Patent ID: 8369481

Claim:
An X-ray inspection device comprising: an X-ray detecting unit configured and arranged to detect a level of X-rays passing through an article on a conveyor in a single scan of the article; a determining unit configured to determine presence of a foreign object within the article in response to the level of the X-rays detected by the X-ray detecting unit during the single scan of the article, the determining unit defining a plurality of thresholds including a first threshold value and a second threshold value; a control unit configured and arranged to output a result of determination made by the determining unit; and a sorting device coupled to the control unit and the determining unit, the control unit being configured such that: in response to the level of the X-rays detected below the first threshold during the single scan of the article, the control unit operates the sorting device to maintain the article on the conveyor; in response to the level of the X-rays detected exceeding the first threshold value but being below the second threshold value during the single scan of the article the control unit operates the sorting device to remove the article from the conveyor; and in response to the level of the X-rays detected exceeding the first threshold value and exceeding the second threshold value during the single scan of the article the control unit stops driving the conveyor.