NUCLEAR GAUGES AND RELATED METHODS OF ASSEMBLY
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A nuclear gauge suitable for measuring the density and/or moisture of material, comprising:
- a gauge housing having a vertical cavity therethrough;
at least one radiation detector located within the housing;
a tower defining a vertical channel therein, the tower disposed on the gauge housing with the channel aligned with the cavity to form a vertical conduit;
a vertically moveable source rod extending within the conduit;
a radiation source operatively positioned within a distal end of the source rod; and
a handle secured to the source rod for vertically extending and retracting the source rod to a plurality of predetermined source rod locations so as to change the spatial relationship between the radiation source and the at least one radiation detector, the handle providing a fine adjustment element for adjusting the height of the source rod for positioning the radiation source relative to the at least one radiation detector to provide proper measurements at the different predetermined source rod locations.
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Abstract
Nuclear gauges, their components and method for assembly and adjustment of the same are provided. The nuclear gauges are used in measuring the density and/or moisture of construction-related materials. The nuclear gauge can include a gauge housing having a vertical cavity therethrough and at least one radiation detector located within the housing. The nuclear gauge can include a vertically moveable source rod and a radiation source operatively positioned within a distal end of the source rod.
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Citations
93 Claims
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1. A nuclear gauge suitable for measuring the density and/or moisture of material, comprising:
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a gauge housing having a vertical cavity therethrough; at least one radiation detector located within the housing; a tower defining a vertical channel therein, the tower disposed on the gauge housing with the channel aligned with the cavity to form a vertical conduit; a vertically moveable source rod extending within the conduit; a radiation source operatively positioned within a distal end of the source rod; and a handle secured to the source rod for vertically extending and retracting the source rod to a plurality of predetermined source rod locations so as to change the spatial relationship between the radiation source and the at least one radiation detector, the handle providing a fine adjustment element for adjusting the height of the source rod for positioning the radiation source relative to the at least one radiation detector to provide proper measurements at the different predetermined source rod locations. - 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, 28, 29, 30, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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31. A source rod assembly for use in a nuclear gauge, the source rod assembly comprising:
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a vertically moveable source rod; a radiation source operatively positioned within a distal end of the source rod; and a handle secured to the source rod for vertically extending and retracting the source rod to a plurality of predetermined source rod locations so as to change the spatial relationship between the radiation source and the at least one radiation detector, the handle providing a fine adjustment element for adjusting the height of the source rod for positioning the radiation source relative to the at least one radiation detector to provide proper measurements at the different predetermined source rod locations. - View Dependent Claims (32, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A nuclear gauge comprising:
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a gauge housing including a vertical cavity therethrough and a base; a radiation detector located within the gauge housing and adjacent to the base of the gauge housing; a source rod housing including an interior and first and second ends, the first end being attached to the base of the gauge housing, the second end being distal from the first end and the base; a vertically movable source rod being positioned in the interior of the source rod housing and extending into the cavity of the gauge housing; a radiation source operatively positioned within a distal end of the source rod; a computing system located within the gauge housing; and a user interface in communication with the computing system and attached to the second end of the source rod housing. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method of setting a source rod for a nuclear gauge, the method comprising:
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providing a source rod having a radiation source therein and a fine adjustment element secured thereto; inserting the source rod into a nuclear gauge; setting the source rod into a backscatter position within the nuclear gauge; measuring the distance of the source rod from a lower surface of the gauge; and incrementally adjusting the height of the source rod within a handle as needed using the fine adjustment element to obtain a proper setting distance of the source rod from a lower surface of the gauge. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A method of setting a source rod within a nuclear gauge, the method comprising:
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providing a source rod having a radiation source therein and a screw secured to a top of the source rod; inserting the source rod into a nuclear gauge; setting the source rod into a backscatter position within the nuclear gauge; measuring the distance of the source rod from a lower surface of the gauge; and at least partially rotating the source rod with the screw to adjust the height of the source rod as needed to obtain a proper setting distance of the source rod from a lower surface of the gauge. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A method of assembling a nuclear gauge, the method comprising:
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providing a gauge housing with a vertical cavity therethrough; providing a tower defining a vertical channel therein; securing the tower on the gauge housing with the channel aligned with the cavity to form a vertical conduit; providing a source rod with a radiation source operatively positioned within a distal end of the source rod; providing a handle; securing the source rod to the handle; and inserting the source rod and handle into the vertical conduit. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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79. A method of assembling a handle for use within a nuclear gauge, the method comprising:
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providing a handle with a grip portion, neck portion and engagement portion; providing a plunger having one or more retraction grooves therein; providing a trigger having one or more protrusions extending therefrom and a pivot groove defined at one end of the trigger and a locking slot defined at the other end; inserting a plunger into a plunger aperture in the handle so that the plunger extends from the grip portion through the neck portion and engagement portion and is extendable and retractable wherein the handle; inserting a pivot pin into a pivot aperture in the grip portion of the handle; engaging the pivot pin with a pivot groove of the trigger; pressing the trigger into a handle cavity in the grip portion of the handle; and inserting a locking pin through a locking aperture in the neck and engagement portion of the handle so that a portion of the locking pin extends into the locking slot of the trigger. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85)
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86. A method of assembling a source rod for use within a nuclear gauge, the method comprising:
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providing a handle with a coarse adjustment mechanism therein; providing a source rod having a radiation source therein and a fine adjustment element secured thereto; affixing the source rod to a handle using a coarse adjustment mechanism. adjusting the source height of the source rod in a handle using the coarse adjustment mechanism; and incrementally adjusting the height of the source rod as needed using the fine adjustment element to obtain a proper setting distance of the source rod from a lower surface of the gauge. - View Dependent Claims (87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93)
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Specification