Computerized tomography calibrator

Claim 2

An industrial computerized tomography calibrator, comprising: a plurality of nestable, planar rings, removably received relative one another, and each respectively defining at least one opening of predetermined size situated therein, between their respective inside and outside diameters; and a plurality of planar inserts for being fit and removably received in said predetermined-size openings; wherein said rings and inserts are comprised of selected materials having known densities and dimensions; so that differing combinations of said rings and inserts are provided to establish predetermined density and dimensional material relationships in a given plane, for use in calibrating an industrial computer tomography system; and further wherein said inserts each respectively define a plurality of sub-openings of predetermined size therein, and said calibrator further includes a plurality of planar sub-inserts for being fit and removably received in said sub-openings; a central ring of said plurality of rings defines a disc with a generally square opening therein, and the remainder of said plurality of rings each respectively define a generally square opening and a separate circular opening therein; and said sub-openings and sub-inserts are generally rectangular in shape.

Claim 3

A calibrator as in claim 1, further including non-corrosive fluid of a predetermined, known density removably entrapped within a given sub-opening.

Claim 4

An industrial computerized tomography calibrator, comprising: a plurality of nestable, planar rings, removably received relative one another, an each respectively defining at least one opening of predetermined size situated therein, between their respective inside and outside diameters; and a plurality of planar inserts for being fit and removably received in said predetermined-size openings; wherein said rings and inserts are comprised of selected materials having known densities and dimensions; so that differing combinations of said rings and inserts are provided to establish predetermined density and dimensional material relationships in a given plane, for use in calibrating an industrial computer tomography system; and further wherein said inserts each respectively define a plurality of sub-openings of predetermined size therein, and said calibrator further includes a plurality of planar sub-inserts for being fit and removably received in said sub-openings; and wherein said plurality of sub-openings comprise nine sub-openings defined in each insert, said nine sub-openings being situated in a predetermined, fixed spatial pattern and having different dimensional characteristics in grouped sets of three.

Claim 5

An industrial computerized tomography calibrator, comprising: a plurality of nestable, planar rings, removably received relative one another, an each respectively defining at least one opening of predetermined size situated therein, between their respective inside and outside diameters; and a plurality of planar inserts for being fit and removably received in said predetermined-size openings; wherein said rings and inserts are comprised of selected materials having known densities and dimensions; so that differing combinations of said rings and inserts are provided to establish predetermined density and dimensional material relationships in a given plane, for use in calibrating an industrial computer tomography system; and further wherein said inserts each respectively define a plurality of sub-openings of predetermined size therein, and said calibrator further includes a plurality of planar sub-inserts for being fit and removably received in said sub-openings; and wherein said plurality of sub-openings comprise nine sub-openings defined in each insert, said nine sub-openings being situated in a predetermined, fixed spatial pattern and having different dimensional characteristics in grouped sets of three.

Claim 6

An industrial computerized tomography calibrator, comprising: a plurality of nestable, planar rings, removably received relative one another, and each respectively defining at least one opening of predetermined size situated therein, between their respective inside and outside diameters; and a plurality of planar inserts for being fit and removably received in said predetermined-size openings; wherein said rings and inserts are comprised of selected materials having known densities and dimensions; so that differing combinations of said rings and inserts are provided to establish predetermined density and dimensional material relationships in a given plane, for use in calibrating an industrial computer tomography system; and further wherein said inserts each respectively define a plurality of sub-openings of predetermined size therein, and said calibrator further includes a plurality of planar sub-inserts for being fit and removably received in said sub-openings; and wherein the thickness of said planar rings, said planar inserts, and said planar sub-inserts is 10 mm, and all of such planar members comprise material having a known, fixed density in a range of from near 0 to 10 gm/cc.

Claim 7

An industrial computerized tomography calibrator, comprising: a plurality of nestable, planar rings, removably received relative one another, and each respectively defining at least one opening of predetermined size situated therein, between their respective inside and outside diameters; and a plurality of planar inserts for being fit and removably received in said predetermined-size openings; wherein said rings and inserts are comprised of selected materials having known densities and dimensions; so that differing combinations of said rings and inserts are provided to establish predetermined density and dimensional material relationships in a given plane, for use in calibrating an industrial computer tomography system; and further wherein said inserts each respectively define a plurality of sub-openings of predetermined size therein, and said calibrator further includes a plurality of planar sub-inserts for being fit and removably received in said sub-openings; and wherein the thickness of said planar rings, said planar inserts, and said planar sub-inserts is 10 mm, and all of such planar members comprise material having a known, fixed density in a range of from near 0 to 10 gm/cc.

Claim 8

A calibrator as in claim 4, wherein said planar members comprise one of aluminum, copper, and stainless steel.

Claim 11

A device as in claim 6, wherein said concentric members are annular, and said primary openings thereof are respectively situated between the inside and outside diameters of each such annular member.

Claim 12

A device as in claim 6, wherein said primary openings are rectangular, and said insert means are correspondingly rectangular for selectively fitting therein.

Claim 13

A device as in claim 6, wherein said primary openings are circular, and said insert means are correspondingly circular for selectively fitting therein.

Claim 14

A device as in claim 6, wherein said densities are in a range of from near 0 to 10 gm/cc.

Claim 15

A device as in claim 6, wherein said predetermined thickness of said mother block means and said insert means is 10 mm.

Claim 16

A device as in claim 6, wherein said insert means comprise non-corrosive fluids received within a given mother block means primary opening.

Claim 19

A device as in claim 13, wherein said secondary inserts comprise non-corrosive fluids received within a given insert means secondary opening.

Claim 20

A set of interchangeable pieces for use in focusing the level of detectability and the contrast and spatial resolution of a computer tomography system having settable variables for adjusting effective image detectability and resolution of the system, said pieces including a plurality of nestable, generally planar mother rings, each ring having at least one predetermined opening within its respective circumference for the receipt of planar inserts of predetermined sizes in such openings, and said pieces further including a plurality of removable planar inserts for being received in said mother ring openings, wherein said mother rings and inserts are comprised of materials having known densities, so that different configurations of materials of known sizes and combinations of densities are provided generally in a given plane to be scanned with the computer tomography system for focusing of such system through adjustment of the settable variables thereof; and wherein said planar inserts each define plural openings therein of predetermined, fixed sizes and relative spacing, and said set of pieces further includes a plurality of sub-inserts for being received in said planar insert openings, so that various configurations of said interchangeable pieces are resolved into selected, progressively smaller orders of magnitude through use of said plurality of sub-inserts; said planar mother rings have an outside diameter preferably in a range of from two to fourteen inches, and said predetermined openings therein are either circular with a radius of about 25 mm, or square with side lengths of about 25 mm; said planar inserts are either generally circular with a radius of 25 mm, or square with side lengths of 25 mm, and said insert openings are generally square with side lengths in a range of from 2 mm to 0.5 mm; and said mother rings, planar inserts, and sub-inserts have about the same predetermined thickness.

Claim 21

A set of interchangeable pieces for use in focusing the level of detectability and the contrast and spatial resolution of a computer tomography system having settable variables for adjusting effective image detectability and resolution of the system, said pieces including a plurality of nestable, generally planar mother rings, each ring having at least one predetermined opening within its respective circumference for the receipt of planar inserts of predetermined sizes in such openings, and said pieces further including a plurality of removable planar inserts for being received in said mother ring openings, wherein said mother rings and inserts are comprised of materials having known densities, so that different configurations of materials of known sizes and combinations of densities are provided generally in a given plane to be scanned with the computer tomography system for focusing of such system through adjustment of the settable variables thereof; and wherein said planar inserts each define plural openings therein of predetermined, fixed sizes and relative spacing, and said set of pieces further includes a plurality of sub-inserts for being received in said planar insert openings, so that various configurations of said interchangeable pieces are resolved into selected, progressively smaller orders of magnitude through use of said plurality of sub-inserts; said planar mother rings have an outside diameter preferably in a range of from two to fourteen inches, and said predetermined openings therein are either circular with a radius of about 25 mm, or square with side lengths of about 25 mm; said planar inserts are either generally circular with a radius of 25 mm, or square with side lengths of 25 mm, and said insert openings are generally square with side lengths in a range of from 2 mm to 0.5 mm; and said mother rings, planar inserts, and sub-inserts have about the same predetermined thickness.

Claim 22

A set of interchangeable pieces as in claim 15, wherein said predetermined thickness is 10 mm.

Claim 23

A set of interchangeable pieces as in claim 15, wherein said pieces are respectively comprised of one of aluminum, copper, stainless steel, carbon, carbon composite, a non-corrosive fluid, and air.

Claim 24

A set of interchangeable pieces for use in focusing the level of detectability and the contrast and spatial resolution of a computer tomography system having settable variables for adjusting effective image detectability and resolution of the system, said pieces including a plurality of nestable, generally planar mother rings, each ring having at least one predetermined opening within its respective circumference for the receipt of planar inserts of predetermined sizes in such openings, and said pieces further including a plurality of removable planar inserts for being received in said mother ring openings, wherein said mother rings and inserts are comprised of materials having known densities, so that different configurations of materials of known sizes and combinations of densities are provided generally in a given plane to be scanned with the computer tomography system for focusing of such system through adjustment of the settable variables thereof; and wherein said planar inserts each define plural openings therein of predetermined, fixed sizes and relative spacing, and said set of pieces further includes a plurality of sub-inserts for being received in said planar insert openings, so that various configurations of said interchangeable pieces are resolved into selected, progressively smaller orders of magnitude through use of said plurality of sub-inserts; wherein the predetermined density of said mother rings, planar inserts, and sub-inserts is in a range of from 2 to 10 gm/cc.

Claim 25

A set of interchangeable pieces for use in focusing the level of detectability and the contrast and spatial resolution of a computer tomography system having settable variables for adjusting effective image detectability and resolution of the system, said pieces including a plurality of nestable, generally planar mother rings, each ring having at least one predetermined opening within its respective circumference for the receipt of planar inserts of predetermined sizes in such openings, and said pieces further including a plurality of removable planar inserts for being received in said mother ring openings, wherein said mother rings and inserts are comprised of materials having known densities, so that different configurations of materials of known sizes and combinations of densities are provided generally in a given plane to be scanned with the computer tomography system for focusing of such system through adjustment of the settable variables thereof; and wherein said planar inserts each define plural openings therein of predetermined, fixed sizes and relative spacing, and said set of pieces further includes a plurality of sub-inserts for being received in said planar insert openings, so that various configurations of said interchangeable pieces are resolved into selected, progressively smaller orders of magnitude through use of said plurality of sub-inserts; wherein the predetermined density of said mother rings, planar inserts, and sub-inserts is in a range of from 2 to 10 gm/cc.

Claim 26

A set of interchangeable pieces for use in focusing the level of detectability and the contrast and spatial resolution of a computer tomography system having settable variables for adjusting effective image detectability and resolution of the system, said pieces including a plurality of nestable, generally planar mother rings, each ring having at least one predetermined opening within its respective circumference for the receipt of planar inserts of predetermined sizes in such openings, and said pieces further including a plurality of removable planar inserts for being received in said mother ring openings, wherein said mother rings and inserts are comprised of materials having known densities, so that different configurations of materials of known sizes and combinations of densities are provided generally in a given plane to be scanned with the computer tomography system for focusing of such system through adjustment of the settable variables thereof; and wherein said planar inserts each define plural openings therein of predetermined, fixed sizes and relative spacing, and said set of pieces further includes a plurality of sub-inserts for being received in said planar insert openings, so that various configurations of said interchangeable pieces are resolved into selected, progressively smaller orders of magnitude through use of said plurality of sub-inserts; wherein there are a total of four mother rings, seven planar inserts, and sixty-three sub-inserts, for a total of seventy-four pieces comprising a complete set of said interchangeable pieces.

Claim 27

A set of interchangeable pieces for use in focusing the level of detectability and the contrast and spatial resolution of a computer tomography system having settable variables for adjusting effective image detectability and resolution of the system, said pieces including a plurality of nestable, generally planar mother rings, each ring having at least one predetermined opening within its respective circumference for the receipt of planar inserts of predetermined sizes in such openings, and said pieces further including a plurality of removable planar inserts for being received in said mother ring openings, wherein said mother rings and inserts are comprised of materials having known densities, so that different configurations of materials of known sizes and combinations of densities are provided generally in a given plane to be scanned with the computer tomography system for focusing of such system through adjustment of the settable variables thereof; and wherein said planar inserts each define plural openings therein of predetermined, fixed sizes and relative spacing, and said set of pieces further includes a plurality of sub-inserts for being received in said planar insert openings, so that various configurations of said interchangeable pieces are resolved into selected, progressively smaller orders of magnitude through use of said plurality of sub-inserts; wherein there are a total of four mother rings, seven planar inserts, and sixty-three sub-inserts, for a total of seventy-four pieces comprising a complete set of said interchangeable pieces.

Claim 30

A method as in claim 20, wherein: said mother rings include primary openings for receipt of said inserts, and further wherein said inserts include secondary openings therein for receipt of sub-inserts; and said assembling step includes selected inclusion of sub-inserts of known density and dimensions in the insert secondary openings.

Claim 31

A method as in claim 21, wherein said assembling step includes the step of selecting use of given mother rings and sub-inserts based on the relative dimensions thereof in relation to the size of an intended object to be scanned with the system and the anticipated size of defects in such intended object, generally such that the dimensions of the largest mother ring selected are at least as large as the intended object to be scanned, and the dimensions of the smallest sub-insert selected are no larger than the smallest anticipated defect in such intended object.

Claim 32

A method as in claim 21, wherein said assembling step further includes selectively entrapping air or non-corrosive fluids of known density in predetermined areas of the assembled configuration, for further variety in the known density and location of material to be scanned.

Claim 33

A method as in claim 21, wherein said primary and secondary openings and said inserts and sub-inserts comprise corresponding selected geometric shapes, including circular shapes to selectively avoid artifact stimulation, and rectangular shapes to selectively stimulate artifact generation, whereby selective use of rectangular shapes permits simultaneous testing of geometry and density resolution with a single opening/insert pair.

Claim 34

A method as in claim 20, wherein: the interchangeable pieces are generally planar and have respective thicknesses which are greater than the usual thickness of a given plane to be scanned with the computer tomography system; and the assembling step includes the stacking of at least two thicknesses of some of the interchangeable pieces of the same or of differing densities to permit testing of the level of system rejection of scan information from adjacent planar locations, outside the intended given plane to be scanned.

Claim 35

A method as in claim 20, further including the step of placing a test piece of known size and density on the computer tomography system exposure support surface, outside the assembled configuration of said interchangeable pieces, to permit monitoring of drift in relative density indications from one processed image to another, by not changing such test piece between formation of such images.