X-ray inspection equipment for baggage

Claim 2

A low X-ray levEl baggage inspection apparatus comprising: conveyor means for continuously conveying articles of baggage to be inspected in a path along a longitudinal direction; plural X-ray tubes positioned along said path; separate generating means coupled to each of said X-ray tubes for generating plural X-rays toward different portions of each article of baggage from plural directions; a single image regenerating means, positioned adjacent said path to receive said plural X-rays after having passed through said each article of baggage, for producing plural X-ray images of the contents of said each article of baggage; video signal means connected to said image regenerating means for converting said X-ray images into corresponding primary video signals; at least one recording-reproducing means coupled to said video signal means for recording said primary video signals and for subsequently reproducing the thus recorded signals as corresponding secondary video signals; at least one display means coupled to said recording-reproducing means for displaying said secondary video signals as corresponding visual images of said X-ray images; at least one controlling means coupled to said recordingreproducing means for controlling the recording and reproducing functions thereof; position detecting means for detecting when said each article of baggage is carried by said conveyor means to a predetermined position; and control device means, coupled to and operable by said position detecting means, and coupled to said generating means for activating said X-ray tubes to emit pulsed X-rays to irradiate said each article of baggage from said plural directions in a predetermined order at said predetermined position, and coupled to said controlling means for activating said controlling means when said generating means is activated to cause said recording-reproducing means to record one field primary video signal and to thereafter repeatedly reproduce said one field signal until a subsequent primary video signal is produced.

Claim 3

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: means coupled to said conveyor means for stopping movement thereof; secondary video signal means connected to said image regenerating means for converting said X-ray images into corresponding second primary video signals; a secondary recording-reproducing means for recording a one field second primary video signal, and including a plurality of systems for repeatedly reproducing said thus recorded signal at a field cycle as corresponding second secondary video signals; a plurality of secondary display means coupled to said systems of said secondary recording-reproducing means for displaying, at separate locations, said second secondary video signals as corresponding secondary visual images of said X-ray images; secondary control means coupled to said secondary recording-reproducing means for controlling the recording and reproducing functions thereof; and switching means operatively coupled to said systems and said secondary control means for selectively activating said secondary control means and for generating a signal for activating said stopping means for stopping movement of said conveyor.

Claim 4

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plural X-ray tubes comprise three X-ray tubes equally spaced from said single image regenerating means.

Claim 5

An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said three X-ray tubes are spaced from each other along said longitudinal direction.

Claim 6

An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said three X-ray tubes are spaced from each other in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal direction.

Claim 7

A low X-ray level baggage inspection apparatus comprising: conveyor means for continuously conveying articles of baggage to be inspected in a path along a longitudinal direction; first and second X-ray tubes positioned along said path; separate first and second generating means respectively coupled to said first and second X-ray tubes for generating first and second X-rays toward different portions of each article of baggage from first and second directions; a single image regenerating means, positioned adjacent said path to receive said first and second X-rays after having passed through said each article of baggage for producing first and second X-ray images of the contents of said each article of baggage; video signal means connected to said image regenerating means for converting said X-ray images into corresponding primary video signals; at least one recording-reproducing means coupled to said video signal means for recording said primary video signals and for subsequently reproducing the thus recorded signals as corresponding secondary video signals; first and second display means coupled to said recording-reproducing means for displaying said secondary video signals as corresponding visual images of said X-ray images; at least one controlling means coupled to said recording-reproducing means for controlling the recording and reproducing functions thereof; first and second position detecting means for detecting when said each article of baggage is carried by said conveyor means to first and second predetermined positions; and control device means, coupled to and operable by said position detecting means, and coupled to said first and second generating means for respectively activating said first and second X-ray tubes to emit pulsed first and second X-rays to irradiate said each article of baggage from said first and second directions in a predetermined order at said predetermined positions, and coupled to said controlling means for activating said controlling means when said first and second generating means are activated to cause said recording-reproducing means to record one field primary video signal and to thereafter repeatedly reproduce said one field signal until a subsequent primary video signal is produced.

Claim 8

A low X-ray level baggage inspection apparatus comprising: conveyor means for continuously conveying articles of baggage to be inspected in a path along a longitudinal direction; first and second X-ray tubes positioned along said path; separate first and second generating means respectively coupled to said first and second X-ray tubes for generating first and second X-rays toward different portions of each article of baggage from first and second directions; a single image regenerating means, positioned adjacent said path to receive said first and second X-rays after having passed through said each article of baggage for producing first and second X-ray images of the contents of said each article of baggage; video signal means connected to said image regenerating means for converting said X-ray images into corresponding primary video signals; at least one recording-reproducing means coupled to said video signal means for recording said primary video signals and for subsequently reproducing the thus recorded signals as corresponding secondary video signals; first and second display means coupled to said recording-reproducing means for displaying said secondary video signals as corresponding visual images of said X-ray images; at least one controlling means coupled to said recording-reproducing means for controlling the recording and reproducing functions thereof; first and second position detecting means for detecting when said each article of baggage is carried by said conveyor means to first and second predetermined positions; and control device means, coupled to and operable by said position detecting means, and coupled to said first and second generating means for respectively activating said first and second X-ray tubes to emit pulsed first and second X-rays to irradiate said each article of baggage from said first and second directions in a predetermined order at said predetermined positions, and coupled to said controlling means for activating said controlling means when said first and second generating means are activated to cause said recording-reproducing means to record one field primary video signal and to thereafter repeatedly reproduce said one field signal until a subsequent primary video signal is produced.