Smiths Heimann Gmbh

Heimann Systems Gmbh

Martin Hartick

Patricia Schall

Frank Cordes

Hermann Ries

Uwe Siedenburg

Rainer Henkel

Norbert Haunschild

Andreas Streyl

George Geus

Ullrich Herda

The invention relates to a collimator with adjustable focal length, especially for use in X-ray testing devices whose operating principle is based on diffraction phenomena in an object. Fixed focal length collimators used in such X-ray testing devices have to be displaced over a large range. The aim of the invention is to reduce the range of displacement. For this purpose, the collimator has at least two diaphragms having respective substantially circular slots arranged about a common center axis, wherein at least one diaphragm can be displaced along the center axis.

Collimator with an adjustable focal length

A device is provided for inspecting objects, particularly pieces of luggage, for suspicious contents using electromagnetic radiation. The device includes a housing comprised of a support and a closable opening through which an object to be inspected can be placed on a receiving element; a source for electromagnetic radiation and a designated detector array, both of which are arranged in the housing such that an inspection area is located above the receiving element; a positioning aid, which indicates the inspection area to an operator; and an evaluation unit including a computer, where the radiation intensities measured by the detector array are evaluated with respect to suspicious materials.

Device and method for inspecting objects

A collimator is provided with an adjustable focal length, particularly in X-ray testing systems, comprising an outer part with a conical inner surface and with a inner part having an conical outer surface, which are connected to one another at a fixed distance, as well as with at least one cone sliding part situated between the inner part and outer part in a manner that enables it to move.

Collimator with adjustable focal length

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 &#x398;of a scatter radiation.

Apparatus and method for detecting items in objects

A diffraction apparatus ( ) for determining crystalline and polycrystalline materials of an item in objects, preferably in luggage, having a collimation/detector arrangement ( ) and an X-ray source ( ) and which is mounted to be adjustable in an X-ray testing machine ( ). The collimation/detector arrangement ( ) is adjustable in height relative to the X-ray source ( ), and the two are also laterally and synchronously adjustable via respective adjustment elements ( ). The collimator ( ) has a conically-expanding round slot ( ), which simulates a predetermined angle (&THgr; ) of a scatter-beam path.

Apparatus for determining the crystalline and polycrystalline materials of an item

A method for determining the material of a detected item in objects, especially explosives in luggage, using X-ray diffraction. In this method, wherein scatter radiation deflected at the crystal-lattice structure of the material is measured and compared to characteristic energy spectra or diffraction spectra of various explosives, the absorption by the material influences the X-ray diffraction spectrum, so that information is missing, and inaccurate conclusions may be drawn regarding the material. To improve this method, the primary beam of an X-ray source is used for measuring the absorption. The beam passes through the material, and, from the absorption, an average atomic number of the material is determined, and this additional information is used for the identification of material known by comparing the recorded spectra with diffraction spectra. For this purpose, a collimation/detector arrangement preferably has only one collimator ( ) and one detector ( ), with the collimator ( ) having a conically-expanding circular slot ( ), which defines a predetermined diffraction angle, and a central blind bore ( ) opening toward the x-ray source. First and second detectors ( ) are disposed in the bore to detect lower and higher x-ray energy, respectively.

Method and apparatus for determining a material of a detected item

A collimator for an X-ray testing machine and a method for adjusting the collimator with the aid of a detection system disposed in the collimator that includes at least two spatially separate detection devices, disposed and spacing one behind the other.

Apparatus and method for adjusting a collimator

A method for detecting X-rays which are separated into individual energy ranges after penetrating an object, as well as to an arrangement for implementing this method. It is known to detect X-rays (FX) by using detection devices (,), consisting of several identically configured detector pairs. The detector pairs in that case consist of a low-energy detector (,) and a high-energy detector (,). As a result, the weakened X-ray beam (FX&prime;) is separated into individual energy ranges following the X-raying of an object (,). This separation is necessary to determine the types of material in the X-rayed object (,). The disadvantage of known detection devices (,) is that an overlapping of the individual energy ranges occurs in the low-energy detector (,), thereby making it impossible to detect the material type with certainty. This problem is avoided by providing for computing out the high-energy shares absorbed in the low-energy detector (,) with the aid of an additional signal. For this purpose, a second low-energy detector (,) is arranged between the first low-energy detector (,) and the high-energy detector (,). An energy spectrum (FX,) that is absorbed in the second low-energy detector (,) is used to obtain the signal to be subtracted.

Growing community of inventors

Bad Nauheim, Germany

Martin Hartick