Shielded Enclosure Linear Conveyor Radiation Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing installations for treating articles by electron bombardment are bulky due to the need for intermediate stars, which increases the size and reduces the tightness of the enclosure, compromising operator protection and layout flexibility.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a linear conveyor system within the shielded enclosure that forms a radiation barrier around the entrance and exit, allowing for a longer shielded wall without increasing the enclosure's length, and using intermediate stars to tangent with both the treatment and input/output starwheels, reducing the need for additional space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If intermediate stars are added to the shielded enclosure to create radiation barriers, then operator protection is improved, but the installation size increases and enclosure tightness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from using intermediate stars (point/linear elements) to linear conveyors forming continuous shielded walls (surface elements). This dimensional change allows the radiation barrier to be formed along the perimeter of the enclosure rather than requiring multiple discrete intermediate stars, reducing overall installation volume while maintaining protection effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The shielded enclosure is divided into segments with linear conveyors positioned at strategic locations (entrance and exit sides) forming baffle walls. These segmented shielded walls create multiple reflection paths for X-rays without requiring a complete intermediate star system, achieving radiation containment with reduced material and space requirements.
2Reliability
If intermediate stars are added to the shielded enclosure to create radiation barriers, then operator protection is improved, but layout flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By forming radiation barriers through linear conveyors positioned along the perimeter of the shielded enclosure rather than using intermediate stars positioned within the enclosure volume, the patent enables more flexible spatial arrangements. The linear conveyor configuration can be adapted to different enclosure geometries and production line layouts more easily than fixed intermediate star positions.
3Reliability
If the shielded wall is lengthened to reinforce the radiation barrier, then operator protection is improved, but the distance between entrance and exit must increase
Solution Approach 1:
The linear conveyors form continuous shielded walls that extend along the entrance and exit sides of the enclosure, creating uninterrupted radiation barriers. This continuous shielding configuration maximizes protection effectiveness within the available enclosure length, eliminating the need to increase the distance between entrance and exit to achieve adequate radiation containment.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of extending the enclosure length to provide adequate shielding, the patent uses linear conveyors to create shielded walls that extend perpendicular to the X-ray path, forming baffles that redirect radiation through multiple reflections. This approaches the shielding problem from a different spatial dimension, maintaining compact enclosure dimensions while achieving effective radiation protection.
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 enhances operator protection while minimizing the installation's size, allowing for more flexible layout integration into production lines without compromising radiation containment.
Implementation Method 1
installation for the treatment of articles by electron bombardment radiation
Implementation Method 2
weaken the energy of the X-rays emitted by the transmitter
Implementation Method 3
the X-rays emitted by the transmitter towards the containers bounce off the walls of the shielded enclosure and the internal shielded partitions a sufficient number of times to have lost most of their energy
Implementation Method 4
shielded internal partitions arranged in a baffle towards the entrance and the exit of the shielded enclosure
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a plant for treating articles with radiation, comprising a frame (1) on which are mounted an inlet star wheel (2) and an outlet star wheel (3) arranged respectively opposite an inlet (4) and an outlet (5) of a shielded cell (6) in which are mounted at least one pivoting treatment star wheel (7) and one electron transmitter (8) in the vicinity of the treatment star wheel. The plant comprises a linear inlet conveyor (9) and a linear outlet conveyor (10) extending in the shielded cell respectively opposite the inlet and the outlet, wherein the linear conveyors include a carrier (11, 13) surrounding a shielded wall (12, 14) defining a baffle.