Patent ID: 8054943

Claim:
An x-ray tube comprising: a housing enclosing a vacuum chamber; a cathode positioned within the vacuum chamber and configured to emit electrons; an anode positioned within the vacuum chamber to receive the electrons emitted from the cathode and configured to generate a beam of x-rays from the electrons; and a magnetic coupler drive configured to rotate the anode, the magnetic coupler drive comprising: an inner rotor frame positioned within the vacuum chamber; an outer rotor frame positioned outside the vacuum chamber and adjacent the inner rotor frame; an inner rotor magnet formed within the inner rotor frame so as to be surrounded by the inner rotor frame; and an outer rotor magnet formed within the outer rotor frame so as to be surrounded by the outer rotor frame; wherein the inner rotor magnet and the outer rotor magnet interact to generate a magnetic field therebetween to transfer torque from the outer rotor to the inner rotor such that, when the outer rotor rotates about the inner rotor, torque is transferred from the outer rotor to the inner rotor, thereby causing the anode to rotate.