Multi-channel radiographic inspection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12352706-B2
Application number	US-202118037617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2021
Priority date	Nov 19, 2020
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

A radiographic inspection device is provided, including: a plurality of inspection channels, a scanning apparatus, a driving apparatus and a controller. The plurality of inspection channels are arranged side by side, and each inspection channel is configured to carry an object to be inspected. The scanning apparatus includes a radiation source mounted outside the plurality of inspection channels, and a receiving apparatus mounted outside the plurality of inspection channels and configured to receive a radiation beam emitted from the radiation source. The driving apparatus is configured to drive the radiation source and the receiving apparatus to move to a vicinity of each inspection channel. The controller is configured to control the scanning apparatus moved to the vicinity of one of the plurality of inspection channels to scan the object in the one of the plurality of inspection channels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A radiographic inspection device, comprising:
a plurality of inspection channels arranged side by side, each inspection channel configured to carry an object to be inspected;
a scanning apparatus, comprising:
a radiation source mounted outside the plurality of inspection channels;
a receiving apparatus mounted outside the plurality of inspection channels and configured to receive a radiation beam emitted from the radiation source;
a driving apparatus configured to drive the radiation source and the receiving apparatus to move to a vicinity of each inspection channel; and
a controller configured to control the scanning apparatus moved to the vicinity of one of the plurality of inspection channels to scan the object in the one of the plurality of inspection channels.

2. The radiographic inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the driving apparatus is configured to drive the radiation source and the receiving apparatus to synchronously reciprocate in a first direction, so as to cause the scanning apparatus to move to the vicinity of each inspection channel in sequence.

3. The radiographic inspection device of claim 1 , wherein each inspection channel comprises:
an inspection space enclosed by a housing; and
a first sensor configured to detect whether the object exists in the inspection channel, wherein the controller controls the scanning apparatus to scan the object when the first sensor detects that the object exists in the inspection channel.

4. The radiographic inspection device of claim 3 , wherein each inspection channel further comprises:
at least one gate disposed on at least one of an entrance of the inspection space and an exit of the inspection space, and configured to close the entrance and the exit during scanning of the object to be inspected which has been placed into the inspection space and/or close the entrance and the exit when a suspicious item is inspected in the object by the scanning apparatus.

5. The radiographic inspection device of claim 3 or 4 , wherein each inspection channel comprises:
a second sensor configured to detect that the gate is closed or opened,
wherein the controller controls the scanning apparatus to scan the object in the inspection space when the second sensor detects that the at least one gate is closed.

6. The radiographic inspection device of claim 5 , wherein the scanning apparatus further comprises a shielding apparatus configured to prevent the radiation beam emitted from the radiation source from being emitted into the inspection space, when the first sensor of the inspection channel detects that no object exists in the inspection space, or when the second sensor of the inspection channel detects that the gate is opened.

7. The radiographic inspection device of claim 5 , wherein the controller turns off the radiation source of the scanning apparatus moved to the vicinity of the inspection channel, when the first sensor of the inspection channel detects that no object exists in the inspection space, or when the second sensor of the inspection channel detects that the gate is opened.

8. The radiographic inspection device of claim 6 or 7 , wherein the controller controls the driving apparatus to drive the scanning apparatus to pass through the inspection channel at a fast speed, when the first sensor of the inspection channel detects that no object exists in the inspection space, or when the second sensor of the inspection channel detects that the gate is opened.

9. The radiographic inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the radiation source is configured to emit a plurality of radiation beams in different directions; and
the receiving apparatus comprises a plurality of detector arrays, in which receiving surfaces of the plurality of detector arrays are inclined with each other, so as to respectively receive the plurality of radiation beams emitted in different directions.

10. The radiographic inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the driving apparatus comprises:
a first driving apparatus configured to drive the radiation source to move;
a second driving apparatus configured to drive the receiving apparatus to move; and
a synchronization module configured to control the first driving apparatus and the second driving apparatus to synchronously drive the radiation source and the receiving apparatus.

11. The radiographic inspection device of claim 10 , wherein the first driving apparatus comprises:
a first driver;
a first base on which the radiation source is mounted; and
a first guide rail, wherein the first driver drives the first base to reciprocate straight along the first guide rail.

12. The radiographic inspection device of claim 11 , wherein the first driver comprises:
a first motor; and
a first screw, wherein one end of the first screw is coupled to an output shaft of the first motor, and the first screw fits the first base by thread, such that a rotation of the first screw is converted into a linear movement of the first base.

13. The radiographic inspection device of claim 10 , wherein the second driving apparatus comprises:
a second driver;
a second base on which the receiving apparatus is mounted; and
a second guide rail, wherein the second driver drives the second base to reciprocate straight along the second guide rail.

14. He radiographic inspection device of claim 13 , wherein the second driver comprises:
a second motor; and
a second screw, wherein one end of the second screw is coupled to an output shaft of the second motor, and the second screw fits the second base by thread, such that a rotation of the second screw is converted into a linear movement of the second base.

15. The radiographic inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inspection channels are arranged in a row in a horizontal direction,
the radiation source is disposed in an upper wall of a housing of the inspection channel, and the receiving apparatus is disposed in a lower wall of the housing of the inspection channel.

16. The radiographic inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inspection channels are arranged in a row in a horizontal direction,
the radiation source is disposed in a lower wall of a housing of the inspection channel, and the receiving apparatus is disposed in an upper wall of the housing of the inspection channel.

17. The radiographic inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inspection channels are arranged in an upper row and a lower row which extend in a horizontal direction,
one radiation source and one receiving apparatus are respectively disposed on opposite sides of each row of inspection channels.

18. The radiographic inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inspection channels are arranged in an upper row and a lower row which extend in a horizontal direction,
one radiation source is provided between upper row of inspection channels and the lower row of inspection channels, and one receiving apparatus is provided on a side of each row of inspection channels opposite to the radiation source,
wherein the radiation source is rotatable, such that the radiation beam emitted from the radiation source is selectively irradiated to the receiving apparatus.

19. The radiographic inspection device of any ene of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inspection channels are arranged in a right row and a left row which extend in a vertical direction,
one radiation source is provided between the right row of inspection channels and the left row of inspection channels, and one re

Assignees

• Nuctech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhang Li
• Huang Qingping
• Hong Mingzhi
• Wang Zinan

Classifications

• G01N2223/3303

  object fixed; source and detector move · CPC title

• G01N23/04 Primary

  and forming images of the material · CPC title

• G01V5/22 Primary

  Active interrogation, i.e. by irradiating objects or goods using external radiation sources, e.g. using gamma rays or cosmic rays · CPC title

• G01N23/10

  the material being confined in a container, e.g. in a luggage X-ray scanners · CPC title

• G01V5/00

  Prospecting or detecting by the use of ionising radiation, e.g. of natural or induced radioactivity · CPC title