Radiation image inspection apparatus

Claim 2

A radiation image inspection apparatus comprising: means for generating and directing radiation toward an article to be inspected; a screen for converting a radiation pattern of the article into a first visible light image, the screen including a base and a coating disposed on the base and formed of a material exhibiting fluorescence when struck with incident radiation, the coating being selected from a group of materials consisting of scandium, yttrium and the elements of the lanthanide series of rare earth elements having atomic numbers between 57-71, as well as mixtures thereof; lens means for maintaining the intensity of a first visible light image produced on the screen; camera means having an image tube target and producing an electrical output system corresponding to the incident image on the image tube target from the lens means; and control means for controlling the operation of a camera means and the radiation generating means, the control means including means for operating the radiation generating means and the camera means in a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, the first mode being where the radiation generating means is continually energized at a first intensity level and the output from the camera means is blanked for a preset amount of time before the camera means output is energized to generate the electrical signal corresponding to the light image impinging upon the image tube target of the camera means, and the second mode being where both the camera means and the radiation generating means are pulsed, with the radiation generating means being pulsed at an substantially higher second intensity level to generate an output from the camera means during said pulse.

Claim 3

The radiation image inspection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radiation generating means produces x-rays.

Claim 4

The radiation inspection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lens means includes at least one lens.

Claim 5

The radiation inspection apparatus of claim 3 wherein the lens means comprises a plurality of co-axially aligned lenses.

Claim 6

The radiation inspection apparatus of claim 2 wherein the lens means are formed of leaded glass to block the radiation from passing therethrough.

Claim 7

A radiation image inspection apparatus for inspecting articles comprising: a radiation source for generating and directing x-rays toward the article; a screen mounted on the opposite side of the article from the radiation generating means for converting the radiation pattern of the article into a first visible light image, the screen having a substrate and a coating disposed on one side of the substrate formed of a material which exhibits fluorescence when struck with incident radiation, the coating being formed of an element selected from the group of elements consisting of scandium, yttrium and elements of the lanthanides rare earth element series having atomic numbers 57-71, and mixtures thereof; a plurality of lenses co-axially aligned with the screen for maintaining the intensity of the first light image produced on the screen; camera means having an image tube target for producing an electrical output corresponding to the incident light image incident on the image tube target; and control means for controlling the operation of the camera means and the x-ray generating means, the camera means operating the radiation generating means and the camera means in a first mode of operation in which the radiation generating means is continually energized and the output from the camera means is blanked for a preset amount of time before the camera means output is energized to generate the electrical signal corresponding to the light image impinging upon the image tube screen of the camera means and a second mode of operation in which both the camera means and the radiation generating means are pulsed, with the radiation generating means being pulsed at an substantially higher second intensity level to generate an output from the camera means during the pulse.

Claim 8

A radiation image inspection apparatus for inspecting articles comprising: a radiation source for generating and directing x-rays toward the article; a screen mounted on the opposite side of the article from the radiation generating means for converting the radiation pattern of the article into a first visible light image, the screen having a substrate and a coating disposed on one side of the substrate formed of a material which exhibits fluorescence when struck with incident radiation, the coating being formed of an element selected from the group of elements consisting of scandium, yttrium and elements of the lanthanides rare earth element series having atomic numbers 57-71, and mixtures thereof; a plurality of lenses co-axially aligned with the screen for maintaining the intensity of the first light image produced on the screen; camera means having an image tube target for producing an electrical output corresponding to the incident light image incident on the image tube target; and control means for controlling the operation of the camera means and the x-ray generating means, the camera means operating the radiation generating means and the camera means in a first mode of operation in which the radiation generating means is continually energized and the output from the camera means is blanked for a preset amount of time before the camera means output is energized to generate the electrical signal corresponding to the light image impinging upon the image tube screen of the camera means and a second mode of operation in which both the camera means and the radiation generating means are pulsed, with the radiation generating means being pulsed at an substantially higher second intensity level to generate an output from the camera means during the pulse.