X-RAY SHIELDING SYSTEM AND SHIELDED DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHIC INSPECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20030091145A1
• Filed: 11/12/2001
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Bueno, Clifford, Mohr, Gregory Alan
• Granted Patent: US 6,618,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/58
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/04 and forming images of the material

Abstract

An x-ray shielding system includes a beam controller configured to surround an x-ray source and includes a detector shield configured to position behind an x-ray detector. The beam controller includes a source shield and an aperture. The source shield and the detector shield are adapted to block x-rays, and the aperture is adapted to transmit x-rays. A shielded digital radiographic inspection system includes the x-ray source and the beam controller surrounding the x-ray source. The beam controller includes the source shield and the aperture. The aperture is configured to rotate around the x-ray source. The inspection system further includes a digital x-ray detector positioned radially outward from the x-ray source and facing the aperture. The digital x-ray detector is configured to be movable along an orbit around the x-ray source. The inspection system further includes the detector shield configured to be movable with and positioned behind the digital x-ray detector.

Claims

1. An x-ray shielding system comprising:

a beam controller configured to surround an x-ray source, said beam controller including a source shield and an aperture;

a detector shield configured to position behind an x-ray detector,

wherein said source shield and said detector shield are adapted to block x-rays, and wherein said aperture is adapted to transmit x-rays.

2. The x-ray shielding system of claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to be movable along an orbit around the x-ray source, and wherein:

said beam controller is configured to rotate said aperture around the x-ray source, and

said detector shield is configured to be movable with the detector around the x-ray source, said detector shield remaining positioned behind the x-ray detector.

3. The x-ray shielding system of claim 2, wherein said beam controller is adapted to rotate said aperture in synchronicity with the detector.

4. The x-ray shielding system of claim 2, wherein the x-ray source is configured to rotate, and wherein said beam controller is fixed relative to the x-ray source and is configured to rotate with the x-ray source.

5. The x-ray shielding system of claim 2, wherein said beam controller is configured to rotate around the x-ray source and to rotate relative to the x-ray source.

6. The x-ray shielding system of claim 2, wherein said beam controller further includes a first and a second side adapted to block x-rays and configured to extend from said source shield to the x-ray source.

7. The x-ray shielding system of claim 2, wherein:

said source shield comprises a material selected from the group consisting of lead, tungsten, depleted uranium, and combinations thereof, and

said detector shield comprises a material selected from the group consisting of lead, tungsten, depleted uranium, and combinations thereof.

8. The x-ray shielding system of claim 2, wherein said detector shield extends at least about 10 cm beyond the detector along each edge of the detector.

9. The x-ray shielding system of claim 8, wherein said detector shield extends at least about 50 cm beyond the detector along each edge of the detector.

10. The x-ray shielding system of claim 2, wherein said source shield and said detector shield are about 0.3 cm to about 1.2 cm in thickness.

11. The x-ray shielding system of claim 10, wherein said source shield and said detector shield are about 0.3 cm to about 0.6 cm in thickness.

12. The x-ray shielding system of claim 2, wherein said aperture is so dimensioned as to transmit a radiation field that approximately coincides with an area of the detector at the detector.

13. The x-ray shielding system of claim 2, wherein said detector shield is configured for attachment to a back of the detector.

14. The x-ray shielding system of claim 2, wherein said aperture is a variable size aperture.

15. The x-ray shielding system of claim 14, wherein said beam controller further comprises a pair of horizontal shutters and a pair of vertical shutters, wherein said vertical and horizontal shutters are adapted to block x-rays, are configured to open and shut, and define said variable size aperture.

16. The x-ray shielding system of claim 15, wherein said horizontal and vertical shutters comprise a material selected from the group consisting of lead, tungsten, depleted uranium, and combinations thereof.

17. A shielded digital radiographic inspection system comprising:

an x-ray source;

a beam controller surrounding said x-ray source, said beam controller including a source shield and an aperture, said beam controller being configured to rotate said aperture around said x-ray source;

a digital x-ray detector positioned radially outward from said x-ray source and facing said aperture, wherein said digital x-ray detector is configured to be movable along an orbit around said x-ray source; and

a detector shield configured to be movable with said digital x-ray detector and positioned behind said digital x-ray detector.

18. The shielded digital radiographic inspection system of claim 17, wherein said beam controller is configured to rotate around said x-ray source and to rotate relative to said x-ray source.

19. The shielded digital radiographic inspection system of claim 17, wherein said beam controller is fixed relative to said x-ray source and is configured to rotate with said x-ray source.

20. The shielded digital radiographic inspection system of claim 17, wherein said x-ray source comprises a panoramic x-ray tube.

21. The shielded digital radiographic inspection system of claim 17, further comprising:

a manipulator susbsystem for controlling rotation of said aperture and movement of said digital x-ray detector along the orbit.

22. The shielded digital radiographic inspection system of claim 21, wherein said manipulator subsystem includes a processor, said processor being configured to initiate a rotation of said aperture and to initiate a motion of said digital x-ray detector.

23. The shielded digital radiographic inspection system of claim 22, wherein said manipulator subsystem further includes a motor for rotating said aperture, and

wherein said motor is configured to rotate said aperture in response to a start signal from said processor.

24. The shielded digital radiographic inspection system of claim 21, wherein said manipulator subsystem is configured to synchronize a rotation of said aperture with a movement of said digital x-ray detector.

25. The shielded digital radiographic inspection system of claim 17, wherein:

said source shield comprises a material selected from the group consisting of lead, tungsten, depleted uranium, and combinations thereof, and

said detector shield comprises a material selected from the group consisting of lead, tungsten, and depleted uranium, and combinations thereof.

26. The shielded digital radiographic inspection system of claim 17, wherein said aperture is so dimensioned as to transmit a radiation field that approximately coincides with an area of said digital x-ray detector at said digital x-ray detector.

27. The shielded digital radiographic inspection system of claim 17, wherein said aperture is a variable size aperture.

28. The shielded digital radiographic inspection system of claim 27, wherein said beam controller further comprises a pair of horizontal shutters and a pair of vertical shutters,

wherein said vertical and horizontal shutters are adapted to block x-rays, are configured to open and shut, and define said variable size aperture.

29. A shielded digital radiographic inspection method for imaging an aircraft component, said inspection method comprising:

surrounding an x-ray source with a beam controller to produce a collimated x-ray beam through an aperture of the beam controller;

shielding a back side of a digital x-ray detector to reduce x-ray flux behind the digital x-ray detector, the digital x-ray detector being positioned radially outward from the x-ray source, outside the aircraft component, and facing the aperture;

imaging a portion of the aircraft component, said imaging including activating the x-ray source and collecting an image with the digital x-ray detector;

rotating the aperture around the x-ray source to a subsequent aperture orientation; and

moving the digital x-ray detector along an orbit around the x-ray source to a subsequent detector position facing the aperture,

wherein said rotation of the aperture, said motion of the digital x-ray detector, and said imaging are repeated for a plurality of aperture orientations and detector positions to obtain a plurality of images of an annular portion of the aircraft component.

30. The shielded digital radiographic inspection method of claim 29, wherein said rotation of the aperture is synchronized with said motion of the digital x-ray detector.

31. The shielded digital radiographic inspection method of claim 29, wherein said rotation of the aperture and said motion of the digital x-ray detector are responsive to a start signal from a processor.

32. The shielded digital radiographic inspection method of claim 31, wherein said imaging is responsive to a start imaging signal from the processor.

33. The shielded digital radiographic inspection method of claim 32, further comprising:

analyzing the images using the processor.