X-Ray security screening system having magnification

• US 4,379,348 A
• Filed: 09/23/1980
• Issued: 04/05/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Scan-Tech Security LP (Scan-Tech Security)
• Original Assignee: North American Philips Corp. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Haas, David J., Blionas, Costas, Muenzen, Joseph P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Church, Craig E.
• Application Number:
  US06/189,995
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 250/358 R, 250/359, 250/360
• US Class Current: 378/57
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/043 using fluoroscopic examination, with visual observation or video transmission of fluoroscopic images

Abstract

The present invention involves an optical magnification system for viewing magnified portions of articles being inspected in X-ray examination systems. A combination of a full screen lens and at least one magnification lens are provided for variously inspecting the entire article or only suspicious parts thereof.

Claims

1. An X-ray inspection system comprising a source of X-rays, a chamber in the path of said X-rays for containing articles, fluorescent screen means in said chamber opposite to said source for converting X-ray images of said articles into visible images, means for directing said visible image to a viewing station, and means for viewing said visible images of said articles, said viewing means including a lens magnification switching system for selectively viewing the entire visible image or only a magnified portion of said visible image at various positions.

2. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 1, wherein said lens magnification switching system includes at least two lenses, and means for moving a respective lens into optical alignment with said viewing station.

3. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 2, wherein one of said two lenses provides a visible image of the entire surface of said fluorescent screen means, and the other of said two lenses provides a magnified portion of said visible image.

4. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 2, wherein said moving means include a control handle operatively connected to said at least two lenses for selectively moving a respective lens into optical alignment, and controlling the position of the other of said two lenses upon its selection for viewing magnified portions of said visible image.

5. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 4, wherein said at least two lenses are mounted in a rotary plate, and said control handle controls said rotary plate to move a respective lens into optical alignment.

6. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 5, wherein upon selection of said other of said two lenses providing a magnified portion, said control handle can be manipulated to obtain various ones of said magnified portions.

7. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 6, wherein said viewing means includes means for directly optically viewing said entire visible image or said magnified portions.

8. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 6, wherein said viewing means includes means for viewing by television said entire visible image or said magnified portions.

9. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 5, wherein said rotary plate and said control handle are mounted relative to swivel-type means for enabling tilting of said other of said at least two lenses from 5 to 10 degrees from the optical axis.

10. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 9, wherein said swivel-type means includes a gimbal structure.

11. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 3, wherein said other of said two lenses has a magnification ranging from 3:

1 to 10;

1.

12. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 1, wherein said articles are maintained stationary in said chamber.

13. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 1, wherein said chamber is a container-like structure having a door through which said articles are inserted and removed.

14. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 13, wherein said fluorescent screen means forms one surface of said container structure, said source of X-rays being disposed at a wall opposite from said fluorescent screen means.

15. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 14, wherein said one surface is the floor of said chamber.

16. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 13, wherein said door forms substantially one surface of said chamber.

17. An X-ray inspection system according to claim 13, wherein said container-like structure is a generally rectangular box-like structure.