An integrated fluid pump for use in circulating a coolant in an x-ray tube
is disclosed. The pump includes a pump body, a pump head, and a motor.
The pump head defines a pump volume and further includes a fluid inlet, a
fluid outlet, and an impeller positioned in the pump volume that is
rotatably driven by the motor to receive coolant from the fluid inlet and
eject the fluid via the fluid outlet. The pump is structurally integrated
with an outer housing of the x-ray tube, the outer housing containing the
coolant. In one embodiment, the fluid inlet and a portion of the pump
volume are defined by a portion of the outer housing of the x-ray tube.
This integration makes the structural completeness of the fluid pump
dependent on the outer housing or other suitable x-ray tube component.