JP2008275452A - X-ray foreign matter detector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a hygienic property and maintenance property by easily opening the opening of an opening/closing-structured side cover that is disposed in the entrance door of an object to be inspected and is attached with a shield curtain. <P>SOLUTION: This X-ray foreign matter detector comprises a case 2 having an opening 5 used as the entrance of the object to be inspected in its side surface, a conveying means 6 for conveying the object to be inspected from an inlet 5 to an outlet 5, an X-ray irradiating means for radiating X-rays toward the object to be inspected conveyed in the case 2, an X-ray detecting means for detecting the foreign matter mixed into the object to be inspected, a top plate section 11 projecting from a side surface of the case 2 so as to cover the upper edge section of the opening 5 of the case 2, and a pair of side plate sections 15 and 15 projecting from the side surface of the case 2 so as to cover a pair of side edge sections of the opening 5 of the case 2, and the side cover 10 attached with the shield curtain 20 for preventing leak of X-rays to the pair of side plate sections 15 and 15. The pair of side plate sections 15 and 15 of the side cover 10 are turnably supported on the side surface of the case 2, and open mutually outward on the both sides of the opening 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an X-ray foreign object detection apparatus that irradiates an inspection object in a housing with X-rays and detects foreign objects mixed in the inspection object based on the amount of transmission, and as an entrance of the inspection object The present invention relates to a structure of a side cover for covering openings provided on both side surfaces of a housing.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 below, an X-ray foreign object detection device includes an X-ray that does not leak from openings provided on both side surfaces of a housing 101 as an entrance / exit of an inspection object. Side covers 102 and 102 are provided to cover the opening (see FIG. 6). As shown in the figure, the side covers 102 and 102 are provided so as to protrude from both side surfaces of the casing 101 in the front and rear directions in the transport direction, and are long enough to secure a safe distance by attenuating X-rays. Is provided.

  However, in the X-ray foreign object detection device 100 as shown in FIG. 6, since the side covers 102 and 102 are long from the housing 101 in the transport direction, the entire device 100 is large. Further, since a plurality of X-ray shielding sheets (not shown) are disposed in the casing 101 along the conveyance direction, for example, the state of the inspection object in the casing 101 (the posture of the inspection object, etc.) ) Could not be secured to install a camera etc.

Further, in the X-ray foreign object detection device disclosed in Patent Document 2 below, as shown in FIG. 7, the side covers 202, 202 are provided with leakage prevention rods 203, 203 for preventing X-ray leakage. Yes. Thereby, the length of the side covers 202 and 202 can be shortened, and the apparatus 200 can be downsized. Furthermore, since the X-rays are sufficiently blocked by the leakage prevention rod 203 provided in the side cover 202, it is possible to remove the leakage prevention rod provided in the housing 201, and a camera or the like is installed in the housing 201. I can do it now.
Japanese Patent No. 3828733 Japanese Patent No. 3777958 JP 2004-317184 A

  However, in the X-ray foreign object detection apparatus 200 as shown in FIG. 7, the side covers 202 and 202 are removed from the casing 201 to open the openings on both sides of the casing 201 in order to perform cleaning and maintenance inside the casing 201. Needed to be opened. Further, after the cleaning or maintenance work is completed, the removed side covers 202 and 202 must be attached to the housing 201 again, which is troublesome and takes time. In particular, an X-ray foreign object detection device (Patent Document 3) that irradiates X-rays obliquely inevitably has an X-ray source provided on the front side of the housing, and the front surface of the housing is only slightly open. In general, cleaning and maintenance must be performed from the openings on both sides of the housing. For this reason, complication of the opening opening operation on both side surfaces of the housing has significantly reduced cleaning performance and maintenance performance.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and the opening is opened by providing an opening / closing structure for the side cover provided with the inspected object on both sides of the housing and having the shielding curtain attached thereto. An object of the present invention is to provide an X-ray foreign object detection device that can be easily opened and improves the cleaning property and the maintenance property.

Next, means for solving the above problems will be described with reference to the drawings corresponding to the embodiments.
The X-ray foreign object detection device according to claim 1 of the present invention includes a housing 2 provided with an opening 5 serving as an entrance / exit of an object to be inspected on a pair of side surfaces,
Conveying means 6 for conveying the object to be inspected from the inlet opening 5 to the outlet opening 5;
X-ray irradiation means for irradiating X-rays toward the object being transported by the transport means 6 in the housing 2;
X-ray detection means for detecting X-rays transmitted through the inspection object in the housing 2 and detecting foreign matter mixed in the inspection object;
A top plate portion 11 (31, 41) protruding from the side surface of the housing 2 so as to cover the upper edge of each opening 5 of the housing 2, and a pair of sides of the openings 5 of the housing 2 It consists of a pair of side plate parts 15 and 15 (32, 32, 42, 42) protruding from the side surface of the housing 2 so as to cover the edge part, and the top plate part 11 (31, 41) or the pair of side plates. A side cover 10 (30, 40) to which a shielding curtain 20 for preventing X-ray leakage is attached to at least one of the sections 15, 15 (32, 32, 42, 42);
The pair of side plate portions 15, 15 (32, 32, 42, 42) of the side cover 10 (30, 40) is rotatably supported on the side surface of the housing 2, and the inlet or outlet opening 5 is opened. It is characterized by being opened outward from each other.

  The X-ray foreign matter detection device according to claim 2 is characterized in that the top plate portion 11 of the side cover 10 is detachably provided with respect to the upper end portions of the pair of side plate portions 15 and 15. .

  The X-ray foreign object detection device according to claim 3, wherein the top plate portion 31 of the side cover 30 is divided into two in the width direction of the opening 5, and each outer edge portion of the divided top plate portion 31 is provided. The pair of side plate portions 32, 32 are formed substantially integrally with the upper edge portions.

  The X-ray foreign object detection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an outer edge portion of one of the top plate portions 41 of the side cover 40 is formed substantially integrally with the upper edge portions of the pair of side plate portions 42 and 42. It is characterized by that.

  The X-ray foreign object detection device according to claim 5 is configured such that the top plate portion 11 (31, 41) and / or the pair of side plate portions 15 and 15 (32, 32, 42, etc.) of the side cover 10 (30, 40). 42) and the side surface of the housing 2, an interlock switch 13 for detecting the open / closed state of the side cover 10 (30, 40) is provided.

  According to the X-ray foreign object detection device of the present invention, the opening can be simplified by opening the pair of side plates of the side cover covering the inlet or outlet openings provided on both side surfaces of the housing outwardly across the opening. Can be opened with a simple operation. As a result, there is no need to remove the side cover at the time of cleaning or maintenance work and attach it again after the work is completed, which makes it easier to clean and maintain, shortens the work time, and improves cleanability and maintainability. Can be improved.

  Further, the shielding curtain is attached to at least one of the top plate portion or the pair of side plate portions, so that the shielding curtain does not interfere with the opening operation of the opening. That is, since the opening can be opened without removing the shielding curtain from the side covers (a pair of side plate portions), cleaning and maintenance operations are further speeded up.

  Furthermore, the interlock switch is provided between the top plate portion and / or the pair of side plate portions and the side surface of the housing, so that leakage of X-rays due to malfunction can be prevented and safety is improved.

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a side cover of an embodiment of the X-ray foreign object detection device according to the present invention is closed, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the side cover is opened.

  The X-ray foreign object detection apparatus of this embodiment irradiates an inspection object such as a food product with X-rays, and detects foreign objects such as metal and glass mixed in the inspection object based on the amount of transmission. To do.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the X-ray foreign object detection device 1 of this embodiment has a box-shaped housing 2 and is supported on an installation surface by four legs 3. The housing 2 is formed using a radiation protection material so that a harmful amount of X-rays from the inside does not leak to the outside. The front surface of the housing 2 is open, and an openable / closable door 4 for closing the front opening is provided on the front surface of the housing 2. Furthermore, openings 5 and 5 are provided on both side surfaces of the housing 2 as entrances and exits for the inspection object. And the side cover 10 mentioned later for covering these openings 5 is provided in the both sides | surfaces of the housing | casing 2. As shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the belt conveyor 6 as a conveying means is provided in the housing 2 and is provided so as to penetrate the housing 2 in the conveying direction Y. The belt conveyor 6 includes rollers 7 and 7 at both ends in the transport direction Y, and an endless transport belt 8 is wound around the rollers 7 and 7. One of the rollers 7 is connected to a drive motor (not shown). The belt conveyor 6 conveys the inspection object conveyed from the preceding apparatus to the outlet opening 5 from the inlet opening 5 and further sends it to the subsequent apparatus.

  Although not shown, an X-ray generator as an X-ray irradiating means is provided in a predetermined position in the housing 2 obliquely above the belt conveyor 6. In this X-ray generator, for example, an X-ray tube for generating X-rays in a metal box is immersed in insulating oil, and X-rays are irradiated obliquely downward (belt conveyor 6). The form of X-rays emitted from the X-ray generator is a substantially triangular surface that is incident on the transport surface of the belt conveyor 6 at a predetermined angle, is orthogonal to the transport direction Y, and extends obliquely downward. ing.

  Although not shown in the figure, an X-ray detector as an X-ray detection means is provided in the housing 2 at a position facing the X-ray generator below the belt conveyor 6. In this X-ray detector, a plurality of elements are linearly arranged in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction Y. These elements are constituted by a photodiode and a scintillator disposed on the photodiode.

  In the configuration of the X-ray detector described above, X-rays are irradiated from the X-ray generator toward the inspection object being conveyed by the belt conveyor 6 in the housing 2. X-rays that have passed through the object to be inspected with this irradiation are converted into light by a scintillator of an X-ray detector, and the converted light is received by a photodiode, further converted into an electrical signal and output. Then, the output signal is compared with a preset threshold value for each foreign object, and based on the result, the foreign object mixed in the inspection object is detected.

Hereinafter, the side cover which is the gist of the present invention will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the side cover 10 described above includes a top plate portion 11 projecting from the side surface of the housing 2 so as to cover the upper edge portion of the opening 5 provided on both side surfaces of the housing 2, and an opening. 5 is substantially composed of a pair of side plate portions 15 and 15 projecting from the side surface of the housing 2 so as to cover a pair of side edge portions.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the top plate portion 11 is formed in a substantially box shape with four sides of a substantially rectangular plate bent downward. On both side surfaces of the top plate portion 11, hook portions 12 for constituting fixing means described later are provided. The top plate portion 11 can be attached to and detached from the upper edge portions of the pair of side plate portions 15 and 15 by fixing means. An interlock switch 13 for detecting the open / closed state of the side cover 10 is provided at the attachment position of the top plate 11 on both side surfaces of the housing 2. On the side surface of the housing 2, the position where the interlock switch 13 is provided is not limited to the attachment position of the top plate portion 11, and may be provided at the attachment position of the pair of side plate portions 15, 15.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pair of side plate portions 15, 15 are supported by the hinge member 16 so that the base end side can be rotated in the horizontal direction on the side surface of the housing 2. Furthermore, the tip side is bent in a direction approaching each other. On the outer surfaces of the pair of side plate portions 15, 15, the catch clips 17 as the fixing means described above are provided.

  Further, a shielding curtain 20 for preventing X-ray leakage from the opening 5 is attached to each inner surface of the pair of side plate portions 15 and 15. The shielding curtain 20 is made of, for example, a rubber sheet containing lead cut into a substantially rectangular shape, and one side edge portion is fixed to the inner surface of the side plate portion 15 and is in a cantilever state. Further, in the present embodiment, the shielding curtain 20 is tilted toward the transport direction Y, and is attached to the side plate portion 15 so as to have a pair of substantially V shapes, thereby preventing X-ray leakage and inspecting objects. It does not prevent the transport of In the present embodiment, the shielding curtain 20 is provided on the proximal end side and the distal end side of the inner surface of the side plate portion 15.

  According to the side cover 10 described above, the catch clip 17 is removed to release the fixation between the top plate portion 11 and the pair of side plate portions 15 and 15, and after removing the top plate portion 11, the side plate portions 15 and 15 are attached. Opening 5 is opened by opening outward. The interlock switch 13 is turned OFF when the top plate 11 is moved away from the side surface of the housing 2 so that the device 1 cannot be operated. When the side cover 10 is set again, the pair of side plate portions 15 and 15 are closed, the top plate portion 11 is attached to the upper edge portion, and the catch clip 17 is stopped.

  According to this embodiment, the pair of side plate portions 15, 15 of the side cover 10 covering the inlet opening 5 or the outlet opening 5 provided on both side surfaces of the housing 2 are opened outward, so that the opening 5 is simplified. Can be opened with a simple operation. As a result, cleaning and maintenance are facilitated, work time is shortened, and cleaning properties and maintenance properties can be improved.

  In addition, since the shielding curtain 20 is attached to the inner surfaces of the pair of side plate portions 15, 15, the shielding curtain 20 does not interfere with the opening operation of the opening 5 by the side cover 10. As a result, the opening 5 can be opened without removing the shielding curtain 20 from the pair of side plate portions 15 and 15, and the cleaning and maintenance work is further speeded up.

  Furthermore, since the interlock switch 13 is provided at a predetermined position between the top plate portion 11 and the side surface of the housing 2, X-ray leakage due to malfunction can be prevented. Thereby, safety can be improved.

  In addition, the fact that the top plate portion 11 has a substantially box shape can be applied to the wide opening 5 without causing shape loss or the like in order to increase rigidity when the side cover 10 is set.

  In the above-described embodiment, the shielding curtain 20 is attached to the inner surface of the side plate portion 15 in a cantilever state and is inclined with respect to the transport direction Y. For example, as shown in FIG. The shield curtain 20A may be attached so as to be orthogonal to the transport direction Y without being inclined. Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 3B, a configuration in which a shielding curtain 20B in which a lead-containing rubber sheet or the like is formed in a warm shape is suspended from the top plate portion 11 may be employed. Thereby, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the opening 5 can be opened without removing the shielding curtain 20 from the side cover 10, and the work can be speeded up.

4 and 5 are perspective views showing modifications of the above-described side cover.
As shown in the figure, the side cover 30 shown in FIG. 4 is substantially composed of a top plate portion 31 and a pair of side plate portions 32 and 32. The top plate portion 31 is divided into two in the width direction of the opening 5, and the outer edge portions of the divided top plate portions 31 a and 31 b are formed substantially integrally with the upper edge portions of the pair of side plate portions 32 and 32. . Further, a hinge member 33 is provided on the base end side of the pair of side plate portions 32, 32, and the side plate portion 32 is supported on the side surface of the housing 2 so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction by the hinge member 33 (see FIG. 4 (b)).

  According to such a configuration, as in the above-described embodiment, the pair of side plate portions 32, 32 of the side cover 30 provided on both side surfaces of the housing 2 opens outward, and the opening 5 is easily operated. Can be opened with. As a result, cleaning and maintenance are facilitated, work time is shortened, and cleaning properties and maintenance properties can be improved. Further, the side cover 30 has a top plate portion 31 and a pair of side plate portions 32, 32 that are substantially integrated, and it is not necessary to provide fixing means or the like. can get.

  Moreover, the side cover 40 of FIG. 5 is substantially comprised by the top-plate part 41 and a pair of side-plate parts 42 and 42 like illustration. And either one outer side edge part of the top-plate part 41 is substantially integrally formed with the upper edge part of one side-plate part 42a, and has comprised the cross-sectional substantially L shape. The other side plate portion 42b has a substantially rectangular plate shape. These side plate portions 42a and 42b are supported on the side surface of the housing 2 so as to be horizontally rotatable by hinge members 43 provided on the respective base end sides (see FIG. 5B).

  According to such a configuration, as in the above-described embodiment, the pair of side plate portions 42a and 42b of the side cover 40 provided on both side surfaces of the housing 2 opens outward, and the opening 5 is easily operated. Can be opened with. As a result, cleaning and maintenance are facilitated, work time is shortened, and cleaning properties and maintenance properties can be improved. Further, the side cover 40 can also be obtained at a lower cost with fewer parts than the above-described embodiment.

  In addition, although not shown in figure, the shielding curtain is attached to the side covers 30 and 40 shown to FIG. 4 and 5 similarly to embodiment mentioned above.

It is a perspective view which shows the state which the side cover of one Embodiment of the X-ray foreign material detection apparatus by this invention closed. It is a perspective view which shows the state which the side cover opened. (A), (b) is a perspective view which shows the other example of the shielding curtain attached to the side cover. (A), (b) is a perspective view which shows the modification of the side cover. (A), (b) is a perspective view which shows the modification of the side cover. It is a front view which shows the conventional X-ray foreign material detection apparatus. It is a front view which shows the conventional X-ray foreign material detection apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... X-ray foreign material detection apparatus 2 ... Case 3 ... (inlet or exit) opening 6 ... Belt conveyor as a conveyance means 10, 30, 40 ... Side cover 11, 31, 41 ... Top plate part 15, 32, 42 ... A pair of side plate portions 20 ... shielding curtain

Claims (5)

A housing (2) provided with an opening (5) serving as an entrance / exit of an object to be inspected on a pair of side surfaces;
Conveying means (6) for conveying the object to be inspected from the inlet opening to the outlet opening;
X-ray irradiating means for irradiating X-rays toward the object to be inspected being conveyed by the conveying means in the housing;
X-ray detection means for detecting X-rays transmitted through the inspection object in the housing and detecting foreign matter mixed in the inspection object;
Cover the top plate (11, 31, 41) projecting from the side of the casing so as to cover the upper edge of each opening of the casing, and the pair of side edges of each opening of the casing The pair of side plate portions (15, 15, 32, 32, 42, 42) projecting from the side surface of the housing as described above, and at least one of the top plate portion or the pair of side plate portions A side cover (10, 30, 40) to which a shielding curtain (20) for preventing leakage is attached;
The X-ray foreign object detection device, wherein the pair of side plate portions of the side cover are rotatably supported on a side surface of the casing and open outward with respect to the inlet or outlet opening.   2. The X according to claim 1, wherein the top plate portion (11) of the side cover (10) is detachably provided with respect to upper end portions of the pair of side plate portions (15, 15). Wire foreign matter detection device.   The top plate portion (31) of the side cover (30) is divided into two in the width direction of the opening (5), and the outer edge portions of the divided top plate portions are the pair of side plate portions (32). 32) The X-ray foreign object detection device according to claim 1, wherein the X-ray foreign object detection device is formed integrally with each upper edge portion of the first and second edges.   One of the outer edge portions of the top plate portion (41) of the side cover (40) is formed substantially integrally with the upper edge portions of the pair of side plate portions (42, 42). Item 2. The X-ray foreign matter detection device according to Item 1.   The top plate (11, 31, 41) and / or the pair of side plates (15, 15, 32, 32, 42, 42) of the side cover (10, 30, 40) and the housing (2) An X-ray foreign object detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an interlock switch (13) for detecting an open / closed state of the side cover is provided between the side surfaces of the X-ray.

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