Scintillator sealing for solid state x-ray detector
An x-ray detector comprises: a housing, including a cover removably fastened on a flange of a flanged base and forming a semi-hermetic seal therebetween, the flanged base including a bottom surface and the flange surrounding a perimeter of the bottom surface; and an x-ray imager positioned on the bottom surface, the x-ray imager including a scintillator and an image sensor, wherein the seal semi-hermetically encloses the x-ray imager in the housing, and is positioned nonadjacently to surfaces in contact with the x-ray imager. In this way, a simpler and less costly seal for a digital x-ray panel can be provide; furthermore, the seal is reusable and resealable, facilitating repair and refurbishment of the device.
1. An x-ray detector, comprising:
a housing, including a cover removably fastened on a flange of a flanged base and forming a seal therebetween, the flanged base including a bottom surface and the flange surrounding a perimeter of the bottom surface;
an x-ray imager positioned on the bottom surface, the x-ray imager including a scintillator and an image sensor; and
a moisture sensor positioned in the housing,
wherein the seal semi-hermetically encloses the x-ray imager in the housing, and is positioned nonadjacently to surfaces in contact with the x-ray imager.
2. The x-ray detector of claim 1 , wherein in absence of the seal between the cover and the flanged base, semi-hermeticity of the x-ray imager is lost.
3. The x-ray detector of claim 2 , further comprising a semi-hermetically resealable material sandwiched between the cover and the flange and surrounding the perimeter the bottom surface.
4. The x-ray detector of claim 3 , wherein the semi-hermetically resealable material comprises a compressible gasket.
5. The x-ray detector of claim 4 , wherein the cover comprises a thicker sealing region that contacts the flange and encloses a thinner central region, the thinner central region comprising an x-ray transmissive material.
6. The x-ray detector of claim 5 , further comprising getter material positioned at an interior surface of the housing.
7. The x-ray detector of claim 6 , wherein the getter material comprises a coating.
8. An x-ray imaging system, comprising:
a power source;
a housing, including a cover removably fastened on a raised flange of a flanged base thereby forming a resealable seal therebetween; and
an x-ray imager, including a scintillator and an image sensor, the x-ray imager positioned on a bottom surface of the flanged base inside the housing below and nonadjacent to the resealable seal, the raised flange surrounding a perimeter of the bottom surface;
an electrical connector conductively coupled to the x-ray imager and the power source; and
a moisture sensor positioned in the housing and conductively coupled to the electrical connector.
9. The x-ray imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the electrical connector is configured to transmit signals output from the x-ray imager externally from the housing.
10. The x-ray imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the resealable seal comprises a resealable hermetic seal.
11. The x-ray imaging system of claim 8 , further comprising an opening in the raised flange through which the electrical connector is sealably threaded.
12. The x-ray imaging system of claim 8 , wherein: the electrical connector comprises a resealable circumferential seal surrounding a transverse cross section of the electrical connector, a cross-section of the resealable circumferential seal corresponds to a cross-section of the opening, and seating the resealable circumferential seal in the opening seals the opening to allow the electrical connector to be sealably threaded through the opening.
13. The x-ray imaging system of claim 8 , further comprising a controller external to the housing and conductively coupled to the electrical connector, the controller including executable instructions stored thereon to, in response to a signal from the moisture sensor indicating a moisture level above a threshold moisture level, generate an indication to repair the x-ray imager.
14. A method of assembling an x-ray detector including an x-ray imager, a housing, and an electrical connector conductively coupled to the x-ray imager, comprising:
positioning the x-ray imager on a bottom surface of the housing, the housing comprising a cover and a raised flange surrounding a perimeter of the bottom surface, and the x-ray imager comprising a scintillator and an image sensor;
providing a moisture sensor positioned in the housing and conductively coupled to the electrical connector; and
sealing the x-ray imager within the housing, including removably affixing the cover on a top surface of the raised flange to form a resealable seal between the cover and the raised flange, wherein the resealable seal is positioned outside of a path of x-rays incident at the x-ray imager.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein sealing the x-ray imager further comprises sandwiching a reusable sealing material between the cover and the raised flange.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising purging the housing with a moistureless purge gas through an opening in the housing, and sealing the opening after purging the housing.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising placing getter material at an interior surface of the housing.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising threading the electrical connector through a resealable opening in the housing, the electrical connector comprising a compressible gasket surrounding a transverse cross-section of the electrical connector.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising sealing the resealable opening by hermetically seating the compressible gasket in the resealable opening.