Method and apparatus for detecting dangerous articles and/or precious metals

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR SEARCHING OBJECTS FOR METALLIC ARTICLES SUCH AS WEAPONS OR CONTRABAND COMPRISING THE STEPS FOR: A. GENERATING AND ACCELERATING AN ELECTRON BEAM, B. IRRADIATING SAID ELECTRON BEAM ON A TARGET, C. IRRADIATING AN OBJECT TO BE SEARCHED WITH AN X-RAY OBTAINED BY SCANNING SAID ELECTRON BEAM IN COARSE STEPS ON SAID TARGET, D. DETECTING THE X-RAY TRANSMITTED TO SAID OBJECT, E. SURVEYING THE PORTION OF THE OBJECT WHERE X-RAY ABSORPTION IS COMPARATIVELY HIGH BY MEANS OF SAID DETECTED SIGNAL, AND F. OBTAINING A DETAILED X-RAY TRANSMISSION IMAGE OF SAID PORTION OF THE OBJECT WHERE THE X-RAY ABSORPTION IS COMPARATIVELY HIGH.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR SEARCHING OBJECTS FOR METALLIC ARTICLES SUCH AS WEAPONS OR CONTRABAND COMPRISING THE STEPS FOR: A. GENERATING AND ACCELERATING AN ELECTRON BEAM, B. IRRADIATING SAID ELECTRON BEAM ON A TARGET, C. IRRADIATING AN OBJECT TO BE SEARCHED WITH AN X-RAY OBTAINED BY SCANNING SAID ELECTRON BEAM IN COARSE STEPS ON SAID TARGET, D. DETECTING THE X-RAY TRANSMITTED TO SAID OBJECT, E. SURVEYING THE PORTION OF THE OBJECT WHERE X-RAY ABSORPTION IS COMPARATIVELY HIGH BY MEANS OF SAID DETECTED SIGNAL, AND F. OBTAINING A DETAILED X-RAY TRANSMISSION IMAGE OF SAID PORTION OF THE OBJECT WHERE THE X-RAY ABSORPTION IS COMPARATIVELY HIGH.

Claim 5

A method for searching an object or person for metallic articles such as weapons or contraband comprising the steps for: a. generating and accelerating an electron beam, b. irradiating said electron beam, condensed so as to have a comparatively large spot diameter on a target, c. irradiating an object to be searched with an X-ray obtained by scanning said electron beam in coarse steps on said target, d. detecting the X-ray transmitted to said object, e. surveying the portion of the object where the X-ray absorption is comparatively high by means of said detected signal, and f. obtaining a detailed X-ray transmission image of said portion of the object where the X-ray absorption is comparatively high.

Claim 6

A method for searching an object or person for metallic articles such as weapons or contraband comprising the steps for: a. generating and accelerating an electron beam, b. irradiating said electron beam, condensed so as to have a comparatively large spot diameter on a target, c. irradiating an object to be searched with an X-ray obtained by scanning said electron beam in coarse steps on said target, d. detecting the X-ray transmitted to said object, e. surveying the portion of the object where the X-ray absorption is comparatively high by means of said detected signal, and f. obtaining a detailed X-ray transmission image of said portion of the object where the X-ray absorption is comparatively high.

Claim 8

A method for searching an object or person for metallic articles such as weapons or contraband comprising the steps for: a. generating and accelerating an electron beam, b. irradiating said electron beam, condensed to have a comparatively large spot diameter on a target, c. scanning the electron beam in coarse steps on said target so as to irradiate a scanned X-ray on the outline of the object to be searched only, d. detecting the X-ray transmitted to said object, e. surveying the portion of the object contained in the outline where the X-ray absorption is comparatively high by means of said detected signal, and f. obtaining a detailed X-ray transmission image of the portion of the outline image where the X-ray absorption is comparatively high.

Claim 9

A method for searching an object or person for metallic articles such as weapons or contraband comprising the steps for: a. generating and accelerating an electron beam, b. irradiating said electron beam, condensed to have a comparatively large spot diameter on a target, c. scanning the electron beam in coarse steps on said target so as to irradiate a scanned X-ray on the outline of the object to be searched only, d. detecting the X-ray transmitted to said object, e. surveying the portion of the object contained in the outline where the X-ray absorption is comparatively high by means of said detected signal, and f. obtaining a detailed X-ray transmission image of the portion of the outline image where the X-ray absorption is comparatively high.

Claim 10

A method for searching an object or person for metallic articles such as weapons or contraband comprising the steps for: a. obtaining an optical image of the object to be searched, b. generating and accelerating an electron beam, c. irradiating said electron beam, condensed to have a comparatively large spot diameter on a target, d. scanning the electron beam in coarse steps on said target to irradiate a scanned X-ray within the outline of the object to be searched as determined by the optical image, e. detecting the X-ray transmitted to said object to find any portion of the object within the outline where the X-ray absorption is comparatively high, and f. obtaining a detailed X-ray transmission image of the portion within the outline image where the X-ray absorption is comparatively high.

Claim 11

A method for searching an object or person for metallic articles such as weapons or contraband comprising the steps for: a. obtaining an optical image of the object to be searched, b. generating and accelerating an electron beam, c. irradiating said electron beam, condensed to have a comparatively large spot diameter on a target, d. scanning the electron beam in coarse steps on said target to irradiate a scanned X-ray within the outline of the object to be searched as determined by the optical image, e. detecting the X-ray transmitted to said object to find any portion of the object within the outline where the X-ray absorption is comparatively high, and f. obtaining a detailed X-ray transmission image of the portion within the outline image where the X-ray absorption is comparatively high.

Claim 12

A method for searching an object for metallic articles such as weapons or contraband comprising the steps for a. generating and accelerating an electron beam, b. irradiating the object to be searched with an X-ray scanned in one direction, by scanning a target with said electron beam, c. moving the object to be searched in a direction perpendicular to the said X-ray scanning direction at a fixed speed, d. detecting the X-ray transmitted to said object, e. surveying the portion of the object where the X-ray absorption is high by means of said detected signal, and f. obtaining a detailed X-ray transmission image of said portion of the object where the X-ray absorption is high.

Claim 13

A method for searching an object for metallic articles such as weapons or contraband comprising the steps for a. generating and accelerating an electron beam, b. irradiating the object to be searched with an X-ray scanned in one direction, by scanning a target with said electron beam, c. moving the object to be searched in a direction perpendicular to the said X-ray scanning direction at a fixed speed, d. detecting the X-ray transmitted to said object, e. surveying the portion of the object where the X-ray absorption is high by means of said detected signal, and f. obtaining a detailed X-ray transmission image of said portion of the object where the X-ray absorption is high.

Claim 14

An apparatus for searching objects for metallic articles such as weapons or contraband comprising: a. means for generating and accelerating an electron beam, b. a target generating an X-ray from the irradiation of said electron beam, c. a condenser lens system for condensing said electron beam and irradiating it on said target, d. a deflection means for changing the position of the electron beam on said target, e. a pinhole X-ray window located opposite said target, f. a detector for detecting the X-ray transmitted to an object to be searched through said window, g. means for memorizing the output signal of said detector indicative of a metallic article at a position on said object to be searched in accordance with the position at which the electron beam irradiates the target, h. means for controlling the current supplied to said condenser lens system and electron beam deflection means according to said memorized output signal to provide a detailed X-ray image of only positions where the detector provides an output indicative of a metallic article, and i. means for displaying a picture image of said output signal.

Claim 15

An apparatus for searching objects for metallic articles such as weapons or contraband comprising: a. means for generating and accelerating an electron beam, b. a target generating an X-ray from the irradiation of said electron beam, c. a condenser lens system for condensing said electron beam and irradiating it on said target, d. a deflection means for changing the position of the electron beam on said target, e. a pinhole X-ray window located opposite said target, f. a detector for detecting the X-ray transmitted to an object to be searched through said window, g. means for memorizing the output signal of said detector indicative of a metallic article at a position on said object to be searched in accordance with the position at which the electron beam irradiates the target, h. means for controlling the current supplied to said condenser lens system and electron beam deflection means according to said memorized output signal to provide a detailed X-ray image of only positions where the detector provides an output indicative of a metallic article, and i. means for displaying a picture image of said output signal.

Claim 17

An apparatus for searching for metallic articles such as weapons and contraband comprising: a. means for moving the object to be searched at a fixed speed, b. means for generating and accelerating an electron beam, c. a target for generating an X-ray from the irradiation of the electron beam, d. a condenser lens system for condensing said electron beam and irradiating it on said target, e. deflection means for changing the position of said electron beam on said target, f. a pinhole X-ray window located opposite said target, g. a detector for detecting the X-ray transmitted to an object to be searched through said window, h. means for memorizing the output signal of said detector indicative of a metallic article on the object to be searched in accordance with the position at which the electron beam irradiates the target, i. means for controlling the current supplied to said condenser lens system and electron beam deflection means according to said memorized output signal to provide a detailed X-ray image of only the positions where the detector provides an output indicative of a metallic article, and j. means for displaying a picture image of said output signal.

Claim 18

An apparatus for searching for metallic articles such as weapons and contraband comprising: a. means for moving the object to be searched at a fixed speed, b. means for generating and accelerating an electron beam, c. a target for generating an X-ray from the irradiation of the electron beam, d. a condenser lens system for condensing said electron beam and irradiating it on said target, e. deflection means for changing the position of said electron beam on said target, f. a pinhole X-ray window located opposite said target, g. a detector for detecting the X-ray transmitted to an object to be searched through said window, h. means for memorizing the output signal of said detector indicative of a metallic article on the object to be searched in accordance with the position at which the electron beam irradiates the target, i. means for controlling the current supplied to said condenser lens system and electron beam deflection means according to said memorized output signal to provide a detailed X-ray image of only the positions where the detector provides an output indicative of a metallic article, and j. means for displaying a picture image of said output signal.

Claim 19

An apparatus for searching objects for metallic articles such as weapons and contraband comprising: a. means for generating and accelerating an electron beam, b. a target for generating an X-ray from the irradiation of said electron beam, c. a condenser lens system for condensing said electron beam and irradiating it on said target, d. deflection means for changing the position of the electron beam on said target, e. a pinhole X-ray window located opposite said target, f. a detector for detecting the X-ray transmitted to an object to be searched, g. means for memorizing the output signal of said detector indicative of a metallic article at a position on the object in accordance with the position at which the electron beam irradiates the target, h. means for controlling the current supplied to said condenser lens system and electron beam deflection means according to said memorized output signal to provide a detailed X-ray image of only the positions where the detector provides an output indicative of a metallic article, i. device for displaying a picture image of said output signal, and, j. means for obtaining an optical image of the object.

Claim 20

An apparatus for searching objects for metallic articles such as weapons and contraband comprising: a. means for generating and accelerating an electron beam, b. a target for generating an X-ray from the irradiation of said electron beam, c. a condenser lens system for condensing said electron beam and irradiating it on said target, d. deflection means for changing the position of the electron beam on said target, e. a pinhole X-ray window located opposite said target, f. a detector for detecting the X-ray transmitted to an object to be searched, g. means for memorizing the output signal of said detector indicative of a metallic article at a position on the object in accordance with the position at which the electron beam irradiates the target, h. means for controlling the current supplied to said condenser lens system and electron beam deflection means according to said memorized output signal to provide a detailed X-ray image of only the positions where the detector provides an output indicative of a metallic article, i. device for displaying a picture image of said output signal, and, j. means for obtaining an optical image of the object.