JP3779957B2 - X-ray foreign object detection device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, for example, irradiates X-rays while conveying inspection objects of various varieties such as raw meat, fish, processed foods, and medicines with a conveying means, and removes foreign matter in the inspection objects from the amount of X-ray transmission. The present invention relates to an X-ray foreign object detection device for detection. In particular, the object to be inspected is transported by the transport means to enter and exit the housing of the apparatus, but safety is ensured that X-rays do not leak accidentally through the opening cover for shielding provided at the opening of the housing for the object to enter and exit. The present invention relates to an X-ray foreign object detection device that is detachable with a simple structure.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, X-rays are used to detect foreign substances (metal, bone, glass, stone, synthetic resin, etc.) in inspected items (including the surface) of various varieties such as raw meat, fish, processed foods, and medicines. A foreign object detection device is used. FIG. 7 shows an example of such an X-ray foreign object detection apparatus, which is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below.
[0003]
An opening 200a having a total of three openings, a front surface and front and rear surfaces in the transport direction, is formed at a substantially central portion of the housing 200 of the X-ray foreign object detection device. It is fixed as possible. The front and front and back surfaces of the conveying means 201 are covered with covers 202, 203, and 204, respectively, to shield X-rays. The cover 204 can be opened and closed as indicated by arrows in the figure. Further, the conveying means 201 itself has a shielding function, and shields X-rays from the lower part. If the X-ray shielding sheet cannot be provided inside the device due to the type of object to be weighed, the transport means 201 and the covers 202, 203, 204 are replaced with ones having a predetermined transport length that attenuates X-rays. be able to. In addition, when other devices are already installed at the front and rear stages of the X-ray foreign object detection device, the covers 202 and 203 protrude onto the conveyors of the front and rear devices, so that X-ray leakage is prevented. The The conveying means 201 is a device for conveying an object to be inspected by rotating an endless belt between a plurality of rollers, and roller supports for supporting the rollers at both ends in the conveying direction. There are frames 201a and 201a, and these two roller support frames 201a and 201a are structured to be detachable from the frame 201b of the main body. When the roller support frame 201a is removed, an opening is formed in a part of the casing 200 where the roller support frame 201a is located, and X-ray leakage cannot be prevented in that part.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-82070
5 and 6 show the X-ray foreign object detection apparatus 100 having the basic structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above. FIG. 5 shows a front view (a) and a side view (b). FIG. 6 is a front view showing a state in which the roller support frame 115 of the conveying means of the X-ray foreign matter detection apparatus is detached. An X-ray generation means 103 is provided on the upper side of the casing 101 of this type of X-ray foreign object detection apparatus 100, and an X-ray detection means 105 is provided on the lower side thereof. Conveying means 107 is provided. An inlet opening 109 and an outlet opening 111 are formed on a pair of side surfaces of the casing 101 so that an object to be inspected conveyed by the conveying means 107 enters and exits. The front opening 123 of the housing 101 is provided with an openable / closable transport means cover 113 that covers the transport means 107.
[0006]
The object to be inspected is transported by the transport means 107 and enters the housing 101 through the entrance opening 109 of the housing 101, and X-rays irradiated downward from the X-ray generation means 103 during transporting the housing 101 are inspected. It passes through the inspection object and is detected by the X-ray detection means 105, thereby detecting foreign matter in the inspection object. The object to be inspected is carried out of the housing 101 by the conveying means 107 from the outlet opening 111 of the housing 101. When it is desired to clean the inside of the casing 101 or the conveying means 107 in the casing 101, the conveying means cover 113 is opened to open the front opening 123 of the casing 101.
[0007]
Further, the roller support frame 115 that constitutes a part of the conveying means 107 has been conventionally removable as shown in FIG. 6 for cleaning. That is, the roller support frame 115 is detachably attached to a protrusion 117 protruding from the conveying means 107 by engaging a locking hole (Dalma hole) 119.
[0008]
The transport means cover 113 is provided with a safety switch 121. The safety switch 121 is for an operating body (not shown) on the transport means cover 113 to contact and actuate an actuator (not shown) when the housing 101 is closed, thereby opening and closing the contact. However, only when the front opening 123 of the housing 101 was closed, the X-ray irradiation control circuit was in an operable state.
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, when the roller support frame 115 is removed from the housing 101, the opening 125 (see FIG. 6) remains unshielded at the outer lower part of the inlet opening 109 and the outlet opening 111, and the apparatus is operated in this state. , X-ray leaks and is dangerous. The roller support frame 115 that constitutes a part of the conveying means 107 shields the unshielded opening 125 of the casing 101 by itself. If this is removed, X-rays may leak from the opening 125. Occurs. Therefore, an X-ray leakage area exceeding the standard value is required, which is not preferable for safety.
[0010]
In contrast, it may be possible to provide a safety switch for the attachment / detachment notification dedicated to the roller support frame separately from the safety switch 121 of the transport means cover 113, but the addition of a new safety switch and the modification of the existing X-ray irradiation control circuit may be possible. There was a problem that was necessary and costly.
[0011]
The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and even in a structure in which a roller support frame constituting a part of the conveying means is detachable, safety can be ensured without providing a separate safety switch. An object of the present invention is to provide a linear foreign object detection device and to improve safety at low cost.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Next, means for solving the above problems will be described with reference to the drawings corresponding to the embodiments.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, the X-ray foreign object detection device 1 includes a detachable roller support frame 23 at both ends and a conveying means 11 for conveying an object to be inspected and a space at least above the conveying means 11. In addition, the shield housing 3 formed with the front opening 13 on the front side and the opening 125 shielded by the roller support frame 23 of the transport unit 11 cannot be mounted without the roller support frame mounted. In this way, the conveyance means cover 15 that is held by the roller support frame and shields the front opening 13 of the shielding housing 3 so as to be openable and closable, and the X-ray that irradiates the inspection object conveyed by the conveyance means 11 with X-rays Generating means 9, X-ray detection means 19 for detecting the presence or absence of foreign matter in the inspection object by detecting X-rays transmitted through the inspection object conveyed by the conveyance means 11, and the conveyance And having a detecting means 17 for outputting a signal by detecting the open or closed state of the stage cover 15.
[0013]
In the X-ray foreign object detection device 1, the transport unit cover 15 cannot be mounted in a state where the roller support frame 23 is detached from the transport unit 11. As a result, the transport means cover 15 is not closed, and the detection means 17 functions to make the operation of the X-ray foreign object detection device 1 impossible. Therefore, in a state in which the roller support frame 23 is not attached to the conveying means 11 (that is, in a state where the opening 125 is clear without being shielded by the shielding housing 3), the X-ray foreign object detection device 1 operates and X-rays are emitted. There is no risk of leakage.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an X-ray foreign object detection device according to the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an external view of the X-ray foreign object detection device according to the present invention as viewed from the front and (b) is a front view, and FIG. 2 is a roller support frame of the X-ray foreign object detection device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the roller support frame 23 and the conveying means cover 15.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 1, the X-ray foreign material detection apparatus 1 has a housing 3 as an apparatus main body. The housing 3 is formed using a radiation protection material so that a harmful amount of X-rays from the inside does not leak to the outside. Both the left and right sides and the front surface of the housing 3 are penetrated to form an entrance opening 5, an exit opening 7, and a front surface opening 13 for the inspection object.
[0016]
Inside the housing 3, a conveying means 11 is provided below the X-ray generation means 9 so as to penetrate the inlet opening 5 and the outlet opening 7. The conveyance hand throw 11 includes a central base frame 40, a pair of roller support frames 23 and 23 detachably attached to both ends of the base frame 40, and a roller 41 provided on the roller support frame 23, and drives this And a non-illustrated motor and an endless conveyance belt wound around a roller. The transport means 3 itself also has a shielding function and shields X-rays from the lower part.
[0017]
A conveying means cover 15 for opening and closing the front opening 13 is provided in the front opening 13 on the front side of the housing 3 so as to be opened and closed. If the transport means cover 15 is opened, the transport means 11 can be approached and easy cleaning can be performed. The transport means cover 15 has a safety switch 17 as a detection means. When the safety switch 17 is opened, the safety switch 17 operates to stop the operation of an X-ray irradiation control circuit (not shown) so that X-rays are not emitted.
[0018]
The X-ray generation means 9 provided in the upper part of the housing 3 irradiates X-rays downward. The form of X-rays irradiated by the X-ray generation means 9 is a plane shape orthogonal to the transport direction of the transport means 11, and the plane is a substantially triangular shape spreading downward.
[0019]
A base frame 40 of the housing 3 in contact with the transport belt is disposed on the lower surface of the upper transport belt (not shown) of the transport means 11, and the base frame 40 has an X-ray detection means 19 inside. The X-ray detection means 19 includes a slit (not shown) formed along a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the transport means 11 corresponding to the planar X-ray from the X-ray generation means 9 and a lower portion of the slit. A plurality of detection elements (not shown) are arranged. The X-ray detection means 19 detects X-rays irradiated from the X-ray generation means 9 and transmitted through the inspection object to detect the presence or absence of foreign matter in the inspection object.
[0020]
Side covers 21 and 21 are provided on both side surfaces of the housing 3. The side covers 21 and 21 are integrated with the housing 3 to form a shielding housing. The side cover 21 is formed in an L shape by the flange portion 21a and the rear wall portion 21b, and is provided along the upper side portion and the rear side portion of the inlet opening 5 and the outlet opening 7. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a leakage prevention ridge 22 that covers the inlet opening 5 and the outlet opening 7 and allows the inspected object to pass therethrough is provided on the ridge portion 21 a of the side cover 21.
[0021]
Therefore, the lower surfaces of the side covers 21 and 21 are opened. A roller support frame 23 that is a constituent member of the transport unit 11 is located in the opened portion. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the frame 23 is engaged with protrusions 25, 25 projecting from the conveying means 11 (or the base frame 40 of the conveying means 11) with locking holes (Dalma holes) 26, 26. And is detachably attached. Therefore, with the roller support frame 23 removed, the lower surface of the side cover 21 is opened as an opening 125 as shown in FIG.
[0022]
Therefore, in the X-ray foreign object detection device 1 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the roller support frame 23 is provided with a protrusion 27 for holding the conveying means cover 15. A locking hole 28 of the conveying means cover 15 is locked to the protrusion 27. In other words, the roller support frame 23 is mounted on the transport unit 11 via the protrusion 25, and the transport unit cover 15 is mounted on the mounted roller support frame 23 via the protrusion 27. Therefore, the transport means cover 15 cannot be attached with the roller support frame 23 removed. As a result, the safety switch 17 of the transport means cover 15 functions so that the operation of the apparatus becomes impossible when the roller support frame 23 is removed.
[0023]
Thus, according to the X-ray foreign object detection device 1 described above, the transport unit cover 15 cannot be mounted in a state where the roller support frame 23 is not mounted. As a result, the transport means cover 15 is not closed, the safety switch 17 functions, and the X-ray foreign substance detection apparatus 1 cannot perform the X-ray irradiation operation. Therefore, in a state where the roller support frame 23 is not mounted (that is, a state where the lower opening 125 shown in FIG. 2 is not shielded), there is no risk that the X-ray leaks due to the operation of the apparatus.
[0024]
Further, in the X-ray foreign object detection device 1 according to the present embodiment, since the roller support frame 23 itself is an X-ray shielding member, there is no need to separately provide an X-ray shielding cover below the roller support frame. The next conveyor can be arranged immediately below the X-ray foreign object detection device 1 to receive the inspection object dropped and transported to the next stage.
[0025]
Next, another embodiment of the X-ray foreign object detection device according to the present invention will be described.
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an X-ray foreign object detection device according to another embodiment. In addition, the same code | symbol shall be attached | subjected to the member and site | part equivalent to the member and site | part shown in FIGS. 1-3, and the overlapping description shall be abbreviate | omitted.
In the X-ray foreign object detection device 31 according to this embodiment, the shielding housing is the entire housing 33 and does not have the side cover 21 described above. That is, the side cover 21 and the housing 3 are integrated. An inlet opening 35 and an outlet opening 37 are formed on both side surfaces 33a and 33a of the housing 33 so that an object to be inspected conveyed by the conveying means 107 enters and exits. The front face has an opening on the front face, and is provided with a transfer means cover that can be opened and closed.
[0026]
The carriage 33 is provided inside the housing 33, and the roller support frame 23 is detachably attached to the conveyance means 11 by the same structure as described above. The roller support frame 23 attached to the conveying means 11 is exposed on the side surface portions 33 a and 33 a of the housing 33. Therefore, when the roller support frame 23 is detached, the opening 125 is opened in the side surfaces 33a and 33a of the housing 33.
[0027]
Therefore, the roller support frame 23 is provided with a protrusion 27 for holding the transport means cover 15. That is, the roller support frame 23 is mounted on the transport unit 11 and the transport unit cover 15 is mounted on the mounted roller support frame 23. Accordingly, the conveying means cover 15 cannot be attached in a state where the roller support frame 23 is removed. As a result, the safety switch 17 of the transport means cover 15 functions so that the operation of the apparatus becomes impossible when the roller support frame 23 is removed.
[0028]
According to the X-ray foreign object detection device 31 according to this embodiment, in the casing 33 that does not have the side cover 21, the transport unit cover 15 cannot be mounted in a state where the roller support frame 23 is not mounted on the transport unit 11. The safety switch 17 functions, and the X-ray irradiation operation becomes impossible. Therefore, in a state where the roller support frame 23 is not attached, the apparatus does not operate and there is no danger of X-ray leakage.
[0029]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the X-ray foreign object detection device of the present invention, the conveying means housed in the shielding housing has a detachable roller support frame as a part thereof, and this roller support frame is a housing. At the position facing the opening of the body, the opening is shielded. And the conveyance means cover which covers the front opening of the shielding housing so as to be opened and closed is detachably attached to the roller support frame. Since the opening / closing state of the conveying means cover is detected by the detecting means, the conveying means cover cannot be attached in a state where the roller support frame is not attached to the shielding housing. Cannot be operated. Therefore, when the opening is not shielded, the apparatus does not operate and there is no danger of X-ray leakage. As a result, even when the frame is detachable, safety can be ensured without providing a separate detection means (safety switch or the like), and safety can be improved at low cost.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external view of an X-ray foreign object detection device according to the present invention, which is a front view and a side view (b).
FIG. 2 is a front view of the X-ray foreign object detection device according to the present invention with a frame attached and detached.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a frame and a transport unit cover.
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an X-ray foreign object detection device according to another embodiment.
FIGS. 5A and 5B are external views of a conventional X-ray foreign object detection device as shown in FIG.
FIG. 6 is a front view showing a state in which a frame of a conventional X-ray foreign object detection device is detached.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional X-ray foreign object detection device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 31 ... X-ray foreign material detection apparatus 3, 31 ... Shielding housing 9 ... X-ray generation means 11 ... Conveyance means 15 ... Conveyance means cover 17 ... Safety switch (detection means)
19 ... X-ray detection means 23 ... Roller support frame 125 ... Opening

Claims (1)

A transporting means (11) for transporting an object to be inspected with detachable roller support frames (23) at both ends;
A shielding housing (3) that shields at least the space above the conveying means and has a front opening (13) on the front side and an opening (125) shielded by the roller support frame of the conveying means; ,
A transport means cover (15) that is held by the roller support frame so as not to be mounted in a state where the roller support frame is not mounted and shields the front opening of the shielding housing so as to be opened and closed;
X-ray generation means (9) for irradiating the inspection object conveyed by the conveyance means with X-rays;
X-ray detection means (19) for detecting X-rays transmitted through the inspection object conveyed by the conveying means and detecting the presence or absence of foreign matter in the inspection object;
Detecting means (17) for detecting an open / closed state of the conveying means cover and outputting a signal;
X-ray foreign object detection device (1) having

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