CN111182704B

CN111182704B - X-ray tube control device, X-ray generation device, and X-ray tube control method

Info

Publication number: CN111182704B
Application number: CN201911029897.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 射越浩幸
Original assignee: Origin Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Origin Electric Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-11-13
Filing date: 2019-10-28
Publication date: 2021-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 2039-10-28
Also published as: KR102050784B1; JP6564120B1; CN111182704A; JP2020080241A

Abstract

The present disclosure is an X-ray tube control device including a light source (17T) that emits a signal light that controls a gate voltage of an X-ray tube (13); a light receiver (17R) for receiving the signal light from the light source (17T); a grid control circuit (16C) for controlling the voltage applied to the grid (13g) of the X-ray tube according to the signal light received by the light receiver (17R); a case (11) for accommodating the light source (17T), the light receiver (17R), and the gate control circuit (16C); and an insulating medium (12) filling the gaps between the light source (17T), the light receiver (17R) and the gate control circuit (16C). The present disclosure enables an X-ray tube control device that controls a grid X-ray tube to be miniaturized.

Description

X-ray tube control device, X-ray generation device, and X-ray tube control method

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a technique for controlling emission of X-rays from a gated X-ray tube.

Background

A grid-equipped X-ray tube has been used, which controls the on/off of X-rays emitted from the X-ray tube by using a grid disposed between an anode and a cathode in the X-ray tube. In an X-ray tube control apparatus for controlling a grid X-ray tube, an anode and a cathode are floated at a high potential. Therefore, when a signal for controlling the gate is transmitted, the insulated signal is transmitted. In patent document 1, a pulse transformer is used to transmit an insulated signal.

The pulse transformer itself has weight and volume. Therefore, in the X-ray tube with grid using the pulse transformer, it is difficult to miniaturize the X-ray tube control device.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1, japanese patent No. 3922524

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

An object of the present disclosure is to make an X-ray tube control device that controls a grid X-ray tube small.

Means for solving the problems

The X-ray tube control device of the present disclosure comprises

A light source that emits signal light that controls a gate voltage of the X-ray tube;

the light receiver receives the signal light emitted by the light source;

a gate control circuit that controls a voltage applied to a gate of the X-ray tube according to the signal light received by the light receiver;

a box body which accommodates the light source, the light receiver and the grid control circuit;

and the insulating medium fills gaps among the light source, the light receiver and the grid control circuit.

In the X-ray generation device of the present disclosure, the X-ray tube is further disposed in the casing, and the X-rays emitted from the X-ray tube are output to the outside of the casing.

The X-ray tube control method is executed by an X-ray tube control device, wherein a box of the X-ray tube control device is internally provided with a light source, a light receiver and a grid control circuit, and gaps among the light source, the light receiver and the grid control circuit are filled with an insulating medium;

the method performs: a step in which the light source emits signal light for controlling a gate voltage of an X-ray tube, and the light receiver receives the signal light from the light source through the insulating medium;

and a step in which the gate control circuit controls a voltage applied to a gate of an X-ray tube when the light receiver receives the signal light from the light source through the insulating medium.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the present disclosure, an X-ray tube control device that controls a grid X-ray tube can be downsized.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of an X-ray generating apparatus of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of an X-ray generating apparatus of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the X-ray generating apparatus of the present disclosure;

fig. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the X-ray generation device of the present disclosure.

Description of the symbols

11. A box body; 11W, an exit window; 12. insulating oil; 13. an X-ray tube; 13c, a cathode; 13a, an anode; 13g, a grid; 14T, high voltage transformer; 14S, a booster circuit; 15T, a filament transformer; 16T, an insulating transformer for a gate; 16R, a rectification circuit; 16C, a grid control circuit; 17R, a light receiver; 17T, a light source; 18. an inverter circuit.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present disclosure are described below in detail with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure does not limit the embodiments disclosed below. These embodiments are merely examples, and the present disclosure may be implemented in various modifications and improvements based on knowledge of those skilled in the art. In the present specification and the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the same features are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Fig. 1 shows a first example of an X-ray generation device according to the present embodiment. The X-ray generator according to the present embodiment includes a grid-equipped X-ray tube 13 in which a grid 13g floats at a high potential, and an X-ray tube control device for controlling the X-ray tube 13. The X-ray tube 13 includes a cathode 13c, an anode 13a, and a grid 13 g.

The X-ray tube control apparatus of the present embodiment includes an inverter circuit 18, a booster circuit 14S, and a gate control circuit 16C. In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which a rectifier circuit 16R is provided between the gate control circuit 16C and the gate insulating transformer 16T. As shown in fig. 3, the present disclosure includes a mode not including the rectifier circuit 16R.

The booster circuit 14S is connected to the inverter circuit 18 through a high-voltage transformer 14T, the rectifier circuit 16R is connected to the inverter circuit 18 through an insulating transformer 16T for grid, and the filament of the cathode 13c is connected to the inverter circuit 18 through a filament transformer 15T.

The X-ray tube 13, the high-voltage transformer 14T, the booster circuit 14S, the filament transformer 15T, the grid insulation transformer 16T, the rectifier circuit 16R, and the grid control circuit 16C are housed in one case 11 filled with the insulating oil 12. The insulating oil 12 functions as an insulating medium of the present disclosure.

The case 11 includes an exit window 11W. The X-rays emitted from the X-ray tube 13 are output from the exit window 11W to the outside of the cabinet. As described above, in the X-ray generator of the present disclosure, the X-ray tube 13, the high-voltage transformer 14T, the booster circuit 14S, the filament transformer 15T, the grid insulation transformer 16T, the rectifier circuit 16R, and the grid control circuit 16C are integrally packaged.

The output terminal T1 of the booster circuit 14S is connected to the anode 13 a. The output terminal T2 of the voltage boosting circuit 14S is connected to a connection point P1 between the filament transformer 15T and the cathode 13 c. Thereby, the voltage boosted in the booster circuit 14S is applied to the anode 13 a.

The output terminal T3 of the gate control circuit 16C is connected to the gate 13 g. The output terminal T4 of the gate control circuit 16C is connected to a connection point P2 between the filament transformer 15T and the connection point P1. Thereby, a voltage negative with respect to the cathode 13C is applied from the gate control circuit 16C to the gate 13 g.

The gate control circuit 16C is an arbitrary circuit that can control the voltage applied to the gate 13 g. The control is, for example, on/off of a voltage applied to the gate 13g, and a semiconductor switch may be used in addition to the switch. In this case, the gate control circuit 16C, when turned on, applies a voltage negative to the gate 13g with respect to the cathode 13C that can stop the emission of X-rays from the X-ray tube 13; at the time of disconnection, the application of the voltage to the gate 13g is stopped. The control is not limited to the on/off of the voltage applied to the gate 13g, and may include any control for changing the voltage applied to the gate 13 g.

The gate control circuit 16C floats at a high potential compared to the ground potential. Therefore, the gate signal for controlling the gate control circuit 16C needs to be transmitted to the gate control circuit 16C with insulation.

Therefore, the X-ray generation device of the present embodiment further includes a light source 17T and a light receiver 17R in the insulating oil 12 of the housing 11. The light source 17T is connected to the ground side, and emits signal light for a gate signal to the light receiver 17R. The light receiver 17R is connected to the high potential side and receives signal light through the insulating oil 12. Thus, the present disclosure can transmit the gate signal to the gate control circuit 16C with the X-ray tube 13 side completely insulated from the inverter circuit 18, with the high-voltage transformer 14T, the filament transformer 15T, the gate insulating transformer 16T, and the light source 17T and the light receiver 17R as a boundary.

Specifically, when the light receiver 17R receives signal light from the light source 17T in a state where the X-ray tube 13 does not emit X-rays, the gate control circuit 16C turns off the application of the voltage to the gate 13 g. Thereby, the X-ray tube 13 emits X-rays.

When the light receiver 17R receives signal light from the light source 17T in a state where X-rays are emitted from the X-ray tube 13, the gate control circuit 16C turns on the application of voltage to the gate 13 g. Thereby, the emission of X-rays from the X-ray tube 13 is stopped.

The light emission wavelength of the light source 17T is arbitrary, but infrared light can be exemplified. In this case, an infrared LED, for example, may be used as the light source 17T. Any device capable of receiving signal light may be used for the light receiver 17R, and for example, a phototransistor may be used. The infrared LED and the phototransistor are inexpensive and can stably operate in the insulating oil 12. Therefore, the present disclosure can inexpensively and simply transmit the gate signal to the gate control circuit 16C.

Here, it is considered to use an optical fiber for signal transmission in the insulating oil 12. However, the optical fiber may swell, and in order to prevent this, oil-resistant processing is required. Further, there is a problem that the optical fiber is not suitable for miniaturization because it needs to have a certain length for insulation.

In addition, a pulse transformer may be used for signal transmission in the insulating oil 12. Although the pulse transformer can shorten the insulation space distance, there is a problem that the pulse transformer itself is not suitable for miniaturization because it is large and heavy.

Further, as a method of controlling the presence or absence of emission of X-rays, turning on and off of the power supply to the cathode 13c and turning on and off of the anode may be considered. However, in these cases, there is a problem of soft X-ray radiation when switching on and off.

On the other hand, the present disclosure can shorten the insulation space distance since space transmission through the insulation oil 12 is possible. Further, the light source 17T and the light receiver 17R are small and light. Therefore, the size and weight can be reduced significantly as compared with optical fibers and pulse transformers. In addition, since soft X-rays are not emitted when the X-ray emission using the grid 13g is turned on and off, the influence on the human body is small and the operation is easy.

Therefore, the present disclosure can easily achieve miniaturization and weight reduction of the X-ray tube control apparatus that controls the grid X-ray tube. Here, in the present embodiment, since the gate insulating transformer 16T is provided independently, it is possible to apply a voltage to the gate 13g in advance and then apply a voltage to the anode 13 a. Therefore, the present embodiment can prevent the emission of X-rays when a voltage is applied to the anode 13 g.

In the first embodiment of the X-ray generation apparatus shown in fig. 1, an example is shown in which the filament transformer 15T, the high voltage transformer 14T, and the grid insulation transformer 16T are included, and the voltage boost circuit 14s and the grid control circuit 16C connected to the cathode 13C and the anode 13a are connected to the outside of the case 11 through different transformers, respectively, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

Fig. 2 shows a second example of the X-ray generation device of the present embodiment. In a second embodiment of the X-ray generating device, the grid is connected to the high voltage transformer 14T with an insulating transformer 16T. As such, in the present disclosure, the circuits housed in the case 11 may be connected by a common transformer. In this way, the number of components can be reduced by making the components common, and the X-ray tube control device and the X-ray generation device can be further reduced in size and weight. Further, as shown in fig. 4, the present disclosure includes a mode not including the rectifier circuit 16R.

Further, in the present disclosure, there is a possibility that stray light, which is formed by scattering light emitted from the X-ray tube 13 in the housing 11, enters the light receiver 17R. Therefore, in the present disclosure, in order to prevent malfunction of the gate control circuit 16C due to stray light incident on the light receiver 17R, the light receiver 17R preferably can recognize the signal light and the stray light. For example, the signal light has a predetermined wavelength, a predetermined pulse waveform, or a combination of both, and the light receiver 17R recognizes this.

In the present disclosure, it is preferable that the surroundings of the light source 17T and the light receiver 17R are covered with a member that prevents light from entering the light receiver 17R. This makes it possible to prevent malfunction of the gate control circuit 16C caused by stray light, which is formed by scattering light emitted from the X-ray tube 13 in the housing 11, entering the light receiver 17R.

Any insulating oil 12 that is insulating and that transmits the signal light from the light source 17T can be used. As such a substance, a resin that is permeable to light from the light source 17T can be exemplified. By using the resin, the X-ray tube control device or the X-ray generation device can be reduced in weight, and the respective structures in the housing 11 can be stably maintained. Therefore, the handling or circulation of the X-ray tube control apparatus or the X-ray generation apparatus of the present disclosure is very easy.

The insulating oil 12 or resin used as the insulating medium may be the same in the first region between the light source 17T and the light receiver 17R and in other regions, but may be different. For example, a medium that transmits the signal light from the light source 17T is used in the first region, and a member that absorbs the signal light from the light source 17T is used in the periphery of the first region. This can prevent stray light in the housing 11 from entering the light receiver 17R.

Industrial applicability

The present disclosure can be applied to the medical device industry because it can use an X-ray radiation device.

Claims

An X-ray tube control apparatus, characterized by comprising

A light source that emits signal light that controls a gate voltage of the X-ray tube;

the light receiver receives the signal light emitted by the light source;

a gate control circuit that controls a voltage applied to a gate of the X-ray tube;

a box body which accommodates the light source, the light receiver and the grid control circuit;

the insulating medium fills gaps among the light source, the light receiver and the grid control circuit;

the grid control circuit is arranged independently from a booster circuit connected to the anode of the X-ray tube;

the light source is grounded;

the light receiver is electrically connected with the grid control circuit and outputs an electric signal corresponding to the received signal light to the grid control circuit;

the grid control circuit is grounded through a transformer, and the on-off of X-ray radiation is switched according to the electric signal output by the light receiver;

the booster circuit and the grid control circuit are connected with the cathode of the X-ray tube and the anode of the X-ray tube and are connected with the outside of the box body through a transformer;

gaps among the light source, the light receiver, the gate control circuit, the booster circuit and the transformer are filled with the insulating medium.
An X-ray generator according to claim 1, wherein the X-ray tube is further disposed in the housing, and X-rays emitted from the X-ray tube are output to the outside of the housing.
An X-ray tube control method, characterized by being an X-ray tube control method executed by an X-ray tube control device, wherein a box of the X-ray tube control device accommodates a light source, a light receiver, and a gate control circuit, and gaps among the light source, the light receiver, and the gate control circuit are filled with an insulating medium; the method performs:

a step in which the light source emits signal light for controlling a gate voltage of an X-ray tube, and the light receiver receives the signal light from the light source via the insulating medium;

a step in which the gate control circuit controls a voltage applied to a gate of an X-ray tube when the light receiver receives signal light from the light source via the insulating medium;

the X-ray tube control method, wherein,

the grid control circuit is arranged independently from a booster circuit connected to the anode of the X-ray tube;

the light source is connected to the ground,

the light receiver is electrically connected with the grid control circuit and outputs an electric signal corresponding to the received signal light to the grid control circuit,

the grid control circuit is grounded through a transformer, and the on-off of X-ray radiation is switched according to the electric signal output by the light receiver;

the booster circuit and the grid control circuit are connected with the cathode of the X-ray tube and the anode of the X-ray tube and are connected with the outside of the box body through a transformer;

gaps among the light source, the light receiver, the gate control circuit, the booster circuit and the transformer are filled with the insulating medium.