Self-centering clamp adapter for x-ray and gammaray weld inspection
AssigneeVarex Imaging Corporation
InventorsTibby Petrescu, Cody W. Bussey, Clyde May
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Some embodiments include a radiographic inspection system, comprising: a clamp comprises a housing, a base, three clamping contacts, and an actuator; wherein: the clamp is configured to be positioned around a structure and to be coupled to the structure; the base is coupled to the housing through a rotary bearing, is moveable relative to the housing, and is configured to support a detector such that the detector may rotate around the structure while the clamp remains stationary relative to the structure; and the three clamping contacts are moveable relative to the housing via the actuator in a manner such that the three clamping contacts self-center on the structure.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- positioning a clamp around a structure, wherein the clamp is coupled to a detector;
- coupling the clamp to the structure such that the clamp self-centers on the structure by moving clamping contacts along paths that maintain the clamping contacts equidistant from a center of the clamping contacts;
- emitting radiation from a radiation source;
- and
- acquiring a plurality of images using the detector while the structure is positioned between the exposed radiation source and the detector.
A radiographic inspection system, comprising:
- a clamp comprising a housing, a base, three clamping contacts, and an actuator;
- wherein:
- the clamp is configured to be positioned around a structure and to be coupled to the structure;
- the base is moveable relative to the housing, and is configured to support a detector such that the detector may rotate around the structure while the clamp remains stationary relative to the structure;
- and
- the three clamping contacts are moveable relative to the housing via the actuator in a manner such that the three clamping contacts self-center on the structure.
A system, comprising:
- a detector for generating images in response to radiation;
- a radiation source for generating radiation;
- a collimator support arm for attaching the detector to the radiation source;
- a clamp for movably coupling the detector to a structure such that the clamp self-centers on the structure;
- and
- an actuator for coupling the clamp to the structure by moving clamping contacts of the clamp.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.