US 6,608,882 B2 · System for, and method of, irradiating articles particularly articles with variable dimensions

Abstract

Articles move on a conveyor mechanism in a first direction past a radiation source for an irradiation of the articles (by e.g., an electron beam, x-rays or gamma rays) by radiation moving in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the fires direction. The distance between the radiation source and the articles on the conveyor mechanism may be adjusted to provide for the irradiation of each position in the articles and to minimize the amount of the radiation which does not pass into the articles. The adjustment may be made by (1) adjusting the position of the radiation source in a particular direction corresponding to the direction of the radiation source and the articles on the conveyor mechanism, (2) actuating an individual one of a plurality of conveyors for moving the articles past the accelerator, each conveyor being separated from the radiation source by a distance different from the distance of the other conveyors from the radiation source or (3) repositioning the articles on a single conveyor in the particular direction. The distance between the radiation source and the conveyor mechanism may be varied dependent upon changes in the dimension of individual articles relative to the dimension of other articles, in a direction substantially perpendicular to (a) the direction of the radiation source and (b) the path of movement of the articles on the conveyor mechanism. Instead of irradiating a single article at any one time, the system may simultaneously irradiate a batch or stack of articles of the same or different sizes.

Claims42

Dependent claims

In combination for irradiating articles where individual articles have changes in dimensions relative to the dimensions of other articles, including,

a radiation source for providing radiation,
a device for indicating the changes in the dimensions of the individual articles and for providing signals indicative of such dimensions,
dependent upon the signals from the device, a drive member responsive to the signals from the device for displacing at least one of the radiation source and the articles in a particular direction, dependent upon the signals from the device, defining the distance between the radiation source and the articles, and
a conveyor for moving the articles past the radiation source to obtain an irradiation of the articles by the radiation from the source.

1 more element

In combination for irradiating individual articles where the individual articles have changes in dimensions relative to other articles, including

a radiation source disposed in a particular direction to emit radiation in the particular direction with some of the radiation having a directional component perpendicular to the particular direction,
a plurality of conveyor paths each disposed to convey the articles past the radiation source in a direction substantially perpendicular to the particular direction of the emitted radiation at a distance from the radiation source different from the distance of the other conveyor paths from the radiation source,
a device for indicating the changes in dimensions of the individual articles in the perpendicular direction relative to the dimensions of the other articles, and
apparatus responsive to the determination by the device of the changes in the dimensions of the individual articles relative to the dimensions of the other articles in the perpendicular direction for providing for an activation of an individual one of the conveyor paths dependent upon the indication by the device to obtain a movement of the individual articles on the individual one of the conveyor paths past the radiation source for an irradiation of the individual articles on the conveyor path by the radiation source.

1 more element

A method of irradiating individual articles where the individual articles have changes in dimensions relative to the dimensions of other articles, including the steps of:

providing a source of radiation,
providing a conveyor mechanism for conveying the articles past the radiation source
providing for the direction of the radiation to the articles on the conveyor mechanism during the conveyance of the articles by the conveyor mechanism,
determining changes in the dimensions of the individual articles relative to the dimensions of other articles,
dependent upon the determined changes in the dimensions of the individual articles relative to the dimensions of the other articles, and
adjusting the relative distance between the radiation source and the articles on the conveyor mechanism.

3 more elements

A method of irradiating individual articles with x-rays where the individual articles have changes in dimensions for receiving the radiation relative to the dimensions of other articles, including the steps of:

providing a conveyor mechanism for conveying the articles,
providing radiation and directing the radiation to the individual articles on the conveyor mechanism,
determining changes in the dimensions of the face of individual articles closest to the radiation source, and
providing for changes in the distance between the individual articles and the conveyor mechanism in accordance with the changes determined in the dimensions of the face of individual articles closest to the radiation source.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System for, and method of, irradiating articles particularly articles with variable dimensions

Life of this patent

System for, and method of, irradiating articles particularly articles with variable dimensions

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims42