Patent ID: 6872001

Claim:
An x-ray radiation suppression system relating to x-ray inspection of food and beverage products in containers moving along a conveyor and proceeding through an inspection station enclosure configured with an entry opening and an exit opening, the radiation suppression system comprising: the inspection station enclosure being made from x-ray shielding material: an entry tunnel of x-ray shielding material extending inwardly in the enclosure from the entry opening; an exit tunnel of x-ray shielding material extending inwardly in the enclosure from the exit opening; four shield doors made from x-ray shielding material, and arranged to have a closed position that effectively suppresses harmful x-ray radiation outside the enclosure, and an open position that permits free movement of the containers along the conveyor; two of the doors being located within the entry tunnel on opposite sides thereof, and the other two doors being located within the exit tunnel on opposite sides thereof, each door being hinged along a vertical edge at a hinge axis located near a tunnel wall such that in the open position each door is disposed near and substantially parallel to the tunnel wall and in the closed position each door is disposed substantially perpendicular to the tunnel wall, the doors in each opposite pair extending to each other so as to substantially block x-ray radiation from the tunnels, and door actuating means for repositioning the shield doors between the closed and the open position.