Container inspection apparatus

• US 6,563,903 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2001
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuctech Company Limited (Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nuctech Company Limited (Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd.), Tsinghua University
• Inventors: Sun, Ou, Yun, Dong, Li, Jianmin, Liu, Yinong, Li, Yuanjing, Li, Junli, Sun, Shangmin, Chen, Zhiqiang, Tang, Chuanxiang, Kang, Kejun, Wu, Wanlong, Liang, Zhizhong, Gao, Wenhuan, Su, Jianjun, Zhang, Huayi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kiknadze, Irakli
• Application Number:
  US09/889,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20020136353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 378/57, 378/53, 378/62, 378/58, 378/55
• US Class Current: 378/57
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/04 and forming images of the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/20 Detecting prohibited goods, e.g. weapons, explosives, hazardous substances, contraband or smuggled objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/232 having relative motion between the source, detector and object other than by conveyor G01V5/226 takes precedence

Abstract

A relocatable container inspection device, which is constituted by modularized units, is used for inspecting a container. The device comprises: a first cabin unit including a radiation source for generating a beam of penetration radiation for penetrating the container to be inspected; a second cabin unit including detectors for detecting the beam of penetration radiation penetrating through the container being inspected and producing corresponding radiographic signals, the second cabin unit and the first cabin unit being arranged oppositely in both sides of an inspection passage; a gantry unit bridging the first cabin unit and the second cabin unit to form a portal-shaped frame adapted for straddling the container being inspected; means for moving the frame relative to the container being inspected along the inspection passage, so that the detectors receive the beam of the penetration radiation generated from the radiation resource and passing through the container being inspected, thereby continuously scanning the container and producing the corresponding radiographic signals, wherein the first cabin unit, the second cabin unit and the gantry unit are all individually made as modular units so as to be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled with each other on the inspection site. In the present invention, all of the modularized units of the container inspection device can be easily assembled and disassembled in the work field, and the dimensions of each modular unit are sized to be suitable for road transports and to be facilitate for the device'"'"'s movement.

Claims

1. A device with modularized units for inspecting a container, the device comprising:

a first modular cabin unit (2) within which a radiation source is mounted for generating a beam of penetration radiation for penetrating the container to be inspected;

a second modular cabin unit (6) within which detectors (10) are mounted for detecting the beam of penetration radiation penetrating through the container being inspected and producing corresponding radiographic signals, the second modular cabin unit (6) and the first modular cabin unit (2) being arranged in spaced relationship from each other to define an inspection passage and wherein the first and second modular cabin units (2, 6) are at opposite sides of the inspection passage;

a modular gantry unit (3, 4, 5) joined to and bridging the first modular cabin unit (2) and the second modular cabin unit (6) to form a portal-shaped frame adapted for straddling the container being inspected, and additional detectors (11, 12) being mounted within the modular gantry unit (3, 4, 5);

means for a moving the first and second modular cabin units (2, 6) and the modular gantry unit (3, 4, 5) in unison relative to the container being inspected along the inspection passage, so that the detectors (10, 11, 12) receive the beam of the penetration radiation generated from the radiation source and passing through the container being inspected, thereby continuously scanning the container and producing the corresponding radiographic signals,

wherein the first modular cabin unit (2), the second modular cabin unit (6) and the modular gantry unit (3, 4, 5) are each individual modular units that are quickly and easily joined together and separable from each other at an inspection site.

2. The device according to the claim 1, wherein the modular gantry unit (3, 4, 5) includes a horizontal girder (4) and two vertical auxiliary supports (3, 5) having upper and lower ends releasably connected to the opposite ends of the horizontal girder (4) at their upper ends and to the first modular cabin unit (2) and the second modular cabin unit (6) at their lower ends, respectively.

3. The device according to the claim 1, wherein the means for moving the frame comprises running wheels (7, 7) rotatably mounted to the bottoms of the first modular cabin unit (2) and the second modular cabin unit (6), and a driving means (9) for rotatably moving the running wheels (7, 7).

4. The device according to the claim 3, further comprising rails (8) for guiding the movement of the running wheels (7, 7) thereon.

5. The device according to the claim 2, wherein the additional detectors (11, 12) receive upwardly slanting beams of penetration radiation penetrating through the container being inspected and produce corresponding radiographic signals and are respectively provided in one of the vertical auxiliary supports (5) and in the end portion of the horizontal girder (4) near the second modular cabin unit (6).

6. The device according to the claim 1, wherein the radiation source is an electron linear accelerator or a radioisotope.

7. The device according to the claim 1, further comprising at least one operation cabin unit for controlling the device.

8. The device according to the claim 7, wherein the first modular cabin unit (2), the second modular cabin unit (6), the modular gantry unit (3, 4, 5) and the operation cabin unit are sized to be suitable for road transport.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first modular cabin unit (2) and said second modular cabin unit (6) are air conditioned.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of said first modular cabin unit (2), second modular cabin unit (6) and modular gantry unit (3, 4, 5) is provided with positioning and connecting means for superimposed connection therebetween.