An X-ray tube, including: an envelope (11) that holds inside thereof at a predetermined pressure; a filament (12) for emitting electrons and a focus electrode (13) provided in the envelope: and a target (15) for generating X-ray provided in the envelope facing to the filament (12) and the focus electrode (13), wherein the envelope (11) has an envelope body (11a) and an X-ray window portion (16) having a higher X-rays transmissivity and a higher electric conductivity than the envelope body (11a), when the X-ray window portion (16) or the anode (14) is set to a lower electric potential than both of an electric potential of the anode (14) or the X-ray window portion (16) and an electric potential of the filament (12) and the focus electrode (13), detection of at least one of an ion current (Ii) or an electron current (Ie) through the X-ray window portion (16) or the anode (14) is possible.

A power transfer and monitoring system for an X-ray tube includes a transformer including a primary coil and a secondary coil, a current supply that supplies a sinusoidal current to the transformer, and a current calculation unit which measures the primary current of the transformer, and synthesises the transformer magnetising current, and which to subtract the synthesised transformer magnetising current from the primary current to generate a value for the filament current.

An X-ray tube, including: an envelope (11) that holds inside thereof at a predetermined pressure; a filament (12) for emitting electrons and a focus electrode (13) provided in the envelope: and a target (15) for generating X-ray provided in the envelope facing to the filament (12) and the focus electrode (13), wherein the envelope (11) has an envelope body (11a) and an X-ray window portion (16) having a higher X-rays transmissivity and a higher electric conductivity than the envelope body (11a), when the X-ray window portion (16) or the anode (14) is set to a lower electric potential than both of an electric potential of the anode (14) or the X-ray window portion (16) and an electric potential of the filament (12) and the focus electrode (13), detection of at least one of an ion current (Ii) or an electron current (Ie) through the X-ray window portion (16) or the anode (14) is possible.

A system for protecting a transformer is provided. The system includes an inductor electrically disposed between the transformer and a load powered by the transformer, and a resistor electrically disposed in parallel with the inductor between the transformer and the load.

A measuring method for a liquid metal slide bearing is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the measuring method includes providing a liquid metal slide bearing to be measured, the liquid metal slide bearing including two bearing parts with liquid metal being arranged between the two bearing parts. The method further includes measuring inductance, or a variable associated with the inductance, of the liquid metal slide bearing; and determining a quantity of liquid metal in the liquid metal slide bearing based upon the inductance, or the variable associated with the inductance, measured. Furthermore, a corresponding measuring device, a liquid metal slide bearing and an x-ray tube and an apparatus are disclosed.

A method is for detecting high-voltage flashovers in X-ray equipment including an X-ray emitter and a high-voltage supply. The X-ray emitter has an X-ray tube, surrounded by an insulating medium; and the high-voltage supply has a high-voltage generator and a cable. The cable is at least part of a connecting passage between the high-voltage generator and the X-ray tube. During normal operation of the X-ray equipment, an interference pulse, which occurs due to the high-voltage flashover in the connecting passage, is detected and evaluated with the aid of a measuring device, including a measuring element. As such, an assessment of the condition of the X-ray emitter and of other high voltage-carrying components, and measures that follow, are made using the evaluated interference pulse.

A method is for detecting high-voltage flashovers in X-ray equipment including an X-ray emitter and a high-voltage supply. The X-ray emitter has an X-ray tube, surrounded by an insulating medium; and the high-voltage supply has a high-voltage generator and a cable. The cable is at least part of a connecting passage between the high-voltage generator and the X-ray tube. During normal operation of the X-ray equipment, an interference pulse, which occurs due to the high-voltage flashover in the connecting passage, is detected and evaluated with the aid of a measuring device, including a measuring element. As such, an assessment of the condition of the X-ray emitter and of other high voltage-carrying components, and measures that follow, are made using the evaluated interference pulse.

At least one power supply produces a voltage between a cathode and an anode. The cathode and anode are operable such that electrons emitted from the cathode interact with the anode with energies corresponding to the voltage. The electrons interact with the anode at a focal spot to generate X-rays. The power supply provides the cathode with a cathode current. An electron detector is positioned relative to the anode, and a backscatter electron signal is measured from the anode. The measured backscatter electron signal is provided to a processing unit, which determines a cathode current correction and/or a correction to the voltage between the cathode and the anode using the measured backscatter electron signal and a correlation between anode surface roughness and backscatter electron emission.

At least one power supply produces a voltage between a cathode and an anode. The cathode and anode are operable such that electrons emitted from the cathode interact with the anode with energies corresponding to the voltage. The electrons interact with the anode at a focal spot to generate X-rays. The power supply provides the cathode with a cathode current. An electron detector is positioned relative to the anode, and a backscatter electron signal is measured from the anode. The measured backscatter electron signal is provided to a processing unit, which determines a cathode current correction and/or a correction to the voltage between the cathode and the anode using the measured backscatter electron signal and a correlation between anode surface roughness and backscatter electron emission.

In a monitoring method for generating maintenance alerts, component IDs are extracted which identify medical imaging device components in electronic medical imaging device manuals (25, 26, 27, 28). Operating parameters of the medical imaging device components and associated operating parameter ranges are also extracted from the manuals, based on numeric values, parameter terms identifying operating parameters, and linking terms or symbols indicative of equality or inequality that connect the numeric values and parameter terms. The operating parameter ranges are formulated into decision rules (36) which are applied to log data (40) generated by a monitored medical imaging device (2) to detect out-of-range log data generated by the monitored medical imaging device. Maintenance alerts (24) are displayed on a display (18) in response to the detected out-of-range log data. The maintenance alerts are generated from out-of-range log data and are associated with component IDs contained in the out-of-range log data.