Scanning systems with dynamically adjustable shielding systems and related methods

A method of operating a scanning system configured to perform radiation-based scanning, comprising:

• advancing an object supported on a conveyor system under control of a control system toward an entrance to a pathway extending through a housing, the housing enclosing a stator and a rotor supporting at least one radiation source and at least one radiation detector rotatable with the rotor, the pathway passing between the at least one radiation source and the at least one radiation detector;
• automatically moving at least one energy shield at least partially occluding the entrance to an at least partially open state under control of the control system in response to advancement of the object toward the entrance by synchronizing moving the at least one energy shield to the at least partially open state when a distance of the object from the at least one energy shield, a rate at which the object is advancing toward the at least one energy shield, a rate at which the at least one energy shield moves, and a height of the object are such that a lowest portion of the respective energy shield is at or above the height of the object by the time the object reaches the at least one energy shield;
• and
• automatically moving the at least one energy shield to a closed state under control of the control system in response to the object passing the at least one energy shield.

Nontransitory, computer-readable media including computer-executable instructions, which when executed cause a control system for a scanning system to:

• receive a feedback signal from a sensor that an object supported on and advanced by a conveyor system is located proximate to an entrance to a pathway extending through a housing, the housing enclosing a stator and a rotor supporting at least one radiation source and at least one radiation detector rotatable with the rotor, the pathway passing between the at least one radiation source and the at least one radiation detector;
• issue a control signal to at least one actuator, causing the at least one actuator to automatically move at least one energy shield at least partially occluding the entrance to an at least partially open state under control of the control system in response to advancement of the object toward the entrance by synchronizing moving the at least one energy shield to the at least partially open state when a distance of the object from the at least one energy shield, a rate at which the object is advancing toward the at least one energy shield, a rate at which the at least one energy shield moves, and a height of the object are such that a lowest portion of the respective energy shield is at or above the height of the object by the time the object reaches the at least one energy shield;
• and
• issue a control signal to at least one motor of the conveyor system, causing the conveyor system to automatically move the at least one energy shield to a closed state under control of the control system in response to the object passing the at least one energy shield.