Mobile vehicle inspection system

A mobile vehicle inspection system includes a moving device; a driving device for driving the moving device to move during scanning inspection; a radiation source disposed on the moving device for emitting a ray; a rotary table pivotally disposed on the moving device; an upright post installed on the rotary table at a lower end of the upright post; transverse detector beam having an end connected with an upper end of the upright post; the upright detector beam having an upper end connected with the other end of the transverse detector beam, and extending downwards from the other end of the transverse detector beam so that the upright post, the transverse detector beam and the upright detector beam constitute a frame of a substantial inverted “U” shape, a ray emitted from the radiation source so as to inspect a vehicle to be inspected which passes through the inverted-“U”-shaped frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of radiation imaging by scanning, particularly to a mobile inspection system for small vehicles.

2. Description of the Related Art

A vehicle carried mobile container/vehicle inspection system is necessary for inspection at customs, airfields, and railroad systems. The inspection system can obtain transmission images of contents contained in containers or vehicles by scanning the containers or the vehicles without opening the containers or the vehicles. The inspection system can find suspicious objects hidden within the container or the vehicles by analyzing the images.

The vehicle carried mobile container/vehicle inspection system is integrated on a trailer chassis to constitute a so-called scanning vehicle. In prior art such as a vehicle carried mobile container/vehicle inspection system (HCV MOBIEL SYSTEM) produced by German Smiths Heimann GmbH, an upright detector beam is configured as a foldable structure, and a horizontal beam has an end coupled with the upright detector beam and another end connected with a balance weight to balance the scanning vehicle.

However, a structure for balancing the vehicle in the above inspection system is complicated. It is necessary not only to ensure the scanning vehicle to be balanced in a transverse direction when the detector beam projects from the scanning vehicle, that is, in a state of inspection scanning, but also to ensure the scanning vehicle to be balanced when the detector beam retracts into the scanning vehicle. As a result, the entire balanced vehicle increases in weight, and has a weight over 20 t so that the trailer chassis used in the vehicle is one with three or four axles, thereby resulting in a high manufacturing cost.

In addition, the above system is complicated in structure due to the foldable upright detector beam. Moreover, a scanning height of the scanning vehicle is usually from 400 mm above the ground to the top of the scanned container or vehicle, so that the scanning vehicle can scan a container lorry other than a small vehicle with a low chassis.

In order to decrease the lowest scanning height of a scanning vehicle to enlarge an applicable range of the scanning vehicle, the applicant proposed a “combined mobile container inspection apparatus with a low target” in Chinese Patent No. 2715148Y. The apparatus can enlarge a scanning range and lower a scanning target. However, an upright detector beam of a scanning vehicle of the apparatus is foldable, and it is necessary that a radiation source rotates with the beam to accomplish a balance of the scanning vehicle in a transverse direction. Therefore, the scanning vehicle is disadvantageously complicated in structure and high in cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above technical problems, it is at least one aspect of the present invention to provide a vehicle carried mobile inspection system or a scanning vehicle for inspecting a small vehicle. The system has an upright detector beam which is not necessary to be folded away when the vehicle runs and inspects vehicles to be inspected. The system is simple in structure, convenient in manufacturing and adjusting, large in scanning scope, light in weight, and low in cost.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile vehicle inspection system comprising: a moving device; a driving device for driving the moving device to move during scanning inspection; a radiation source disposed on the moving device for emitting a ray; a rotary table pivotally disposed on the moving device; an upright post installed on the rotary table at a lower end of the upright post so as to be rotatable with the rotary table; a transverse detector beam having a first array of detectors and an end connected with an upper end of the upright post; an upright detector beam with a second array of detectors, the upright detector beam having an upper end connected with the other end of the transverse detector beam, and extending downwards from the other end of the transverse detector beam so that the upright post, the transverse detector beam and the upright detector beam constitute a frame of a substantially inverted “U” shape, wherein the transverse detector beam and the upright detector beam can swing, by pivoting the upright post, between a retracted position in which they are retracted into the moving device and a projected position in which they are projected from the moving device, and wherein when the transverse detector beam and the upright detector beam are located in the projected position, a ray emitted from the radiation source is located immediately opposite to the first array of detectors and the second array of detectors so as to inspect a vehicle to be inspected which passes through the inverted-“U”-shaped frame.

Preferably, the moving device comprises a chassis frame; and wheels mounted to a bottom of the chassis frame, wherein the radiation source and the rotary table are disposed on the chassis frame, and the driving device drives the wheels to rotate during inspection.

More preferably, the wheels comprise a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels.

Moreover, the driving device drives the rear wheel to rotate during inspection.

According to a preferable embodiment, the mobile vehicle inspection system further comprises a front traction portion connected integrally with the chassis frame to drive the moving device to move.

Alternatively, the mobile vehicle inspection system further comprises an auxiliary supporting device disposed at the bottom of the chassis frame on the side of the transverse detector beam and the upright detector beam, and the auxiliary supporting device provides an auxiliary supporting for the chassis frame to keep the chassis frame balanced while the transverse detector beam and the upright detector beam are located in the projected position.

Furthermore, the auxiliary supporting device comprises a connecting base mounted to the chassis frame; a roller; a supporting arm having an end hinged to the connecting base and the other end connected with the roller through a bearing; a first hydraulic cylinder having an end hinged to the chassis frame and the other end hinged to the supporting arm at an intermediate portion of the supporting arm so as to drive the supporting arm to swing, so that the roller contacts the ground or is separated from the ground.

Furthermore, the mobile vehicle inspection system further comprises a ramp platform device for raising a vehicle to be inspected by a distance from the ground, the ramp platform device including a first ramp platform section and a second ramp platform section, wherein each of the first ramp platform section and the second ramp platform section comprises: a horizontal intermediate portion; two transition portions detachably connected with two ends of the horizontal intermediate portion, respectively; and two slope portions detachably connected with the two transition portions, respectively.

Specifically, the ramp platform device further comprises a connecting frame having a shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, the intermediate portions of the first ramp platform section and the second ramp platform section being hinged to two opposite sides of the connecting frame, so that when the ramp platform device is in a detached and folded state, the detached transition portions of the first ramp platform section and the second ramp platform section can be placed in the connecting frames, the intermediate portions of the first ramp platform section and the second ramp platform section can be turned onto a top surface of the connecting frame, and the detached slope portions can be superposed on the intermediate portions.

According to a preferable embodiment of the present invention, the mobile vehicle inspection system further comprises a ramp platform support disposed to the chassis frame and a ramp platform lifting device connected to the chassis frame to lift the ramp platform device in the detached and folded state onto the ramp platform support or to move the ramp platform device in the detached and folded state from the ramp platform support to the ground.

Furthermore, the ramp platform lifting device comprises an electric hoist.

In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, the mobile vehicle inspection system further comprises a second hydraulic cylinder having an end fixedly connected with the chassis frame and the other end rotatably connected with the rotary table for driving the rotary table to pivot.

In addition, the mobile vehicle inspection system further comprises a generator chamber disposed on the chassis frame, and a generator disposed in the generator chamber.

Preferably, the mobile vehicle inspection system further comprises a radiation source water cooling unit for cooling the radiation source.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile vehicle inspection system comprising: a moving device; a rotary table pivotally disposed on the moving device; an upright post installed on the rotary table at a lower end of the upright post so as to be rotatable with the rotary table; a transverse detector beam having a first array of detectors and an end connected with an upper end of the upright post; an upright detector beam with a second array of detectors, the upright detector beam having an upper end connected with the other end of the transverse detector beam, and extending downwards from the other end of the transverse detector beam so that the upright post, the transverse detector beam and the upright detector beam constitute a frame of a substantially inverted “U” shape, wherein the transverse detector beam and the upright detector beam can swing, by pivoting the upright post, between a retracted position in which they are retracted to the moving device and a projected position in which they are projected from the moving device.

The vehicle carried mobile vehicle inspection system according to the present invention can scan existing small vehicles in an omnidirectional manner so as to inspect every portion of the small vehicles. In addition, the transverse detector beam and the upright detector beam are perpendicular to each other to constitute a shape of an inverted “L”. In addition, it is not necessary to fold the upright detector beam so that the detector beams are simple in structure and convenient in manufacturing and adjusting.

In addition, an auxiliary supporting wheel is installed on the side from which the transverse detector beam and the upright detector beam are projected to ensure balance of the scanning vehicle after the transverse detector beam and the upright detector beam are projected. The system of the present invention is light in weight so that a compact trailer chassis with two axles can be used. Therefore, the system is low in manufacturing cost and good in economical efficiency.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS. 1-4, a mobile vehicle inspection system (generally called a scanning vehicle) according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a moving device. The moving device includes a chassis frame10and a pair of front wheels27aand a pair of rear wheels27bmounted to a bottom of the chassis frame10.

A radiation source23for emitting ray such as X-ray is mounted on the chassis frame10to scan and inspect a vehicle to be inspected or goods in the vehicle. A rotary table0is pivotally disposed on the chassis frame10, and an upright post9is installed on the rotary table so as to be rotatable with the rotary table0.

A transverse detector beam7has an end connected with an upper end of the upright post9, and extends substantially horizontally from the upper end of the upright post9. An upright detector beam2has an upper end connected with the other end of the transverse detector beam7, and extends substantially vertically from the other end of the transverse detector beam7, so that the upright post9, the transverse detector beam7and the upright detector beam2constitute a frame of a substantially inverted “U” shape. The transverse detector beam7and the upright detector beam2are provided with arrays of detectors for receiving the X-ray emitted from the radiation source23, respectively. A vehicle22to be inspected can pass through the inverted “U” shaped to be scanned and inspected by the X-ray emitted from the radiation source23.

The mobile vehicle inspection system according to the embodiment of the present invention further comprises a driving device3for driving the moving device to move during scanning inspection. Specifically, the driving device3drives the rear wheels27bonly during scanning inspection. Alternatively, the driving device3may drive the front wheels27bor both the front wheels27aand the rear wheels27b. When the system does not scan and inspect a vehicle to be inspected, that is, when the transverse detector beam7and the upright detector beam2(the inverted “U” shaped frame) are retracted to the chassis frame10, the driving device3does not supply the rear wheel27bwith driving power, so that the vehicle inspection system can be driven to move from a working spot to another working spot by a front traction portion1or a separate motor vehicle.

Since the upright post9can rotate with the rotary table0, the transverse detector beam7and the upright detector beam2can swing around the upright post9between a retracted position (as shown inFIG. 1) and a projected position (as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3). In the retracted position, the transverse detector beam7and the upright detector beam2(the inverted “U” shaped frame) are located over the chassis frame10, and in the projected position, the transverse detector beam7and the upright detector beam2are located outside the chassis frame10so that a vehicle to be inspected can pass through the inverted “U” shaped frame. In addition, in the projected position, the X-ray emitted from the radiation source23is positioned immediately opposite the arrays of detectors of the transverse detector beam7and the upright detector beam2.

The chassis frame10may be a general vehicle chassis frame. Preferably, the front traction portion1is coupled integrally with the chassis frame10to drive the chassis frame10to move during non-inspection. Power from the front traction portion1can be transmitted to the front wheels27aand/or the rear wheels27bthrough a gearing. Since a general vehicle chassis frame is narrow, an auxiliary chassis frame having a width larger than that of the general vehicle chassis is disposed on the general vehicle chassis frame to form a chassis frame10having a larger width, so that more components constituting the scanning vehicle are disposed on the chassis frame10.

In addition, the front traction portion1and the driving device3do not simultaneously supply the chassis frame10with driving power. For example, during scanning inspection, the driving device3supplies the rear wheels27bwith the driving power to drive the chassis frame10to move, while the front traction portion1does not supply the front wheels27aand/or the rear wheels27bwith driving power. In contrast, during non-inspection, as described above, the driving device3does not supply the front wheels27aand/or the rear wheels27bwith the driving power, while the front traction portion1supplies the front wheels27aand/or the rear wheels27bwith the driving power through the gearing as so to drive the chassis frame10to move in a same manner as a general motor vehicle is driven.

Preferably, the mobile vehicle inspection system according to the embodiment of the present invention further comprises an auxiliary supporting device4disposed at the bottom of the chassis frame10on a side of the inverted “U” shaped frame. The auxiliary supporting device4provides an auxiliary supporting for the chassis frame10to keep the chassis frame10balanced during inspection. The auxiliary supporting device4comprises a connecting base26mounted to the chassis frame10; a roller21; a supporting arm25having an end rotatably hinged to the connecting base26and the other end connected with the roller21through a bearing (not shown); a first hydraulic cylinder24having an end rotatably hinged to the chassis frame10and the other end rotatably hinged to the supporting arm25at an intermediate portion of the supporting arm25so as to drive the supporting arm25to swing, so that the roller21contacts the ground during inspection and the roller21is separated from the ground during non-inspection and is separated from the ground in a case that the inverted “U” shaped frame is not projected.

Furthermore, the mobile vehicle inspection system according to the embodiment of the present invention further comprises a ramp platform device20for raising a vehicle22to be inspected by a distance from the ground. For example, if the vehicle22to be inspected is a small vehicle, the X-ray emitted from the radiation source23can not scan a lower portion of the vehicle22to be inspected. Therefore, it is necessary to raise the vehicle22by the ramp platform device20as shown inFIG. 3.

The ramp platform device20comprises a first ramp platform section20aand a second ramp platform section20b. The first ramp platform section20aincludes: a horizontal intermediate portion20a-1; two transition portions20a-2and20a-2detachably connected with two ends of the horizontal intermediate portion20a-1respectively; and two slope portions20a-3and20a-3detachably connected with the two transition portions20a-2and20a-2respectively. Similarly, the second ramp platform section20bincludes: a horizontal intermediate portion20b-1; two transition portions20b-2and20b-2detachably connected with two ends of the horizontal intermediate portion20b-1respectively; and two slope portions20b-3and20b-3detachably connected with the two transition portions20b-2and20b-2respectively. Furthermore, the ramp platform device20further comprises a connecting frame20chaving a shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped. The intermediate portions20a-1and20b-1of the first ramp platform section20aand the second ramp platform section20bare hinged to two opposite sides of the connecting frame20c, so that when the ramp platform device20is in a detached and folded state, the detached transition portions20a-2,20a-2,20b-2and20b-2of the first ramp platform section20aand the second ramp platform section20bcan be placed in the connecting frames20c, the intermediate portions20a-1and20b-1of the first ramp platform section20aand the second ramp platform section20bcan be turned over onto a top surface of the connecting frame20c, and the detached slope portions20a-3,20a-3,20b-3and20b-3can be superposed on the intermediate portions20a-1and20b-1, as shown inFIG. 5.

The vehicle inspection system according to the embodiment of the present invention further comprises a ramp platform support13disposed to the chassis frame10and a ramp platform lifting device5connected with the chassis frame10to lift the ramp platform device20in the detached and folded state onto the ramp platform support13or to move the ramp platform device20in the detached and folded state from the ramp platform support13to the ground. Preferably, the ramp platform lifting device5comprises an electric hoist.

In an example of the embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle inspection system further comprises a second hydraulic cylinder19having an end fixed to the chassis frame10and the other end rotatably connected with the rotary table0for driving the rotary table10to rotate, so as to rotate the inverted “U” shaped frame composed of the upright post9, the transverse detector beam7and the upright detector beam2between the retracted position and the projected position.

The vehicle inspection system according to the embodiment of the present invention further comprises a generator chamber11disposed on the chassis frame10, a generator12disposed in the generator chamber11for supplying the vehicle inspection system with electric power, and a controlling device for controlling the generator12. Alternatively, an outer power source can be used to supply the vehicle inspection system with electric power. More preferably, the mobile vehicle inspection system further comprises a radiation source water-cooling unit16for cooling the radiation source23.

As described above, during non-inspection, that is, when the transverse detector beam7and the upright detector beam2(the inverted “U” shaped frame) are retracted to the chassis frame10, the chassis frame10(the moving device) of the vehicle inspection system may be driven by the front traction portion1connected integrally with the chassis frame10or by the separate motor vehicle (not shown).

In addition, other components of the vehicle inspection system can be disposed on the chassis frame10. For example, a control chamber8is installed at an intermediate portion of the chassis frame10, and an equipment chamber18is installed on a side at a rear portion of the chassis frame10. A scanning controlling module, an image obtaining module, an operation inspection module, and a hydraulic pumping station14are disposed in the control chamber8. A control cabinet15, an electronic device cabinet17, and the radiation source water-cooling unit16are installed in the equipment chamber18. An air conditioning unit6is installed on a top of the control chamber8to cool and heat the control chamber8and the equipment chamber18. The rotary table0may be disposed on a side of the equipment chamber18. The ramp platform support13and the slope-platform lift device5may be installed on a top of the generator chamber11.

An operation of the mobile vehicle-inspection system (the scanning vehicle) according the embodiment of the present invention is described as follows.

Referring toFIG. 1in which the scanning vehicle is in a non-inspection state, the transverse detector beam7and the upright detector beam2are retracted to abut against a side of the control chamber8, the roller21is spaced from the ground by drawing the supporting arm25with the first hydraulic cylinder24, so that it can be ensured that the scanning vehicle can be driven to normally run on a road by the front traction portion1. In addition, the ramp platform device20is in the detached and folded state, as shown inFIG. 5, and fixed on the ramp platform support13. As a result, it is not necessary to use other vehicles to carry the ramp platform device20.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3in which the scanning vehicle according to the present invention is in a scanning inspection state, the transverse detector beam7and the upright detector beam2are projected in the following manner. After the scanning vehicle stops and becomes stable, an operator for the system powers on the scanning vehicle and starts the hydraulic pumping station14, and the first hydraulic cylinder24is actuated by a hydraulic system. A piston rod of the first hydraulic cylinder24is projected to push the supporting arm25so that the supporting arm25drives the roller21to rotate in an anticlockwise direction shown inFIG. 4until the roller21contacts the ground, as shown inFIG. 4. The hydraulic system actuates the second hydraulic cylinder19. The second hydraulic cylinder19drives the rotary table0to rotate, so that the transverse detector beam7and the upright detector beam2(the inverted “U” shaped frame) are projected from the chassis frame10to be substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the chassis frame10.

Next, the operator moves the ramp platform device20in the detached and folded state by the ramp platform lifting device5from the ramp platform support13onto the ground. Then, the ramp platform device20is assembled as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3. A vehicle22to be inspected is driven onto the assembled ramp platform device20, and a driver of the scanning vehicle leaves the scanning vehicle. The scanning vehicle is driven to advance by the driving device3, and the X-ray emitted from the radiation source23penetrates and scans the vehicle22resting on the ramp platform device20, so that image of goods in the vehicle22is obtained. Operation for image obtaining and imaging control is identical to that existing in the prior art, and thus a detailed description of the operation is omitted.