阅读说明：本技术 X射线产生装置和x射线成像装置 (X-ray generating apparatus and X-ray imaging apparatus ) 是由 川濑顺也 于 2019-04-15 设计创作，主要内容包括：X射线产生装置包括：X射线产生管,包括阴极和阳极,该阴极具有在第一方向上发射电子的电子发射部,该阳极具有由于从电子发射部发射的电子与靶材碰撞而产生X射线的靶材；电压供应部,经由导电线向X射线产生管供应电压；储存容器,包括第一部分、第二部分以及连接部,第一部分形成储存电压供应部的第一空间,第二部分形成储存X射线产生管的第二空间,同时所述第二空间在与第一方向正交的第二方向上的宽度比第一空间的宽度小,连接部将第一部分和第二部分相互连接使得第一空间与第二空间连通；以及绝缘液体,填充第一空间与第二空间连通的内部空间,其中,连接部包括朝着内部空间突出的凸部,在第一方向上阴极被布置在凸部与阳极之间,并且绝缘构件被布置为围绕导电线的至少一部分并且阻断导电线与凸部之间的至少最短路径。(The X-ray generating apparatus includes: an X-ray generating tube including a cathode having an electron emitting portion that emits electrons in a first direction and an anode having a target that generates X-rays as a result of the electrons emitted from the electron emitting portion colliding with the target; a voltage supply section supplying a voltage to the X-ray generation tube via the conductive wire; a storage container including a first portion forming a first space storing the voltage supply part, a second portion forming a second space storing the X-ray generating tube while a width of the second space in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction is smaller than a width of the first space, and a connection part connecting the first portion and the second portion to each other such that the first space communicates with the second space; and an insulating liquid filling an inner space in which the first space communicates with the second space, wherein the connection portion includes a projection projecting toward the inner space, the cathode is arranged between the projection and the anode in the first direction, and the insulating member is arranged to surround at least a part of the conductive wire and block at least a shortest path between the conductive wire and the projection.)

1. An X-ray generation device, comprising:

an X-ray generating tube including a cathode having an electron emitting portion configured to emit electrons in a first direction and an anode having a target configured to generate X-rays by collision of electrons radiated from the electron emitting portion with the target;

a voltage supply section configured to supply a voltage to the X-ray generation tube via an electrically conductive wire;

a storage container including a first portion configured to form a first space storing the voltage supply part, a second portion configured to form a second space having a smaller width in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction than a width of the first space and storing the X-ray generation tube, and a connection part configured to connect the first portion and the second portion to each other such that the first space and the second space communicate with each other; and

an insulating liquid filling an inner space in which the first space and the second space communicate with each other,

wherein the connecting portion includes a convex portion facing the inner space, and

in the first direction, the cathode is arranged between the convex portion and the anode, and the insulating member is arranged to surround at least a part of the conductive wire and block at least the shortest path between the conductive wire and the convex portion.

2. The X-ray generation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the insulating member is disposed to surround at least a portion of the cathode.

3. The X-ray generation apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least a part of the cathode faces the insulating member via an insulating liquid.

4. The X-ray generation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the at least a part of the cathode faces the insulating member via the insulating liquid in a plane orthogonal to the first direction.

5. The X-ray generation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein in the plane, the insulating member faces the second portion via an insulating liquid.

6. The X-ray generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the connection portion includes a plate portion that expands in a direction orthogonal to the first direction, and the plate portion includes an opening through which the conductive wire passes.

7. The X-ray generation apparatus of claim 6, wherein the side surface of the opening and the inner side surface of the second portion form a continuous surface without a step.

8. The X-ray generation apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the insulating member includes a flange portion including a surface parallel to the plate portion and a tubular portion having one end connected to the flange portion.

9. The X-ray generation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a restriction member configured to fix or restrict a position of a portion between both ends of the conductive wire in the entire conductive wire.

10. The X-ray generation apparatus of claim 9, wherein the restraining member comprises an insulator.

11. The X-ray generation apparatus of claim 10, wherein the restraining member is connected to the insulating member.

12. The X-ray generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that an insulating liquid is arranged to surround the voltage supply.

13. The X-ray generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the voltage supply section includes a power supply circuit and a drive circuit that receives power supplied from the power supply circuit and drives the X-ray generation tube via a conductive wire.

14. The X-ray generation apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a conductive member disposed in the first space to surround the driving circuit.

15. The X-ray generation apparatus of claim 14, wherein an insulating liquid is disposed around the conductive member.

16. An X-ray imaging apparatus, characterized by comprising:

the X-ray generation device of any one of claims 1 to 15; and

an X-ray detecting device configured to detect X-rays radiated from the X-ray generating device and transmitted through the object.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an X-ray generation apparatus and an X-ray imaging apparatus.

Background

The magnification of the X-ray fluoroscopic image may increase as the distance between the target as the X-ray generating unit and the subject becomes shorter. There is known an X-ray generating apparatus in which, in order to obtain a sufficient magnification even in a case where an object is located at a deep position, a protruding portion that protrudes elongatedly from a main body portion of a storage container is provided on the main body portion, and an X-ray generating unit is attached to a tip of the protruding portion. Such an X-ray generating apparatus is described in PTL 1.

In the X-ray generating device as described above, a large potential difference is generated between the storage container and the cathode of the X-ray generating tube, and the storage container includes a bent portion formed at a connecting portion of the main body portion and the protruding portion. For this reason, discharge is likely to occur between the bent portion of the storage container and the cathode of the X-ray generation tube. To solve this problem, PTL 1 describes that a bent portion is arranged between a cathode and an anode in a tube axis direction of an X-ray generating tube, and the distance of the bent portion from the cathode is made longer than the distance of the anode from the cathode. Further, PTL 1 describes that when the distance of the bent portion from the cathode is made shorter than the distance of the anode from the cathode, the bent portion is arranged between the cathode and the anode in the tube axis direction, and the insulating member is arranged so that the bent portion is not directly observed from the cathode.

Reference list

Patent document

PTL 1: japanese patent laid-open No.2018-

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

In either of the two methods described in PTL 1, in order to reduce the discharge between the curved portion of the storage container and the cathode of the X-ray generation tube, it is necessary to arrange the curved portion of the storage container between an anode-insulating tube joint (a joint between the anode and the insulating tube on the outer side (oil side)) of the X-ray generation tube and a cathode-insulating tube joint (a joint between the cathode and the insulating tube on the outer side (oil side)) of the X-ray generation tube in the tube axis direction. However, in order to improve the magnification when capturing the subject arranged at a deep position, it is required to increase the length of the protruding portion of the storage container. PTL 1 does not provide a solution to this requirement.

The present inventors found that in a structure in which a cathode is disposed between a bent portion of a storage container and an anode in a tube axis direction, the longer the distance between the bent portion and the cathode, the more unstable the operation of an X-ray generating apparatus, and arrived at the present invention.

The present invention provides a technique advantageous for improving the magnification and improving the stability of the operation of an X-ray generating apparatus.

Solution to the problem

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an X-ray generating apparatus, and the X-ray generating apparatus includes: an X-ray generating tube including a cathode having an electron emitting portion configured to emit electrons in a first direction and an anode having a target configured to generate X-rays by collision of electrons radiated from the electron emitting portion with the target; a voltage supply section configured to supply a voltage to the X-ray generation tube via an electrically conductive wire; a storage container including a first portion configured to form a first space storing the voltage supply part, a second portion configured to form a second space having a smaller width in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction than a width of the first space and storing the X-ray generation tube, and a connection part configured to connect the first portion and the second portion to each other such that the first space and the second space communicate with each other; and an insulating liquid filling an inner space in which the first space and the second space communicate with each other, wherein the connection portion includes a convex portion facing the inner space, and in the first direction, the cathode is arranged between the convex portion and the anode, and the insulating member is arranged to surround at least a part of the conductive wire and block at least a shortest path between the conductive wire and the convex portion.

Technical effects of the invention

According to the present invention, a technique advantageous for improving the magnification and improving the stability of the operation of the X-ray generation apparatus is provided.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the arrangement of an X-ray generation apparatus according to a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the arrangement of an X-ray generation apparatus according to a second embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the arrangement of an X-ray generation apparatus according to a third embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the arrangement of an X-ray imaging apparatus according to the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT (S) OF INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following examples are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. In the embodiments, a plurality of features are described. However, not all combinations of the plurality of features are essential to the present invention, and the plurality of features may be arbitrarily combined. In addition, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar parts in the drawings, and a repetitive description will be omitted.

Fig. 1 schematically shows the arrangement of an X-ray generation apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment. The X-ray generating apparatus 100 may include an X-ray generating tube 102, a voltage supply 110, a storage container 130, an insulating liquid 108, and an insulating member 120. The X-ray generation tube 102 may include a cathode 104 and an anode 103, the cathode 104 including an electron emission portion 23 that emits electrons in a first direction (Z direction) as a tube axis direction, the anode 103 including the target 1 that generates X-rays by electrons radiated from the electron emission portion 23 striking the target 1. The voltage supply section 110 supplies a voltage to the X-ray generation tube 102, more specifically, to the cathode 104, via the conductive line 109. The conductive line 109 may include a conductive member and an insulating member covering the conductive member, but may not include the insulating member.

The storage container 130 may include a first portion 131, a second portion 132, and a connecting portion 133. The first portion 131 may store the voltage supply part 110. The second portion 132 may store the X-ray generating tube 102. The connection part 133 may connect the first and second parts 131 and 132 to each other to form an inner space ISP in which the first space SP1 inside the first part 131 and the second space SP2 inside the second part 132 communicate with each other. The width of the second portion 132 in a second direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the first direction (Z direction) is smaller than the width of the first portion 131. Further, the width of the second space SP2 in the second direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the first direction (Z direction) is smaller than the width of the first space SP 1. The connection portion 133 may include a protrusion 135 toward the inner space ISP of the storage container 130. The second portion 132 may comprise a tubular shape, such as a cylinder. In a cross-section of the protrusion 135 (e.g., similar to the cross-sectional view of fig. 1), the protrusion 135 may have an interior angle of 90 ° or an interior angle of an acute angle or an interior angle of an obtuse angle. In the first direction (Z direction), the cathode 104 of the X-ray generation tube 102 may be located between the convex portion 135 of the connection portion 133 and the anode 103 of the X-ray generation tube 102. In the example shown in fig. 1, the length of the second portion 132 in the first direction (Z direction) is longer than the length of the X-ray generation tube 102.

The insulating liquid 108 may fill the inner space ISP of the storage vessel 130 to be in contact with the cathode 104 and around the electrically conductive wire 109. The insulating member 120 may be disposed in the inner space ISP of the storage container 130 to surround at least a portion of the conductive line 109. The insulating member 120 may be arranged to block at least the shortest path between the conductive line 109 and the protrusion 135 of the connection part 133. The insulating member 120 may be arranged to block a straight path between the conductive line 109 and the protrusion 135 of the connection part 133 in the entire path of the conductive line 109 between the voltage supply part 110 and the cathode 104. The insulating member 120 may be a fixing member. The target 1 of the X-ray generation tube 102 stored in the second portion 132 may be located at the top end portion (lower end in fig. 1) of the second portion 132. Since the target 1 is an X-ray generating portion that generates X-rays, the arrangement as described above is advantageous in bringing the X-ray generating portion close to the subject, i.e., in improving the magnification at the time of imaging.

The X-ray generation tube 102 may be a transmission type X-ray generation tube. The X-ray generating tube 102 may include an anode 103, a cathode 104, and an insulating tube 4. The anode 103, the cathode 104, and the insulating tube 4 constitute a vacuum airtight container. The insulating tube 4 has a tubular shape, for example, a cylindrical shape, and connects the anode 103 and the cathode 104 while insulating them from each other. The anode 103 may include a target 1 and an anode member 2. The target 1 may include a target layer 1a and a support window 1b supporting the target layer 1 a. The anode member 2 may have a ring shape. The anode member 2 supports the target 1. The anode member 2 may be electrically connected to the target layer 1 a. The anode member 2 and the support window 1b may be connected by, for example, solder. In the example shown in fig. 1, the target 1 is arranged on the same plane as the tip end portion of the second portion 132. However, the target 1 may be arranged to protrude outward from the top end portion of the second portion 132, or may be arranged to be recessed from the top end portion of the second portion 132, as long as the target 1 is set at the same position as the second portion 132 (i.e., grounded). The form in which the target 1 is located at the tip end portion of the second portion 132 may also include such a form.

The target layer 1a contains, for example, a heavy metal such as tungsten or tantalum, and generates X-rays when irradiated with electrons. The thickness of the target layer 1a may be determined based on a balance between an electron penetration length contributing to the generation of X-rays and an amount of self-attenuation when the generated X-rays pass through the support window 1 b. The thickness of the target layer 1a may fall within a range of, for example, 1 μm to several tens μm.

The support window 1b has a function of passing the X-rays generated in the target layer 1a and discharging them to the outside of the X-ray generation tube 102. The support window 1b may be made of an X-ray passing material such as beryllium, aluminum, silicon nitride, or an allotrope of carbon. In order to efficiently transfer heat generated in the target material layer 1a to the anode member 2, the support window 1b may be made of, for example, diamond having high thermal conductivity.

The insulating tube 4 may be made of a ceramic material such as alumina or zirconia, a glass material such as soda lime, or quartz, which has vacuum tightness and insulating properties. From the viewpoint of reducing thermal stress with respect to the insulating tube 4, the cathode member 21 and the anode member 2 may be made of materials having linear expansion coefficients α c (ppm/deg.c) and α a (ppm/deg.c), respectively, close to the linear expansion coefficient α i (ppm/deg.c) of the insulating tube 4. The cathode member 21 and the anode member 2 may be made of, for example, an alloy such as Kovar or Monel.

The cathode 104 may include an electron emission part 23, a cathode member 21, and a fixing part 22 fixing the electron emission part 23 to the cathode member 21. For example, with respect to the cathode member 21, the electron emission part 23 may be connected via solder, may be thermally welded by laser welding or the like, or may be electrically connected by other methods. The electron emission part 23 may include an electron source such as an immersion type thermionic ion source, a filament type thermionic ion source, or a cold cathode electron source. The electron emission part 23 may include an electrostatic lens electrode (not shown) such as an extraction gate electrode or a focus lens electrode defining an electrostatic field. The fixing portion 22 may have a tubular shape through which a conductive wire 109 electrically connected to the electron source and the electrostatic lens electrode passes. Conductive line 109 may include a plurality of conductive members insulated from each other.

The X-ray generation apparatus 100 may be formed as an anode-grounded type in which the anode 103 is grounded. In the anode-grounded type, the anode 103 may be electrically connected to the storage container 130. The storage container 130 may be electrically connected to the ground terminal 105. The cathode 104 may be electrically connected to a voltage supply 110 via a conductive wire 109.

The voltage supply section 110 may include a power supply circuit 111 and a drive circuit 112, the drive circuit 112 receiving power supplied from the power supply circuit 111 via the power supply line 107 and driving the X-ray generation tube 102 via the conductive line 109. The driving circuit 112 may be electrically connected to the storage container 130 via the power supply line 107, the power supply circuit 111, and the ground line 106. The drive circuit 112 can control the amount of emitted electrons or the diameter of the electron beam from the electron source by controlling the voltages supplied to the electron source, the extraction gate electrode, the focus lens electrode, and the like. The positive terminal of the power supply circuit 111 is grounded via the ground line 106 and the storage container 130, and the negative terminal of the power supply circuit 111 is connected to the drive circuit 112 via the power supply line 107 to supply a negative voltage to the drive circuit 112. The control signal may be supplied to the drive circuit 112 via a cable such as an optical fiber cable or the like, for example, from a control unit (not shown) disposed outside the storage container 130.

The first portion 131, the second portion 132, and the connection portion 133 forming the storage container 130 may be made of a material having conductivity, electrically connected to each other, and grounded. This arrangement is advantageous for ensuring electrical safety. The first portion 131, the second portion 132, and the connection portion 133 may be made of a metal material. The insulating liquid 108 may vacuum fill the storage container 130. The reason for this is that if bubbles are present in the insulating liquid 108, a region having a low dielectric constant compared to the insulating liquid 108 at the periphery is locally formed, resulting in discharge.

The insulating liquid 108 also has a function of suppressing electric discharge between the X-ray generation tube 102 and the storage container 130 and electric discharge between the voltage supply section 110 (the power supply circuit 111 and the drive circuit 112) and the storage container 130. As the insulating liquid 108, for example, a chemical synthetic oil such as silicone oil or fluororesin-based oil, mineral oil, or the like having excellent heat resistance, fluidity, and electrical insulating property in the operating temperature range of the X-ray generating apparatus 100 can be used.

The X-ray generation tube 102 may be joined to an opening portion provided at a top end portion (lower end portion in fig. 1) of the second portion 132 of the storage container 130, and thus fixed to the second portion 132. An insulating liquid 108 may be filled between the X-ray generating tube 102 and the inner side of the second portion 132. The power circuit 111 and the driving circuit 112 may be fixed to the first portion 131 of the storage container 130 by a fixing member (not shown). The power supply circuit 111 and the drive circuit 112 may be surrounded by the insulating liquid 108. The conductive line 109 may be surrounded by an insulating liquid 108.

The insulating member 120 may be disposed to surround at least a portion of the cathode 104, such as the cathode member 21. At least a part of the cathode 104, for example, the cathode member 21 may be arranged to face the insulating member 120 via the insulating liquid 108. In a plane (sectional view in (Z direction)) orthogonal to the first direction (Z direction), at least a part of the cathode 104, for example, the cathode member 21 may be arranged to face the insulating member 120 via the insulating liquid 108. In this plane (cross-sectional view thereof), the insulating member 120 may face the second portion 132 via the insulating liquid 108.

The connecting portion 133 of the storage container 130 includes a plate portion expanding in a direction orthogonal to the first direction (Z direction), and the plate portion includes an opening OP through which the conductive wire 109 passes. The plate portion may contact an attachment surface of a structure (e.g., a housing) that supports the X-ray generation apparatus 100. Alternatively, the plate portion may be mounted in an opening of a structure that supports the X-ray generation apparatus 100. In the storage container 130, the side surface of the opening OP of the plate portion and the inner side surface of the second portion 132 may form a continuous surface having no step. In one example, the opening OP may be a circular opening, and the inner side surface of the second portion 132 may be a cylindrical surface. The protrusion 135 may be formed by an end of the opening OP.

The insulating member 120 includes a tubular portion 121 and a flange portion 122 extending along the plate portion of the connecting portion 133, and may have a structure in which one end of the tubular portion 121 is connected to the flange portion 122. The flange portion 122 may be arranged in parallel with the plate portion of the connecting portion 133, for example. The tubular portion 121 may be arranged to surround at least a part of the insulating tube 4 of the X-ray generation tube 102. Here, the tubular portion 121 may be arranged to surround the entire insulating tube 4, or may be arranged to surround only a part of the insulating tube 4. The flange portion 122 may be disposed such that all or a portion of the flange portion 122 is in contact with the connection portion 133. Further, the flange portion 122 may be arranged such that all or a portion of the flange portion 122 is in contact with the second portion 132.

The entire cathode 104 of the X-ray generation tube 102 may be arranged in the second space SP 2. In other points of view, the cathode 104 of the yX-ray generation tube 102 may be arranged between the anode 103 of the X-ray generation tube 102 and the opening OP of the connection portion 133. In yet other aspects, the cathode 104 of the X-ray generating tube 102 may be arranged such that the entire side of the cathode 104 is surrounded by the second portion 132.

A virtual line (or a tapered surface) connecting one end portion of the two end portions of the conductive line 109 on the voltage supply portion 110 (drive circuit 112) side to the convex portion 135 may intersect with the insulating member 120. A virtual line (or a tapered surface) connecting one end portion on the cathode 104 side of the two end portions of the conductive line 109 to the convex portion 135 may intersect the insulating member 120. A virtual line connecting an arbitrary position between both ends of the conductive line 109 to the protrusion 135 may intersect with the insulating member 120. A virtual line connecting the voltage supply part 110 to the protrusion 135 may intersect with the insulating member 120. In the physical space, the driving circuit 112 is arranged between the power supply circuit 111 and the cathode 104, and a virtual line connecting the driving circuit 112 to the convex portion 135 may intersect with the insulating member 120.

If the insulating member 120 is not arranged to block a straight path between the conductive line 109 and the convex portion 135 of the connection portion 133, the operation of the X-ray generating apparatus 100 becomes unstable as the length of the second portion 132 in the first direction increases. The reason is considered to be the swing of the conductive line 109 caused by the flow of the insulating liquid 108. More specifically, the present inventors consider as follows. First, the flow of the insulating liquid that may occur using an electric field as a driving force is referred to as an EHD phenomenon. As the length of the second portion 132 of the ground potential in the first direction increases, the length of the conductive line 109 to which a voltage (negative potential) having a large potential difference with respect to the ground potential is applied also increases. In other words, the surface areas of the two electrodes (the second portion 132 and the conductive line 109) near the convex portion 135 where the electric field is easily concentrated increase, and the contact area of the insulating liquid 108 with the two electrodes increases. In the case where the contact area with the two electrodes is increased, the EHD phenomenon is enhanced, and the convection velocity of the insulating liquid 108 is increased. In addition, the insulating liquid 108 fills both the first space SP1 and the second space SP2 which communicate with each other and generate mutually different electric fields, and causes the driving force of convection of the insulating liquid 108 to be complicated. These increase the swing of the conductive line 109. By this wobbling, the distance between the conductive line 109 and the convex portion 135 becomes small, and discharge is caused between the conductive line 109 and the convex portion 135. Furthermore, if the minimum radius of curvature of the conductive line 109 is smaller than the minimum radius of curvature of the cathode 104, an increase in the length of the conductive line 109 may more easily cause discharge between the conductive line 109 and the convex portion 135.

Such unstable operation is solved by arranging the insulating member 120 to block a straight path between the conductive line 109 and the protrusion 135 of the connection portion 133. As another solution, the size of the opening OP defining the protrusion 135 is made large, thereby increasing the distance between the protrusion 135 and the conductive line 109. However, this method is not preferable because it leads to an increase in the size of the X-ray generation apparatus 100.

An X-ray generation apparatus 100 according to a second embodiment will be described below with reference to fig. 2. Matters not mentioned in the X-ray generation apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment may follow the first embodiment. The X-ray generation apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment includes the restriction member 150 that restricts the movement of the conductive wires 109. The restriction member 150 may be arranged to fix or restrict the position of a portion between both ends of the conductive line 109 in the entire conductive line 109. The restricting member 150 may include, for example, a surrounding member 151 that restricts the position of the conductive wire 109 and a fixing member 152 that fixes the surrounding member 151. The fixing member 152 may be a connecting member connecting the surrounding member 151 and the insulating member 120. The fixing member 152 may be directly connected to the insulating member 120 without the intervention of the storage container 130. Alternatively, the fixing member 152 may be directly connected to the storage container 130. Alternatively, the fixing member 152 may be fixed to the insulating member 120 or the storage container 130 via other members. The restriction member 150 may be made of an insulator. The surrounding member 151 and the fixing member 152 may be made of an insulator.

The second embodiment is advantageous because the restricting member 150 that restricts the movement of the conductive wire 109 is provided, thereby suppressing discharge between the conductive wire 109 and the convex portion 135 of the connecting portion 133 caused by the swing of the conductive wire 109 and stabilizing the operation of the X-ray generating apparatus 100. Note that even if the insulating member 120 is not present, at least part of the effects of the second embodiment can be obtained.

An X-ray generation apparatus 100 according to a third embodiment will be described below with reference to fig. 3. Matters not mentioned in the X-ray generation apparatus 100 according to the third embodiment may follow the first embodiment or the second embodiment. The X-ray generation apparatus 100 according to the third embodiment includes the conductive member 160 arranged in the first space SP1 to surround the drive circuit 112. The conductive member 160 may be maintained at a fixed potential. The conductive member 160 may be connected to, for example, a power supply terminal (a terminal maintained at a fixed potential) of the voltage supply section 110. The conductive member 160 may include a through hole configured to pass the conductive lines 109 and 107. The conductive member 160 may surround the power supply circuit 111 except for the driving circuit 112. That is, the conductive member 160 may surround the voltage supply part 110. The insulating liquid 108 may be arranged to surround the conductive member 160.

If the insulating liquid 108 causes convection in the inner space ISP of the storage container 130, friction occurs between the insulating liquid 108 and various insulators arranged in the inner space ISP, and the insulating liquid 108 and the insulators may be charged with mutually opposite polarities. If the convection velocity of the insulating liquid 108 is increased by increasing the length of the second portion 132 in the first direction, the amount of charges caused by friction is also increased, and the driving circuit 112 in the insulating liquid 108 may cause an operation error. The conductive member 160 is advantageous in suppressing an operation error of the drive circuit 112 due to such a cause and stabilizing the operation of the X-ray generation apparatus 100.

Fig. 4 shows an arrangement of an X-ray imaging apparatus 200 according to an embodiment. The X-ray imaging apparatus 200 may include the X-ray generation apparatus 100 and an X-ray detection apparatus 210, the X-ray detection apparatus 210 detecting the X-rays 192 radiated from the X-ray generation apparatus 100 and transmitted through the object 191. The X-ray imaging apparatus 200 may further include a control apparatus 220 and a display device 230. The X-ray detection device 210 may include an X-ray detector 212 and a signal processing unit 214. The control device 220 may control the X-ray generation device 100 and the X-ray detection device 210. The X-ray detector 212 detects or captures the X-rays 192 radiated from the X-ray generation apparatus 100 and transmitted through the object 191. The signal processing unit 214 may process a signal output from the X-ray detector 212 and supply the processed signal to the control device 220. The control means 220 causes the display device 230 to display an image based on the signal supplied from the signal processing unit 214.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the following claims are included to disclose the scope of the invention to the public.