System and method for quantifying X-ray backscatter system performance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10436724-B2
Application number	US-201615184644-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2016
Priority date	May 5, 2014
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

A system for quantifying x-ray backscatter system performance may include a support; a plurality of rods mounted on the support; the rods of the plurality of rods arranged parallel to each other, having generally curved outer surfaces, and being arranged in groups of varying widths, each group of the groups having at least two of the rods of a same width; and a user interface configured to be connected to receive a backscatter signal from an x-ray backscatter detector associated with an x-ray tube, apply a transfer function to generate a transfer curve representing x-ray backscatter for each rod of the plurality of rods from x-rays transmitted by the x-ray tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An x-ray backscatter system, the system comprising:
an x-ray tube for emitting an x-ray field;
an enclosure that is an aperture wheel that surrounds the x-ray tube, the enclosure defining an end and an aperture mounted on the end of the enclosure, wherein the x-ray field exits the enclosure through the aperture; and
a plurality of shutters that define an opening of the aperture, wherein one or more shutters of the plurality of shutters are moveable to vary at least one of a size and a shape of the opening, and wherein movement of the one or more shutters vary an amount of x-ray flux that exits the enclosure.

2. The x-ray backscatter system of claim 1 , wherein the aperture is selected from a variably overlapping stationary shutter and movable shutter, a pair of variably overlapping movable shutters, and a variably adjustable slit aperture.

3. The x-ray backscatter system of claim 2 , wherein the adjustable slit aperture is adjustable by one or both of mounting selected one of a plurality of shims of different widths and thicknesses on the aperture, and by selectively adjusting gaps between the plurality of shutters by motors.

4. The x-ray backscatter system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shutters comprise a first pair of movable shutters and a second pair of moveable shutters disposed adjacent the first pair of shutters and oriented at a 90 degree angle relative to the first pair of shutters.

5. The x-ray backscatter system of claim 4 , wherein the first pair of movable shutters are attached to a first piezoelectric actuator and the second pair of movable shutters are attached to a second piezoelectric actuator, wherein the first piezoelectric actuator is connected to a first voltage source and the second piezoelectric actuator is connected to a second voltage source.

6. The x-ray backscatter system of claim 5 , further comprising a control system in communication with the first and second voltage sources for independently controlling the first voltage source to move the first pair of shutters and for independently controlling the second voltage source to move the second pair of shutters to vary the size of the aperture.

7. The x-ray backscatter system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure further comprises a plurality of spokes, wherein each of the plurality of spokes are spaced apart around a periphery of the aperture wheel.

8. The x-ray backscatter system of claim 7 , wherein each of a plurality of apertures are disposed at an end of each of the plurality of spokes.

9. A method for producing x-ray backscatter, the method comprising:
emitting an x-ray field using an x-ray tube;
surrounding the x-ray tube with an enclosure, wherein the enclosure defines an end and an aperture mounted on the end of the enclosure, and wherein the x-ray field exits the enclosure through the aperture;
partially blocking the x-ray field with the aperture, wherein the enclosure is provided in the shape of a wheel, and wherein each aperture of a plurality of apertures are spaced apart along a periphery of the wheel; and
moving one or more shutters that are part of a plurality of shutters to vary an amount of x-ray flux through an opening of the aperture, wherein the one or more shutters move to vary at least one of a size and a shape of the opening.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising rotating the enclosure in the shape of the wheel to perform a raster scan.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein rotating the enclosure in the shape of the wheel to perform a raster scan further comprises aligning each of the plurality of apertures with the x-ray tube.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein varying the amount of x-ray flux through the aperture further comprises adjusting the aperture using one of a variably overlapping stationary shutter and movable shutter, a pair of variably overlapping movable shutters, and a variably adjustable slit aperture.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein adjusting the aperture further comprises adjusting the adjustable slit aperture by one or both of mounting selected one of a plurality of shims of different widths and thicknesses on the aperture, and by selectively adjusting gaps between the plurality of shutters by motors.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein partially blocking the x-ray field with the enclosure further comprises providing a plurality of spokes, wherein each of the plurality of spokes are spaced apart around the periphery of the aperture wheel.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein partially blocking the x-ray field with the enclosure further comprises providing each of the plurality of apertures at an end of each of the plurality of spokes.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein varying the amount of x-ray flux through the aperture further comprises moving a first pair of movable shutters and a second pair of moveable shutters disposed adjacent the first pair of shutters and oriented at a 90 degree angle relative to the first pair of shutters.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein varying the amount of x-ray flux through the aperture further comprises connecting the first pair of movable shutters to a first piezoelectric actuator and the second pair of movable shutters to a second piezoelectric actuator, wherein the first piezoelectric actuator is connected to a first voltage source and the second piezoelectric actuator is connected to a second voltage source.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein varying the amount of x-ray flux through the aperture further comprises controlling the first and second voltage sources with a control system to move the first pair and second pair of shutters to vary the size of the-aperture.

19. A method for producing x-ray backscatter, the method comprising:
emitting an x-ray field using an x-ray tube;
surrounding the x-ray tube with an enclosure, wherein the enclosure defines an end and an aperture mounted on the end of the enclosure, and wherein the x-ray field exits the enclosure through the aperture;
partially blocking the x-ray field with the aperture, wherein partially blocking the x-ray field with the enclosure further comprises providing a plurality of spokes, and wherein each of the plurality of spokes are spaced apart around a periphery of an aperture wheel; and
moving one or more shutters that are part of a plurality of shutters to vary an amount of x-ray flux through an opening of the aperture, wherein the one or more shutters move to vary at least one of a size and a shape of the opening.

20. A method for producing x-ray backscatter, the method comprising:
emitting an x-ray field using an x-ray tube;
surrounding the x-ray tube with an enclosure, wherein the enclosure defines an end and an aperture mounted on the end of the enclosure, and wherein the x-ray field exits the enclosure through the aperture;
partially blocking the x-ray field with the aperture; and
moving one or more shutters that are part of a plurality of shutters to vary an amount of x-ray flux through an opening of the aperture, wherein the one or more shutters move to vary at least one of a size and a shape of the opening, wherein varying the amount of x-ray flux through the aperture further comprises moving a first pair of movable shutters and a second pair of moveable shutters disposed adjacent the first pair of shutters and oriented at a 90 degree angle relative to the first pair of shutters.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Grimshaw Matthew T
• Edwards Talion
• Georgeson Gary E
• Wright Daniel J
• Engel James E
• Safai Morteza
• Wu Yuan-Jye
• Lou Taisia Tsukruk
• Wright Rodney S

Classifications

• G01N2223/408

  display on monitor · CPC title

• G01N23/203 Primary

  Measuring back scattering · CPC title

• G01N2223/631

  large structures, walls · CPC title

• H05G1/26

  Measuring, controlling or protecting (measuring X-ray radiation G01T) · CPC title

• G01N2223/303

  calibrating, standardising · CPC title