Radiation inspection equipment and baggage inspection equipment

Abstract

To provide a radiation inspection device with sterilization capability that enables sterilization of a main body of the inspection device while avoiding objects under inspection.SOLUTION: An X-ray inspection device for inspecting an object 6 under inspection by irradiating the object 6 with X-rays RL inside a shielded box 7 is provided, the x-ray inspection device comprising a sterilizer spray device 4 provided on an inspection device main body 1 and configured to sterilize the inspection device main body 1 while avoiding the object 6 under inspection being conveyed on a belt conveyor 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a radiological inspection apparatus that inspects an object by irradiating the object with radiation, and more particularly to a radiological inspection apparatus and baggage inspection apparatus that have a sterilization function for the main body of the inspection apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional inspection devices of this type include an X-ray source, a cooler for cooling the X-ray source, a cooler cover covering the cooler having an opening communicating the inside and outside, and an opening / closing member for opening and closing the opening. Even when the X-ray inspection device is subjected to high-pressure cleaning for the purposes of sterilization or disinfection, the opening / closing member can be easily opened during cleaning of the X-ray inspection device to prevent water from flowing into the inside (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Alternatively, luggage or mail is passed through an X-ray inspection device to inspect the contents for suspicious objects, and the shape and material of the suspicious object are used to determine whether the suspicious object is a pathogenic bacteria. If the suspicious object is determined to be one that may contain pathogenic bacteria, it is sterilized by irradiating it with an electron beam (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0004] Furthermore, there is an X-ray inspection device that is used to take an X-ray image of an inspection object being transported by a transport unit to detect foreign objects mixed in the inspection object, and that is equipped with an ultraviolet ray generating unit to irradiate the inspection object with ultraviolet rays and perform a sterilization process on the inspection object (see, for example, Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-122771 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2003-135569 A [Patent Document 3] Registered Utility Model No. 3230392 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in such conventional X-ray inspection devices, the X-ray inspection device described in Patent Document 1 is intended to close the opening of the cooler cover during cleaning work to reduce water flowing into the cooler cover, making it easier for the cleaning worker to perform the cleaning work, the X-ray inspection device described in Patent Document 2 enables sterilization of suspicious objects that may contain pathogenic bacteria, and the X-ray inspection device described in Patent Document 3 irradiates the inspection object with ultraviolet rays to perform a sterilization process, and neither of these X-ray inspection devices has a sterilization function that enables the inspection device body to be sterilized. In particular, the X-ray inspection device described in Patent Document 3 irradiates the inspection object with ultraviolet rays, so that, for example, depending on the material of the inspection object, there is a risk that the material will deteriorate due to the irradiation of ultraviolet rays. If the material is a resin or plastic product with low weather resistance, the material may discolor or lose strength when irradiated with ultraviolet rays.

[0007] On the other hand, in X-ray inspection devices installed in airports and at the entrances to event venues, items to be inspected, such as baggage, are placed on a tray and passed through the X-ray inspection device, and the trays are typically disinfected on a regular basis.

[0008] However, there is currently no X-ray inspection device that allows the main body of the device to be disinfected while in operation. In this way, in conventional X-ray inspection devices that do not have a disinfection function that allows the main body of the inspection device to be disinfected, the conveyor and the shielding curtains installed at the entrance and exit of the objects to be inspected in the shielding box are easily contaminated because they often come into contact with an unspecified number of trays and objects to be inspected, and there is a risk that bacteria or viruses will adhere to other objects to be inspected through these conveyors and shielding curtains. As a result, there is a problem that bacterial or viral infections will spread to many people who touch the other objects to be inspected.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention addresses such problems and aims to provide a radiation inspection device and a baggage inspection device that have a sterilization function that enables sterilization of the inspection device body while avoiding the object to be inspected. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the radiation inspection apparatus according to the present invention is a radiation inspection apparatus that inspects an object to be inspected by irradiating the object with radiation inside a shielding box, and is provided with a sterilization device in the inspection apparatus body that sterilizes the inspection apparatus body while avoiding the object to be inspected being transported by a transport device. The sterilization device is a disinfectant spraying device, and is provided at least upstream of the shielding box in the transport direction of the test object, and further includes a detection unit that monitors the presence or absence of the test object in an area where the disinfectant is sprayed by the disinfectant spraying device, and when the detection unit detects the test object just before in the transport direction of the test object in the area where the disinfectant spraying device is sprayed, the disinfectant spraying device temporarily suspends spraying of the disinfectant, and resumes spraying of the disinfectant when it detects that the test object has left the spraying area. Alternatively, the sterilization device is an ultraviolet irradiation device, and is provided inside the shielding box or inside a shielding cover provided upstream of the shielding box in the transport direction of the test object, and further includes a detection unit that monitors the presence or absence of the test object in an ultraviolet irradiated area by the ultraviolet irradiation device, and when the detection unit detects the test object just before the ultraviolet irradiated area by the ultraviolet irradiation device in the transport direction of the test object, the ultraviolet irradiation device temporarily suspends ultraviolet irradiation, and resumes the ultraviolet irradiation when it detects that the test object has left the ultraviolet irradiated area.

[0011] Moreover, a baggage inspection device according to the present invention includes the above-mentioned radiation inspection device, and inspects baggage as an object to be inspected. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, the radiation inspection device has a sterilization function that enables sterilization of the main body of the inspection device while avoiding the objects to be inspected that are transported by the transport device. This allows the main body of the inspection device to be sterilized while the radiation inspection device is in operation. Therefore, it is possible to prevent bacteria and viruses from adhering to other objects to be inspected through the conveyor that often comes into contact with the objects to be inspected and the shielding curtain provided at the entrance and exit of the object to be inspected in the shielding box. As a result, it is possible to prevent many people who touch the other objects to be inspected from being infected with bacteria and viruses. In addition, since it is possible to sterilize the main body of the inspection device while avoiding the objects to be inspected, it is possible to prevent the material of the object to be inspected from being altered or deteriorated due to the sterilization process of the object to be inspected. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a first embodiment of an X-ray inspection apparatus according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Diagram 3]FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the installation position of the sterilization device, showing an installation example in which the sterilization device is installed a predetermined distance upstream from the entrance of the shielding box in the transport direction of the test objects. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the installation position of the sterilization device, illustrating an installation example in which the sterilization device is installed immediately before the entrance of the shielding box in the transport direction of the objects to be inspected. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the installation position of the sterilization device, illustrating another installation example in which the sterilization device is installed a predetermined distance upstream from the entrance of the shielding box in the transport direction of the test objects. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the installation position of the sterilization device, illustrating another installation example in which the sterilization device is installed immediately before the entrance of the shielding box in the transport direction of the objects to be inspected. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which a sprayer of the sterilization apparatus is installed on a floor. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional front view showing a schematic configuration of a second embodiment of an X-ray inspection device according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a first embodiment of an X-ray inspection device according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 1. This X-ray inspection device inspects an object by irradiating the object with X-rays, and is configured to include an inspection device main body 1, a detection unit 2, a display 3, a disinfectant spray device 4 as a disinfection device, and a control unit 5.

[0015] The inspection device main body 1 is used to check the contents of the object to be inspected 6 by irradiating it with X-rays, and is composed of a shielding box 7, an X-ray source 8, an X-ray sensor unit 9, a belt conveyor 10, and a shielding curtain 12.

[0016] Here, the shielding box 7 is a rectangular parallelepiped housing, and has rectangular openings forming an inlet 13 and an outlet for the object 6 to be inspected, and the belt conveyor 10 passes through the inlet 13 and the outlet so that the object 6 to be inspected can be brought into and taken out of the box. Each wall constituting the shielding box 7 is made of an X-ray absorbing material such as lead in order to suppress leakage of X-rays to the outside.

[0017] The X-ray source 8 emits X-rays RL as radiation, and is disposed on the lower side near the center inside the shielding box 7, and irradiates the X-rays RL from an emission portion toward the X-ray sensor unit 9. The X-ray source 8 may be a pulse oscillation type cold cathode X-ray source or a CW oscillation type hot cathode X-ray source.

[0018] Furthermore, the X-ray sensor unit 9 receives a component of the X-rays RL emitted from the X-ray source 8 that has passed through the object to be inspected 6, and is disposed on the upper side near the center of the shielding box 7 so as to face the X-ray source 8 with the belt conveyor 10 in between. The X-ray sensor unit 9, for example, arranges light receiving elements in a line extending in a direction intersecting (specifically, in a direction perpendicular to within an allowable range) the conveying direction D of the object to be inspected, thereby enabling line-type scanning in cooperation with the conveyance by the belt conveyor 10. That is, when the object to be inspected 6 passes through an area near the center of the shielding box 7 in a direction intersecting (perpendicular to) the long axis of the linear X-ray sensor unit 9, the object to be inspected 6 is irradiated with the X-rays RL, and the inside of the object to be inspected 6 can be inspected based on the result received by the X-ray sensor unit 9.

[0019] Furthermore, the belt conveyor 10 is a transport device that transports the object to be inspected 6 placed on the transport surface, and is provided extending through the shielding box 7 in a direction intersecting the long axis of the X-ray sensor unit 9 (Y direction in Figure 1) between the X-ray source 8 and the X-ray sensor unit 9, and a wide, looped belt portion 10a is hung around a pair of rollers 11 provided on the load side and the unload side and rotated by a rotation mechanism not shown.

[0020] In detail, as shown in FIG. 2, the belt conveyor 10 is provided between a pair of rollers 11 in the conveying direction D (Y direction) and inside the ring-shaped belt portion 10a, and includes a belt support portion 14 which is a plate-shaped portion that supports the object to be inspected 6 placed on the belt portion 10a, and a support frame 15 that supports the pair of rollers 11 and the belt support portion 14.

[0021] More specifically, the belt support section 14 is composed of a plurality of elongated, plate-like block members 16 arranged along the transport direction D of the object to be inspected 6, and a pressure plate 17 arranged on the plurality of block-shaped members 16, and is capable of supporting the object to be inspected 6 placed on the transport surface of the belt section 10a.

[0022] Each block-shaped member 16 is suspended between a pair of flange portions 18 extending from the support frame 15 and removably fixed thereto. Among the plurality of block-shaped members 16, those arranged within the shielding box 7 are made of lead or the like and have X-ray absorbing properties, and partially shield the X-rays RL generated within the shielding box 7. Here, the plurality of block-shaped members 16 are arranged so as to avoid a transmission region that transmits the X-rays RL near the center of the shielding box 7. In other words, the plurality of block-shaped members 16 absorb a portion of the X-rays RL generated within the shielding box 7 while transmitting another portion of the X-rays RL in the transmission region, thereby enabling irradiation of the X-rays RL to the inspection object 6 passing through the shielding box 7.

[0023] The pressure plate 17 is a plate-like member made of an X-ray transparent material such as acrylic. The pressure plate 17 constitutes the uppermost surface of the belt support part 14, and prevents the belt support part 14 from wobbling on its upper surface, thereby ensuring that the belt support part 14 supports the belt part 10a. The pressure plate 17 not only has a flat upper surface, but also has low friction, ensuring stable and reliable transport of the belt part 10a and the inspection object 6 placed on the belt part 10a.

[0024] The support frame 15 that supports the belt portion 10a and the like is covered with a cover portion 19.

[0025] The conveying device is not limited to a belt conveyor, but may be a rotary conveyor in which multiple turntables for conveying luggage are interconnected, etc., but in the following description, the conveying device will be described as a belt conveyor 10.

[0026] The shielding curtain 12 is for preventing X-rays RL from leaking from inside the shielding box 7 to the outside through the entrance 13 and exit of the inspection object 6, and is provided at the entrance 13 and exit as shown in Fig. 2, and may be an arrangement of rectangular lead-containing rubber members. The shielding curtain 12 is preferably antibacterial. In particular, it is desirable that the shielding curtain 12 on the entrance 13 side has an antibacterial sheet attached to the entrance side surface that comes into contact with the inspection object 6. This allows the antibacterial sheet to be replaced as necessary to maintain the antibacterial function of the shielding curtain 12 for a long period of time.

[0027] The detection unit 2 monitors whether or not the object to be inspected 6 transported to the shielding box 7 by the belt conveyor 10 is present in the area where the disinfectant is sprayed by the disinfectant spray device 4, and is a camera or the like, and is provided so as to be able to photograph the transport surface of the belt conveyor 10 on the side where the object to be inspected 6 is carried into the shielding box 7. Note that the detection unit 2 is not limited to a camera and may be a photosensor as long as it can detect the carrying-in of the object to be inspected 6 into the area where the disinfectant spray device 4 is carried out and the carrying-out of the object to be inspected from the spray area, but the following description will be given of the case where the detection unit 2 is a camera.

[0028] The display 3 displays an X-ray transmission image of the object 6 to be inspected based on the X-ray RL component received by the X-ray sensor unit 9, and this X-ray transmission image makes it possible to confirm the contents of the object 6 to be inspected.

[0029] The disinfectant spraying device 4 is for disinfecting the inspection device main body 1, and is provided at least on the upstream side of the shielding box 7 in the conveying direction D of the object 6 so as to be able to disinfect the belt conveyor 10 and the shielding curtain 12, which are components of the inspection device main body 1 and often come into contact with the object 6. Specifically, the disinfectant spraying device 4 is provided with a spray unit 20 that sprays a disinfectant from a nozzle on at least one of the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 10 that conveys the object 6 and the shielding curtain 12 provided at the carry-in entrance 13 into the shielding box 7 for the object 6. Disinfectants include alcohol-based and chlorine-based disinfectants, and alcohol-based disinfectants that dry quickly are preferred. The disinfectant spraying device 4 may be provided not only on the upstream side of the conveying direction D of the shielding box 7 but also on the downstream side. In this case, it is desirable to disinfect the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 10 from which the object 6 has been removed. This allows the entire conveying surface of the belt conveyor 10 to be sterilized.

[0030] The disinfectant spraying operation of the disinfectant spraying device 4 is preferably performed in conjunction with the transport of the test object 6 by the belt conveyor 10. Specifically, the test object 6 being transported toward the shielding box 7 is detected by the detection unit 2 immediately before the spraying area of ​​the disinfectant spraying device 4, and the spraying of the disinfectant is stopped, and when the test object 6 moves out of the spraying area, the spraying of the disinfectant is resumed. This makes it possible to avoid the disinfectant being sprayed onto the test object 6.

[0031] The disinfectant spray device 4 is preferably detachably mounted on the support frame 15 of the belt conveyor 10. This allows the disinfectant spray device 4 to be mounted on a conventional X-ray inspection device, thereby providing the inspection device body with a disinfecting function.

[0032] 3 to 6 are explanatory diagrams showing the installation position of the disinfectant spraying device 4. Fig. 3 shows an example of installation in which the disinfectant spraying device 4 is installed a predetermined distance upstream from the carry-in entrance 13 of the shielding box 7 in the conveying direction D of the object 6 to be inspected. Specifically, a spraying unit 20 is installed across the belt conveyor 10, and a nozzle provided on an upper frame of the spraying unit 20 is arranged to spray disinfectant 21 onto the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 10 to disinfect it.

[0033] The spray unit 20 may be equipped with a plurality of nozzles arranged in a row on an upper frame so that the disinfectant 21 can be sprayed in a shower-like manner, or may be capable of spraying the disinfectant 21 over a wide area from a single nozzle. In Fig. 3, reference numeral 22 denotes a sprayer that stores the disinfectant 21 and is controlled by the control unit 5 shown in Fig. 1 to spray the disinfectant 21 from the spray unit 20, and reference numeral 23 denotes a protective cover that prevents a person from entering the shielding box 7 from the carry-in entrance 13 or from inserting a hand into the shielding box 7 from the carry-in entrance 13. Hereinafter, similar elements will be described with the same reference numerals.

[0034] 4 shows an example of installation in which the disinfectant spray device 4 is installed immediately before the carry-in entrance 13 of the shielding box 7 in the conveying direction D of the object to be inspected 6. Specifically, a spray unit 20 is installed at the carry-in entrance 13, and a nozzle provided on an upper frame of the spray unit 20 sprays disinfectant 21 onto the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 10 to disinfect it, and the disinfectant 21 can also be sprayed onto the shielding curtain 12 at the carry-in entrance 13 to disinfect it.

[0035] 5 shows another installation example in which the disinfectant spray device 4 is installed a predetermined distance upstream of the entrance 13 of the shielding box 7 in the conveying direction D of the object 6 to be inspected. Specifically, the spray unit 20 is installed parallel to one edge of the belt portion 10a of the belt conveyor 10, and is capable of spraying the disinfectant 21 onto the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 10 from one side of the belt conveyor 10 to disinfect it. In this case, the spray unit 20 is desirably installed on the side where a person who places the object 6 to be inspected on the belt conveyor 10 stands.

[0036] 6 shows another installation example in which the disinfectant spray device 4 is installed immediately before the carry-in entrance 13 of the shielding box 7 in the conveying direction D of the object 6 to be inspected. Specifically, a pair of spray units 20 are installed parallel to both edges of the belt portion 10a at the lower end of the protective cover 23, sandwiching the belt conveyor 10 therebetween, so that the disinfectant 21 can be sprayed onto the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 10 from both sides of the belt conveyor 10 to disinfect it.

[0037] The installation position of the disinfectant spray device 4 is not limited to the positions shown in Figs. 3 to 6, and may be installed at an appropriate position depending on the usage situation of the X-ray inspection device. Although the sprayer 22 is attached to the spray unit 20 in Figs. 3 to 6, the sprayer 22 may be installed on the floor as shown in Fig. 7. This allows the installation of a large-sized sprayer 22 capable of storing a large amount of disinfectant 21.

[0038] The control unit 5 is electrically connected to the X-ray source 8, the X-ray sensor unit 9, the detection unit 2, the display 3, and the disinfectant spray device 4. The control unit 5 is a control PC (personal computer) that controls the above-mentioned units so that they are appropriately driven based on a preset program.

[0039] Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the X-ray inspection apparatus according to the present invention configured as above will be described. First, when the X-ray inspection device is started and the belt conveyor 10 starts to rotate, the disinfectant 21 is sent from the sprayer 22 of the disinfectant spray device 4 to the spray unit 20 under the control of the control unit 5, and is sprayed from the nozzle of the spray unit 20 onto the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 10. As a result, the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 10 is disinfected.

[0040] At the same time, the detection unit 2 captures an image of a predetermined photographing area on the belt conveyor 10, including an area where the disinfectant 21 is sprayed by the disinfectant spray device 4. When the object 6 being inspected, conveyed by the belt conveyor 10, reaches the photographing area, an image signal of the photographing area including the object 6 acquired by the detection unit 2 is sent to the control unit 5. The control unit 5 processes the input image signal, detects that the object 6 has reached the photographing area, and immediately sends a signal to the sprayer 22 of the disinfectant spray device 4 to temporarily stop spraying the disinfectant, thereby stopping the spraying of the disinfectant 21.

[0041] The detection unit 2 continues to capture an image of the photographing area on the belt conveyor 10. The image signal is then processed by the control unit 5, which monitors the presence or absence of the object 6 to be inspected within the photographing area. When the object 6 to be inspected is transported and leaves the photographing area, the control unit 5 detects that the object 6 to be inspected has disappeared from the photographing area based on the image signal from the detection unit 2, and immediately sends a release signal for temporarily suspending the spraying of the disinfectant to the sprayer 22 of the disinfectant spray device 4, causing the spraying of the disinfectant 21 to be resumed.

[0042] As described above, according to the first embodiment, spraying of the disinfectant 21 is stopped while the object to be inspected 6 is passing through the area where the disinfectant 21 is sprayed by the disinfectant spray device 4, so that the inspection device main body 1 can be disinfected while avoiding spraying of the disinfectant 21 onto the object to be inspected 6. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the material of the object to be inspected 6 from being altered or deteriorated due to spraying of the disinfectant 21.

[0043] The inspection object 6 that has left the imaging area is further carried into the shielding box 7 through the carry-in entrance 13 of the shielding box 7. At the carry-in entrance 13, the inspection object 6 comes into contact with the shielding curtain 12. At this time, since the shielding curtain 12 has been antibacterial treated, bacteria and viruses that have adhered to the shielding curtain 12 through contact with the inspection object 6 are sterilized by the antibacterial function of the shielding curtain 12.

[0044] The object 6 to be inspected that has been carried into the shielding box 7 is irradiated with X-rays RL emitted from the X-ray source 8, and the contents of the object 6 to be inspected are inspected. In detail, when the object 6 to be inspected passes through an irradiation area of ​​the X-rays RL, the components of the X-rays RL emitted from the X-ray source 8 that pass through the object 6 to be inspected are received by the X-ray sensor unit 9. The X-ray sensor unit 9 is, for example, a linear arrangement of light receiving elements extending in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction D of the object 6 to be inspected, and therefore enables line-type scanning in cooperation with the conveyance by the belt conveyor 10. That is, when the object 6 to be inspected passes through an area near the center of the shielding box 7, the object 6 to be inspected is irradiated with X-rays RL, and the inside of the object 6 to be inspected three-dimensionally is inspected based on the results received by the X-ray sensor unit 9.

[0045] The received light signal of the X-ray RL component transmitted through the inspection object 6 in the X-ray sensor unit 9 is processed in the control unit 5, and an X-ray transmission image of the inside of the inspection object 6 is displayed on the display 3. This allows the inspector to check the contents of the inspection object 6 in a non-contact manner.

[0046] After the X-ray inspection, the object 6 is transported by the belt conveyor 10 and carried out of the shielding box 7 through the exit. At this time, the object 6 comes into contact with the shielding curtain installed at the exit. However, since the shielding curtain is antibacterial treated, any bacteria or viruses that adhere to the shielding curtain due to contact with the object 6 are eliminated by the antibacterial function of the shielding curtain.

[0047] 8 is a partial cross-sectional front view showing a schematic configuration of a second embodiment of an X-ray inspection device according to the present invention. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the sterilization device is an ultraviolet irradiator 24. The second embodiment will be described below. In particular, the sterilization function of the inspection device main body 1 in the second embodiment will be described.

[0048] In the second embodiment, the X-ray inspection apparatus includes an ultraviolet irradiator 24 as a sterilization device inside a shielding box 7, as shown in Fig. 8. In detail, the apparatus includes a detection unit 2 that monitors the presence or absence of an object 6 to be inspected in an area irradiated with ultraviolet rays by the ultraviolet irradiator 24, and when the detection unit 2 detects the object 6 to be inspected immediately before the area irradiated with ultraviolet rays by the ultraviolet irradiator 24 in the conveying direction D of the object 6, the ultraviolet irradiator 24 temporarily suspends ultraviolet irradiation, and when it detects that the object 6 has left the ultraviolet irradiated area, it resumes ultraviolet irradiation.

[0049] More specifically, the X-ray inspection device includes a detection unit 2 such as a photosensor that detects the object 6 being transported by the belt conveyor 10, upstream of the shielding box 7 in the transport direction D of the object 6, and an ultraviolet ray irradiation device 24 at an upper portion inside the shielding box 7, with the ultraviolet ray irradiation region being defined as the inside of the shielding box 7. In this case, the ultraviolet ray irradiation device 24 is preferably equipped with an ultraviolet ray lamp that emits ultraviolet ray UV in the UVC wavelength range of 100 nm to 280 nm.

[0050] Next, the operation of the second embodiment of the X-ray inspection apparatus according to the present invention configured as above will be described. First, when the X-ray inspection device is started and the belt conveyor 10 starts to rotate, the ultraviolet lamp of the ultraviolet irradiation device 24 is turned on under the control of a control unit (not shown). Then, ultraviolet rays UV in the UVC wavelength range, for example, are emitted from this ultraviolet lamp and irradiated onto the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 10 and the inside of the shielding box 7. As a result, the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 10 and the wall surface inside the shielding box 7 are sterilized.

[0051] At the same time, the detection unit 2 monitors the presence or absence of the object 6 being transported by the belt conveyor 10. When the detection unit 2 detects the object 6 at a position upstream of the entrance 13 of the shielding box 7 in the transport direction D of the object 6, a detection signal is sent from the detection unit 2 to the control unit. The control unit processes the input detection signal and detects that the object 6 has reached just before the entrance 13 of the shielding box 7, and immediately sends a signal to the ultraviolet irradiator 24 to temporarily halt ultraviolet irradiation and stop ultraviolet irradiation. In this case, ultraviolet irradiation may be stopped by turning off the ultraviolet lamp, or by using a shutter to block the ultraviolet ray UV.

[0052] The object 6 to be inspected that has been carried into the shielding box 7 is irradiated with X-rays RL emitted from the X-ray source 8, and the contents of the object 6 to be inspected are inspected. In detail, when the object 6 to be inspected passes through an irradiation area of ​​the X-rays RL, the components of the X-rays RL emitted from the X-ray source 8 that pass through the object 6 to be inspected are received by the X-ray sensor unit 9. The X-ray sensor unit 9 is, for example, a linear arrangement of light receiving elements extending in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction D of the object 6 to be inspected, and therefore enables line-type scanning in cooperation with the conveyance by the belt conveyor 10. That is, when the object 6 to be inspected passes through an area near the center of the shielding box 7, the object 6 to be inspected is irradiated with X-rays RL, and the inside of the object 6 to be inspected three-dimensionally is inspected based on the results received by the X-ray sensor unit 9.

[0053] The control unit processes the received light signal of the X-ray RL component transmitted through the inspection object 6 in the X-ray sensor unit 9, and an X-ray transmission image of the inside of the inspection object 6 is displayed on a display (not shown). This makes it possible to inspect the contents of the inspection object 6 in a non-contact manner.

[0054] At the same time, the control unit calculates the time from when the object 6 is detected by the detection unit 2 until the object 6 finishes passing through the shielding box 7, based on the rotation speed of the belt conveyor 10 and the passing distance of the object 6 through the shielding box 7. Then, when the above-mentioned time has elapsed and the object 6 has finished passing through the shielding box 7, the control unit sends a signal to the ultraviolet irradiation device 24 to cancel the temporary suspension of the ultraviolet irradiation, causing the ultraviolet irradiation to resume. The timing at which the object 6 finishes passing through the shielding box 7 may be detected by a second detection unit provided downstream of the exit of the shielding box 7 in the conveying direction D of the object 6.

[0055] As described above, according to the second embodiment, while the inspection object 6 is passing through the shielding box 7 (within the ultraviolet irradiation area), the irradiation of the ultraviolet ray UV by the ultraviolet ray irradiation device 24 is stopped, so that the inspection device main body 1 can be sterilized while avoiding the irradiation of the inspection object 6 with the ultraviolet ray UV. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the material of the inspection object 6 from being altered or deteriorated by the irradiation of the ultraviolet ray UV.

[0056] The ultraviolet irradiation device 24 is not limited to being provided inside the shielding box 7, and may be provided outside the shielding box 7. Specifically, it is preferable to provide it inside a shielding cover provided across the belt conveyor 10 on the upstream side of the shielding box 7 in the conveying direction D. For example, it is preferable to provide it inside a shielding cover formed by shielding the protective cover 23 of the first embodiment for preventing a person from entering the shielding box 7 from the carry-in entrance 13 or for preventing a hand from being inserted into the shielding box 7 from the carry-in entrance 13. It is preferable to provide an antibacterial-treated shielding curtain at the carry-in entrance and the carry-out exit of the shielding cover. In this case, the ultraviolet irradiation area is the internal area of ​​the shielding cover. Therefore, the detection unit 2 is provided so as to be able to detect the test object 6 on the upstream side of the shielding cover in the conveying direction D of the test object 6.

[0057] It is preferable that the ultraviolet ray irradiation device 24 is detachably provided inside the shielding box 7, or together with the shielding cover, on a support frame of the belt conveyor 10 on the upstream side of the shielding box 7 in the transport direction D of the inspection object 6. Thus, in the second embodiment, the ultraviolet ray irradiation device 24 can be attached to a conventional X-ray inspection device to provide a sterilization function to the inspection device main body.

[0058] By configuring the present invention as described above, the X-ray inspection device has a sterilization function that enables the inspection device main body 1 to be sterilized while avoiding the inspection object 6 transported by the belt conveyor 10. This makes it possible to sterilize the inspection device main body 1 while operating the X-ray inspection device. Therefore, it is possible to prevent bacteria and viruses from adhering to other inspection objects through the belt conveyor 10, which often comes into contact with the inspection object 6, and the shielding curtain 12 provided at the entrance 13 into the shielding box 7 for the inspection object 6. As a result, it is possible to prevent many people who touch the other inspection objects from being infected with bacteria and viruses. In addition, since it is possible to sterilize the inspection device main body 1 while avoiding the inspection object 6, it is possible to prevent the material of the inspection object 6 from changing or deteriorating due to the sterilization process of the inspection object 6.

[0059] In the above embodiment, an X-ray inspection apparatus has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The object 6 to be inspected may be baggage, and the baggage inspection apparatus may have the functions of the above-mentioned X-ray inspection apparatus.

[0060] The above-mentioned embodiment is merely a schematic illustration of the present invention so that the present invention can be understood and practiced, and the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention can be modified and altered in various ways without departing from the scope of the technical ideas set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1...Inspection device body 2. Detection unit 4. Disinfectant spray device (disinfecting device) 6...Item to be inspected 7…Shielding box 10...Belt conveyor (transport device) 12…Shielding curtain 13…Carry-in entrance 20…Spray unit 21. Disinfectant 24…Ultraviolet irradiation device (sterilization device) RL…X-rays (radiation) D: Transport direction of the inspection object

Claims

1. A radiation inspection device that inspects an object by irradiating the object with radiation inside a shielding box, comprising: a sterilization device for sterilizing the inspection device body while avoiding the inspection object transported by the transport device is provided in the inspection device body, the sterilization device is a sterilizing agent spraying device, and is provided at least upstream of the shielding box in a conveying direction of the object to be inspected; A detection unit that monitors the presence or absence of the test object in a disinfectant spray area by the disinfectant spray device, a disinfectant spraying device that temporarily suspends spraying of the disinfectant when the detection unit detects the object to be inspected immediately before the object to be inspected in the spraying area by the disinfectant spraying device in the direction of transport of the object, and resumes spraying of the disinfectant when it detects that the object to be inspected has left the spraying area.

2. 2. The radiological inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the disinfectant spraying device includes a spraying unit that sprays a disinfectant onto at least one of a transport surface of a transport device that transports the object to be inspected and a shielding curtain provided at an entrance of the object to be inspected into the shielding box.

3. A radiation inspection device that inspects an object to be inspected by irradiating the object with radiation inside a shielding box, a sterilization device for sterilizing the inspection device body while avoiding the inspection object transported by the transport device is provided in the inspection device body, The sterilization device is an ultraviolet irradiating device, and is provided inside the shielding box or inside a shielding cover provided upstream of the shielding box in a conveying direction of the test object, a detection unit that monitors the presence or absence of the object to be inspected in an area irradiated with ultraviolet light by the ultraviolet light irradiation device, a detection unit that detects the object to be inspected immediately before the object to be inspected in the ultraviolet irradiation area by the ultraviolet irradiation device in the transport direction of the object to be inspected, the ultraviolet irradiation device temporarily suspends ultraviolet irradiation, and resumes the ultraviolet irradiation when it detects that the object to be inspected has left the ultraviolet irradiation area.

4. 4. The radiation inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sterilization device is detachably provided on the inspection apparatus main body.

5. 5. The radiation inspection device according to claim 1, wherein shielding curtains provided at an entrance and an exit of the shielding box for the object to be inspected have an antibacterial function.

6. 6. The radiation inspection apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an antibacterial sheet is attached to at least a surface of the shielding curtain on the side where the object to be inspected is carried in.

7. 7. The radiation inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radiation is an X-ray.

8. A baggage inspection device comprising the radiation inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, for inspecting baggage as an object to be inspected.

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