Picker International, Inc.

Picker Corporation

Victor J Hrdlicka

Dennis K Everett

Mark D Stojkov

Patrick M Flanagan

John D Geither

Robert P Hunt

A one piece self-supporting collapsible plastic urology drain bag 24 is mounted to an examination end 14 of a urology table 10. The pan includes a vertical inner end wall 28, a sloping outer end wall 34, a pair of opposite side wall 30, 32, and a bottom wall 36 through which a drain port 38 is defined. The inner end wall 28 of the drain pan is secured between plates 50 and 52. The drain bag is sufficiently flexible to allow a physician to collapse the outer end wall 34 against inner end wall 28 yet with sufficient plastic memory to enable the drain pan to return to its non-flexed position when the collapsing force is removed. A retaining means 56 is disposed on each end of the upper edge of plate 52. Each retaining means comprises a support means 58 and pin 60 arrangement. The pins 60 extend inwardly from their respective support means 58 along a line generally parallel to the upper edge of plate 52 away from the inner end wall 28, and sufficiently spaced from each other, such that outer end wall 34 can be releasably engaged between pins 60 and the inner end wall 28.

Collapsible urology drain pan assembly with retention mechanism

A system and method is disclosed for minimizing residual vibration of a radiographic system due to rapid movement of a radiographic film cassette between a park and expose position. The cassette is moved by a servo system including a servo motor which is responsive to a voltage input waveform to drive the cassette. A waveform is chosen for the voltage input such that no inpulse derivatives appear until the waveform has been diferentiated at least three times. The primary natural resonant frequency of the system is determined and noted. The duration of the selected input waveform is adjusted such that the frequency spectrum of the adjusted input waveform defines a relative null which approximately coincides with the primary resonant frequency. The amplitude of the voltage input waveform is then further adjusted as a function of the distance to be traveled by the cassette between the park and expose positions. The servo system can optionally be operated over a portion of the cassette transit in a closed loop fashion. In a mechanical embodiment, sinusoidal cassette acceleration can be effected by the use of a mechanical drive linkage coupled between a motor and the cassette, the drive linkage employing a cycloidal cam and associated cam follower to govern the profile of cassette movement.

Spot filmer cassette transport vibration suppression

A system and method is disclosed for minimizing residual vibration of a radiographic system due to rapid movement of a radiographic film cassette between a park and expose position. The cassette is moved by a servo system including a servo motor which is responsive to a voltage input waveform to drive the cassette. A waveform is chosen for the voltage input such that no impulse derivatives appear until the waveform has been differentiated at least three times. The primary natural resonant frequency of the system is determined and noted. The duration of the selected input waveform is adjusted such that the frequency spectrum of the adjusted input waveform defines a relative null which approximately coincides with the primary resonant frequency. The amplitude of the voltage input waveform is then further adjusted as a function of the distance to be traveled by the cassette between the park and expose positions. The servo system can optionally be operated over a portion of the cassette transit in a closed loop fashion. In a mechanical embodiment, sinusoidal cassette acceleration can be effected by the use of a mechanical drive linkage coupled between a motor and the cassette, the drive linkage employing a cycloidal cam and associated cam follower to govern the profile of cassette movement.

Spot filmer cassette transport vibration support

An X-ray spotfilming apparatus including a film cassette carriage mounted for longitudinal, reciprocating motion in housing having at least one film cassette receiving opening. A carriage drive system including a servomotor and a feedback potentiometer is operative to drive the film carriage between a retracted position and a plurality of exposure positions. Clamp members are mounted for sliding transverse movement within the carriage assembly and are operative in connection with a clamp coupling mechanism and clamp drive system to effect both clamping and translational movements within the carriage. A cassette advance apparatus drives a film cassette to a predetermined position along a clamp members and includes a advance pawl engageable with the cassette and a feedback pot for monitoring the position of the pawl. The feedbck signals from the clamp drive and cassette advance potentiometers are utilized to determine the longitudinal and transverse dimensions of the film cassette.

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Mayfield Heights, OH, United States of America

Victor J Hrdlicka