Appeal No. 1998-1539 Application No. 08/683,186 The invention pertains to x-ray tubes. More particularly, a thermally conductive metal cooling layer is provided for enhancing the dissipation of heat at the anode. Independent claim 5 is reproduced as follows: 5. An X-ray tube, comprising: a tube wall, an anode having a transmissive target layer for generating X-rays in response to the impingement of an electron beam; a cathode having a loop-shaped electron emissive element for generating an electron beam, the beam forming a substantially annular anode target ring on the transmissive target, an X-ray exit window, adjacent the target layer, and a thermally conductive metal cooling layer disposed with a surface against the transmissive target, the metal cooling layer being disposed substantially within the annular electron target ring, so as not to substantially block the electron beam, which metal cooling layer is thermally conductively connected to the tube wall, which metal cooling layer acts as a means for enhancing the dissipation of heat at least for the anode. The examiner relies on the following references: Jenkins 4,731,804 Mar. 15, 1988 Valkonet 4,969,173 Nov. 6, 1990 Claims 5, 8 and 9 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as unpatentable over Valkonet in view of Jenkins. 2Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 NextLast modified: November 3, 2007