Road-Mounted Radiation Source for Vehicle Undercarriage Imaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional vehicle inspection methods are inefficient and inaccurate, particularly in scanning vehicle tires and lower compartments, posing safety hazards due to the need for manual inspection and limited scanning capabilities, especially for small passenger vehicles.

Innovation Solution

An imaging device with a radiation source mounted on the road surface and a detector unit on the side, emitting a focused ray beam to penetrate specific vehicle parts, such as tires, allowing for quick radiation imaging and detection of prohibited items without exposing occupants to excessive radiation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the radiation source is placed on the side of the vehicle at a minimum scanning height of 0.5m, then the installation is simplified, but the complete vehicle tires and lower compartments cannot be scanned

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation simplicityVSAvoidscanning coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The radiation source is moved from a side-mounted position to a road surface level position, changing the spatial dimension of installation. This allows the radiation beam to penetrate the vehicle from below, enabling complete scanning of tires and lower compartments that were previously inaccessible at higher mounting heights

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of mounting the radiation source above or beside the vehicle and scanning downward, the system inverts the approach by placing the radiation source on the road surface and scanning upward through the vehicle undercarriage, tires, and lower compartments, thereby achieving complete coverage without height constraints

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Measurement precision

If the ground height is raised to enable complete scanning of vehicle tires and lower compartments, then the scanning coverage is improved, but large amounts of civil construction are required and it cannot be carried out in many application scenarios

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescanning coverageVSAvoidcivil construction requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than raising the ground level to achieve scanning coverage, the system changes the scanning dimension by placing the radiation source at road surface level and directing the beam upward through the vehicle, achieving complete coverage of tires and lower compartments without any ground construction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The radiation source acts as an intermediary positioned on the road surface that enables scanning of previously inaccessible areas without requiring physical modification of the ground or infrastructure, making the system adaptable to various deployment scenarios

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the radiation source is positioned to avoid the cab during scanning, then the safety of personnel is ensured, but the inspection of hidden portions such as backup box, tires and toolboxes of small or medium-sized passenger vehicles cannot be implemented

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepersonnel safetyVSAvoidinspection coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The radiation source is positioned at road surface level rather than at side height, changing the geometric relationship between the radiation beam and the vehicle cab. This allows the beam to pass under the vehicle and scan hidden portions without requiring the cab to be avoided, as the radiation path is below the occupant level

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of positioning the radiation source to scan from the side while avoiding the cab, the system inverts the approach by scanning from below the vehicle, which naturally avoids exposing occupants to radiation while achieving complete coverage of previously inaccessible areas

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables rapid and accurate imaging of vehicle tires and other hidden parts, minimizing radiation exposure to occupants and improving safety by allowing vehicles to pass through at a low speed, thus enhancing security checks in various settings.

Implementation Method 1

a radiation source device, comprising a first ray unit configured to emit a first ray beam

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadiation: Radiation

Data Source

PatentEP3505919B1Imaging device for use in vehicle security check and method therefor
Publication Date: 2024.07.17 BEIJING HUALIXING SCI TECH DEV
  • EP3505919B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3505919B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3505919B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to an imaging device for use in vehicle security check and a method therefor, and belongs to the field of security check. The imaging device for use in vehicle security check includes: a radiation source device including a first ray unit configured to emit a first ray beam by a first predetermined spread angle to allow the first ray beam to penetrate a first part of a vehicle to be inspected passing through an inspection lane at a preset speed; and a detector device including a first detector unit arranged corresponding to the first ray unit, and configured to receive the first ray beam. The radiation source device is at least partially arranged on the road surface of the inspection lane, and the first detector unit is arranged at a first side of the inspection lane. The imaging device for use in vehicle security check and the method therefor can realize security checking on whether a violating item is concealed in any specific part of a vehicle.