Radiation Imaging Item Handling With Revolving-Door Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current radiation imaging systems face challenges in efficiently and accurately inspecting small, safety-critical components due to complex and costly handling mechanisms, which affect throughput and precision, particularly in ensuring precise positioning and orientation of items within the inspection chamber.

Innovation Solution

A radiation imaging system with access ports featuring a revolving door and item handling apparatus that includes mounts and a manipulator, allowing for efficient loading and unloading of items through a streamlined design with reduced components, enabling precise positioning and orientation using a moveable manipulator and rotatable members for simultaneous item handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional conveyor belts are used for item transport, then continuous transportation is achieved, but precise control of item positions and orientations becomes challenging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous transportationVSAvoiditem positioning and orientation control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The conveyor belt is divided into multiple independent sections, each capable of being controlled separately. This segmentation allows precise positioning of items at specific locations while maintaining continuous flow, resolving the contradiction between continuous transportation and precise control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If sliding or hinged doors are used to seal the inspection chamber, then radiation sealing is achieved, but loading and unloading items introduces significant delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveradiation sealingVSAvoidloading and unloading cycle time

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The revolving door enables continuous loading and unloading operations without breaking the radiation seal. Multiple openings in the revolving door allow items to be transferred continuously while the door rotates, eliminating the need to open and close doors between each loading/unloading cycle, thus maintaining both sealing and continuity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Manufacturing precision

If advanced robotic arms are used for item handling, then precise positioning is achieved, but mechanical complexity and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveitem positioning precisionVSAvoidhandling equipment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions into integrated components: the conveyor belt sections serve both as transport surfaces and as positioning mechanisms, while the revolving door simultaneously provides radiation sealing and continuous access. This merging reduces the need for separate complex robotic systems while maintaining positioning precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If complete sealing of the radiation chamber is implemented, then radiation safety is ensured, but the design complexity increases due to sequential opening and locking mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveradiation containmentVSAvoidsealing mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The revolving door transforms the static sealing mechanism into a dynamic system. Instead of sequential opening and closing of multiple door sections, the entire door rotates continuously, maintaining the seal at all times while providing access through its multiple openings. This dynamic approach simplifies the sealing mechanism while ensuring radiation containment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system enhances inspection efficiency by reducing handling time and costs, improving precision, and simplifying the design while maintaining high accuracy in defect detection and metrology across various industrial applications.

Implementation Method 1

enclosure walls are configured to block radiation transmission

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadiation blocking: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 2

manipulator is moveably arranged within the radiation imaging system

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical positioning: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 3

radiation imaging device comprising at least one source and at least one detector that define a projection space between them

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadiation imaging: X-Ray

Data Source

PatentUS20250334526A1Radiation imaging system for inspection of items and method therefor

Publication Date: 2025.10.30 DELTARAY BV

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to the field of radiation imaging for testing and/or quality assurance of items (6) in a variety of industrial applications. The radiation imaging system (1) for inspecting a plurality of items (6) comprises a radiation imaging device. a shielded enclosure (31), at least one access port (33). and at least one item handling apparatus (10) with a movable manipulator (4) configured for detachably coupling and releasing a plurality of mounts (5) suspended on a retaining element (36) arranged in the access port (33). and positioning the plurality items (6) mounted on the mounts (5) within a projection space (23) of the radiation imaging device.