US2008267350A1PendingUtilityA1

Integrated carry-on baggage cart and passenger screening station

53
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jan 10, 2005Filed: Jan 10, 2005Published: Oct 30, 2008
Est. expiryJan 10, 2025(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Stephen Gray
G01N 23/04G01V 5/20
53
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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Claims

Abstract

The present invention is directed toward an integrated security checkpoint that can screen both individual passengers and carry-on carts containing their baggage. The methods, apparatuses, and systems of the present invention enable the efficient scanning of both individual passengers and their respective carry-on carts in the same secure area by providing individual passengers with a novel screening cart, permitting passengers to send the screening cart through an X-ray imaging machine, and permitting passengers to walk through an adjacent metal detector where, once cleared, the individual passenger can retrieve his or her screening cart.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for conducting security comprising the steps of:
 providing a person to be screened with a screening cart wherein the screening cart is a frame assembly designed to physically complement an X-ray scanning system;   providing a guide mechanism that physically engages the screening cart wherein the guide mechanism directs the screening cart through an X-ray scanning system; and   delivering the screening cart to the passenger.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of directing a passenger to walk through a passenger screening device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the passenger screening device is a metal detector. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of receiving from a passenger an indication that the passenger is ready to be screened. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the screening cart comprises a “C”-configuration assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the “C”-configuration assembly screening cart further comprises:
 a substantially connected frame assembly having:
 a substantially rectangular base; 
 a substantially rectangular drawer; and 
 at least two wheels wherein said substantially rectangular base and said substantially rectangular drawer are integrally connected with a vertical arm to form a “C”-shape assembly. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the cart is comprised of a metallic material. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the metallic material includes at least one of stainless steel and aluminum. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the X-ray scanning system comprises a radiation source and a detector array. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said radiation source is a dual energy source. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the entrance of said X-ray source complements a C-frame structure. 
     
     
         12 . A system for conducting security comprising;
 an X-ray scanning system further comprising an entrance designed to physically receive a screening cart frame assembly; and   a guide mechanism to direct a screening cart through the X-ray scanning system and to the passenger after the cart has been screened.   
     
     
         13 . The security system of  claim 12  wherein said X-ray scanning system comprises a radiation source and a detector array. 
     
     
         14 . The security system of  claim 13  wherein said radiation source is a dual energy source. 
     
     
         15 . The security system of  claim 12  further comprising a passenger screening device. 
     
     
         16 . The security system of  claim 15  wherein the passenger screening device is a metal detector. 
     
     
         17 . The security system of  claim 12  wherein the screening cart comprises a “C”-configuration assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The security system of  claim 17  wherein the “C”-configuration assembly screening cart further comprises:
 a substantially connected frame assembly having:
 a substantially rectangular base; 
 a substantially rectangular drawer; and 
 at least two wheels wherein said substantially rectangular base and said substantially rectangular drawer are integrally connected with a vertical arm to form the “C”-shape assembly. 
   
     
     
         19 . The security system of  claim 12  wherein the cart is comprised of a metallic material. 
     
     
         20 . The security system of  claim 19  wherein the metallic material includes at least one of stainless steel and aluminum. 
     
     
         21 . The security system of  claim 12  wherein the entrance of said X-ray source is a C-shaped structure. 
     
     
         22 . A method for conducting security comprising the steps of:
 providing a person to be screened with a screening cart wherein the screening cart is a frame assembly designed to physically complement the entry gate and internal configuration of an X-ray system;   providing a guide mechanism that physically engages the screening cart wherein the guide mechanism directs the screening cart through an X-ray scanning system;   indicating to a passenger to walk through a passenger screening device; and   delivering the screening cart to the passenger, after both passenger and cart have been screened.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the passenger screening device is a metal detector. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the screening cart comprises a “C”-configuration assembly. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the “C”-configuration assembly screening cart further comprises:
 a substantially connected frame assembly having:
 a substantially rectangular base; 
 a substantially rectangular drawer; and 
 at least two wheels 
   wherein said substantially rectangular base and said substantially rectangular drawer are integrally connected with a vertical arm to form the “C”-configuration assembly.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the screening cart is comprised of a metallic material. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the metallic material includes at least one of stainless steel and aluminum. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the X-ray scanning system comprises a radiation source and a detector array. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said radiation source is a dual energy source. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the entrance of said X-ray source is a C-frame structure. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the step of integrating data collected from both X-ray scanning system and passenger screening device to generate a threat assessment. 
     
     
         32 . A system for conducting security comprising:
 an X-ray scanning system further comprising an entrance designed to physically complement a screening cart frame assembly;   a guide mechanism to direct a screening cart through the X-ray scanning system and to the passenger;   a passenger screening device; and   an integrated screening station for integrating data collected from both X-ray scanning system and passenger screening device to generate a threat assessment.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31  wherein said integrated screening station comprises a central server, further comprising a processor and a memory in data communication with the X-ray scanning system and the passenger screening device. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the passenger screening device is a metal detector.

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