JP2010230430A - Radiation detecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a radiation detecting device capable of efficiently cooling heat generating units in a chassis. <P>SOLUTION: The amount of heat generation of the heat generating unit disposed on a blowing route from an intake port 152C to a discharge port 154 is the largest, the amount of heat generation of the heat generating unit disposed on the blowing route from an intake port 152B to the discharge port 154 is the next largest, and the amount of heat generation of the heat generating unit disposed on the blowing route from an intake port 152A to the discharge port 154 is the lowest. Alternatively, allowable intake areas of the intake ports 152A, 152B, 152C increase in this order, so that much air can be taken for the part having the large amount of heat generation. Accordingly, the heat generating unit disposed on the blowing route from the intake port 152C to the discharge port 154 can be cooled most. Thereby, the heat generating units are efficiently cooled by varying the intake amounts of outside air in accordance with the amounts of heat generation of the heat generating units. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a radiation detection apparatus that detects radiation.

  As a radiation detection apparatus, a radiation detection apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 and an image information reading apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2 are known.

  In the radiation detection apparatus of Patent Document 1, a liquid cooling type cooling apparatus is not used for cooling the inside of the apparatus, but the exhaust fan 7 and the DC / DC converter gel, the DC / DC converter heat sink 5 and the amplifier gel and the amplifier. Since cooling can be performed by providing the heat radiating plate 8, the shape does not increase and the weight does not increase. Further, the heat generated in the amplification unit and the DC / DC converter is efficiently released from the radiation detection device casing and the exhaust port to the outside of the radiation detection device, thereby preventing the inside of the radiation detection device from becoming a high temperature state.

  Further, according to the image information reading apparatus of Patent Document 2, ventilation openings are provided on four or more surfaces of the apparatus main body. For this reason, when this image information reading apparatus is arranged at a corner of a room, even if a ventilation port provided on one end face is close to the wall surface of the corner, it is provided on the other end face. Since the air can be circulated in the apparatus main body through the ventilation port, the image information reading apparatus can be efficiently cooled.

JP 2007-256176 A JP 2004-102066 A

  However, because the temperature in each part is different in each part, it is considered that the configuration in which outside air is uniformly taken in as in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 described above cannot efficiently cool the high temperature portion.

  In view of the above fact, an object of the present invention is to provide a radiation detection apparatus capable of efficiently cooling a heat generating portion in a housing.

A radiation detection apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention includes a radiation detection unit that detects radiation, a housing that accommodates the radiation detection unit therein, and outside air that is formed in the housing and is taken in from an intake port. And a fan for blowing the outside air from the intake port to the discharge port,
A heat generating part that is disposed on the air blowing path of the fan, is cooled by the outside air, includes a signal processing unit that processes a signal from the radiation detecting unit, and the housing is formed on the air blowing path. And an intake port in which the area that can be taken in by the outside air is adjusted according to the amount of heat generated by the heat generating part.

  According to this configuration, the radiation detection unit detects radiation, and the signal processing unit processes a signal from the radiation detection unit.

  Here, in the configuration of the first aspect of the present invention, the heat generating unit including the signal processing unit generates heat, but the intake port takes in outside air according to the amount of heat generated by the heat generating unit existing on the blower path. Since the possible intake area is adjusted, a large amount of outside air can be taken into a portion where the heat generation amount is large, and a small amount of outside air can be taken into a portion where the heat generation amount is small. Thereby, the heat-emitting part in a housing | casing can be cooled efficiently.

  The radiation detection apparatus according to claim 2 of the present invention is the radiation detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the intake port is configured by a plurality of intake holes, and can be acquired by adjusting the number of the intake holes. The area was adjusted.

  According to this configuration, since the shape of each of the plurality of intake holes can be made the same, it is easy to form an intake port with an adjustable intake area.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the radiation detection apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the intake area of the intake port is adjusted from one end to the other end.

  According to this configuration, the intake amount of outside air can be adjusted by one intake port, and the heat generating part in the housing can be efficiently cooled.

  The radiation detection apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the radiation detection apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the intake port is formed in each of a plurality of wall bodies of the casing, The intake area of the intake port where the heat generation amount of the heat generating part on the air blowing path from the mouth to the discharge port is large is large.

  According to this configuration, since a large amount of outside air can be taken in and cooled from the intake port on the side where the heat generation amount of the heat generating portion is large, the heat generating portion in the housing can be efficiently cooled.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of any one of the first to fourth aspects, the intake port is formed in each of the first wall body and the second wall body facing each other. The discharge port is disposed between the first wall body and the second wall body in a plan view, and serves as a bottom wall when the first wall body and the second wall body serve as side walls. It is formed in 3 walls.

  According to this configuration, since the outside air can be taken in from the two opposite directions, the heat generating portion in the housing can be efficiently cooled.

  A radiation detection apparatus according to claim 6 of the present invention is the radiation detection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the intake port has the first wall body when the third wall body is a bottom wall. And it is further formed in the 4th wall body used as a side wall different from the said 2nd wall body.

  According to this configuration, since outside air can be taken in from three directions, the heat generating part in the housing can be further efficiently cooled.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of any one of the first to sixth aspects, the radiation detection apparatus includes a heat dissipating member that is provided in the heat generating portion and does not contact the inner wall of the housing.

  According to this configuration, since the heat radiating member does not contact the inner wall of the housing, the heat from the heat generating portion can be efficiently diffused into the housing. The heat diffused in the housing is efficiently cooled by the outside air taken in from the intake port.

  Since this invention was set as the said structure, the heat-emitting part in a housing | casing can be cooled efficiently.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a radiation detection apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a heat generating portion existing on the air blowing path from the intake port to the discharge port. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a heat generating portion existing on the air blowing path from the intake port to the discharge port. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration in which a heat radiating member is provided in the heat generating portion according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a configuration in which the intake port according to the present embodiment is formed by a plurality of intake holes. FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a configuration in which the fan according to the present embodiment is provided on the side wall. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration for adjusting the area that can be taken in at the take-in port formed on one surface of the wall body of the housing according to the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing a mode of changing the area where the intake port according to the present embodiment can be taken.

Below, an example of an embodiment concerning the present invention is described based on a drawing.
(Configuration of radiation detection apparatus according to the present embodiment)
First, the configuration of the radiation detection apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a radiation detection apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the radiation detection apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a housing 102 that houses each component. A partition wall 104 that partitions the space in the housing 102 is provided in the housing 102. The casing 102 and the partition wall 104 are made of a heat conductor that conducts heat, and are formed of, for example, a member mainly composed of SUS (stainless steel), aluminum, magnesium, iron, carbon, or the like. The inside of the housing 102 is divided into two spaces, a first chamber 111 and a second chamber 112 as an example of a storage chamber that stores a heat generating unit described later.

  The first chamber 111 houses a radiation detection unit 200 that detects radiation. The first chamber 111 is sealed against the outside air, and the internal space of the second chamber 112 and the internal space of the first chamber 111 are separated. The first chamber 111 may be configured not to be sealed with respect to the outside air.

  The radiation detection unit 200 accommodated in the first chamber 111 is irradiated with radiation from the side opposite to the side where the second chamber 112 is present. As the radiation detection unit 200, there is a direct conversion type detection unit that collects charges generated in the photoconductive layer by X-ray incidence by a charge collecting electrode, temporarily accumulates them, and reads the accumulated charges as an electric signal. It is used.

  For reading out the accumulated electric charges, a TFT reading method is used in which TFTs (thin film transistors) arranged on the substrate are scanned and read out.

  Note that various types of radiation detection units 200 can be employed. For example, an indirect conversion type detection unit that temporarily accumulates charges obtained by detecting with a photoelectric conversion element fluorescence emitted from a phosphor (scintillator) when irradiated with radiation, and reads the accumulated charges as an electric signal. It may be used. Further, the stored charge may be read out by a light reading method or the like that is read out by irradiating reading light (reading electromagnetic waves).

The second chamber 112 is formed in a flat shape having a spread in a plane direction orthogonal to the thickness direction. Specifically, the second chamber 112 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped thinned in the thickness direction.
Further, the second chamber 112 has a four-sided shape, specifically a rectangular shape, surrounded by four sides in plan view. The second chamber 112 is surrounded by four wall bodies (wall surfaces) 102A, 102B, 102C, and 102D having four sides. Further, the housing 102 includes a wall body 102E serving as a bottom wall when the four wall bodies are used as side walls. Hereinafter, the four wall bodies 102A, 102B, 102C, and 102D will be described as side walls 102A, 102B, 102C, and 102D, and the wall body 102E will be described as a bottom wall 102E. Note that the orientation of the radiation detection apparatus 100 in use is set as appropriate, and any of the side walls 102A, 102B, 102C, and 102D may be located on the bottom side or the upper side, and the bottom wall 102E is on the side side. It may be located on the upper side.

  The second chamber 112 accommodates a signal processing board 122 as an example of a signal processing unit that processes an electrical signal from the radiation detection unit 200. The signal processing board 122 is electrically connected to the radiation detection unit 200 through a data wiring (not shown), and the charge signal read from the radiation detection unit 200 is transmitted through the data wiring to be sent to the signal processing board 122. To be input.

  The signal processing board 122 includes a signal amplification circuit and a sample hold circuit provided for each individual data line, and the electric signal transmitted through each data line is sampled after being amplified by the signal amplification circuit. It is held in the hold circuit.

  Also, on the output side of the sample and hold circuit, a multiplexer (not shown) and an A / D converter 124 as an example of an electric signal converter that converts an electric signal carrying image information are connected in order. . The charge signals held in the individual sample and hold circuits are sequentially (serially) output by the multiplexer, and the analog electric signal is converted into a digital electric signal by the A / D converter 124.

  The second chamber 112 is provided with a power supply circuit board 128 that generates output power required from the input power. The power supply circuit board 128 transforms the direct current voltage from the power supply to a desired voltage and emits radiation. Supply to the detection unit 200 and various circuits and elements. The second chamber 112 is provided with a control unit 129 as an example of a communication unit that transmits and receives signals to and from the outside.

  Further, the second chamber 112 is provided with an LED array 113 as an example of a light source for irradiating the radiation detection unit 200 with light from the partition 104 side. The light from the LED array 113 is guided to the radiation detection unit 200 by a light guide plate (not shown).

  For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-9153 (corresponding US Pat. No. 5,563,421), the radiation detection unit 200 is irradiated with light when a residual charge is generated in the photoconductive layer. This is performed to excite and remove residual charges by irradiating light from the outside. Further, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-146769 (corresponding US Pat. Nos. 6,995,375 and 7034312), by stabilizing the electric field generated in the radiation detection unit provided with the divided electrodes by light irradiation, sensitivity is improved. This may be done to eliminate fluctuations. Light irradiation may be performed for other purposes.

  In the present embodiment, a signal processing board 122, an A / D converter 124, a power circuit board 128, a control unit 129, and an LED array 113 are arranged in the second chamber 112 as heat generating parts. Of the plurality of heat generating units arranged in the second chamber 112, for example, the power circuit board 128 and the control unit 129 may be arranged outside the second chamber 112 (housing 102). Moreover, you may provide another component as a heat generating part.

  The housing 102 is formed with intake ports 152A, 152B, and 152C for taking outside air into the second chamber 112. The intake ports 152A, 152B, and 152C are formed in the side walls 102A, 102B, and 102C, respectively.

  A discharge port 154 for discharging outside air taken into the second chamber 112 from the intake ports 152A, 152B, and 152C is formed in the bottom wall 102E. Only one discharge port 154 is provided for a plurality of intake ports.

  At the discharge port 154, a fan 142 that blows outside air from the intake ports 152A, 152B, and 152C to the discharge port 154 is disposed outside the second chamber 112 (housing 102). The fan 142 is attached to the bottom wall 102E.

  The fan 142 is composed of, for example, a cross flow fan, and includes a blade member 142A in which a plurality of blades are formed on the outer periphery of the rotation shaft. The fan 142 discharges the air inside the second chamber 112 from the outside of the second chamber 112 (housing 102) through the discharge port 154 when the blade member 142A is rotationally driven. Thereby, outside air is blown from the intake ports 152A, 152B, 152C to the discharge port 154.

  The LED array 113 described above is disposed on the side wall 102A side of the second chamber 112, and is disposed between the intake port 152A (side wall 102A) and the discharge port 154 in plan view. That is, the LED array 113 is disposed on the air blowing path from the intake port 152A to the discharge port 154. As a result, the outside air taken in from the intake port 152A passes through the LED array 113, cools the LED array 113, and is discharged outside the second chamber 112 from the discharge port 154.

  The signal processing board 122 described above is disposed on the side wall 102B side of the second chamber 112, and is disposed between the intake port 152B (side wall 102B) and the discharge port 154 in plan view. That is, the signal processing board 122 is disposed on the air blowing path from the intake port 152B to the discharge port 154. Thereby, the outside air taken in from the intake port 152B passes through the signal processing board 122, cools the signal processing board 122, and is discharged from the discharge port 154 to the outside of the second chamber 112.

  The A / D converter 124, the power supply circuit board 128, and the control unit 129 are disposed between the intake port 152C (side wall 102C) and the discharge port 154 in plan view. That is, the A / D converter 124, the power supply circuit board 128, and the control unit 129 are arranged on the blowing path from the intake port 152C to the discharge port 154. As a result, the outside air taken in from the inlet 152C passes through the A / D converter 124, the power circuit board 128, and the control unit 129 to cool the A / D converter 124, the power circuit board 128, and the control unit 129. Then, it is discharged from the discharge port 154 to the outside of the second chamber 112.

  Here, in the intake ports 152A, 152B, and 152C, the area where the outside air can be taken in is adjusted depending on the amount of heat generated by the heat generating portion existing on the air flow path of the outside air taken in from each. Yes.

  Specifically, as shown below, the area where the intakes 152A, 152B, and 152C can be taken in is adjusted.

  In the present embodiment, the heat generation amount (LED array 113) existing on the air blowing path from the intake port 152A to the discharge port 154 exists on the air flow path from the intake port 152B to the air discharge port 154. The heat generation part (signal processing board 122 / part of the A / D converter 124) generates a large amount of heat, and the heat generation part (A in the air flow path from the intake port 152C to the discharge port 154 is larger than the heat generation amount (A / D converter 124, power circuit board 128, and control unit 129) generate a large amount of heat. Depending on the amount of heat generated, the intake area (opening area) of the intake opening 152B is larger than the intake area (opening area) of the intake opening 152A. The intake area (opening area) of the intake port 152C is larger than the opening area.

  Note that the heat generation part existing on the air blowing path from the intake port 152A to the discharge port 154 is a plan view in which the external air can pass when the outside air linearly travels from the intake port 152A to the discharge port 154. It is a heat generating part existing in the region. This region is indicated by a shaded portion A in FIG.

  The heat generating portion existing on the air flow path from the intake port 152B to the discharge port 154 is an area in a plan view through which the outside air can pass when the outside air linearly travels from the intake port 152B to the discharge port 154. It is a heat generating part which exists in. This region is indicated by a shaded portion B in FIG.

  The heat generating portion existing on the air blowing path from the intake port 152C to the discharge port 154 is an area in a plan view through which the outside air can pass when the outside air linearly travels from the intake port 152C to the discharge port 154. It is a heat generating part which exists in. This region is indicated by a shaded portion C in FIG.

  Further, since the heat generation amount is proportional to the power consumption, it is possible to grasp the heat generation amount by the power consumption amount.

(Operation of this embodiment)
Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

  According to the configuration of the radiation detection apparatus 100, the signal processing board 122, the A / D converter 124, the power circuit board 128, the control unit 129, and the LED array 113, which are heat generating parts, generate heat.

  When the fan 142 is driven, outside air is taken in from the intake ports 152A, 152B, and 152C and is blown from the intake ports 152A, 152B, and 152C to the discharge port 154.

  Here, the heat generation amount of the heat generating portion arranged on the air blowing path from the intake port 152C to the discharge port 154 is the largest, and the heat generating portion arranged on the air blowing route from the air intake port 152B to the discharge port 154 The amount of heat generated is the next highest, and the amount of heat generated by the heat generating portion arranged on the air blowing path from the intake port 152A to the discharge port 154 is the lowest.

  On the other hand, since the intake areas of the intake ports 152A, 152B, and 152C increase in this order, a large amount of outside air can be taken in a portion that generates a large amount of heat. Thereby, the heat generating part arranged on the ventilation path from the intake port 152C to the discharge port 154 can be cooled most. Thus, the heat generating part can be efficiently cooled by changing the amount of outside air taken in according to the heat generated by the heat generating part.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a heat radiating member 140 that dissipates heat may be provided in the heat generating parts such as the signal processing board 122, the A / D converter 124, the power circuit board 128, and the control unit 129. The heat radiating member 140 is in contact with the heat generating part and absorbs heat from the heat generating part. Further, the heat radiating member 140 is not in contact with the inner wall of the housing 102 and dissipates the absorbed heat into the second chamber 112.

  The heat radiating member 140 is made of a material having better thermal conductivity than the heat generating portion where the heat radiating member 140 is provided. When the heat generating part is formed of an IC chip whose exterior is formed of plastic or the like, the heat radiating member 140 is a metal plate such as aluminum, for example. In addition, the heat radiating member 140 may be provided in the heat generating part through a heat conducting member that conducts heat.

  Further, the intake ports 152A, 152B, and 152C may be configured by a plurality of intake holes 153 as shown in FIG. In this configuration, by adjusting the number of the intake holes 153, the available area of the intake ports 152A, 152B, 152C is adjusted.

  Further, the discharge port 154 may be disposed on any one of the side walls 102A, 102B, 102C, and 102D. In the example shown in FIG. 6, a discharge port 154 is formed in the side wall 102A instead of the intake port 152A. A fan 142 is attached to the side wall 102A at the discharge port 154. When the fan 142 is driven, the outside air is blown from the intake ports 152B and 152C to the discharge port 154.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, a configuration may be adopted in which the area that can be taken in is increased or decreased in the inlet 152 </ b> C formed on one surface of the wall of the housing 102. In this configuration, the power supply circuit board 128 is not disposed, and the heat generation amount of the heat generating portion existing on the delivery path from the intake port 152C to the discharge port 154 is larger on the other end portion 155B side than on the one end portion 155A side. Correspondingly, the intake area of the intake port 152C changes so that the other end 155B side gradually becomes larger than the one end 155A side.

  As an aspect for changing the area where the intake port 152 can be taken in, as shown in FIG. 8 (A), the area where the other end 155B side can take in gradually becomes larger than the one end 155A side. You may do it. Further, as shown in FIG. 8B, the intake port 152C is composed of a plurality of intake holes 153 so that the number of the intake holes 153 is larger on the other end 155B side than on the one end 155A side. May be.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications, changes, and improvements can be made.

100 Radiation detector
102 housing
102A Side wall (first wall)
102B Side wall (4th wall)
102C Side wall (second wall)
102E Bottom wall (third wall)
113 LED array (heat generating part)
122 Signal processing board (heat generating part)
124 A / D converter (heat generating part)
128 Power circuit board (heat generating part)
129 Control unit (heat generating part)
140 Heat dissipation member
142 fans
152A intake
152B intake
152C intake
153 Intake hole
154 outlet
200 Radiation detector

Claims (7)

A radiation detector for detecting radiation;
A housing that houses the radiation detection unit therein;
A discharge port formed in the housing for discharging the outside air taken in from the intake port;
A fan that blows the outside air from the intake port to the discharge port;
A heating unit that is disposed on the fan air passage, is cooled by the outside air, and includes a signal processing unit that processes a signal from the radiation detection unit;
According to the amount of heat generated by the heat generating part that is formed in the housing and is present on the air flow path, the intake port in which the area that can be taken in by the outside air is adjusted,
A radiation detection apparatus comprising:   The radiation detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the intake port includes a plurality of intake holes, and the area that can be acquired is adjusted by adjusting the number of the intake holes.   The radiation detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an area that can be taken in the intake port is adjusted from one end portion to the other end portion. The intake port is formed in each of the plurality of wall bodies of the housing,
The radiation detection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an intake area of an intake port having a large amount of heat generated by a heat generating portion on a blowing path from each intake port to the discharge port is large. The intake port is formed in each of the first wall body and the second wall body facing each other,
The discharge port is disposed between the first wall body and the second wall body in a plan view, and serves as a bottom wall when the first wall body and the second wall body serve as side walls. The radiation detection apparatus of any one of Claims 1-4 currently formed in the wall body.   The said intake port is further formed in the 4th wall body used as a side wall different from a said 1st wall body and a said 2nd wall body when the said 3rd wall body is made into a bottom wall. Radiation detection equipment.   The radiation detection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a heat dissipating member that is provided in the heat generating portion and does not contact the inner wall of the housing.

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