Patent ID: 7188513

Claim:
A portable inspection apparatus for withdrawing samples of air from within a plurality of stacked containers and contemporaneously analyzing these air samples for determining a plurality of different security threats, said apparatus comprising: an air sampling device adapted for withdrawing samples of air from within a plurality of stacked containers; a positioning mechanism moveably coupled to the air sampling device and adapted for positioning the air sampling device proximate to an air vent of each of the plurality of stacked containers, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises at least one cable and at least one pulley; a conduit coupled to the air sampling device; an air distribution manifold having an inlet coupled to the conduit; a plurality of sensors coupled to the air distribution manifold; and an air-moving device coupled to an outlet of the air distribution manifold such that when the air moving device is operating the sample of air from a respective one of the plurality of stacked containers is drawn into the air distribution manifold; whereby the air distribution manifold receives and then distributes to the plurality of sensors the sample of air from the respective one of the plurality of stacked containers; wherein each of the plurality of sensors detects a different security threat contemporaneously with the withdrawal of the sample of air from within the respective one of the plurality of stacked containers.