Radiation sources and compact radiation scanning systems
First Claim
1. An X-ray source comprising:
- a housing defining a chamber to accelerate electrons and an output of the chamber, the chamber having a first longitudinal axis, wherein the output is aligned with the first longitudinal axis to allow passage of accelerated electrons from the chamber;
a tube defining a passage having a second longitudinal axis, the tube having a proximal end coupled to the output of the housing such that the second longitudinal axis is aligned with the first longitudinal axis and accelerated electrons can enter the passage;
a target material within the tube, wherein impact of the target material by accelerated electrons causes generation of X-ray radiation; and
shielding material around at least a portion of the tube around the target, the shielding material defining a slot extending from the target to an exterior surface of the shielding material, the slot to allow passage of generated radiation;
wherein the slot has an axis transverse to the first and second longitudinal axes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An X-ray source is disclosed comprising a source of high energy electrons that travel along a longitudinal path. Target material lies along the longitudinal path and X-ray radiation is generated due to impact of the high energy electrons with the target. Shielding material is provided around at least a portion of the target. The shielding material defines a slot extending from the target to an exterior surface of the shielding material, to allow passage of generated radiation. The slot has an axis transverse to the longitudinal path. The axis may be perpendicular longitudinal path. The shielding material may define a plurality of slots having transverse axes. The source of high energy electrons may be a linear accelerator, for example. Scanning systems incorporating such sources are also disclosed. The scanning system comprises a conveying system having a longitudinal axis and the radiation source may be positioned so that the longitudinal path forms an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, to decrease the size of the scanning unit as compared to a unit where the longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal path. The longitudinal axis may be parallel to the longitudinal path, to form a more compact scanning system. A plurality of slots may be defined in the shielding material and a corresponding number of conveying systems may be provided to examine a plurality of objects concurrently. Methods of generating radiation and methods of examining objects are also disclosed.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1. An X-ray source comprising:
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a housing defining a chamber to accelerate electrons and an output of the chamber, the chamber having a first longitudinal axis, wherein the output is aligned with the first longitudinal axis to allow passage of accelerated electrons from the chamber;
a tube defining a passage having a second longitudinal axis, the tube having a proximal end coupled to the output of the housing such that the second longitudinal axis is aligned with the first longitudinal axis and accelerated electrons can enter the passage;
a target material within the tube, wherein impact of the target material by accelerated electrons causes generation of X-ray radiation; and
shielding material around at least a portion of the tube around the target, the shielding material defining a slot extending from the target to an exterior surface of the shielding material, the slot to allow passage of generated radiation;
wherein the slot has an axis transverse to the first and second longitudinal axes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An X-ray source comprising:
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a linear accelerator defining a chamber to accelerate electrons and an output of the chamber, the chamber having a first longitudinal axis, wherein the output is aligned with the first longitudinal axis to allow passage of accelerated electrons from the chamber;
a source of electrons associated with the chamber to emit electrons along the first longitudinal axis;
a tube defining a passage having a second longitudinal axis, the tube having a proximal end with an input coupled to the output of the housing such that the second longitudinal axis is aligned with the first longitudinal axis and accelerated electrons can enter the passage;
a target material of refractory metal at the distal end of the tube, wherein impact of the target material by electrons causes generation of X-ray radiation; and
shielding material around at least a portion of the tube around the target, the shielding material defining a slot extending from the target to an exterior surface of the shielding material, the slot allowing passage of radiation resulting from impact of the emitted electrons on the target, the slot being perpendicular to the first and second longitudinal axes. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. An X-ray source, comprising:
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a source of high energy electrons, wherein the high energy electrons travel along a longitudinal path;
a target material lying along the longitudinal path of the high energy electrons, the target material generating X-ray radiation due to impact of the high energy electrons with the target; and
shielding material around at least a portion of the target, the shielding material defining a slot extending from the target to an exterior surface of the shielding material, the slot allowing passage of radiation resulting from impact of the emitted electrons on the target;
wherein the slot has an axis transverse to the longitudinal path. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for examining an object, comprising:
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a conveyor system to move the object through the system along a longitudinal axis; and
a source of radiation comprising;
a source of high energy electrons, wherein the high energy electrons travel along a longitudinal path;
a target material lying along the longitudinal path of the high energy electrons, the target material generating X-ray radiation due to impact of the high energy electrons with the target; and
shielding material around at least a portion of the target, the shielding material defining a slot extending from the target to an exterior surface of the shielding material, the slot allowing passage of generated radiation;
wherein;
the slot has an axis transverse to the longitudinal path; and
the radiation source is positioned with respect to the conveying system such that radiation emitted through the slot will irradiate an object for inspection on the conveying system. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A scanning system to examine objects, comprising:
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a conveyor system to move the object through the system along a longitudinal axis;
a source of high energy electrons to emit electrons along a path;
a bend magnet along the path;
a first target material, the target material generating X-ray radiation due to impact of the high energy electrons with the target; and
first shielding material around the first target material, the shielding material defining a first slot extending from the target material to an exterior surface of the first shielding material, the first slot having an axis transverse to the path;
a second target material, the target material generating X-ray radiation due to impact of the high energy electrons with the target; and
second shielding material around the second target material, the second shielding material defining a second slot extending from the second target material to an exterior surface of the shielding material, the second slot having an axis transverse to the path;
wherein;
the bend magnet is capable of selectively directing the high energy electrons to the first or the second target; and
the first slot and the second slot are positioned with respect to the first conveying system to irradiate different sides of the object on the conveying system. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. An X-ray scanning system to examine an object, comprising:
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a conveyor system to move the object through the system along a first longitudinal axis; and
an elongated X-ray source having a second longitudinal axis, the X-ray source capable of emitting X-ray radiation with an average energy of at least 1 MeV;
wherein the X-ray source is supported adjacent to the conveying system such that the first longitudinal axis is parallel to the second longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48)
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49. A method of generating X-ray radiation, comprising:
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colliding high energy electrons traveling along a longitudinal path with a target surrounded by shielding material to generate radiation; and
collimating the generated radiation into a radiation beam transverse to the longitudinal path by a slot extending from the target through the shielding material. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method of examining contents of an object with a radiation source, the method comprising:
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colliding high energy electrons traveling along a longitudinal path with a target surrounded by shielding material to generate radiation;
collimating the generated radiation into a radiation beam transverse to the longitudinal path by a slot extending from the target through the shielding material;
irradiating the object with the radiation; and
detecting radiation interacting with the object. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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Specification