A method and an equipment permitting to optimally handle and support a roll made of at least an inert material and transfer the torque from a bearing to a roll or the other way around without damaging them, the roll and bearing being immersed in molten metal.

A bearing structure for an X-ray tube is provided that includes a journal bearing shaft with a radially protruding thrust bearing encased within a sleeve. The structure of sleeve is formed with enlarged traps or voids in the sleeve that are disposed adjacent various rotating anti-wetting seals/seal surfaces formed between the sleeve and the shaft. The geometry of the traps is formed to retain liquid metal/lubricating fluid within the gap defined by the bearing assembly and to direct to liquid metal flowing outwardly from the gap defined between the sleeve and the shaft away from the rotating anti-wetting seals and back towards the gap. This geometry allows the centrifugal forces exerted on the liquid metal by the rotation of the bearing structure to move the outflowing liquid metal away from the rotating anti-wetting seals to significantly reduce contact of the liquid metal with the seals.

Systems and methods related to hydrodynamic bearings for use in X-ray sources are provided. In one aspect, a hydrodynamic bearing system includes a sleeve assembly including a cross-member fluidically dividing a first interior cavity from a second interior cavity, a first shaft positioned in the first interior cavity, and a second shaft positioned in the second interior cavity. The hydrodynamic bearing system may further include a first journal bearing including a first fluid interface surrounding at least a portion of the first cantilever shaft and configured to support radial loads and a second journal bearing including a second fluid interface surrounding at least a portion of the second cantilever shaft and configured to support radial loads.

A roller for deflecting or guiding a metal strip to be coated in a metal melt bath may include bearing journals disposed coaxially with one another for rotationally supporting the roller. To obtain a high coating quality while hot-dip coating the metal strip, in particular steel strip, and to increase the service life of such a roller, each bearing journal may comprise a plurality of axially spaced annular elevations that have or are formed from a plain-bearing coating. The roller may comprise a steel roller shell, and each bearing journal may include a substantially cylindrical or circular-disk-shaped connecting steel portion that extends radially in the direction of the roller shell. At least one of the connecting portions may comprise a passage opening at an end face of the roller shell. The passage may be closed by means of a gas-permeable plug element comprised of ceramic material.”

A bearing structure for an X-ray tube is provided that includes a journal bearing shaft with a radially protruding thrust bearing encased within a bearing sleeve, one of which rotates relative to the other. The stationary component, e.g., the journal bearing and/or the thrust bearing includes at least one vent groove formed therein that improves the ability of the journal bearing structure to enable gases trapped by the liquid metal within the bearing assembly to escape through the vent groove to the exterior of the X-ray tube. By adding a strategically located channel or vent groove of sufficient size in at least one of the journal bearing or the thrust bearing, the pressures resisted by the seal created between the liquid metal and the vent groove(s) in the bearing components is significantly reduced, allowing escape of the gases to avoid detrimental effects to the operation of the X-ray tube, while maintaining the load carrying capacity of the bearing assembly.

In one embodiment, a rotating anode type X-ray tube comprises a fixed shaft having a first surface, a rotor, a cathode emitting electrons, and an anode target. The rotor comprises a first cylinder having a second surface, a second cylinder, and a third cylinder. A first threaded portion on an inner surface of the first cylinder and a second threaded portion on an outer peripheral surface of the third cylinder are tightened. A screw member is screwed in a third threaded portion on an inner peripheral surface of a hole which penetrates the third cylinder, and a tip portion of the screw member presses the second cylinder against the second surface.

A bearing structure for an X-ray tube is provided that includes a journal bearing shaft with a radially protruding thrust bearing encased within a sleeve. The structure of sleeve is formed with enlarged traps or voids in the sleeve that are disposed adjacent various rotating anti-wetting seals/seal surfaces formed between the sleeve and the shaft. The geometry of the traps is formed to retain liquid metal/lubricating fluid within the gap defined by the bearing assembly and to direct to liquid metal flowing outwardly from the gap defined between the sleeve and the shaft away from the rotating anti-wetting seals and back towards the gap. This geometry allows the centrifugal forces exerted on the liquid metal by the rotation of the bearing structure to move the outflowing liquid metal away from the rotating anti-wetting seals to significantly reduce contact of the liquid metal with the seals.

A bearing structure for an X-ray tube is provided that includes a journal bearing shaft with a radially protruding thrust bearing encased within a bearing sleeve, one of which rotates relative to the other. The stationary component, e.g., the journal bearing and/or the thrust bearing includes at least one vent groove formed therein that improves the ability of the journal bearing structure to enable gases trapped by the liquid metal within the bearing assembly to escape through the vent groove to the exterior of the X-ray tube. By adding a strategically located channel or vent groove of sufficient size in at least one of the journal bearing or the thrust bearing, the pressures resisted by the seal created between the liquid metal and the vent groove(s) in the bearing components is significantly reduced, allowing escape of the gases to avoid detrimental effects to the operation of the X-ray tube, while maintaining the load carrying capacity of the bearing assembly.

Systems and methods related to hydrodynamic bearings for use in X-ray sources are provided. In one aspect, a hydrodynamic bearing system includes a sleeve assembly including a cross-member fluidically dividing a first interior cavity from a second interior cavity, a first shaft positioned in the first interior cavity, and a second shaft positioned in the second interior cavity. The hydrodynamic bearing system may further include a first journal bearing including a first fluid interface surrounding at least a portion of the first cantilever shaft and configured to support radial loads and a second journal bearing including a second fluid interface surrounding at least a portion of the second cantilever shaft and configured to support radial loads.

Systems and methods related to hydrodynamic bearings for use in X-ray sources are provided. In one aspect, a hydrodynamic bearing system includes a sleeve assembly including a cross-member fluidically dividing a first interior cavity from a second interior cavity, a first shaft positioned in the first interior cavity, and a second shaft positioned in the second interior cavity. The hydrodynamic bearing system may further include a first journal bearing including a first fluid interface surrounding at least a portion of the first cantilever shaft and configured to support radial loads and a second journal bearing including a second fluid interface surrounding at least a portion of the second cantilever shaft and configured to support radial loads.