Eastman-Kodak Company

Roger S Brahm

Mark D Bedzyk

Xiaohui Wang

David J Steklenski

John C Boutet

Steven D Daniels

James D Lattimore

Anthony M Olexy

Jeffrey J Yaskow

Darryl D DeWolff

William A Meredith

Dennis J O'dea

Apparatus for radiographically imaging elongated objects comprising: a vertical main frame; a base mounted on said main frame; a first support on said base for supporting a first cassette containing a first storage phosphor imaging plate; a door hingedly mounted on said base for movement between open and closed positions; said door having a light-tight enclosure for supporting a second cassette containing a second storage phosphor imaging plate removably mounted within a cassette shell; and a first mechanism for removing said cassette shell from said second storage phosphor imaging plate which remains supported within said light-tight enclosure; such that, when said door is in said closed position, said second storage phosphor imaging plate overlaps said first storage phosphor imaging plate, whereby an elongated object can be radigraphically imaged onto said overlapping first and second storage phosphor imaging plates.

Apparatus for radiographically imaging elongated objects

A method and apparatus for unlatching a stationary cassette having a latching mechanism for allowing removal of a photographic element disposed within the cassette. The cassette having a removable end cap, the end cap having a alignment opening and at least one access opening for allowing access to the latching mechanism. The apparatus having a stage, a mechanism for moving the stage in a first direction with respect to the cassette, an extractor bar assembly moveably mounted to the stage for movement in a second direction with respect to the cassette, the extractor bar assembly having unlatching member for unlatching the latching mechanism of the cassette and for removing the removable photographic element disposed in the cassette, a mechanism for moving the extractor bar assembly in the second direction, and a locating member for locating the extractor bar assembly in a first relative position with respect to the latching mechanism of the cassette.

Reader having cassette locating and unlatching mechanism

A mechanism and method for conveying a cassette or similar like article from a support surface into an adjacent apparatus. The mechanism comprising: a first pinch roller having a central axis about which the first pinch roller rotates; a second pinch roller having a central axis about which the second pinch roller rotates; a mechanism for moving the first and second pinch rollers toward each other so as to engage a cassette therebetween with a predetermined amount of biasing force; and a motor for rotating the first and second pinch rollers manner about their respective axis so as to move the cassette from and/or on to the support surface.

Autoloader for cassettes and/or pallet

A laser printer characterized by compact construction, and by ease of servicing and film loading. A light-tight upper compartment contains a printer station which includes a film moving roller at one side of the apparatus, and toward which film is fed sideways from a registration station. The printer includes a laser and optics located above the alignment station. Various sizes of film are stored in respective magazines carried by stacked drawers located below the alignment station, and a transport mechanism located in front of the magazine withdraws film from the drawers and carries it upwardly and moves it into the alignment station by movement of the film toward the rear of the apparatus. Film moving from the printer station moves downwardly along one side of the machine into a chute and then to a roller device which can direct the exposed film either into a storage magazine under the fresh film magazines, or to an adjacent processor located to the side of the printer. Operating electronics are in a separate compartment below the light-tight compartment and are shielded to protect the upper compartment components from electronic emissions. A blower exhausts heat from the lower compartment.

Compact laser printer with light tight compartment access

A mechanism registers a sheet of film and advances it toward an imaging station for exposure by a laser scanning system. A registration member is located along a surface that receives the sheet and the member is engageable by an edge of the sheet for registering and guiding the sheet toward the station. An urging guide located along another portion of the surface is skewed relative to the registration member and spaced from it so that the end portions of the guide and registration member nearest the station are spaced apart sufficiently to enable the sheet to lie flat on the surface while other portions thereof are sufficiently close together to prevent the sheet from lying flat on the surface. The guide projects above the surface and is tilted away from the registration member so that the guide imparts a component of force onto a sheet resting thereon which urges the sheet toward the registration member.

Growing community of inventors

Canandaigua, NY, United States of America

Roger S Brahm