CT tube with self-repairing function and anode target disc repair method

Abstract

The application provides a CT tube with a self-repairing function and an anode target disc repairing method, and applies to the technical field of medical diagnosis equipment. The CT tube with the self-repairing function comprises a tube body and a repairing device. The tube body comprises a tube shell, an anode target disc and a cathode electron gun. The repairing device comprises a laser introduction mechanism and a focusing mechanism. The focusing mechanism is arranged on the tube shell in a manner that an exit surface faces a focal point track. The laser introduction mechanism is connected to the tube shell at a position corresponding to the focusing mechanism. The focusing mechanism is used for receiving a laser beam and focusing the laser beam on the focal point track to form a laser repairing area. The tube shell is provided with suction ports and gas supply ports, which can be opened and closed. The suction ports are arranged towards the laser repairing area. The suction ports are used for connecting a dust suction pump and a vacuum pump at different repairing time periods. The technical scheme of the application can solve the technical problems of high repairing difficulty and high repairing cost when repairing the anode target disc.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of medical diagnostic equipment technology, and in particular relates to a method for repairing a CT tube and anode target plate with self-repair function. Background Technology

[0002] CT (Computed Tomography) is a medical imaging technology that uses X-rays to scan the human body from multiple angles and obtain cross-sectional images through computer reconstruction. It can provide clearer and more detailed anatomical information than ordinary X-rays and is widely used to detect lesions such as tumors, fractures, hemorrhages or infections in the brain, chest, abdomen and bones. It is an important tool for rapid clinical diagnosis and treatment planning.

[0003] The CT tube, as one of the core components of a CT scanner, primarily functions to generate and emit X-rays. A CT tube consists of a tube shell, a cathode electron gun, and an anode target disk. The cathode electron gun emits a high-speed electron beam, while the anode target disk receives the electron beam and generates the X-rays required for CT scanning. During operation, the anode target disk is subjected to prolonged and intense bombardment by the high-speed electron beam, which can easily lead to cracking, erosion, unevenness, and other damage to the focal track, affecting the image clarity of the CT scanner. However, damage to the anode target disk usually requires disassembling the entire CT tube to remove it for repair, significantly increasing the difficulty and cost of repair. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a method for repairing CT tubes and anode target plates with self-healing function, aiming to solve the technical problems of high repair difficulty and high repair cost when repairing anode target plates.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application proposes a CT tube with self-healing function, comprising: The X-ray tube body includes a tube shell, an anode target disk, and a cathode electron gun. The anode target disk is rotatably disposed inside the tube shell and is provided with a focal track. The cathode electron gun is provided with an emission surface and is disposed inside the tube shell with the emission surface facing the focal track. A repair device includes a laser introduction mechanism and a focusing mechanism. The focusing mechanism has an exit surface and is disposed on the tube shell with the exit surface facing the focal track. The laser introduction mechanism is locked to the tube shell at a position corresponding to the focusing mechanism. The laser introduction mechanism is used to deliver a laser beam to the focusing mechanism. The focusing mechanism is used to receive the laser beam and focus the laser beam on the focal track to form a laser repair area. The casing is provided with a suction port and an air supply port, both of which can be opened and closed. The suction port is positioned facing the laser repair area. The suction port is used to connect a dust pump when repairing the focal track of the anode target disk, and to connect a vacuum pump after the focal track of the anode target disk has been repaired.

[0006] In one embodiment, the tube shell is provided with a conveying channel, and the focusing mechanism includes an incident lens, a collimating lens, a focusing lens and an exiting lens. The incident lens, the collimating lens, the focusing lens and the exiting lens are sequentially arranged in the conveying channel from the outside of the tube shell to the inside of the tube shell, and the exiting surface is arranged on the exiting lens.

[0007] In one embodiment, a sealing element is provided between the incident mirror and the inner wall of the conveying channel, and between the exit mirror and the inner wall of the conveying channel.

[0008] In one embodiment, the tube shell is provided with a sealing joint on the outer surface of the focusing mechanism, the sealing joint is provided with a locking block, the laser introduction mechanism includes a laser source and a transmission optical fiber, the first end of the transmission optical fiber is connected to the laser source, the second end of the transmission optical fiber is provided with a connector, the connector passes through the sealing joint, and the locking block passes through the sealing joint and abuts against the connector.

[0009] In one embodiment, the locking block is a fine-tuning screw, and the number of locking blocks is at least three. The locking blocks are evenly spaced along the circumferential distance of the sealing joint, and the connector is locked to the sealing joint by the locking blocks.

[0010] In one embodiment, a vacuum isolation valve is provided at the suction port.

[0011] In one embodiment, the outlet end of the vacuum isolation valve is connected to a suction pipe, and a filter element for preventing backflow is provided inside the suction pipe.

[0012] In one embodiment, the tube body further includes a bearing assembly and a drive assembly. The bearing assembly includes a mandrel and a bearing bush. The mandrel is disposed inside the tube housing, and the bearing bush is rotatably disposed on the mandrel. The anode target disk is disposed on the bearing bush. The drive assembly includes a stator and a rotor. The rotor is disposed on the bearing bush, and the stator is disposed outside the tube housing and correspondingly disposed to the rotor.

[0013] This application also proposes an anode target plate repair method, applied to a CT tube with self-healing function as described above, wherein the anode target plate repair method includes: Open the suction port and the air supply port, connect the dust pump to the suction port and turn on the dust pump; The laser introduction mechanism is locked to the tube shell and the laser introduction mechanism is opened to deliver the laser beam to the focusing mechanism. At the same time, the drive assembly is controlled to drive the anode target disk to rotate. After the focal track of the anode target disk is repaired, the laser introduction mechanism and the dust pump are turned off in sequence. Close the air supply port, connect the vacuum pump to the suction port and turn on the vacuum pump; Once the internal vacuum level of the tube reaches the preset threshold, the suction port is sealed.

[0014] The technical solution of this application, by setting up a repair device consisting of a transmission optical fiber and a focusing mechanism, and by setting a suction port and an air supply port in the tube shell, can repair the focal track of the anode target disk without disassembling the CT tube, thus reducing the repair difficulty and cost of the anode target disk. Specifically, when the imaging clarity of the CT equipment decreases and cannot meet the needs of CT examination, the operator only needs to remove the entire CT tube, open the suction port and the air supply port. At this time, the internal pressure of the tube shell is lower than the external pressure, and the external gas is drawn into the tube shell under pressure, thus breaking the internal vacuum environment of the tube shell. Subsequently, the dust pump is connected to the suction port and turned on to perform dust removal. The laser introduction mechanism is locked to the tube shell to deliver the laser beam to the focusing mechanism, while the drive component is controlled to drive the anode target disk to rotate. As the focusing mechanism receives the laser beam and focuses the laser beam onto the focal track, and in conjunction with the rotation of the anode target disk, the focal track can be repaired. By utilizing thermal melting and reflow, as well as ablation, the entire focal track of the anode target plate is polished, thus achieving the repair of the anode target plate without disassembling the entire CT tube. Simultaneously, an external dust pump removes dust, sputtering, and other contaminants generated during the repair of the focal track of the anode target plate. After the focal track of the anode target plate is repaired, the gas supply port is sealed, and the external vacuum pump is connected to the suction port and turned on to extract the gas inside the tube shell. Once the vacuum level inside the tube shell reaches a preset threshold, the suction port is resealed, thus re-establishing a vacuum environment inside the tube shell and providing the necessary environmental conditions for the normal operation of the CT tube. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort. In the drawings, the same parts use the same reference numerals. The drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a CT tube with self-healing function in one embodiment provided in this application; Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a CT tube with self-healing function in one embodiment provided in this application; Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A in the image; Figure 4 A schematic flowchart of an anode target plate repair method in one embodiment provided in this application.

[0017] In the picture: 100. X-ray tube body; 110. Tube shell; 111. Suction port; 111a. Vacuum isolation valve; 111b. Suction pipe; 112. Gas supply port; 112a. Copper tube; 113. Delivery channel; 114. Sealing joint; 114a. Locking block; 120. Anode target plate; 130. Cathode electron gun; 131. Emitting surface; 140. Bearing assembly; 141. Mandrel; 142. Bearing bush; 200. Repair device; 210. Delivery fiber; 211. Connector; 220. Focusing mechanism; 221. Entrance lens; 222. Collimating lens; 223. Focusing lens; 224. Exit lens; 224a. Exit surface; 300. Base. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intervening component present. When a component is referred to as "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component present.

[0020] It should also be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications, such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc., these directional indications are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly. Furthermore, if the embodiments of the present invention involve descriptions such as "first," "second," "S1," "S2," "step one," "step two," etc., these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated or the order of method execution. Those skilled in the art will understand that anything that does not violate the inventive concept and does not contradict the inventive points should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] This application provides a method for repairing a CT tube and anode target plate with self-repair function, aiming to solve the technical problems of high repair difficulty and high repair cost when repairing anode target plates.

[0022] Please see Figures 1 to 3 This application proposes a CT tube with self-healing function, which includes a tube body 100 and a repair device 200. The tube body 100 includes a tube shell 110, an anode target disk 120, and a cathode electron gun 130. The anode target disk 120 is rotatably disposed within the tube shell 110 and is provided with a focal track. The cathode electron gun 130 is provided with an emission surface 131 and is disposed within the tube shell 110 with the emission surface 131 facing the focal track. The tube shell 110 serves as the outer shell of the CT tube and is mainly used to create a vacuum environment to meet the actual working requirements of the CT tube. In this embodiment, when the CT tube is in operation, the tube shell 110 is horizontally positioned and consists of two cylindrical tubes of different diameters. The two cylindrical tubes are connected to form a T-shaped cavity. The cylindrical tube with a smaller diameter houses the bearing assembly 140, which provides the structural basis for the rotation of the anode target disk 120. The cylindrical tube with a larger diameter houses the anode target disk 120 and the cathode electron gun 130. In a specific embodiment, to make the tube shell 110 more aesthetically pleasing, the corners of the cylindrical tube with a larger diameter can be designed to be rounded, as long as the tube shell 110 does not interfere with the anode target disk 120, cathode electron gun 130, and other components.

[0023] In this self-healing CT tube, the cathode electron gun 130 is used to emit a high-speed electron beam, and the focal track of the anode target disk 120 is used to withstand the bombardment of the high-speed electron beam emitted by the cathode electron gun 130 to generate X-rays and emit them outward. The anode target disk 120 is provided with a track surface inclined relative to its central axis, and a portion of the annular area of ​​the track surface serves as the focal track to withstand the bombardment of the high-speed electron beam.

[0024] The repair device 200 includes a laser introduction mechanism and a focusing mechanism 220. The focusing mechanism 220 has an exit surface 224a and is disposed on the tube housing 110 with the exit surface 224a facing the focal track. The laser introduction mechanism is locked to the tube housing 110 at a position corresponding to the focusing mechanism 220. The laser introduction mechanism is used to deliver a laser beam to the focusing mechanism 220; the focusing mechanism 220 is used to receive the laser beam and focus the laser beam onto the focal track to form a laser repair area. Locking refers to a connection method that fixes two or more components together through a mechanical structure. Specifically, locking can be a snap-fit ​​or a fixation using other mechanical parts (such as locking blocks 114a, adjusting screws, etc.), which only needs to ensure that the laser introduction mechanism can be quickly assembled and disassembled. Additionally, it should be noted that locking the laser introduction mechanism to the position of the housing 110 corresponding to the focusing mechanism 220 is to ensure that the laser introduction mechanism can accurately deliver the laser beam to the focusing mechanism 220; where "corresponding" means that when the laser introduction mechanism is locked to the housing 110, the laser introduction mechanism is directly opposite the position of the focusing mechanism 220. For example, in this embodiment, the focusing mechanism 220 is disposed on the inner wall of the housing 110, and the laser introduction mechanism is locked to the outside of the housing 110 and is positioned directly opposite the focusing mechanism 220.

[0025] In this embodiment, when the focusing mechanism 220 focuses the laser beam onto the focal track, a high-energy-density spot (i.e., the aforementioned laser repair area) is formed on the focal track. At this time, the focal track of the anode target disk 120 can be polished by utilizing thermal melting reflow and ablation to repair the damaged anode target disk 120. Thermal melting reflow refers to the material melting under heat and then flowing, filling defects, and re-solidifying under surface tension, thereby achieving densification and defect healing. Ablation involves instantly heating the material to vaporization or even plasmaization, removing it from the surface in the form of steam or molten particles. It should be noted that when using this repair device 200 for laser repair, a high-frequency pulse mode is required, where a single pulse simultaneously causes localized ablation of the center and melting and refilling of the surrounding material.

[0026] The tube housing 110 is equipped with an openable and closable suction port 111 and an air supply port 112. The suction port 111 is oriented towards the laser repair area. The suction port 111 is used to connect a dust pump during the repair of the focal track of the anode target disk 120, and to connect a vacuum pump after the focal track repair of the anode target disk 120 is completed. In this embodiment, the suction port 111 is used to connect to an external dust pump during repair, thereby removing dust and sputtering generated during the repair of the focal track of the anode target disk 120, ensuring the cleanliness of the inside of the tube housing 110. Simultaneously, it is also used to connect to an external vacuum pump after repair, thereby extracting gas from the inside of the tube housing 110 to re-establish a vacuum environment inside the tube housing 110, meeting the actual usage requirements of the CT tube. The air supply port 112 is used to supply air to the inside of the tube housing 110 when the dust pump is operating, ensuring the normal operation of the dust pump. When the housing 110 is horizontally positioned, the repair device 200, consisting of a laser introduction mechanism and a focusing mechanism 220, is disposed on the end face of the housing 110 and directly opposite the focal track, with the suction port 111 positioned directly above the focal track. In a specific embodiment, the suction port 111 and the air supply port 112 are arranged opposite each other or respectively on both sides of the central axis of the housing 110; wherein the suction port 111 and the air supply port 112 are arranged in a relative layout, rather than being spaced apart, so that when the dust pump sucks dust through the suction port 111, it can remove dust and sputtering generated by the focal track of the repair anode target 120 to the greatest extent, thereby ensuring the dust suction effect.

[0027] The technical solution of this application, by setting up a repair device 200 consisting of a transmission optical fiber 210 and a focusing mechanism 220, and setting a suction port 111 and an air supply port 112 on the tube shell 110, can repair the focal track of the anode target plate 120 without disassembling the CT tube, thereby reducing the repair difficulty and cost of the anode target plate 120. Specifically, when the imaging clarity of the CT equipment decreases and cannot meet the needs of CT examination, the operator only needs to remove the entire CT tube, open the suction port 111 and the air supply port 112. At this time, the internal pressure of the tube shell 110 is lower than the external pressure, and the external gas is drawn into the tube shell 110 under pressure, breaking the internal vacuum environment of the tube shell 110. Then, the dust pump is connected to the suction port 111 and turned on to perform dust removal. The laser introduction mechanism is locked to the tube shell 110 to deliver the laser beam to the focusing mechanism 220. At the same time, the drive component is controlled to drive the anode target disk 120 to rotate. As the focusing mechanism 220 receives the laser beam and focuses the laser beam on the focal track, it works in conjunction with the anode target disk 120. Rotating the CT tube at 0° polishes the entire focal track of the anode target plate 120, thus repairing the anode target plate 120 without disassembling the entire CT tube. Simultaneously, an external vacuum pump removes dust and sputtering generated during the repair of the focal track. After the focal track of the anode target plate 120 is repaired, the air supply port 112 is sealed, and an external vacuum pump is connected to the suction port 111 and turned on. This extracts the gas inside the tube shell 110. Once the internal vacuum level of the tube shell 110 reaches a preset threshold, the suction port 111 is resealed, re-establishing a vacuum environment inside the tube shell 110, thus providing the necessary environmental conditions for the normal operation of the CT tube. This self-healing CT tube is applied in CT equipment, medical diagnostic equipment, and other technical fields. It should be noted that the preset threshold mentioned above refers to the internal vacuum level required for the CT tube to operate normally.

[0028] During CT tube operation, the anode target disk 120 is subjected to long-term, high-intensity bombardment by high-speed electron beams. This can easily lead to cracks, erosion, unevenness, and other damage to the focal track of the anode target disk 120, affecting the imaging clarity of the CT equipment. When the imaging clarity of the CT equipment decreases due to damage to the anode target disk 120, the traditional approach usually requires disassembling the entire CT tube to remove the anode target disk 120 for repair. In this process, the entire CT tube needs to be disassembled to remove the anode target disk 120, and after the anode target disk 120 is repaired, the entire CT tube needs to be reassembled. This greatly increases the difficulty and cost of repairing the anode target disk 120. This application creatively integrates the repair device 200, which consists of a laser introduction mechanism and a focusing mechanism 220, into the CT tube. A suction port 111 for connecting a dust pump and a vacuum pump and an air supply port 112 for supplying air are opened on the tube shell 110. This allows the anode target plate 120 to be repaired without disassembling the entire CT tube, reducing the repair difficulty and cost of the anode target plate 120.

[0029] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 In one embodiment of this application, the tube shell 110 is provided with a conveying channel 113, and the focusing mechanism 220 includes an incident lens 221, a collimating lens 222, a focusing lens 223 and an exit lens 224. The incident lens 221, the collimating lens 222, the focusing lens 223 and the exit lens 224 are arranged sequentially from the outside of the tube shell 110 to the inside of the tube shell 110 in the conveying channel 113, and the exit surface 224a is disposed on the exit lens 224.

[0030] In this embodiment, the delivery channel 113 is used to deliver the laser beam. The focusing mechanism 220 includes an incident lens 221, a collimating lens 222, a focusing lens 223, and an exit lens 224. The incident lens 221 serves as the incident end of the laser beam, and the exit lens 224 serves as the exit end of the laser beam. Both are used to seal the delivery channel 113 to protect the internal optical components (collimating lens 222 and focusing lens 223) of the focusing mechanism 220 from contamination. Specifically, the incident lens 221 prevents impurities and dust from the external environment from entering the delivery channel 113; the exit lens 224 isolates the internal environment of the delivery channel 113 from the internal environment of the housing 110. The collimating lens 222 is disposed downstream of the incident lens 221 in the optical path and is used to collimate the diverging laser beam into a parallel beam. The focusing lens 223 is located downstream of the collimating lens 222 in the optical path and is used to focus the laser beam onto the focal track to form a high energy density spot. When the focusing lens 223 focuses the laser beam onto the focal track, the focal track of the anode target disk 120 can be polished by using thermal melting reflow and ablation to repair the damaged anode target disk 120.

[0031] In one embodiment of this application, sealing elements are provided between the incident lens 221 and the inner wall of the transport channel 113, and between the exit lens 224 and the inner wall of the transport channel 113. In this embodiment, by providing sealing elements between the incident lens 221 and the inner wall of the transport channel 113, and between the exit lens 224 and the inner wall of the transport channel 113, a physical barrier can be constructed to ensure the optical cleanliness inside the transport channel 113. The incident lens 221 and its corresponding sealing element isolate the internal environment of the transport channel 113 from the external environment, while the exit lens 224 and its corresponding sealing element isolate the internal environment of the transport channel 113 from the internal environment of the housing 110. In a specific embodiment, the sealing element can be an elastic sealing ring, a metal sealing gasket (such as oxygen-free copper or indium), etc.

[0032] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 In one embodiment of this application, the outer surface of the tube shell 110 corresponding to the focusing mechanism 220 is provided with a sealing joint 114, the sealing joint 114 is provided with a locking block 114a, the laser introduction mechanism includes a laser source and a transmission optical fiber 210, the first end of the transmission optical fiber 210 is connected to the laser source, the second end of the transmission optical fiber 210 is provided with a connector 211, the connector 211 passes through the sealing joint 114, and the locking block 114a passes through the sealing joint 114 and abuts against the connector 211.

[0033] In this embodiment, a laser source is used to emit a laser beam, and a transmission optical fiber 210 is used to transmit the laser beam emitted by the laser source. By providing a connector 211 at the end of the transmission optical fiber 210 and locking the connector 211 to the sealing joint 114 with a locking block 114a, the reliability of the connector 211 when installed in the sealing joint 114 can be ensured, and the difficulty of disassembling the connector 211 can be reduced, thereby reducing the difficulty of repairing the anode target disk 120. Specifically, when installing the connector 211 to the sealing joint 114, the operator only needs to insert the connector 211 into the sealing joint 114 and pass the locking block 114a through the sealing joint 114 to hold the connector 211 in place; when removing the connector 211, the operator only needs to remove or loosen the locking block 114a and pull the connector 211 out of the sealing joint 114. It should be noted that, to ensure that the locking block 114a can pass through the sealing joint 114 and abut against the connector 211, a through hole should be provided on the sealing joint 114 for the locking block 114a to pass through. In a specific embodiment, the locking block 114a can be a locking screw, a fine-tuning screw as described below, etc.; the laser source can be a high-energy pulsed solid-state laser, specifically a fiber laser, a semiconductor laser, etc.

[0034] In one embodiment of this application, the locking block 114a is a fine-tuning screw, and there are at least three locking blocks 114a. The locking blocks 114a are evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the sealing joint 114, and the connector 211 is locked to the sealing joint 114 via the locking blocks 114a. In a specific embodiment, there are four locking blocks 114a, and the four locking blocks 114a are evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the sealing joint 114.

[0035] In this embodiment, by selecting fine-tuning screws as locking blocks 114a and setting the number of locking blocks 114a to at least three, the relative position of the connector 211 and the focusing mechanism 220 (i.e., the incident lens 221) can be adjusted when the connector 211 is installed to the sealing joint 114, so that the connector 211 is aligned with the focusing mechanism 220 (that is, the central axis of the connector 211 coincides with the optical axis of the focusing mechanism 220), thereby improving the coupling efficiency of the laser beam. Specifically, when the connector 211 is installed to the sealing joint 114, after inserting the connector 211 into the sealing joint 114 and passing each locking block 114a through the sealing joint 114 to abut against the connector 211, the operator can adjust the screw-in depth of each locking block 114a to adjust the position of the connector 211, so that the connector 211 is aligned with the focusing mechanism 220 (i.e., the incident lens 221), thereby improving the coupling efficiency of the laser beam. It should be noted that aligning the connector 211 with the focusing mechanism 220 can improve the coupling efficiency of the laser beam because the laser beam has a specific divergence angle and spatial distribution when it is output from the connector 211 (i.e., the end of the transmission fiber 210). Only when the central axis of the connector 211 coincides with or is nearly coincident with the optical axis of the focusing mechanism 220 can the incident lens 221 capture and converge the beam to the maximum extent, reducing transmission loss, aberrations and energy overflow caused by eccentricity or angular deviation, thereby achieving efficient coupling.

[0036] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, a vacuum isolation valve 111a is provided at the suction port 111. In a specific embodiment, a connecting flange is welded to the suction port 111, and the vacuum isolation valve 111a is bolted to the connecting flange.

[0037] In this embodiment, the vacuum isolation valve 111a is used to close the suction port 111 to maintain a vacuum environment inside the housing 110. Before repairing the anode target plate 120, the vacuum isolation valve 111a is opened to open the suction port 111, and the gas supply port 112 is opened at the same time. The outside gas will be drawn into the tube shell 110 under pressure to break the internal vacuum environment of the tube shell 110. Subsequently, when repairing the anode target plate 120, the dust pump is connected to the vacuum isolation valve 111a. The dust pump can then remove the dust and sputtering generated during the repair of the focal track of the anode target plate 120 through the opened suction port 111. After the repair is completed, the gas supply port 112 is closed, and the external vacuum pump is connected to the suction port 111 and turned on to extract the gas inside the tube shell 110. After the vacuuming operation is completed, the vacuum isolation valve 111a is closed, and the suction port 111 is resealed to re-establish the vacuum environment inside the tube shell 110, thereby providing the necessary environmental conditions for the normal operation of the CT tube. By setting a vacuum isolation valve 111a at the suction port 111 to open and close the suction port 111, the difficulty of opening and closing the suction port 111 can be reduced, thereby reducing the difficulty of repairing the anode target plate 120.

[0038] Please see Figure 1In one embodiment of this application, the outlet end of the vacuum isolation valve 111a is connected to a suction pipe 111b, and a filter element for preventing backflow is provided inside the suction pipe 111b. In this embodiment, the filter element is used to intercept dust and sputtering material in the forward airflow and prevent dust and sputtering material from flowing back into the housing 110 in the reverse airflow. Specifically, when the vacuum isolation valve 111a is opened and the suction port 111 is opened to break the internal vacuum environment of the housing 110, the external gas will flow in the reverse direction in the suction pipe 111b under pressure and be sucked into the housing 110. At this time, the filter element provided in the suction pipe 111b can block dust in the external environment to prevent dust in the external environment from entering the interior of the housing 110. When the external vacuum pump removes dust and sputtering material generated during the repair of the focal track of the anode target plate 120 through the opened suction port 111, the filter element blocks the dust and sputtering material generated during the repair of the focal track of the anode target plate 120 to prevent them from entering the vacuum pump and causing blockage. When the anode target plate 120 repair is complete and the vacuum pump is turned off, the filter element prevents the dust and sputtering material generated during the repair of the focal track of the anode target plate 120 from flowing back into the housing 110 with the reverse airflow. In this embodiment, the vacuum pump is connected to the end of the suction pipe 111b away from the vacuum isolation valve 111a during vacuuming. In a specific embodiment, the suction pipe 111b is a flexible corrugated pipe. The filter element can be a sintered metal filter element, which uses the physical interception properties of porous media (such as sintered metal filter elements) to trap dust and splashes in the forward airflow, and prevents dust and splashes from passing through in the reverse airflow through the adhesion between the particles and the filter material and the pores of the filter material, thereby preventing dust and splashes from flowing back into the interior of the tube.

[0039] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, a cuttable copper tube 112a is provided at the air supply port 112. When repairing the anode target plate 120, the operator can cut off a portion of the copper tube 112a to open the air supply port 112. After the anode target plate 120 is repaired, the operator can use a special sealing tool to flatten and seal the end of the copper tube 112a, thereby closing the air supply port 112. By providing the copper tube 112a at the air supply port 112 and opening and closing the suction port 111 by cutting and sealing the copper tube 112a, the copper tube 112a has a lower leakage rate than the vacuum isolation valve 111a, which better maintains the vacuum environment inside the tube housing 110, ensuring the normal use of the CT tube. In a specific embodiment, to prevent dust and other impurities from the external environment from entering the tube housing 110, a filter element for filtering dust and other impurities can be provided at the air supply port 112, wherein the filter element can be a filter cartridge.

[0040] Please see Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, the tube body 100 further includes a bearing assembly 140 and a drive assembly. The bearing assembly 140 includes a spindle 141 and a bearing bush 142. The spindle 141 is disposed inside the tube housing 110, and the bearing bush 142 is rotatably disposed on the spindle 141. The anode target disk 120 is disposed on the bearing bush 142. The drive assembly includes a stator and a rotor. The rotor is disposed on the bearing bush 142, and the stator is disposed outside the tube housing 110 and correspondingly disposed to the rotor. In this embodiment, the bearing assembly 140 is a liquid metal bearing, which is composed of a spindle 141 and a bearing bush 142. The spindle 141 is fixedly installed inside a cylindrical tube with a smaller diameter in the tube housing 110. The bearing bush 142 is rotatably installed on the spindle 141 and forms a lubrication gap containing liquid metal with the spindle 141. The anode target disk 120 is mounted on the bearing bush 142. The drive assembly includes a stator and a rotor, wherein the rotor is mounted on a bearing 142, and the stator is mounted outside the tube housing 110. During operation, by energizing the stator, the rotor and the bearing 142 on which the rotor is mounted can be driven to rotate using electromagnetic principles, thereby driving the anode target disk 120 to rotate. In this embodiment, the CT tube with self-healing function also includes a base 300, and the tube housing 110 is disposed on the base 300.

[0041] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating an anode target plate repair method in one embodiment of this application is provided. This anode target plate repair method is applied to the aforementioned CT tube with self-healing function, and the method includes: Step S100: Open the suction port 111 and the air supply port 112, connect the vacuum pump to the suction port 111 and turn on the vacuum pump. Step S200: Lock the laser introduction mechanism to the tube shell 110 and turn on the laser introduction mechanism to deliver the laser beam to the focusing mechanism 220. At the same time, control the drive component to drive the anode target disk 120 to rotate. Step S300: After the focal track of the anode target disk 120 is repaired, turn off the laser introduction mechanism and the dust pump in sequence. Step S400: Close the air supply port 112, connect the vacuum pump to the suction port 111 and turn on the vacuum pump; Step S500: When the internal vacuum of the tube shell 110 reaches the preset threshold, the suction port 111 is sealed.

[0042] In this embodiment, through the above steps S100 to S500, the focal track of the anode target plate 120 can be repaired without disassembling the entire CT tube, thereby reducing the repair difficulty and cost of the anode target plate 120. Specifically, before the repair begins, the vacuum isolation valve 111a is opened to open the suction port 111, and the air supply port 112 is opened by cutting the copper tube 112a. At this time, the internal pressure of the tube shell 110 is lower than the external pressure, and the external gas is drawn into the tube shell 110 under pressure, thus breaking the internal vacuum environment of the tube shell 110. Subsequently, the dust pump is connected to the suction port 111 and turned on to perform the dust removal operation. Turning on the dust pump in advance before repairing the focal track of the anode target plate 120 can prevent dust and sputtering generated in the early stage of repair from remaining in the tube shell 110. During repair, the focusing mechanism 220, after receiving the laser beam, focuses it onto the focal track. Combined with the rotation of the anode target disk 120, the entire focal track of the anode target disk 120 is polished using thermal melting and ablation, thus repairing the focal track. After repair, the laser introduction mechanism and the dust pump are shut off sequentially, with the dust pump shutting off after the laser introduction mechanism. This ensures that all dust and sputtering generated at the end of the repair process are removed by the dust pump. Finally, the gas supply port 112 is sealed, the vacuum pump is connected to the suction port 111 and turned on, allowing the gas inside the tube shell 110 to be extracted and a new vacuum environment to be established inside the tube shell 110, providing the necessary environmental conditions for the normal operation of the CT tube.

[0043] The embodiments described above are merely examples of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A CT tube with self-healing function, characterized in that, include: The X-ray tube body includes a tube shell, an anode target disk, and a cathode electron gun. The anode target disk is rotatably disposed inside the tube shell and is provided with a focal track. The cathode electron gun is provided with an emission surface and is disposed inside the tube shell with the emission surface facing the focal track. A repair device includes a laser introduction mechanism and a focusing mechanism. The focusing mechanism has an exit surface and is disposed on the tube shell with the exit surface facing the focal track. The laser introduction mechanism is locked to the tube shell at a position corresponding to the focusing mechanism. The laser introduction mechanism is used to deliver a laser beam to the focusing mechanism. The focusing mechanism is used to receive the laser beam and focus the laser beam on the focal track to form a laser repair area. The casing is provided with a suction port and an air supply port, both of which can be opened and closed. The suction port is positioned facing the laser repair area. The suction port is used to connect a dust pump when repairing the focal track of the anode target disk, and to connect a vacuum pump after the focal track of the anode target disk has been repaired.

2. The CT tube with self-healing function as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The tube shell is provided with a conveying channel, and the focusing mechanism includes an incident lens, a collimating lens, a focusing lens and an exiting lens. The incident lens, the collimating lens, the focusing lens and the exiting lens are arranged sequentially in the conveying channel from the outside of the tube shell to the inside of the tube shell, and the exiting surface is arranged on the exiting lens.

3. The CT tube with self-healing function as described in claim 2, characterized in that, A sealing element is provided between the incident mirror and the inner wall of the conveying channel, and between the exit mirror and the inner wall of the conveying channel.

4. The CT tube with self-healing function as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The tube shell is provided with a sealing joint on the outer surface of the focusing mechanism. The sealing joint is provided with a locking block. The laser introduction mechanism includes a laser source and a transmission optical fiber. The first end of the transmission optical fiber is connected to the laser source. The second end of the transmission optical fiber is provided with a connector. The connector passes through the sealing joint. The locking block passes through the sealing joint and abuts against the connector.

5. The CT tube with self-healing function as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The locking block is a fine-adjusting screw, and there are at least three locking blocks. The locking blocks are evenly spaced along the circumference of the sealing joint, and the connector is locked to the sealing joint by the locking blocks.

6. The CT tube with self-healing function as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, A vacuum isolation valve is installed at the suction port.

7. The CT tube with self-healing function as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The outlet end of the vacuum isolation valve is connected to a suction pipe, and a filter element is installed inside the suction pipe to prevent backflow.

8. The CT tube with self-healing function as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The tube body further includes a bearing assembly and a drive assembly. The bearing assembly includes a mandrel and a bearing bush. The mandrel is disposed inside the tube housing, and the bearing bush is rotatably disposed on the mandrel. The anode target disk is disposed on the bearing bush. The drive assembly includes a stator and a rotor. The rotor is disposed on the bearing bush, and the stator is disposed outside the tube housing and is correspondingly disposed to the rotor.

9. A method for repairing an anode target plate, applied to a CT tube with self-repairing function as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The anode target disk repair method includes: Open the suction port and the air supply port, connect the dust pump to the suction port and turn on the dust pump; The laser introduction mechanism is locked to the tube shell and the laser introduction mechanism is opened to deliver the laser beam to the focusing mechanism. At the same time, the drive assembly is controlled to drive the anode target disk to rotate. After the focal track of the anode target disk is repaired, the laser introduction mechanism and the dust pump are turned off in sequence. Close the air supply port, connect the vacuum pump to the suction port and turn on the vacuum pump; Once the internal vacuum level of the tube reaches the preset threshold, the suction port is sealed.

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