Container inspection system
First Claim
1. A system, comprising:
- a scanning tunnel having an entrance and an exit;
a plurality of scanning entrance doors, each having an open position and a closed position, at least one of the plurality of scanning entrance doors interior to the scanning tunnel;
a plurality of scanning exit doors, each having an open position and a closed position, at least one of the plurality of scanning exit doors interior to the scanning tunnel;
a scanner, adapted to scan the contents of a container inside the scanning tunnel with X-rays when at least one of the plurality of scanning entrance doors is in the closed position and at least one of the plurality of scanning exit doors is in the closed position;
a conveyor system, adapted to convey a carrier carrying the container through the tunnel, comprising;
a first longitudinal section extending through the scanning tunnel;
a second longitudinal section exterior to the tunnel, offset in elevation from the first longitudinal section; and
means for transferring the carrier between the first longitudinal section and the second longitudinal section.
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Abstract
An inspection system provides for inspection of cargo containers. A scanning tunnel has an entrance and an exit, a plurality of scanning entrance doors, each having an open position and a closed position, at least one of the plurality of scanning entrance doors interior to the scanning tunnel; a plurality of scanning exit doors, each having an open position and a closed position, at least one of the plurality of scanning exit doors interior to the scanning tunnel. A scanner is adapted to scan the contents of a container inside the scanning tunnel when at least one of the plurality of scanning entrance doors is in the closed position and at least one of the plurality of scanning exit doors is in the closed position. A carrier carries the container through the tunnel.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a scanning tunnel having an entrance and an exit; a plurality of scanning entrance doors, each having an open position and a closed position, at least one of the plurality of scanning entrance doors interior to the scanning tunnel; a plurality of scanning exit doors, each having an open position and a closed position, at least one of the plurality of scanning exit doors interior to the scanning tunnel; a scanner, adapted to scan the contents of a container inside the scanning tunnel with X-rays when at least one of the plurality of scanning entrance doors is in the closed position and at least one of the plurality of scanning exit doors is in the closed position; a conveyor system, adapted to convey a carrier carrying the container through the tunnel, comprising; a first longitudinal section extending through the scanning tunnel; a second longitudinal section exterior to the tunnel, offset in elevation from the first longitudinal section; and means for transferring the carrier between the first longitudinal section and the second longitudinal section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method, comprising:
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moving a first carrier carrying a container through a scanning tunnel comprising; a scanning location interior to the tunnel; a first door at an entrance to the tunnel; a second door positioned between the first door and the scanning location; a third door at an exit to the tunnel; and a fourth door positioned between the third door and the scanning location; irradiating the container at the scanning location with X-rays only if one of the first door and the second door is in a closed position and only if one of the third door and fourth door is in a closed position; and conveying the first carrier, comprising; conveying the first carrier to the entrance from a first position exterior to the tunnel and offset in elevation from the entrance; conveying the first carrier from the entrance to the exit of the tunnel; conveying the first carrier from the exit to a second position; and conveying the first carrier from the second position to the first position. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system, comprising:
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a scanning tunnel; a scanner, adapted to scan a carrier inside the scanning tunnel; and a conveyor system, comprising; a first section extending through the tunnel; a second section exterior to the tunnel, offset in elevation from the first section; a first subsystem, adapted to adjust the elevation of the carrier and to move the carrier from the first section to the second section; and a second subsystem, adapted to adjust the elevation of the carrier and to move the carrier from the second section to the first section. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification