The present invention pertains generally to the field of radiation shielding, and more particularly to materials and methods of manufacturing radiation shielding enclosures.
There are numerous uses for an x-ray shielding container, such as medical x-ray machines and industrial vision inspection machines. For example, x-ray detection is used to image dense objects, such as human bones, that are located within the body. Another application of x-ray detection and imaging is in the field of non-destructive electronic device testing. For example, x-ray imaging is used to determine the quality of solder that is used to connect electronic devices and modules to printed circuit boards.
X-ray imaging works by passing electromagnetic energy at wavelengths of approximately 0.1 to 100×10−10 meters (m) through the target that is to be imaged. The x-rays are received by a receiver element, known as an x-ray detector, on which a shadow mask that corresponds to the objects within the target is impressed. Dark shadows correspond to dense regions in the target and light shadows correspond to less dense regions in the target. In this manner, dense objects, such as solder, which contains heavy metals such as lead, can be visually distinguished from less dense regions. This allows the solder joints to be inspected easily.
X-ray radiation is dangerous to living beings and the environment. Therefore, x-ray equipment is typically contained within an x-ray shielding container.
The shielding containers in x-ray applications have typically been built from welded steel frames with plates of lead or sheets of granite attached for shielding. Plate lead shielding is very expensive and the sheets of lead are difficult to attach to an enclosure to form a shielded enclosure. A lead enclosure typically requires steel or other exterior enclosure to protect the lead shielding from damage. Lead is also a highly toxic material, making its use in medical, industrial and commercial settings undesirable. It is also very difficult to seal holes, cracks, joints, seams and other leak points in a lead enclosure.
Although granite is not a toxic material, granite-shielding enclosures suffer many of the same shortcomings as lead shielding enclosures. Granite is also very heavy and difficult to manufacture and work with. As most radiation leakage will occur around seams, joints or holes, granite must be worked with in large sheets for large medical and industrial enclosures. This makes working with and transporting a granite enclosure very difficult due to the weight of the enclosure. Moreover, granite composites typically have poor radiation shielding characteristics.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an environmentally safe, low cost, radiation shielding enclosure with good radiation shielding properties. In particular, a need exists for a radiation shielding enclosure made of a shielding material other than lead or granite.
An apparatus for enclosing and shielding x-ray imaging and inspection equipment using a taconite or iron ore composite rather than lead or granite is provided. The radiation shielding enclosure may be manufactured with a casting or injection molding process in an epoxy, polyester, or polymer substrate with or without a fiberglass or other fabric material to reinforce the form of the enclosure.
A more complete appreciation of this invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will be readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein:
As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the present invention relates to techniques for providing a radiation shielding enclosure. While described below with particular reference to an x-ray imaging system and with particular illustration of an x-ray imaging system for inspecting solder on printed circuit boards (PCB), embodiments of the invention are applicable in other x-ray systems.
Turning now to the drawings,
The x-ray detectors 200 and the detector fixture 110 are coupled to an image-processing module 120 via connection 114. The image-processing module 120 is coupled to a controller 125 via connection 138. Each image-processing module 120 may receive input from one or more x-ray detectors, depending on the desired processing architecture.
A controller 125 is coupled to the image-processing module 120 via local interface 138. The local interface 138 may be, for example, but not limited to, one or more buses or other wired or wireless connections, as known to those having ordinary skill in the art. The local interface 138 may have additional elements, which are omitted for simplicity, such as buffers (caches), drivers, and controllers, to enable communications.
The user interface 136 may be any known or developed I/O or user interface, such as, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a stylus or any other device for inputting information into the controller 125.
The controller 125 may be coupled to a display 118 via connection 116. The display 118 receives the output of the controller 125 and displays the results of the x-ray analysis.
In operation, the x-ray imaging system 100 can be used, for example, to analyze the quality of solder joints formed when components are soldered to a printed circuit board (PCB). For example, a PCB 104 includes a plurality of components, exemplary ones of which are illustrated using reference numerals 106 and 108. The components 106 and 108 are generally coupled to the PCB 104 via solder joints. The x-ray imaging system 100 can be used to inspect and determine the quality of the solder joints. Although omitted for. simplicity, the PCB 104 may be mounted on a movable fixture (not shown) that is controlled by the controller 125 via connection 142 to position the PCB 104 as desired for x-ray analysis.
The x-ray source 102 produces x-rays generally in the form of an x-ray radiation pattern 112. The x-ray radiation pattern 112 passes through portions of the PCB 104 and impinges on an array of x-ray detectors 200. As the x-rays pass through the PCB 104, areas of high density (such as solder) appear as dark shadows on the x-ray detectors 200, while areas of less density (such as the material from which the PCB is fabricated), appear as lighter shadows. This forms a shadow mask on each x-ray detector 200 corresponding to the density of the structure through which the x-rays have passed. Although omitted for simplicity, the controller 125 also controls the x-ray source.
As will be described in further detail below, each x-ray detector 200 is constructed and located within the x-ray imaging system 100 so as to receive the x-ray energy from the x-ray source 102 after it passes through the PCB 104 or other target to be analyzed, examined, inspected or radiated, such as flesh, humans, animals, food, etc. The x-ray detector 200 converts the x-ray energy to an electrical image signal that is representative of the shadow mask that falls on the x-ray detector 200. The electrical image signals from all of the x-ray detectors 200 are sent to the controller 125. The image-processing module processes the signals, which can then be provided as an output to the display 118.
It will be appreciated that the present x-ray imaging system 100 is provided in high level merely for purposes of example of such a system. Other system configurations and architecture are fully anticipated, as well as other targets 104 for analyzing, examination, inspection and radiation, such as flesh, humans, animals, food, etc.
Generally, it is desirable to contain the x-rays within an enclosure. This is because x-rays tend to degrade certain electronic devices and are hazardous to living creatures and the environment.
Although this preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, resulting in equivalent embodiments that remain within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the iron ore composite material or caulking compound may also contain tungsten or other dense metals.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4437013 | Hondorp | Mar 1984 | A |
4569818 | Popp et al. | Feb 1986 | A |
5113425 | Zweig | May 1992 | A |
6048379 | Bray et al. | Apr 2000 | A |
6166390 | Quapp et al. | Dec 2000 | A |
6310355 | Cadwalader | Oct 2001 | B1 |
6352363 | Munger et al. | Mar 2002 | B1 |
6372157 | Krill et al. | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6485176 | Chen et al. | Nov 2002 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
406347424 | Dec 1994 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20040081286 A1 | Apr 2004 | US |