Manipulating and inspecting large and heavy components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12480891-B2
Application number	US-202318184437-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2023
Priority date	Mar 15, 2023
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

A scanning system includes first and second parallel rails. A gantry can span between the first rail and the second rail. The gantry can be movable along a length of the first rail and a length of the second rail. A vertical track can be mounted to the gantry. The vertical track can be movable with the gantry. A sample platform can coupled to the vertical track. The sample platform can be movable along the vertical track. A first support can extend between the first rail and the second rail. The first support can be at a first end of the first rail and a first end of the second rail. A second support can extend between the first rail and the second rail. The second support can be at a second end of the first rail and a second end of the second rail.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a first rail; a second rail parallel to the first rail; a gantry spanning between the first rail and the second rail, the gantry movable along a length of the first rail and a length of the second rail; a vertical track mounted to the gantry, the vertical track movable with the gantry; a sample platform coupled to and cantilevered from the vertical track, the sample platform movable along the vertical track; a first support extending between the first rail and the second rail, the first support being at a first end of the first rail and a first end of the second rail; and a second support extending between the first rail and the second rail, the second support being at a second end of the first rail and a second end of the second rail.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first support comprises a tower extending vertically, the tower having a height greater than a height of the gantry.

3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising an x-ray tube mounted to the tower.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the x-ray tube is a first x-ray tube, the system further comprising a second x-ray tube mounted to the tower, the first x-ray tube and the second x-ray tube being in a same horizontal plane.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the first x-ray tube is parallel to the first rail and the second rail, and wherein the second x-ray tube is 40 degrees from parallel with the first rail and the second rail.

6 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the gantry is movable underneath the first x-ray tube and the second x-ray tube.

7 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the second support comprises a detector mounted on a horizontal track, the detector movable on the horizontal track, the horizontal track being parallel and aligned with the second support, the detector configured to detect x-rays emitted from at least one of the first x-ray tube and the second x-ray tube that have passed through a sample resting atop the sample platform.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the gantry is a first gantry, the second support being a part of a second gantry movable along the first rail and the second rail.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the first gantry comprises a span made of stone.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sample platform has sufficient rigidity that deflections of the platform do not affect operations across an entire weight range of samples.

11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plate extending between the first rail and the second rail, the plate being substantially equal length to at least one of the first rail and the second rail.

12 . A method comprising;
receiving a sample by a sample platform; adjusting an X-position, a Y-position, and a Z-position of the sample platform by a gantry and a vertical track attached to one another, wherein the sample platform is attached to and cantilevered from the vertical track: exposing the sample to x-rays from an x-ray tube; and receiving the x-rays by a detector opposite the x-ray tube, the received x-rays having passed through the sample.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising rotating the sample while exposing the sample to x-rays and while receiving the x-rays by the detector.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising adjusting a height of the sample platform while exposing the sample to x-rays and while receiving the x-rays by the detector.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the sample has a mass between 75 kg and 100 kg.

16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
selecting an x-ray tube from a plurality of x-ray tubes; and adjusting a position of the detector based on the selected x-ray tube.

17 . A system comprising:
a sample scanner comprising:
a cantilevered sample platform configured to be moved vertically along an Z-axis and horizontally along an X-axis and a Y-axis;
a gantry configured to support the sample platform, the gantry configured to move horizontally along the X-axis, the gantry spanning between a first rail and a second rail;
a tower at a first end of the first rail and a first end of the second rail, the tower having a height greater than a height of the gantry;
a detector at a second end of the first rail and a second end of the second rail, the detector arranged and configured to detect x-rays that have passed through a sample resting atop the sample platform; and
a housing surrounding the sample scanner.

18 . The system of claim 17 , further comprising:
a first x-ray tube mounted to the tower, wherein the first x-ray tube is at parallel to the first rail and the second rail; and a second x-ray tube mounted to the tower, the first x-ray tube and the second x-ray tube being in a same horizontal plane, wherein the second x-ray tube is 40 degrees from parallel with the first rail and the second rail.

19 . The system of claim 17 , further comprising a plate extending between the first rail and the second rail, the plate being substantially equal length to the first rail or the second rail.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Wüstenbecker Michael

Classifications

• H05G1/04

  Mounting the X-ray tube within a closed housing · CPC title

• G01N2223/309

  support of sample holder · CPC title

• G01N2223/3307

  source and detector fixed; object moves · CPC title

• G01N2223/3306

  object rotates · CPC title

• G01N2223/32

  adjustments of elements during operation · CPC title