Goods inspection apparatus using distributed X-ray source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9341736-B2
Application number	US-201314134845-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2013
Priority date	Dec 31, 2012
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

This invention relates to an X-ray goods inspection apparatus, and in particular to a goods inspection apparatus using distributed X-ray source.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A goods inspection apparatus, characterized by comprising:
a frame;
a goods passage in the frame for an object under inspection to pass;
a goods conveyor in the frame and below the goods passage;
a distributed X-ray source above the goods passage, being able to produce X-ray at different positions successively within each working cycle;
a detector array composed of a plurality of detectors below the goods passage and arranged symmetrically with the distributed X-ray source around the goods passage, for receiving the X-ray from the distributed X-ray source and outputting signals indicating the strength of the X-ray;
a ray collimator, for enabling X-ray generated by the distributed X-ray source to cover all detectors of the detector array after transmitting the goods passage;
an electronics system, for receiving signals from the detectors, converting the signals into digital ones, and forming a data packet with the position numbers of corresponding detectors, outputting a sequence of data packets formed by the position numbers and signals from the plurality of detectors of the detector array;
an image processing system, for receiving the output from the electronics system, using a reconstruction algorithm to process the position numbers of detectors and the corresponding signals indicating the strength of X-ray, constructing to form an image of the object under inspection;
a ray source power supply, for providing power to the distributed X-ray source; and
a control system, for exercising logical control over the respective parts to enable respective sub-systems to work in coordination.

2. A goods inspection apparatus, characterized by comprising:
a frame;
a goods passage in the frame for an object under inspection to pass;
a goods conveyor in the frame and below the goods passage;
a first distributed X-ray source above the goods passage, being able to produce X-ray at different positions successively within each working cycle;
a second distributed X-ray source at the left side of the goods passage, being able to produce X-ray at different positions successively within each working cycle;
a first detector array composed of a plurality of detectors below the goods passage and arranged symmetrically with the first distributed X-ray source around the goods passage, for receiving the X-ray from the first distributed X-ray source and outputting signals indicating the strength of the X-ray;
a first ray collimator, for enabling X-ray generated by the first distributed X-ray source to cover all detectors of the first detector array after transmitting the goods passage;
a second ray collimator, for enabling X-ray generated by the second distributed X-ray source to cover all detectors of the second detector array after transmitting the goods passage;
a second detector array composed of a plurality of detectors on the right of the goods passage and arranged symmetrically with the second distributed X-ray source around the goods passage, for receiving the X-ray from the second distributed X-ray source and outputting signals indicating the strength of the X-ray;
an electronics system, for receiving signals from the detectors, converting the signals into digital ones, and forming a data packet with the position numbers of corresponding detectors, outputting a sequence of data packets formed by the position numbers and signals from the plurality of detectors of the first and second detector arrays;
an image processing system, for receiving the output from the electronics system, using a reconstruction algorithm to process the position numbers of detectors and the corresponding signals indicating the strength of X-ray, constructing to form an image of the object under inspection;
a ray source power supply, for providing power to the distributed X-ray source; and
a control system, for exercising logical control over the respective parts to enable respective sub-systems to work in coordination.

3. A goods inspection apparatus, characterized by comprising:
a frame;
a goods passage in the frame for an object under inspection to pass;
a goods conveyor in the frame and below the goods passage;
a first distributed X-ray source in a first plane perpendicular to the direction of travel of the object under inspection and arranged above the goods passage;
a first detector array composed of a plurality of detectors, being arranged in the first plane below the goods passage opposite the first distributed X-ray source, for receiving the X-ray from the first distributed X-ray source and outputting signals indicating the strength of the X-ray;
a first ray collimator, for enabling X-ray generated by the first distributed X-ray source to cover all detectors of the first detector array after transmitting the goods passage;
a second distributed X-ray source in a second plane perpendicular to the direction of travel of the object under inspection and arranged above the goods passage;
a second detector array composed of a plurality of detectors, being arranged in the second plane below the goods passage opposite the second distributed X-ray source, for receiving the X-ray from the second distributed X-ray source and outputting signals indicating the strength of the X-ray;
a second ray collimator, for enabling X-ray generated by the second distributed X-ray source to cover all detectors of the second detector array after transmitting the goods passage;
an electronics system, for receiving signals from the detectors, converting the signals into digital ones, and forming a data packet with the position numbers of corresponding detectors, outputting a sequence of data packets formed by the position numbers and signals from the plurality of detectors of the first and second detector arrays;
an image processing system, for receiving the output from the electronics system, using a reconstruction algorithm to process the position numbers of detectors and the corresponding signals indicating the strength of X-ray, constructing to form an image of the object under inspection;
a ray source power supply, for providing power to the distributed X-ray source; and
a control system, for exercising logical control over the respective parts to enable respective sub-systems to work in coordination.

4. A goods inspection apparatus, characterized by comprising:
a frame;
a circular goods passage in the frame for an object under inspection to pass;
a goods conveyor in the frame and below the goods passage;
an arc-shaped distributed X-ray source in a first plane perpendicular to the direction of travel of the object under inspection and arranged above the goods passage;
an arc-shaped detector array composed of a plurality of detectors, being arranged below the goods passage, for receiving the X-ray from the arc-shaped distributed X-ray source and outputting signals indicating the strength of the X-ray;
a ray collimator, for enabling X-ray generated by the arc-shaped distributed X-ray source to cover all detectors of the arc-shaped detector array after transmitting the goods passage;
an electronics system, for receiving signals from the detectors, converting the signals into digital ones, and forming a data packet with the position numbers of corresponding detectors, outputting a sequence of data packets formed by the position numbers and signals from the plurality of detectors of the detector array;
an image processing system, for receiving the output from the electronics system, using a reconstruction algorithm to process the position numbers of detectors and the corresponding signals indicating the strength of X-ray, constructing to form an image of the object under inspection;
a ray source power supply, for providing power to the distributed X-ray source; and
a control system, for exercising logical control over the

Assignees

• Nuctech Co Ltd
• Univ Tsinghua

Inventors

• Tang Huaping
• Li Yuanjing
• Zhao Ziran
• Liu Yaohong
• Qin Zhanfeng
• Zhang Jinyu
• Tang Hu

Classifications

• G01N23/046

  using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• G01V5/0016 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G01V5/226 Primary

  using tomography · 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