Automatic thermoluminescence dosimetric system with coded card

Abstract

Abstract A precision machine is provided which automatically senses the thermoluminescence emanating from a dosimeter which has previously been exposed to radiation, particularly X-rays, gamma rays, electrons and neutrons, wherein the dosimeters are mounted in uniform, rectangular cards adapted to be stacked in a cartridge. The cartridge is horizontally disposed near the top of the machine. A single card is selectively transferred from the cartridge into a vertical gate with a plurality of sequential light locks. Each card is automatically positioned for activation of the dosimeter by contact with a cyclically heated, hot element. After a reading of disseminated luminescence has been made, the cards are automatically discharged from the vertical chute into a receiver where they are serially stacked in another cartridge. Readings with less than 1 percent error can be made reproducibly. A laminated card with at least one aperture adapted to peripherally seal an encapsulated dosimeter is formed by bonding a foraminous, code-adaptable, rigid rectangular sheet of low-Z material with a codedly transparent sheet of low-Z material in light-transmitting registry with particular code-holes of the rigid sheet. The laminated card may be coded to identify the person, circumstances, or location related to its radiation exposure and the identification is printed out, without error, using a ''''parity checking'''' system which permits ''''autocorrection.'''' Alternatively, where the correction cannot be made automatically, the machine stops to permit visual examination of the rejected card. The card is also coded for identifying the type of card and whether or not it is correctly present at any position during its sequential progress through the machine.

Inventors

• 👤 B Shoffner
• 👤 J Chamberlain
• 👤 A Szalanczy
• 👤 E Shrader

Bibliographic Details