Apparatus and method for detecting items in objects

US6839406B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• SMITHS HEIMANN GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Hermann Ries · Taunusstein, DE
• Patricia Schall · Darmstadt, DE
• Frank Cordes · Neustadt, DE
• Martin Hartick · Bad Nauheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 21, 2001
• Grant date: Jan 4, 2005
• Expiry date: May 21, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G21K5/04
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for detecting items in objects, such as in luggage, wherein a detector apparatus, functioning as a second detector is divided into a lower testing stage and a higher testing stage. In the lower testing stage, the coordinates of the object location are determined, and subsequently, a diffraction apparatus is moved to this location in the higher testing stage. In particular, X-ray diffraction can be employed to determine the explosive material of the item in the object. The diffraction apparatus comprises a collimator/detector arrangement, which is disposed to be adjusted height-wise and laterally in the higher testing stage, with a laterally-adjustable X-ray source, which is synchronized with the collimator/detector arrangement. The collimator/detector arrangement preferably has only one collimator and one detector. The collimator preferably has a conically-expanding ring slot, which a predetermined angle ΘM of a scatter radiation.