US 7302042

Here's a concise summary of US Patent 7,302,042:

Title: Remote bladder venting and containment system

Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Inc.

Inventors: Wayne Rollins Hansen, Ricky Smith

Filing Date: 2006-04-28

Issue Date: 2007-11-27

Abstract: The patent describes a system for remotely venting an expansion bladder in a liquid-filled container, such as an X-ray tube's outer housing. This remote venting setup allows the expansion bladder to access atmospheric pressure, enabling it to compensate for pressure changes within the liquid-filled container caused by liquid heating. The remote design permits the expansion bladder to be located within a radiation-shielded area of the housing, while the venting component is in an unshielded region. This eliminates the need to compromise the radiation shielding to provide atmospheric access to the bladder. Additionally, the remote vent is semi-permeable to prevent liquid leakage if the bladder ruptures.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1: An X-ray tube with a remotely vented bladder in a transparent region.
  This claim describes an X-ray tube that includes an outer housing filled with a cooling liquid, and an internal evacuated enclosure (where X-rays are generated). Within this outer housing is a flexible expansion bladder with an air-filled interior. The inventive aspect is a "port" (an opening or vent) in the outer housing that provides atmospheric pressure to the bladder's interior through an air passageway. Crucially, this port is located in a part of the outer housing that allows X-rays to pass through it, rather than in a radiation-shielded area.

• Claim 8: A remote bladder venting system for an X-ray tube with separated shielded and unshielded components.
  This claim defines a remote venting system for an X-ray tube. It includes an expansion bladder placed in a part of the X-ray tube housing that is designed to block X-rays (non-transmissive). A vent, which communicates with the outside atmospheric pressure, is located in a different part of the housing that allows X-rays to pass through (transmissive). An air passageway connects the bladder's interior to this remote vent, ensuring the bladder is still exposed to atmospheric pressure despite its shielded location.

• Claim 14: An X-ray tube with a radiation-shielded bladder and a remote, semi-permeable vent.
  This claim outlines an X-ray tube with an outer housing containing a coolant and a radiation shielding layer on a portion of the housing. An evacuated enclosure is within the housing, in contact with the coolant. The invention centers on a "remote bladder venting system" comprising an expansion bladder situated within the radiation-shielded part of the outer housing. A semi-permeable membrane, which permits atmospheric pressure access, is positioned in a section of the outer housing without the radiation shielding. An air passage connects the bladder to this membrane, allowing the bladder's interior to be subjected to atmospheric pressure.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
A search for US patent 7,302,042 within the CAFC 2026 dockets using general search tools did not yield any specific results for ongoing litigation or related proceedings for the year 2026. It's important to note that the patent's legal status is "Expired - Fee Related" as of November 27, 2015, due to non-payment of maintenance fees, making active litigation in 2026 highly unlikely.