302 is disposed on the focusing electrode support 301, and multiple focusing electrodes 303 are disposed on the focusing electrode body 302, each aligned with one of the multiple cathodes 202. The anode assembly 4 includes an anode body 401 and multiple anodes 402. An anode body 401 is provided with a second weld edge 403; multiple anodes 402 are disposed on the anode body 401, and the multiple anodes 402 are respectively aligned with multiple focusing electrodes 303. An L-shaped connector 5 includes a first side surface 501 and a second side surface 502. The first side surface 501 is cylindrical; the second side surface 502 is annular and extends radially outward from the top of the first side surface 501; wherein the first side surface 501 is used to connect the first weld edge 101, and the second weld edge 403 is used to connect the second side surface 502, to compensate for assembly errors when assembling the focusing electrodes and anodes.

[0095] In this embodiment, the position information of the anode assembly and the focusing electrode assembly are obtained and aligned by the traveling wave tube alignment welding platform. The two are then welded together using an L-shaped connector 5, which can solve problems such as welding deformation and pressure deformation in one go.

[0096] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the main body of the first housing assembly 1 is a cylindrical insulating ceramic, which serves to provide high-voltage insulation between the anode 402 and the focusing electrode 302. A first weld edge 101 is welded to the upper end face of the first housing assembly 1. The outer ring of the first weld edge 101 extends in a direction away from the anode 402 to form a first extension portion, which is used for welding to the first side surface 501 of the L-shaped connector 5. The upper surface of the first weld edge 101 is connected to the insulating ceramic of the cathode focusing electrode.

[0097] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the second welding edge structure 403 disposed on the bottom surface of the anode body 401 is similar to the first welding edge 101, except that the end of one side of the second welding edge structure 403 extending axially is welded to the bottom surface of the anode body 401, and the other side extending radially is used to weld to the second side surface 502 of the L-shaped connector 5.

[0098] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the anode assembly 4 and the first housing assembly 1 are indirectly connected, with neither axial nor radial fit between them. Their angles, concentricity, height difference, and parallelism are all achieved through a digital adjustment scheme, which can reduce the requirements for alignment accuracy during the individual assembly of the components.

[0099] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun further includes a second housing assembly 204, which is cylindrical and sleeved on the outside of the cathode cylinder. The top of the second housing assembly 204 extends radially outward to form a third welding edge, and the bottom extends axially outward to form a fourth welding edge. The third welding edge is suitable for connection with the focusing electrode body, and the fourth welding edge is suitable for connection with the cathode heat shield assembly to compensate for assembly errors between the assembled cathode and the focusing electrode.

[0100] In this embodiment, the machining precision of each component is very high, and the error is very small, which is ignored in this application. This application only considers the errors caused by the assembly and welding processes. In this embodiment, the connection between the cathode and the focusing electrode has no axial or radial fit or restriction. Their alignment and assembly are completed by other equipment (detailed process follows, which will not be elaborated on again). Similarly, the connection between the focusing electrode and the anode also has no axial or radial fit or restriction. Through such a fitless design, extremely complex alignment structures and precision requirements can be achieved using a very simple structural design and assembly process.

[0101] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a significant feature of the first housing assembly 1 of the electron gun is that it provides only a robust positioning structure, and this positioning structure does not have strict concentricity requirements with other parts of the first housing assembly 1. It is only responsible for supporting the cathode 202 and the focusing electrode assembly 3. The positioning requirements of the rest of the electron optical system are all completed through a digital allocation scheme. Therefore, the core requirements for sealing the first housing assembly are only vacuum tightness and cleanliness, which greatly reduces the requirements for sealing the first housing assembly.

[0102] Figure 6 The schematic diagram illustrates the relative positional relationship between the cathode and focusing electrode of a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0103] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, the cathode component is supported by a long cantilever structure. Area A shows that there is no radial fit between cathode 202 and focusing electrode 303, and area B shows that there is no axial fit between them. This fit allows for free adjustment of the cathode and focusing electrode components, thus reducing the assembly difficulty of the cathode heat shield assembly. The concentricity, height difference, and parallelism of both are achieved through a digital adjustment scheme.

[0104] Furthermore, the final weld point connecting the two is located close to the focusing electrode to prevent welding deformation from being amplified at this point.

[0105] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a plurality of focusing electrodes 303 are disposed on a focusing electrode body in a planar and equally spaced manner, and a plurality of anodes 402 are disposed on an anode body in a planar and equally spaced manner.

[0106] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a plurality of focusing electrodes 303 are arranged in a circumferentially uniform manner on the focusing electrode body, and a plurality of anodes 402 are arranged in a circumferentially uniform manner on the anode body.

[0107] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the focusing electrode support 301 includes a focusing electrode support ring 3011 and a focusing electrode support frame 3012. The focusing electrode support ring 3011 is disposed in the middle or lower part of the first housing assembly 1. The focusing electrode support frame 3012 is disposed on the focusing electrode support ring 3011, and the top of the focusing electrode support frame 3012 is used to support the focusing electrode body 302, wherein the height of the focusing electrode support frame 3012 is greater than its length and width.

[0108] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the cathode assembly further includes: a cathode support cylinder positioning member 203 and a second housing assembly 204. The cathode support cylinder positioning member 203 is disposed on the focusing electrode support ring 3011, and is isolated from the focusing electrode support frame 3012. The second housing assembly 204 is disposed on the cathode support cylinder positioning member 203 and is used to support the cathode cylinder 201.

[0109] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the focusing electrode body 302 and a plurality of focusing electrodes 303 are integrally formed, and the anode body 401 and a plurality of anodes 402 are integrally formed.

[0110] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the cathode heat shield assembly 2 further includes a heat shield cylinder 205, which is disposed between the cathode support cylinder positioning member 203 and the focusing electrode support frame 3012.

[0111] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the welding position of the first housing assembly 1 and the anode assembly 4 is close to one end of the focusing electrode body 302, and the welding position of the focusing electrode body 302 and the heat shield cylinder 205 is close to one end of the focusing electrode body 302.

[0112] Figure 7 This is a multi-view structural schematic diagram of the cathode-focusing electrode assembly of the multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8 yes Figure 7 The diagram shows a magnified view of the local structure of the cathode-focusing electrode assembly positioning and adjustment of the multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun. Figure 9 Is with Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the tooling focusing electrode protection cap adapted to the assembly components shown; Figure 10 Is with Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the positioning seat for another tooling cathode heat shield assembly that is compatible with the assembly components shown. Figure 11 Is with Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of another tooling focusing electrode protection cap that is compatible with the assembly components shown; Figure 12 Is with Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a cathode heat shield assembly positioning seat that is adapted to the assembly components shown. Figure 13 A schematic diagram of a traveling wave tube alignment and welding platform according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 14 An assembly flowchart of a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0113] According to another aspect of the inventive concept of this disclosure, a method for assembling a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun as described above is also provided, such as... Figure 14 As shown, it includes operations S1 to S6.

[0114] Operation S1 includes: assembling and welding multiple cathode heat shield assemblies respectively. Each cathode heat shield assembly includes a cathode cylinder, and a cathode cake is disposed on the cathode cylinder.

[0115] Operation S2 includes: using a mold fixture to position the cathode heat shield assembly and the second housing assembly, placing them together on a tooling microscope, measuring the height difference and parallelism between the two, adjusting them to be better than the preset values, and then welding them.

[0116] Operation S3 includes: placing the assembled cathode hot shield assembly and the corresponding focusing electrode together on the image measuring instrument, measuring the concentricity of the two, adjusting it to a value better than the preset value, and then welding them to obtain the cathode-focusing electrode assembly. The assembly and welding of multiple sets of cathode-focusing electrode assemblies are completed in sequence.

[0117] Operation S4 includes assembling and welding the assembled multiple sets of cathode-focusing electrode assemblies to the first housing assembly.

[0118] Operation S5 includes assembling the cathode-focusing electrode assembly and the anode assembly using a traveling wave tube alignment and welding platform, which includes a coordinate measuring machine and a six-axis parallel robot.

[0119] Operation S6 includes: placing the anode assembly and the first housing assembly on two sets of fixtures respectively, detecting the included angle, concentricity, height difference and parallelism of the anode assembly and the focusing electrode assembly, adjusting the electronic control platform, driving the six-axis parallel robot to compensate for multiple error data until the preset conditions are met, and welding the anode assembly and the first housing assembly using the first side and the second side of the L-shaped connector respectively.

[0120] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, during the welding process, the welding stress changes are obtained by sensors on a six-axis parallel robot. When the pressure value detected by the sensor is close to the initial free state, the mold is removed. If the pressure value detected by the sensor deviates from the initial free state, welding is repeated at a welding position and corrected by additional heat input.

[0121] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, in operation S1, the following is employed: Figures 7-12 The cathode-focusing electrode assembly 6, focusing electrode protective cap 7, and cathode heat shield assembly positioning seat 8 shown are used to assemble the cathode and focusing electrode. Specifically, the cathode-focusing electrode assembly 6 includes a base with three threaded push devices (micro-heads) inclined along the axial direction. The center of the base is used to place the focusing electrode protective cap 7, and the output ends of the three threaded push devices abut against the outside of the focusing electrode protective cap 7. The position of the focusing electrode protective cap 7 is adjusted by adjusting the screwing stroke of the three threaded push devices. The focusing electrode protective cap 7 has multiple through holes corresponding to the focusing electrode. During assembly, the focusing electrode body 302 is placed on the base, then the focusing electrode protective cap 7 is placed on the focusing electrode body 302, and then other cathode assemblies and focusing electrode assemblies are installed sequentially in the aforementioned multiple through holes.

[0122] Depending on the type of electron gun, a corresponding focusing electrode protection cap and positioning seat suitable for planar equally spaced multi-beam traveling wave tubes are selected, or a focusing electrode protection cap and positioning seat suitable for circumferentially evenly distributed multi-beam traveling wave tubes are selected.

[0123] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the assembly of a planar, equally spaced multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun will be described as an example. First, the cathode and focusing electrode corresponding to the central electron beam are assembled. At this time, the cathodes on both sides are empty. After assembly, the central component is moved to an off-center position, and another off-center position will simultaneously move to the center position of the entire digitization device. Continuing with the above method, the concentricity of the cathode and focusing electrode is precisely adjusted, and welding is completed. After removing the mold, the cathode and focusing electrode components are offset in the opposite direction, and the last off-center position will move to the center position. This process is repeated to complete the alignment and assembly of three or more cathode-focusing electrode components.

[0124] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 10 As shown, the central large through hole is the welding station. In the area in the direction of the welding point, multiple small through holes are set to prevent the welding point from sticking to the mold. The remaining large through holes are through holes for the cathode heat shield assemblies arranged at equal intervals on the plane, so that multiple cathode heat shield assemblies can be moved on the mold and assembled in sequence.

[0125] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 11 The image shows a dedicated focusing electrode protection cap and cathode heat shield assembly positioning seat developed for a circumferentially evenly distributed multi-beam traveling wave tube. Its assembly sequence is basically the same as that of a planar equidistant electron gun. The only difference is that after assembling one set of cathode-focusing electrodes, the focusing electrode assembly must be rotated along its own axis so that the next set of cathode-focusing electrode combinations is located at the center of the entire digitization device.

[0126] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, in operation S6, such as Figure 13 As shown, the first housing assembly is fixed and moved by the cathode-focusing electrode clamp and the electronic control platform 901, and the anode assembly is fixed and moved by the anode clamp and the electronic control platform 902. The welding spatial position information of the two is calculated by using the detected data of the focusing electrode and the anode. The two are moved to the preset position by the corresponding electronic control platform. After the error meets the threshold, welding is performed to compensate for the assembly error.

[0127] According to some optional embodiments of this disclosure, the traveling wave tube centering welding platform includes a coordinate measuring machine, two six-axis parallel robots, and necessary fixtures.

[0128] Furthermore, each electrically controlled axis of the six-axis parallel robot is equipped with a pressure sensor. After the part is clamped but before alignment, it is defined as being in a free state, at which point the value of each pressure sensor is recorded.

[0129] Furthermore, after assembly begins, a coordinate measuring machine is first used to detect various errors in the anode and focusing electrode components. These errors are then decomposed and allocated to individual electronic control platforms. Each platform executes its corresponding displacement to correct and compensate for the errors, and then welding is completed.

[0130] Furthermore, during the welding process, the changes in the values ​​of each pressure sensor are closely monitored to monitor the welding stress. When the pressure values ​​of each sensor are close to the initial free state, the mold can be removed to complete the alignment of the multi-injection traveling wave tube electron gun.

[0131] The multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun and assembly method according to the embodiments of this disclosure have the following technical advantages compared with the prior art:

[0132] (1) Simplified structure: Most tolerance requirements are handled by the adjustment device of the coordinate measuring machine, which simplifies the structure of the electron gun itself;

[0133] (2) By digitally allocating resources and setting the location of solder joints, the accuracy and efficiency of assembly have been improved;

[0134] (3) The structure, assembly sequence and assembly scheme of the electron gun have been improved, which makes the assembly of the sealing parts simple, improves the ease of assembly, provides a good foundation for automation transformation and improves the ease of assembly.

[0135] (4) The manufacturing cost of the electron gun itself is reduced.

[0136] (5) It has structural adaptability and flexibility of modification. The electrical boundary area is open and has good adaptability to electrode parts of various shapes. It is a basic structure with flexible manufacturing characteristics. Whether the diameter is increased or decreased, some parts can be reused. For example, the electron gun shell without electrode parts, insulation components, etc. can be reused on the original basis as long as there is enough space and the insulation withstand voltage meets the design requirements.

[0137] The embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. However, these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Although various embodiments have been described above, this does not mean that the measures in the various embodiments cannot be used advantageously in combination. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Various substitutions and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this disclosure, and all such substitutions and modifications should fall within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun, characterized in that, include: The first housing assembly is a cylindrical structure with a first weld edge at the upper end for connecting the anode. The cathode heat shield assembly includes: Multiple cathode cylinders, each cathode cylinder having a cathode cake mounted on it; Focusing electrode assembly, including: A focusing electrode support is disposed within the first housing assembly; A focusing electrode body is disposed on the focusing electrode support member. Multiple focusing electrodes are disposed on the focusing electrode body, and the multiple focusing electrodes are disposed in one-to-one correspondence with multiple cathode cakes. Anode assembly, including: The anode body is provided with multiple anodes that correspond one-to-one with the focusing electrode; The second welding edge is provided on the anode body; L-shaped connector, including: The first side view is cylindrical; The second side is ring-shaped and extends radially outward from the top of the first side; Wherein, the first side is used to connect the first weld edge, and the second weld edge is used to connect the second side to compensate for assembly errors when assembling the focusing electrode and the anode; The outer ring of the first weld edge extends in a direction away from the anode to form a first extension for welding to the first side of the L-shaped connector. The upper surface of the first weld edge is connected to the cathode focusing electrode insulating ceramic. The end of one side of the second weld edge extending axially is welded to the bottom surface of the anode body, and the other side extending radially is used to weld to the second side of the L-shaped connector.

2. The multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple cathode heat shield assemblies are arranged in a planar, equally spaced manner within the first housing assembly.

3. The multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple cathode heat shield assemblies are arranged in a circumferentially uniform manner within the first housing assembly.

4. The multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The second housing assembly is cylindrical and sleeved on the outside of the cathode cylinder. The top of the second housing assembly extends radially outward to form a third weld edge, and the bottom extends axially outward to form a fourth weld edge. The third weld edge is suitable for connection with the focusing electrode body, and the fourth weld edge is suitable for connection with the cathode heat shield assembly to compensate for assembly errors between the assembled cathode and the focusing electrode.

5. The multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to claim 1, characterized in that, The focusing electrode body and the plurality of focusing electrodes are integrally manufactured, and the anode body and the plurality of anodes are integrally manufactured.

6. The multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cathode heat shield assembly also includes: The cathode support cylinder positioning component is connected to the bottom of the inner wall of the second housing assembly; The cathode support cylinder is connected at both ends to the top of the cathode support cylinder positioning component and the bottom of the cathode cylinder, respectively.

7. The multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun according to claim 1, characterized in that, The welding position of the first housing assembly to the anode assembly is close to one end of the focusing electrode body, and the welding position of the focusing electrode body to the cathode heat shield assembly is close to one end of the focusing electrode body.

8. A method for assembling a multi-beam traveling wave tube electron gun as described in claim 4 or claim 6, characterized in that, include: Multiple cathode heat shield assemblies are assembled and welded separately. Each cathode heat shield assembly includes a cathode cylinder, and a cathode cake is disposed on the cathode cylinder. The cathode heat shield assembly and the second housing assembly are positioned using a mold tooling, placed together on a tool microscope, and their height difference and parallelism are measured. After being adjusted to a value better than the preset value, they are welded. The assembled cathode hot shield assembly and the corresponding focusing electrode are placed together on the image measuring instrument. The concentricity of the two is measured and adjusted to be better than the preset value before welding to obtain the cathode-focusing electrode assembly. The assembly and welding of multiple sets of cathode-focusing electrode assemblies are completed in sequence. The assembled multiple cathode-focusing electrode assemblies are then assembled and welded to the first housing assembly. A traveling wave tube alignment and welding platform is used to assemble the cathode-focusing electrode assembly and the anode assembly. The traveling wave tube alignment and welding platform includes a coordinate measuring machine and a six-axis parallel robot. The anode assembly and the first housing assembly are placed on two sets of fixtures respectively. The included angle, concentricity, height difference and parallelism of the anode assembly and the focusing electrode assembly are detected. The electronic control platform is adjusted and the six-axis parallel robot is driven to compensate for multiple error data until the preset conditions are met. The anode assembly and the housing assembly are welded using the first side and the second side of the L-shaped connector respectively.

9. The assembly method according to claim 8, characterized in that, During the welding process, the welding stress changes are obtained through sensors on the six-axis parallel robot. When the pressure value detected by the sensor is close to the initial free state, the mold is removed. If the pressure value detected by the sensor deviates from the initial free state, welding is repeated at the previous welding position, and correction is made by additional heat input.

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