JPH06138299A - Radiation shuttering device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a shuttering device which can reduce the irradiation time of a sample. CONSTITUTION:As a primary X-ray B1 is emitted from an X-ray tube 1, firing pins 9 are operated one after another to project projectile shutters 11i one after another. After the first projectile shutter 111 discharged shuts the primary X-ray B1 for a very short time, a sample 2 is irradiated with the primary X-ray B1 and then the second projectile shutter 112 goes toward the optical path of the primary X-ray BI. Thus, the projectile shutters 11i are projected one after another and the sample 2 is irradiated with the primary X-ray B1 only for a time equivalent to the interval S between the projectile shutters 11i.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a radiation shutter device used in, for example, an X-ray diffractometer or a fluorescent X-ray analyzer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An X-ray analyzer irradiates a sample with radiation such as primary X-rays, and diffracts X-rays or fluorescent X-rays generated from the sample.
It is a device that detects lines and analyzes the element and composition of the sample.
When microorganisms are used as a sample by using such an analyzer, when the sample is continuously irradiated with radiation, the microorganisms are invaded by the strong energy of the radiation. Therefore, the shutter is driven by a motor or the like, or the voltage is applied to the X-ray tube or the filament is turned on / off to irradiate the sample with the radiation for a very short time.

[0003]

However, in these methods, the operation speed is slow, and therefore the time during which the sample is irradiated with the radiation cannot be shortened.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a radiation shutter device which can shorten the time for which the sample is irradiated with radiation.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention of claim 1 is a shutter which is emitted in the optical path of radiation to block the radiation for a minute time, and an explosive which expels the shutter by exploding. It has and. On the other hand, the invention of claim 2 is provided with a shutter which is emitted to the optical path of the radiation and blocks the minute time radiation, and an air gun which emits the shutter by releasing the compressed air.

[0006]

According to the present invention, since the shutter operates by exploding explosive powder or releasing compressed air, the shutter speed can be increased.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, focusing on an example of fluorescent X-ray analysis. 1 and 2
Shows a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an X-ray tube 1 as a radiation source emits a primary X-ray (radiation) B1 and irradiates a sample 2 with the primary X-ray B1. The irradiated primary X-ray B1 excites the atoms of the sample 2 to generate fluorescent X-ray B2 specific to the element. The generated fluorescent X-ray B2 enters the X-ray detector 3 and is analyzed by an analyzer (not shown). As a result, the element concentration is known, and when the sample 2 is a microorganism, its state is known.

Next, the shutter device 4 will be described. The shutter device 4 includes a control device 5, a drive device 6 and a bullet cassette 7. The bullet cassette 7 is attachable to and detachable from the analyzer, and the primary X-ray B1
Are arranged so as to pass through the beryllium window 8a.

The bullet cassette 7 is provided with a large number of firing pins 9, a barrel 10, bullet shutters 11 ₁ and 11 _{2 to} 11 _n in a cassette case 8. The bullet shutter 11 _i is made of lead and is stored in the barrel 10.
As shown in FIG. 2A, the explosive 12 explodes and is emitted to the optical path of the primary X-ray B1 to block the primary X-ray B1 for a very short time.

The control device 5 shown in FIG. 1 outputs a drive command to the drive device 6 to control the timing of firing the bullet shutter 11 _i . The drive device 6 sequentially operates each filing pin 9 in response to a command from the control device 5. The filing pin 9 is driven by the drive device 6 to explode the explosive powder 12.

A bullet stopper 13 is provided in the bullet cassette 7. The projectile stopper 13 includes a soft cushion unit 14 for absorbing the kinetic energy of the bullet shutter 11 _i, is constituted by a metal stopper portion 15 for stopping the bullet shutter 11 _i.

A pair of signal generating guide plates 16 are provided in front of each barrel 10. This signal generation guide plate 16
Is made of, for example, aluminum foil, and as shown in FIG.
A bullet firing signal is output when the bullet shutter 11 _i penetrates the pair of signal generating guide plates 16. This allows
For example, the timing of starting or ending the counting of the counting circuit, or the applied voltage or current of the X-ray tube 1 may be controlled.

The operation of the above configuration will be briefly described below. First, the primary X-ray B1 is emitted from the X-ray tube 1 of FIG. 1, and at the same time, as shown in FIG.
Are operated one after another to fire the bullet shutters 11 _i one after another. After the first bullet shutter 11 ₁ fired shuts off the primary X-ray B1 for a very short time, as shown in FIG. 2 (b),
The sample 2 is irradiated with the primary X-ray B1, and then the second bullet shutter 11 ₂ faces the optical path of the primary X-ray B1. In this way, the bullet shutters 11 _i are fired one after another, and the primary X-rays B are emitted for the time corresponding to the gap S between the bullet shutters 11 _i.
1 is irradiated on the sample 2. Bullet shutter 11 fired
_As shown in FIG. 1, _i is embedded in the bullet stopper 13 and stops. After firing all bullet shutters 11 _i ,
Replace bullet cassette 7.

In the above structure, the bullet shutter 11
_{Since i} is fired by the explosion of explosive, its speed is extremely high, so that the irradiation time of the primary X-ray B1 to the sample 2 can be made extremely short. Therefore, the deterioration of the sample 2 can be reduced, and the analysis information is recorded every moment,
It becomes possible to analyze a sample 2 such as a living microorganism.

In the present invention, as the radiation source, synchrotron radiation or isotopes can be used in addition to the X-ray tube 1 described above. Note that the emitted light is emitted by the centripetal acceleration caused by the circular motion of the electrons in the magnetic field of a huge sinktron ring.

FIG. 3 shows the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, the second bullet shutters 11 ₂ and 3
The second bullet shutter 11 ₃ overlaps in the traveling direction. In this way, by stacking the bullet shutters 11 _i in the traveling direction, it is possible to arbitrarily set the cycle T for blocking the primary X-ray B1.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, the bullet shutters 11 _n are provided so that the distances from the bullet shutters 11 ₁ and 11 _{2 to} 11 _n to the optical path of the primary X-ray B1 become longer in order. By doing so, even if all the bullet shutters 11 _{1 to} 11 _n are fired at the same time, the same effect as the embodiment of FIG. 1 can be obtained. The other configurations of the second and third embodiments are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the same portions or corresponding portions will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 5 shows the essential parts of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 5, in this embodiment, instead of the bullet shutter, a plate-like shutter 11A provided with an X-ray passing window 11a is provided.
Is used. The plate-shaped shutter 11A is provided on the guide rail 2
It is guided in the scanning direction A by 0 and a plurality of guide rods 21. A columnar portion 11b that receives the explosive force of the explosive 12 (FIG. 1) is integrally fixed to the rear portion of the plate-shaped shutter 11A. Although not shown, the plate-shaped shutters 11A and the like are arranged in parallel in the direction of the primary X-ray B1. The rest of the configuration is almost the same as the embodiment of FIG. 1 in principle, and the description thereof is omitted.

It should be noted that the column portion 11b does not necessarily have to be provided as long as the shutter 11A is actuated by the explosive force of the explosive. Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, the bullet shutter 11i (FIG. 1) or the plate-shaped shutter 11A is actuated by the explosive force of the explosive, but the actuating force instantaneously releases the compression energy of air like an air gun. It may be done. When the compression energy of air is used, the speed of the shutter 11A becomes smaller than that in the case of explosive force of explosive, but it becomes larger than in the conventional case.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, a plurality of launching devices such as the explosive 12 (FIG. 1) are provided, but in the present invention, it is not always necessary to provide a plurality of launching devices. For example,
As shown in the fifth embodiment of FIG. 6, one shutter 11A
In addition, a plurality of X-ray passing windows 11a may be provided in the scanning direction A, and these may be launched by one launching device.

Further, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4,
Although the timing at which the bullet shutter 11i is fired is detected by the signal generating guide plate 16, this timing can be detected by another method. For example, the primary X-ray B1
The timing may be detected by a photodetector that projects light in parallel with and detects the bullet shutter 11i.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the shutter is fired by exploding explosive powder or opening compressed air, it is possible to extremely shorten the time for which the sample is irradiated with radiation. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fluorescent X-ray analyzer showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic process diagram showing an operation.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a third embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a main part of a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a main part of a fifth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... X-ray tube (radiation source), 4 ... shutter unit, 11 ₁ -
_11n ... (bullet) shutter, 11A ... (plate-shaped) shutter, 12 ... explosive, B1 ... Primary X-ray (radiation).

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A shutter device for radiation, which transmits minute time radiation by blocking radiation, a shutter which is emitted to an optical path of the radiation and blocks minute time radiation, and an explosive which fires the shutter by exploding. A shutter device for radiation, comprising: 2. A shutter device for radiation which transmits minute time radiation by blocking the radiation, wherein the shutter is launched in the optical path of the radiation to block the minute time radiation, and the shutter is opened by releasing compressed air. A radiation shutter device, comprising: