The present invention relates generally to triode controlled X-Ray tubes which operate in the grounded anode mode. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cost-, weight- and volume-effective method for providing a controllable and isolated source of both filament and grid power using one isolation transformer without the additional expense or complexity of an opto-isolation circuit.
In 1913, William Coolidge patented the X-Ray tube (U.S. Pat. No. 1,203,495), which was a vast improvement in the art of X-Ray generation. This tube with an active filament as electron emitter is still used today as a source of hard X-Rays for medical and industrial applications. Unfortunately, the intensity of the X-Rays that are emitted from the Coolidge tube are adjusted either by varying the anode to cathode voltage or the temperature of the filament. In most systems it is usually advantageous to control the filament in order to preserve the generation of characteristic K spectrum lines generated by adequate high voltage potentials. Unfortunately, filament control does not lend itself to rapid changes in X-Ray emission due to the thermal time constant of the filament material which is usually measured in seconds. This type of fast response X-Ray producer is needed in computerized X-Ray diagnostic testing where objects such as multi-layer printed circuit boards are rapidly scanned at various degrees of X-Ray intensity. To make a rapid step change in X-Ray intensity requires a rapid step change in filament temperature—a task that is extremely difficult to achieve.
The triode operating X-Ray tube is nearly as old as the Coolidge tube and has had success in being a device where one may change the cathode emission current by varying a negative potential on a electrostatic grid placed close to the filament. By varying the grid between 100 and 1000 volts (negative), most triode X-Ray tubes can be driven from saturation to cutoff with response times on the order of microseconds. Unfortunately, in a grounded anode X-Ray system, the drive circuit is more complex because now in addition to the filament supply, an additional power supply is required to provide grid potential. It must be remembered that both of these power supplies must float at the high voltage applied to the cathode (or the filament in cathode-less tubes) which may be in excess of negative 100,000 volts. This floating effect is usually accomplished by using an isolation transformer which couples energy from a ground referenced point to the filament and grid circuitry which are at a potential of negative 100,000 volts by means of an additional high tension power supply. The dielectric isolation material of the transformer prevents arcing between the primary and secondary which maintains this high voltage potential difference. Isolation transformers are costly and bulky because not only must they prevent arcing between ground and the high voltage potential of the filament and grid circuitry, they also must couple filament and grid power as well.
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As will be described in the following detailed description, the present invention overcomes many of the cost, size; weight and reliability problems associated with prior art triode X-Ray tube filament and grid drivers by utilizing only one isolation transformer and effectively sending two different power signals through it. Eliminating the transistors in the optically controlled grid supply eliminates the failure prone active circuitry and increases system reliability. Using only one isolation transformer to send both the filament and grid control power through is beneficial from a cost savings and volumetric efficiency consideration as well.
The invention that will be described in the following paragraphs has several advantages over prior art. First, this topology allows the use of only one isolation transformer without the need of an optically coupling device to control grid output voltage. Secondly, the use of a simple grid voltage generation circuitry limits the failure modes that can occur in active semiconductor circuitry floating at 100,000 volts. Thirdly, by removing the optical controller, the effect of component aging of optical detectors is eliminated and the ability to control the closed loop emission current feedback system is made simpler. This is understood because the semiconductor induced non-linearity of the optical control method has been replaced with a simple circuit which generates grid voltage from an FM signal sent through the single isolation transformer. In addition, by selecting the proper range of frequency to voltage conversion ratio, the X-Ray tube may be operated from full saturation to cutoff. Finally, by selecting the proper direction of frequency change to voltage generation profile—that is, decreasing the grid potential (increasing emission current) as the controlling frequency is increased—a degenerative feedback is designed in, allowing easier loop stabilization.
Circuit arrangements and methods are disclosed for the design of an isolated output filament and grid driver which powers a grounded anode triode X-Ray tube. In this design, one isolation transformer serves to bring power to the filament and at the same time allows controllability of the grid voltage. This is accomplished by utilizing an AM signal for the filament drive and an FM signal for the grid voltage drive. By utilizing a simple resonant filtering system, allowing varying signals to drive a rectifier, the grid supply section can be designed to run the X-Ray tube from cutoff to complete saturation. In other words, the isolation transformer is driven with a periodic oscillatory voltage variable in both amplitude and frequency. By adjustment of the amplitude of this oscillatory waveform the temperature of the filament is adjusted in the X-Ray tube. Moreover, by adjustment of the frequency of this oscillatory waveform and passing this signal through a simple resonant filter coupled to a rectifier stage, an adjustable grid potential is achieved. When the frequency of the periodic oscillatory waveform is adjusted to vary the grid voltage, the heating of the filament remains relatively constant because the RMS voltage of the waveform is not affected by frequency. By using this topology, the grid voltage may be adjusted in excess of a 1:10 range depending on the sharpness of the resonant filter in the grid circuitry. In the present invention, the use of only one isolation transformer to perform two widely different functions reduces size, weight, and cost and increases system reliability because fewer parts are used for the same performance than in prior art systems.
The present invention discloses circuit arrangements and methods for construction of a triode X-Ray tube isolated filament and grid driver using AM and FM modulation purposes of explanation, specific numbers, times, frequencies, dimensions, waveforms, and configurations are set forth in order to provide a through understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.
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The other secondary winding 14 of the isolation transformer has a larger number of turns because it powers the higher voltage grid circuitry. Here, the output of this secondary 14 is coupled into a series resonant filter, composed of filter inductor 15 and capacitor 16 which provides attenuation to the periodic oscillatory waveform as a function of frequency. The output of this filter arrangement is coupled to a rectifier 17 which converts the AC waveform to DC. This DC voltage is filtered by smoothing capacitor 18. The voltage generated by this section is coupled to the grid 19 of the X-Ray tube 21. In one presently practiced embodiment, the design is such that a grid voltage of −1,000 volts DC is obtained when the driving periodic frequency is 5,000 kHz, and lowers to less that—100 volts (all with respect to the filament winding 12 center tap) as the driving frequency is raised upwards towards 20 kHz. In this manner the triode X-Ray tube 21 may be driven from cutoff to full saturation.
In the present invention, it is anticipated that the transformer 11 comprises a high frequency laminated iron transformer which can couple the periodic oscillatory signals to the filament and the grid drive circuitry with a minimum amount of distortion or loss. Transformer 11 may also be constructed utilizing a ferrite core material providing that the driving frequency is not allowed to go below the level where saturation of the ferrite cores will result. It is understood that other types of rectification and filtering may be employed on the output of the grid drive circuitry, for example half wave rectifiers and other embodiments utilizing a center tapped transformer secondary. In addition, another embodiment of this invention may utilize a DC driven filament by a rectification stage interspaced between the isolation transformer and the X-Ray tube filament.
The minimum operating frequency of the driver is set to a frequency higher than the resonant frequency of the series resonant filter circuit 24, as determined by the values of resonant filter elements, inductor 15 and capacitor 16. Now, as the frequency of the power oscillator is increased, the generated DC grid voltage decreases because less signal is admitted through the filter 24. This lowering of grid potential allows more cathode current in the X-Ray tube to flow. The selection of operating on the upper frequency side of the resonant filter curve, provides a slight beneficial degenerative effect on the control of the tube. This occurs because higher frequencies produce slightly less filament drive due to the inherent leakage inductance in the isolation transformer and the inductance of the filament itself Due to this effect, when the user attempts to drive the tube harder by increasing the frequency, the filament temperature is slightly lowered cutting back electron emission. This negative feedback increases the stability of the controlling emission current feedback loop. It is obvious that in some X-Ray tube systems this negative feedback effect may not be needed due to limited tube gain. In this case, this invention may be operated on the lower frequency side of the resonant filter circuit, where decreasing the frequency will lower the grid potential, increasing filament electron emission and X-Ray intensity.
For X-Ray tubes which have relatively large gains, it is conceivable that only one secondary winding may be needed and the resonant filter arrangement be connected directly to the filament driver winding.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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4517472 | Ruitberg et al. | May 1985 | A |