Patent ID: 6895072

Claim:
Apparatus for non-destructively inspecting materials housed in containers, said apparatus comprising: a conveyor for conveying said containers along a conveying path in a conveying direction; an X-ray beam emitter mounted at a first position adjacent said conveying path for emitting an X-ray beam passing through said containers as they are conveyed along said conveying path; a detector mounted at a second position adjacent said conveying path on a side of said conveying path opposite that of said first position for receiving a transilluminated portion of the X-ray beam that has passed through said containers and generating therefrom an image signal representative of the transilluminated portion; and wherein said X-ray beam emitter is oriented to direct the X-ray beam at an angle to a plane perpendicular to the conveying direction, said angle lying in an angle range of 8° to 20° inclusive and wherein said detector is properly positioned and oriented to receive the angled X-ray beam.