Apparatus and method for screening people and articles to detect and/or to decontaminate with respect to certain substances
First Claim
1. A walk-through portal for at least one of detection of a predetermined substance on a subject and decontamination of a subject from a predetermined substance, the walk-through portal comprising:
- an enclosure defining an examination zone and being substantially open on at least one side, to permit a subject readily to enter and to exit the examination zone;
a closure means for substantially closing off the examination zone from the exterior;
an inlet into the examination zone and an outlet from the examination zone;
a pump for pumping a gas through the inlet into the examination zone, over a subject to entrain at least one of vapours and particulates from such substance, and out through the outlet; and
at least one flexible screen, closing off the examination zone.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A walk-through portal or other enclosure is provided for at least one of detection of a predetermined substance on a subject and decontamination of a subject from a predetermined substance, the subject being either a person or, for other type of enclosure, an object, such as a suitcase. The walk-through portal defines an examination zone and can be substantially open on at least one side, to permit a subject readily to enter and to exit the examination zone. A closure closes off the examination zone from the exterior. An inlet into the examination zone and an outlet from the examination zone permit air or other gas to flow through it, and this is pumped by a pump, so as to entrain at least one of vapors and particulates from such substance. At least part of the exhaust through the outlet can be passed to an analyzer, such as an IMS, to detect substances of interest.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A walk-through portal for at least one of detection of a predetermined substance on a subject and decontamination of a subject from a predetermined substance, the walk-through portal comprising:
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an enclosure defining an examination zone and being substantially open on at least one side, to permit a subject readily to enter and to exit the examination zone;
a closure means for substantially closing off the examination zone from the exterior;
an inlet into the examination zone and an outlet from the examination zone;
a pump for pumping a gas through the inlet into the examination zone, over a subject to entrain at least one of vapours and particulates from such substance, and out through the outlet; and
at least one flexible screen, closing off the examination zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A walk-through portal for at least one of detection of a predetermined substance on a subject and decontamination of a subject from a predetermined substance, the walk-through portal comprising:
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an enclosure defining an examination zone and being substantially open on at least one side, to permit a subject readily to enter and to exit the examination zone;
a closure means for substantially closing off the examination zone from the exterior;
an inlet into the examination zone and an outlet from the examination zone;
a pump for pumping a gas through the inlet into the examination zone, over a subject to entrain at least one of vapours and particulates from such substance, and out through the outlet; and
a detection instrument connected to the inlet, for monitoring gas flowing into the examination zone for presence of contamination. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 34, 35)
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27. A walk-through portal for at least one of detection of a predetermined substance on a subject and decontamination of a subject from a predetermined substance, the walk-through portal comprising:
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an enclosure defining an examination zone and being substantially open on at least one side, to permit a subject readily to enter and to exit the examination zone;
a closure means for substantially closing off the examination zone from the exterior;
an inlet into the examination zone and an outlet from the examination zone;
a pump for pumping a gas through the inlet into the examination zone, over a subject to entrain at least one of vapours and particulates from such substance, and out through the outlet;
a recirculation duct connected between the outlet and the inlet;
a filter mounted in the recirculation duct for cleaning gas exhausted from the examination zone of any contaminating substance before the gas is recirculated back through the inlet into the examination zone; and
a supply of a decontamination agent, connected to the recirculation duct, downstream from the filter, for supply of a decontamination agent for one of neutralization, destabilizing and breaking down said substance. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A device, for at least one of detection of a predetermined substance on an article and decontamination of an article from a predetermined substance, the device comprising:
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an enclosure defining the examination zone, the enclosure being openable for insertion and removal of an article and being closable to close off the examination zone from the exterior;
an inlet into the examination zone and an outlet from the examination zone;
a pump for pumping a gas through the inlet into the examination zone, over the article to entrain at least one of vapours and particulates of said substance, and out through the outlet;
an analyzer connected to the outlet, for sampling gas flowing through the outlet, whereby the analyzer determines the presence of said substance, indicative of contamination of the article by said substance;
a recirculation duct connected between the inlet and the outlet; and
a supply of decontamination agent, connected to the recirculation duct, for entrainment into gas flow into the examination zone for decontaminating an article when said substance is detected. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
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40. A device as claimed in 39, which includes a single filter for filtering gas prior to entry into the examination zone.
Specification