X-ray foreign-body detector

• US 6,512,812 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2001
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anritsu Infivis Co., Ltd. (Anritsu Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Anritsu Corporation
• Inventors: Watanabe, Toshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, COURTNEY D
• Application Number:
  US09/841,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20010036247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 378/57, 378/58, 378/208, 378/210
• US Class Current: 378/57
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/083 the radiation being X-rays

Abstract

An X-ray detection unit integrally includes an X-ray detection part, which detects X-rays and a conveyor part, which conveys an object to be inspected, for detecting a foreign body contained in the object by receiving the X-rays, which are radiated from an X-ray generation part to the object conveyed by the conveyor part and are transmitted through the object, by means of the X-ray detection part, the X-ray detection part and the conveyor part being integrally attached to a predetermined part in a casing, such that the X-ray detection part and the conveyor part are freely attachable and detachable. The X-ray detection unit comprises an X-ray detection part container made of metal, front and rear roller support parts, front and rear rollers and a conveyor belt.

Claims

1. An X-ray foreign-body detector comprising:

a casing;

an X-ray generation part provided inside the casing; and

an X-ray detection unit integrally including an X-ray detection part, which detects X-rays and a conveyor part, which conveys an object to be inspected, for detecting a foreign body contained in the object by receiving the X-rays, which are radiated from the X-ray generation part to the object conveyed by the conveyor part and is transmitted through the object, by means of the X-ray detection part, the X-ray detection part and the conveyor part being integrally attached to a predetermined part of the casing, such that the X-ray detection part and the conveyor part are freely attachable and detachable, wherein

the X-ray detection unit comprises

an X-ray detection part container made of metal, which has at least an upper surface, a lower surface opposed to the upper surface, and front and rear surfaces which connect the upper and lower surfaces in both sides in a longitudinal direction, and in which a slit extending in a lateral direction to allow the X-rays to penetrate through the upper surface is formed in the upper surface, and the X-ray detection part is provided inside,

a front roller support part extending forward in the longitudinal direction of the X-ray detection part container and attached to the X-ray detection part container,

a rear roller support part extending rearward in the longitudinal direction of the X-ray detection part container and attached to the X-ray detection part container,

a front roller detachably and attachably included in the front roller support part,

a rear roller detachably and attachably included in the rear roller support part, and

a conveyor belt tensioned around the front and rear rollers, surrounding the X-ray detection part container, and supported on the upper surface of the X-ray detection part container in a state in which the object is mounted thereon, one of the front and rear rollers being constructed as a drive roller and the other one being constructed as a slave roller.

2. The detector according to claim 1, wherein the X-ray detection unit further comprises a drive roller unit provided in parallel with the drive roller,

the drive roller unit comprising,

a drive roller,

a pair of bearing parts provided at both ends of the drive roller, and

a fixing shaft to which the pair of bearing parts are fixed, the drive roller unit being detachably attached to the x-ray detection part container.

3. The detector according to claim 2, wherein the X-ray detection part container is provided with engaging grooves in which with one of the bearing parts and the fixing shafts are engaged and positioned to fix the drive roller unit.

4. The detector according to claim 2, wherein the X-ray detection part container is provided with a fixing mechanism which is engaged with the fixing shaft thereby to fix and hold the drive roller unit in relation to the casing.

5. The detector according to claim 2, wherein the X-ray detection unit further comprises

a connection part provided at an end part of a rotation shaft of the drive roller, to transmit the drive force of the motor and to enable separation, such that the drive roller unit can be freely detached and attached by separation at the connection part.

6. The detector according to claim 5, wherein the connection part is constructed by a pair of couplings fixed respectively to an output shaft of the motor and the rotation shaft of the drive roller, and the drive force is transmitted by junction of the couplings with each other.

7. The detector according to claim 6, wherein the X-ray detection unit further comprises a protection case and a receiving seat provided for the drive roller and the motor, such that the protection case and the receiving seat are respectively coaxial with the pair of couplings, enable positioning of axial centers of the pair of couplings, and cover the pair of couplings.

8. The detector according to claim 2, wherein the X-ray detection part is sealed and contained in the X-ray detection part container.

9. The detector according to claim 8, wherein

one slave roller among the one drive roller and three slave rollers is arranged at a side part of the X-ray detection part container;

and

the other two slave rollers of the three slave rollers are arranged at another side part of the x-ray detection part container.

10. The detector according to claim 9, wherein

engaging grooves in which the two slave rollers arranged at another side part are engaged, are formed in the X-ray detection part container, and a slide plate which can be freely slid is provided in a side of the side part.

11. The detector according to claim 1, wherein the roller support parts corresponding to a conveying distance are respectively installed at positions in front and rear of the X-ray detection part container, and a conveyor belt having a corresponding conveying distance is installed together, thereby to make the conveying distance freely changeable.

12. The detector according to claim 11, wherein the X-ray detection part container is provided with a cover which has a length corresponding to the conveying distance of the conveyor part and prevents leakage of X-rays.

13. The detector according to claim 11, wherein an engaging part for engaging and releasing each other of the X-ray detection part container and the front and rear roller support parts is provided on a joint surface between the X-ray detection part container and the front and rear roller support parts.

14. The detector according to claim 11, wherein a drive roller unit for conveying and driving the conveyor belt is provided detachably and attachably at the front and rear roller support parts, and

the drive roller unit comprises a pair of bearing parts provided at both ends of the drive roller;

and

a fixing shaft, for making the pair of bearing parts respectively fixed to the fixing shaft.

15. The detector according to claim 14, wherein a connection part which transmits the drive force of a motor and can be freely separated is provided at an end part of a rotation shaft of the drive roller.