Radiation inspection apparatus and inspection method for object security inspection

• US 8,477,902 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2010
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuctech Company Limited (Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd.), Tsinghua University
• Original Assignee: Nuctech Company Limited (Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd.), Tsinghua University
• Inventors: Li, Jianmin, Liu, Yinong, Wang, Xuewu, Zhao, Ziran, Zhang, Lan, Yi, Yumin, Chen, Ming, Zhang, Jinyu, Wang, Yongming
• Primary Examiner(s): Kao, Glen
• Application Number:
  US13/497,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20120224671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 378/57, 378/197
• US Class Current: 378/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/06 Diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/316 collimators
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/04 and forming images of the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/222 measuring scattered radiation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a radiation inspection apparatus for object security inspection, comprising: a ray generator configured to emit a ray, a collimator configured to collimate the ray emitted from the ray generator, and a detector configured to receive the collimated ray collimated by the collimator, wherein the collimated ray forms an irradiated area on the detector included by an effective detect area of the detector. The present invention also relates to a method of performing a security inspection to a body using a radiation inspection apparatus. With the above technical solutions, the present invention can achieve a low single inspection absorptive dose and a micro dose inspection while meeting inspection requirements to improve public radiation security.

Claims

1. A radiation inspection apparatus for object security inspection, comprising:

a ray generator configured to emit an x-ray,

a collimator configured to collimate the x-ray emitted from the x-ray generator,

a detector configured to receive the collimated x-ray collimated by the collimator wherein the ray generator, the collimator and the detector are arranged at predetermined intervals in a horizontal direction, and,

wherein the collimated x-ray forms an irradiated area on the detector, the irradiated area being included by an effective detection area of the detector;

a driver configured to drive the x-ray generator, the collimator and the detector to rise or fall synchronously and vertically, wherein the driver comprises;

a first driving unit configured to drive the x-ray generator and the collimator to rise or fall vertically, and

a second driving unit configured to drive the detector to rise or fall vertically,

wherein the first and second driving units drive the ray x-ray generator, the collimator and the detector to rise or fall synchronously and vertically by a synchronization mechanism, wherein;

the first driving unit comprises a first motor and a first transmission mechanism connected to the first motor, the x-ray generator and the collimator being fixed to the first transmission mechanism, and

the second driving unit comprises a second motor and a second transmission mechanism connected to the second motor, the detector being fixed to the second transmission mechanism,

the synchronization mechanism comprises a phasemeter coupled to one of the first motor and the second motor, and a phase following meter coupled to the other of the first motor and the second motor, wherein the phase relationship between the phasemeter and the phase following meter is adjusted to achieve a synchronous movement of the first and second driving units.

2. The radiation inspection apparatus for object security inspection according to claim 1, characterized in that

the first transmission mechanism comprises a first lead screw connected to the first motor, a first nut engaged with the first lead screw and a first guide rail guiding the first nut, and

the second transmission mechanism comprises a second lead screw connected to the second motor, a second nut engaged with the second lead screw and a second guide rail guiding the second nut,

wherein the first lead screw and the second lead screw have a same lead.

3. The radiation inspection apparatus for object security inspection according to claim 1, characterized in that the detector is triggered to collect the x-ray to form images every time the x-ray generator, the collimator and the detector are driven to rise or fall synchronously and vertically by a predetermined height.

4. The radiation inspection apparatus for object security inspection according to claim 1, characterized in that a beam exit of the x-ray generator, a collimating slit of the collimator and a receiving window of the detector are kept in a same plane all along during rising or falling vertically.

5. The radiation inspection apparatus for object security inspection according to claim 4, characterized in that a predetermined tilt angle is formed between the plane and the horizontal plane.

6. The radiation inspection apparatus for object security inspection according to claim 1, characterized in that the radiation inspection apparatus further comprises an inspection passage through which a person is allowed to enter or exit the radiation inspection apparatus, the inspection passage being arranged among the x-ray generator, the collimator and the detector along the horizontal direction.

7. The radiation inspection apparatus for object security inspection according to claim 6, characterized in that the inspection passage is provided with a sloped table, on which the person to be inspected stands, at the bottom thereof.

8. The radiation inspection apparatus for object security inspection according to claim 1, characterized in that the detector is a gas detector in which a receiving and detecting area has a thickness of 3 mm in the vertical direction.

9. A method of performing a security inspection to a body using a radiation inspection apparatus according to claim 1, the method comprising the following steps of:

(a) driving the ray generator to generate a radiation x-ray,

(b) driving the detector to detect the x-ray which has been collimated by the collimator and has transmitted through a person to be inspected, and

(c) processing the detected signal by the detector to achieve a radiation imaging unit for inspection,

(d) driving the x-ray generator, the collimator and the detector to rise or fall synchronously and vertically using a driver, and

(e) repeating the steps (a)-(c) to obtain a plurality of successive radiation imaging units while performing the step (d).

10. The method of performing a security inspection to a body using a radiation inspection apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the method further comprises repeating the steps (a)-(c) to obtain a plurality of successive radiation imaging units every time the x-ray generator, the collimator and the detector are driven to rise or fall synchronously and vertically by a same predetermined height.

11. The method of performing a security inspection to a body using a radiation inspection apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the method further comprises the step of:

(f) adjusting the radiation inspection apparatus or the person to be inspected to allow the x-ray to irradiate on the person to be inspected in a direction not perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the person.

12. The method of performing a security inspection to a body using a radiation inspection apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the step (f) comprises the steps of

providing a sloped table which has a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal direction, the person standing on the sloped table.

13. The method of performing a security inspection to a body using a radiation inspection apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the step (f) comprises the steps of

adjusting the radiation inspection apparatus to allow a beam exit of the x-ray generator, a collimating slit of the collimator and a receiving window of the detector to be kept in a same plane all along, a predetermined tilt angle being formed between the plane and the horizontal plane.

14. The method of performing a security inspection to a body using a radiation inspection apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the detector is a gas detector in which a receiving and detecting area has a thickness of 3 mm in the vertical direction.