X-ray generating device

Abstract

An X-ray generating device is provided with: a housing; an electron gun that emits an electron beam within the housing; a target that generates X-rays by being incident with the electron beam within the housing; a power supply unit for generating a voltage to be applied to the electron gun or the target; and a conductive member, the power supply unit having a solid first insulating unit and a circuit unit embedded in the first insulating unit, the circuit unit including a first voltage unit for inputting a first voltage from the outside, a step-up unit for step-up the first voltage to a second voltage, which is the aforementioned voltage, and a second voltage unit for outputting the second voltage to the electron gun or the target. The conductive member is self-supporting in a natural state, is electrically connected to the second voltage section in a state where at least a portion of the conductive member is embedded in the first insulating section, and is electrically connected to the electron gun or the target.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an X-ray generating apparatus. Background Art

[0002] As an X-ray generating apparatus, there is known an X-ray generating apparatus including: a housing; an electron gun that emits an electron beam within the housing; a target that generates X-rays by being irradiated with the electron beam within the housing; and a power supply unit that generates a voltage to be applied to the electron gun or the target. The power supply unit includes a solid insulating portion and a circuit portion embedded in the insulating portion (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-176540). In such an X-ray generating apparatus, the circuit portion may be electrically connected to the electron gun or the target through a cable embedded in the insulating portion. Summary of the Invention

[0003] When manufacturing the X-ray generating apparatus as described above, during the molding of the insulating portion, the cable may be displaced within the insulating portion. In such a case, a desired insulation distance cannot be ensured between the cable and other components, and as a result, discharge may easily occur within the power supply unit.

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an X-ray generating apparatus capable of suppressing discharge within the insulating portion.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention provides an X-ray generating apparatus including: a housing; an electron gun that emits an electron beam within the housing; a target that generates X-rays by being irradiated with the electron beam within the housing; a power supply unit that generates a voltage to be applied to the electron gun or the target; and a conductive member. The power supply unit includes a solid first insulating portion and a circuit portion embedded in the first insulating portion. The circuit portion includes a first voltage portion to which a first voltage is input from the outside, a boosting portion that boosts the first voltage to a second voltage as the voltage, and a second voltage portion that outputs the second voltage to the electron gun or the target. The conductive member has self-supporting properties in a natural state, is electrically connected to the second voltage portion in a state where at least a part of the conductive member is embedded in the first insulating portion, and is electrically connected to the electron gun or the target. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the X-ray generating apparatus according to the first embodiment.

[0007] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the X-ray generating apparatus according to the second embodiment.

[0008] Figure 3 is Figure 2 a cross-sectional view of a part of the X-ray generating apparatus shown.

[0009] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view of an X-ray generating apparatus according to a modified example.

[0010] Figure 5A and Figure 5B It is a cross-sectional view of an X-ray generating apparatus according to a modified example. Detailed implementation manners

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in each figure, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0012] [X-ray generating apparatus of the first embodiment]

[0013] As Figure 1 shown, the X-ray generating apparatus 1A of the first embodiment includes a housing 2, an electron gun 3, a target 4, an anode 5, a power supply unit 6, a power feeding unit 7, and a conductive member 9. The X-ray generating apparatus 1A is, for example, a microfocus X-ray source for X-ray nondestructive inspection.

[0014] The housing 2 houses the electron gun 3, the target 4, and the anode 5. The space inside the housing 2 is a space where evacuation is performed. The housing 2 has a head 21, a tube body 22, and a flange 23. The head 21 is formed, for example, of a metal material such as stainless steel into a bottomed cylindrical shape. The tube body 22 is formed, for example, of an insulating material such as glass into a bottomed cylindrical shape. The head 21 is hermetically joined to the tube body 22 so that the inside of the head 21 communicates with the inside of the tube body 22. The flange 23 is formed, for example, of a metal material such as stainless steel into a circular ring shape along the outer edge of the head 21. Here, the direction along the central axis (tube axis) A1 of the tube body 22 is referred to as the Z-axis direction (second direction), the direction perpendicular to the Z-axis direction is referred to as the X-axis direction (first direction), and the direction perpendicular to both the Z-axis direction and the X-axis direction is referred to as the Y-axis direction.

[0015] The electron gun 3 emits an electron beam toward the target 4 inside the housing 2. The electron gun 3 includes a hot cathode that emits thermoelectrons, an extraction electrode that extracts electrons, and an electron lens (both not shown) that adjusts the convergence of the electron beam. In addition, the electron gun 3 may have a cold cathode instead of the hot cathode. The electron gun 3 is fixed to the head 21 such that the central axis A2 of the electron gun 3 is orthogonal to the central axis A1 of the tube body 22. The central axis A2 of the electron gun 3 extends along the X-axis direction.

[0016] The target 4 generates X-rays by being irradiated with the electron beam emitted from the electron gun 3 inside the housing 2. The target 4 is formed, for example, of a high melting point metal material such as tungsten into a plate shape. The target 4 is supported by the anode 5 inside the housing 2 so as to face the electron gun 3 in the X-axis direction. In addition, the target 4 may be integrally formed with the anode 5.

[0017] The anode 5 applies the voltage generated by the power supply unit 6 to the target 4. Therefore, the anode 5 is electrically connected to the target 4. The anode 5 is formed of a metal material such as copper into a rod shape extending along the Z-axis direction. The anode 5 extends from outside the housing 2 into the housing 2 in such a manner that the central axis of the anode 5 coincides with the central axis A1 of the tube body 22. The anode 5 is fixed to the bottom of the tube body 22. The front end face of the anode 5 inside the housing 2 is an inclined surface inclined with respect to both the central axis A1 and the central axis A2. The target 4 is embedded in the front end portion 5a of the anode 5 so as to be coplanar with the front end face of the anode 5.

[0018] The power supply unit 6 generates a voltage for applying to the target 4 via the conductive member 9, the power supply unit 7, and the anode 5. The power supply unit 6 is disposed on one side (the lower side of the housing 2) in the Z-axis direction with respect to the housing 2. The power supply unit 6 includes an insulating portion (first insulating portion) 61, a circuit portion 62, and a power supply portion (not shown) that electrically connects the circuit portion 62 and an external power supply.

[0019] The insulating portion 61 is a solid insulating portion that electrically insulates the circuit portion 62 from other components. The insulating portion 61 is formed, for example, of a resin material such as epoxy resin into a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The surface 61a of the insulating portion 61 is composed of an upper surface 61b that is a surface on the housing 2 side, a lower surface 61c on the side opposite to the upper surface 61b, and side surfaces 61d that connect the upper surface 61b and the lower surface 61c to each other. A ring-shaped wall portion 61e is formed at the central portion of the upper surface 61b.

[0020] The circuit unit 62 has a rectangular printed circuit board, i.e., the board 621. The surface of the board 621 is orthogonal to the Y-axis direction. On the surface of the board 621, a first voltage unit 62a, a boosting unit 62b, and a second voltage unit 62c are mounted. The first voltage unit 62a includes an input terminal that inputs a first voltage from the outside via a power supply unit (not shown) and is electrically connected to the boosting unit 62b. The boosting unit 62b includes a boosting circuit that boosts the first voltage to a second voltage. The boosting unit 62b is, for example, a Cockcroft-Walton circuit. The second voltage unit 62c includes an output terminal that outputs the second voltage applied to the target 4 and is electrically connected to the boosting unit 62b. This output terminal outputs the second voltage to the target 4 via the conductive member 9, the power supply unit 7, and the anode 5. That is, relatively speaking, it can be said that the first voltage unit 62a is the low-voltage part of the circuit unit 62, and the second voltage unit 62c is the high-voltage part of the circuit unit 62. Regarding the boosting unit 62b, it can also be said that it is substantially included in the high-voltage part of the circuit unit 62. In other words, the board 621 includes a relatively low-voltage area where the first voltage unit 62a is arranged and a relatively high-voltage area where the boosting unit 62b and the second voltage unit 62c are arranged. In addition, the surface of the board 621 may also be orthogonal to either the X-axis direction or the Z-axis direction. Either one of the two surfaces of the board 621 can be used as the surface of the board 621 (the surface on which the first voltage unit 62a, etc. are mounted).

[0021] The boosting unit 62b is located at the central part of the surface of the board 621. The first voltage unit 62a is located on one side (the lower surface 61c side) of the boosting unit 62b in the Z-axis direction. The second voltage unit 62c is located on the other side (the upper surface 61b side) of the boosting unit 62b in the Z-axis direction.

[0022] The circuit unit 62 is buried in the insulating unit 61 in such a way that the entire circuit unit 62 is located within the insulating unit 61. The circuit unit 62 is buried in the insulating unit 61 in such a way that the board 621 extends straight along the Z-axis direction.

[0023] The power supply unit 7 supplies the second voltage output from the second voltage unit 62c to the target 4. The power supply unit 7 is a tubular sleeve formed of a metal material such as aluminum, for example. The power supply unit 7 is buried in the insulating unit 61 in such a way that a part 7a of the power supply unit 7 is exposed outside the insulating unit 61. The part 7a protrudes from the upper surface 61b to the outside of the insulating unit 61. The part 7a is surrounded by the wall portion 61e when viewed from the Z-axis direction. The base end portion 5b of the anode 5 (the part located outside the frame 2 of the anode 5) is fitted with the part 7a. The power supply unit 7 is fixed to the frame 2 via the anode 5. That is, the frame 2 and the power supply unit 7 are fixed to each other.

[0024] The target 4, the anode 5, and the power supply unit 7 overlap with the insulating portion 61 when viewed from the Z-axis direction. The circuit portion 62 is embedded in the insulating portion 61 such that the second voltage portion 62c is located between the first voltage portion 62a and the target 4 in the Z-axis direction.

[0025] The conductive member 9 is a single rod member formed in a rod shape from a highly rigid metal material. The material of the conductive member 9 is, for example, stainless steel, hardened steel, kovar alloy, or the like. When the conductive member 9 is formed from a highly rigid metal material, the outer diameter of the conductive member 9 as a rod member is, for example, 0.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less. The material of the conductive member 9 may also be copper. In this case, the outer diameter of the conductive member 9 as a rod member is, for example, 1.0 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less.

[0026] The conductive member 9 electrically connects the second voltage portion 62c and the target 4 via the power supply unit 7 and the anode 5. Therefore, the conductive member 9 has conductivity. One end portion of the conductive member 9 is electrically connected to the second voltage portion 62c, and the other end portion of the conductive member 9 is connected to the power supply unit 7. The conductive member 9 is separately connected to the second voltage portion 62c and the power supply unit 7, respectively. The conductive member 9 is embedded in the insulating portion 61 such that a part of the conductive member 9 is located within the insulating portion 61. In the X-ray generating apparatus 1A, the conductive member 9 is embedded in the insulating portion 61 such that this part of the conductive member 9 extends straight along the Z-axis direction. The other part of the conductive member 9 is exposed outside the insulating portion 61. The part of the conductive member 9 exposed outside the insulating portion 61 is electrically connected to the base end portion 5b of the anode 5 inside the power supply unit 7.

[0027] The conductive member 9 has self-standing property in a natural state. That is, in a state where the conductive member 9 is not embedded in the insulating portion 61 and is connected to the specified components (separately to the second voltage portion 62c and the power supply unit 7 in the X-ray generating apparatus 1A), the positions of the respective parts of the conductive member 9 do not change due to the self-weight of the conductive member 9 and are maintained constant.

[0028] The X-ray generating apparatus 1A further includes a first plate member 11, a second plate member 12, a plurality (four in this embodiment) of support columns 13, a cylindrical member 14, insulating oil (second insulating portion) 15, and a conductive coating 16. The conductive coating 16 is applied to the side surface 61d of the insulating portion 61 to make the potential of the side surface 61d the ground potential.

[0029] The first plate member 11 is formed, for example, of a metallic material such as aluminum into a rectangular plate shape. The insulating portion 61 is disposed on the first plate member 11 in such a manner that the lower surface 61c thereof is in contact with the first plate member 11. The second plate member 12 is formed, for example, of a metallic material such as aluminum into a rectangular plate shape. The second plate member 12 is disposed on the insulating portion 61 in such a manner that the second plate member 12 is in contact with the upper surface 61b. An opening 12a is provided in the second plate member 12. The wall portion 61e and the power supply portion 7 are located inside the opening 12a when viewed from the Z-axis direction.

[0030] A plurality of support columns 13 are disposed between each of the four corners of the first plate member 11 and each of the four corners of the second plate member 12. The support columns 13 are formed, for example, of a metallic material such as aluminum into a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The first plate member 11 and the second plate member 12 are fixed to each other via the support columns 13. Specifically, the shaft portion of the screw S1 is inserted through the through holes provided in the first plate member 11 and the second plate member 12 and is screwed into the screw holes provided in the support columns 13. Thereby, the first plate member 11 and the second plate member 12 are fixed to each other.

[0031] The cylinder member 14 houses the insulating oil 15. The cylinder member 14 is formed, for example, of a metallic material such as aluminum into a cylindrical shape. The cylinder member 14 is disposed on the second plate member 12 in such a manner that the interior of the cylinder member 14 communicates with the opening 12a. The pipe body 22h and the anode 5 are located inside the cylinder member 14. One end portion 14a of the cylinder member 14 is formed into a tapered shape whose diameter becomes smaller toward the front end face side of the cylinder member 14. On the front end face of the cylinder member 14, a flange 23 is fixed by screws via a sealing member (not shown). A flange 14b is formed at the other end portion of the cylinder member 14. The flange 14b is fixed to the second plate member 12 by screws via a sealing member (not shown). An internal space is defined by the inner surface of the opening 12a, the inner surface of the cylinder member 14, the flange 23, and the insulating portion 61. The insulating oil 15, mainly composed of, for example, mineral oil, is filled in the internal space. The insulating oil 15 is made of a material different from that of the insulating portion 61. The insulating oil 15 covers the pipe body 22, the exposed portions of the anode 5 outside the frame body 2, and the exposed portions of the power supply portion 7 outside the insulating portion 61.

[0032] In the X-ray generating apparatus 1A configured as described above, after setting the side surface 61d of the insulating portion 61 to the ground potential, a voltage of, for example, several hundred V is input as a first voltage to the first voltage portion 62a from an external power supply device via the power supply unit. The boosting portion 62b boosts the first voltage to a second voltage of, for example, several kV to several hundred kV. Then, the second voltage portion 62c outputs the second voltage to the target 4 via the conductive member 9, the power supply unit 7, and the anode 5. In a state where the second voltage is applied to the target 4, an electron beam from the electron gun 3 is incident on the target 4, and thereby X-rays are generated from the target 4. The X-ray generating apparatus 1A is a so-called sealed reflection type X-ray generating apparatus. In addition, the power supply to the electron gun 3 can be performed by a transformer (not shown) provided in the power supply unit 6, or can be performed by the circuit unit 62.

[0033] For example, the power supply unit 6 of the X-ray generating apparatus 1A is manufactured as follows. First, the circuit unit 62, the power supply unit 7, and the conductive member 9 are arranged at predetermined positions in a mold, and in this state, a thermosetting resin is introduced into the mold. Then, the introduced thermosetting resin is degassed so that no bubbles remain in the thermosetting resin in the mold. Next, the thermosetting resin is thermally cured to form the insulating portion 61.

[0034] [Function and Effect]

[0035] As described above, in the X-ray generating apparatus 1A, the conductive member 9 has self-supporting properties in a natural state, and a part of the conductive member 9 is electrically connected to the second voltage portion 62c and is also electrically connected to the target 4 in a state of being embedded in the insulating portion 61. Therefore, for example, when manufacturing the X-ray generating apparatus 1A, when forming the insulating portion 61, even if an inflow pressure is applied to the conductive member 9 during the process of introducing (flowing) the thermosetting resin into the mold, or even if the bubbles that have fallen off during the bubble treatment collide with the conductive member 9, the shape and position of the conductive member 9 do not change significantly, and the position of the conductive member 9 in the insulating portion 61 is maintained constant. Thereby, a desired insulation distance is ensured between the conductive member 9 and other components. Therefore, according to the X-ray generating apparatus 1A, it is possible to suppress the generation of discharge in the insulating portion 61.

[0036] The X-ray generating apparatus 1A includes a power supply unit 7 that supplies the second voltage to the target 4. The power supply unit 7 is embedded in the insulating portion 61 such that a part 7a of the power supply unit 7 is exposed outside the insulating portion 61, and the conductive member 9 is connected to the power supply unit 7. Thus, for example, when manufacturing the X-ray generating apparatus 1A, when forming the insulating portion 61, the position of the conductive member 9 in the insulating portion 61 can be maintained constant by the circuit unit 62 and the power supply unit 7, and therefore, it is possible to reliably suppress the generation of discharge in the insulating portion 61.

[0037] The X-ray generating apparatus 1A includes insulating oil 15 made of a material different from that of the insulating portion 61, and a part of the housing 2 is covered with the insulating oil 15. Thus, in the X-ray generating apparatus 1A, the insulating oil 15 can be formed of a material suitable for insulating the housing 2 from other components.

[0038] In the X-ray generating apparatus 1A, the conductive member 9 is a single rod member, and the single rod member is separately connected to the second voltage portion 62c. Since the conductive member 9 is a single rod member, air bubbles are not likely to remain around the conductive member 9. For example, in the case where the conductive member 9 is a plurality of rod members, air bubbles are replenished between the plurality of rod members, and even after degassing treatment, air bubbles are likely to remain. Therefore, air bubbles are likely to exist in the insulating portion 61 formed after thermal curing. However, in the case where the conductive member 9 is a single rod member, such air bubbles do not occur. If air bubbles exist in the insulating portion 61, the withstand voltage ability of the region where the air bubbles exist is reduced, and thus, discharge is likely to occur in the insulating portion 61. In addition, since the conductive member 9 is separately connected to the second voltage portion 62c, air bubbles are not likely to remain around the conductive member 9. For example, in the case where the conductive member 9 and the covering member covering the conductive member 9 are connected to the second voltage portion 62c together, since the air bubbles existing between the conductive member 9 and the covering member cannot be removed even by degassing treatment, air bubbles are likely to exist in the insulating portion 61 formed after thermal curing. However, in the case where the conductive member 9 is separately connected to the second voltage portion 62c, such air bubbles do not occur. Therefore, the generation of discharge due to air bubbles in the insulating portion 61 can be suppressed, and thus, the generation of discharge in the insulating portion 61 can be more reliably suppressed.

[0039] In the X-ray generating apparatus 1A, the conductive member 9 is, for example, a rod member having an outer diameter of 0.5 mm or more. In this case, the conductive member 9 having self-standing property in a natural state can be specifically realized.

[0040] In the X-ray generating apparatus 1A, the conductive member 9 is formed of a metal material. In this case, compared with the case of being formed of an organic material, the surface free energy is high, and good wettability (that is, good contact with the uncured resin as a liquid) can be ensured. Therefore, air bubbles are not likely to be formed on the surface of the conductive member 9. Thus, the insulating portion 61 in which air bubbles are not likely to remain can be appropriately formed. Therefore, the generation of discharge due to air bubbles in the insulating portion 61 can be suppressed, and thus, the generation of discharge in the insulating portion 61 can be more reliably suppressed.

[0041] In the X-ray generating apparatus 1A, the conductive member 9 is formed of, for example, stainless steel, hard steel, or Kovar alloy. In this case, since the conductive member 9 is formed of a highly rigid material, it is possible to reduce the size of the conductive member 9 while specifically realizing a conductive member 9 having self-standing property in a natural state. For example, when the conductive member 9 is a rod member, it is possible to reduce the outer diameter of the rod member.

[0042] [X-ray generating apparatus of the second embodiment]

[0043] As Figure 2 and Figure 3 shown, the main difference between the X-ray generating apparatus 1B of the second embodiment and the X-ray generating apparatus 1A of the first embodiment is that the housing 2 is configured to be able to open and close the inside of the housing 2 and the circuit unit 62 outputs a second voltage to the electron gun 3. Hereinafter, the X-ray generating apparatus 1B of the second embodiment will be described centering on the differences from the X-ray generating apparatus 1A of the first embodiment.

[0044] The X-ray generating apparatus 1B further includes an exhaust pipe 17 and a power supply unit 18. The power supply unit 6 also has a conductive member 64 and an electron emission control unit (not shown) electrically connected to the conductive members 9 and 64.

[0045] The housing 2 has a fixing portion 24, a detachable portion 25, a hinge 26, and a cover 27. The fixing portion 24 and the detachable portion 25 are each formed in a cylindrical shape of a metal material such as stainless steel. The detachable portion 25 is attached to the fixing portion 24 via the hinge 26. The detachable portion 25 defines a passage 25a through which the electron beam passes. The exhaust pipe 17 is attached to the side wall of the fixing portion 24. A vacuum pump (not shown) is connected to the exhaust pipe 17. The target 4 in a state of being housed in the cover 27 is attached to the upper end of the detachable portion 25. In the X-ray generating apparatus 1B, by tilting and moving the detachable portion 25 relative to the fixing portion 24 to open the inside of the housing 2, it is possible to replace the filament or the like of the electron gun 3. A plurality of coil portions 28 are provided inside the detachable portion 25. The plurality of coil portions 28 function as an electromagnetic deflection lens and focus the electron beam traveling in the passage 25a from the electron gun 3 toward the target 4 onto the target 4.

[0046] The insulating portion 61 is composed of a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped first portion 61f and a cylindrical second portion 61g provided on the first portion 61f. The fixing portion 24 is attached to the upper end of the first portion 61f. The second portion 61g is located inside the fixing portion 24. A part of each of the power supply units 7 and 18 is buried in the second portion 61g.

[0047] The electron gun 3 is installed at the front end of the second part 61g. The electron gun 3 includes a grid base 31, screws 32, a heater sleeve 33, a heater rod (filament) 34, a heater base 35, a grid cover 36, and rings 37, 38. The grid base 31 is fixed to the power supply unit 18 by the screws 32. The heater sleeve 33 is fitted with the power supply unit 7. The heater rod 34 is detachably installed on the heater sleeve 33. The heater base 35 supports the heater rod 34. The heater rod 34 and the heater base 35 constitute a cathode electrode. The grid cover 36 covers the heater rod 34 and the heater base 35. The ring 37 is screwed with the grid base 31 and presses the grid cover 36. Thus, the position of the heater base 35 inside the grid cover 36 is fixed through cooperation with the ring 38.

[0048] The conductive member 64 electrically connects the second voltage unit 62c and the electron gun 3 (screw 32) via the power supply unit 18. One end of the conductive member 64 is electrically connected to the second voltage unit 62c, and the other end of the conductive member 64 is connected to the power supply unit 18. The conductive member 64 is buried in the insulating portion 61 in such a manner that the entire conductive member 64 is located within the insulating portion 61. The structure and material of the conductive member 64 are, for example, the same as those of the conductive member 9.

[0049] The conductive member 9 electrically connects the second voltage unit 62c and the electron gun 3 (heater sleeve 33) via the power supply unit 7. One end of the conductive member 9 is electrically connected to the second voltage unit 62c, and the other end of the conductive member 9 is connected to the power supply unit 7.

[0050] In the X-ray generating apparatus 1B configured as described above, after setting the target 4 to the ground potential, a negative voltage of, for example, several hundred V is input as the first voltage from an external power supply device to the first voltage unit 62a via the power supply unit. The booster unit 62b boosts the first voltage to a second voltage of, for example, - several kV to - several hundred kV. Then, the second voltage unit 62c outputs the second voltage to the electron gun 3 via the conductive member 9 and the power supply unit 7. By heating the heater rod 34 via the heater sleeve 33, an electron beam is emitted from the heater rod 34. The electron beam from the electron gun 3 is incident on the target 4, and thus X-rays are generated from the target 4. The X-ray generating apparatus 1B is a so-called open transmission type X-ray generating apparatus.

[0051] As described above, in the X-ray generating apparatus 1B, the housing 2 is configured to be able to open and close the interior of the housing 2. Thus, it is possible to replace the filament or the like of the electron gun 3.

[0052] [Modification Example]

[0053] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. In the X-ray generating apparatus 1A of the first embodiment, a part of the circuit unit 62, a part of the power supply unit 7, and a part of the conductive member 9 are embedded in the insulating unit 61, but the form of the insulating unit 61 is not limited thereto. For example, as Figure 4 shown, in the X-ray generating apparatus 1A, the power supply unit 7 may be embedded in the insulating unit 61 such that the entire power supply unit 7 is located within the insulating unit 61, the conductive member 9 may be embedded in the insulating unit 61 such that the entire conductive member 9 is located within the insulating unit 61, the anode 5 may be embedded in the insulating unit 61 such that a portion of the anode 5 located outside the housing 2 is located within the insulating unit 61, and the housing 2 may be embedded in the insulating unit 61 such that a part of the housing 2 (the head 21 and the flange 23) protrudes outside the insulating unit 61. In this case, for example, when manufacturing the X-ray generating apparatus 1A, when molding the insulating unit 61, the position of the conductive member 9 within the insulating unit 61 can be maintained constant by using the housing 2, the circuit unit 62, and the power supply unit 7. Therefore, it is possible to reliably suppress the generation of discharge within the insulating unit 61.

[0054] In the X-ray generating apparatus 1A of the first embodiment and the X-ray generating apparatus 1B of the second embodiment, the conductive member 9 extends straight along the Z-axis direction within the insulating unit 61, but the conductive member 9 may also extend curvedly within the insulating unit 61 according to the positional relationship between the housing 2 and the circuit unit 62. For example, as Figure 5A and 5B shown, in the X-ray generating apparatus 1A, the housing 2 may be located on the side of the insulating unit 61 such that the housing 2 overlaps the side surface 61d when viewed from the X-axis direction. In this case, the conductive member 9 may also extend curvedly within the insulating unit 61 so as to be connected to the second voltage unit 62c and the power supply unit 7, respectively. By adopting such a structure, the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the circuit unit 62 becomes higher. Therefore, the circuit unit 62 can be arranged at a position where discharge is less likely to occur, and thus, it is possible to further suppress the generation of discharge within the insulating unit 61.

[0055] In the X-ray generating apparatus 1A of the first embodiment and the X-ray generating apparatus 1B of the second embodiment, the material of the conductive member 9 is, for example, a metal material such as stainless steel, hard steel, Kovar alloy, or copper, but the material of the conductive member 9 may be any material having conductivity. In addition, in the X-ray generating apparatus 1A of the first embodiment and the X-ray generating apparatus 1B of the second embodiment, the conductive member 9 is a rod member, but the conductive member 9 may also be a plate member.

[0056] In the X-ray generating apparatus 1A of the first embodiment and the X-ray generating apparatus 1B of the second embodiment, the conductive member 9 is electrically connected to the electron gun 3 or the target 4 via the power supply unit 7. However, the conductive member 9 may also be electrically connected to the electron gun 3 or the target 4 without passing through the power supply unit 7. For example, the X-ray generating apparatus 1A may not include the power supply unit 7, and the conductive member 9 may be directly connected to the base end portion 5b of the anode 5.

[0057] In the X-ray generating apparatus 1A of the first embodiment and the X-ray generating apparatus 1B of the second embodiment, the conductive member 9 may be integrally formed with the power supply unit 7. That is, the conductive member 9 may also serve as the power supply unit 7.

[0058] The X-ray generating apparatus 1A of the first embodiment is a sealed reflection type X-ray generating apparatus, but the X-ray generating apparatus 1A may also be a sealed transmission type X-ray generating apparatus. The X-ray generating apparatus 1B of the second embodiment is an open transmission type X-ray generating apparatus, but the X-ray generating apparatus 1B may also be an open reflection type X-ray generating apparatus.

[0059] In an X-ray generating apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure, [1] "An X-ray generating apparatus, comprising: a housing; an electron gun that emits an electron beam within the housing; a target that generates X-rays by being irradiated with the electron beam within the housing; a power supply unit that generates a voltage to be applied to the electron gun or the target; and a conductive member, wherein the power supply unit has a solid first insulating portion and a circuit portion embedded in the first insulating portion, the circuit portion includes a first voltage portion that receives a first voltage input from the outside, a boosting portion that boosts the first voltage to a second voltage as the voltage, and a second voltage portion that outputs the second voltage to the electron gun or the target, the conductive member has self-standing property in a natural state, is electrically connected to the second voltage portion in a state where at least a part of the conductive member is embedded in the first insulating portion, and is electrically connected to the electron gun or the target."

[0060] In the X-ray generating apparatus described in the above [1], the conductive member has self-standing property in a natural state, is electrically connected to the second voltage portion in a state where at least a part of the conductive member is embedded in the first insulating portion, and is electrically connected to the electron gun or the target. Therefore, for example, when manufacturing the X-ray generating apparatus, when molding the first insulating portion, the position of the conductive member within the first insulating portion is maintained constant. Thereby, a desired insulation distance is ensured between the conductive member and other components. Therefore, according to the X-ray generating apparatus described in the above [1], generation of discharge within the first insulating portion can be suppressed.

[0061] In the X-ray generating apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure, it may also be [2] "the X-ray generating apparatus according to [1] above, wherein the X-ray generating apparatus further includes a power supply unit that supplies the second voltage to the electron gun or the target, the power supply unit is buried in the first insulating portion such that a part of the power supply unit is exposed outside the first insulating portion, and the conductive member is connected to the power supply unit". According to the X-ray generating apparatus described in [2], for example, when manufacturing the X-ray generating apparatus, when forming the first insulating portion, the position of the conductive member in the first insulating portion can be maintained constant by the circuit portion and the power supply unit. Therefore, generation of discharge in the first insulating portion can be reliably suppressed.

[0062] In the X-ray generating apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure, it may also be [3] "the X-ray generating apparatus according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the X-ray generating apparatus further includes a second insulating portion made of a material different from that of the first insulating portion, and a part of the frame is covered by the second insulating portion". According to the X-ray generating apparatus described in [3], the second insulating portion can be formed using a material suitable for insulating the frame and other components.

[0063] In the X-ray generating apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure, it may also be [4] "the X-ray generating apparatus according to [1] above, wherein the X-ray generating apparatus further includes a power supply unit that supplies the second voltage to the electron gun or the target, the frame and the power supply unit are fixed to each other, the power supply unit is buried in the first insulating portion such that the entire power supply unit is located within the first insulating portion, the frame is buried in the first insulating portion such that a part of the frame is exposed outside the first insulating portion, and the conductive member is buried in the first insulating portion such that the entire conductive member is located within the first insulating portion and is connected to the power supply unit". According to the X-ray generating apparatus described in [4], for example, when manufacturing the X-ray generating apparatus, when forming the first insulating portion, the position of the conductive member in the first insulating portion can be maintained constant by the frame, the circuit portion, and the power supply unit. Therefore, generation of discharge in the first insulating portion can be reliably suppressed.

[0064] In the X-ray generating apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure, it may also be "[5] The X-ray generating apparatus according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein the conductive member is a single rod member, and the single rod member is independently connected to the second voltage unit". In the X-ray generating apparatus according to [5], since the conductive member is a single rod member, bubbles are less likely to remain around the conductive member. For example, in the case where the conductive member is a plurality of rod members, bubbles are likely to remain between the plurality of rod members, but in the case where the conductive member is a single rod member, such bubbles do not occur. If there are bubbles in the first insulating portion, the withstand voltage ability of the region where the bubbles are present is reduced, and thus discharge is likely to occur in the first insulating portion. In addition, since the conductive member is independently connected to the second voltage unit, bubbles are less likely to remain around the conductive member. For example, in the case where the conductive member and the covering member covering the conductive member are connected to the second voltage unit together, bubbles are likely to remain between the conductive member and the covering member, but in the case where the conductive member is independently connected to the second voltage unit, such bubbles do not occur. Therefore, the generation of discharge due to bubbles in the first insulating portion can be suppressed, and thus the generation of discharge in the first insulating portion can be more reliably suppressed.

[0065] In the X-ray generating apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure, it may also be "[6] The X-ray generating apparatus according to any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein the conductive member is a rod member having an outer diameter of 0.5 mm or more". In the X-ray generating apparatus according to [6], a conductive member having self-standing property in a natural state can be specifically realized.

[0066] In the X-ray generating apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure, it may also be "[7] The X-ray generating apparatus according to any one of [1] to [6] above, wherein the conductive member is formed of a metal material". In the X-ray generating apparatus according to [7], since the conductive member is formed of a metal material, the surface free energy is high compared to the case where it is formed of an organic material, and good wettability (i.e., good contact with the resin before curing as a liquid) can be ensured. Therefore, bubbles are not easily formed on the surface of the conductive member. Thereby, the first insulating portion where bubbles are less likely to remain can be appropriately formed. Therefore, the generation of discharge due to bubbles in the first insulating portion can be suppressed, and thus the generation of discharge in the first insulating portion can be more reliably suppressed.

[0067] In the X-ray generating apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is also possible that "[8] In the X-ray generating apparatus according to [7] above, the conductive member is formed of stainless steel, hard steel, or Kovar alloy." In the X-ray generating apparatus according to [8], since the conductive member is formed of a highly rigid material, it is possible to specifically realize a conductive member having self-standing property in a natural state and reduce the size of the conductive member. For example, when the conductive member is a rod member, the outer diameter of the rod member can be reduced.

[0068] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an X-ray generating apparatus capable of suppressing discharge generation in the insulating portion.

Claims

1. An X-ray generating device, comprising: A housing; An electron gun that emits an electron beam within the housing; A target material that generates X-rays by being irradiated with the electron beam within the housing; A power supply unit that generates a voltage to be applied to the electron gun or the target material; and A conductive member, The power supply unit has a solid first insulating portion and a circuit portion embedded in the first insulating portion, The circuit portion includes a first voltage portion that inputs a first voltage from the outside, a boosting portion that boosts the first voltage to a second voltage as the voltage, and a second voltage portion that outputs the second voltage to the electron gun or the target material, The conductive member has self-supporting properties in a natural state, is electrically connected to the second voltage portion in a state where at least a part of the conductive member is embedded in the first insulating portion, and is electrically connected to the electron gun or the target material.

2. The X-ray generating device according to claim 1, wherein, It further includes a power supply unit that supplies the second voltage to the electron gun or the target material, The power supply unit is embedded in the first insulating portion in such a manner that a part of the power supply unit is exposed outside the first insulating portion, The conductive member is connected to the power supply unit.

3. The X-ray generating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, It further includes a second insulating portion made of a material different from the first insulating portion, A part of the housing is covered by the second insulating portion.

4. The X-ray generating device according to claim 1, wherein, It further includes a power supply unit that supplies the second voltage to the electron gun or the target material, The housing and the power supply unit are fixed to each other, The power supply unit is embedded in the first insulating portion in such a manner that the entire power supply unit is located within the first insulating portion, The housing is embedded in the first insulating portion in such a manner that a part of the housing is exposed outside the first insulating portion, The conductive member is embedded in the first insulating portion in such a manner that the entire conductive member is located within the first insulating portion and is connected to the power supply unit.

5. The X-ray generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The conductive member is a single rod member, The single rod member is individually connected to the second voltage portion.

6. The X-ray generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The conductive member is a rod member having an outer diameter of 0.5 mm or more.

7. The X-ray generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, [[ID= ​ ​

Images