US4154672A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Standardization of penetrating radiation testing system
Assignee: Bedford Engineering Corp
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Filing: 1977-04-28
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Granted: 1979-05-15
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Expires: 1997-04-28
Abstract
Abstract Standardization is provided to control system gain of a penetrating radiation testing system by periodically inspecting a reference object in the same manner as the product samples so as to generate a stabilization signal which is compared to a reference signal. The difference, if any, between the stabilization signal and the reference signal is integrated and the integrated signal is used to correct the gain of the system.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip A. Wiley
- 👤 Herbert L. Aronson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 05:06
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B15/00; G01B15/02; B; B07; B07C; B07C5/00; B07C5/34; B07C5/3416; G01N; G01N23/00; G01N23/02; G01N23/06; G01N23/083; G01N23/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S209/00; Y10S209/905
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
275 words
In an apparatus for inspecting product samples to determine whether each of said samples has a measured quantity of a physical property within predetermined limits, said apparatus comprising means for conveying said samples along a predetermined path through an inspection station; irradiation means disposed adjacent said inspection station for directing a beam of penetrating radiation transversely to said path so that at least a portion of each of said samples is exposed to said beam; detector means adapted to receive radiation scattered by each sample irradiated by said beam; signal generating means responsive to said detector means for generating an electrical signal representative of the amount of radiation received by said detector means in accordance with a predetermined signal gain; and means for determining the quantity of said physical property of each sample irradiated by said beam as a function of said electrical signal; wherein the improvement comprises: means for periodically exposing at least a portion of a reference object having a predetermined quantity of said physical property to said beam of penetrating radidation, so that (1) said detector means receives radiation from said reference object, and (2) said signal generating means generates a stabilization signal representative of the amount of radiation received from said object by said detector means; means for providing a predetermined reference signal; comparison means for comparing said stabilization signal with said reference signal; means responsive to said comparison means for generating a difference signal representative of the difference between said stabilization and reference signals; means for integrating said difference signal so as to provide an integrated signal; and means for adjusting said signal gain in response to said integrated signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
275 words
In an apparatus for inspecting product samples to determine whether each of said samples has a measured quantity of a physical property within predetermined limits, said apparatus comprising means for conveying said samples along a predetermined path through an inspection station; irradiation means disposed adjacent said inspection station for directing a beam of penetrating radiation transversely to said path so that at least a portion of each of said samples is exposed to said beam; detector means adapted to receive radiation scattered by each sample irradiated by said beam; signal generating means responsive to said detector means for generating an electrical signal representative of the amount of radiation received by said detector means in accordance with a predetermined signal gain; and means for determining the quantity of said physical property of each sample irradiated by said beam as a function of said electrical signal; wherein the improvement comprises: means for periodically exposing at least a portion of a reference object having a predetermined quantity of said physical property to said beam of penetrating radidation, so that (1) said detector means receives radiation from said reference object, and (2) said signal generating means generates a stabilization signal representative of the amount of radiation received from said object by said detector means; means for providing a predetermined reference signal; comparison means for comparing said stabilization signal with said reference signal; means responsive to said comparison means for generating a difference signal representative of the difference between said stabilization and reference signals; means for integrating said difference signal so as to provide an integrated signal; and means for adjusting said signal gain in response to said integrated signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for conveying said products includes means for conveying said reference object through said inspection station.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said reference object is periodically conveyed through said inspection station between two of said samples.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said detector means is positioned so as to receive scattered radiation from each of said samples or said reference object irradiated by said beam and said electrical and stabilization signals are representative of the mass of the portion of said sample and said reference object, respectively, from which scattered radiation is received by said detector means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said electrical and stabilization signals are analog signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further including monitoring means for indicating when said signal gain is not being adequately adjusted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further including means for providing a supply voltage for said detector means, wherein said means for adjusting said signal gain includes means for adjusting said supply voltage level.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for determining the quantity of said physical property of each of said samples includes means for determining whether said quantity is within a predetermined range.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 further including sorting means for sorting said samples whose measured quantity of said physical property is within said predetermined range from those samples whose measured quantity of said physical property is outside of said predetermined range.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said means for determining the quantity of said physical property is only operative when a sample is positioned in said inspection station and said comparison means is only operative when said reference object is positioned in said inspection station.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
115 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 10 further including means for distinguishing at said inspection station between said reference object and said product samples and for generating a second electrical signal indicative of the distinction between said reference object and said product samples, and switching means responsive to said second electrical signal for mutually exclusively (1) directing said first mentioned electrical signal representative of the amount of radiation received by said detector means to said means for determining the quantity of said physical property when said each product sample is irradiated by said penetrating beam and (2) directing said stabilization signal to said comparison means when said reference object is irradiated by said penetrating beam.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said electrical and stabilization signals are digital signals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein said electrical signal and said stabilization signal are each a series of pulses, the pulse repetition rate of each of said series being dependent on the amount of radiation received by said detector.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
94 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, further comprising a counter for counting said pulses of said series of pulses and a time gate for transmitting each of said series of pulses for a predetermined period of time from said detector means, wherein said means for adjusting said signal gain includes means for applying said integrated signal to said time gate so as to adjust said predetermined period of time so that substantially the same number of pulses are transmitted through said time gate each time said reference object is exposed to said beam.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 13 further including amplitude discrimination means for excluding from said series of pulses those pulses whose amplitudes are outside of a predetermined limit.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
202 words
A method of stabilizing the signal output of an apparatus for inspecting product samples to determine whether each of said samples has a measured quantity of a physical property within predetermined limits, said method comprising; conveying said samples along a predetermined path through an inspection station; directing a beam of penetrating radiation transversely to said path so that at least a portion of each of said samples is exposed to said beam, detecting radiation scattered by each sample irradiated by said beam, generating an electrical signal representative of the amount of scattered radiation detected in accordance with a predetermined signal gain, wherein the improvement comprises: periodically exposing at least a portion of a reference object having a predetermined quantity of said physical property to said beam of penetrating radiation; detecting radiation from said reference object radiated by said beam, generating a stabilization signal in response to the detected radiation from said reference object; providing a predetermined reference signal; comparing said stabilization signal with said reference signal; generating a difference signal representative of the difference between said stabilization and reference signals; integrating said difference signal so as to provide an integrated signal; and adjusting said signal gain in response to said integrated signal.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
202 words
A method of stabilizing the signal output of an apparatus for inspecting product samples to determine whether each of said samples has a measured quantity of a physical property within predetermined limits, said method comprising; conveying said samples along a predetermined path through an inspection station; directing a beam of penetrating radiation transversely to said path so that at least a portion of each of said samples is exposed to said beam, detecting radiation scattered by each sample irradiated by said beam, generating an electrical signal representative of the amount of scattered radiation detected in accordance with a predetermined signal gain, wherein the improvement comprises: periodically exposing at least a portion of a reference object having a predetermined quantity of said physical property to said beam of penetrating radiation; detecting radiation from said reference object radiated by said beam, generating a stabilization signal in response to the detected radiation from said reference object; providing a predetermined reference signal; comparing said stabilization signal with said reference signal; generating a difference signal representative of the difference between said stabilization and reference signals; integrating said difference signal so as to provide an integrated signal; and adjusting said signal gain in response to said integrated signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 16 wherein said reference object is periodically conveyed through said inspection station between two of said samples.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method according to claim 16 wherein the radiation detected from each of said samples and said reference object when irradiated by said beam is scattered radiation and the electrical and stabilization signals are representative of the mass of the portion of said sample and said reference object, respectively, from which scattered radiation is detected.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising determining the quantity of said physical property of each of said samples.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein determining the quantity of said physical property includes determining whether said quantity is within a predetermined range.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method in accordance with claim 20, further comprising sorting said samples whose measured quantity of said physical property is within said predetermined range from those samples whose measured quantity of said physical property is outside said predetermined range.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein said electrical and stabilization signals are each a series of pulses, the pulse repetition rate of each of said series being dependent on the amount of radiation detected.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method in accordance with claim 22 further comprising counting said pulses of said series for a predetermined period of time and modifying the predetermined period of time in response to said integrated signal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
212 words
In an apparatus including a source of penetrating radiation, irradiation means for directing a beam of said penetrating radiation toward at least a portion of an exposed sample, detector means positioned relative to said beam and sample so as to receive radiation from said sample when said sample is exposed to said beam and for generating an electrical signal representative of the amount of radiation received by said detector means in accordance with a predetermined signal gain and as a function of a measured quantity of a physical property of said exposed sample, an improved signal stabilization system comprising: means for exposing to said beam at least a portion of a reference object having a predetermined quantity of said physical property, so that said detector means receives radiation from said reference object and generates a stabilization signal representative of the amount of radiation received by said detector means from said reference object; means for providing a predetermined reference signal; comparison means for comparing said stabilization signal with said reference signal and for generating a difference signal representative of the difference between said stabilization and reference signals; means for integrating said difference signal so as to provide an integrated signal; and means for adjusting said signal gain in response to said integrated signal.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
212 words
In an apparatus including a source of penetrating radiation, irradiation means for directing a beam of said penetrating radiation toward at least a portion of an exposed sample, detector means positioned relative to said beam and sample so as to receive radiation from said sample when said sample is exposed to said beam and for generating an electrical signal representative of the amount of radiation received by said detector means in accordance with a predetermined signal gain and as a function of a measured quantity of a physical property of said exposed sample, an improved signal stabilization system comprising: means for exposing to said beam at least a portion of a reference object having a predetermined quantity of said physical property, so that said detector means receives radiation from said reference object and generates a stabilization signal representative of the amount of radiation received by said detector means from said reference object; means for providing a predetermined reference signal; comparison means for comparing said stabilization signal with said reference signal and for generating a difference signal representative of the difference between said stabilization and reference signals; means for integrating said difference signal so as to provide an integrated signal; and means for adjusting said signal gain in response to said integrated signal.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-05-14 | 1982-11-13 | 1983-05-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-05-14 | 1986-11-13 | 1987-05-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-05-14 | 1990-11-13 | 1991-05-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |