Apparatus for determining the crystalline and polycrystalline materials of an item

• US 6,542,578 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smiths Heimann GmbH
• Original Assignee: Heimann Systems GmbH
• Inventors: Schall, Patricia, Hartick, Martin, Cordes, Frank, Ries, Hermann
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, COURTNEY D
• Application Number:
  US10/080,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20020181656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 378/57, 378/58, 378/73, 378/88, 378/90, 378/146, 378/147, 378/145, 250/370.08, 250/370.09, 250/370.1
• US Class Current: 378/147
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/20 by using diffraction of the radiation by the materials, e.g. for investigating crystal structure; by using scattering of the radiation by the materials, e.g. for investigating non-crystalline materials; by using reflection of the radiation by the materials
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 5/04 with beam-forming means

Abstract

A diffraction apparatus (10) for determining crystalline and polycrystalline materials of an item in objects, preferably in luggage, having a collimation/detector arrangement (11) and an X-ray source (12) and which is mounted to be adjustable in an X-ray testing machine (13). The collimation/detector arrangement (13) is adjustable in height relative to the X-ray source (12), and the two are also laterally and synchronously adjustable via respective adjustment elements (5,6). The collimator (13) has a conically-expanding round slot (15), which simulates a predetermined angle (Θ_M) of a scatter-beam path.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining crystalline and polycrystalline materials of an item in objects, comprising a diffraction apparatus with a collimator/detector arrangement;

an X-ray source that emits a primary beam directed towards the collimation/detector arrangement;

first adjustment elements for mounting the collimation/detector arrangement for adjustment both laterally and height-wise relative to the X-ray source;

second adjustment elements for mounting the X-ray source for lateral adjustment; and

a computer for controlling the first and second adjustment elements to move the x-ray source and collimation/detector arrangement in synchronism.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collimation/detector arrangement comprises a detector, and a collimator disposed between a detector and the X-ray source, with the collimator having a conically-expanding round slot, which defines a predetermined angle and with the round slot being oriented toward the detector.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the collimator has a central, blind-bore-like opening, which is closed in a direction toward the detector and in which first and second detection devices are located and spaced one behind the other.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first detection device detects relatively lower X-ray energies, and the second detection device detects relatively higher X-ray energies.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the collimator/detector arrangement is oriented such that the central bore of the collimator is directed toward the primary beam of the X-ray source.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object is luggage, and the x-ray source and collimator/detector arrangement are disposed on opposite sides of a conveyor for the luggage.