X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices – Specific application – Absorption
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-24
2003-01-28
Porta, David P. (Department: 2882)
X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices
Specific application
Absorption
C378S208000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06512812
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Applications No. 2000-130927, filed Apr. 28, 2000; and No. 2000-130928, filed Apr. 28, 2000, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an X-ray object detector in which an object to be detected is fed between an X-ray generation part and an X-ray detection part, for receiving X-rays from the X-ray generation part by a conveyer part, and the X-rays which penetrate the object are received by the X-ray detection part, thereby to detect a foreign body or body (contaminant) contained in the object. Particularly, the present invention relates to an X-ray foreign-body detector which uses an X-ray detection unit comprising integrally the X-ray detection part and the conveyor part.
Conventionally, an X-ray foreign-body detector is used to detect foreign bodies (metal, bones, glass, stones, synthetic resin bodies, and the like) which may be erroneously mixed in an object such as fresh meat, processed food, or the like to be subjected to detection.
In this kind of X-ray foreign-body detector, the X-ray generation part is generally installed on the body of the apparatus, and the X-ray generation part is positioned in the lower side of the X-ray generation part in the body of the apparatus.
In this manner, X-rays radiated from the X-ray generation part are received by the X-ray detection part.
Also, the apparatus body is equipped with a conveyor part for feeding an object to be detected under the X-rays radiated as described above.
This conveyor part includes a plurality of rollers provided at front-side and rear-side positions in the conveying direction in the body of the apparatus, and a belt tensioned around the plurality of rollers.
Any of the plurality of rollers serves as a drive roller which is connected with and driven by a drive source such as a motor or the like attached to the apparatus body, and the other rollers serve as slave rollers which are driven by the drive roller.
By driving of the plurality of rollers, the belt tensioned around the plurality of rollers is circularly rotated.
A support plate for supporting the object to be detected is provided in a belt rotated circularly.
Also, the X-ray detection part is provided in the lower side of the belt (e.g., inside the belt rotated circularly).
Further, the upper side of the belt is situated between the x-ray generation part and the X-ray detection part.
In this manner, in the X-ray foreign-body detector, the X-ray generation part radiates X-rays to the object to be detected, which is conveyed on the belt, and the X-ray detection part receives the X-rays, which have penetrated the object to be detected, thereby to detect a foreign body contained in the object to be detected.
However, in the conventional x-ray foreign-body detector described above, the X-ray generation part, x-ray detection part, and conveyor part are attached to the apparatus body.
In particular, the X-ray detection part and the conveyor part are situated to be close to each other, in order to detect a foreign body mixed in the conveyed object subjected to detection.
Therefore, the structure is arranged such that the rollers, belt, support plate, drive source (motor), and the like as components forming the conveyor part are provided and mixed together with the X-ray detection part, at the part of the apparatus body where the X-ray detection part and the conveyor part are installed.
If components having functions different from each other are thus mixed, assembly of the components is complicated and much labor is required for maintenance such as inspecting, repairing, cleaning, and the like, of respective parts.
In particular, with respect to cleaning, food is inspected as an object subjected to detection in some cases. Care is therefore required to maintain hygiene.
However, since the structure is arranged such that components forming the X-ray detection part and the conveyor part are in close proximity as described above, there is a problem in that gaps and seams between component allow for germs to multiply therein.
Although the components need to be disassembled to clean the gaps and seams, the structure is arranged such that the components forming the X-ray detection part and conveyor part combined.
Therefore, in the conventional x-ray foreign-body detector, there is a problem that the respective components cannot be easily disassembled during cleaning.
In addition, in the conventional X-ray foreign-body detector, the X-ray generation part, x-ray detection part, and conveyor part are installed on the apparatus body.
Therefore, the x-ray generation part, X-ray detection part, and conveyor part cannot be assembled without the apparatus body.
That is, in the conventional X-ray foreign-body detector, assembly processes constitute one line which cannot be dispersed into a plurality of lines, resulting in a problem that the manufacturing costs are increased.
FIGS. 16A and 16B
are top and side views showing a conventional conveyor.
This conveyor
51
is constructed by a body
52
and an attachable/detachable unit
53
which can be freely attached to and detached from the body
52
.
The body
52
is constructed by a pair of side plates
52
a
and a drive motor
57
.
The attachable/detachable unit
53
is constructed by a receive base
54
, a drive roller
55
a
and a slave roller
55
b
provided in both side parts of the receiver base
54
, and a belt
56
tensioned around the rollers
55
a
and
55
b.
This attachable/detachable unit
53
is kept attached to the body
52
, by a fixing tool (for example, a catch clip)
59
.
Note that the drive motor
57
is connected with a rotation shaft of the drive roller
55
a
through a connection belt
58
in order to transmit the rotation of the drive motor
57
to the drive roller
55
a.
With respect to the conveyor
51
, maintenance and checks must be carried out. For example, the components of the attachable/detachable unit
53
(e.g., the drive roller
55
a
and the belt
56
) must be periodically cleaned or replaced.
Particularly in the case where the object subjected to inspection is food, parts of the conveyor
51
must be sterilized, disinfected, or the like.
However, in the structure described above, the drive roller
55
a
or the belt
56
cannot be easily attached or detached, so that disassembly, cleaning, and maintenance cannot be carried out easily.
That is, to detach the belt
56
, the connection belt
58
tensioned around the drive roller
55
a
and the drive motor
57
must be detached.
For example, when screws of the base of the drive motor
57
and the connection belt
58
are detached, a protection cover
58
a
of the (safety) connection belt
58
a
must be detached in order to detach the connection belt
58
.
At this time, in the state where the protection cover
58
a
is detached, a risk arises in that the connection belt
58
is openly exposed.
In order to solve this problem, another structure is arranged such that transmission of the drive force between the drive roller
55
a
and the drive motor
57
of the conveyor
51
is not achieved by the connection belt
58
, but is achieved by providing gears respectively for the drive roller
55
a
and the drive motor
57
, to make connection by engagement of the gears.
Thus, also in this structure of using gears, the gears are engaged with each other at a predetermined pitch (precision), and therefore, it is difficult that the conveyor
51
is connected and disconnected by the gear parts.
In this case, if the tooth engagement precision is relaxed by changing the shape of the gears etc., the conveyor
51
can be easily detachable at the gear part. There is however a problem that the transmission characteristics (efficiency and durability) of the drive force are lowered.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has an object of providing an X-ray foreign-body detector which uses an X-ray detection unit integrally com
Anritsu Corporation
Frishauf Holtz Goodman & Chick P.C.
Porta David P.
Thomas Courtney
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