Flying spot forming device and scanning inspection system

Abstract

A flying spot forming device and a scanning inspection system. The flying spot forming device (FP) comprises: a radiation source (10), which has a radiation outlet (11); a radiation shielding mechanism (20), which has a first beam slit (21); and a rotary shielding mechanism (30), which is rotatable relative to the radiation shielding mechanism (20) and is provided with at least one second beam slit (31). The radiation outlet (11) is located on an inner side of the rotary shielding mechanism (30), and a plane on which the first beam slit (21) is located is perpendicular to a rotation axis (ax) of the rotary shielding mechanism (30) and intersects with a plane on which the second beam slit (31) is located. When the second beam slit (31) rotates along with the rotary shielding mechanism (30) to at least a part of an angle range corresponding to the first beam slit (21), the first beam slit (21) and the second beam slit (31) form, by means of radially overlapping parts, a channel for a radiation beam emitted from the radiation outlet (11) to pass through.

Description

Flying dot formation device and scanning inspection system

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application is based on and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411959026.9, filed on December 27, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to the field of radiation scanning, and in particular to a flying spot forming device and a scanning inspection system. Background Technology

[0004] In the field of radiation scanning, some related technologies use X-ray sources that emit X-rays through a target. A rotating flywheel is set outside the target. As the flywheel rotates, the X-rays emitted from the target are emitted outward through a through-hole on the outer periphery of the flywheel to form a beam. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Research has revealed that the flywheel has a certain mass and exhibits axial movement when rotating at high speed, causing the through holes on the outer periphery of the flywheel to shift axially, thus affecting the accuracy of the beam direction.

[0006] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a flying spot forming apparatus and a scanning inspection system that can improve the directional accuracy of the X-ray beam.

[0007] In one aspect of this disclosure, a flying point forming apparatus is provided, comprising:

[0008] A radiation source with a radiation outlet;

[0009] The radiation shielding mechanism has a first beam slit; and

[0010] A rotating shielding mechanism, rotatable relative to the radiation shielding mechanism, and having at least one second beam slit;

[0011] The ray outlet is located inside the rotating shielding mechanism. The plane where the first beam slit is located is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating shielding mechanism and intersects with the plane where the second beam slit is located. When the second beam slit rotates with the rotating shielding mechanism to at least a portion of the angle range corresponding to the first beam slit, the first beam slit and the second beam slit form a channel through which the ray beam emitted from the ray outlet passes by the radially overlapping portion.

[0012] In some embodiments, the plane containing the second beam slot is perpendicular to the plane containing the first beam slot.

[0013] In some embodiments, the plane containing the second beam slit passes through the rotation axis of the rotating shielding mechanism or is parallel to the rotation axis of the rotating shielding mechanism.

[0014] In some embodiments, the length of the second beam slit in the axial direction of the rotating shielding mechanism is greater than or equal to the axial offset displacement of the rotating shielding mechanism at the maximum permissible rotational speed.

[0015] In some embodiments, the rotating shielding mechanism includes a plurality of second beam slots arranged at intervals along the circumference of the rotating shielding mechanism.

[0016] In some embodiments, the flying point forming apparatus further includes:

[0017] Support platform, wherein the radiation source is disposed on the support platform; and

[0018] A drive mechanism is disposed on the support platform and operably connected to the rotating shielding mechanism, the drive mechanism being configured to drive the rotating shielding mechanism to rotate relative to the support platform.

[0019] In some embodiments, the rotating shielding mechanism includes:

[0020] A rotating flywheel, connected to the torque output end of the drive mechanism, and having a first radial through hole; and

[0021] A shielding ring is fixedly mounted on the rotating flywheel and has a second radial through hole;

[0022] The second radial through-hole and the first radial through-hole at least partially overlap in the radial direction to form the at least one second beam slot.

[0023] In some embodiments, the shielding ring is fixedly disposed on the inner surface of the rim of the rotating flywheel.

[0024] In some embodiments, the support platform has a pivot seat, on which the shaft of the rotating flywheel is rotatably mounted and connected to the torque output end of the drive mechanism via a coupling.

[0025] In some embodiments, the radiation shielding mechanism includes:

[0026] A first inner shielding structure, located inside the rotating shielding mechanism, is configured to limit the range of the radiation exit angle at the radiation outlet; and

[0027] An outer shielding structure is located outside the rotating shielding mechanism;

[0028] The first beam slit is located in the outer shielding structure, and the angle range corresponding to the first beam slit at least partially overlaps with the ray emission angle range.

[0029] In some embodiments, the first inner shielding structure is shaped as a fan-shaped annular box with an open radial outer end.

[0030] In some embodiments, the first inner shielding structure has a first radial gap with the inner surface of the rotating shielding mechanism; and / or, the outer shielding structure has a second radial gap with the outer surface of the rotating shielding mechanism.

[0031] In some embodiments, the flying point forming apparatus further includes:

[0032] Support platform;

[0033] The radiation source is disposed on the support platform, the outer shielding structure is disposed on the support platform, and the first inner shielding structure is disposed on the radiation source.

[0034] In some embodiments, the radiation shielding mechanism includes:

[0035] The second inner shielding structure, located inside the rotating shielding mechanism, is configured to limit the range of the radiation exit angle of the radiation outlet.

[0036] The first beam slit is located in the second inner shielding structure, and the angle range corresponding to the first beam slit at least partially overlaps with the ray emission angle range.

[0037] In some embodiments, the second inner shielding structure is shaped as a fan-shaped annular box with the first beam slot at its radially outer end.

[0038] In some embodiments, the second inner shielding structure has a third radial gap with the inner surface of the rotating shielding mechanism.

[0039] In some embodiments, the flying point forming apparatus further includes:

[0040] Support platform;

[0041] The radiation source is located on the support platform, and the second inner shielding structure is located on the radiation source.

[0042] In one aspect of this disclosure, a scanning inspection system is provided, comprising: the aforementioned flying point forming apparatus.

[0043] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the plane of the first beam slit in the radiation shielding mechanism intersects with the plane of the second beam slit in the rotating shielding mechanism. When the second beam slit rotates with the rotating shielding mechanism to at least a portion of the angular range corresponding to the first beam slit, the radially overlapping portion of the first and second beam slits can form a channel through which the radiation beam emitted from the radiation outlet passes. Since the radiation shielding mechanism does not rotate with the rotating shielding mechanism, and the first beam slit is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating shielding mechanism, when the rotating shielding mechanism undergoes axial displacement under centrifugal force, the radially overlapping portion of the first and second beam slits can still remain in an axial position, reducing the risk of beam displacement. Attached Figure Description

[0044] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of this disclosure and, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0045] This disclosure will become clearer with reference to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, wherein:

[0046] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of some embodiments of the flying point forming apparatus according to the present disclosure;

[0047] Figure 2 is a partial schematic diagram of Figure 1 from view A;

[0048] Figure 3 is a partial schematic diagram of Figure 1 from view B;

[0049] Figure 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of the area corresponding to circle C in Figure 3;

[0050] Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of the installation structure of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 from different angles.

[0051] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of some other embodiments of the flying point forming apparatus according to the present disclosure;

[0052] Figure 8 is a partial schematic diagram of Figure 7 from the D perspective;

[0053] Figure 9 is a partial schematic diagram of Figure 7 from the perspective of E;

[0054] Figure 10 is an enlarged schematic diagram of the area corresponding to circle F in Figure 8;

[0055] Figures 11 and 12 are perspective views of the installation structure of the embodiment shown in Figure 7 from different angles.

[0056] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the scanning inspection system according to the present disclosure.

[0057] It should be understood that the dimensions of the various parts shown in the accompanying drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Furthermore, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar components.

[0058] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 10-Radiation source; 11-Radiation outlet; 20-Radiation shielding mechanism; 21-First beam slit; 22-First inner shielding structure; 23-Outer shielding structure; 24-Second inner shielding structure; 30-Rotating shielding mechanism; 31-Second beam slit; 32-Rotating flywheel; 321-First radial through hole; 322-Rim; 331-Second radial through hole; 40-Support platform; 41-Rotating shaft seat; 42-Coupling; 50-Drive mechanism; ax-Rotation axis; RB-Radiation beam; FP-Flying spot forming device; SI-Scanning inspection system. Detailed Implementation

[0059] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The descriptions of the exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative and are in no way intended to limit the present disclosure or its application or use. The present disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments herein. These embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully express the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that, unless specifically stated otherwise, the relative arrangement of components and steps, the composition of materials, numerical expressions, and values ​​set forth in these embodiments should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limiting.

[0060] The terms "first," "second," and similar words used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different parts. Words such as "including" or "contains" mean that the element preceding the word encompasses the element listed after it, and do not exclude the possibility of encompassing other elements as well. Terms such as "above," "below," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, this relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0061] In this disclosure, when a specific device is described as being located between a first device and a second device, an intermediary device may or may not be present between the specific device and the first or second device. When a specific device is described as being connected to other devices, the specific device may be directly connected to the other devices without an intermediary device, or it may be not directly connected to the other devices but have an intermediary device.

[0062] All terms used in this disclosure (including technical or scientific terms) have the same meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains, unless otherwise specifically defined. It should also be understood that terms defined in a general dictionary, such as a dictionary, should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and not as having an idealized or highly formalized meaning, unless expressly defined herein.

[0063] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, they should be considered part of the specification.

[0064] Some related technologies use X-ray sources that emit X-rays through a target. A rotating flywheel is set outside the target. As the flywheel rotates, the X-rays emitted from the target are emitted outward through a through-hole on the outer periphery of the flywheel to form a beam.

[0065] Research has revealed that the flywheel has a certain mass and exhibits axial movement when rotating at high speed, causing the through holes on the outer periphery of the flywheel to shift axially, thus affecting the accuracy of the beam direction.

[0066] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a flying spot forming apparatus and a scanning inspection system that can improve the directional accuracy of the X-ray beam.

[0067] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of some embodiments of the flying point forming apparatus according to the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a partial schematic diagram of Figure 1 from view A. Figure 3 is a partial schematic diagram of Figure 1 from view B. Figure 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of the region corresponding to circle C in Figure 3.

[0068] Referring to Figures 1-4, this disclosure provides a flying spot forming apparatus, including: a radiation source 10, a radiation shielding mechanism 20, and a rotating shielding mechanism 30. The radiation source 10 has a radiation outlet 11. The radiation shielding mechanism 20 has a first beam slit 21. The rotating shielding mechanism 30 is rotatable relative to the radiation shielding mechanism 20 and has at least one second beam slit 31. The radiation outlet 11 is located inside the rotating shielding mechanism 30. The plane containing the first beam slit 21 is perpendicular to the rotation axis ax of the rotating shielding mechanism 30 and intersects with the plane containing the second beam slit 31. When the second beam slit 31 rotates with the rotating shielding mechanism 30 to at least a portion of the angle range corresponding to the first beam slit 21, the first beam slit 21 and the second beam slit 31 form a channel through which the radiation beam RB emitted from the radiation outlet 11 passes through the radially overlapping portion.

[0069] The radiation source 10 can emit radiation such as X-rays and gamma rays, including X-ray machines or linear accelerators. The radiation outlet 11 of the radiation source 10 can be a target point or other structures, such as optical lenses or filters for radiation emission. The radiation outlet 11 can be located at the rotation center of the rotating shielding mechanism 30 or offset from the rotation center of the rotating shielding mechanism 30.

[0070] The radiation shielding mechanism 20 can shield a portion of the radiation emitted from the radiation outlet 11, achieving radiation protection while directing the radiation emission in the required direction. The radiation shielding mechanism 20 may include shielding materials with radiation shielding capabilities, such as lead or tungsten, or other materials with high mass and thickness.

[0071] The first beam slit 21 of the radiation shielding mechanism 20 can be formed as a flat through hole with a certain depth along the radiation direction. This flat through hole can collimate the radiation beam and improve the accuracy of the radiation beam emission direction.

[0072] The rotating shielding mechanism 30 can rotate relative to the radiation shielding mechanism 20. The rotation of the rotating shielding mechanism 30, in conjunction with the second beam slit 31 thereon, enables the radiation source 10 to emit beams periodically.

[0073] The second beam slit 31 of the rotating shielding mechanism 30 can be formed as a flat through hole with a certain depth along the beam direction, which can be used to define the exit direction of the beam.

[0074] The rotating shielding mechanism 30 may include one or more second beam slits 31. In Figure 1, the rotating shielding mechanism 30 includes a plurality of second beam slits 31, which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the rotating shielding mechanism 30. Each of the plurality of second beam slits 31 can sequentially enter and exit at least a portion of the angular range corresponding to the first beam slit 21 as the rotating shielding mechanism 30 rotates. Optionally, the plurality of second beam slits 31 are arranged at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction to achieve uniform beam output from the flying point forming device.

[0075] In Figure 1, the second beam slit 31 on the rotating shielding mechanism 30 will change its circumferential angular position as the rotating shielding mechanism 30 rotates. When it moves to at least part of the angular range corresponding to the first beam slit 21 on the left, the beam RB can be seen to be emitted outward from the beam outlet 11 through the second beam slit 31 and the first beam slit 21 in sequence. The direction of the beam is indicated by double arrows.

[0076] Figure 1 uses solid black arrows to indicate the radial perspective A (inside to outside) and the radial perspective B (outside to inside). The perspective A shown in Figure 2 and the perspective B shown in Figure 3 are both radial perspectives through the portion where the first beam slit 21 and the second beam slit 31 overlap radially. Perspective A is radially outward, and perspective B is radially inward. The first beam slit 21 in Figure 2 and the second beam slit 31 in Figure 3 are obscured, so their corresponding positions are shown by dashed lines.

[0077] Referring to viewpoint A in Figure 2 and viewpoint B in Figure 3, it can be seen that the plane containing the first beam slit 21 is perpendicular to the rotation axis ax of the rotating shielding mechanism 30. The plane containing the second beam slit 31 intersects the plane containing the first beam slit 21. The two planes can be perpendicular to each other, or they can intersect at an acute or obtuse angle.

[0078] It should be noted that, in order to facilitate the description of the spatial relationship between the first beam slot 21 and the second beam slot 31 and other structures, the plane where the beam slot is located here refers to the central plane passing through the center of the beam slot. This central plane is parallel to both the length direction and the depth direction of the beam slot.

[0079] Figure 4 illustrates the radially overlapping portion of the first beam slit 21 and the second beam slit 31 through the shaded area. In Figure 1, the beam RB is emitted outward from this overlapping portion.

[0080] In this embodiment, when the second beam slit 31 rotates with the rotating shielding mechanism to at least a portion of the angular range corresponding to the first beam slit 21, the radially overlapping portion of the first beam slit 21 and the second beam slit 31 can form a channel through which the radiation beam emitted from the radiation outlet 11 passes. Since the radiation shielding mechanism 20 does not rotate with the rotating shielding mechanism 30, and the first beam slit 21 is perpendicular to the rotation axis ax of the rotating shielding mechanism 30, when the rotating shielding mechanism 30 undergoes axial displacement under centrifugal force, the radially overlapping portion of the first beam slit 21 and the second beam slit 21 can still remain in an axial position, reducing the risk of beam displacement.

[0081] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, in some embodiments, the plane containing the second beam slit 31 is perpendicular to the plane containing the first beam slit 21. Since the plane containing the first beam slit 21 is perpendicular to the rotation axis ax of the rotating shielding mechanism 30, there is no angle of inclination between the plane containing the second beam slit 31 and the rotation axis ax of the rotating shielding mechanism 30. Thus, when the rotating shielding mechanism 30 undergoes axial displacement under centrifugal force, the exit position of the ray beam RB through the second beam slit 31 is less likely to jump in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis ax, making the exit of the ray beam RB more stable during the rotation of the rotating shielding mechanism 30. For example, referring to Figure 4, assuming the rotating shielding mechanism 30 undergoes axial displacement, the position of the second beam slit 31 on the rotating shielding mechanism 30 relative to the second beam slit 21 will also shift axially accordingly, but the shaded area in Figure 4, i.e., the position where the ray beam RB exits outward, remains unchanged.

[0082] In the embodiment where the plane of the second beam slit 31 is perpendicular to the plane of the first beam slit 21, the plane of the second beam slit 31 can pass through the rotation axis ax of the rotating shielding mechanism 30. This is equivalent to drawing a plane radially from the rotation axis toward the second beam slit 31, and this plane coincides with the plane of the second beam slit 31. Alternatively, the plane of the second beam slit 31 may not pass through the rotation axis ax of the rotating shielding mechanism 30, but may be parallel to the rotation axis ax of the rotating shielding mechanism 30, as long as the beam can pass through the second beam slit 31.

[0083] In order to ensure that the second beam slot 31 can maintain an overlap with the first beam slot 21 as much as possible when the rotating shielding mechanism 30 undergoes axial displacement, in some embodiments, the length of the second beam slot 31 in the axial direction of the rotating shielding mechanism 30 can be greater than or equal to the axial displacement of the rotating shielding mechanism 30 at the maximum permissible rotational speed.

[0084] The rotating shielding mechanism 30 has a maximum permissible speed for normal operation; exceeding this maximum speed will prevent the flypoint forming device from operating normally. For the rotating shielding mechanism 30 operating at its maximum permissible speed, this is typically when the mechanism experiences its maximum axial offset.

[0085] In order for the rays to still pass through the second beam slit 31 when the rotating shielding mechanism 30 experiences maximum axial displacement on one side, the length of the second beam slit 31 in the axial direction of the rotating shielding mechanism 30 must be greater than or equal to the maximum axial displacement of the rotating shielding mechanism 30. If the center of the second beam slit 31 on the unrotated rotating shielding mechanism 30 is aligned with the center of the first beam slit 21, it is preferable that the length of the second beam slit 31 in the axial direction of the rotating shielding mechanism 30 is greater than or equal to twice the maximum axial displacement of the rotating shielding mechanism 30. In this way, even when the rotating shielding mechanism 30 experiences maximum axial displacement on both sides, the rays can still pass through the second beam slit 31.

[0086] Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of the installation structure of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 from different perspectives. Referring to Figures 5 and 6, in some embodiments, the flying point forming apparatus further includes a support platform 40 and a drive mechanism 50. The X-ray source 10 is disposed on the support platform 40. The drive mechanism 50 is disposed on the support platform 40 and operatively connected to the rotating shielding mechanism 30, the drive mechanism 50 being configured to drive the rotating shielding mechanism 30 to rotate relative to the support platform 40.

[0087] The support platform 40 can be fixedly or movably installed at the site where radiation scanning is required. The radiation source 10 can be mounted to the support platform 40 via connectors (such as bolts). The drive mechanism 50 can also be mounted to the support platform 40 to form a more compact structure with the radiation source 10 and the support platform 40, reducing space occupation.

[0088] The drive mechanism 50 may include a motor, pneumatic motor, hydraulic motor, or other mechanism capable of outputting power. Through its connection with the rotating shielding mechanism 30, it can drive the rotating shielding mechanism 30 to rotate at high speed. In actual operation, the radiation source 10, the radiation shielding mechanism 20, and the drive mechanism 50 are all fixed relative to the support platform 40, while the rotating shielding mechanism 30 rotates under the drive of the drive mechanism 50.

[0089] Referring to Figure 5, in some embodiments, the rotating shielding mechanism 30 includes a rotating flywheel 32 and a shielding ring 33. The rotating flywheel 32 is connected to the torque output end of the drive mechanism 50 and has a first radial through-hole 321. The shielding ring 33 is fixedly disposed on the rotating flywheel 32 and has a second radial through-hole 331. The second radial through-hole 331 and the first radial through-hole 321 at least partially overlap radially to form at least one second beam slit 31.

[0090] The drive mechanism 50 outputs torque to the rotating flywheel 32 through its torque output terminal to drive the rotating flywheel 32 to rotate. For example, the drive mechanism 50 may include a motor, with the motor's output shaft connected to the rotating flywheel 32 as the torque output terminal. Alternatively, the drive mechanism 50 may include a motor and a reducer connected to the motor, with the reducer's output shaft connected to the rotating flywheel 32 as the torque output terminal.

[0091] The shielding ring 33 is fixed to the rotating flywheel 32. The two can be fixedly connected by connectors, adhesive, welding, or interference fit. The shielding ring 33 is made of a shielding material capable of shielding radiation, such as lead or tungsten.

[0092] The shielding ring 33 and the rotating flywheel 32 form a second beam slot 31 through a through region that at least partially overlaps radially with the second radial through hole 331 and the first radial through hole 321. The second radial through hole 331 and the first radial through hole 321 may be the same in shape, size and angular position, or they may be different in at least one of the following: shape, size and angular position.

[0093] The drive mechanism 50 drives the shielding ring 33 to rotate by driving the rotating flywheel 32. In this way, the shielding ring 33 and the rotating flywheel 32 are each responsible for shielding the radiation and providing kinetic energy, respectively. Accordingly, they can be designed separately as needed, reducing the degree of coupling between the two in the design and improving design flexibility.

[0094] Considering the significant mass of the shielding material used in the shielding ring 33, referring to Figure 5, in some embodiments, the shielding ring 33 is fixedly mounted on the inner surface of the rim 322 of the rotating flywheel 32. This effectively reduces the risk of the heavy shielding material detaching from the rotating flywheel 32 due to centrifugal force during high-speed rotation.

[0095] In Figure 5, the rotating flywheel 32 can be constructed as a disc-shaped structure with an axially extending rim 322 on its outer periphery. The shielding ring 33 can be set as an annular structure that is tightly attached to the inner wall of the rim 322. When the rotating flywheel 32 rotates at high speed, the rim 322 can block the radial outward movement tendency of the shielding ring 33, thereby making it more difficult for the shielding ring 33 to detach from the rotating flywheel 32.

[0096] Referring to Figure 6, in some embodiments, the support platform 40 has a pivot seat 41 on which the shaft of the rotating flywheel 32 is rotatably mounted and connected to the torque output end of the drive mechanism 50 via a coupling 42.

[0097] The pivot seat 41 on the support platform 40 can form a more stable and reliable rotational support for the rotating flywheel 32. The coupling 42 connects the rotating shaft of the rotating flywheel 32 and the torque output end of the drive mechanism 50 respectively, so as to realize the adaptation of torque transmission between the two.

[0098] Referring to Figures 1, 5, and 6, in some embodiments, the radiation shielding mechanism 20 includes a first inner shielding structure 22 and an outer shielding structure 23. The first inner shielding structure 22 is located inside the rotating shielding mechanism 30 and is configured to define the radiation exit angle range of the radiation outlet 11. The outer shielding structure 23 is located outside the rotating shielding mechanism 30. A first beam slit 21 is located on the outer shielding structure 23, and the angle range corresponding to the first beam slit 21 at least partially coincides with the radiation exit angle range.

[0099] The first inner shielding structure 22 includes a shielding material, such as a metal like lead or tungsten. The first inner shielding structure 22 is disposed inside the rotating shielding mechanism 30 and does not move with the rotation of the rotating shielding mechanism 30. The radiation outlet 11 is located inside or connected to the first inner shielding structure 22, thereby allowing the radiation emitted from the radiation outlet 11 to enter the internal cavity of the first inner shielding structure 22.

[0100] The structure and shape of the first inner shielding structure 22 can define the range of the radiation exit angle of the radiation outlet 11. For example, as can be seen in Figures 1 and 5, the first inner shielding structure 22 forms a fan-shaped structure with a preset angle, thus defining the range of the radiation exit angle of the radiation outlet 11.

[0101] The rays emitted from the ray outlet 11 are confined within the ray emission angle range by the first inner shielding structure 22. The rotating shielding mechanism 30 can always form a shielding effect on the rays on the radially outer side of the first inner shielding structure 22, except for the second beam slit 31, so that the rays can only be emitted outward from the second beam slit 31 when the second beam slit 31 rotates with the rotating shielding mechanism 30 into the ray emission angle range.

[0102] The outer shielding structure 23 includes a shielding material, such as a metal like lead or tungsten. The outer shielding material is located outside the rotating shielding mechanism 30 and does not move with the rotation of the rotating shielding mechanism 30. A first beam slit 23 is formed on the outer shielding structure 23, and the angular range corresponding to the first beam slit 21 at least partially overlaps with the ray emission angle range. Thus, the portion of the ray emitted from the second beam slit 31 outwards to the first beam slit 21, and from the second beam slit 31 outwards to the portion outside the first beam slit 21, is shielded by the outer shielding structure 23; only the portion where the second beam slit 31 and the first beam slit 21 radially overlap has rays emitted.

[0103] As can be seen from Figure 1, the first beam slit 21 located in the outer shielding structure 23 is more easily configured to have a certain depth to achieve a better beam collimation effect. Moreover, the relatively large distance between the first beam slit 21 and the beam exit 11 also helps to improve the beam collimation effect.

[0104] Referring to Figure 5, in some embodiments, the first inner shielding structure 22 is shaped as a fan-shaped annular box with an open radially outer end. In Figure 5, the end face of the fan-shaped annular box facing the rotating shielding mechanism 30 is open so that rays defined by the sidewall of the box can be emitted outward from that end.

[0105] Considering that the rotating shielding mechanism 30 rotates relative to the radiation shielding mechanism 20, therefore, referring to FIG1, in some embodiments, the first inner shielding structure 22 has a first radial gap g1 with the inner surface of the rotating shielding mechanism 30; and / or, the outer shielding structure 23 has a second radial gap g2 with the outer surface of the rotating shielding mechanism 30.

[0106] By using the first radial gap g1 and / or the second radial gap g2, the risk of interference between the rotating shielding mechanism 30 and the radiation shielding mechanism 20 can be effectively reduced, and the possibility of vibration, noise and other problems caused by mutual friction between the rotating shielding mechanism 30 and the radiation shielding mechanism 20 can be reduced, thereby improving the smoothness of the rotation of the rotating shielding mechanism 30.

[0107] Referring to Figure 5, in some embodiments, the flying spot forming apparatus further includes a support platform 40. The X-ray source 10 is disposed on the support platform 40, the outer shielding structure 23 is disposed on the support platform 40, and the first inner shielding structure 22 is disposed on the X-ray source 10. Since the first inner shielding structure 22 is located inside the rotating shielding mechanism 30 that needs to be rotated, it is disposed on the X-ray source 10, for example, mounted on or embedded in the housing of the X-ray source 10, to facilitate the installation and fixation of the first inner shielding structure 22.

[0108] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of some other embodiments of the flying point forming apparatus according to the present disclosure. Figure 8 is a partial schematic diagram of Figure 7 from view D. Figure 9 is a partial schematic diagram of Figure 7 from view E. Figure 10 is an enlarged schematic diagram of the area corresponding to circle F in Figure 8. Figures 11 and 12 are perspective schematic diagrams of the mounting structure of the embodiment shown in Figure 7 from different viewpoints.

[0109] Referring to Figures 7-12, in some embodiments, the radiation shielding mechanism 20 includes a second inner shielding structure 24 located inside the rotating shielding mechanism 30 and configured to define the radiation exit angle range of the radiation outlet 11. A first beam slit 21 is located within the second inner shielding structure 24, and the angle range corresponding to the first beam slit 21 at least partially overlaps with the radiation exit angle range.

[0110] Compared to some embodiments shown in Figures 1-6, some embodiments shown in Figures 7-12 are basically the same in terms of the spatial relationship between the first beam slot 21 and the second beam slot 31, the specific structure of the rotating shielding mechanism 30, and its arrangement with the support platform and the drive mechanism. Therefore, you can refer to the description of some embodiments shown in Figures 1-6, which will not be repeated here.

[0111] Compared to the embodiments shown in Figures 1-6, in this embodiment, the first beam slit 21 is located within the second inner shielding structure 24. Accordingly, the X-ray beam RB exits from the X-ray outlet 11, first passing through the first beam slit 21, then through the second beam slit 31, and finally exiting outwards. By placing the first beam slit 21 on the second inner shielding structure 24 inside the rotating shielding mechanism 30, the overall size can be reduced, which is beneficial for equipment miniaturization.

[0112] The second inner shielding structure 24 includes a shielding material, such as a metal like lead or tungsten. The second inner shielding structure 24 is disposed inside the rotating shielding mechanism 30 and does not move with the rotation of the rotating shielding mechanism 30. The radiation outlet 11 is located inside or connected to the second inner shielding structure 24, thereby allowing the radiation emitted from the radiation outlet 11 to enter the internal cavity of the second inner shielding structure 24.

[0113] The structure and shape of the second inner shielding structure 24 can define the range of the radiation exit angle of the radiation outlet 11. For example, as shown in Figures 7 and 11, the second inner shielding structure 24 forms a fan-shaped structure with a preset angle, thus defining the range of the radiation exit angle of the radiation outlet 11.

[0114] Specifically, the second inner shielding structure 24 can be a fan-shaped annular box with a first beam slit 21 at its radially outer end. As shown in Figure 7, the radially outer end of the fan-shaped annular box adjacent to the rotating shielding mechanism 30 is not open, but rather a shielding wall with the first beam slit 21. This first beam slit 21 collimates the X-ray beam RB inside the rotating shielding mechanism 30.

[0115] Considering that the rotating shielding mechanism 30 rotates relative to the radiation shielding mechanism 20, therefore, referring to FIG7, in some embodiments, the second inner shielding structure 24 has a third radial gap g3 with the inner surface of the rotating shielding mechanism 30.

[0116] The third radial gap g3 can effectively reduce the risk of interference between the rotating shielding mechanism 30 and the second inner shielding structure 24, reduce the possibility of vibration, noise and other problems caused by mutual friction between the rotating shielding mechanism 30 and the second inner shielding structure 24, and thus improve the smoothness of the rotation of the rotating shielding mechanism 30.

[0117] Referring to Figures 11 and 12, in some embodiments, the flying spot forming apparatus further includes a support platform 40, on which the radiation source 10 is disposed, and a second inner shielding structure 24 is disposed on the radiation source 10. Since the second inner shielding structure 24 is located inside the rotating shielding mechanism 30 that needs to be rotated, it is disposed on the radiation source 10, for example, by mounting it in or embedding it into the housing of the radiation source 10, to facilitate the installation and fixation of the second inner shielding structure 24.

[0118] The embodiments of the above-described flying spot forming apparatus can be applied to various radiation scanning systems, such as scanning inspection systems that use radiation scanning to inspect objects such as goods, vehicles, or living organisms.

[0119] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the scanning inspection system according to the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 13, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a scanning inspection system SI, including the flying spot forming apparatus FP of any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0120] The scanning inspection system SI using the aforementioned flying spot forming device FP can achieve high-precision X-ray scanning, which is beneficial for obtaining higher quality scan images.

[0121] The embodiments of this disclosure have now been described in detail. To avoid obscuring the concept of this disclosure, some details known in the art have not been described. Those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solutions disclosed herein based on the above description.

[0122] While specific embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail by way of examples, those skilled in the art should understand that the examples are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can be made to the above embodiments or equivalent substitutions can be made to some technical features without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A flying point forming apparatus (FP), comprising: A radiation source (10) with a radiation outlet (11); The radiation shielding mechanism (20) has a first beam slit (21); and The rotating shielding mechanism (30) is rotatable relative to the radiation shielding mechanism (20) and has at least one second beam slit (31); The ray outlet (11) is located inside the rotating shielding mechanism (30). The plane where the first beam slit (21) is located is perpendicular to the rotation axis (ax) of the rotating shielding mechanism (30) and intersects with the plane where the second beam slit (31) is located. When the second beam slit (31) rotates with the rotating shielding mechanism (30) to at least a portion of the angle range corresponding to the first beam slit (21), the first beam slit (21) and the second beam slit (31) form a channel through which the ray beam emitted from the ray outlet (11) passes through the radially overlapping portion.

2. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to claim 1, wherein, The plane containing the second beam slit (31) is perpendicular to the plane containing the first beam slit (21).

3. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to claim 2, wherein, The plane containing the second beam slit (31) passes through the rotation axis (ax) of the rotating shielding mechanism (30) or is parallel to the rotation axis (ax) of the rotating shielding mechanism (30).

4. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The length of the second beam slit (31) in the axial direction of the rotating shielding mechanism (30) is greater than or equal to the axial offset displacement of the rotating shielding mechanism (30) at the maximum permissible rotational speed.

5. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The rotating shielding mechanism (30) includes a plurality of second beam slits (31), which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the rotating shielding mechanism (30).

6. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to any one of claims 1-5, further comprising: A support platform (40) is provided, and the radiation source (10) is disposed on the support platform (40); and A drive mechanism (50) is disposed on the support platform (40) and operably connected to the rotating shielding mechanism (30), the drive mechanism (50) being configured to drive the rotating shielding mechanism (30) to rotate relative to the support platform (40).

7. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to claim 6, wherein, The rotating shielding mechanism (30) includes: A rotating flywheel (32) is connected to the torque output end of the drive mechanism (50) and has a first radial through hole (321); and The shielding ring (33) is fixedly mounted on the rotating flywheel (32) and has a second radial through hole (331); The second radial through-hole (331) and the first radial through-hole (321) at least partially overlap in the radial direction to form the at least one second beam slot (31).

8. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to claim 7, wherein, The shielding ring (33) is fixedly disposed on the inner surface of the rim (322) of the rotating flywheel (32).

9. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, The support platform (40) has a pivot seat (41), and the shaft of the rotating flywheel (32) is rotatably mounted on the pivot seat (41) and connected to the torque output end of the drive mechanism (50) via a coupling (42).

10. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The radiation shielding mechanism (20) includes: A first inner shielding structure (22), located inside the rotating shielding mechanism (30), is configured to limit the range of the radiation exit angle of the radiation outlet (11); and The outer shielding structure (23) is located outside the rotating shielding mechanism (30); The first beam slit (21) is located in the outer shielding structure (23), and the angle range corresponding to the first beam slit (21) at least partially overlaps with the ray emission angle range.

11. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to claim 10, wherein, The first inner shielding structure (22) is shaped as a fan-shaped annular box with an open radial outer end.

12. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein, The first inner shielding structure (22) has a first radial gap (g1) with the inner surface of the rotating shielding mechanism (30); and / or, the outer shielding structure (23) has a second radial gap (g2) with the outer surface of the rotating shielding mechanism (30).

13. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to any one of claims 10-12, further comprising: Support platform (40); The radiation source (10) is located on the support platform (40), the outer shielding structure (23) is located on the support platform (40), and the first inner shielding structure (22) is located on the radiation source (10).

14. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The radiation shielding mechanism (20) includes: The second inner shielding structure (24), located inside the rotating shielding mechanism (30), is configured to limit the range of the radiation exit angle of the radiation outlet (11); The first beam slit (21) is located in the second inner shielding structure (24), and the angle range corresponding to the first beam slit (21) at least partially overlaps with the ray emission angle range.

15. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to claim 14, wherein, The second inner shielding structure (24) is a fan-shaped annular box with the first beam slot (21) at its radially outer end.

16. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to claim 14 or 15, wherein, The second inner shielding structure (24) has a third radial gap (g3) with the inner surface of the rotating shielding mechanism (30).

17. The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to any one of claims 14-16, further comprising: Support platform (40); The radiation source (10) is disposed on the support platform (40), and the second inner shielding structure (24) is disposed on the radiation source (10).

18. A scanning inspection system (SI), comprising: The flying point forming apparatus (FP) according to any one of claims 1-17.

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