Patent ID: 6895079

Claim:
An X-ray inspection system, comprising: an X-ray source having more than one focal spot and means for generating more than one fan-shaped beam, each of said beams having an angular width measured in a first direction substantially greater than a thickness of said beam measured in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, said beams being substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart in said second direction, wherein each beam defines an inspection plane and each of said focal spots is contained in one of said inspection planes, and wherein said means for generating more than one beam includes an electron gun operable to generate a beam of electrons and means for sequentially directing said beam of electrons to spaced-apart locations on a target to produce said focal spots; an X-ray detector comprising a plurality of parallel arcuate detector arrays, each of said arrays being aligned with one of said inspection planes; and means for supporting an object between said X-ray source and said X-ray detector.