Fuji Photo Film Company, Limited

Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

Kaoru Tamura

Yasuhiro Kawai

Makoto Ohgoda

Shumpeita Torii

Katsuhide Koyama

Isao Utsumi

Yasunori Maehara

Sigeme Fujiwara

Terumi Matsuda

Sadami Yamada

Takaaki Yamamoto

Takashi Nakamura

Satoshi Arakawa

Nobuyoshi Nakajima

Tsutomu Kimura

Yuichi Hosoi

Kiichiro Sakamoto

Toshitaka Aagano

Masao Takano

Kazuya Watanabe

Toshimitsu Yamaguchi

Sigemi Fujiwara

Takaaki Matsumoto

Kawai Yasuhiro

Shigeru Satome

A radiation image information reading apparatus includes a reading unit for reading radiation image information recorded in a stimulable phosphor sheet, and an erasing unit for erasing residual radiation image information remaining in the stimulable phosphor sheet after the radiation image information has been read therefrom by the reading unit. A cassette in which the stimulable phosphor sheet is stored is held in a cassette holder which has a feed roller for taking the stimulable phosphor sheet into and out of the cassette. A first sheet feeder feeds the stimulable phosphor sheet from the cassette holder through the reading unit to the erasing unit, and a second sheet feeder feeds for feeding the stimulable phosphor sheet from the erasing unit to the cassette holder. The first and second sheet feeders are disposed parallel to each other. While recorded radiation image information on one stimulable phosphor sheet in the first sheet feeder is being read in the reading unit, another stimulable phosphor sheet may be fed back to the cassette holder by the second sheet feeder.

Compact radiation image information reading apparatus having erasing

An apparatus for scanning a sheet-shaped recording medium comprises a conveyance system provided with a conveying roller and a plurality of nip rollers for conveying the recording medium in co-operation with the conveying roller, and a scanning optical system for scanning the conveyed recording medium by a light beam in a scanning direction normal to the conveyance direction. One of the conveying roller and the nip rollers is fabricated as edge rollers contacting the other of said conveying roller and said nip rollers only near both end portions of the other. The scanning optical system is positioned on the side of the edge rollers.

Apparatus for scanning sheet-shaped recording medium between edge rollers

A cassette for removably housing a stimulable phosphor sheet for storing a radiation image therein comprises a flat box-like front plate and a cover member openably coupled with the front plate. A foamed material is secured to the inner surface of the front plate, thereby preventing the stimulable phosphor sheet from being scratched when the sheet is taken out of or inserted into the cassette. The foamed material has at least one notch for exposing a part of the inner surface of the front plate, so that the stimulable phosphor sheet housed in the cassette does not come in contact with the foamed material at the portion of the notch and can be readily separated from the foamed material when the stimulable phosphor sheet is taken out of the cassette.

Cassette for stimulable phosphor sheet

A stimulable phosphor sheet stacking tray comprises a tapered section for aligning stimulable phosphor sheets at a predetermined position, which is positioned at least at an inner wall of one side end face of the stacking tray where a lower end portion of the stimulable phosphor sheet falling by the sheet weight passes through. Or, the stacking tray comprises a sheet holding member positioned for contact with upper ends of the stacked stimulable phosphor sheets between an inner wall of an upper end face of the stacking tray and the upper ends of the stacked stimulable phosphor sheets, and a system for moving, by operation from the exterior, the sheet holding member to and away from the stacked stimulable phosphor sheets. Or, the stacking tray is provided with a sheet fall preventing member comprising a stopper projectable from the center of a side end of the opening face of the stacking tray to the inside of the opening face to prevent the sheet falling, and a member for supporting and moving the stopper.

Stimulable phosphor sheet stacking tray

A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprises a read-out and erasing unit provided with an image read-out device for irradiating stimulating rays to an image-recorded stimulable phosphor sheet and detecting light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet upon exposure to stimulating rays, and a device for erasing radiation energy remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet. The read-out and erasing unit is reciprocated normal to the direction of irradiation of stimulating rays for carrying out image read-out during forward movement, and carrying out erasing by the erasing device during backward movement. The read-out and erasing unit may be provided with two erasing devices on either side of the image read-out device for carrying out image read-out by the image read-out device and erasing by the erasing device positioned on the upstream side of the image read-out device during forward movement, and carrying out image read-out by the image read-out device and erasing by the other erasing device positioned on the upstream side of the image read-out device during backward movement.

Radiation image recording and read-out apparatus

A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprises an image recording section for recording a radiation image of an object on a stimulable phosphor sheet, a read-out section for scanning the stimulable phosphor sheet with stimulating and for detecting the light emitted therefrom upon stimulation, and an erasing section for releasing the radiation energy remaining in the stimulable phosphor sheet. The stimulable phosphor sheets are circulated through these sections by conveyer belts and reused for image recording. A shutter is positioned between the read-out section and the erasing section to prevent the erasing light from entering the read-out section at least when read-out is conducted in the read-out section.

An image readout apparatus applies stimulating light emitted from a laser beam source to a stimulable phosphor sheet which stored a radiation image of an object such as a human body to be diagnosed and reads out a radiation image based on light emitted from the stimulable phoshpor sheet upon exposure to the stimulating light. The image readout apparatus includes an image readout mechanism and a casing accommodating the image readout mechanism. Vibro-isolating light shield members are interposed between the image readout mechanism and the casing, which are individually supported on a floor. Vibro-isolating members are also disposed between a conveyor mechanism for delivering the stimulable phosphor sheet and an optical system for applying the stimulating light to the stimulable phosphor sheet. Shocks imposed inadvertently by the operator or the person being diagnosed on the casing, or vibration induced by the conveyor mechanism in operation, is attenuated to a considerable extent while being transmitted to the optical system. Therefore, the optical axis of the stimulating light is prevented from being disturbed with respect to the stimulable sheet, so that the radiation image can be produced highly accurately.

Image readout apparatus

In a radiation image recording and read-out apparatus, stimulable phosphor sheets are circulated along a predetermined circulation path through an image recording section for recording a radiation image of an object on the stimulable phosphor sheet by exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet to radiation through the object, an image read-out section including a stimulating ray source which is disposed in the circulation path and emits stimulating rays for scanning the stimulable phosphor sheet and a photoelectric converter which receives light emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet to obtain an image signal and an erasing section for releasing residual radiation energy in the stimulable phosphor sheet before the stimulable phosphor sheet is returned to the image recording section. A cleaning sheet having thereon an adhesive material layer is transferred along the circulation path.

Stimulable phosphor sheets are circulated through an image recording section for recording radiation images on the stimulable phosphor sheets, an image read-out section for scanning the stimulable phosphor sheets by stimulating rays and detecting light emitted thereby upon stimulation, and an erasing section for releasing radiation energy remaining in the stimulable phosphor sheets. Time elapsed after the radiation energy remaining in each stimulable phosphor sheet was released is measured, and image recording on each stimulable phosphor sheet is detected. A time measurement signal and an image recording detection signal are sent to a control device which activates a sheet circulating and conveying system to send the stimulable phosphor sheet to the erasing section when the time elapsed after releasing of the radiation energy remaining in the stimulable phosphor sheet reaches a predetermined length prior to image recording on the stimulable phosphor sheet.

A stimulable phosphor sheet recording and read-out apparatus comprises, as integrated in a single unit, an image recording section, an image read-out section, an erasing section and a circulation and conveyance system for conveying a plurality of different types of stimulable phosphor sheets along a circulation path passing through these sections. At least the part of the circulation path between the read-out section and the image recording section is provided with a set of parallel branch paths consisting of a number of paths equal to the number of types of stimulable phosphor sheets used, and with a sorting means for sorting the stimulable phosphor sheets into prescribed ones of the branch paths. When it is desired to use a particular type of stimulable phosphor sheet in an image recording and read-out operation, the desired type of sheet can be quickly and efficiently forwarded to the image recording section from the branch path prescribed for that type of sheet.

Apparatus for scanning sheet-shaped recording medium

A cleaning apparatus for removing dust sticking to the surface of a stimulable phosphor sheet used for recording a radiation image comprises first sheet conveying rolls for conveying the stimulable phosphor sheet, and a rotatable cleaning roll provided with a cleaning member for catching dust around the circumferential surface and positioned for contact with the surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet conveyed by the first sheet conveying rolls. The apparatus also comprises a plurality of guide rolls for guiding the stimulable phosphor sheet so that it contacts in the bent form with the circumferential surface of the cleaning roll, and second sheet conveying rolls for conveying the stimulable phosphor sheet coming from the cleaning roll.

Cleaning apparatus for stimulable phosphor sheet

A radiation image read-out apparatus comprises a section for reading out a radiation image stored in a stimulable phosphor sheet, a section for erasing the radiation energy remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet after image read-out, and a section for stacking the stimulable phosphor sheets after erasing. The erasing section and the stacking section are positioned above the read-out section. A read-out sheet conveyance system is positioned between the read-out section and the erasing section for conveying the stimulable phosphor sheet so that the surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet facing up at the read-out section faces up also at the erasing section. An erased sheet conveyance system is positioned between the erasing section and the stacking section for conveying the stimulable phosphor sheet so that the surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet facing up at the erasing section faces down at the stacking section.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Kaoru Tamura