Scanning system for scanning objects in radioactive environment

• US 10,078,772 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2017
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Curium US LLC
• Original Assignee: Mallinckrodt Nuclear Medicine LLC (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Petrofsky, Bryan S., Graves, Kevin B., Verma, Sumit, D'Hooge, Michael J., Schmitz, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Franklin, Jamara
• Application Number:
  US15/408,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20180018490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 235383, 23546201, 23546214, 23546222, 23546232, 23546241, 23546242, 23546243
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10405 the interrogation device including an arrangement for sensing environmental parameters, such as a temperature or acceleration sensor, e.g. used as an on/off trigger or as a warning means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10821 further details of bar or optical code scanning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1447 extracting optical codes from image or text carrying said optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 7/00 Shielded cells or rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G21G 1/0005 Isotope delivery systems use of radioisotopes as tracers G21H5/02

Abstract

A system for manufacturing radionuclide generators includes an enclosure defining a radioactive environment. The enclosure includes radiation shielding to prevent radiation within the radioactive environment from moving to an exterior of the enclosure. The system also includes a barcode positioned on an object within the enclosure and a scanning system for scanning the barcode. The scanning system includes a camera on the exterior of the enclosure, a mirror, and a conduit extending through a wall of the enclosure for light to travel between the camera and the mirror.

Claims

1. A system for manufacturing radionuclide generators, the system comprising:

an enclosure defining a radioactive environment, the enclosure including nuclear radiation shielding to prevent nuclear radiation within the radioactive environment from moving to an exterior of the enclosure; and

a barcode positioned on an object within the enclosure;

a scanning system for scanning the barcode, the scanning system comprising;

a camera on the exterior of the enclosure;

a mirror; and

a conduit extending through a wall of the enclosure for light to travel between the camera and the mirror, the conduit including a sidewall.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a sealed window between the mirror and the barcode, the sealed window being transparent to allow light to travel from an interior of the enclosure to the mirror and the camera.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the window is substantially free from radiation shielding materials.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mirror is a first mirror, the scanning system further comprising a second mirror to direct light towards the first mirror.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the mirror is positionable relative to the camera.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the scanning system rotates about an axis.

7. A scanning system for scanning objects in a radioactive environment, the objects being in an interior space of a hot cell, said scanning system comprising:

a camera on the exterior of the hot cell;

a mirror; and

a conduit extending through a wall of the hot cell for light to travel between the camera and the mirror, the conduit including a sidewall, wherein the conduit is sealed to prevent air moving between the radioactive environment and the exterior of the hot cell.

8. The scanning system of claim 7, wherein a sealed window extends between the hot cell interior and the mirror, the sealed window being transparent to allow light to travel from the hot cell interior to the mirror and the camera.

9. The scanning system of claim 8, wherein the window is substantially free from radiation shielding materials.

10. The scanning system of claim 7, wherein the mirror is a first mirror, the scanning system further comprising a second mirror.

11. The scanning system of claim 7, wherein the mirror is positionable relative to the camera.

12. The scanning system of claim 11, wherein the scanning system rotates about an axis.

13. The scanning system of claim 7, wherein the conduit includes a cylindrical guide tube.

14. The scanning system of claim 13 further comprising a mounting plate connecting the conduit to the wall, wherein the scanning system rotates in relation to the wall about a longitudinal axis.

15. The scanning system of claim 7, wherein the wall comprises a nuclear radiation shielding material.

16. A method for scanning a barcode on an object in a radioactive environment, the object being in an interior space of a hot cell, said method comprising:

positioning the object in the interior space such that light travels from the barcode to a mirror;

directing the light from the mirror through a conduit extending through a wall of the hot cell toward a camera on an exterior of the hot cell, the conduit including a sidewall, wherein the conduit is sealed to prevent air moving between the radioactive environment and the exterior of the hot cell; and

generating an image of the barcode using the camera.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising directing the light through a sealed window, wherein the sealed window extends between the hot cell interior and the mirror, the sealed window being transparent to allow light to travel from the hot cell interior to the mirror and the camera.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the mirror is a first mirror, the method further comprising directing the light toward the first mirror using a second mirror.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising positioning the mirror relative to the camera.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising rotating at least one of the conduit and the camera.