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A mounting assembly for supporting an evacuated enclosure within an outer housing of an x-ray tube is disclosed. The mounting assembly comprises a clamp portion having a C-shaped configuration, and a bracket portion having a circular recess that receives at least a portion of the clamp portion there

A mounting assembly for supporting an evacuated enclosure within an outer housing of an x-ray tube is disclosed. The mounting assembly comprises a clamp portion having a C-shaped configuration, and a bracket portion having a circular recess that receives at least a portion of the clamp portion therein. The clamp portion includes an aperture that frictionally attaches to a window assembly of the evacuated enclosure. The clamp portion is in turn mechanically attached to the bracket portion such that an aperture in the bracket portion is aligned both with the clamp portion aperture and a window disposed in the window assembly. The bracket portion further includes a concave surface that is shaped to mechanically mate with an exterior portion of the outer housing, thereby securably supporting the evacuated enclosure within the outer housing. The mounting assembly further includes structures for securing the x-ray tube within an x-ray generating device.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An x-ray tube, comprising: an evacuated enclosure containing an electron source and an anode positioned to receive electrons produced by the electron source; an outer housing containing the evacuated enclosure; and a mounting assembly configured to mechanically support the ev

What is claimed is: 1. An x-ray tube, comprising: an evacuated enclosure containing an electron source and an anode positioned to receive electrons produced by the electron source; an outer housing containing the evacuated enclosure; and a mounting assembly configured to mechanically support the evacuated enclosure within the outer housing, comprising: a first mounting portion that mechanically attaches to an outer surface of the outer housing; and a second mounting portion that mechanically attaches to a portion of the evacuated enclosure, the second mounting portion comprising a clamp that is at least partially received within the first mounting portion. 2. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 1, wherein the first mounting portion comprises a bracket that attaches to the second mounting portion using a plurality of screws. 3. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 2, wherein the bracket is substantially composed of aluminum. 4. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 1, wherein the clamp frictionally engages a portion of a window assembly, the window assembly comprising a portion of the evacuated enclosure. 5. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 4, wherein screws are used to mechanically attach a bracket to the outer housing and to attach the clamp to the bracket. 6. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 1, wherein the mounting assembly is further configured to mechanically attach the x-ray tube to a portion of an x-ray generating device. 7. The x-ray tube as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second mounting portions removably attach to each other. 8. The x-ray tube as recited in claim 1, wherein the first mounting portion comprises a pair of opposing surfaces, one of which is substantially planar, and the other of which has a shape that substantially conforms with the outer surface of the outer housing. 9. The x-ray tube as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second mounting portions each define a corresponding aperture, the apertures being substantially aligned with each other and with a window of the x-ray tube. 10. An x-ray tube comprising: an evacuated enclosure containing an electron source and an anode positioned to receive electrons produced by the electron source; an outer housing containing the evacuated enclosure; and a mounting assembly, a substantial portion of the mounting assembly being positioned outside the outer housing, and the mounting assembly comprising: a bracket portion mechanically attached to a portion of the outer housing of the x-ray tube; and a clamp portion frictionally engaged to a portion of the evacuated enclosure of the x-ray tube proximate an x-ray transmissive window located on a surface of the evacuated enclosure, the clamp portion being mechanically attached to the bracket portion through an aperture defined in a surface of the outer housing such that the mounting assembly supports the evacuated enclosure in a specified position within the outer housing. 11. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 10, wherein the window comprises part of a window assembly that is attached to a surface of the evacuated enclosure, and wherein the clamp portion frictionally engages a cylindrical portion of the window assembly that extends about the periphery of the window. 12. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 11, wherein the clamp portion comprises an annular ring having a radial cut defined therethrough, the cut enabling an aperture defined by the annular ring to frictionally engage with the cylindrical portion of the window assembly such that the aperture is aligned with the window thereof. 13. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 12, wherein the bracket portion further comprises an aperture that aligns with the window and with the aperture of the clamp portion when the bracket portion and clamp portion are mechanically attached. 14. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 10, wherein the bracket portion has at least one surface that is shaped to physically engage a corresponding portion of the outer housing. 15. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 14, wherein the at least one surface of the bracket portion is a concave surface. 16. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 10, wherein the anode of the x-ray tube is a rotary anode. 17. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 10, wherein the bracket portion further comprises a circular recess in which the clamp portion is at least partially received when the clamp portion is mechanically attached to the bracket portion, the circular recess being concentric with the aperture defined in the surface of the outer housing. 18. In an x-ray tube, a method of joining an evacuated enclosure to a structure, the evacuated enclosure including a window assembly attached to an aperture defined in the evacuated enclosure, the method comprising: attaching a clamp portion of a mounting assembly to a bracket portion of the mounting assembly such that an aperture defined in the clamp portion is aligned with an aperture defined in the bracket portion; attaching the clamp portion of the mounting assembly to an extended segment of the window assembly attached to the evacuated enclosure such that a window located in the window assembly is aligned with the apertures of the clamp portion and the bracket portion; and attaching the bracket portion of the mounting assembly to a surface of the structure. 19. A method of joining an evacuated enclosure to a structure as defined in claim 18, wherein attaching the clamp portion of the mounting assembly to an extended segment further includes tightening the clamp portion about the extended segment such that the clamp portion frictionally engages the window assembly. 20. A method of joining an evacuated enclosure to a structure as defined in claim 19, wherein the clamp portion is an annular ring that defines the clamp portion aperture, the annular ring having a radial gap such that the annular ring defines a "C"-shaped configuration, and wherein the act of tightening the clamp portion about the extended segment further comprises the act of tightening a screw that passes through a screw hole defined through the gap such that the clamp portion aperture frictionally engages the window assembly. 21. A method of joining an evacuated enclosure to a structure as defined in claim 20, wherein the structure is an outer housing for containing the evacuated enclosure, and wherein the method further comprises: after attaching the clamp portion of the mounting assembly to the bracket portion, inserting the evacuated enclosure within a volume defined by the outer housing. 22. A method of joining an evacuated enclosure to a structure as defined in claim 21, wherein attaching the bracket portion further includes: attaching the bracket portion of the mounting assembly to a surface of the outer housing such that the bracket portion overlays an aperture defined in the surface of the outer housing. 23. An x-ray tube for use in an x-ray generating device, comprising: an evacuated enclosure containing an electron source and a rotary anode positioned to receive electrons emitted by the electron source; a window assembly attached about an aperture formed in the evacuated enclosure, comprising: a hollow cylindrical segment hermetically attached about the aperture formed in the evacuated enclosure such that at least a protruding portion of the cylindrical segment extends beyond an outer surface of the evacuated enclosure; and an x-ray transmissive window positioned in the cylindrical segment; an outer housing containing the evacuated enclosure, the outer housing having an aperture formed therein; a mounting assembly configured to attach the x-ray tube to the x-ray generating device, comprising: a clamp portion including an annular ring that defines an aperture, the annular ring having a radial cut through one portion thereof, the clamp portion aperture receiving and frictionally attaching to the protruding portion of the window assembly cylindrical segment such that the clamp portion aperture is aligned with the window; and a bracket portion having a substantially planar first surface, a curved second surface, and an aperture extending between the first and second surfaces, the bracket portion being affixed to an exterior portion of the outer housing such that the bracket portion aperture is positioned over the aperture of the outer housing, the bracket portion also being mechanically attached to the clamp portion such that the bracket portion aperture is aligned both with the clamp portion aperture and with the window, the bracket portion also being mechanically attached to a portion of the x-ray generating device such that the x-ray tube is fixed in a pre-determined position with respect to the x-ray generating device. 24. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 23, wherein the curved second surface of the bracket portion is concavely shaped to mate with the correspondingly shaped exterior portion of the outer housing. 25. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 24, wherein the clamp portion has a "C"-shaped configuration. 26. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 25, wherein the surface of the annular ring that defines the clamp portion aperture further defines an annular ridge, the protruding portion of the cylindrical segment seating against the ridge when the protruding portion is received into the aperture. 27. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 26, wherein the clamp portion includes a screw hole that passes across the radial cut, the screw hole being configured to receive a tightening screw therein. 28. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 27, wherein the curved second surface of the bracket portion further includes a circular recess for receiving a portion of the clamp portion therein. 29. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 28, wherein the circular recess of the bracket portion is concentric with the aperture of the bracket portion. 30. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 27, wherein the clamp portion extends inward through the aperture defined in the outer housing toward a central portion of the outer housing. 31. An x-ray tube as defined in claim 30, wherein the clamp portion, the bracket portion, and the x-ray generating device are mechanically attached using screws. 32. An x-ray generating device, comprising: a device body; and an x-ray tube including: an evacuated enclosure containing an electron source and a rotary anode positioned to receive electrons emitted by the electron source; and a mounting assembly that attaches the x-ray tube to the device body, including: a bracket portion that mechanically attaches to a portion of the device body; and a clamp portion that frictionally engages a portion of the evacuated enclosure proximate an x-ray transmissive window that is located on a surface of the evacuated enclosure, wherein the clamp portion is also mechanically attached to the bracket portion such that the mounting assembly singularly supports the evacuated enclosure in a specified position with respect to the device body. 33. An x-ray generating device as defined in claim 32, wherein the x-ray generating device is a medical imaging device. 34. An x-ray generating device as defined in claim 33, wherein the portion of the device body to which the bracket portion mechanically attaches is a gantry of the medical imaging device. 35. An x-ray generating device as defined in claim 33, wherein the x-ray generating device is a mammography device. 36. An x-ray generating device as defined in claim 32, wherein the x-ray tube further comprises an outer housing containing the evacuated enclosure, and wherein the bracket portion of the mounting assembly also attaches to a portion of the outer housing. 37. An x-ray generating device as defined in claim 32, wherein the x-ray generating device is used for diagnostic testing of the x-ray tube.