Carry-on baggage tomography scanning system
View Patent ↗A tomography scanner system including a gantry having an outer, non-rotating support ring, and an inner rotatable component ring supported for rotation within the support ring about a rotation axis of the gantry. An x-ray source and an x-ray detector array are secured to the rotatable component ring for rotation with the component ring, and an x-ray containment shield encloses the x-ray source and the x-ray detector array and is secured to the rotatable component ring for rotation with the component ring.
1. A tomography scanner system, comprising:
a base;
a gantry supported on the base and including,
an outer, non-rotating support ring, and
an inner rotatable component ring supported for rotation on the support ring about a rotation axis of the gantry;
an annular main body adapted for attachment to the inner rotatable component ring, the annular main body defining a source aperture and a detector aperture, wherein the source aperture is diametrically opposed on the annular main body from the detector aperture;
an x-ray source and an x-ray detector array secured to the annular main body for rotation with the annular main body;
an x-ray containment shield enclosing the x-ray source and the x-ray detector array and secured to the rotatable component ring for rotation with the component ring;
a first, non-rotating x-ray containment tunnel extending from an open end to the rotating x-ray containment shield coaxial with the rotation axis of the gantry, and a second, non-rotating x-ray containment tunnel extending from the rotating x-ray containment shield to an open end coaxial with the rotation axis of the gantry; and
a continuous conveyor belt including a forward path extending through the tunnels and the gantry and a return path extending outside the tunnels and the gantry.
2. A tomography scanner system according to claim 1 , wherein the component ring includes a mounting face extending perpendicular to the rotation axis and the x-ray source, the x-ray detector array and the x-ray containment shield are secured to the mounting face of the component ring.
3. A tomography scanner system according to claim 1 , wherein a motor is mounted on the support ring and operatively connected to the component ring through a belt received in an outer circumferential groove of the component ring.
4. A tomography scanner system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray source is a dual energy x-ray source.
5. A tomography scanner system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray detector is a two dimensional x-ray detector array.
6. A tomography scanner system according to claim 1 , further comprising a data acquisition system for receiving and processing signals generated by the detector array, and an x-ray tube control system for supplying power to, and controlling the operation of, the x-ray source.
7. A tomography scanner system according to claim 6 , further comprising a computer for processing the output of the data acquisition system and for generating the necessary signals for operating and controlling the system.
8. A tomography scanner system according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating x-ray containment shield is lined with a material absorbent of x-ray energy incident.
9. A tomography scanner system according to claim 8 , wherein the material absorbent of x-ray energy incident comprises lead.
10. A tomography scanner system according to claim 1 , wherein the tunnels are lined with a material absorbent of x-ray energy incident.
11. A tomography scanner system according to claim 10 , wherein the material absorbent of x-ray energy incident comprises lead.
12. A tomography scanner system according to claim 1 , wherein the open ends of the x-ray containment tunnels include curtains of x-ray absorbent material.
13. A tomography scanner system according to claim 1 , wherein the non-rotating x-ray containment tunnels are connected to the rotatable x-ray containment shield through non-rotating fixed rings, wherein the x-ray containment shield is rotatable with respect to the fixed rings.
14. A tomography scanner system according to claim 13 , wherein the non-rotating fixed rings include x-ray absorbent material.
15. A tomography scanner system according to claim 1 , further comprising an x-ray source housing positioned over the x-ray source aperture and supporting and containing the x-ray source, and an x-ray detector housing positioned over the x-ray detector aperture and supporting and containing the x-ray detector.
16. A tomography scanner system according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating x-ray containment shield comprises sheet metal lined with lead sheeting.
17. A tomography scanner system according to claim 1 , wherein the continuous conveyor belt is supported by pulleys and at least one motor for rotating the pulleys to move the conveyor belt.
18. A tomography scanner system according to claim 17 , further comprising skid plates extending between the pulleys and supporting the conveyor belt.
19. A tomography scanner system according to claim 18 , wherein the skid plates include grooves which slidingly receive ridges of the conveyor belt.
20. A tomography scanner system according to claim 18 , wherein the skid plates include ridges slidingly received in grooves of the conveyor belt.
21. A tomography scanner system according to claim 17 , wherein the pulleys include grooves which receive ridges of the conveyor belt.