General Electric Company

Robert B Hauck

Richard T Brandt

Floyd L Gray

Michael D Maki

Duane A Filtz

Darrell J Miller

Larry Susami

A spot-film device includes an inner carriage whose three members are movable with respect to an outer carriage to provide a cassette tray that will accommodate varying cassette sizes. After insertion of a cassette, the inner carriage automatically contracts to a clamping position and is then movable longitudinally of the table to provide selective placement of the cassette for x-ray exposure. Lateral movement for that purpose is brought about by movement of the outer carriage. A single motor is used to provide both longitudinal clamping and longitudinal transport of the cassette while another motor provides both lateral clamping and lateral transport thereof. The lateral drive mechanism also provides for automatic ejection of a cassette after exposure.

Expandable carriage for spot-film device

Means for coupling an independently suspended medical x-ray source and detector for lateral fluorographic studies such as angiography. When coupled, the x-ray source and detector move vertically in opposite directions, move horizontally toward or away from each other, and pivot about horizontal axes so the distances between the focal spot and isocenter of examination and between the isocenter and image each remain constant, and so the central ray of the source coincides with the central ray of the detector. The bridge also rotates to rotate the entire assembly about a vertical axis passing through the isocenter. The x-ray source and detector are independently hung from the ceiling to support them directly above their centers of weight, eliminating the bending moments and oscillation which are inherent features of prior C-arm structures.

Angulating lateral fluoroscopic suspension

Curved X-ray filter elements are arranged circularly around a drum. Alternate circumferentially adjacent elements have different filtration properties. Diametrically opposite elements have the same properties. An X-ray source provides a sequence of alternate low and high energy X-ray beam pulses. A multicell X-ray detector produces X-ray attenuation data for each pulse and the data is switched to alternate memories. A drum drive motor is energized at power line frequency. A pinion on the motor shaft turns a gear. A lug that is mounted for angular adjustment on the gear drives the drum. A multiple blade shutter is also mounted on the gear for angular adjustment and rotation with the gear. The shutter alternately interrupts and restores a light beam to a photosensitive device which produces corresponding signal state changes or trigger signals. The signals are used to synchronize the low and high energy X-ray pulses, the filter element angular locations and memory switching with power line frequency.

Spinning filter for X-ray apparatus

A collimator assembly for defining an aperture for the passage of a diagnostic x-ray beam in an x-ray diagnostic apparatus which may, for example, be used in computer assisted tomography. The collimator assembly comprises a framework adapted to be secured to the x-ray apparatus contiguous the x-ray tube, and includes a first and a second blade subassembly lying in a common plane with each other in the path of x-rays emanating from the x-ray tube. Leaf spring means connect each of the blade subassemblies to the framework, the leaf spring means biasing the first and second blade subassemblies into abutting relation to each other whereby to define a zero aperture condition for the passage of a diagnostic x-ray beam through said collimator assembly to the patient. Cam follower means are carried by each of the respective first and second blade subassemblies, and movable cam means are mounted on the framework and engageable with the cam follower means of said first and said second blade subassemblies whereby movement of the cam means is effective to move the first and second blade subassemblies against the biasing force of the spring means to a controlled degree of opening between the first and second blade subassemblies whereby to define a collimating aperture of a predetermined size between said subassemblies for the passage of a diagnostic x-ray beam of a predetermined size to the patient. A further feature of the collimator assembly is the use of a direct acting sensing arrangement for sensing the collimating opening between the two blade subassemblies. This sensing arrangement is embodied in an electromagnetic transducer in the form of a linear variable differential transformer.

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Delafield, WI, United States of America

Robert B Hauck