Granted Patent B2

US 12,510,495 · App. 18/524,081 · Granted Dec 30, 2025

Inventor: Akhil Mulloth (Derby, GB)

Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc

G01N23/046G01N23/083G01N2223/309

Abstract

Claims (33)

1 . A method of scanning a component by computed tomography, the method comprising:

providing the component having a first density;

supporting the component in a scanning orientation using a support bed, the support bed comprising a granular material disposed in a container, the granular material having a second density lower than the first density;

wherein supporting the component comprises at least partially embedding the component in the granular material; and

scanning the component in the scanning orientation by X-ray or gamma ray scanning to produce an image of the component, wherein:

the support bed further comprises a rigid support element disposed in the container, the rigid support element having a fourth density which is lower than the first density,

the rigid support element is configured to interface with the component to retain the component at a scanning position within the container, and

a barrier is in contact with the support element and the barrier completely surrounds the component such that the component is separated from the granular material by the barrier disposed between the component and the granular material.

2 . A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the barrier has a third density which is lower than the first density.

3 . A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the barrier is formed by a casing surrounding the component.

4 . A method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the casing is vacuum sealed around the component.

5 . A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the barrier is transparent.

6 . A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the granular material is transparent.

7 . A method of scanning a component by computed tomography, the method comprising:

providing the component having a first density;

supporting the component in a scanning orientation using a support bed, the support bed comprising a granular material disposed in a container, the granular material having a second density lower than the first density;

wherein supporting the component comprises at least partially embedding the component in the granular material; and

scanning the component in the scanning orientation by X-ray or gamma ray scanning to produce an image of the component, wherein:

the component is separated from the granular material by a barrier disposed between the component and the granular material

the container comprises a housing enclosing the granular material, the housing comprising a flexible wall configured to receive the component,

the barrier is formed by the flexible wall,

supporting the component comprises positioning the component against the flexible wall to at least partially embed the component in the granular material,

the housing further comprises a rigid wall,

the flexible wall is attached to the rigid wall, and

the flexible wall and the rigid wall together define an interior space that contains the granular material.

8 . A method of scanning a component by computed tomography, the method comprising:

providing the component having a first density;

supporting the component in a scanning orientation using a support bed, the support bed comprising:

a first container comprising a first housing enclosing a first granular material, the first housing comprising a first flexible wall and a first rigid wall that together define a first interior space that contains the first granular material, and the first flexible wall forming a first barrier between the first granular material and the component, and

a second container comprising a second housing enclosing a second granular material, the second housing comprising a second flexible wall and a second rigid wall that together define a second interior space that contains the second granular material, and the second flexible wall forming a second barrier between the second granular material and the component, wherein:

supporting the component comprises placing the component between the first flexible wall and the second flexible wall, and

both of the first granular material and the second granular material have a second density lower than the first density; and

scanning the component in the scanning orientation by X-ray or gamma ray scanning to produce an image of the component.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (19)