Fuji Photo Film Company, Limited

Toshitaka Aagano

Yoshimi Takasaki

Nobuyoshi Nakajima

Junji Miyahara

Shigeru Saotome

Terumi Matsuda

Kaoru Tamura

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.

Radiation image recording and read-out apparatus

A radiation image read-out apparatus comprises an optical system for scanning a stimulable phosphor sheet carrying a radiation image stored therein by stimulating rays, a light guide member for guiding light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet upon exposure to stimulating rays, and a photoelectric converter for detecting the guided light. A film for preventing reflection of stimulating rays is closely contacted with a light input face of the light guide member. Or, a filter for absorbing the stimulating rays reflected by the stimulable phosphor sheet and transmitting the light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet is positioned between the stimulating ray incidence point on the stimulable phosphor sheet and the light input face of the light guide member.

Radiation image 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 by stimulating rays and for detecting the light emitted thereby upon stimulation, and an erasing section for releasing the radiation energy remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet. The stimulable phosphor sheets are circulated through these sections and reused for image recording. A radiation stop device is positioned at the image recording section for defining the radiation exposure area on the stimulable phosphor sheet. Information on the radiation exposure area is stored in a storage device for each stimulable phosphor sheet. On the basis of this information, the area of scanning by the stimulating rays in the read-out section is controlled so that the scanning is conducted approximately over the radiation exposure area.

Radiation image recording and read-out apparatus including radiation

A light deflection device is comprised of a cantilever member, a light deflecting element provided near the fixed end of the cantilever member, and a means of imparting deflection to the free end of the cantilever member, so that the angle of inclination of the light deflecting element, and hence the angle of deflection of the light, can be set and controlled with very high precision by the controlled deflection of the cantilever member by said means.

Light deflection device

A synchronizing signal generating circuit for timing the image read-out or recording conducted by scanning a recording medium by a light beam comprises two photodetectors positioned at arbitrary points on a main scanning line for detecting the light beam and generating a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal. The circuit is also provided with a first signal generator for changing the period of a pulse signal output thereby in accordance with an input signal, and a second signal generator which receives the pulse signal output by the first signal generator and the first and second pulse signals output by the photodetectors. The second signal generator counts the number of pulses input by the first signal generator during the scanning from when the first pulse signal is input to when the second pulse signal is input, compares the count with a standard set value, and generates a signal corresponding to a difference therebetween. The signal thus generated is input to the first signal generator, thereby controlling so that a pulse signal consisting of pulses in a number corresponding to the standard set value is output as a synchronizing signal.

Synchronizing signal generating circuit

In a radiation image recording and reproducing system using a stimulable phosphor sheet, a voltage generated at a bleeder resistor of a photomultiplier for conducting image read-out is detected at the step of radiation image read-out at least for the stimulable phosphor sheet or a portion thereof where the level of X-ray exposure amount is higher than a predetermined level, and the exposure amount of erasing light is controlled on the basis of the detected voltage. Or, the erasing light exposure amount is controlled on the basis of an output current of the photomultiplier when the output current is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value when is smaller than a saturated value of the output current, and the bleeder resistor voltage of the photomultiplier is detected and the erasing light exposure amount is controlled on the basis of the detected voltage when the output current of the photomultiplier is larger than the predetermined value.

Residual image erasure control using photomultiplier bleeder resistor

A radiation image read-out apparatus comprises an optical system for scanning a stimulable phosphor sheet carrying a radiation image stored therein by stimulating rays, a light guide member for guiding light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet upon exposure to stimulating rays, a light guiding mirror for reflecting the emitted light to the light guide member, and a photoelectric converter for detecting the light guided by the light guide member. The light guiding mirror is provided with a reflection plane which reflects the light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet and which does not reflect stimulating rays. Or, a filter for absorbing the stimulating rays reflected by the stimulable phosphor sheet and transmitting the light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet is positioned between the scanned portion of the stimulable phosphor sheet and the light guiding mirror.

Radiation image read-out apparatus including selective stimulating ray

A method of coalescing two or more laser beams employs an optical merging element such as a polarization beam splitter to make the laser beams substantially merged into a single laser beam of multiplied power. In the merged laser beam, however, the original laser beams cannot easily be perfectly aligned with each other. In order to have the laser beams perfectly mingled or coalesced at the position where they are focused on an object to be processed or an original to be read out or a recording medium, the original laser beams substantially merged into a single laser beam are collimated so that the collimated laser beams may be directed to the same focusing position on the object. To collimate the original laser beams in the merged beam, a part of the merged beam is split out and passed through a converging lens to cause the original laser beams focused to points on a pinhole plate by use of a converging lens, and the directions of the original laser beams are corrected to make the laser beams focused to the same point on the pinhole plate or coincide with the pinhole. By making these laser beams coincide with the pinhole, these laser beams are consequently collimated so that they can be focused to the same point on said object, whereby the laser beams are coalesced in effect.

Method of coalescing laser beams

In a radiation image read-out system, a stimulable phosphor sheet carrying a radiation image stored therein is two-dimensionally scanned with stimulating rays, with the main scanning being effected by use of a multifaceted mirror having a plurality of deflecting surfaces. Light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet upon exposure to the stimulating rays is detected and converted into an electric image signal. When any of the deflecting surfaces is inclined from its predetermined position, the electric image signal obtained from the scan line drawn by the inclined deflecting surface becomes incorrect. The electric image signal obtained from the scan line drawn by the inclined deflecting surface is corrected by use of a correction coefficient which is predetermined for each deflecting surface according to the amount of inclination from the predetermined position thereof.

Method of correcting radiation image read-out error

A radiation image read-out apparatus comprises devices for scanning a stimulable phosphor sheet carrying a radiation image stored therein by stimulating rays in a main scanning direction and in a sub-scanning direction. A light guide member having a light input face extending in the main scanning direction and a light output face closely contacted with a photodetector is positioned above the stimulable phosphor sheet. An aperture member is positioned between the surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet and the light input face of the light guide member. The aperture member is provided with an aperture for allowing stimulating rays to impinge upon the stimulable phosphor sheet and for allowing light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet upon stimulation thereof by the stimulating rays to enter the light input face of the light guide member, and light shielding sections positioned adjacently to the aperture on opposite sides thereof in the sub-scanning direction.

A laser apparatus comprises a laser tube supported by a plurality of mounts on a supporting plate, a case housing the laser tube, temperature sensors positioned on the mounts or the supporting plate near the mounts or the laser tube, and a plurality of fans positioned on a wall of the case. The fans are positioned to generate air streams passing over the respective sections the temperatures of which are detected by the temperature sensors and operated in accordance with electric outputs of the temperature sensors, thereby maintaining the temperatures at the respective sections at a predetermined level.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Toshitaka Aagano