Fuji Photo Film Company, Limited

Ryoichi Yoshimura

Shumpeita Torii

Yasuhiro Kawai

Satoshi Arakawa

Terumi Matsuda

Sadami Yamada

Hideo Watanabe

Akira Yamaguchi

Tsutomu Kimura

Kazuo Shimura

Yuichi Hosoi

Nobufumi Mori

Shigeru Saotome

Yoshimi Takasaki

Naoto Yamada

A radiation image read-out apparatus comprises a read-out section for reading out a radiation image stored on a stimulable phosphor sheet, an erasing section for erasing radiation energy remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet after image read-out from the stimulable phosphor sheet is finished, a section for releasably holding a sheet feed cassette capable of housing the image-recorded stimulable phosphor sheet and for taking the stimulable phosphor sheet out of the sheet feed cassette toward the read-out section, and a section for releasably holding a sheet housing cassette capable of housing the stimulable phosphor sheet erased at the erasing section. The apparatus also comprises a sheet stacking section for holding a plurality of erased stimulable phosphor sheets having different sizes, selecting the stimulable phosphor sheet having a desired size one at a time from the stimulable phosphor sheets held at the sheet stacking section, and feeding out the selected stimulable phosphor sheet towards the section for holding the sheet housing cassette.

Radiation image read-out apparatus

A cassette for storing an image recording carrier such as a stimulable phosphor sheet has a casing for holding the image recording carrier therein under light-shielding conditions, and at least one lid member mounted on one end of the casing and openable and closable under a pressure applied thereto. The casing with said one end directed vertically downwardly is loaded through a cassette insertion slot into an apparatus for processing the image recording carrier. When the casing is introduced in the apparatus, the lid member is forcibly opened for allowing the image recording carrier to be delivered by gravity out of the casing.

Cassette for image information recording carrier, mechanism for removing

A light beam scanning apparatus scans an object such as a stimulable phosphor sheet by applying a light beam deflected in a main scanning direction to the object while moving the object in an auxiliary scanning direction substantially normal to the main scanning direction. The light beam scanning apparatus includes first and second light detectors such as photodiodes juxtaposed in the main scanning direction and having respective light detecting surfaces extending in the auxiliary scanning direction. The first and second light detectors produce respective output signals at a predetermined ratio when the light beam for scanning the object in the main scanning direction is in a reference main scanning position, and produce respective output signals at a ratio varied from the predetermined ratio when the light beam is deviated from the reference main scanning positon. The main scanning position of the light beam with respect to the object can be detected from the ratio of the output signals of the first and second light detectors.

Light beam scanning apparatus having two detectors whose signal ratio

A radiation image erase unit for erasing a residual image from a stimulable phosphor sheet with erasure light is disposed in the vicinity of an image read-out unit which converts light emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet upon stimulation thereof into an electric signal. The radiation image erase unit comprises a box-shaped casing having a slot for passage of the stimulable phosphor sheet therethrough into the casing, and erasure light sources disposed in the casing for emitting the erasure light. A pair of rollers is mounted on the casing adjacent to the slot for introducing the stimulable phosphor sheet into the casing. The casing has reflective inner surfaces for reflecting the erasure light effectively, and a heat radiator for discharging out heat generated by the erasure light sources as they are energized.

Radiation image erase unit for use with stimulable phosphor sheet

A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprises a case housing a stimulable phosphor sheet and having an opening, a light shielding cover housed in the case for projection therefrom through the opening, a recording section for exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet disposed at an exposure position in the light shielding cover projected out of the case to radiation, and a read-out section having a sub-scanning system for moving the stimulable phosphor sheet between the exposure position and a position in the case. Or, the apparatus comprises a case having an opening for passing the stimulable phosphor sheet therethrough, a recording section for exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet disposed at the exposure position in the case to radiation, and a read-out section having a sub-scanning system for moving the stimulable phosphor sheet between the exposure position and a position projected out of the case. Alternatively, the apparatus comprises a sheet feed system for reciprocating a strip-like flexible stimulable phosphor sheet between first and second wind-up shafts, and a recording section for exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet disposed between the first and second wind-up shafts to radiation.

Radiation image recording and read-out apparatus

An apparatus for reading out a radiation image stored on a stimulable phosphor sheet comprises a read-out section, a monitor for reproducing a visible radiation image, an erasing section, and a section for releasably holding a magazine housing stimulable phosphor sheets. The apparatus also comprises a first conveyance system for conveying the stimulable phosphor sheets fed out of the magazine to the read-out section, a stacker disposed at the first conveyance system between the magazine holding section and the read-out section, for housing the stimulable phosphor sheets and transferring them one by one to the first conveyance system. A second conveyance system conveys the stimulable phosphor sheets passing through the read-out section to the erasing section, and a third conveyance system returns the stimulable phosphor sheets passing through the read-out section to the stacker. A distributing member distributes the stimulable phosphor sheets passing through the read-out section either to the second conveyance system or to the third conveyance system.

An apparatus for reading out a radiation image stored on a stimulable phosphor sheet comprises a read-out section, an erasing section, and a section for releasably holding a cassette housing the stimulable phosphor sheet. The apparatus also comprises a sorter section for holding erased stimulable phosphor sheets and ejecting them one by one therefrom, a first conveyance system for receiving the stimulable phosphor sheet from the cassette holding section and conveying it to the read-out section, the erasing section and then to the sorter section, and a second conveyance system for conveying the stimulable phosphor sheet from the sorter section into the cassette. Or, the apparatus also comprises a section for releasably holding a sheet holding magazine containing many stimulable phosphor sheets, a section for holding a sheet feed magazine, the first and second conveyance systems for the cassette sheet, and a conveyance system for conveying the stimulable phosphor sheet taken out of the sheet housing magazine to the read-out section and the erasing section, and then into the sheet feed magazine.

A radiation image read-out apparatus comprises a read-out section for reading out a radiation image stored on a stimulable phosphor sheet, and an erasing section for erasing radiation energy remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet after image read-out from the stimulable phosphor sheet is finished. The apparatus also comprises a cassette holding section for releasably holding a plurality of cassettes each capable of housing a stimulable phosphor sheet therein, and a sheet conveyance system for taking a stimulable phosphor sheet out of an arbitrary one of the cassettes, conveying the stimulable phosphor sheet to the read-out section and the erasing section, and then conveying the stimulable phosphor sheet into an arbitrary one of the cassettes. The apparatus may further comprise a stacker capable of supporting a plurality of the stimulable phosphor sheets, receiving the stimulable phosphor sheets erased at the erasing section, and selectively feeding the supported stimulable phosphor sheets one by one out of the stacker.

An apparatus for recording a radiation image on a stimulable phosphor sheet and reading out the stored radiation image comprises a recording section provided with a sheet stacker, a read-out section, and an erasing section disposed on a circulation path of a conveyance system. The sheet stacker is provided with a tray unit comprising a casing and a plurality of trays housed in the casing so that every tray may be positioned on the circulation path, allows the stimulable phosphor sheet to be conveyed by the conveyance system into the tray, holds the stimulable phosphor sheet in the tray, and allows the stimulable phosphor sheet to be conveyed by the conveyance system out of the tray. The sheet stacker is also provided with a conveyance mechanism for taking the stimulable phosphor sheet out of an arbitrary tray housed in the casing, conveying the stimulable phosphor sheet to an image recording position exposed to a radiation, and conveying the stimulable phosphor sheet from the image recording position into an arbitrary tray.

A radiation image erase unit for erasing a radiation image from a stimulable phosphor sheet by exposing the same to erasure light in a radiation image read-out system having an image read-out unit for radiating stimulating rays to the stimulable phosphor sheet to cause the same to emit light representative of the radiation image stored therein, and for converting the emitted light photoelectrically to an electric signal. The radiation image erase unit includes a casing including a side panel having openings defined therein, a plurality of erase light sources disposed in the casing, a feed mechanism disposed in or outside the casing for delivering the stimulable phosphor sheet to a prescribed position in the casing, and forced-cooling air blowers having outlets disposed in the openings, respectively, of the side panels and directed toward the stimulable phosphor sheet positioned in the casing. The radiation image erase unit also includes a baffle member for preventing the stimulable phosphor sheet from rising or flying up by air discharged from the forced-cooling air blowers, and/or a blow-away prevention plate for preventing the stimulable phosphor sheet from being displaced and for permitting the stimulable phosphor sheets with remaining images removed therefrom to be accurately sorted out according to their size.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Ryoichi Yoshimura