Ionography imaging chamber

摘要

An ionography imaging chamber for use in X-ray systems wherein dielectric receptor sheets are introduced into an interelectrode gap of the imaging chamber and the gap is filled with compressed high Z gas during imaging of an object onto a sheet in the chamber so that the sheet is provided with a latent image of the object. The chamber has a gate defining an arcuate channel for introduction of receptor sheets into and evacuation of sheets from the interelectrode gap. In order to prevent escape of high Z gas into the atmosphere and/or penetration of air into the gap, the gate has one or more orifices for admission of a compressed buffer gas (for example, CO2 gas) which is readily separable from the high Z gas whereby the buffer gas flows toward and away from the gap and mixes with high Z gas which tends to escape from the gap by way of the channel. The gate is further formed with one or more second orifices which evacuate the mixture of buffer gas and high Z gas from the channel between the first orifice or orifices and the gap. The gap is sealed from the inlet of the channel by one or more inflatable seals before the pressure of high Z gas in the gap is raised preparatory to exposure of a receptor sheet to X-rays.