Non-destructive inspection of material in container

1. An apparatus for non-destructively inspecting materials housed in a container having a crown with an inwardly sloping surface on a bottom wall thereof, said apparatus comprising:

a conveyor for conveying said container along a conveying path in a conveying direction;

an first X-ray apparatus having a first X-ray beam emitter mounted at a first position adjacent said conveying path for emitting at least two X-ray beams passing through said container as said container is conveyed along said conveying path;

a second X-ray apparatus having a second X-ray beam emitter mounted at a second position adjacent said conveying path for emitting at least two X-ray beams, wherein the second X-ray beam emitter is substantially opposite the first X-ray beam emitter;

at least two detectors mounted adjacent said conveying path on a side of said conveying path opposite that of said first X-ray beam emitter for receiving a portion of the X-ray beams that has passed through said container and generating therefrom at least two image signals representative of the portion;

at least two detectors mounted adjacent said conveying path on a side of said conveying path opposite that of said second X-ray beam emitter for receiving a portion of the X-ray beams that has passed through said container and generating therefrom at least two image signals representative of the portion;

wherein said first and second X-ray beam emitters are positioned to direct a portion of the X-ray beams along a path that substantially parallels the sloping surface of the crown.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first X-ray apparatus and the second X-ray apparatus are adapted to each provide two X-ray beams to two detectors.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first X-ray beam emitter emits a first X-ray beam and a second X-ray beam, wherein the angle formed by the first X-ray beam and the second X-ray beam is about 45°, and wherein the second X-ray beam emitter emits a third X-ray beam and a fourth X-ray beam, wherein the angle formed by the third X-ray beam and the fourth X-ray beam is about 45°.

4. The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the path is at the sloping surface.

5. The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the path is immediately proximate to the sloping surface.

6. The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein that apparatus detects substantially 100% of the container bottom.

7. A method for non-destructive inspection of material housed in a container having an inwardly protruding crown on a bottom wall thereof, said method comprising:

conveying the container along a conveying path;

passing at least four X-ray beams through said container as said container is conveyed along said conveying path;

receiving a portion of the at least four X-ray beams passed through said container; and

generating a signal representative of the portion of the at least four X-ray beams and therefore of an image representative of said material;

wherein a portion of said at least four X-ray beams is directed along a path that substantially parallels a sloping surface of the inwardly protruding crown.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of aligning a first X-ray beam and a second X-ray beams substantially at a 45° angle with respect to each others and further comprising aligning a third X-ray beam and a fourth X-ray beam substantially at a 45° angle with respect to each other.

9. The method as in claim 7 , wherein substantially 100% of the container bottom is detected.

10. An apparatus for non-destructively inspecting materials housed in a container having a inwardly protruding crown on a bottom wall thereof and adapted to travel along a conveying path, said apparatus comprising:

a first x-ray apparatus having a first X-ray beam emitter mounted at a first X-ray position adjacent the conveying path, wherein the first X-ray beam emitter emits at least two X-ray beams;

a first detector and a second detector mounted adjacent said conveying path on a side of said conveying path opposite that of said first x-ray apparatus for receiving a portion of the at least two X-ray beams that has passed through the container;

a second X-ray apparatus having a second X-ray beam emitter mounted at a second X-ray position adjacent the conveying path and substantially opposite the first X-ray apparatus, wherein the second X-ray emitter emits at least two X-ray beams; and

a third detector and a fourth detector mounted adjacent said conveying path on a side of said conveying path opposite that of said second X-ray apparatus for receiving a portion of the at least two X-ray beams that has passed through the container;

wherein the first and second X-ray apparatus are positioned to direct a portion of the X-ray beams at an angle along a path that substantially parallels the slope of the crown.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first X-ray apparatus comprises a dual beam generator.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second X-ray apparatus comprises a dual beam generator.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first X-ray apparatus emits a first X-ray beam and a second X-ray beam, and wherein the angle formed by the first X-ray beam and the second X-ray beam is about 45°.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second X-ray apparatus emits a first X-ray beam and a second X-ray beam, and wherein the angle formed by the first X-ray beam and the second X-ray beam is about 45°.

15. The apparatus as in claim 10 , wherein that apparatus detects substantially 100% of the container bottom.