Inspection station for screening hand luggage and other items carried by persons

In order to check hand luggage and other objects carried by persons, control stations are needed, which have a control unit, in particular an X-ray checking unit, a conveyor which extends through the control unit, a depositing point which is arranged ahead of the conveyor, and a removal point which is arranged behind the conveyor, for the objects and having transport tubs which can be placed onto the conveyor. Small objects and items of clothing are placed in the transport tubs and conveyed through the control unit for checking. A return conveyor for the transport tubs is arranged next to or below the conveyor which passes through the control unit, which return conveyor reaches from the removal point behind the conveyor at least as far as into the region of the depositing point ahead of the conveyor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an inspection station for screening hand luggage and other items carried by persons, having an inspection unit, in particular an X-ray inspection device, a conveyor extending through the inspection unit for conveying the items through the inspection unit, a deposit point located ahead of the conveyer, and a retrieval point located behind the conveyor for the items, and having transport bins that can be placed on the conveyor, in which small items and articles of clothing are placed and conveyed through the inspection unit for screening.

2. Description of the Background Art

For security screening of hand luggage and other items carried by persons, for example for security screening at airports, it is known to use inspection stations with X-ray inspection devices that transradiate the items. The items to be screened are conveyed on a conveyor, typically a conveyor belt, through the inspection unit, which is run by an operator. Located at the entry side ahead of the conveyor is a roller conveyor, which is used for depositing the items to be screened. In a similar manner, a roller conveyor from which the screened items can be retrieved is located at the output side following the conveyor.

In a known manner, transport bins are used for transporting small items (wallets, cell phones, laptops, small backpacks, etc.) and articles of clothing, with the items being placed in the bins. The transport bins containing the items are placed on the conveyor and are conveyed by it through the inspection unit, in exactly the same way as larger items (briefcases, carry-on bags, etc.). After the screening, the items are removed from the bins by the passengers at the retrieval point. After being emptied, the transport bins must be brought back to the entry of the inspection station. For this purpose, they are either carried back by operating personnel, or are lifted up at the retrieval point and transferred to a non-driven roller section and pushed back on it. All known methods are not ergonomic and place considerable physical and time demands on the operating personnel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an inspection station which uses transport bins such that the time and physical demands on the operating personnel are reduced.

This object is attained according to the invention in that a return conveyor for the transport bins is arranged next to or below the conveyor passing through the inspection station, and extends from the retrieval point behind the conveyor to at least the area of the deposit point ahead of the conveyor.

According to the invention, the transport bins are automatically conveyed from the end of the screening section back to the beginning of the screening section. The time and physical demands on the operating personnel are reduced. As a result, the operating personnel can work more efficiently.

The layout and design of the return conveyor for the bins is chosen here such that the bins are transferred to the return conveyor with a minimum expenditure of physical effort and time at the retrieval point of the primary conveyor. Transfer can either be accomplished by service personnel, for example the operator of the inspection station, by the passenger himself, or automatically. During return transport, the bins either lie flat on a conveyor or stand edgewise upon it. Either commensurately wide or narrow roller conveyors, or even belt conveyors, are used for this purpose. Return transport of the bins in the edgewise position has the advantage that a very narrow conveyor can be used which requires very little space. Return transport in the lying position makes it possible to place the return conveyor beneath the inspection unit and [primary] conveyor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

All inspection stations represented in the figures are used for screening hand luggage and other articles carried by persons. They are preferably used for security screening at airports in order to screen passengers' carry-on items for weapons, explosives, or other impermissible items. Each inspection station contains an inspection unit1, preferably an X-ray inspection device, used to transradiate the carried items. The items to be screened are conveyed on a conveyor2, preferably a belt conveyor, through the inspection unit. Located at the entry side of the inspection station, ahead of the conveyor2, is a deposit point3, upon which the items to be screened are deposited and delivered to the conveyor2. Customarily, the deposit point3has a roller section with freely rotating rollers. At the output side, the conveyor2is adjoined by a retrieval point4, where the passengers retrieve the screened items. The retrieval point4also typically has a roller section with freely rotating rollers to which the screened items are delivered from the inspection unit1by the conveyor2. In a known manner, a recheck point5is located next to the retrieval point4, to which the items are delivered by an alternative conveyor6behind the inspection unit if the screening by the inspection unit1is not clear, so that a manual recheck in the presence of an operator is required.

Located next to the inspection unit1on the operator side O is the operator's terminal for the operator, containing a screen which displays the results of the transradiation. The recheck point5is likewise located on the operator side, so that the operator can reach it quickly for a follow-up inspection. A switch point7in the conveyor section2, which can be actuated by the operator or automatically, makes it possible to switch over to the conveyor section6, so that the items are conveyed to the recheck point5instead of to the retrieval point4.

The passengers move through the inspection station on the side P opposite the operator side O. This is the reason the luggage retrieval point4is located on the passenger side P.

Transport bins10are used for transporting small items (wallets, cell phones, laptops, small backpacks, etc.) and articles of clothing through the inspection unit1, with these items and articles of clothing being placed in the bins. The transport bins10are placed on the rollers of the deposit point3, where the passengers place the small items and clothing in the bins10. After the screening in the inspection unit1, the passengers remove the screened items from the bins10again at the retrieval point4.

All embodiments according to the invention have in common that a return conveyor11for the empty transport bins10is arranged next to or below the conveyor2passing through the inspection unit1, and extends from the retrieval point4to at least the area of the deposit point3ahead of the conveyor2. The transport bins10are automatically conveyed from the end of the screening section back to the beginning of the screening section by the return conveyor11. It is not necessary for an operator to carry the transport bins10back or manually push them back on a roller conveyor. The time and physical demands on the operating personnel are thus reduced considerably.

Shown inFIG. 1is an embodiment in which the return conveyor11is arranged to run beneath the conveyor2and the inspection station1. The return conveyor11contains driven belts or rollers and has a transport width at least as wide as the transport bins10. The transport bins10can in this way be transported back lying flat, in order to keep the height required beneath the inspection unit1and conveyor2as small as possible. The transfer point12at the end of the screening section, where the emptied bins10are transferred by the conveyor2to the return conveyor11, contains either freely rotating or driven rollers. In the case of freely rotating rollers at the transfer point12, either an operator or the passenger pushes the empty bins10onto the return conveyor11. In the case of driven rollers at the transfer point12, the transfer can take place automatically, for example initiated by an operator. The transfer of the empty transport bins10from the return conveyor11to the deposit point3at the start of the screening area is either done manually by an operator or the passenger himself, or suitable conveying means that can be activated by an operator are arranged at this point.

Shown inFIGS. 2 and 3is another embodiment, in which the return conveyor11for the bins10is arranged to run next to the conveyor2on the operator side O. Also shown in bothFIGS. 2 and 3are the recheck point5and the switch point7with the conveyor6leading to the recheck point5. In this embodiment, too, the bins10are transported back lying flat. The return conveyor11begins between the retrieval point4and the recheck point5, and initially runs at a level lower than the conveyors2and6. This lower level is drawn with crosshatching in the figures. Located between the retrieval point4and the recheck point5is a downwardly angled conveyor surface leading to the return conveyor11, on which surface the transport bins10slide downward to the return conveyor11. The return conveyor11runs on the operator side until it is alongside the deposit point3. In its final conveying section, it rises to the level of the deposit point3, so that a bin10can simply be pushed from the end of the return conveyor11to the deposit point3.

InFIG. 4, another embodiment is shown in which the bins10are transported back on the return conveyor11lying flat. The structure of this inspection station corresponds to that of the inspection station shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, except that the return conveyor11for the bins10is arranged to run on the passenger side P next to the conveyor2. In this embodiment, too, the return conveyor begins between the retrieval point4and the recheck point5, below the two conveyors2,6conveying to these locations. The return conveyor11initially runs at an angle below the conveyor2to the outside on the passenger side P, and is then guided parallel to the conveyor2, past the inspection unit1, until it is next to the deposit point3at the entry of the inspection station.

FIGS. 5-7show embodiments in which the bins10are conveyed back standing edgewise on the return conveyor11. This has the advantage that very narrow conveyors11(belt conveyors or roller conveyors) can be used, which take up very little space. The return conveyor11runs next to the conveyor2passing through the inspection unit1. It is located either on the operator side O (FIG. 5,FIG. 6), or on the passenger side P (FIG. 7). The structure of the relevant inspection station corresponds essentially to the embodiments with lying return transport described inFIGS. 1-4. Like parts are thus also labeled with like reference numbers. The embodiments with return transport of the bins10in the edgewise position additionally have, at the start of the return conveyor section, means for standing up the bins10located either at the retrieval point4or at the recheck point5, and getting them in a position standing edgewise on the return conveyor11. A variety of these means are shown inFIGS. 8-11.

In the embodiment fromFIGS. 8 and 9, a chute12leads downward from the retrieval point4to the narrow return conveyor11. Within the chute12, an angled guide surface13leads downward and is designed such that a bin10sliding down stands on edge, and is placed on the return conveyor11in this orientation. The bins10are pushed into the chute12at the retrieval point4either by an operator or by the passenger himself, after it has been verified that no items remain in the bin10. Alternatively, it is possible to provide a motor drive that conveys a bin10into the chute12. A chute designed as the mirror image is also arranged at the recheck point5to move empty bins10located there to the return conveyor11.

FIG. 10shows an embodiment that also has a chute12with a 90° bend, whose inlet is located on the operator side O between the retrieval point4and recheck point5. The inlet14of the chute12is located laterally beneath the deposit surface of the retrieval point4or recheck point5. An operator pulls an empty bin10towards himself, and inserts it through the inlet14into the chute12. As it moves through the chute12, the bin10is stood up so that it stands edgewise on the return conveyor11.

In the embodiment fromFIG. 11, a flap16that swings downward is located in a deposit surface15, which is located at the same level as and between the retrieval point4and recheck point5. The flap16swings downward in such a way that a bin10on it slides downward onto the return conveyor11, standing itself edgewise in the process. The hinge mechanism for the flap16is actuated by an operator when he has determined that the bin10has been completely emptied.