Portable control station for the inspection of people and luggage

• US 7,577,234 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smiths Heimann GmbH
• Original Assignee: Smiths Heimann GmbH
• Inventors: Aust, Stefan, Knoespel, Walter, Kirsten, Erwin, Hemp, Fred, Roe, Kristofer
• Primary Examiner(s): KAO, CHIH CHENG G
• Application Number:
  US10/995,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20090074138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 378/57, 378/208
• US Class Current: 378/57
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/366 Check-in counters
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/20 Detecting prohibited goods, e.g. weapons, explosives, hazardous substances, contraband or smuggled objects

Abstract

A portable control station for the inspection of people and luggage includes a portable, container-like room module, which on two opposite walls has at least one door each. Between the doors, a passage zone for people is formed inside the room module. In the area of the passage zone, a people inspection device is arranged, and alongside the passage zone an inspection device for luggage with a control area is located.

Claims

1. A portable container configured to inspect people and luggage, comprising:

two opposite walls having at least one door each,

a passage zone for people between the two opposite walls and within the container,

a people inspection device, and

an inspection device for luggage with a control area, the inspection device for luggage including a conveyor device configured to extend from a first position within the container to a second position external to the portable container,

wherein in an area of the passage zone, the people inspection device is arranged, and alongside the passage zone the inspection device for luggage is arranged.

2. The portable container according to claim 1, wherein the doors fold upwards and into a horizontal position during operation of the portable container.

3. The portable container according to claim 1, wherein a person identification system is installed in the portable container.

4. The portable container according to claim 1, wherein a construction of a frame, the walls, and the doors of the portable container is such as to provide a secure room for the people and the inspection devices present therein.

5. The portable container according to claim 1, wherein the devices required for the inspection of people and luggage are provided in duplicate to form two identical inspection paths within the portable container.

6. A portable container comprising:

a first set of oppositely facing walls and a second set of oppositely facing walls, the first set of oppositely facing walls being transverse to the second set of oppositely facing walls, and the first set of oppositely facing walls including at least one door folding upwards and into a horizontal position during operation of the portable container;

an x-ray inspection device for inspecting articles being provided within the portable container, wherein the x-ray inspection device includes a conveyor for passing articles within the container, the conveyor extending partially beneath the doors folding upwards into the horizontal position;

a people inspection device for inspecting people being provided within the portable container; and

a passage zone formed between the first set of oppositely facing walls, the passage zone having an entrance area and an exit area,

wherein the people inspection device is at least partially positioned within the passage zone to inspect people traversing from the entrance area to the exit area.

7. The portable container according to claim 6, wherein the people inspection device is a metal detector.

8. The portable container according to claim 7, wherein the metal detector is formed so as to facilitate a person to walk therethrough.

9. The portable container according to claim 6, wherein the people inspection device is fixedly attached to a floor of the portable container.

10. The portable container according to claim 6, wherein the x-ray inspection device is fixedly attached to a floor of the portable container.

11. The portable container according to claim 6, wherein the portable container has at least one slide out wall section.

12. The portable container according to claim 6, wherein the portable container has securing devices on at least one corner edge of the portable container to secure the portable container during transport.

13. The portable container according to claim 6, wherein a control station for operating the people inspection device and the x-ray inspection device is provided in the portable container.

14. The portable container according to claim 6, wherein the x-ray inspection device has a conveyor belt to transport the articles through the x-ray inspection device.

15. The portable container according to claim 6, wherein a second people inspection device is provided within the portable container.

16. The portable container according to claim 6, wherein a second x-ray inspection device is provided within the portable container.

17. The portable container according to claim 6, wherein the first set of oppositely facing walls includes at least two doors folding upwards and into the horizontal position.

18. The portable container according to claim 17, wherein each wall of the first set of oppositely facing walls includes at least one door folding upwards into the horizontal position.

19. The portable container according to claim 17, wherein each wall of the first set of oppositely facing walls includes at least two doors folding upwards into the horizontal position.

20. A portable container comprising:

a first set of oppositely facing walls;

a second set of oppositely facing walls, wherein at least one wall of the second set of oppositely facing walls comprises at least two doors;

a pair of passage zones within the container and extending between the second set of oppositely facing walls;

at least one x-ray inspection device within the container for inspecting luggage, the at least one x-ray inspection device including a conveyor device configured to extend from a first position within the container to a second position external to the container; and

at least one people inspection device for inspecting people within at least one of the passage zones.

21. The portable container according to claim 20, wherein each wall of the second set of oppositely facing walls comprises at least two doors.

22. The portable container according to claim 20, further comprising an entrance area and an exit area, wherein at least one of the doors is pivotable downwards to form a floor below the entrance area or the exit area.

23. The portable container according to claim 20, further comprising an entrance area and an exit area, wherein at least one of the doors is pivotable upwards to form a canopy above the entrance area or the exit area.

24. The portable container according to claim 20, further comprising an entrance area and an exit area, wherein at least one of the doors is pivotable downwards to form a floor below the entrance area or the exit area and at least one of the doors is pivotable upwards to form a canopy above the entrance area or the exit area.

25. The portable container according to claim 20, further comprising two x-ray inspection devices.

26. The portable container according to claim 25, further comprising two people inspection devices, wherein each of the people inspection devices is within one of the passage zones.