Product irradiator
First Claim
1. A product irradiator comprising:
- i) a loading-unloading area and an irradiation chamber;
ii) a continuous, substantially elongated helical track having a level-changing portion, said continuous track entering and exiting said irradiation chamber from said loading-unloading area, said continuous track comprised of at least one rail and of at least two levels;
iii) a radiation source located within said irradiation chamber;
iv) a substantially horizontal carrier engaged to said at least one rail; and
v) at least one drive mechanism capable of moving said carrier along said continuous track.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a product irradiator comprising a loading-unloading area and an irradiation chamber, a continuous track having a level-changing portion, wherein the continuous track enters and exits the irradiation chamber from the loading-unloading area. The continuous track is comprised of at least one rail and of at least two levels to about 8 levels. An irradiation source, for example cobalt 60, and which is preferably horizontal in orientation, is located within the irradiation chamber. The product irradiator comprises a substantially horizontal carrier, which is engaged to the continuous track, and at least one drive mechanism capable of moving the carrier along the continuous track.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A product irradiator comprising:
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i) a loading-unloading area and an irradiation chamber;
ii) a continuous, substantially elongated helical track having a level-changing portion, said continuous track entering and exiting said irradiation chamber from said loading-unloading area, said continuous track comprised of at least one rail and of at least two levels;
iii) a radiation source located within said irradiation chamber;
iv) a substantially horizontal carrier engaged to said at least one rail; and
v) at least one drive mechanism capable of moving said carrier along said continuous track. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30)
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28. A product irradiator comprising:
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i) a temperature controlled building, within which is located a loading-unloading area, a maze, an irradiation chamber, and a radiation source storage area, said building comprised of concrete, lead, or both concrete and lead, wherein the temperature of said loading-unloading area, maze, and irradiation chamber is from about −
25°
C. to about 25°
C.;
said building further comprising a multipiece roof plug permitting access to said irradiation chamber and radiation source storage area;
ii) a continuous track extending from said loading-unloading area through said maze and into said irradiation chamber, said continuous track having a level-changing portion, and comprised of at least one rail, said continuous track comprising either two, four, six or eight levels, said continuous track having an elongated helical portion;
iii) at least two carriers, each carrier comprising a slave tray and a wheel assembly, said wheel assembly engaged with said at least one rail and pivotally attached along one side of each carrier, each carrier extending substantially horizontally from said continuous track toward said radiation source;
iv) at least one drive mechanism capable of moving each of said at least two carriers along said continuous track from said loading-unloading area, through said maze, into said irradiation chamber, and travelling over said level-changing portion of track, thereby changing horizontal and vertical position of said carrier with respect to said radiation source within said irradiation chamber, exiting said irradiation chamber, and travelling through said maze to said loading-unloading area;
v) a pusher capable of transferring a product located upon said slave tray from a first carrier to a second carrier;
vi) an radiation source stored below said irradiation chamber within said source storage area, said source brought into a substantially horizontal position within said irradiation chamber using a source rack hoist and guide assembly, when positioned within said irradiation chamber said radiation source is located centrally, on a horizontal plane, within said elongated helical portion of said continuous track, and positioned with an equivalent number of levels of track lying above said radiation source, as levels of continuous track that lie below said radiation source;
said radiation source adopting a product-overlapping-source configuration with respect to said product, said radiation source selected from either cobalt 60 and cesium 137.
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31. A product irradiator comprising;
- a loading-unloading area and an irradiation chamber;
a conveying means;
a radiation source located within said irradiation chamber;
a carrier; and
, at least one drive mechanism capable of moving said carrier along said conveying means, wherein at least one dimension of said carrier is variable. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
- a loading-unloading area and an irradiation chamber;
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32. The product irradiator of claim 32, wherein said carrier comprises a wheel assembly that is adjustable in said at least one dimension.
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38. A product irradiator comprising:
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i) a loading-unloading area and an irradiation chamber;
ii) a continuous elongated helical track having a level-changing portion, said continuous track entering and exiting said irradiation chamber from said loading-unloading area, said continuous track comprised of at least one rail and of at least two levels;
iii) a radiation source located within said irradiation chamber;
iv) a substantially horizontal, cantilevered, carrier engaged to said at least one rail; and
v) at least one drive mechanism capable of moving said carrier along said continuous track.
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39. A product irradiator comprising:
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i) a loading-unloading area and an irradiation chamber;
ii) a continuous elongated helical track having a level-changing portion, said continuous track entering and exiting said irradiation chamber from said loading-unloading area, said continuous track comprised of at least one rail and of at least two levels within said irradiation chamber, said track oriented towards the perimeter of said irradiation chamber;
iii) a radiation source located within said irradiation chamber;
iv) a substantially horizontal, cantilevered, carrier engaged to said at least one rail; and
v) at least one drive mechanism capable of moving said carrier along said continuous track.
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Specification