JP2023086228A - X-ray inspection device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an X-ray inspection device with which it is possible to improve adaptability to high-speed conveyance and reduce the device size.SOLUTION: Provided is an X-ray detection device 1 comprising a shielded container 10 having an analyte carry-in port 15 and carry-out port 16; an X-ray source 20 for irradiating the analyte located at an inspection region A in the shielded container 10 with an X-ray and a detector 21 for detecting the X-ray having passed through the analyte; and conveyors 3, 22, 4 for conveying the analyte from the carry-in port 15 through the inspection region A to the carry-out port 16 in such a manner as to not obstruct X-ray detection by the detector 21. A shielding material 25 is provided between the detector 21 in the shielded container 10 and the carry-in port 15 and carry-out port 16 in such a way as not to protrude to the analyte conveyance range, and as to obstruct the X-ray scattering from above a detection surface 21a of the detector 21 toward the carry-in port 15 and carry-out port 16.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to an X-ray inspection apparatus that inspects a subject using X-rays.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a transmission inspection method using X-rays has been used as a method for inspecting the presence or absence of foreign matter in a liquid filled in a container. When performing this type of inspection, consideration must be given to X-ray leakage to the surroundings of the inspection environment. Therefore, measures are taken not only to accommodate the X-ray source and the X-ray detector in the shielding container, but also to prevent the X-rays from leaking from the entrance and exit of the subject to the shielding container. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses an X-ray inspection apparatus in which a shielding curtain is arranged at the loading/unloading opening of an X-ray inspection room. In Patent Document 2, an X-ray detector is shifted upward with respect to the loading port and the loading port, and an upward slope is given to the path on the loading side, and a downward slope is given to the path on the delivery side. , an x-ray inspection apparatus configured to prevent x-rays from being directed from the area above the detector to the inlet and outlet. Patent Document 3 discloses a configuration in which X-rays are not directed to the entrance and exit of the object by changing the transport direction of the object by 90° before and after the X-ray generator in the shielding container. An X-ray inspection apparatus is disclosed.

JP-A-11-160487 JP-A-9-145343 JP-A-2000-74856

When a shielding curtain is used as in the inspection apparatus of Patent Document 1, contact between the subject and the shielding curtain may cause the subject, especially the subject whose height is large compared to the ground size, to topple over. . Therefore, adaptation to high-speed transportation becomes a problem. In the inspection device of Patent Document 2, the shielding curtain can be omitted. However, since the transport path in the shielding container has a slope, the risk of overturning of the tall object cannot be eliminated, and there is a problem in ensuring the stability of the object during high-speed transport. Increasing the stability by loosening the inclination increases the machine length in the conveying direction, which hinders the miniaturization of the apparatus. The inspection apparatus of Patent Document 3 does not require a shielding curtain, nor does it need to give a slope to the conveying path. However, there is a similar problem in that the total length of the conveying route is increased, making it difficult to reduce the size of the inspection apparatus.

Therefore, the present invention is capable of improving the adaptability to high-speed transportation or miniaturizing the apparatus by suppressing the leakage of X-rays from the loading port and the loading port by means different from the conventional method. An object of the present invention is to provide a line inspection device.

An X-ray inspection apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is an X-ray inspection apparatus for inspecting a subject using X-rays, comprising: a shielding container having an inlet and a outlet for the subject; an X-ray source for irradiating X-rays onto a subject located in an examination area of the above; a detector for detecting X-rays transmitted through the subject; a transport means for transporting the subject from the loading port to the transport outlet through the inspection area in a predetermined transport direction; a shielding material provided between the detector and the entrance and the exit in the shielding container so as to block X-rays scattered from the surface toward the entrance and the exit; is provided.

1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of an X-ray inspection apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. The figure which shows the schematic structure inside an X-ray inspection apparatus. The figure which expands and shows the principal part in an X-ray inspection apparatus. The top view of the principal part of FIG. An enlarged view for explaining the dimensional relationship of the shielding material. The figure which shows the relationship between a shielding material and a loading port. The figure which shows an example of the structure for changing the shape and size of an inlet. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the X-ray irradiation range and the shielding material when an area sensor type detector is used; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the X-ray irradiation range and the shielding material when a line sensor type detector is used; The figure which shows the example which changed arrangement|positioning of an X-ray source and a detector.

FIG. 1 shows the appearance of an X-ray inspection apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows the schematic internal configuration thereof. An X-ray inspection apparatus (hereinafter abbreviated as an inspection apparatus) 1 captures an X-ray transmission image of a container 2 as an example of a subject, and inspects the container 2 based on the obtained X-ray transmission image. The purpose of the inspection is, for example, to determine whether or not foreign substances are present in the liquid filled in the container 2 . The container 2 may be made of an appropriate material as long as it has the property of transmitting X-rays. As an example, the container 2 may be made of resin, glass, or the like. The shape and size of the container 2 may also be appropriate. For example, the container 2 may be formed in an appropriate shape such as a bottle shape, a box shape, or the like having a large total height with respect to the ground size. The liquid to be filled in the container 2 may be an appropriate type of liquid as long as the X-ray transmittance is different from that of the foreign matter to be detected. As an example, the container 2 may be filled with beverages, seasonings, chemicals, and the like. The container 2 does not necessarily have to be filled with liquid. Various contents may be accommodated in the container 2 as long as inspection using X-rays is possible. Furthermore, the subject is not limited to the container 2 . Various articles may be set as subjects as long as they can be inspected by X-rays. Below, the case where the container 2 is bottle-shaped and the inside is filled with the liquid is mentioned as an example, and description is continued.

The inspection device 1 is installed so as to be interposed between the carry-in conveyor 3 and the carry-out conveyor 4 . The carry-in conveyor 3 functions as a carry-in means for carrying the uninspected container 2 into the inspection apparatus 1 , and the carry-out conveyor 4 functions as a carry-out means for carrying out the inspected container 2 from the inspection apparatus 1 . Each of the carry-in conveyor 3 and the carry-out conveyor 4 supports the container 2 from the bottom side with belts 3a and 4a as an example of a conveying body, and runs the belts 3a and 4a in the conveying direction indicated by the arrow F to move the container 2. transport. The container 2 is transported in an upright state, that is, placed on the belts 3a, 4a with the bottle bottom down. However, the form of the container 2 during transportation is not necessarily limited to the upright state. The container 2 may be transported horizontally or in any other appropriate manner.

The carry-in conveyor 3 and the carry-out conveyor 4 are configured to convey the containers 2 along a linear path. The conveying surfaces of the conveyors 3 and 4, that is, the upper surfaces of the belts 3a and 4a are horizontal, and the height from the installation surface of the inspection apparatus 1 (for example, the floor surface of the inspection place) to the conveying surface is constant. However, as long as the carrying-in conveyor 3 can carry the container 2 into the inspection device 1, it may be configured to include a non-straight section or an inclined section in part thereof. Similarly, the carry-out conveyor 4 may be configured to include a non-straight section or a sloped section as long as the container 2 can be carried out from the inspection apparatus 1 .

The inspection device 1 has a housing 10 . The housing 10 is made of a metal material or the like having a high X-ray shielding effect, and functions as a shielding container that suppresses leakage of X-rays to the outside of the inspection apparatus 1 . The housing 10 includes, for example, a base 11 that is installed on an installation surface such as a floor, and a housing 12 that covers the base 11 from above. The housing 12 is provided with a carry-in port 15 for carrying the container 2 into the inspection device 1 and a carry-out port 16 for carrying the container 2 out of the inspection device 1 . The outlet 16 is shown in FIG. 2, where the outlet 16 is hidden behind it in FIG. The carry-in conveyor 3 and the carry-out conveyor 4 are provided so as to somewhat enter the inside of the housing 10 from the carry-in entrance 15 and the carry-out exit 16 . The carry-in port 15 and the carry-out port 16 are formed in a shape following the outer contour of the container 2, preferably in a shape similar to the outer contour of the container 2, in order to limit the gap as small as possible when the container 2 passes through. ing. The shape and size of the carry-in port 15 and the carry-out port 16 can be changed to accommodate containers 2 having different shapes and sizes. An example of a configuration for enabling changes in shape and the like will be described later.

As also shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the housing 10, the carry-in conveyor 3 and the carry-out conveyor 4 are arranged apart from each other so that an inspection area A is provided between them. In other words, a single conveyor that conveys containers 2 linearly in a horizontal plane is separated into an input conveyor 3 and an output conveyor 4, and an inspection area A is set between them. An X-ray source 20 for irradiating the container 2 with X-rays is provided above the inspection area A, and a detector 21 for detecting X-rays transmitted through the container 2 is provided below the inspection area A. ing. The X-ray irradiation direction from the X-ray source 20 is vertically downward as indicated by an arrow B. As shown in FIG. As is clear from FIG. 4, the detector 21 has, as an example, a detection surface 21a that extends in the conveying direction of the container 2 and in the depth direction (vertical direction in FIG. 4) perpendicular to the conveying direction in the horizontal plane. , an area sensor type detector in which a detection range is set two-dimensionally within the detection surface 21a. The detection range is a range in which elements for detecting X-rays are arranged, and the detection surface 21 a is a surface facing the X-ray source 20 . Instead of the area sensor type detector, a line sensor type detector whose X-ray detection range is one-dimensionally extended in the depth direction orthogonal to the conveying direction (for example, a detector 21A in FIG. 9 described later). ) may be used.

The X-ray source 20 and the detector 21 retreat from the transport range C of the container 2 (the upper and lower ends thereof are indicated by a pair of chain double-dashed lines in FIG. 3) so as not to interfere with the container 2 passing through the housing 10. Let it be arranged. As an example, the X-ray source 20 is spaced upward from the transport range C, and the detector 21 is spaced downward from the transport range C. The lower end of the conveying range C is level with the upper surfaces of the belts 3a and 4a of the conveyors 3 and 4, respectively. Therefore, the detection surface 21a of the detector 21 retreats somewhat below the height of the belts 3a, 4a.

An intermediate conveyor 22 is provided in the housing 10 as internal conveying means for conveying the container 2 from the carry-in conveyor 3 to the carry-out conveyor 4 via the inspection area A. As shown in FIG. The intermediate conveyor 22 is arranged so as not to interfere with detection of X-rays by the detector 21 , in other words, so as not to block X-rays from the X-ray source 20 that pass through the container 2 and travel to the detector 21 . 2 are sandwiched and held by a pair of belts 22a from the sides and conveyed. The carrying-in conveyor 3, the carrying-out conveyor 4, and the intermediate conveyor 22 are arranged so that their ends overlap each other in the conveying direction, and the belt 22a is driven to run in the conveying direction. Therefore, the container 2 carried in by the carry-in conveyor 3 is taken in between the belts 22a, passes through the inspection area A, reaches the carry-out conveyor 4, is released from between the belts 22a, and is carried out by the carry-out conveyor 4.

According to the intermediate conveyor 22, even if the container 2 cannot be supported by the detection surface 21a from the bottom side due to the detection surface 21a of the detector 21 retreating below the belts 3a and 4a, , the container 2 can be transported while floating from the detection surface 21a. Since the belts 22a do not exist above and below the container 2, there is no possibility that the belts 22a will interfere with the imaging of the X-ray transmission image of the container 2.

In the above example, the combination of the terminal end of the loading conveyor 3, the intermediate conveyor 22, and the starting end of the unloading conveyor 4 is the transport means for transporting the container 2 from the loading port 15 to the loading port 16 via the inspection area A. Serves as an example. However, the conveying means is not limited to such an example. For example, by extending the intermediate conveyor 22 to the inlet 15 and the outlet 16, the intermediate conveyor 22 may function independently as a conveying means.

A shielding material 25 is provided between the detector 21 in the housing 10 and the inlet 15 and the outlet 16 . The shielding material 25 is provided only in a range that does not protrude into the transport range C so as not to interfere with the containers 2 transported by the intermediate conveyor 22 . Specifically, the shielding members 25 are arranged at both ends of the detection surface 21a in the conveying direction and in a gap formed by the retreating of the detection surface 21a from the conveying range C. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the detection surface 21a of the detector 21 is irradiated with X-rays from the X-ray source 20, the surroundings of the inspection area A are compared as illustrated by arrows a, b, and c in the figure. X-rays are scattered over a wide area. Some of the X-rays (scattered X-rays indicated by arrows a and b as an example) may travel toward the entrance 15 or the exit 16 . In order to suppress the leakage of the X-rays from the entrance 15 and the exit 16, the shielding material 25 is positioned and sized so as to block the X-rays traveling from the detection surface 21a toward the entrance 15 and the exit 16. is defined.

As an example, as shown in FIG. 2, of the detection surface 21a, both ends in the transport direction of the range exposed to the X-ray source 20 side without being covered with the shielding material 25 are positioned at boundary positions P1 and P2, and at the outlet 16 side. X-rays from the boundary position P2 to the upper end of the carry-in port 15 and X-rays from the boundary position P1 on the side of the carry-in port 15 to the upper end of the carry-out port 16 are defined as limit X-rays R1 and R2, respectively. with respect to the horizontal plane are defined as critical tilt angles θ1 and θ2, X-rays that may scatter on the detection surface 21a and leak from the entrance 15 or the exit 16 are below the critical X-rays R1 and R2. X-rays traveling straight through the range. Therefore, if the height and position of the shielding material 25 are set so as to block the limit X-rays R1 and R2, the X-rays traveling straight from the detection surface 21a toward the entrance 15 or the exit 16 are blocked by the shielding material 25. , thereby suppressing leakage of X-rays from the carry-in port 15 and the carry-out port 16 . All the X-rays whose tilt angles with respect to the horizontal plane are smaller than the critical tilt angles θ1 and θ2 hit the shielding material 25 . X-rays whose inclination angles with respect to the horizontal plane are greater than the critical inclination angles θ1 and θ2 hit the shielding material 25 or hit the inner surface of the housing 10 even after passing above the shielding material 25 . In any case, the X-rays scattered on the detection surface 21a do not go straight toward the entrance 15 or the exit 16 and leak out of the apparatus.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, the shielding material 25 is provided so as to extend from one end to the other end of the detection surface 21a in the depth direction inside the housing 10 . Therefore, the X-rays scattered on the detection surface 21a, especially the X-rays scattered at an inclination angle smaller than the critical inclination angles θ1 and θ2, may pass the side of the shielding material 25 and leak from the entrance 15 or the exit 16. Nor. However, the dimensions and arrangement of the shielding material 25 in the depth direction may be appropriately set as long as the X-rays traveling toward the entrance 15 and the exit 16 can be blocked.

As described above, according to the inspection apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the shielding material 25 arranged on or near the detector 21 inside the housing 10 shields the X-rays traveling toward the entrance 15 and the exit 16. Therefore, shielding curtains are installed at the inlet 15 and the outlet 16, or a gradient is set in the conveying path of the conveying-in conveyor 3 and the conveying-out conveyor 4, or the conveying directions of both conveyors 3 and 4 are changed in the middle. Leakage of X-rays can be suppressed without taking countermeasures. Therefore, it is possible to enhance the adaptability of the inspection apparatus 1 to high-speed transportation of the container 2, or to reduce the size of the inspection apparatus 1, particularly to shorten the machine length in the transportation direction.

Since the shielding material 25 is arranged on or near the detection surface 21a, the shielding is large enough to be accommodated in the gap in the vertical direction (X-ray irradiation direction) generated between the carry-out range C and the detection surface 21a. It is possible to obtain a shielding effect capable of covering the entire surfaces of the entrance 15 and the exit 16 while restricting the material 25 . If the shielding material 25 is arranged in the vicinity of the inlet 15 and the outlet 16, the size of the shielding material 25 must be increased to a level comparable to that of the inlet 15 and the outlet 16. It becomes difficult to avoid the interference of On the other hand, according to the arrangement of the shielding material 25 in this embodiment, it is possible to avoid such inconvenience.

The X-ray shielding effect of the shielding material 25 does not necessarily have to be such that the X-rays traveling toward the entrance 15 and the exit 16 are completely blocked. The shielding effect of the shielding material 25 may be appropriately set as long as the amount of X-rays leaked from the entrance 15 and the exit 16 can be reduced to a practically acceptable range. When the shielding material 25 is referred to as "shielding X-rays", it means that the amount of X-rays directed to the entrance 15 and the exit 16 can be significantly reduced compared to when the shielding material 25 is not provided. In other words, the shielding material 25 is not limited to an example that completely blocks X-rays, and may block the passage of X-rays to the necessary extent.

In the inspection apparatus 1, conventional leakage countermeasures, such as shielding curtains, imparting gradients to the conveying path, and changing the conveying direction, are not necessarily eliminated. Depending on the environment in which the inspection device 1 is used and the specifications required for the inspection device 1, conventional leakage countermeasures such as installation of shielding curtains may be used together.

Next, specific examples of the dimensions and arrangement of the shielding material 25 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, h is the height of the shielding material 25 from the detection surface 21a of the detector 21, d is the thickness of the shielding material 25 in the conveying direction, and D is the interval between the shielding materials 25. The inclination angle of the line segment X connecting the limit position P2 and the upper end Pu of the inlet 15 (equal to the course of the limit X-ray R1 in FIG. 2) with respect to the horizontal plane is θ1, and the transport direction from the limit position P2 to the inlet 15 is Let L be the distance and H be the height of the entrance 15 . The shielding member 25 is arranged equidistantly in the conveying direction with respect to a perpendicular line N passing through the center of the detection surface 21a. That is, the distance from the perpendicular line N to the shielding material 25 is D/2. It is assumed that the X-rays from the X-ray source 20 (FIGS. 2 and 3) are emitted with the vertical line N as the axis. In this example, if D=100 mm and H=200 mm, the distance L can be kept within 800 mm if the height h of the shielding member 25 is 25 mm. If the detector 21 is of a line sensor type that extends only in the depth direction with a constant length, the distance D between the shielding members 25 is shortened, and accordingly the height h and the distance L of the shielding members 25 are further shortened. It is possible to

The material and thickness d of the shielding material 25 may be appropriately set according to the required degree of X-ray shielding effect. For example, if the shielding member 25 is made of a material having a high shielding effect such as lead or tungsten, it is advantageous in reducing the thickness d. Even when a material such as iron or stainless steel is used, depending on the X-ray irradiation conditions, if the thickness d is set to about 10 mm to 20 mm, X-rays can be blocked to a practically sufficient extent.

Next, an example of a configuration for changing the shape and size of the carry-in port 15 and the carry-out port 16 will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, although the carry-in port 15 is illustrated in FIG. 7, the carry-out port 16 is the same. At the timing when the container 2 passes through the carry-in port 15 and the carry-out port 16, the opening areas of the carry-in port 15 and the carry-out port 16 are narrowed by the container 2, and shielding of X-rays by the container 2 itself can be expected to some extent. However, even in this case, since gaps remain between the inlet 15 and the outlet 16 and the container 2, it is desirable to reduce the gaps as much as possible in order to suppress leakage of X-rays. On the other hand, the shape and size of the container 2 to be inspected by the inspection device 1 are not always constant. Therefore, the optimal shape and size of the carry-in port 15 and the carry-out port 16 cannot be uniquely determined. Under these circumstances, it is desirable that the inspection apparatus 1 employ a configuration in which the inlet 15 and the outlet 16 can be changed according to the shape and size of the container 2 . FIG. 7 shows an example of such a configuration.

In the example of FIG. 7, an opening 12b is formed in the wall portion 12a of the housing 12 of the housing 10 on the inlet 15 side. The opening 12b is for forming the carry-in port 15. As shown in FIG. The opening 12b may be of a size necessary for taking in the carry-in conveyor 3 and allowing all of the various containers 2 to be inspected by the inspection apparatus 1 to pass through. On the other hand, the housing 10 is provided with a plurality of opening restricting panels 30 as an example of an opening restricting member for narrowing the opening 12b to define the shape and size of the entrance 15 . A plurality of opening restricting panels 30 are provided corresponding to each of the carry-in port 15 and the carry-out port 16 . The opening restricting panel 30 is a component separate from the housing 12 and can be selectively attached to the housing 12 on the inlet 15 side and the outlet 16 side. Mounting means such as bolts 31 may be used to mount the opening limiting panel 30 . Note that the mounting means is not limited to the example using the bolt 31 . An insertion-type mounting structure, a snap-fit, a mounting structure using elasticity such as a clip, or the like may be employed as appropriate.

A loading port 15 is formed in each of the opening limiting panels 30 corresponding to the loading port 15 . The shape and size of the loading openings 15 of the opening restricting panels 30 are differentiated to fit different containers 2 from each other. However, the opening restricting panel 30 and the type of container 2 do not necessarily need to be associated one-to-one. A single opening restricting panel 30 may be used to accommodate multiple types of containers 2 that are similar in shape and size. In addition, at least one of the shape and size of the inlets 15 of the respective opening restricting panels 30 should be different. For example, between the opening limiting panels 30, the inlets 15 may have similar shapes but different sizes, or between the opening limiting panels 30, the inlets 15 may have the same width and height but the same shape. may be different.

According to the above configuration, by selecting the opening limiting panel 30 having the loading port 15 suitable for the shape and size of the container 2 to be inspected and attaching it to the housing 12, the housing 10 can be loaded. The shape and size of the mouth 15 can be appropriately changed according to various containers 2 . The same configuration can be applied to the outlet 16 as well. The carry-in port 15 and the carry-out port 16 may have the same shape and size, or may be differentiated. In the former case, a single opening restricting panel 30 can be used as the opening restricting panel 30 for forming either the inlet 15 or the outlet 16 . Therefore, two opening limiting panels 30 of the same shape and size should be prepared and attached to the entrance 15 side or the exit 16 side of the housing 10 without distinguishing between them.

Note that the means for changing the shape or size of the loading port 15 and the loading port 16 is not limited to the example of using the opening limiting panel 30 that can be selectively attached to the housing 10 . For example, by providing an adjustment mechanism capable of adjusting the position and shape of each of the carry-in port 15 and the carry-out port 16 and operating the adjustment mechanism according to the shape and size of the container 2, the carry-in port 15 and the carry-out port 16 can be adjusted. may be changeable in shape and size.

FIG. 8 shows an example in which a restricting plate 33 as an example of diaphragm means for restricting the irradiation range of X-rays is arranged between the X-ray source 20 and the detector 21 . The spread of X-rays emitted from the X-ray source 20 is restricted by the opening 33a of the restricting plate 33 . As a result, the irradiation range IR of the X-rays from the X-ray source 20 is narrowed down to substantially coincide with the detection surface 21a. The shielding member 25 is desirably installed outside the irradiation range IR in order to prevent scattering of X-rays, and it is preferable to set the distance D between the shielding members 25 in consideration of this point.

FIG. 9 shows an example using a line sensor type detector 21A instead of the area sensor type detector 21 shown in FIG. In this case, the opening 33b of the regulating plate 33 is set in a slit-like shape along the longitudinal direction of the detector 21A, and the irradiation range IR is also much narrower in the conveying direction of the container 2 than in the example of FIG. Therefore, it is possible to greatly reduce the interval D of the shielding material 25 in the conveying direction, and accordingly the height h of the shielding material 25 is also reduced. Therefore, when the line sensor type detector 21A is used, it is advantageous for shortening the length of the inspection apparatus 1 in the conveying direction.

In the above embodiment, the intermediate conveyor 22 sandwiches and holds the container 2 from the side so as not to interfere with the detection of the X-rays that pass through the container 2, and conveys the container. Not exclusively. The conveying means can be appropriately modified as long as it can convey the container 2 without interfering with the detection of the X-rays passing through the container 2 as the subject by the detectors 21 and 21A. Whether the detection of X-rays is hindered may be determined by whether or not there is substantially no problem with the detection of X-rays by the detectors 21 and 21A. It does not necessarily have to be completely off. Therefore, the support form of the container 2 is not necessarily limited to the form in which the container 2 is held from the side with respect to the X-ray irradiation direction. For example, the conveying means may be configured such that a support having a relatively small cross-sectional area such as a wire is used to support and convey the container 2 from the bottom side. A transport means may be used in which the container 2 is transported by moving the transport body while taking the container 2 into a spiral groove or pocket of the transport body.

In the above embodiment, the X-ray source 20 is arranged above the inspection area A, and the detectors 21 and 21A are arranged below the inspection area A. However, the arrangement of the X-ray source 20 and the detectors 21 and 21A is not limited to such an example. . The X-ray source 20 and the detectors 21 and 21A should be arranged so as to irradiate the container 2 in the inspection area A with X-rays and detect the X-rays that have passed through the container 2, and not protrude into the transport range C. Just do it. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the X-ray source 20 may be arranged below the inspection area A, and the detector 21 may be arranged above the inspection area A so as to retreat from the transport range C, respectively. Even in this case, a shielding material 25 is provided between the detector 21 and the inlet 15 and the outlet 16 so as to block the X-ray source that scatters on the detector 21 and travels toward the inlet 15 and the outlet 16 . , the size of the inspection apparatus 1 can be reduced while suppressing leakage of X-rays in the same manner as in the above embodiment. Alternatively, an X-ray source and a detector may be arranged opposite to the inspection area A in the depth direction of the inspection apparatus 1 to irradiate the X-rays horizontally, or the X-rays may cross the inspection area A obliquely. The X-ray source and detector may be arranged in this manner. In the case of horizontally irradiating X-rays, the transport means can be configured to transport the subject while supporting it from the bottom side. For example, the intermediate conveyor 22 may be omitted in the above embodiment, and the loading conveyor 3 and the unloading conveyor 4 may be configured as an integrated conveyor without being separated.

In the above embodiment, the pair of shielding members 25 are arranged on both sides of the detectors 21 and 21A in the conveying direction. do not have. For example, a frame-shaped or ring-shaped integrated shielding material may be arranged so as to surround the detection surface 21a.

Various aspects of the present invention derived from each of the embodiments and modifications described above are described below. In the following description, in order to facilitate understanding of each aspect of the present invention, the corresponding components illustrated in the accompanying drawings are added in parentheses, but the present invention is thereby limited to the illustrated form. not something.

An X-ray inspection apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is an X-ray inspection apparatus (1) for inspecting a subject (2) using X-rays, comprising an entrance (15) and an exit ( 16), an X-ray source (20) for radiating X-rays to a subject positioned in an examination area (A) in the shielding vessel, and detecting X-rays transmitted through the subject. and a detector (21; 21A) that carries the subject from the carry-in port through the inspection region to the carry-out port in a predetermined conveying direction (F) so as not to interfere with detection of X-rays by the detector. transport means (3, 22, 4) for transporting the subject to the transport means (3, 22, 4), and the carry-in port and the A shielding material (25) provided between the detector in the shielding container and the loading port and the loading port so as to block X-rays scattered toward the loading port. be.

According to the X-ray inspection apparatus of the aspect described above, X-rays scattered on the detection surface and directed toward the entrance and the exit are shielded by the shielding material in the shielding container, thereby preventing X-rays from the entrance and the exit. Leakage can be suppressed. By reducing the dependence on conventional leakage countermeasures such as covering the entrance and exit with a shielding curtain, or making a slope on the conveying path in the shielded container and changing the conveying direction in the shielded container midway, Adaptability to high-speed transportation can be improved, or the machine length in the transportation direction can be shortened to achieve miniaturization.

In the above aspect, the detector is provided so that the detection surface is set back in the irradiation direction (B) of the X-rays relative to the transport range, and the shielding material is positioned between the transport range and the detection surface with respect to the irradiation direction. may be located between the surfaces. According to this, by providing the shielding material in the gap formed by retreating the detection surface of the detector from the transport range, the shielding material can be brought closer to the location where the X-rays are scattered, thereby reducing the size of the shielding material. can be done.

The transport means may include an internal transport means (22) that transports the subject while holding it from a side in the X-ray irradiation direction in the examination area. According to this, since the internal transport means does not substantially block the X-rays emitted from the X-ray source and transmitted through the subject, the possibility that the internal transport means interferes with the detection of the X-rays is eliminated. can be eliminated.

The internal conveying means may be provided so as to hold and convey the subject from the sides with respect to the irradiation direction with a pair of belts (22a) running in the conveying direction. According to this, by sandwiching the subject between the pair of belts, it is possible to convey the subject in a state that does not hinder the detection of X-rays.

The conveying means includes a carry-in conveyor (3) for carrying in the subject from the carry-in entrance and a carry-out conveyor (4) for carrying out the subject from the carry-out opening, and the internal conveying means comprises the carry-in conveyor. may be provided to transport the specimen from the outlet conveyor to the unloading conveyor. According to this, the subject can be transported from the carry-in conveyor to the carry-out conveyor via the internal transport means inside the shielding container. The internal conveying means may be provided with a conveying length necessary for passing through the inspection area, and it is possible to shorten the section for conveying while holding the subject from the side.

The shielding material may be provided outside the irradiation range (IR) of the X-rays. According to this, it is possible to prevent the scattering caused by the irradiation of the shielding material with the X-rays, and to more reliably suppress the leakage of the X-rays.

A diaphragm means (33) for limiting the irradiation range may be further provided. According to this, it is possible to eliminate the possibility that the irradiation range of X-rays unnecessarily widens in the transport direction, and to reduce the irradiation range in the transport direction. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the distance between the shielding members in the transport direction while arranging the shielding members outside the irradiation range, thereby shortening the length of the apparatus in the transport direction.

As the detector, a line sensor type detector (21A) having a detection range of the X-rays one-dimensionally extended in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction may be provided. According to this, the width of the detection surface in the conveying direction can be minimized, which is extremely advantageous in shortening the interval between the shielding members in the conveying direction and shortening the machine length in the same direction.

Each of the carry-in port and the carry-out port may be formed in a shape that follows the outer contour of the subject. According to this, it is possible to reduce the gap when the subject passes through the inlet and the outlet, and to suppress the leakage of X-rays from the gap.

At least one of the shape and size of the inlet and the outlet may be changeable. According to this, even if the shape and size of the subject change, the shape and size of the entrance and exit are adapted accordingly, and the entrance and exit and the subject when the subject passes through are adjusted accordingly. A small gap can be maintained with the specimen.

The shielding container narrows the opening (12b) for providing the inlet and the outlet so as to define the shape and size of the inlet and the outlet. a plurality of opening restricting members (30) selectively attachable to each side of the inlet, wherein the inlet has at least one of shape and size between the aperture restricting members attachable to the inlet. may be differentiated, and at least one of the shape and size of the outlet may be differentiated between the opening restricting members attachable to the outlet. According to this, it is possible to appropriately maintain the shape and size of the loading port and the loading port by appropriately replacing the opening restricting member in response to changes in the shape and size of the subject.

1 X-ray inspection device 2 container (subject)
3 carry-in conveyor 4 take-out conveyor 10 housing (shielding container)
12 housing 12b housing opening 15 inlet 16 outlet 20 X-ray source 21 area sensor type detector 21A line sensor type detector 21a detection surface 22 intermediate conveyor (internal conveying means)
25 Shielding material 30 Opening limiting panel (opening limiting member)
33 regulation plate (throttle means)

Claims (11)

An X-ray inspection apparatus for inspecting a subject using X-rays,
a shielding container having an inlet and an outlet for the subject;
an X-ray source that emits X-rays to a subject located in an examination area within the shielding container; and a detector that detects X-rays that have passed through the subject;
a conveying means for conveying the subject in a predetermined conveying direction from the carry-in port to the carry-out port through the examination region without hindering detection of X-rays by the detector;
X-rays scattered from the detection surface of the detector toward the loading port and the loading port are blocked so as not to protrude into the transportation range of the subject by the transportation means. a shielding material provided between the detector and the entrance and the exit;
An X-ray inspection device with The detector is provided such that the detection surface is set back in the X-ray irradiation direction relative to the transport range, and the shielding material is positioned between the transport range and the detection surface with respect to the irradiation direction. An X-ray inspection apparatus according to claim 1. 3. The X-ray inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transport means includes internal transport means for transporting said subject while holding it from a side of said X-ray irradiation direction in said inspection area. 4. The X-ray inspection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the internal conveying means is provided so as to hold and convey the subject from a side with respect to the irradiation direction by a pair of belts running in the conveying direction. . The conveying means includes a carry-in conveyor that carries in the subject from the carry-in entrance and a carry-out conveyor that carries out the subject from the carry-out opening. 5. An X-ray inspection apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, arranged to transport a subject. The X-ray inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the shielding material is provided outside the irradiation range of the X-rays. 7. The X-ray inspection apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising diaphragm means for limiting said irradiation range. 8. The X-ray inspection according to claim 6, wherein the detector is a line sensor type detector whose X-ray detection range is one-dimensionally extended in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. Device. The X-ray inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein each of said carry-in port and said carry-out port is formed in a shape following the outer contour of said subject. 10. The X-ray inspection apparatus according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the shape and size of the carry-in port and the carry-out port can be changed. The shielding container narrows the openings for providing the carry-in port and the carry-out port to define the shape and size of the carry-in port and the carry-out port, respectively. A plurality of opening limiting members selectively attachable to the
At least one of the shape and size of the carry-in opening is differentiated between the opening restricting members attachable to the carry-in opening, 11. The X-ray inspection apparatus according to claim 10, wherein at least one of shape and size is differentiated.

Images