Patent Number: 048797359
Section: summary

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to baggage inspection devices for the non-intrusive inspection of baggage, and specifically to airport X-ray carry-on baggage inspection devices. 2. Description of the Prior Art Baggage inspection devices are used to inspect the contents of baggage in a non-intrusive fashion. The principle use of such non-intrusive devices is in airport security. The most common baggage inspection device is an X-ray carry-on baggage inspection device used at airport terminals. Existing X-ray baggage inspection devices are generally adapted to inspect baggage horizontally disposed upon a conveyor. Baggage that is vertically disposed upon the conveyor cannot be properly inspected. Most X-ray baggage inspection devices have an input port that is defined in part by a housing and in part by a conveyor. Ordinarily, the conveyor forms the lower boundary of the input port. Most input ports of X-ray baggage inspection devices are covered by a curtain comprising a plurality of strips of flexible material. The input port curtains have one serious drawback in that they do not encourage the proper placement of baggage on the conveyor, since it is readily apparent that the input port curtain will yield to allow the passage of baggage that is either horizontally or vertically disposed upon the conveyor. Since baggage that is vertically disposed upon the conveyor cannot be properly inspected, the conveyor must be halted, and the baggage must be moved from the vertical position to the horizontal position to allow proper inspection. Alternately, an attendant must be present at the entry to assure that the baggage is properly placed on the conveyor. Such interruptions in the operation of the inspection operation cause small time delays, which in the aggregate amount to substantial delays at airport terminals, where time if often of the essence. Additional personnel is costly, the action of changing the position of the baggage is an annoyance to the X-ray baggage inspection device operator. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention encourages proper placement of baggage on a conveyor, but does not impede the conveyance of properly placed but over-sized carry-on baggage. As an apparatus, the invention consists of an improvement in an X-ray baggage inspection device of the type disposed above a conveyor, and having an input port with an upper boundary and a lower boundary, with the lower boundary being defined by the conveyor. A substantially rigid baffle having an upper edge and a lower edge is pivotally suspended from the upper boundary of the housing by the upper edge. The baffle substantially occludes an upper selected region of the input port, with the lower edge spaced a preselected distance above the conveyor, leaving an open space adjacent to the conveyor having a configuration suited for the passage of briefcase type baggage horizontally disposed upon the conveyor. Baggage having a height less than the preselected distance between the lower edge of the baffle and the conveyor will pass through the open space into the baggage inspection device. Baggage that has a height exceeding the preselected distance will cause the baffle to pivot inward. The present invention encourages the proper placement of baggage on the conveyor. Specifically, the baffle gives the appearance of a plate that is fixedly mounted to the upper region of the input port, preventing the passage of baggage vertically disposed upon the conveyor. The open space at the lower region of the input port is adapted in size and shape to suggest that the baggage be horizontally disposed upon the conveyor in order to pass into the baggage inspection device. If horizontally disposed baggage has a height exceeding the height of the opening, the baffle will pivot inward allowing such baggage to enter the baggage inspection device.