JP2004279309A - X-ray inspection ship for containers - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an X-ray inspection ship for containers suitable for being transferred to a port and a harbor at which transport ships (cargo ships) enter and exit, as necessary, and inspecting various articles loaded in containers and transported, as they are loaded in the containers. <P>SOLUTION: The X-ray container inspection ship is provided with an inspection chamber for accommodating a vehicle for loading the container, a conveyer mechanism for placing the vehicle accommodated in the inspection chamber and conveying the vehicle at least along its length in the forward and backward directions, an X-ray generation apparatus being provided in the inspection chamber and irradiating the container loaded in the vehicle conveyed by the conveyer mechanism with X-rays, an X-ray detector facing the X-ray generation apparatus and detecting the X-rays transmitted through the container and an X-ray shield for internally covering the inspection chamber and blocking leakage of the X-rays from the inspection chamber. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an X-ray container inspection ship suitable for inspecting various articles loaded and transferred in a container while the articles are mounted on the container.
[0002]
[Related background art]
When importing / exporting various goods, usually, what is called a package (package) in which the goods are packed is loaded into a container, and the container is used as one transport unit. The inspection of the contents (article) of such a package (package) is performed by, for example, seeing through the inside using an X-ray inspection apparatus. Specifically, the inspection is performed by passing the packaged items one by one through an X-ray inspection apparatus to see through the inside thereof and confirming that there is no package other than the article to be imported / exported.
[0003]
Incidentally, an X-ray inspection apparatus for performing such an inspection is, for example, a conveyor mechanism for placing and transporting the packaged material, and an X-ray generator provided in the transport path and irradiating the packaged material with X-rays, An X-ray detector is provided to face the X-ray generator and detects X-rays transmitted through a package (for example, see Patent Document 1). Further, an X-ray inspection vehicle in which this type of X-ray inspection apparatus is mounted on a vehicle and goes to a desired place for inspection is proposed (for example, see Patent Document 2).
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-127021 [Patent Document 2]
JP-A-7-12756
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, it takes a lot of labor and time to take out the packages loaded in the containers and transported by ship from the containers and to perform X-ray inspections one by one. In addition, it is unavoidable that it takes a lot of time to load the inspected package again into the container and use it for land transportation by truck or the like.
[0006]
Therefore, it is conceivable to provide a large-sized X-ray inspection facility for inspecting the container as it is, through X-rays, in a port where a transport ship (cargo ship) enters and leaves. However, providing such an X-ray inspection facility at each port where a transport ship (cargo ship) enters and leaves requires a great deal of equipment cost. In addition, when the number of containers handled is small, there is a problem that the X-ray inspection facility at an angle cannot be effectively used.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a purpose of the present invention is to go to a port where a transport ship (cargo ship) enters and exits as necessary, and to store various goods loaded and transported in containers. An object of the present invention is to provide an X-ray container inspection ship suitable for inspection while being mounted on a container.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the X-ray container inspection ship according to the present invention can go to a port where containers to be inspected are collected as necessary,
In particular, it has an inspection room where vehicles equipped with containers can enter,
A conveyor mechanism for mounting a vehicle that has entered the inspection room and transporting the vehicle in the front-rear direction over at least the length of the container,
An X-ray generator that is provided in the inspection room and irradiates X-rays to a container mounted on a vehicle conveyed by the conveyor mechanism;
An X-ray detector provided to face the X-ray generator and detecting X-rays transmitted through the container;
An X-ray shield provided to cover the inspection room to prevent leakage of X-rays from the inspection room.
[0009]
That is, the X-ray container inspection ship according to the present invention includes an inspection room in which a vehicle equipped with a container can enter, and the vehicle entering the inspection room is mounted on the vehicle while being transported in the front-rear direction by a conveyor mechanism. The container is irradiated with X-rays and the X-rays transmitted through the container are detected, whereby the container is inspected as it is, particularly while the container is mounted on a vehicle.
[0010]
According to such an X-ray container inspection ship, X-ray inspection can be performed without removing the packaged goods (baggage) loaded in the container from the container and while the container is mounted on the vehicle. Inspection efficiency can be made sufficiently high. In addition, since it is only necessary to go to the port where the container is collected and inspect the package (package) loaded in the container as necessary, the equipment is required compared to the case where the X-ray inspection facility is fixedly installed at the port. The cost can be kept sufficiently low, and the operation rate of the X-ray container inspection ship can be increased to effectively utilize it.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an X-ray container inspection ship according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, and reference numeral 10 denotes an X-ray container inspection ship. The X-ray container inspection ship 10 includes an inspection room 11 in which a vehicle 2 including a trailer or a truck on which the container 1 is mounted can enter, and has, for example, a hull structure in which an entrance 12 of the vehicle 2 is provided at the stern. . Incidentally, the X-ray container inspection ship 10 is capable of navigating on its own by using engine power, but may be of a so-called barge type that moves by being pulled or pressed by a tug boat or the like. The X-ray container inspection ship 10 is moored on a quay (quay) Q at a right angle from the stern.
[0012]
The inspection room 11 has, for example, an internal space large enough to allow at least two trailers (vehicles) 2 on which the containers 1 are mounted to be arranged in tandem, and places the trailer (vehicle) 2 on the floor thereof. It has a conveyor mechanism 13 for moving in the front-rear direction. The conveyor mechanism 13 transfers the trailer (vehicle) 2 that has stopped on the conveyor mechanism 13 over at least the entire length of the container 1 in the front-rear direction of the trailer 2, for example, over approximately 18 m including the entire length of the trailer 2. It has a role of moving, and is a so-called bogie type.
[0013]
A substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction of the inspection room 11 is irradiated with X-rays to the container 1 mounted on a vehicle (truck or trailer) 2 mounted on the conveyor mechanism 13 and moved in the front-rear direction. An X-ray generator 14 is provided. The X-ray generation device 14 scans the container 1 in the vertical direction so as to cut the container 1 in the width direction, or irradiates X-rays in a fan-shaped pattern having a predetermined divergent angle in the vertical direction. Things. When seeing through the metal container 1, X-rays having an intensity of at least 450 keV are required. However, since the transmission intensity may be insufficient depending on the amount of luggage, an X-ray of about 0.9 MeV is required. Preferably, it is used. When it is necessary to further increase the transmission intensity of X-rays, it is of course possible to use X-rays of about 2.5 MeV.
[0014]
An X-ray detector 15 for detecting X-rays transmitted through the container 1 is provided on a wall surface and a ceiling surface of the inspection room 11 facing the X-ray generator 14. The X-ray detector 15 includes a plurality of X-ray sensors arranged in a line. The X-ray detector 15 is loaded on the container 1 based on the intensity of the X-ray transmitted through the container 1 detected by each X-ray sensor. Specifically, it detects whether the contents of the loaded luggage are those that easily transmit X-rays (for example, clothes or fresh food) or those that are hard to transmit X-rays (for example, metal objects).
[0015]
By using the X-ray inspection apparatus including the X-ray generation device 14 and the X-ray detector 15, the container 1 that has been transported in the front-rear direction while being mounted on the vehicle 2 by the above-described conveyor mechanism 13 has been transmitted. X-ray intensity is detected sequentially. Then, an image is formed using the intensity of the transmitted X-rays detected at each position of the container 1 as luminance, thereby obtaining a transmitted X-ray image over the entire length of the container 1 and loading the container 1 from the transmitted X-ray image. The contents of the loaded luggage are determined.
[0016]
An X-ray shield 16 that covers the internal space of the inspection room 11 and prevents leakage of X-rays from the inside of the inspection room 11 is provided on a wall surface and a ceiling surface of the inspection room 11. The X-ray shield 16 is made of, for example, a lead plate, and is attached to the wall surface and the ceiling surface of the inspection room 11 without any gap. A door provided with an X-ray shield 16 on the entire surface of the entrance 12 of the examination room 11 is provided to prevent leakage of X-rays from the entrance 12. In addition, a curtain-shaped (straddle-shaped or blind-shaped) partition made of the X-ray shield 16 may be provided at the entrance 12 of the inspection room 11.
[0017]
Thus, according to the X-ray container inspection ship 10 having the above-described configuration, the vehicle 2 on which the container 1 is mounted can directly enter the quay (quay) Q only by mooring. Then, the vehicle 2 equipped with the container 1 enters the inspection room 11, stops on the conveyor mechanism 13, confirms that the driver has got off the vehicle, and confirms that the X-ray generation device 14 and the X-ray detector 15 If the line inspection device is operated and the conveyor mechanism 13 is driven to move the vehicle 2 on which the container 1 is mounted, the contents of the luggage loaded in the container 1 can be easily X-ray inspected. It becomes possible. That is, the X-ray inspection of the luggage loaded in the container 1 can be rapidly performed without lowering the container 1 from the vehicle 2 and without lowering the luggage packed in a cardboard box or the like from the container 1. Therefore, the unloading operation of the container 1 and the unloading operation of the luggage can be omitted, and the inspection efficiency can be sufficiently improved.
[0018]
Further, the X-ray container inspection ship 10 can be moved to another port or the open sea when the inspection work of the container 1 is completed, so that the specific port is not wastefully occupied. Then, the container 1 can be appropriately moved to a port that requires X-ray inspection, and can be used for X-ray inspection of the container 1 at the destination port. However, the operation efficiency (operation efficiency) can be sufficiently increased. Furthermore, since the frequency of X-ray inspection of the luggage loaded in the container 1 is low, and it is not necessary to provide large-scale X-ray inspection facilities individually at ports where the inspection is required at irregular times, the entire facility is not required. Effects such as being able to keep costs low can be achieved.
[0019]
By the way, in the X-ray container inspection ship 10 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 2 equipped with the container 1 enters the inspection room 11 from the entrance 12 at the stern, and after the X-ray inspection is completed, the vehicle 2 Has been described as exiting from the entrance 12. However, for example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the transport distance of the vehicle 2 by the conveyor mechanism 13 is set to, for example, about three times the total length of the vehicle 2, and the vehicle 2 transferred to the bow side is moved to the side of the inspection room 11. And may come out of the X-ray container inspection ship 10 through the port.
[0020]
When such a configuration is adopted, the overall length and width of the X-ray container inspection ship 10 become longer and larger, but the vehicle 2 can enter and exit the X-ray container inspection ship 10 smoothly. In particular, the vehicle equipped with the inspected container 1 moving to the bow using the period during which the vehicle equipped with the container 1 enters the inspection room 11 and the period during which the container 1 is inspected in the inspection room 11 2 can come out of the X-ray container inspection ship 10, so that the inspection efficiency can be improved.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 2B, a turntable mechanism (not shown) is incorporated in the conveyor mechanism 13 so that the X-ray inspection is completed and the direction of the vehicle 2 transferred to the bow side can be changed. If, for example, the direction of the vehicle 10 in the X-ray container inspection ship 10 is easily changed, the overall length of the X-ray container inspection ship 10 can be shortened to some extent. Further, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), a slide mechanism (not shown) is incorporated in the conveyor mechanism 13, and the vehicle 2 transferred to the bow after the X-ray inspection is completed is slid to the side of the inspection room 11. If it is configured to be movable, it is not necessary to change the direction of the vehicle 10 in the X-ray container inspection ship 10, so that the total length of the X-ray container inspection ship 10 can be further reduced.
[0022]
Alternatively, it is also useful to provide entrances 12a and 12b of the vehicle 2 on the side of the X-ray container inspection ship 10 as illustrated in FIG. In this case, the X-ray container inspection ship 10 is moored sideways on the quay (quay) Q. In this case, the vehicle 2 equipped with the container 1 is mounted on the vehicle 2 because it is only necessary to get on the board from one of the entrances 12a and get into the inspection room 11 and to disembark from the other entrance 12a after the end of the X-ray inspection. The X-ray inspection of the container 1 can be executed in a flow-like manner. In addition, since the vehicle 2 only needs to travel forward, unlike the above-described embodiments, it is possible to improve the inspection efficiency in this respect as well.
[0023]
Meanwhile, as a simplified X-ray container inspection ship, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, a container 1 mounted on a vehicle 2 is lowered from the vehicle 2 and only this container 1 is placed in an inspection room 11 of an X-ray container inspection ship 20. It is also possible to configure to guide. That is, in this case, the conveyor 1 provided on the X-ray container inspection ship 20 may be configured to transfer the container 1 linearly in the front-rear direction of the inspection ship 20 through the inspection room 11. Also in this example, it goes without saying that the X-ray shield 16 that covers the internal space of the inspection room 11 and prevents the leakage of X-rays from inside the inspection room 11 is provided. Needless to say, an X-ray inspection apparatus including an X-ray generator 14 and an X-ray detector 15 is provided so as to see through the container 1 transported by the conveyor mechanism 13.
[0024]
The transfer of the container 1 from the vehicle 2 onto the conveyor mechanism 13 of the X-ray container inspection ship 20 and the transfer of the container 1 from the conveyor mechanism 13 to the vehicle 2 are performed, for example, for container handling provided as port facilities. What is necessary is just to perform using the gantry cranes 21 and 22. Incidentally, it is of course possible to provide the gantry cranes 21 and 22 on the X-ray container inspection ship 20.
[0025]
By the way, the container 1 is exclusively loaded on a container ship (not shown) and transported by sea. Therefore, a container-only ship is further laid and moored beside the X-ray container inspection ship 20 laid and moored beside the quay (quay) Q. Then, the container 1 is lowered from the land transport vehicle 2 that has carried the container 1 to the quay (quay) Q, loaded onto the X-ray container inspection ship 20, and the X-ray container X-ray inspection is completed by the X-ray container inspection ship 20. The container 1 may be loaded from the X-ray container inspection ship 20 to a container-only ship. Alternatively, on the contrary, the container 1 is lowered from the container ship and loaded into the X-ray container inspection ship 20, and the container 1, which has been subjected to the X-ray fluoroscopic inspection by the X-ray container inspection ship 20, is landed from the X-ray container inspection ship 20. You may make it load in the vehicle 2 for transport.
[0026]
According to the X-ray container inspection ship 20 having such a configuration, it is not necessary to separately provide a large-sized X-ray inspection facility at the port where the container ship enters and exits, as in the previous embodiment. Since it is only necessary to dispatch the X-ray container inspection ship 20 to the port where the inspection is required, the overall equipment cost can be kept low and the operation efficiency (operation efficiency) can be increased. Moreover, unlike the previous embodiment, the vehicle 2 equipped with the container 1 does not get on the X-ray container inspection ship 20, so that the container 1 needs to be replaced, but the X-ray container inspection ship 20 is downsized. And the like.
[0027]
Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. For example, it is possible to variably adjust the transport distance of the vehicle 2 by the conveyor mechanism 13 according to the size of the container 1. Alternatively, a plurality of inspection rooms 11 may be provided in parallel, and the fluoroscopic inspection of the container 1 may be performed in parallel while guiding the vehicle 2 to these inspection rooms 11 sequentially. With such a configuration, for example, the vehicle 2 can be moved in and out of the other inspection room 11 while the X-ray fluoroscopic inspection of the container 1 is being performed in the one inspection room 11. Efficiency can be further increased. In addition, the present invention can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to go to a port where a transport ship (cargo ship) enters and exits as necessary, and to inspect various articles loaded and transported in the container while mounted on the container. Since the X-ray container inspection ship can be provided, a specific port is not wastefully occupied, and the operation efficiency (operating efficiency) of the X-ray container inspection ship itself can be increased, which has a great practical effect. Can be done.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a main part of an X-ray container inspection ship according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an X-ray container inspection ship according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an X-ray container inspection ship according to a further embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a view showing a modification of the X-ray container inspection ship according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 container 2 vehicle (truck or trailer)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 X-ray container inspection ship 11 Inspection room 12 Doorway 13 Conveyor mechanism 14 X-ray generator 15 X-ray detector 16 X-ray shield 20 X-ray container inspection ship

Claims (1)

An X-ray container inspection ship provided with an inspection room in which a vehicle equipped with a container can enter,
A conveyor mechanism for mounting a vehicle that has entered the inspection room and transporting the vehicle in the front-rear direction over at least the length of the container,
An X-ray generator that is provided in the inspection room and irradiates X-rays to a container mounted on a vehicle conveyed by the conveyor mechanism;
An X-ray detector provided to face the X-ray generator and detecting X-rays transmitted through the container;
An X-ray container inspection ship, comprising: an X-ray shield provided to cover the inspection room and preventing leakage of X-rays from the inspection room.

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