Metal detector

• US 20070030141A1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alessandro Manneschi, Giovanni Manneschi
• Original Assignee: Alessandro Manneschi, Giovanni Manneschi
• Inventors: Manneschi, Alessandro, Manneschi, Giovanni
• Granted Patent: US 7,889,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/500
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/167 Measuring radioactive content of objects, e.g. contamination whole body counters G01T1/163
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/104 using several coupled or uncoupled coils G01V3/101 takes precedence

Abstract

A metal detector for control of protected access comprising two oblong shape vertical housings (10, 12), and emitting and receiving electrical coils (3, 5) provided in said housings, characterized in that at least an additional type of sensors (4) is provided in at least one of said housings (10, 12), said coils (3, 5) and additional type of sensors (4) being symmetrically provided in said at least one of said housings so as to present a physical and geometrical coincidence detections.

Claims

1. A metal detector for control of protected access comprising two oblong shape vertical housings (10, 12), and emitting and receiving electrical coils (3, 5) provided in said housings, characterized in that at least an additional type of sensors (4) is provided in at least one of said housings (10, 12), said coils (3, 5) and additional type of sensors (4) being symmetrically provided in said at least one of said housings so as to present a physical and geometrical coincidence detections.

2. Detector according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two metal detector coils (3, 5), one of said two metal detector coils (3, 5) being provided respectively on each side of a central sensor (4).

3. Detector according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an additional type of sensors (4) inside at least a metal detector coil (3, 5).

4. Detector according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said additional type of sensors (4) is chosen in the group comprising at least one sensor suitable to detect ionizing radiations, at least one sensor suitable to detect the presence of explosive material or other specific substances and at least one sensor suitable for the badge readings of persons in transit.

5. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that the emitting and receiving electrical coils (3, 5) are of column type.

6. Detector according to claim 5, characterized in that the emitting and receiving electrical coils (3, 5) of column type comprise helicoï

dal windings round about a cylindrical support core.

7. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the emitting and receiving electrical coils (3) are of flat panel type.

8. Detector according to claim 7, characterized in that the cross section of the housing (10) is of elongate and rectangular form.

9. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a badge reader associated to the emitting and receiving electrical coils (3, 5).

10. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises indicator means (30) on said housings (10, 12) and/or on said structure (14) connecting the upper part of said housings.

11. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises at least one symmetry plane (A, B).

12. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it comprises two symmetry planes (A, B).

13. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that at least one of the two housings (10, 12) comprises at least two separate emitting and/or receiving coils (3, 5).

14. Detector according to claim 13, characterized in that at least two separate emitting and receiving coils (3, 5) are provided respectively on each side of one said additional detector (4).

15. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the ratio between the length and the width of the cross-section of the housings (10, 12) is comprised between 2 and 4, preferably about 2.75.

16. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the length of the cross section of the housings (10, 12) is comprised between 60 and 100 cm, preferably about 80 cm while the width of said cross section is comprised between 20 and 35 cm, preferably about 27.5 cm.

17. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the cross section of the housings (10, 12) is of elliptical form.

18. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the external surface of each housing (10, 12) comprises two plane and parallel panels (20, 22) connected at their ends by two rounded parts (24, 26).

19. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the external surface of said housings does not comprise any sharp edge.

20. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the external surface of the housing is smooth or striped with omega shape indentations to reduce optical reflection of light.

21. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that each of the two housings (10, 12) comprises two separate respectively emitting and/or receiving coils (3, 5).

22. Detector according to claim 21, characterized in that it comprises means controlling operation of said emitting and receiving coils (3, 5) so that when an emitting coil (3, TX1, TX2) provided in a housing (10, 12) is active, two other and spatially separate receiving coils (5, RX1, RX2) are also simultaneously or subsequently active.

23. Detector according to claim 22, characterized in that it comprises means controlling operation of said emitting and receiving coils (3, 5) so that two emitting coils (3, TX1, TX2) are subsequently or simultaneously active, and when an emitting coil (3, TX1, TX2) is active, two receiving coils (5, RX1, RX2) are also simultaneously or subsequently active.

24. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that each of the two housings (10, 12) comprises one emitting coil (TX) and one receiving coil (RX) and the detector comprises means controlling operation of said emitting and receiving coils so that when an emitting coil (TX1, TX2) provided in a housing (10, 12) is active, the two receiving coils (RX1, RX2) provided respectively in both the two housings are also simultaneously or subsequently active.

25. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that each of the two housings (10, 12) comprises two emitting coils (TX1, TX2) or two receiving coils (RX1, RX2) and the detector comprises means controlling operation of said emitting and receiving coils so that when an emitting coil (TX1, TX2) provided in a housing is active, the two receiving coils (RX1, RX2) provided in the other housing are also simultaneously or subsequently active.

26. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 25, characterized in that all the information issued by the plurality of sensors (3, 4, 5), such as metal, radioactive, chemical or badge sensors, are displayed on a common signalling display (2).

27. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 26, characterized in that all the active detectors (3, 4, 5), such as metal, radioactive, chemical or badge sensors, which are located in the same portal detector operate on a single and the same individual.

28. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 27, characterized in that the sensing operation by the different detectors (3, 4, 5) is controlled by a means (9), such as a photoelectric barrier, suitable to detect when an individual penetrates into the portal, so as to assure that the detection is operated when such an individual is inside the portal, between the two housings (10, 12).

29. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 28, characterized in that it comprises at least an additional type of sensor which is divided into a plurality of individual sensors which are staggered on the height of a housing (10, 12) so as to cover all the height of said housing.

30. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 29, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of X/Gamma sensors (40) staggered on the height of a housing (10, 12) so as to cover all the height of said housing (10, 12).

31. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 29, characterized in that it comprises a X/Gamma sensors composed of a scintillator (41) and two photo-detectors (43) on each extremity.

32. Detector according to claim 31, characterized in that it comprises means suitable to operate the sum of the outputs of said two photo-detectors (43) so as to provide an amplitude signal and to operate the ratio of the outputs of said two photo-detectors (43) so as to provide a location signal.

33. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 32, characterized in that it comprises at least two kind of sensors as well as a control unit suitable to control and to change when necessary the sensitivity of one type of sensor in view of the output of another type of sensor.

34. Detector according to one of claims 1 to 33, characterized in that said emitting and receiving coils (3, 5;

TX, RX) are associated with control means adapted to detect lead component, said detector comprising furthermore X/Gamma sensors (40) as well as a control unit suitable to increase the sensitivity of the X/Gamma sensors (40) when said control means detect the presence of lead component.