An x-ray irradiator

Abstract

This utility model discloses an X-ray irradiator, including a support frame and a control system, a high-voltage generator, a X-ray tube assembly, a cooling system, and a self-shielded irradiation chamber mounted on the support frame. The high-voltage generator is connected to the X-ray tube assembly, and the cooling system is used to cool the X-ray tube assembly. The X-ray tube assembly is installed above the self-shielded irradiation chamber, and the X-ray outlet of the X-ray tube assembly is aligned with the X-ray inlet on the upper wall of the self-shielded irradiation chamber. A conical collimator and a homogenizer are provided at the X-ray outlet. By setting the conical collimator and homogenizer, scattered rays are effectively shielded, and the range of electron radiation can be limited to protect the area outside the target area from irradiation. This improves the energy spectrum distribution of X-rays, reduces the attenuation of the main beam, filters out most stray scattered rays, and results in a relatively flat dose in the irradiation area with good dose uniformity. During X-ray irradiation, the radiation dose can be controlled, providing better dose uniformity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of irradiators, and in particular to an X-ray irradiator. Background Technology

[0002] Biological irradiation involves irradiating a living organism with high-energy, ionizing radiation over a predetermined period. This irradiation produces ionization and excitation, releasing orbital electrons and forming free radicals. Consequently, the irradiated organism experiences biological effects or suffers irreversible damage, achieving biological objectives. Its main applications include immunology, oncology, feeder cell irradiation, DNA damage research, radiation medicine and prevention, vaccine inactivation, and radiation-induced mutagenesis.

[0003] Furthermore, biological X-ray irradiators are a type of laboratory equipment developed in recent years, primarily used to irradiate cells or small animals. They can be used for various biological irradiation studies, including stem cell research, DNA damage analysis, cell cycle analysis, cell culture, blood product irradiation, tumor research, signal transduction, gene therapy, radiobiology, and drug development. Compared to gamma-ray biological irradiators, they offer advantages such as higher safety, ease of use, suitability for use in ordinary laboratory environments, and the availability of casters for easy relocation and movement. In the research field, they are often used to replace traditional gamma-ray biological irradiators. However, existing X-ray irradiators suffer from drawbacks such as uneven irradiation dose, excessive weight, and inadequate irradiation safety measures.

[0004] Therefore, how to provide an X-ray irradiator with uniform irradiation dose is a technical problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an X-ray irradiator that improves the energy spectrum distribution of X-rays by setting a conical collimator and a homogenizer, thereby reducing the attenuation of the main beam, filtering out most stray rays, and resulting in a relatively flat dose distribution in the irradiation area and good dose uniformity.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides an X-ray irradiator, including a support frame and a control system, a high-voltage generator, a ray tube assembly, a cooling system, and a self-shielded irradiation chamber installed on the support frame. The high-voltage generator is connected to the ray tube assembly, the cooling system is used to cool the ray tube assembly, the ray tube assembly is installed above the self-shielded irradiation chamber, and the ray outlet of the ray tube assembly is aligned with the ray inlet on the upper wall of the self-shielded irradiation chamber. A conical collimator and a homogenizer are provided at the ray outlet.

[0007] Preferably, a mounting bracket is installed on the lower side of the upper wall of the self-shielded irradiation chamber, and a filter is installed on the mounting bracket, the filter blocking the lower opening of the radiation inlet.

[0008] Preferably, the X-ray tube assembly includes a shielding housing assembly and an X-ray tube and a high-voltage cable installed inside the shielding housing assembly. The X-ray tube is connected to the high-voltage generator through the high-voltage cable, and the lower wall of the shielding housing assembly is tightly fitted to the upper wall of the self-shielded irradiation chamber.

[0009] Preferably, the self-shielded irradiation chamber is provided with a protective door on the front, and a door interlocking device for controlling the opening and closing of the protective door is installed on the self-shielded irradiation chamber.

[0010] Preferably, the inner wall of the self-shielded irradiation chamber is provided with a plurality of shelf slots arranged from top to bottom, and the edges of the shelf are engaged in the shelf slots of different heights to adjust the height of the shelf.

[0011] Preferably, the high-voltage generator is located at the lower part of the support, the control system, the self-shielded irradiation chamber and the cooling system are located at the middle part of the support, and the ray tube assembly is located at the upper part of the support.

[0012] Preferably, the bracket is provided with an outer shell.

[0013] Preferably, a radiation leakage detection system connected to the control system is installed on the outside of the self-shielded irradiation room.

[0014] Preferably, the radiation leakage detection system includes a Geiger counter and a control module, and interacts with the control system via serial communication.

[0015] Preferably, the cooling system is equipped with a multi-interlock protection device for detecting water level, flow rate, water temperature, and power supply. The multi-interlock protection device is integrated with the control system, and the control system is interlocked with the high-voltage generator.

[0016] This invention provides an X-ray irradiator, including a support frame and a control system, a high-voltage generator, a X-ray tube assembly, a cooling system, and a self-shielded irradiation chamber mounted on the support frame. The high-voltage generator is connected to the X-ray tube assembly, and the cooling system is used to cool the X-ray tube assembly. The X-ray tube assembly is installed above the self-shielded irradiation chamber, and the X-ray outlet of the X-ray tube assembly is aligned with the X-ray inlet on the upper wall of the self-shielded irradiation chamber. A conical collimator and a homogenizer are provided at the X-ray outlet. By setting the conical collimator and homogenizer, scattered rays are effectively shielded, and the range of electron radiation can be limited to protect the area outside the target region from irradiation. This improves the energy spectrum distribution of X-rays, reduces the attenuation of the main beam, filters out most stray scattered rays, and results in a relatively flat dose distribution in the irradiation area with good dose uniformity. During X-ray irradiation, the radiation dose can be controlled, providing better dose uniformity. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a specific embodiment of the X-ray irradiator provided by this utility model.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a top view of the ray tube assembly in a specific embodiment of the X-ray irradiator provided by this utility model.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a side cross-sectional view of the ray tube assembly in a specific embodiment of the X-ray irradiator provided by this utility model.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a partial enlarged view of the ray tube assembly in a specific embodiment of the X-ray irradiator provided by this utility model;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the filter element in a specific embodiment of the X-ray irradiator provided by this utility model.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of a specific embodiment of the X-ray irradiator provided by this utility model.

[0023] The components include: 1. Support frame; 2. Control system; 3. High voltage generator; 4. X-ray tube assembly; 5. Cooling system; 6. Self-shielded irradiation chamber; 7. Conical collimator; 8. Equalizer; 9. Mounting bracket; 10. Filter sheet; 11. Shielding housing assembly; 12. X-ray tube; 13. High voltage cable; 14. Protective door; 15. Door interlock device; 16. Storage board slot; 17. Outer shell; and 18. Radiation leakage detection system. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The core of this invention is to provide an X-ray irradiator that improves the energy spectrum distribution of X-rays by setting a conical collimator and a homogenizer, thereby reducing the attenuation of the main beam, filtering out most stray scattered rays, and resulting in a relatively flat dose distribution in the irradiation area and good dose uniformity.

[0025] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0026] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of one specific embodiment of the X-ray irradiator provided by this utility model.

[0027] This invention provides an X-ray irradiator, including a support 1 and a control system 2, a high-voltage generator 3, a X-ray tube assembly 4, a cooling system 5, and a self-shielded irradiation chamber 6 mounted on the support 1. The support 1 supports all components. The high-voltage generator 3 is connected to the X-ray tube assembly 4 and provides high voltage to the X-ray tube assembly 4, causing it to emit X-rays. The X-ray tube assembly 4 is mounted above the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6, with its X-ray outlet aligned with the X-ray inlet on the upper wall of the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6. The X-ray tube assembly 4 directs X-rays into the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6 to irradiate the biological material within. Furthermore, the cooling system 5 cools the X-ray tube assembly 4 to ensure stable operation. A conical collimator 7 and a homogenizer 8 are provided at the X-ray outlet. The X-ray tube assembly 4 and the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6 are fixed with screws, and a conical hole is designed between them for the passage of X-rays and for centering the two components.

[0028] Specifically, the high-voltage generator 3 generates high voltage, which is applied to the X-ray tube assembly 4 via the high-voltage cable 13, producing X-rays to irradiate small animals, cells, etc.; the cooling system 5 is connected to the X-ray tube assembly 4 to cool it down, ensuring the normal operating temperature of the equipment. The conical collimator 7 is designed with a conical structure and is made of high-density shielding material, effectively shielding scattered rays and limiting the range of electron radiation to protect the area outside the target from irradiation. A homogenizer 8 is installed below the conical collimator 7. The homogenizer 8 is made of low-density metal, such as copper. The design of the multi-stage conical homogenizer is achieved using Monte Carlo methods and data fitting to improve the energy spectrum distribution of X-rays, reducing the attenuation of the main beam, filtering out most stray scattered rays, resulting in a relatively flat dose distribution and good dose uniformity in the irradiation area. The control system 2 is designed with kV-level X-ray dose control technology, using circuit control to monitor and optimize the entire X-ray process, ensuring the accuracy of the X-ray output.

[0029] By setting up a conical collimator 7 and a homogenizer 8, scattered rays are effectively shielded, and the range of electron radiation can be limited to protect the area outside the target region from irradiation. This improves the energy spectrum distribution of X-rays, reduces the attenuation of the main beam, filters out most stray scattered rays, and results in a relatively flat dose distribution within the irradiation area with good dose uniformity. X-ray irradiation can achieve controllable radiation dose and provide better dose uniformity. Using an artificial high-voltage electron device to generate rays for irradiating small animals and cells, there is no radiation when not in operation; during operation, radiation protection is good, close to the natural background radiation, effectively protecting operators and avoiding potential cumulative radiation dose over long-term use. Furthermore, no special machine room or dedicated personnel are required for operation.

[0030] Please refer to Figures 2 to 5 , Figure 2This is a top view of the ray tube assembly in a specific embodiment of the X-ray irradiator provided by this utility model. Figure 3 This is a side cross-sectional view of the ray tube assembly in a specific embodiment of the X-ray irradiator provided by this utility model. Figure 4 This is a partial enlarged view of the ray tube assembly in a specific embodiment of the X-ray irradiator provided by this utility model; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the filter element in one specific embodiment of the X-ray irradiator provided by this utility model.

[0031] In the X-ray irradiator provided in this specific embodiment of the utility model, a mounting frame 9 is installed on the lower side of the upper wall of the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6. A filter 10 is installed on the mounting frame 9, and the filter 10 blocks the lower opening of the radiation inlet. The filter 10 is made of low-density metal, such as copper or titanium, and is designed with different thicknesses. The different metal properties and thicknesses are used to effectively filter the radiation. Combined with a homogenizer 8, the radiation is homogenized, achieving precise radiation irradiation. The kV-level radiation homogenization technology, through the conical collimator 7, homogenizer 8, and filter device, achieves X-ray homogenization, ensuring that the irradiation dose meets clinical application requirements.

[0032] Specifically, the X-ray tube assembly 4 includes a shielding housing assembly 11, an X-ray tube 12 installed inside the shielding housing assembly 11, and a high-voltage cable 13. The X-ray tube 12 is connected to the high-voltage generator 3 via the high-voltage cable 13. The lower wall of the shielding housing assembly 11 is tightly fitted to the upper wall of the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6. A protective door 14 is provided on the front of the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6, and a door interlocking device 15 is installed on the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6 to control the opening and closing of the protective door 14. The shielding housing assembly 11, the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6, and the protective door 14 are all cast from high-density shielding materials, which can effectively shield the radiation and prevent radiation leakage.

[0033] Preferably, the inner wall of the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6 is provided with multiple shelf slots 16 arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The edges of the shelf are engaged with the shelf slots 16 at different heights to adjust the height of the shelf. The shelf is used to place animals and cells that need to be irradiated. The shelf slots 16 are designed with different heights according to the intensity of the radiation, and different levels can be selected according to the different objects being irradiated.

[0034] In the X-ray irradiator provided in this specific embodiment of the utility model, the support 1 is a cuboid frame forming a cabinet structure. The high-voltage generator 3 is located at the lower part of the support 1, the control system 2, the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6, and the cooling system 5 are located in the middle of the support 1, and the X-ray tube assembly 4 is located at the upper part of the support 1. The positions of each component can also be adjusted as needed, all within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0035] Please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of a specific embodiment of the X-ray irradiator provided by this utility model.

[0036] Specifically, the support 1 is provided with an outer casing 17. The control system 2 is installed on the outer casing 17 and the support 1, and includes a control computer, electrical control cabinet, etc. It performs computer control of the entire irradiation process, displays relevant information such as irradiation time and irradiation dose in real time, and has an external network interface, which can transmit and print irradiation data through the network.

[0037] Based on the X-ray irradiator provided in the above specific embodiments, a radiation leakage detection system 18 connected to the control system 2 is installed outside the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6. Specifically, the radiation leakage detection system 18 includes a Geiger counter and a control module, interacts with the control system 2 through serial communication, and displays and detects the dose leakage rate in the environment in real time to ensure user safety.

[0038] The cooling system 5 is equipped with a multi-interlock protection device for detecting water level, flow rate, water temperature and power supply. The multi-interlock protection device is integrated with the control system 2, and the control system 2 is interlocked with the high-voltage generator 3.

[0039] Specifically, the protective door 14 is installed on the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6. A door interlock device 15 is installed above the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6. The door interlock device 15 contains two independently controlled door lock control elements. The electronic access control in the door interlock device 15 is controlled by the control system 2 to open or close the protective door 14. If the door is opened during irradiation, the beam output will stop to ensure personnel safety. A radiation leakage detection system 18 is installed on one side of the self-shielded irradiation chamber 6 to detect residual radiation levels in the environment. If the level exceeds the threshold, the beam output will automatically stop to ensure personnel safety. The cooling system 5 is equipped with multiple interlocking protection devices for water level, water flow, water temperature, and water power supply. It is integrated with the control system 2. If a problem occurs in the cooling system 5, the beam output will stop to ensure the safe operation of the equipment. Similarly, through the electrical design of the control system 2, the interlocking signals of the cooling system 5, the radiation leakage detection system 18, and the door interlock device 15 are directly interlocked with the high-voltage generator 3, ensuring the stability of the core component of the equipment, the X-ray tube 12.

[0040] The X-ray irradiator provided by this utility model has been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principle and implementation of this utility model. The descriptions of the embodiments above are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core idea of ​​this utility model. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made to this utility model without departing from the principle of this utility model, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. An X-ray irradiator, characterized in that, The system includes a support (1) and a control system (2), a high-voltage generator (3), a ray tube assembly (4), a cooling system (5), and a self-shielded irradiation chamber (6) installed on the support (1). The high-voltage generator (3) is connected to the ray tube assembly (4). The cooling system (5) is used to cool the ray tube assembly (4). The ray tube assembly (4) is installed above the self-shielded irradiation chamber (6), and the ray outlet of the ray tube assembly (4) is aligned with the ray inlet on the upper wall of the self-shielded irradiation chamber (6). A conical collimator (7) and a homogenizer (8) are provided at the ray outlet.

2. The X-ray irradiator according to claim 1, characterized in that, A mounting bracket (9) is installed on the lower side of the upper wall of the self-shielded irradiation chamber (6), and a filter (10) is installed on the mounting bracket (9). The filter (10) blocks the lower opening of the radiation inlet.

3. The X-ray irradiator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The X-ray tube assembly (4) includes a shielding housing assembly (11) and an X-ray tube (12) and a high-voltage cable (13) installed inside the shielding housing assembly (11). The X-ray tube (12) is connected to the high-voltage generator (3) through the high-voltage cable (13). The lower wall of the shielding housing assembly (11) is tightly attached to the upper wall of the self-shielded irradiation chamber (6).

4. The X-ray irradiator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The self-shielded irradiation chamber (6) is provided with a protective door (14) on the front, and a door interlocking device (15) for controlling the opening and closing of the protective door (14) is installed on the self-shielded irradiation chamber (6).

5. The X-ray irradiator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The inner wall of the self-shielded irradiation chamber (6) is provided with multiple shelf slots (16) arranged from top to bottom. The edges of the shelf are engaged in the shelf slots (16) of different heights to adjust the height of the shelf.

6. The X-ray irradiator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The high-voltage generator (3) is located at the lower part of the support (1), the control system (2), the self-shielded irradiation chamber (6) and the cooling system (5) are located at the middle part of the support (1), and the ray tube assembly (4) is located at the upper part of the support (1).

7. The X-ray irradiator according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bracket (1) is provided with an outer shell (17).

8. The X-ray irradiator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, A radiation leakage detection system (18) connected to the control system (2) is installed outside the self-shielded irradiation chamber (6).

9. The X-ray irradiator according to claim 8, characterized in that, The radiation leakage detection system (18) includes a Geiger counter and a control module, and interacts with the control system (2) via serial communication.

10. The X-ray irradiator according to claim 9, characterized in that, The cooling system (5) is equipped with a multi-interlock protection device for detecting water level, flow rate, water temperature and power supply. The multi-interlock protection device is integrated with the control system (2), and the control system (2) is interlocked with the high-voltage generator (3).

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