Resin-Molded Collimator Module for X-ray CT Scattered Ray Elimination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional X-ray CT apparatus collimators with grid-formed X-ray blocking plates have high manufacturing costs and low throughput due to the difficulty in processing materials like molybdenum, especially when a highly detailed configuration is required, leading to increased costs and manufacturing challenges.
Innovation Solution
The collimator module includes X-ray blocking plates arranged in a grid formation with resin holding the plates, where the resin is formed with groove-like slits and filled with metal particles to create the plates, allowing for easier manufacturing and thinner plate designs, and the resin's structure can be varied to control scattered ray elimination capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If X-ray blocking plates are processed from materials like molybdenum to achieve highly detailed configuration, then manufacturing precision is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The collimator is divided into multiple collimator modules, each handling a specific region. This segmentation allows parallel manufacturing of multiple modules, improving overall productivity while maintaining detailed configurations in each module through the resin molding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical processing of metal blocking plates with a molding process using resin and metal particles. Instead of cutting and shaping metal through complex mechanical operations, the blocking plates are formed by injecting resin mixed with metal particles into molds, dramatically simplifying the manufacturing process and improving throughput.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional metal processing methods are used to create X-ray blocking plates, then manufacturing precision can be achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes traditional mechanical processing methods with a resin injection molding process. Metal particles are mixed with resin and injected into molds to form blocking plates, eliminating the need for expensive metal cutting, machining, and assembly operations while maintaining precise configurations through mold design.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking plates are created as composite structures combining resin and metal particles. This composite approach allows the use of inexpensive resin as the base material with metal particles providing the necessary X-ray blocking properties, significantly reducing material costs compared to using solid metal plates.
3Reliability
If thicker X-ray blocking plates are used, then scattered ray elimination capability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases and deformation issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The use of composite material (resin with metal particles) allows achieving the required X-ray blocking capability with thinner plates. The metal particles provide high-density X-ray absorption properties, enabling thin plates to effectively eliminate scattered rays without the manufacturing complexity and deformation issues associated with thicker metal plates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters by using resin mixed with metal particles instead of solid metal. This parameter change allows for thinner plate designs that are easier to manufacture and less prone to deformation, while maintaining or improving scattered ray elimination capability through the high-density metal particle distribution.
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
This configuration reduces manufacturing costs, enables thinner X-ray blocking plates for detailed detectors, and simplifies the manufacturing process, while preventing artifacts from unwanted substances and deformation issues, thus improving throughput and yield.
Implementation Method 1
resin provided between the first scattered ray eliminating part and the second scattered ray eliminating part and configured to hold the first scattered ray eliminating part and the second scattered ray eliminating part
Implementation Method 2
X-ray blocking plates are arranged in a grid formation, so that the X-ray blocking plates protect X-ray detecting elements from scattered X-rays that may become incident thereto
Data Source
AI summary
A collimator according to an embodiment is a collimator for use in an X-ray CT apparatus and includes a collimator module and resin. The collimator module includes a first scattered ray eliminating part and a second scattered ray eliminating part. The resin is provided between the first scattered ray eliminating part and the second scattered ray eliminating part and is configured to hold the first scattered ray eliminating part and the second scattered ray eliminating part.