1. An imaging target for use in a multimodal imaging system, the target comprising:
an optically clear, X-ray transparent substrate; and
at least one pattern formed on the substrate for testing at least one of:
the quality of image focus of one or more modalities of operation of the imaging system for a range of magnifications and illumination wavelengths, and
the quality of image co-registration of one or more modalities of operation of the imaging system for a range of magnifications and illumination wavelengths,
wherein the at least one pattern is formed from material which is:
X-ray opaque, and
optically reflective or optically absorptive, or both.
2. The imaging target according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pattern comprises:
at least one layer of the material, the material forming a pattern which provides imaging contrast for one or more of the modalities of operation of an imaging system, with respect to the areas where the patterned material is absent; the pattern comprising features used for testing at least one of the quality of image focus or the quality of image co-registration.
3. The imaging target according to claim 2, further comprising:
at least one alignment feature positioned corresponding to the at least one pattern for registering the imaging target to a feature of the imaging system to locate the at least one pattern in a field of view of the imaging system; and
at least one identification mark corresponding to the at least one pattern for providing information regarding the identity of the pattern.
4. The imaging target according to claim 3 wherein the at least one pattern includes:
a pattern of a recursively nested geometric shapes, the center of the pattern being suited to be aligned to a center of the field of view of the imaging system by the registration of the at least one alignment feature to a feature of the imaging system, and
the pattern of geometric shapes having a nesting pitch graded to lower pitch toward the center of the pattern to provide sufficient pattern content to test quality of focus for multiple magnifications of the imaging system.
5. The imaging target according to claim 4, wherein the geometric shape is rectangular.
6. The imaging target according to claim 3 wherein the at least one pattern includes:
a pattern of an array of a geometric shape, the center of the pattern of an array being suited to be aligned to a center of the field of view of the imaging system by the registration of at least one alignment feature to a feature of the imaging system, and
the array pitch of the geometric shape being graded to lower pitch toward the center of the pattern to provide sufficient pattern content to test imaging system co-registration quality for multiple magnifications of the imaging system.
7. The imaging target according to claim 6, wherein the geometric shape is circular.
8. The imaging target according to claim 1 wherein the modalities of operation of the imaging system include bright-field optical imaging at various wavelengths, fluorescence optical imaging at various wavelengths, and radiographic imaging at various energies.
9. The imaging target according to claim 1 wherein the at least one pattern is formed from a copper film.
10. The imaging target according to claim 1 wherein the at least one pattern is formed from silver ink.
11. The imaging target according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is optically clear polyester.
12. The imaging target according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pattern is formed on a first side of the substrate, further comprising an optically white, X-ray transparent coating formed on a second side of the substrate opposite to the at least one pattern.
13. A method for testing the quality of image focus of an imaging system, the method comprising:
positioning an imaging target in the multimodal imaging system, the target comprising:
an optically clear, X-ray transparent substrate; and
at least one pattern formed on the substrate for testing the quality of image focus of one or more modalities of operation of the imaging system for a range of magnifications,
wherein the at least one pattern is formed from material which is: (a) X-ray opaque, and (b) optically reflective or optically absorptive, or both;
selecting a magnification of interest of the multimodal imaging system;
selecting a modality from the group comprising: optical modality and x-ray modality;
acquiring one or more images of the target at the selected magnification and selected modality;
evaluating the acquired images for a focus quality; and
adjusting the imaging system in response to the focus quality.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the imaging target comprises two patterns.
15. A method for testing the quality of image focus of an imaging system, the method comprising:
positioning an imaging target in the multimodal imaging system, the target comprising:
an optically clear, X-ray transparent substrate; and
at least one pattern formed on the substrate for testing the quality of image co-registration of two modalities of operation of the imaging system for a range of magnifications,
wherein the at least one pattern is formed from material which is: (a) X-ray opaque, and (b) optically reflective or optically absorptive, or both;
selecting a field of view of the multimodal imaging system;
selecting a first modality from the group comprising: optical modality and x-ray modality;
acquiring one or more images of the target at the selected magnification and first modality;
selecting a second modality different from the first modality;
acquiring one or more images of the target at the selected magnification and second modality;
evaluating the acquired images for a focus quality; and
adjusting the imaging system in response to the focus quality.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the imaging target comprises two patterns.
17. A method for testing the quality of image co-registration of an imaging system, the method comprising:
placing an imaging target in the multimodal imaging system, the target comprising:
an optically clear, X-ray transparent substrate; and
at least one pattern formed on the substrate for testing the quality of image co-registration of one or more modalities of operation of the imaging system for a range of magnifications and illumination wavelengths,
wherein the at least one pattern is formed from material which is: (a) X-ray opaque, and (b) optically reflective or optically absorptive, or both;
selecting a magnification of interest of the multimodal imaging system;
selecting the illumination wavelength or energy for the modality of interest;
acquiring two or more images of the target;
evaluating the co-registration quality of the acquired images; and
adjusting the imaging system in response to the co-registration quality.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the imaging target comprises two patterns.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A powder spray apparatus comprising a powder spray booth (2) having a floor, side walls and end walls, one or more powder spray devices (8) positioned with respect to the side walls to spray articles passed through the booth (2) via openings in the end walls, a powder recovery module comprising at least one cyclone separator (24) having an intake disposed close to, or towards, the ceiling of the powder spray booth, an overspray intake (18) at each end of the booth, each overspray intake (18) being positioned close, or adjacent, to the floor of the powder spray booth (2) and the end wall and a feed channel (22) connecting each intake with the cyclone separator (24), and a scraper bar (14) for continuously reciprocating across the booth floor between the end walls to collect powder on the booth floor and move the collected powder towards the end walls of the spray booth adjacent to which the overspray intakes (18) are provided.
2. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scraper bar (14) is magnetically coupled to a drive positioned externally of the powder booth (2).
3. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each feed channel (22) includes a vertical section (28) between the respective intake (18) and the inlet of the cyclone separator (24) and wherein the vertical section (28) is formed in two parts, one (62) of which is removable such as to provide access to the interior of the vertical section (28).
4. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the powder recovery module includes suction means (20) for removing overspray powder from the booth and at least one exhaust duct ( 28) connected to the suction means (20) and communicating with the booth for passage of air-borne overspray powder.
5. A powder spray apparatus comprising a powder spray booth (2) having a floor, side walls and end walls, one or more powder spray devices (18) positioned with respect to the side walls to spray articles passed through the booth via openings in the end walls and a powder recovery module comprising separation means (24) for separating powder from a powder-air mixture, suction means (20) for removing overspray powder from the booth, an exhaust duct (28) connected to the suction means (20) and communicating with the booth (2) for passage of air-borne overspray powder, collection means (14) for collecting deposited air-borne overspray powder from the booth floor and a feed channel (22) connected to the suction means (20), wherein the collection means (14) moves the collected deposited overspray powder to the feed channel (22) through which it is passed under the action of the suction means (20) to the separation means (24) characterised in that the exhaust duct (28) forms part of the feed channel and in that means (62) is provided for adjusting the relative amounts of suction provided by the suction means (20) to respectively the air-borne overspray powder and the deposited overspray powder.
6. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in either claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the exhaust duct comprises a pipe with an aperture (64) providing for communication between the booth interior and the pipe interior.
7. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the pipe has an opening and a cover (62) is positioned across the opening spaced from the pipe to define therebetween the aperture (64).
8. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the position of the cover (62) relative to the pipe opening can be varied thereby to vary the size of the aperture (64).
9. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein two cyclone separators (24) are provided, one adjacent each end wall of the powder spray booth.
10. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the powder recovery module further comprises a filter module (52) for removal of fine powder particles entrained in air exhausted from the booth.
11. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in claim 10 when dependent in claim 10 wherein the two cyclone separators (24) are connected to the filter module (52).
12. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the booth walls, floor and ceiling are formed from non-conductive material.
13. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, 9 or 11 wherein the cyclone separator(s) (24) is formed from non-conductive material.
14. A method of operating a powder spray apparatus having a powder spray booth (2) including at least one powder spray device (8) for spraying articles passed through the booth, the method comprising-exhausting air from the booth by suction at a first extraction location (64) to withdraw air borne overspray powder via the first extraction location (64), collecting deposited overspray powder from the interior of the booth, transferring the collected deposited overspray powder to a second extraction location (18), withdrawing the collected deposited overspray powder in an air current by suction at the second extraction location (18), and separating the overspray powder from the air characterised in that the method includes varying the relative amounts of suction applied at the first and second extraction locations (64, 18) and therefore the relative amounts of suction applied to the air-borne overspray powder and the deposited overspray powder.
15. A method as claimed in claim 14 comprising spraying powder of different colours, wherein the amount of suction at the second extraction location (18 is made relatively greater towards completion of spraying with one colour and prior to changing to another colour.