Vehicle mounted inspection systems and methods

• US 6,937,692 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Varex Imaging Corporation
• Original Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Johnson, James H., Bjorkholm, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruce, David V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SONG, HOON K
• Application Number:
  US10/455,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20040247075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 378/57, 378/55, 378/51, 378/54, 378/146, 378196-198, 378/58, 378/26
• US Class Current: 378/57
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/22 Active interrogation, i.e. by irradiating objects or goods using external radiation sources, e.g. using gamma rays or cosmic rays

Abstract

Radiation scanning systems to inspect objects are disclosed comprising a first vehicle supporting a radiation source. A second vehicle supports a detector. The source and the detector may be moved to scan an object, such as a cargo conveyance, between the vehicles. The first and second vehicles may having an expandable length and the source and detector may be moved across the expandable length, to scan long objects. The radiation source may be adapted to emit a vertically diverging beam of radiation, such as a fan beam. The radiation may be X-ray radiation, for example. The vehicle may comprise a truck and an expandable trailer releasably coupled to the truck. The trailer may comprise telescoping rails. The first and second vehicles may be driven to an inspection site, where they may be rapidly deployed. Methods of inspecting objects are disclosed, as well.

Claims

1. A radiation scanning system to inspect objects, the system comprising:

a first vehicle having an expandable length;

a radiation source to illuminate an object to be inspected, the source being movably supported by the first vehicle;

a second vehicle having an expandable length; and

a detector to detect radiation interacting with the object, the detector being movably supported by the second vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first vehicle comprises a first expandable portion;

the source is movable across the expandable portion;

the second vehicle comprises a second expandable portion; and

the detector is movable across the second expandable portion.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the first and second expandable portions have a first position supported above ground and a second, lowered position, on the ground.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the first and second expandable portions each comprise telescoping sections.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the first expandable portion comprises a first supporting surface to movably support the source; and

the second expandable portion comprises a second supporting surface to movably support the detector.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the first supporting surface comprises a first pair of rails; and

the second supporting surface comprises a second pair of rails.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the source is movable across the first supporting surface by a first motor; and

the detector is movable across the second supporting surface by a second motor.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein operation of the first and second motors are synchronized.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the radiation source is adapted to emit a vertically diverging beam of radiation; and

the detector is adapted to detect the vertically diverging beam interacting with the object.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the detector has a deployed position to detect radiation; and

the detector has a non-deployed, horizontal position.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the radiation source is a source of X-ray radiation.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first vehicle comprises;

a first trailer with an expandable length; and

a first truck releasably coupled to the first trailer portion; and

the second vehicle comprises;

a second trailer with an expandable length; and

a second truck releasably coupled to the second trailer portion.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third vehicle having an expandable length; and

a second detector movably supported by the third vehicle, to detect radiation interacting with a second object.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a second source supported by the first vehicle, to illuminate the second object.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a base to support the source;

wherein the source is pivotally connected to the base and the source is selectively rotatable about the pivot, to selectively illuminate the first and second objects.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the source is adapted to illuminate the first and second objects, simultaneously.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the detector is movably supported by the vehicle to detect radiation transmitted through the object, during operation.

18. A radiation scanning system to inspect objects, the system comprising:

a first vehicle;

a radiation source to illuminate an object to be inspected, the source being movable on the first vehicle;

a second vehicle; and

a detector to detect radiation interacting with the object, the detector being movable on the second vehicle.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the source and the detector are movable across a length of the first and second vehicles, respectively.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the detector is movable on the second vehicle to detect radiation transmitted through the object, during operation.

21. A radiation scanning system to inspect objects, the system comprising:

a first vehicle comprising;

a first drive portion;

a first telescoping portion; and

a radiation source movably supported by the first telescoping portion to illuminate an object to be inspected; and

a second vehicle comprising;

a second drive portion;

a second telescoping portion; and

a detector movably supported by the second telescoping portion, to detect radiation interacting with the object.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first and second telescoping portions each comprise:

at least one first rail; and

at least one second rail received within a respective first rail.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first and second telescoping portions each comprise:

at least one third rail received within the at least one second rail.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the detector is movably supported by the second telescoping portion to detect radiation transmitted through the object, during operation.

25. A radiation scanning system to inspect objects, the system comprising:

a first vehicle comprising;

a first truck;

a first telescoping trailer releasably coupled to the first truck; and

a radiation source movable across at least a portion of the first telescoping trailer to illuminate an object to be inspected; and

a second vehicle comprising;

a second truck;

a second telescoping trailer releasably coupled to the second truck; and

a detector movable across at least a portion of the second telescoping trailer, to detect radiation interacting with the object.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein:

the detector is movable across at least a portion of the second telescoping portion to detect radiation transmitted through the object, during operation.

27. A method of inspecting an object, comprising:

positioning an object to be inspected between stationary first and second vehicles, wherein the first vehicle movably supports a radiation source and the second vehicle movably supports a detector;

moving the radiation source across a length of the first vehicle;

illuminating the object with radiation by the moving source;

moving a detector supported by the second stationary vehicle across a length of the second vehicle; and

detecting radiation interacting with the object by the moving detector.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

driving the first vehicle to an inspection site;

driving the second vehicle to the inspection site; and

aligning the first and second vehicles.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

expanding the length of the first vehicle;

moving the source along the expanded length of the first vehicle; and

expanding the length of the second vehicle; and

moving the detector along the expanded length of the second vehicle.

30. The method of claim 27, where the source and the detector are moved in a first direction, the method further comprising:

moving the object from between the first and second vehicles after inspection;

positioning a second object to be inspected between the first and second vehicles; and

moving the source and the detector in a second direction opposite the first direction to inspect the second object.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the detector has a first, vertical position and a second, horizontal position, the method further comprising:

moving the detector from the second position to the first position prior to moving the detector across the second vehicle.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

emitting a vertically diverging beam of radiation from the source onto the object.

33. The method of claim 32, comprising:

emitting a vertical fan beam of radiation from the source onto the object.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

emitting X-ray radiation from the source onto the object.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

emitting radiation of multiple peak energies from the source onto the object.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein the object is conveyed by a third vehicle, the method comprising:

positioning the object by driving the third vehicle to a position between the first and second vehicles.

37. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

moving a second object to be inspected between the first vehicle and a third stationary vehicle aligned with the first vehicle;

illuminating the second object with radiation by the moving source;

moving a second detector supported by the third vehicle across a portion of the third vehicle; and

detecting radiation interacting with the object by a second detector.

38. The method of claim 37, comprising:

illuminating the second object after illumination of the first object.

39. The method of claim 37, comprising:

illuminating the second object while illuminating the first object.

40. The method of claim 29, wherein the expanded length of the first and second vehicles spans respective portions of the first and second vehicles, the method further comprising:

lowering the respective portions to the ground.

41. The system of claim 27, comprising:

detecting radiation transmitted through the object by the moving detector.