Radiation measuring instrument
OwnerVolker Genrichinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A highly sensitive and compactly structured radiation measuring instrument for detecting ionizing radiation, in particular for measuring dose rates and contamination. The laminar structure of the associated counter tube, using only a few, simple plastic parts (1, 8, 9) and a highly elastic counter wire (2), makes it possible to use the simplest manufacturing techniques. The service life of the counter tube construction, which is completely and permanently sealed and filled with gas, is expected to be more than 12 years. The described counter tube can be adapted in optimal fashion to the available space in a pocket instrument if it is used in combination with a specialized high-voltage generator which is low in interference voltage and with a pulse evaluation circuit having a means of compensating for interference voltage.
Claims14
A pocket-size radiation measuring instrument for detecting ionizing beta, gamma, and neutron radiaion, which as its detector has
- a large-surface window-type counter tube suitable for measuring contamination with a completely and permanently sealed gas chamber, as well as
- a counter gas in said gas chamber,
- an anode and a cathode,
- a high voltage (multiple kilovolt) generator (HSP) connected to said anode and cathode,
- wherein, in accordance with the invention,
- the counter tube structure substantially comprises no more than three simple plastic parts (1, 8, 9), namely
- a substantially planar window (8), a substantially planar base (9), and a frame-like hollow middle part (1), sandwiched between and sealed at its periphery to said window and base (9),
- at least one of said window and said base having a metal coating thereon which serves as the cathode for said counter tube, and
- a highly elastic counter wire (2) supported under tension within said hollow middle part (1) and serving as the anode for said counter tube.
A counter tube for detecting ionizing radiation, which comprises essentially three plastic counter tube elements, namely a window (8), a middle part (1), and a substantially planar base (9), and an elastic counter wire (2),
- said window and said base each having a conductive layer on the surface facing the other,
- wherein, in accordance with the invention,
- said middle part (1) comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinylchloride, polyvinylidene fluoride, and a mixed polymer of polyvinylchloride and polyvinylidene fluoride;
- said conductive surface layer of said window (8) and base (9) comprises copper;
- and
- said window (8), middle part (1), and base (9) are hermetically sealed together to form a gas chamber, and
- said gas chamber is filled with a butane counter gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.