X-ray beam alignment device and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10325691-B2
Application number	US-201615096655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2016
Priority date	Apr 12, 2016
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

The present invention provides a bright, focused visible light source that is part of a visible light alignment assembly that is coupled to an X-ray generator. The visible light source projects a bright, focused visible light beam from the X-ray generator through a collimator and object or part to be radiographed and to a detector or film, just as a subsequent X-ray beam eventually is. This allows the operator to quickly and easily visually assess the eventual position and coverage or spread of the X-ray beam and align the X-ray generator, collimator, object or part to be radiographed, and/or detector or film, with a minimum of test radiographs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An X-ray system, comprising:
an X-ray generator operable for selectively projecting an X-ray beam to a detector along a linear projection path; and
a visible light alignment assembly coupled to the X-ray generator and operable for selectively projecting a visible light beam from a visible light source directly towards the detector along the linear projection path;
wherein, when projected, the visible light beam initially illuminates an intersection area of the linear projection path and the detector such that an alignment of one or more of the X-ray generator, the detector, and an intervening component comprising one or more of a collimator and an imaged object can be determined and a position and/or size of the intersection area of the linear projection path and the detector can be adjusted, if necessary, for subsequent X-ray beam projection; and
wherein the X-ray generator is operable for projecting the X-ray beam directly to the detector along the linear projection path subsequent to the visible light alignment assembly projecting the visible light beam from the visible light source directly towards the detector along the linear projection path by selectively moving the visible light source from a position adjacent to an intersection of a face of the X-ray generator and the linear projection path to a position away from the linear projection path.

2. The X-ray system of claim 1 , further comprising an interlock mechanism that selectively disables the X-ray generator from projecting the X-ray beam when the visible light source is projecting the visible light beam.

3. The X-ray system of claim 1 , further comprising an interlock mechanism that selectively disables the visible light source from projecting the visible light beam when the X-ray generator is projecting the X-ray beam.

4. The X-ray system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more translation mechanisms for translating one or more of the X-ray generator and the detector relative to one another.

5. The X-ray system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more of a visual alarm mechanism and an auditory alarm mechanism that is activated when the visible light source is projecting the visible light beam.

6. The X-ray system of claim 1 , further comprising a target surface coupled to the detector to which the visible light beam is projected by the visible light source.

7. An X-ray beam alignment device for aligning one or more components of an X-ray system comprising an X-ray generator operable for selectively projecting an X-ray beam to a detector along a linear projection path, the X-ray beam alignment device comprising:
a visible light alignment assembly coupled to the X-ray generator and operable for selectively projecting a visible light beam from a visible light source directly towards the detector along the linear projection path;
wherein, when projected, the visible light beam initially illuminates an intersection area of the linear projection path and the detector such that an alignment of one or more of the X-ray generator, the detector, and an intervening component comprising one or more of a collimator and an imaged object can be determined and a position and/or size of the intersection area of the linear projection path and the detector can be adjusted, if necessary, for subsequent X-ray beam projection; and
wherein the X-ray generator is operable for projecting the X-ray beam directly to the detector along the linear projection path subsequent to the visible light alignment assembly projecting the visible light beam from the visible light source directly towards the detector along the linear projection path by selectively moving the visible light source from a position adjacent to an intersection of a face of the X-ray generator and the linear projection path to a position away from the linear projection path.

8. The X-ray beam alignment device of claim 7 , further comprising an interlock mechanism that selectively disables the X-ray generator from projecting the X-ray beam when the visible light source is projecting the visible light beam.

9. The X-ray beam alignment device of claim 7 , further comprising an interlock mechanism that selectively disables the visible light source from projecting the visible light beam when the X-ray generator is projecting the X-ray beam.

10. The X-ray beam alignment device of claim 7 , further comprising one or more translation mechanisms for translating one or more of the X-ray generator and the detector relative to one another.

11. The X-ray beam alignment device of claim 7 , further comprising one or more of a visual alarm mechanism and an auditory alarm mechanism that is activated when the visible light source is projecting the visible light beam.

12. The X-ray beam alignment device of claim 7 , further comprising a target surface coupled to the detector to which the visible light beam is projected by the visible light source.

13. An X-ray beam alignment method, comprising:
first, selectively projecting a visible light beam from a visible light source of a visible light alignment assembly coupled to an X-ray generator directly towards a detector along a linear projection path through an intervening component comprising one or more of a collimator and an imaged object, wherein the visible light beam initially illuminates an intersection area of the linear projection path and the detector;
selectively adjusting the alignment of one or more of the X-ray generator, the detector, and the intervening component such that a position and/or size of the intersection area of the linear projection path and the detector is adjusted;
second, moving the visible light source away from the linear projection path; and
third, selectively projecting an X-ray beam from the X-ray generator directly towards the detector along the linear projection path through the intervening component.

14. The X-ray beam alignment method of claim 13 , further comprising providing an interlock mechanism that selectively disables the X-ray generator from projecting the X-ray beam when the visible light source is projecting the visible light beam.

15. The X-ray beam alignment method of claim 13 , further comprising providing an interlock mechanism that selectively disables the visible light source from projecting the visible light beam when the X-ray generator is projecting the X-ray beam.

16. The X-ray beam alignment method of claim 13 , further comprising providing one or more translation mechanisms for translating one or more of the X-ray generator, the detector, and the one or more intervening components and/or objects relative to one another.

17. The X-ray beam alignment method of claim 13 , further comprising providing one or more of a visual alarm mechanism and an auditory alarm mechanism that is activated when the visible light source is projecting the visible light beam.

18. The X-ray beam alignment method of claim 13 , further comprising providing a target surface coupled to the detector to which the visible light beam is projected by the visible light source.

Assignees

• Cons Nuclear Security Llc

Inventors

• Henry Nathaniel Frederick

Classifications

• A61B6/54

  Control of apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis · CPC title

• G21K1/02 Primary

  using diaphragms, collimators · CPC title

• H01J2237/1501

  Beam alignment means or procedures · CPC title

• H01J35/025

  X-ray tubes with structurally associated circuit elements · CPC title

• A61B90/30

  Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure · CPC title