X-ray Filter Unit Rotary Disc Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing X-ray tube units are large and complex, with multiple drive devices, leading to increased manufacturing costs and frequent malfunctions, while current filter systems for adjusting X-ray energy spectra are not simple in structure or small in size.
Innovation Solution
A filter unit with a filter plate having multiple filters that can move in both directions along a guide frame, driven by a single motor and connected through a link member, allowing for compact design and efficient filter switching without obstructing the X-ray beam.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple drive devices such as motors are provided to enable arbitrary direction control, then the X-ray tube unit can direct its angle in arbitrary directions, but the structure becomes complicated and the size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple drive functions into a single motor by using a rotary disc with multiple arms that can sequentially engage different filters. This single motor drives the rotary disc, which in turn positions multiple filters (first filter in first direction, second filter in second direction, third filter in third direction) to achieve arbitrary direction control without needing multiple separate motors, thereby reducing structural complexity while maintaining adaptability
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple drive devices such as motors are provided to enable arbitrary direction control, then the X-ray tube unit can direct its angle in arbitrary directions, but the unit gets out of order more frequently and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple drive functions into a single motor that operates the rotary disc mechanism, the patent reduces the number of potential failure points. Instead of having multiple independent motors that could each fail independently, one motor controls all filter positions, thereby improving reliability and reducing malfunction frequency while still enabling arbitrary direction control through the multi-arm rotary disc design
3Device complexity
If a rotary disc with multiple filters is used, then the filter unit can be compact and simple in structure, but the filters may obstruct the X-ray beam path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the filters in different spatial directions (first direction, second direction, third direction) radiating from the central rotary disc. This three-dimensional arrangement ensures that when one filter is in the beam path, others are positioned in different directions, allowing the X-ray beam to pass through the central aperture or through filters positioned perpendicular to the beam direction, thus maintaining compact structure while preventing beam obstruction
4Productivity
If the filter plate moves in both first and second directions along the guide frame, then the filter unit achieves efficient filter switching, but the mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of moving filters in both first and second directions into a single rotary disc mechanism. By rotating the disc to different angular positions, the arms sequentially bring different filters (positioned in different directions) into the beam path. This merging of multi-directional movement into a single rotational degree of freedom achieves efficient filter switching while minimizing mechanism complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A small-sized filter unit of a simple structure, as well as an X-ray tube unit and an X-ray imaging system both having the filter unit, are implemented. A filter unit in a first aspect of the present invention comprises a filter plate, the filter plate having a first filter, a second filter disposed in a first direction with respect to the first filter and a third filter disposed in a second direction having a predetermined angle from the first direction with respect to the first filter, a guide plate having a guide frame for movement of the filter plate in the first and second directions, and a drive device for moving the filter plate.