System for, and method of, irradiating articles
First Claim
1. A method of irradiating an article from a radiation source where the article absorbs the radiation at different positions in the article in accordance with irregularities in the characteristics of the article at the different positions, including the steps of:
- providing the radiation from the source in a particular direction, absorbing the radiation energy passing from the source to the article at the different positions in accordance with the irregularities in the characteristics of the article at the different positions to maintain the radiation dosage at the different positions in the article within particular minimum and maximum limits, and moving the article past the radiation from the source in a direction transverse to the particular direction, wherein the absorption is provided by a fixture having characteristics for absorbing the radiation energy at the different positions depending upon the irregularities in the characteristics of the article at the different positions.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An article has irregular characteristics such as an irregular geometrical configuration. Radiation from a radiation source is directed in a particular direction toward the article. The radiation energy passing from the source to the article at different positions in the article is absorbed in accordance with the irregularities in the characteristics of the article at the different positions to maintain the radiant energy at the different positions in the article within particular limits. For irregularities of a geometrical configuration in the article, the absorption may be provided by a fixture having a geometrical configuration which constitutes the difference at every position between a substantially constant value and the geometrical configuration of the article at this position. The absorption may be provided by conveying the article and the fixture past the radiation source in a direction substantially perpendicular to the particular direction.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method of irradiating an article from a radiation source where the article absorbs the radiation at different positions in the article in accordance with irregularities in the characteristics of the article at the different positions, including the steps of:
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providing the radiation from the source in a particular direction, absorbing the radiation energy passing from the source to the article at the different positions in accordance with the irregularities in the characteristics of the article at the different positions to maintain the radiation dosage at the different positions in the article within particular minimum and maximum limits, and moving the article past the radiation from the source in a direction transverse to the particular direction, wherein the absorption is provided by a fixture having characteristics for absorbing the radiation energy at the different positions depending upon the irregularities in the characteristics of the article at the different positions. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method of irradiating an article from a radiation source where the article absorbs the radiation from the source at different positions in the article in accordance with irregularities in the characteristics of the article at the different positions, including the steps of
providing radiation from the source in a particular direction, moving the article past the radiation from the source in a second direction transverse to the particular direction, and providing for the absorption of the radiation energy from the source within particular minimum and maximum limits at the different positions in the article regardless of the irregularities in the characteristics of the article at the different positions, wherein the absorption of the radiation energy from the source within the particular minimum and maximum limits is controlled by a fixture having irregularities complementary at the different positions to the irregularities provided by the article at the different positions.
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5. A method of irradiating an article from a irradiation source where the article absorbs the irradiation from the source at different positions in the article in accordance with irregularities in the characteristics of the article at the different positions, including the steps of
providing radiation from the source in a particular direction, moving the article past the radiation from the source in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the particular direction and at a particular distance from the source; - and
while moving the article past the radiation at the particular distance from the source, compensating for the irregularities in the characteristics of the article at the different positions in the article to provide a uniformity in the radiation dosage at the different positions in the article within particular minimum and maximum limits, wherein the irregularities in the article at the different positions result from irregularities in the dimension of the article in the particular direction at the different positions and wherein the compensation is provided for the irregularities in the dimension of the article in the particular direction at the different positions. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A method of irradiating an article from a radiation source where the article has irregular characteristics including an irregular shape and absorbs radiation passing through the article by an amount depending upon the characteristics, including the irregular geometrical shape, of the article and where the article has different radiation absorption characteristics at progressive positions in the article, including the steps of
providing the radiation from the radiation source in a first direction, providing a fixture having irregular characteristics, including an irregular geometric shape, at progressive positions to compensate for the differences in the irregularities of the characteristics, including irregularities in the geometric shape, of the article at the progressive positions, disposing the fixture relative to the article to provide the combination of the article and the fixture with the compensating characteristics at the progressive positions in response to the radiation, and moving the combination of the article and the fixture at the progressive positions past the radiation source to irradiate the article at the progressive positions.
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13. A method of irradiating an article from a radiation source where the article has characteristics of absorbing at progressive positions different amounts of radiation per unit of distance of travel of radiation through the article, including the steps of:
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providing radiation in a particular direction from the source, providing a fixture having characteristics of absorbing at the progressive positions in the fixture different amounts of radiation per unit of distance of travel of the radiation through the fixture, the different amounts of the absorbed radiation per unit of distance of the travel for the fixture corresponding to the different amounts of the absorbed radiation per unit of distance of travel for the article to maintain within particular minimum and maximum limits at the progressive positions the radiation dosage received by the article per unit of travel of the radiation through the article, disposing the fixture relative to the article to maintain within particular limits at the progressive positions the radiation dosage absorbed by the article per unit of distance of travel of the radiation through the article, and moving the combination of the article and the fixture at the progressive positions past the radiation from the radiation source to absorb the radiation from the source at the progressive positions.
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14. A method of irradiating an article from a radiation source where the article absorbs radiation passing through the article by an amount depending upon the characteristics, including the geometric shape, of the article and where the article has different radiation absorption characteristics at progressive positions in the article, including the steps of:
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providing the radiation from the radiation source in a first direction, providing a fixture having at the progressive positions characteristics, including a geometric shape, constituting a difference between substantially constant characteristics and the characteristics of the article at the progressive positions, disposing the fixture relative to the article to provide the substantially constant characteristics for the combination of the article and the fixture at the progressive positions, and moving the combination of the article and the fixture past the radiation from the source at the progressive positions. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of irradiating an article from a radiation source where the article absorbs radiation passing through the article by a dosage depending upon the characteristics, including the geometric shape, of the article and where the article has different radiation absorption characteristics at progressive positions in the article, including the steps of:
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providing the radiation from the radiation source in a first direction, providing a fixture with characteristics of absorbing the radiation corresponding to the absorption characteristics of the article in accordance with a difference between a substantially constant absorption and the absorption of the radiation by the article at the progressive positions, disposing the fixture and the article relative to each other to provide a substantially constant absorption at the progressive positions of the combination of the article and the fixture, and moving the combination of the article and the fixture past the radiation from the source in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of irradiating in article from a radiation source where the article absorbs radiation by a dosage depending upon the characteristics of the article and where the article has different response characteristics to the radiation at progressive positions in the article, the absorption of the radiation in the article being dependent upon the composition and geometric shape of the article, including the steps of:
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providing the radiation from the source in a particular direction, providing a fixture having a composition with characteristics of absorbing the radiation corresponding to the absorption of the radiation by the composition of the article and having at progressive positions a geometric shape compensating for the geometric shape of the article, disposing the fixture relative to the article to provide a substantially constant geometric shape for the combination of the article and the fixture at progressive positions on the article and the fixture, and moving the combination of the article and the fixture past the radiation from the source in a direction substantially perpendicular to the radiation from the article. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. In combination,
a radiation source for providing radiation in a particular direction, an article having irregularities in its characteristics at different positions in the article where the irregularities in the characteristics produce non-uniformities in the absorption provided by the article to the radiation from the source, a fixture having characteristics of absorbing the radiation energy from the source at the different positions, relative to the irregularities in the radiation absorption by the article at the different positions, to provide a substantial uniformity in the radiation dosage at the different positions in the article within particular minimum and maximum limits, and a conveyor for moving the article and the fixture past the radiation from the source in a direction substantially perpendicular to the particular direction.
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28. In combination,
a radiation source for providing radiation in a particular direction, an article having irregularities in its characteristics at different positions in the article where the irregularities in its characteristics affect the radiation dosage received by the articles at the different positions from the radiation source. a fixture having irregularities in its characteristics to compensate for the irregularities in the characteristics of the article, and a conveyor for moving the article and the fixture in a direction substantially perpendicular to the particular direction.
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33. In combination for receiving radiation in a particular direction from a radiation source,
an article having irregularities in its characteristics at different positions in the article where the irregularities in the characteristics of the article cause irregularities to be produced in the radiation dose received by the article from the radiation source at the different positions, and a fixture having characteristics of absorbing the radiation from the source at the different positions, in accordance with the energy characteristics of the article at the different positions, to provide substantially a uniformity in the radiation intensity at the different positions in the article within particular minimum and maximum limits.
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39. In combination for receiving radiation in a particular direction from a radiation source,
an article having irregularities in its characteristics at different positions in the article, and a fixture disposed relative to the article and having irregularities in its characteristics for compensating for the irregularities in the characteristics in the article at the different positions provide substantially a uniformity in the characteristics of the article within particular minimum and maximum limits.
Specification