X-ray inspection device and curtain unit for inspection device

Abstract

To provide an X-ray inspection device and a curtain unit for an inspection device that take safety during removal into consideration while maintaining maintainability of the curtain unit.SOLUTION: A curtain unit of an X-ray inspection device includes: a plate-shaped curtain holder 71; and a shielding curtain 8 hanging down from the curtain holder, the curtain holder being inserted to a device body in an attachment direction B. The curtain holder 71 includes: an opening 76; a lock plate 77 disposed below the opening 76, the lock plate 77 including a fixed end 771 fixed on the depth side in the attachment direction of the opening 76, a free end 772 on a side opposite to the fixed end 771, and an upper projecting part 774 projecting upward from the opening 76; and an elastic member 78 interposed between the fixed end 771 of the lock plate 77 and the curtain holder 71 and for urging the lock plate 77 upward.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an X-ray inspection apparatus and a curtain unit for the inspection apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] An X-ray inspection device irradiates an object under inspection with X-rays and inspects for foreign objects and the like based on the detection results of the X-rays that have passed through the object (X-ray transmission image). The device body, which constitutes the inspection room where the X-rays are irradiated, has a tunnel shape, and shielding curtains are attached to the entrance and exit of the inspection room to prevent X-rays from leaking from the inspection room. For the purpose of maintenance such as cleaning and replacement of this shielding curtain, there is an X-ray inspection device in which the shielding curtain is attached to a curtain holder to form a unit, and the curtain unit is configured to be detachable from the X-ray inspection device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-279501 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, as X-ray inspection equipment becomes larger, the curtain unit also needs to be larger. This can lead to operators not knowing how far to pull the curtain unit out of the X-ray inspection equipment and accidentally dropping it, which can damage the equipment or injure the operator.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and aims to provide an X-ray inspection device and a curtain unit for an inspection device that maintains the maintainability of the curtain unit, prevents the curtain unit from falling, and takes into consideration safety in handling. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, a first aspect of the present invention is an X-ray inspection apparatus comprising an apparatus main body having an inspection room, and a curtain unit attached to the entrance and / or exit of the inspection room in the transport direction, wherein the curtain unit comprises a plate-shaped curtain holder and a shielding curtain hanging down from the curtain holder, and is attached by inserting the curtain holder into the apparatus main body, the insertion direction being the installation direction, and the curtain holder comprises an opening, and a locking plate that is positioned below the opening and has a fixed end at the back side of the opening in the installation direction and a free end opposite the fixed end, and has an upper protrusion that protrudes upward from the opening, and an elastic member that is interposed between the fixed end of the locking plate and the curtain holder and urges the locking plate upward.

[0007] In the X-ray inspection apparatus of the second aspect, in the first aspect, it is also preferable that the free end of the lock plate interferes with the front side of the opening in the mounting direction, thereby closing the opening.

[0008] In the X-ray inspection apparatus of the third aspect, in the first or second aspect, it is also preferable that the locking plate is a bent metal sheet having a guide portion having an upward slope from the fixed end to the free end, the upper protrusion which is the apex of the guide portion, a locking portion having a downward slope from the upper protrusion to the free end with a slope greater than the slope of the guide portion, and a non-sloped portion continuing from the lower end of the locking portion to the free end.

[0009] In the X-ray inspection apparatus of the fourth aspect, in any one of the first to third aspects, it is also preferable that the opening is provided on the rear side of the curtain holder in the attachment direction.

[0010] In the X-ray inspection device of the fifth aspect, in any of the first to fourth aspects, it is also preferable that a buffer member for the upper protrusion of the curtain unit is provided on the inside of the device at the upper edge of the insertion port of the curtain holder of the device main body.

[0011] In addition, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a sixth aspect of the present invention provides a curtain unit for an inspection device that is attached to the entrance and / or exit of the inspection room of the inspection device in the transport direction, and comprises a plate-shaped curtain holder and a shielding curtain hanging down from the curtain holder. The curtain unit is attached by inserting the curtain holder into the main body of the inspection device, the insertion direction being the installation direction. The curtain holder comprises an opening, and a locking plate that is positioned below the opening and has a fixed end on the back side of the opening in the installation direction and a free end on the opposite side of the fixed end, and has an upper protrusion that protrudes upward from the opening; and an elastic member that is interposed between the fixed end of the locking plate and the curtain holder and urges the locking plate upward. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an X-ray inspection apparatus and a curtain unit for an inspection apparatus that maintains the maintainability of the curtain unit while also taking into consideration safety when removing the curtain unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a front perspective view of an apparatus body 3 of an X-ray inspection apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a curtain unit 7 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the main parts of the curtain unit 7. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the main part shown in FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the X-ray inspection apparatus 1 when the curtain unit 7 is attached. FIG. [Figure 6] 10 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the X-ray inspection device 1 when the curtain unit 7 is pulled out. FIG. [Figure 7] 10 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the X-ray inspection device 1 when the curtain unit 7 is being pulled out. FIG. [Figure 8]10 is a rear perspective view of a main part of a curtain unit 7 according to a first modified example. FIG. [Figure 9] 10 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of an X-ray inspection apparatus 1 according to a second modification. FIG. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing other modified examples in which the opening 76 of the curtain unit 7 is arranged differently, and in which the mounting direction B of the curtain unit 7 is changed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Next, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this specification, the front, rear, left, right, top and bottom directions are the directions shown in the drawings.

[0015] (Overall composition) FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an apparatus main body 3 of an X-ray inspection apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The X-ray inspection apparatus 1 includes a belt conveyor 2, an apparatus main body 3, a control box 4 disposed on the apparatus main body 3, and a stand 5 on which the apparatus main body 3 is attached. The X-ray inspection apparatus 1 is disposed in a portion of a conveyance path (line) of an entire manufacturing or inspection system (not shown). For example, an inspection object is transported by the belt conveyor 2 from upstream of the line to an inspection chamber 6 in the apparatus main body 3 of the X-ray inspection apparatus 1, irradiated with X-rays in the inspection chamber 6, and then sent downstream of the line (hereinafter, the conveyance direction is indicated by the symbol A). The front side of the apparatus main body 3 is provided with an openable / closable door 9. The openable door 9 is divided into three parts in the conveyance direction A, and the inspection chamber 6 can be opened by pulling each part toward you.

[0016] The left and right sides of the top surface of the apparatus main body 3 are provided with curtain mounting sections 31, and curtain units 7 are attached to the entrance and exit of the examination room 6. The curtain unit 7 is equipped with a shielding curtain 8 formed from a material with X-ray shielding properties, such as tungsten, and is attached to the apparatus main body 3 through an insertion port 32 provided on the front of the curtain mounting sections 31. The insertion port 32 opens downward to allow a plate-shaped member to be inserted horizontally in the front-to-rear direction of the apparatus, and is equipped with slide rails 33 on both sides. The X-ray irradiation section (not shown) is provided on the ceiling of the examination room 6, and the examination room 6 is shielded at the left and right entrances by shielding curtains 8, is shielded below by the belt conveyor 2, is shielded at the rear by the back of the apparatus main body 3, and is shielded at the front by closing the opening / closing door 9.

[0017] (Curtain unit configuration) Next, the curtain unit 7 will be described. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the curtain unit 7 according to the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the curtain unit 7 (as viewed from the arrow III in FIG. 2 ), showing an enlarged view of the main parts. As shown in FIG. 2 , the curtain unit 7 according to this embodiment includes a rectangular plate-shaped curtain holder 71 and a shielding curtain 8 hanging down from the curtain holder 71. The curtain holder 71 includes a handle 72 on the front side, an actuator 73 on the front top surface, and lugs 74 on the left and right sides. The shielding curtain 8 is suspended from a curtain shaft 75 provided on the curtain holder 71 in the front-to-rear direction of the device via, for example, a metal ring, and hangs down from the curtain holder 71. Note that the number of shielding curtains 8 is merely an example. While a single shielding curtain 8 may be used, it is preferable to provide multiple shielding curtains in the transport direction A from the viewpoint of preventing X-ray leakage. The three illustrated curtains are one preferred example.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 1, the curtain unit 7 is attached to the device main body 3 by placing the tabs 74 of the curtain holder 71 on the slide rails 33 provided in the insertion port 32 of the curtain mounting part 31 and inserting the curtain holder 71 from the front to the rear of the device main body 3. Hereinafter, the direction in which the curtain unit 7 is inserted into the device main body 3 will be referred to as the installation direction B. When the curtain unit 7 is inserted into the device main body 3 and the actuator 73 is inserted into the safety switch 34 (Fig. 1) provided in the insertion port 32 of the device main body 3, electricity is applied and the control box 4 detects that the curtain unit 7 has been safely attached.

[0019] Curtain holder 71 further includes opening 76, locking plate 77, and spring hinge 78, which will be described later. The shape of opening 76 is not particularly limited, but it should have a shape that does not interfere with the movement of locking plate 77, which will be described later, and that is easy for an operator to hold, and a rectangle is one preferred example.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3 , the locking plate 77 is disposed below the opening 76, with one end 771 fixed to the rear side 761 of the opening 76 in the installation direction B (hereinafter, the end 771 will be referred to as the "fixed end"). The fixed end 771 is fixed by a spring hinge 78, which is an elastic member interposed between the curtain holder 71 and the locking plate 77 (the fixed end 771). One blade 781 of the spring hinge 78 is fixed to the back surface of the fixed end 771, and the other blade 782 is fixed to the underside of the rear side 761 of the opening 76 in the installation direction B by screws, adhesive, or the like. The blade 781 of the spring hinge 78 can pivot downward in a one-sided swing around a shaft 783, and is biased upward by a spring (not shown) provided on the shaft 783 to assume a standard position.

[0021] The width B77 of the locking plate 77 roughly matches the width B76 of the opening 76, and the length L77 of the locking plate 77 in the mounting direction B is longer than the length L76 of the opening 76 in the mounting direction B. The opposite side of the fixed end 771 of the locking plate 77 is a free end 772, which interferes with (comes into contact with) the front side 762 of the opening 76 in the mounting direction B when the spring hinge 78 is in the standard position. In other words, the locking plate 77 is configured to close the opening 76 when no external force is applied to the spring hinge 78.

[0022] 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main part shown in FIG. 3 , taken along arrows IV-IV in FIG. 3 . Lock plate 77 is made of a metal plate, such as stainless steel, that has X-ray shielding properties. It is a bent metal plate including: a guide portion 773 with a gentle, acute upward slope from fixed end 771 toward free end 772; an upper protrusion 774 at the apex of guide portion 773; a locking portion 775 with a downward slope from upper protrusion 774 toward free end 772 that is steeper than the slope of guide portion 773; and a non-inclined portion 776 extending from the lower end of locking portion 775 to free end 772. Non-inclined portion 776 is approximately horizontal. The upward inclination θ773 of guide portion 773 is preferably between 3 and 30 degrees relative to the horizontal, more preferably 20±10 degrees, and even more preferably 27 degrees. The downward inclination θ775 of the locking portion 775 is preferably between 60 and 150 degrees with respect to the horizontal, more preferably 90±20 degrees, and even more preferably 90 degrees. The opening angle θ78 of the wings 781 and 782 of the spring hinge 78 is adjusted so that the position where the guide portion 773 maintains the inclination θ773 with respect to the horizontal becomes the reference position. The locking plate 77 is fixed by the spring hinge 78, and in the reference position, the upper protrusion 774 is held in a state where it protrudes upward from the opening 76 (see FIGS. 2 to 4).

[0023] (Installing the curtain unit) 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 1 , showing the state when the curtain unit 7 is attached to the device body 3. When the curtain holder 71 of the curtain unit 7 is inserted into the insertion port 32 of the device body 3 in the attachment direction B, the locking plate 77 comes into contact with the upper edge 32u of the insertion port 32, in this order: the guide portion 773, the upper protrusion 774, and the engagement portion 775. However, the locking plate 77 is guided by the inclination θ773 of the guide portion 773 and gradually rotates downward, and the upper protrusion 774 is inserted into the device body 3 without interfering with the insertion port 32. After passing through the insertion port 32, the locking plate 77 is urged by the spring hinge 78 to return to the reference position in which the upper protrusion 774 protrudes upward from the opening 76, and is attached to the device body 3.

[0024] (Curtain unit drawer) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 , showing the state when the curtain unit 7 is pulled out from the device main body 3. When the curtain holder 71 is pulled in the direction B' opposite to the installation direction B to pull out the curtain unit 7 from the device main body 3, the locking portion 775 of the locking plate 77 comes into contact with the device main body 3 at the upper edge 32u of the insertion port 32. However, because the inclination θ775 of the locking portion 775 prevents the locking plate 77 from bending downward, the upper protrusion 774 interferes with the upper edge 32u of the insertion port 32, preventing the curtain unit 7 from being pulled out further from the device main body 3 at the position where the locking plate 77 is provided. To release this interference and pull out the curtain unit 7 from the device main body 3, as shown in FIG. 7 , an operator can reach the opening 76 and push down the non-inclined portion 776 of the locking plate 77, push the locking plate 77 down to a position where the upper protrusion 774 does not interfere with the insertion port 32, and then pull out the curtain unit 7.

[0025] (Action and effect) As described above, the X-ray inspection device 1 and curtain unit 7 of this embodiment are provided with a locking mechanism consisting of the opening 76, lock plate 77, and spring hinge 78, so that when the curtain unit 7 is pulled out, the upper protrusion 774 of the lock plate 77 interferes with the insertion port 32 of the device main body 3, preventing the curtain unit 7 from being pulled out any further. This prevents the danger of an operator pulling out the curtain unit 7 too far without knowing how far to pull it out, causing the curtain unit 7 to fall unintentionally.

[0026] However, interference caused by this locking mechanism can be easily resolved by reaching into opening 76, which appears when curtain unit 7 is pulled out, and pushing down lock plate 77. Furthermore, when inserting curtain unit 7 into device main body 3, guide portion 773 and spring hinge 78 function to automatically resolve any interference, allowing for smooth insertion as before. Therefore, no tools are required when installing or pulling out curtain unit 7, and the process is not complicated, so handling safety can be improved while maintaining the maintainability of curtain unit 7.

[0027] Furthermore, with the X-ray inspection device 1 and curtain unit 7 of this embodiment, the locking mechanism consisting of the opening 76, locking plate 77, and spring hinge 78 also contributes to preventing X-ray leakage. If only consideration is given to preventing the curtain unit 7 from falling and ease of maintenance, it is sufficient to form only the opening 76 and use the opening 76 as a handle when pulling out the curtain unit 7. However, if only the opening 76 is formed without attaching the locking plate 77, there is no component in the opening 76 that provides X-ray shielding effect, and the X-ray shielding ability around the opening 76 is reduced. In contrast, in this embodiment, the locking plate 77 is configured to cover the opening 76, so X-rays can be prevented from leaking at the opening 76.

[0028] Next, a modification of the above-described embodiment will be described. The same components as those in the embodiment will be designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0029] (Variation 1) Figure 8 is a rear perspective view of the main parts of the curtain unit 7 according to the first modification, and is a view of the curtain unit 7 viewed from the same direction as in Figure 3. As in the embodiment, the curtain unit 7 according to the first modification comprises a plate-shaped curtain holder 71 and a shielding curtain 8 hanging down from the curtain holder 71, and the curtain holder 71 has a handle 72 on the front, an actuator 73 on the front top surface, and tabs 74 on the left and right side surfaces.

[0030] Curtain holder 71 according to Modification 1 includes opening 76, lock plate 77, and leaf spring 79 (elastic member). That is, the elastic member interposed between fixed end 771 of lock plate 77 and curtain holder 71 is not limited to spring hinge 78, and may be, for example, a leaf spring as shown in Modification 1.

[0031] As shown in frame C in FIG. 8 , leaf spring 79 is a metal plate formed by bending a rectangular metal plate into a V-shape. One leaf surface 791 is fixed to the back surface of fixed end 771 of locking plate 77, and the other leaf surface 792 is fixed by screws, adhesive, or the like, along bend line 793, to the underside of rear side 761 of opening 76 in mounting direction B. As in the embodiment, the elastic force of leaf spring 79 causes locking plate 77 to be held in a reference position in which upper protrusion 774 of locking plate 77 protrudes above opening 76 and free end 772 interferes with front side 762 of opening 76 in mounting direction B. When locking plate 77 rotates downward, leaf surface 791 of leaf spring 79 also bends downward, and leaf spring 79 functions to urge locking plate 77 upward, returning it to the reference position. This provides the same effects as in the embodiment.

[0032] (Variation 2) FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion of the X-ray inspection apparatus 1 according to Modification 2, taken along the arrow IX-IX in FIG. 1 . Modification 2 is a preferred modification relating to the insertion port 32 of the curtain unit 7. When the curtain unit 7 is pulled out of the apparatus main body 3, the upper protrusion 774 of the lock plate 77 interferes with the upper edge 32u of the insertion port 32, preventing it from coming out. Therefore, if the curtain unit 7 is pulled out too far without knowing how far it should be pulled out, it is expected that the upper protrusion 774 will impinge on the upper edge 32u of the insertion port 32 inside the apparatus. For this reason, it is preferable to provide a buffer member for the upper protrusion 774 inside the upper edge 32u of the insertion port 32 of the apparatus main body 3. The buffer member may be made of metal or rubber at the collision position, but it is more preferable that the buffer member also function as another member of the apparatus main body 3. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the buffer member is preferably a metal box 80 that houses the mounting portion of a ball catch 81 (shown in FIG. 1) for the opening and closing door 9 of the device, and is configured so that the upper protrusion 774 collides with the corners and sides of the buffer member (metal box 80).

[0033] Another possible modification is to change the location of the opening 76. In the embodiment, the opening 76 is formed at position P1 shown in FIG. 10(A), i.e., approximately in the center of the width of the curtain holder 71 and on the far side in the installation direction B. However, the opening 76 may be formed at position P2, which is approximately in the center of the width of the curtain holder 71 and on the near side in the installation direction B, position P3, which is approximately in the center of the width of the curtain holder 71 and also in the installation direction B, or position P4, which is off the center in the width direction, to achieve the same locking mechanism and lid effects as in the embodiment. However, as described above, the opening 76 is preferably used as a handle when pulling out the curtain unit 7. The worker lifts the curtain unit 7 using the handle 72 provided on the front of the curtain unit 7 and the opening 76 that appears when pulled out. For this reason, it is preferable to position the curtain unit 7 at position P3 rather than position P2 when viewed in the installation direction B, or at position P1 rather than position P3, or at position P1 rather than position P4 when viewed in the width direction of the curtain holder 71, because this improves weight balance when lifting the curtain unit 7. As another modification, in the embodiment, the installation direction B of the curtain unit 7 is configured to be perpendicular to the conveying direction A from the front to the rear of the apparatus main body 3. However, depending on the configuration of the apparatus main body 3, the installation direction B may be modified to coincide with the conveying direction A, as shown in FIG. 10(B). In this case, the orientation of the handle 72 and the lock plate 77 may also be changed to follow the installation direction B. Also, in the embodiment, the curtain unit 7 is provided at both the entrance and the exit of the inspection room 6. However, depending on the configuration of the apparatus main body 3, the curtain unit 7 may be provided at either one of the entrance and exit. Furthermore, although the curtain unit 7 is attached to the X-ray inspection apparatus 1, it can be applied to an inspection apparatus that requires a shielding curtain to prevent leakage of light, such as an inspection apparatus that uses high-intensity laser light.

[0034] Although the preferred embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above, these can be modified and combined based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, and such modifications are also included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1...X-ray inspection device, 2...belt conveyor, 3...device body, 32...insertion port, 32u...upper edge of insertion port, 6...inspection room, 7...curtain unit, 8...shielding curtain, 71...curtain holder, 76...opening, 761...rear side of opening in installation direction, 762...front side of opening in installation direction, 77...lock plate, 771...fixed end, 772...free end, 773...guiding part, 774...upper protrusion, 775...locking part, 776...non-inclined part, 78...spring hinge (elastic member), 79...leaf spring (elastic member), 80...buffer member, A...transport direction, B...installation direction

Claims

1. An X-ray inspection apparatus comprising: an apparatus main body having an inspection chamber; and a curtain unit attached to an entrance and / or an exit of the inspection chamber in a transport direction, The curtain unit comprises: a plate-shaped curtain holder and a shielding curtain hanging down from the curtain holder, the curtain holder being attached by inserting the curtain holder into the device body, the insertion direction being the installation direction; The curtain holder is An opening; a lock plate disposed below the opening, the lock plate having a fixed end on the rear side of the opening in the mounting direction, a free end on the opposite side to the fixed end, and an upper protrusion protruding upward from the opening; an elastic member interposed between the fixed end of the locking plate and the curtain holder, and biasing the locking plate upward; An X-ray inspection apparatus comprising:

2. 2. The X-ray inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the free end of the lock plate interferes with the front side of the opening in the mounting direction, thereby closing the opening.

3. 2. The X-ray inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the locking plate is a bent metal sheet including: a guide portion having an upward slope from the fixed end to the free end; the upper protrusion which is the apex of the guide portion; a locking portion having a downward slope from the upper protrusion to the free end with a slope greater than that of the guide portion; and a non-sloped portion continuing from the lower end of the locking portion to the free end.

4. 2. The X-ray inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening is provided on a rear side of the curtain holder in the mounting direction.

5. 2. The X-ray inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a buffer member for the upper protrusion of the curtain unit is provided inside the apparatus at an upper edge of the insertion port of the curtain holder of the apparatus main body.

6. a curtain unit attached to an entrance and / or an exit in a transport direction of an inspection room of an inspection device, the curtain unit comprising a plate-shaped curtain holder and a shielding curtain hanging down from the curtain holder, the curtain unit being attached by inserting the curtain holder into a main body of the inspection device, the insertion direction being the installation direction; The curtain holder is An opening; a lock plate disposed below the opening, the lock plate having a fixed end on the rear side of the opening in the mounting direction, a free end on the opposite side to the fixed end, and an upper protrusion protruding upward from the opening; an elastic member interposed between the fixed end of the locking plate and the curtain holder, and biasing the locking plate upward; A curtain unit for an inspection device, comprising:

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