X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices – Specific application – Absorption
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-01
2001-10-16
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices
Specific application
Absorption
C198S502100, C198S950000, C250S359100, C250S453110, C250S491100, C378S057000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304629
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates to the field of relatively compact scanner apparatus and methods and more particularly to apparatus and methods for scanning objects which are transported by a conveyor belt through a temporarily sealed tunnel, such as in contraband detection systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Scanners, particularly “compact” scanners, are used for detecting contraband at schools, correctional mail screening, courthouse security, airport hand parcels, and industrial processing applications. These scanners employ tunnel housing, usually leaded and wired in part on the outside, an isolating device, a conveyor device, a bed assembly housing in which the conveyor device is substantially located, and framing and thinner painted covers to hide the unsightly framing and the lead. The tunnel housing typically has a top portion, and side portions which together with a top portion from the bed assembly housing, form a substantially enclosed area. The tunnel housing is also provided with entrance and exit openings to the substantially enclosed area.
The isolating device substantially covers the entrance and exit openings and is typically in the form of two separate lead curtains. One lead preferably fabric curtain is bolted to flat framing at the entrance opening, and the other lead preferably fabric curtain is bolted to flat framing located at the exit opening. Isolating devices permit the passage of conveyed objects into the substantially enclosed area formed by the tunnel housing and the top portion of the bed assembly housing, which is typically x-ray scatter lead shielded on the outside and may also substantially exclude light, noise, heat, cold, moisture, dryness, electrostatic or electromagnetic fields, dust gasses or chemical vapors while the conveyed objects are being analyzed.
Scanners analyze objects which are brought into the enclosed area formed by the tunnel housing and the top portion of the bed assembly housing by the conveyor device. The conveyor devices are typically comprised of relatively short lengthened conveyor belts. Short lengthened conveyor belts, particularly those with a relatively low length to width ratio, such as of less than twelve to one, 12 to 1, often mistrack causing damage to the conveyor belts, objects being scanned, and other parts of the system. Currently, expensive and elaborate tracking mechanisms such as precise construction of components, toothed or perforated belting to mesh with drive gears or belt grooves raised, profile rails, servo-drive tracking adjustment mechanisms, and reliance on a human attendant are used for tracking conveyor belts.
The framing provided to structurally connect the tunnel housing, the bed assembly housing, the conveyor device and the isolating device is often elaborate, wasteful, and space consuming, and requires a plurality of cover panels to hide the framing, the lead, the detector assembly and wiring. Scanners are needed which are more compact in overall width and length without sacrificing the width of the enclosed area inside the tunnel housing, and which are simpler and less costly to manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A compact and reliable scanning apparatus and method is provided. The scanner in one embodiment comprises a conveyor device, a tunnel housing, a bed assembly housing, an isolating device, and one or more analysis devices. The tunnel housing is comprised of top and side portions which together with a top portion from the bed assembly housing form a substantially enclosed area for analyzing objects. The bed assembly housing encloses most of the components of the conveyor device.
The conveyor device is typically comprised of a conveyor belt, rollers and a conveyor tracking device. The conveyor tracking device is preferably comprised of first and second channels formed in first and second rails, as taught in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/584,469, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference thereto. The conveyor belt, preferably includes a first edge and a second edge, and an inner surface and an outer surface. The first and second edges of the conveyor belt typically pass through the first and second channels formed in the first and second rails, respectively. The first and second rails inhibit the conveyor belt from misaligning. The conveyor belt preferably traverses a forward path and a return path and the first and second rails are preferably provided in the return path. The first and second rails are preferably opposite one another.
The isolating device is preferably comprised of separate first and second curtains which extend outward from separate first and second brackets, respectively. The first and second brackets and curtains are preferably adaptable for insertion into first and second slots, respectively, located in the top portion of the tunnel housing, near the entrance and exit openings, respectively. The slots can also be called slits. The brackets, the curtains, and the slots of the housing, are typically adaptable so that the curtains can be inserted into and through the appropriate slot but the brackets cannot be inserted through the appropriate slot. After the brackets and curtains have been inserted into their respective slot each curtain should entirely the cover either the exit or the entrance opening. The isolating device preferably temporarily seals off the substantially enclosed area bounded by the tunnel housing and the top portion of the bed assembly housing so that no X-rays will leak out.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the tunnel housing, the bed assembly housing, the conveyor device, the one or more analysis devices, and the isolating device are constructed in a manner which provides a largely frameless scanner apparatus. The bed assembly housing preferably comprises a top portion which is used as with the inverted U-shaped sheet metal housing to form a substantially enclosed area. The bed assembly housing further preferably comprises first and second side portions which are preferably fixed to the first and second side portions of the housing providing structural support and reducing the need for framing. One of the analysis devices may be comprised of detector housing metal members which are attached to the inside side and top of the frameless housing. In this way the long slits on two sides, which weaken the inverted U, are eliminated from conventional housing constructions. The slits appear instead in the thinner, substantially metal, detector housing members which form a side and the top of the tunnel. The analysis devices may be various types including X-ray or electromagnetic generators and detectors or vapour detectors.
The efficient construction of the conveyor device, the isolating device, the tunnel housing, the bed assembly housing, and the one or more analysis devices of the scanner maximizes the cross sectional area, and the width and height for the enclosed area formed by tunnel housing and the top portion of the bed assembly housing of the scanner for a given overall cross sectional width and height. In addition, the construction significantly simplifies and reduces the number of metal parts needed to frame, cover the framing, or otherwise make up the scanning device, decreasing its construction and operating costs.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 36943 (2000-07-01), Atwell et al.
patent: 6088423 (2000-07-01), Krug et al.
patent: 6205195 (2001-03-01), Lanza
patent: 6218943 (2001-04-01), Ellenbogen
Conway Bradley Livingston
Conway Granville Todd
Maes Michael Patrick
Dillon, Jr. Joe
Ellis Christopher P.
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