X-Ray Inspection Trailer

Abstract

An inspection system, and inspection methods, based upon an imaging enclosure characterized by an enclosing body. A source of penetrating radiation and a detector module are concealed entirely within the body of a conveyance such as a trailer. A characterizing value or an image is formed with respect to an inspected object that is disposed entirely outside the conveyance and the characterizing value or image is made available to a remotely disposed operator. Additional detectors may be disposed distally to the inspected object and may detect transmitted, or forward-scattered, penetrating radiation.

Description

[0001]The present application is a continuation-in-part application of copending U.S. Ser. No. 11 / 608,957, filed Dec. 11, 2006, itself a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Ser. No. 11 / 238,719, filed Sep. 29, 2005, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,218,704, which is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 442,687, filed May 21, 2003, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,099,434, which was a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 330,000, filed Dec. 26, 2002, and claimed priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 424,357, filed Nov. 6, 2002, as does the present application. All of the foregoing applications are incorporated herein by reference.[0002]The present application is also a continuation-in-part of copending U.S. Ser. No. 11 / 551,991, filed Oct. 23, 2006, and claims priority, through that application, to U.S. Provisional Patent Applications, Ser. No. 60 / 729,528, filed Oct. 24, 2005, Ser. No. 60 / 729,548, filed Oct. 24, 2005, and Ser. No. 60 / 748,909, filed Dec. 9,...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

One such application is where personnel to be inspected might be carrying explosive devices carried under clothing or concealed in backpacks or bags and the risk of suicide detonation is present.

Current x-ray inspection systems are often inadequate in such applications and are rarely used in applications requiring distances greater than five feet.

However, if the distances are too great, the detectors required will be impractically large.

Additionally, as the flux increases, so will the objects exposure, which poses a problem when the object is, or may contain, a person.

One consideration, however, is that metal objects (such as artillery shells) within a metallic container (such as a vehicle) may not be well-detected unless favorably silhouetted against a brightly scattering background of organic material.

Another issue for backscatter technology is that it can sometimes be difficult to image organic materials when they are placed within or behind significant amounts of high-Z material, such as steel.

This problem is often exacerbated because the scattered x-rays reach backscatter detectors having passed through an intervening steel surface at an oblique angle, resulting in an effective thickness of steel that is greater than the actual gauge of the steel.

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