Non-destructive inspection device and non- destructive inspection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12467889-B2
Application number	US-202218563557-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2022
Priority date	May 24, 2021
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A non-destructive inspection system includes a non-destructive inspection apparatus and a management apparatus. The non-destructive inspection apparatus includes: a neutron emission unit capable of emitting a neutron beam; a gamma-ray detector capable of detecting a gamma ray; an apparatus case covering the neutron emission unit and the gamma-ray detector and including an opening; an outer shutter configured to open and close the opening; dose monitors each provided on the apparatus case and configured to detect a radioactive dose; an apparatus communication unit capable of transmitting apparatus information including the detected radioactive dose to the management apparatus and capable of receiving inspection permission information from the management apparatus; and an apparatus control unit configured to open the outer shutter and allows emission of the neutron beam from the neutron emission unit upon acquisition of the inspection permission information.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A non-destructive inspection apparatus that irradiates an inspection object with a neutron beam to analyze an internal structure of the inspection object based on a radioactive ray generated in reaction with the neutron beam, the non-destructive inspection apparatus comprising:
a neutron emission unit capable of emitting the neutron beam along a predetermined emission line; a radioactive-ray detector capable of detecting the radioactive ray incident in a predetermined detection line intersecting the emission line; an apparatus case covering the neutron emission unit and the radioactive-ray detector, the apparatus case including an opening on paths of the emission line and the detection line; a shutter configured to open and close the opening of the apparatus case; a dose detector provided on the apparatus case and configured to detect a radioactive dose; an apparatus communication unit capable of transmitting apparatus information including the radioactive dose detected by the dose detector to an outside and capable of receiving inspection permission information from the outside; and an apparatus control unit configured to open the shutter to allow emission of the neutron beam from the neutron emission unit upon acquisition of the inspection permission information from the outside via the apparatus communication unit.

2 . The non-destructive inspection apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a position information acquisition unit provided on the apparatus case and capable of acquiring position information, wherein the apparatus information includes the position information.

3 . A non-destructive inspection system comprising:
the non-destructive inspection apparatus of claim 1 ; a management communication unit capable of receiving the apparatus information from the apparatus communication unit and capable of transmitting the inspection permission information to the apparatus communication unit; and a management control unit configured to transmit the inspection permission information to the apparatus communication unit via the management communication unit if a predetermined inspection execution requirement according to the apparatus information is satisfied.

4 . The non-destructive inspection system of claim 3 , the non-destructive inspection apparatus further comprising:
a position information acquisition unit provided on the apparatus case and capable of acquiring position information, wherein the apparatus information includes the position information, and wherein
the inspection execution requirement includes an inspection position requirement for determining whether the non-destructive inspection apparatus is located at an inspection target point or within an inspection target range, based on the position information included in the apparatus information.

5 . The non-destructive inspection system of claim 3 , wherein
the inspection execution requirement includes an apparatus use requirement for determining whether the radioactive dose attributed to the non-destructive inspection apparatus falls within a predetermined range, based on the radioactive dose included in the apparatus information.

6 . The non-destructive inspection system of claim 3 , wherein
the management communication unit is capable of acquiring operator information on an operator who conducts work using the non-destructive inspection apparatus, and the inspection execution requirement includes an operator requirement for determining whether the operator is a person who is allowed to conduct work using the non-destructive inspection apparatus, based on the operator information.

7 . The non-destructive inspection system of claim 3 , the non-destructive inspection apparatus further comprising:
a position information acquisition unit provided on the apparatus case and capable of acquiring position information, wherein the apparatus information includes the position information, and wherein the management control unit is capable of generating route information to an inspection target point or an inspection target range, based on the position information included in the apparatus information and map information.

8 . The non-destructive inspection system of claim 3 , wherein
the management control unit acquires power supply information on a power supply of the non-destructive inspection apparatus and generates power-off information for causing the non-destructive inspection apparatus to close the shutter and turn off the power supply if a remaining power level of the non-destructive inspection apparatus is lower than or equal to a predetermined remaining power level.

Assignees

• Topcon Corp
• Riken

Inventors

• Nagano Shigenori
• Yanobe Satoshi
• Yajima Akira
• AIKOH Hanako
• Ishiguro Satoru
• Otake Yoshie
• Wakabayashi Yasuo
• Takamura Masato

Classifications

• G01N2223/204

  source created from radiated target · CPC title

• G01N2223/106

  neutrons · CPC title

• G01N2223/1013

  gamma · CPC title

• G01T7/12 Primary

  Provision for actuation of an alarm · CPC title

• G01T1/02

  Dosimeters (G01T1/15 takes precedence) · CPC title