Patent ID: 7751530

Claim:
An X-ray tube anode assembly comprising: a movable X-ray target having a target surface; a drive member arranged and disposed to provide oscillatory motion to the movable X-ray target; and an oscillatory coupling attached to the movable X-ray target, the oscillatory coupling including a first segment and a second segment, the first segment being configured to rotate with respect to the second segment by a flexible coupling mechanism connecting the first segment and the second segment to permit the drive member to oscillate the movable X-ray target; wherein the target surface is configured to remain at a substantially fixed distance from a cathode assembly during oscillatory motion, the oscillatory motion including motion selected from the group consisting of swaying motion to and fro, pivoting motion on an axis between two or more positions, and combinations thereof; and wherein the drive member comprises a magnetically driven motor arrangement comprising a fixed stator portion and a movable rotor portion attached to the movable X-ray target.