Patent ID: 7280639

Claim:
A rotary piston x-ray tube comprising: a rotary piston comprising a first piston base and a second piston base and a continuous shell wall extending between and connecting said first piston base and said second piston base, said shell wall having a frustrum-shape with a region of maximum radius; said rotary piston enclosing an evacuated volume and containing an anode and a cathode in said evacuated volume, said cathode emitting an electron beam; said rotary piston being supported for rotation around a rotational axis and said anode forming a radially-rotating section of said shell wall disposed in said region of maximum radius; a deflector disposed along said shell wall between said cathode and said anode, said deflector interacting with said electron beam to deflect said electron beam from said cathode onto said anode, said electron beam striking said anode and causing emission of x-rays from said anode as well as generation of heat at said anode; and said shell wall having an exterior surface at said region of maximum radius that is exposed to allow direct interaction of said exterior surface with a coolant, said exterior surface being in thermal communication with said anode and promoting transfer of said heat from said anode to said coolant.