DARKROOM TYPE SECURITY INSPECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20170138914A1
• Filed: 09/26/2016
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuctech Company Limited (Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd.), Tsinghua University
• Original Assignee: Nuctech Company Limited (Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd.), Tsinghua University
• Inventors: CHEN, Zhiqiang, LI, Yuanjing, ZHANG, Qingjun, ZHU, Weiping, MA, Qiufeng, ZOU, Xiang, HE, Huishao, CHANG, Jianping, LIANG, Song, ZHAO, Ziran, LIU, Yaohong
• Granted Patent: US 10,408,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 15/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electromagnetic waves or particle radiation, e.g. by the use of microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays or electrons characterised by the use of optical techniques G01B9/00, G01B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/8452 Generation of electrically charged aerosols or ions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/085 X-ray absorption fine structure [XAFS], e.g. extended XAFS [EXAFS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/7206 interfaced to gas chromatograph interfaces in general for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed with specially adapted mass spectrometer, see H01J49/04

Abstract

A darkroom type security inspection apparatus and a method of performing an inspection using the darkroom type security inspection apparatus. An apparatus includes a housing constituting a closed darkroom, and assemblies disposed inside the housing. The assemblies disposed inside the housing include: a sample collecting unit configured to collect a sample, a conveyor unit, and a X-ray detection unit to detect a position of the objected to be inspected, wherein the X-ray detection unit is configured to determine the position of the objected to be inspected within the sampling assembly so that the object to be inspected together with the conveyor unit is conveyed to an expected position; and a sample processing assembly, wherein the assemblies disposed inside the housing are communicated by fittings or connectors.

Claims

1. A darkroom type security inspection apparatus comprising:

a housing constituting a closed darkroom, and assemblies disposed inside the housing, the assemblies disposed inside the housing comprise;

a sampling assembly comprising a sample collecting unit configured to collect a sample, a conveyor unit configured to convey an object to be inspected from outside into the sample collecting unit, and a X-ray detection unit to detect a position of the objected to be inspected, wherein the X-ray detection unit is configured to determine the position of the objected to be inspected within the sampling assembly so that the objected to be inspected together with the conveyor unit is conveyed to an expected position;

a sample processing assembly configured to concentrate and desorb the sample; and

a sample inspecting assembly configured to inspect composition of the sample by means of a gas chromatographic-ion mobility spectrometer or a separated ion mobility spectrometer,

wherein the sampling assembly, the sample processing assembly and the sample inspecting assembly are communicated by fittings so that collection, processing and inspection of the sample are performed on the object to be inspected, that has been conveyed into the housing constituting the closed darkroom, within the housing.

2. The darkroom type security inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the X-ray detection unit comprises a X-ray generator configured to emit X ray radiation, detectors configured to detect the X ray radiation and a display, wherein the X-ray detection unit is configured to detect the remaining X-rays passing through the object to be inspected so as to display both the position of the object to be inspected within the sampling assembly and contents inside the object to be inspected.

3. The darkroom type security inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor unit of the sampling assembly comprises a conveyor belt and a conveyor belt brace, edges of the both sides of the conveyor belt and the conveyor belt brace are configured to be a matching structure so that the conveyor belt brace allows the conveyor belt to move but forms a seal together with the conveyor belt when the conveyor belt does not move.

4. The darkroom type security inspection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the conveyor belt brace is made of deformable material;

and, when the conveyor belt does not move, a negative pressure is produced within the housing constituting the closed darkroom so that the conveyor belt brace is deformed to form the seal.

5. The darkroom type security inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sample collecting unit comprises a sampling chamber having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the conveyor unit is located at the first end, and the sampling chamber further comprises a sample outlet adjacent to the second end and configured to discharge the sample;

the sampling chamber further comprises an inflation port and a exhaust port formed at an inner wall of the sampling chamber, the inflation port is configured to introduce a gas flow and the exhaust port is configured to discharge the gas, to produce a tornado type gas flow within the sampling chamber, and the tornado type gas flow moves spirally from the first end to the second end of the sampling chamber so that the sample carried by the object to be inspected is conveyed by the tornado type gas flow to be nearby the second end.

6. The darkroom type security inspection apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the inflation port is configured so that an axially inflating direction of the inflation port is mostly tangent with an inner surface of the inner wall of the chamber and is inclined towards the sample outlet side.

7. The darkroom type security inspection apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the inner wall of at least a part of the sampling chamber is formed in a frustoconical shape having a smaller-diameter round end adjacent to the chamber and a larger-diameter round end adjacent to the second end.

8. The darkroom type security inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sampling assembly comprises a heating filter configured to filter the sample when the sample is conveyed from the first end to the second end, and to heat the object to be inspected so as to facilitate volatilization of the sample carried by the object to be inspected or separation of the sample from the object to be inspected.

9. The darkroom type security inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sampling assembly comprises a semi-permeable membrane configured to selectively filter the sample, and the semi-permeable membrane is disposed within the sampling chamber to separate a space for mixture with carrier gas.

10. The darkroom type security inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sample processing assembly comprises a pre-concentrated sample adsorber comprising an absorption sieve drum configured to concentrate the sample and a piston rod configured to deliver the sample in the absorption sieve drum through a piston;

and

a thermal desorption chamber configured to desorb the sample in the absorption sieve drum at high temperature and to mix the sample with suitable carrier gas.

11. The darkroom type security inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sample inspecting assembly comprises porous capillary columns configured to pre-separate the sample, and an ion mobility spectrometer.

12. A method of inspecting an object to be inspected using a darkroom type security inspection apparatus according to claim 1, the method comprising:

placing the object to be inspected on the conveyor unit, and conveying the object to be inspected into the darkroom type security inspection apparatus via the conveyor unit; and

implementing an inspection on the object to be inspected using the darkroom type security inspection apparatus.