Integrated X-Ray Tube Collimator Structure for Alignment and Shielding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing x-ray tubes face challenges in being small, light, inexpensive, and easy to manufacture while effectively blocking undesired x-ray emissions and maintaining alignment of components, with current designs often requiring multiple components and prone to issues like arcing and radiation leakage.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a monolithic, integral collimator with a single collimator that forms a hermetic seal with an x-ray window, reducing component count and weight, and includes a ring to manage thermal expansion, allowing for improved heat transfer and electrical uniformity, and strategically locates the target material within the collimator to enhance shielding and manufacturability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple separate components are used for the collimator and anode, then alignment flexibility is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment flexibilityVSAvoidcomponent count

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The collimator is integrated directly into the anode structure, forming a single monolithic component where the collimator walls extend from the anode body. This merging eliminates the need for separate collimator and anode components, reducing assembly complexity while maintaining precise alignment through integral construction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of manufacture

If a monolithic collimator design is used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but heat dissipation capability may worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidheat dissipation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The monolithic anode-collimator structure incorporates localized thermal management features including a heat sink integrated into the anode body and optimized wall thickness variations. The collimator walls are designed with sufficient thickness for shielding while incorporating heat dissipation pathways that conduct heat away from the target area, balancing manufacturing simplicity with thermal management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the collimator is positioned closer to the target material, then shielding effectiveness is improved, but risk of arcing increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveradiation shieldingVSAvoidarcing resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The collimator structure serves as an intermediary between the target material and the external environment, positioned optimally to provide effective radiation shielding. The integral design ensures proper spacing and electrical isolation, while the collimator walls themselves act as the shielding barrier that blocks harmful radiation without requiring additional components that could introduce arcing risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If heavier materials are used for the collimator, then shielding effectiveness is improved, but device weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshielding effectivenessVSAvoidtube weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The collimator design optimizes the balance between shielding effectiveness and weight by adjusting wall thickness parameters and material composition. The monolithic structure allows for precise control of material distribution, using high-density materials only where necessary for radiation blocking while minimizing overall mass through optimized geometry and thickness variations in different regions of the collimator.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration results in smaller, lighter x-ray tubes with improved x-ray flux, reduced material usage, and enhanced shielding, while simplifying the manufacturing process and minimizing radiation leakage, thus addressing the need for efficient and cost-effective x-ray tube design.

Implementation Method 1

The target material can generate x-rays in response to impinging electrons from the cathode

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBremsstrahlung radiation:

Implementation Method 2

The target material can generate x-rays in response to impinging electrons from the cathode

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCharacteristic x-ray emission:

Implementation Method 3

effectively blocking undesired x-ray emissions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectX-ray absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS12094680B2X-ray tube anode with integrated collimator

Publication Date: 2024.09.17 MOXTEK INC

AI summary

A collimator for an x-ray tube can be a monolithic, integral structure. The collimator can include a proximal-end closest to a cathode and a distal-end farthest from the cathode. The proximal-end can adjoin a vacuum inside of the x-ray tube. The distal-end can adjoin the air. The collimator can include an aperture extending therethrough. An x-ray window can be mounted across the aperture. The aperture can include a collimation-region between the x-ray window and the distal-end, and a drift-region between the x-ray window and the proximal-end. X-rays can be generated inside of the collimator.