Orion-yhtyma Oy

Markku Wederhorn

Erkki H Tammisalo

Heikki K Kanerva

Jaakko A Aarnio

Kai Laner

An apparatus for panoramic X-ray photography of the area of the dentition and the jaws, comprising a frame part, a bearing part linearly movable in relation to the frame part, and a support arm attached rotatably to the bearing part, the arm having at one end an X-ray film and at the opposite end an X-ray source. The movements of the bearing part, the support arm and the film are synchronized in such a way that an image of an area of desired shape, e.g. the patient's dental arch, is obtained on the film. The invention provides a possibility, without shifting the patient, of altering the enlargement and, additionally of tilting the X-ray beam a desired angle in relation to the horizontal, whereby e.g. teeth oblique in relation to the vertical can be photographed more sharply. The support arm is attached to the bearing part through structural parts provided with guides extending in the longitudinal direction of the support arm, and with transfer means, so that the support arm, with the source of radiation and the X-ray film, can be transferred in a direction parallel to the X-ray beam. Furthermore, the said structural parts also have curved rails cooperating in order to effect tilting of the support arm. The movements are effected by stepping motors.

Apparatus for X-ray photography of the area of the dentition and of the

An apparatus for panoramic X-ray photography of the area of the dentition and the jaws, comprising a frame part, a bearing part linearly movable in relation to the frame part, and a support arm attached rotatably to the bearing part, and having at one end an X-ray film and at the opposite end an X-ray source. The movements of the bearing part, the support arm and the film are synchronized in such a way that an image of an area of desired shape, e.g. the patient's dental arch, is obtained on the film. The invention provides the effect that the X-ray beam can be tilted to a desired angle in relation to the horizontal, whereby it is possible with greater sharpness to photograph, for example, teeth slanted in relation to the vertical. For this purpose, the support arm is tiltable about an axis perpendicular to its rotational axis so that, when this axis is vertical, the straight line connecting the source of radiation and the film is obligue to the horizontal. The structural parts between the bearing part and the support arm are provided with co-operating curved guide means, the mutual movement of which alters the tilt position of the support arm. The control movements are performed by stepping motors.

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Espoo, Finland

Markku Wederhorn