Patent ID: 7702070

Claim:
A device for inspecting contraband in an aviation cargo container, comprising: a turntable located at an object inspecting position and configured to carry the object to be inspected and bring the object into rotation; an object conveying system for conveying the object in a horizontal direction to the turntable and away from the turntable upon completion of inspection; a scanning system which is arranged around the turntable and configured to scan the object to acquire imaging data, the scanning system comprising: a radiation source; a radiation source mounting structure for mounting the radiation source, said radiation source mounting structure including only one column assembly; a detector which can synchronously move in the vertical direction; and a detector mounting structure, said detector mounting structure including two column assemblies and a cross beam, said detector being fixedly mounted on the cross beam; a turntable drive/control subsystem which drives and controls rotation of said turntable so that the turntable can at least one of (a) continuously rotate about its rotation axis and (b) rotate to a predetermined angular position; and a scanning drive/control sub-system which drives and controls the radiation source and the detector into synchronous movement in the vertical direction so that the radiation source and the detector can at least one of (a) continuously move in the vertical direction and (b) move to any predetermined vertical position; wherein: each of said column assemblies includes: a column disposed in the vertical direction; and an elevating mechanism disposed along and supported by the respective column, and including (a) a rotatable leading screw disposed along the respective column, and (b) an elevating platform mounted on and being in threaded connection with the respective leading screw, and arranged for, when the respective leading screw is rotated, ascending and descending alone the respective leading screw due to interaction with threads of the respective leading screw; and said cross beam is connected between the elevating platforms of the two column assemblies of said detector mounting structure, said detector being fixedly connected on the elevating platforms via the cross beam.