X-ray inspection apparatus and method
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsAndrew Joseph Galish, Thomas William Birdwell, Ralph Gerald Isaacs, Francis Howard Little
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An X-ray inspection system is provided having an X-ray source and first and second collimators. The first and second collimators are arranged in relation to the source and the target such that the portion of the target actually illuminated by The X-ray beam is substantially equal to the size of a selected inspection zone.
Claims9
An X-ray inspection system, comprising the following elements disposed sequentially along a central axis:
- an X-ray source capable of projecting a beam of radiation along said central axis;
- a first collimator disposed coaxially with said central axis at a first location along said central axis, said first collimator having a first aperture having a first dimension in a first direction perpendicular to said central axis;
- a second collimator disposed coaxially with said central axis at a second location along said central axis, said second collimator having a second aperture having a second dimension in said first direction;
- and
- means for causing said central axis to pass through a selected inspection zone of a target, wherein said second location of said second collimator and said second dimension of said second aperture are selected such that the portion of said target actually illuminated by said beam measured in said first direction is substantially equal to the size of said selected inspection zone measured in said first direction.
A X-ray inspection method, comprising:
- providing an X-ray source capable of projecting a beam of radiation along a central axis;
- providing a first collimator disposed coaxially with said central axis at a first location along said central axis, said first collimator having a first aperture having a first dimension in a first direction perpendicular to said central axis;
- providing a second collimator disposed coaxially with said central axis at a second location along said central axis, said second collimator having a second aperture having a second dimension in said first direction;
- providing means for causing said central axis to pass through a selected inspection zone of a target,
- wherein said step of providing said second collimator includes selecting said second location and said second dimension of said second aperture such that the portion of said target actually illuminated by said beam measured in said first direction is substantially equal to the size of said selected inspection zone measured in said first direction.
An X-ray inspection system, comprising the following elements disposed sequentially along a central axis:
- an X-ray source capable of projecting a beam of radiation along said central axis;
- a first collimator disposed coaxially with said central axis at a first location along said central axis, said first collimator having a first aperture oriented in a first direction;
- a second collimator disposed coaxially with said central axis at a second location along said central axis, said second collimator having a second aperture oriented in said first direction;
- and
- means for supporting a target, wherein said second collimator is positioned as close as possible to said means for supporting said target without interfering with said target.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.