Patent · US Expired

Walk-through metal detector

US4906973A · kind A · utility

29Cited by
9References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 29, 1988
Grant dateMar 6, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 29, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG08B13/2474
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A walk-through metal detector comprising an array module supporting transmit and receive coil arrays. Surrounding the array module, yet not touching it, is an outer shell protecting the array module from contact. A passageway tube passes through the opening in the array module, and is supported by the outer shell, further isolating the array module from mechanical vibration. The array module has a relatively high resonant frequency; thus, vibration induced signals are higher in frequency than actual target signals and are disregarded by the detection circuitry. The metal detector also includes a bypass chute, mechanically isolated from the array module, in which metallic objects may be placed and transported to the exit of the passageway without setting any alarms. The array module supports a balanced transmit and receive coil array for insensitivity to external electromagnetic interference. Alternate coil configurations may be selected by the operator to reduce the detector's sensitivity at predetermined portions of the passageway. The detection circuitry of the metal detector includes quadrature phase demodulators for separating target signals into components caused by eddy curre…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.