Non-destructive inspection of material in container

• US 7,164,750 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mettler-Toledo LLC (Mettler-Toledo International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Smiths Detection Incorporated (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Smith, Earl, Schrock, Todd, Williamson, Adam, Nash, Brook, Wyman, Dick, Nabors, James, Hartwig, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Glick; Edward J
• Assistant Examiner(s): SONG, HOON K
• Application Number:
  US10/875,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20050105680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 378/57, 378/22, 378/51, 378/54, 378/58, 378 68- 69, 378/62
• US Class Current: 378/57
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of wave or particle radiation, e.g. X-rays or neutrons, not covered by groups G01N3/00 – G01N17/00, G01N21/00 or G01N22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/083 the radiation being X-rays
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/10 the material being confined in a container, e.g. in a luggage X-ray scanners

Abstract

An apparatus and method for non-destructive inspection of materials housed in containers involves orienting an X-ray beam emitter and detector to direct and detect an X-ray beam at an angle substantially parallel to a sloped surface of the container to be inspected. A first X-ray apparatus is located opposite a second X-ray apparatus, and both the first and second X-ray apparatus are adapted to provide two X-ray beams. This arrangement provides for imaging of the entire area of a sloped portion of the container without any shadow or hidden spots.

Claims

1. An apparatus for non-destructively inspecting materials housed in a container having a crown with an inwardly sloping surface on a bottom wall thereof, said apparatus comprising:

a conveyor for conveying said container along a conveying path in a conveying direction;

an first X-ray apparatus having a first X-ray beam emitter mounted at a first position adjacent said conveying path for emitting at least two X-ray beams passing through said container as said container is conveyed along said conveying path;

a second X-ray apparatus having a second X-ray beam emitter mounted at a second position adjacent said conveying path for emitting at least two X-ray beams, wherein the second X-ray beam emitter is substantially opposite the first X-ray beam emitter;

at least two detectors mounted adjacent said conveying path on a side of said conveying path opposite that of said first X-ray beam emitter for receiving a portion of the X-ray beams that has passed through said container and generating therefrom at least two image signals representative of the portion;

at least two detectors mounted adjacent said conveying path on a side of said conveying path opposite that of said second X-ray beam emitter for receiving a portion of the X-ray beams that has passed through said container and generating therefrom at least two image signals representative of the portion;

wherein said first and second X-ray beam emitters are positioned to direct a portion of the X-ray beams along a path that substantially parallels the sloping surface of the crown.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first X-ray apparatus and the second X-ray apparatus are adapted to each provide two X-ray beams to two detectors.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first X-ray beam emitter emits a first X-ray beam and a second X-ray beam, wherein the angle formed by the first X-ray beam and the second X-ray beam is about 45°

, and wherein the second X-ray beam emitter emits a third X-ray beam and a fourth X-ray beam, wherein the angle formed by the third X-ray beam and the fourth X-ray beam is about 45°

.

4. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the path is at the sloping surface.

5. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the path is immediately proximate to the sloping surface.

6. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein that apparatus detects substantially 100% of the container bottom.

7. A method for non-destructive inspection of material housed in a container having an inwardly protruding crown on a bottom wall thereof, said method comprising:

conveying the container along a conveying path;

passing at least four X-ray beams through said container as said container is conveyed along said conveying path;

receiving a portion of the at least four X-ray beams passed through said container; and

generating a signal representative of the portion of the at least four X-ray beams and therefore of an image representative of said material;

wherein a portion of said at least four X-ray beams is directed along a path that substantially parallels a sloping surface of the inwardly protruding crown.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of aligning a first X-ray beam and a second X-ray beams substantially at a 45°

angle with respect to each others and further comprising aligning a third X-ray beam and a fourth X-ray beam substantially at a 45°

angle with respect to each other.

9. The method as in claim 7, wherein substantially 100% of the container bottom is detected.

10. An apparatus for non-destructively inspecting materials housed in a container having a inwardly protruding crown on a bottom wall thereof and adapted to travel along a conveying path, said apparatus comprising:

a first x-ray apparatus having a first X-ray beam emitter mounted at a first X-ray position adjacent the conveying path, wherein the first X-ray beam emitter emits at least two X-ray beams;

a first detector and a second detector mounted adjacent said conveying path on a side of said conveying path opposite that of said first x-ray apparatus for receiving a portion of the at least two X-ray beams that has passed through the container;

a second X-ray apparatus having a second X-ray beam emitter mounted at a second X-ray position adjacent the conveying path and substantially opposite the first X-ray apparatus, wherein the second X-ray emitter emits at least two X-ray beams; and

a third detector and a fourth detector mounted adjacent said conveying path on a side of said conveying path opposite that of said second X-ray apparatus for receiving a portion of the at least two X-ray beams that has passed through the container;

wherein the first and second X-ray apparatus are positioned to direct a portion of the X-ray beams at an angle along a path that substantially parallels the slope of the crown.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first X-ray apparatus comprises a dual beam generator.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second X-ray apparatus comprises a dual beam generator.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first X-ray apparatus emits a first X-ray beam and a second X-ray beam, and wherein the angle formed by the first X-ray beam and the second X-ray beam is about 45°

.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second X-ray apparatus emits a first X-ray beam and a second X-ray beam, and wherein the angle formed by the first X-ray beam and the second X-ray beam is about 45°

.

15. The apparatus as in claim 10, wherein that apparatus detects substantially 100% of the container bottom.