JP2011024786A - Movable x-ray apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a movable X-ray apparatus improving operability for leftward and rightward motion without deteriorating straight movability. <P>SOLUTION: The movable X-ray apparatus includes an X-ray imaging part having an X-ray generating part to irradiate an examinee with X-ray, and a carriage having a free wheel disposed on one side to the advance direction and a fixed wheel disposed on the other side. The X-ray imaging part is mounted on the carriage. The apparatus also includes a support mechanism attached to the carrier and projected at least in a grounding direction to make the fixed wheel float from the grounding surface, and a movable mechanism disposed on the support mechanism to move in the crossing direction to the advance direction of the fixed wheel. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a mobile X-ray apparatus, and more particularly to a mobile X-ray apparatus in which an X-ray imaging apparatus is mounted on a carriage.

  Some hospitalized patients have severe medical conditions and cannot go to the X-ray laboratory and receive an X-ray examination. There is a mobile X-ray imaging apparatus for in-hospital round trips for the purpose of performing X-ray examination of such patients. That is, the mobile X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray imaging apparatus mounted on a moving carriage, and the X-ray imaging apparatus performs X-ray imaging by moving the X-ray imaging apparatus from the storage location to the bedside where the patient is sleeping. Is.

  A mobile cart of a general mobile X-ray apparatus is in contact with the ground with four wheels, like an automobile, and includes a pair of left and right front wheels and a pair of rear wheels that can be driven independently. In the mobile X-ray apparatus, since the straight traveling performance is also important, the front wheels are free wheels, but the rear wheels are drive wheels (fixed wheels) that cannot be steered.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which a swivel unit is provided for such a general mobile X-ray apparatus, and a fixed ring is disposed at each end of the swivel unit.

JP-A-6-245926

  In a mobile X-ray device that uses a fixed wheel for the rear wheel, for example, if it becomes necessary to change the distance between the device body once placed on the bedside and the bed, the device body cannot move in the left-right direction. As with automobiles, it is necessary to turn over many times and gradually change the distance from the bed, which is a heavy burden. In particular, in a space between narrow beds, it is an extremely difficult operation to turn over the apparatus body, which is a heavy burden on the operator.

  On the other hand, in the mobile X-ray apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the pair of fixed wheels provided at the end of the turn are rotated in opposite directions so that the direction of the fixed wheel is tilted with respect to the apparatus main body together with the turn part. Then, the pair of fixed wheels are rotated in the same direction, and the apparatus main body is moved obliquely. However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, a space for moving a rotating mechanism that forms a turning unit and a fixed wheel that rotates together with the rotation of the turning unit is required in the lower part of the device body, and the position of the center of gravity of the device body There is a concern that the stability will increase and the stability will decrease. In this case, it is conceivable to reduce the tire diameter of the fixed wheel, but in that case, there is a concern that the straight running performance of the apparatus may deteriorate.

  The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a mobile X-ray apparatus capable of improving the movement operability in the left-right direction without reducing the straight-ahead performance. There is to do.

  (1) In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, an X-ray imaging unit having an X-ray generation unit that irradiates a subject with X-rays, a free wheel arranged on one side with respect to the traveling direction, and an other side A movable X-ray apparatus having the X-ray imaging unit mounted on the carriage, and attached to the carriage, projecting at least in the direction of the ground plane and extending the fixed wheel to the carriage. A mobile X-ray apparatus comprising: a support mechanism that floats from a ground surface; and a movement mechanism that is disposed on the support mechanism and moves in a direction that intersects a traveling direction of the fixed wheel.

  According to the present invention, the moving operability in the left-right direction can be dramatically improved.

  Other effects of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the entire specification.

It is a side view for demonstrating the whole structure of the mobile X-ray apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating a structure of the horizontal movement mechanism in the mobile X-ray apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the whole structure of the mobile X-ray apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the detailed structure of the horizontal movement mechanism in the mobile X-ray apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the horizontal movement mechanism in the mobile X-ray apparatus of Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the horizontal movement mechanism in the mobile X-ray apparatus of Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the horizontal movement mechanism in the mobile X-ray apparatus of Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the whole structure of the mobile X-ray apparatus of Embodiment 4 of this invention.

  Embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, in the following description, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated description is omitted.

<Embodiment 1>
<overall structure>
FIG. 1 is a side view for explaining the overall configuration of the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the lateral movement mechanism in the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure for doing. However, the mobile X-ray apparatus of the first embodiment is the same as the conventional mobile X-ray apparatus except for the lateral movement mechanism composed of the rail part 201 and the support part 202 and the control part that controls the lateral movement mechanism. It becomes the composition of. Therefore, in the following description, the lateral movement mechanism and the control unit thereof according to the first embodiment will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment has a configuration in which an X-ray imaging apparatus is mounted on a mobile carriage (cart) 11. It constitutes a wire device. In the mobile X-ray apparatus of the first embodiment, two drive wheels 12 that are a pair of fixed wheels are disposed on the rear side of the carriage 11, and two front wheels 13 that are a pair of free wheels are disposed on the front side. It is configured to be equipped. Further, in the interior space of the carriage 11, a motor (which will be described later) serving as a power source for the drive wheels 12 and a battery 16 serving as a power source for an X-ray imaging apparatus are accommodated.

  A support column 17 whose one end side is rotatably supported on the upper surface of the carriage 11 is erected in the vertical direction at the front upper side (upper surface) of the carriage 11. The rotation direction of the support column 17 is a rotation direction around the central axis in the extending direction of the support column 17 as indicated by an arrow C in FIG.

  One end side of the X-ray tube support mechanism 18 is fixed to a side surface portion on the other end side of the support column 17 through a known slide mechanism (not shown). By adopting a configuration through this slide mechanism, the X-ray tube support mechanism 18 can be moved in the extending direction of the support column 17, that is, in the direction indicated by the arrow D (vertical direction in the figure). Further, the X-ray tube support mechanism 18 is configured to include a well-known expansion / contraction mechanism. However, in the first embodiment, as a part of a slide mechanism (not shown), a well-known counter balance mechanism is provided inside the column 17, and the X-ray tube apparatus 19 described later together with the X-ray tube support mechanism 18 by the counter balance mechanism. The operator can manually move up and down.

  At the other end of the X-ray tube support mechanism 18, an X-ray tube device 19 is arranged via an expansion / contraction mechanism. As a result, the X-ray tube device 19 is movable in the expansion / contraction direction of the expansion / contraction mechanism of the X-ray tube support mechanism 18, that is, in the direction indicated by the arrow E (the left-right direction in the figure). A well-known collimator 20 for limiting the X-ray beam irradiation range is attached to the X-ray beam irradiation window portion (the lower surface side of the X-ray tube device 19 in the figure) of the X-ray tube device 19. .

  An X-ray control device 21 including an X-ray high-voltage device and each drive control unit described in detail later are mounted above (above) the carriage 11, and a casing 15 is formed so as to surround these devices. ing. The X-ray control device 21 supplies tube voltage and tube current to the X-ray tube device 19 and performs on / off control of X-ray radiation.

  In the mobile X-ray apparatus of the first embodiment, the operation panel 22 is disposed on the upper surface of the housing 15. The operation panel 22 includes an operation device for setting X-ray imaging conditions (tube voltage, tube current, imaging time), an X-ray imaging push button switch, an X-ray irradiation field setting operation device, and the like. Further, a well-known lock mechanism 23 for fixing the position of the X-ray tube device 19 is provided on the upper surface of the housing 15 when the mobile X-ray device of the first embodiment travels.

  Further, a traveling handle 30 is disposed on a side surface portion of the housing 15. The traveling handle 30 is provided with known detection means for detecting the amount and direction of movement in the front-rear direction applied by the operator to the handle, and the drive wheel 12 operates according to the detection value of the detection means. To do. For example, by operating the traveling handle 30 in the direction indicated by the arrow A (the front-rear direction in the figure), the traveling drive mechanism motor attached to the drive wheel 12 is driven, and the apparatus main body responds to the rotation of the drive wheel 12. And move in the direction indicated by arrow B. At this time, in the mobile X-ray apparatus of the first embodiment, the driving wheel 12 having a tire diameter larger than that of the front wheel 13 which is a free wheel is used, and thus stable straight traveling is possible.

  Next, a lateral movement mechanism in the mobile X-ray apparatus of Embodiment 1 will be described based on FIG. As apparent from FIG. 2, the lateral movement mechanism of the first embodiment has one end side disposed on the carriage 12 and the other end side of the support portion, and extends in the lateral direction of the apparatus main body. The rail part 201 is comprised. In particular, in the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment, the support unit 202 is configured to be able to expand and contract in the axial direction by a driving force of a motor (not shown). The support portion 202 and the rail portion 201 are stored in a state where the rail portion 201 is lifted from the floor surface, that is, the bottom portion of the carriage 11. On the other hand, in the lateral movement at the bedside or the like, that is, the movement of the driving wheel 12 in the rotation axis direction, the rail portion 201 arranged at the other end of the support portion 202 is grounded to the floor surface 24 by extending the support portion 202. Further, the drive wheel 12 is lifted from the floor surface 24 by further extending. Here, in the mobile X-ray apparatus of the first embodiment, as will be described in detail later, the rail portion 201 is formed to extend in the direction of the rotation axis of the drive wheel 12, and the support portion 202 of the rail portion 201 is formed. It is configured to be movable along the extending direction. Therefore, when the operator pushes the apparatus main body in the horizontal direction, that is, the rotation axis direction of the drive wheel 12, the front wheel 13 which is a free wheel is directed in the horizontal direction of the apparatus main body in accordance with the pressing force of the operator. Even after laying on the bed, the distance between the bed and the apparatus main body can be easily changed. In the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment, after the apparatus main body is moved to a desired position, an operation of contracting the expansion / contraction mechanism of the support unit 202 is performed to ground the driving wheel 12 to the floor surface 24 and the rail unit 201. Can be prevented from moving in the lateral direction and the front-rear direction by using a well-known brake mechanism of the drive wheel 12 as in the prior art.

<Detailed configuration of lateral movement mechanism>
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a detailed configuration of the lateral movement mechanism in the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 4A shows the lateral movement in the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment. It is an enlarged view from the back side for demonstrating the detailed structure of a moving mechanism, FIG.4 (b) is sectional drawing in the LL line | wire of Fig.4 (a).

  As shown in FIG. 4A, in the lateral movement mechanism of the first embodiment, the rail portion 201 includes a hollow guide rail portion (guide portion) 401 in which an opening extending in the extending direction is formed on the upper surface. It is comprised in the inside of the guide part 401, and is comprised from the some bearing 404 arranged in parallel by the extension direction of the guide part 401. FIG. Further, the support unit 202 combined with the rail unit 201 includes an expansion / contraction unit 402 that performs expansion / contraction operation in the direction of arrow J based on an instruction from an operator (not shown), and a guide unit disposed on the other end side of the expansion / contraction unit 402. The horizontal plate 403 extends in the extending direction 401. In particular, the guide portion 401 according to the first embodiment has a configuration in which the horizontal plate 403 is supported by the bearing 404 from the vertical direction.

  FIG. 4B shows the configuration at this time. As is clear from this drawing, the cross-sectional shape of the guide portion 401 is a rectangle, and an opening is formed at the upper end in the drawing. Yes. The other end side of the telescopic part 402 is inserted from this opening, and a horizontal plate 403 is attached to the tip part. At this time, the horizontal plate 403 is disposed inside the guide portion 401 so that the horizontal plate 403 is sandwiched by the bearings 404 from above and below, and the extending direction of the horizontal plate 403 coincides with the extending direction of the guide portion 401. It is formed as follows. With such a configuration, the X-ray apparatus main body connected to the other end of the telescopic portion 402 can be moved with a small force in the extending direction of the guide portion 401 while the guide portion 401 is grounded to the floor surface 24. It can be moved smoothly.

<Block configuration>
Next, FIG. 3 shows a block diagram for explaining the entire configuration of the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, based on FIG. 3, the block of the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment is shown. The configuration and operation will be described. However, in FIG. 3, the configuration other than the lateral movement operation button 302 and the support unit control circuit 305 is the same as that of the conventional mobile X-ray apparatus. Therefore, in the following description, the lateral movement operation button 302 and the support part control circuit 305 will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the mobile X-ray apparatus of the first embodiment, the CPU 60 switches between forward and backward in response to a movement direction instruction from a movement direction switching button 301 disposed on the operation panel 22. Yes. At this time, in the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment, the CPU 60 controls the travel motor drive control circuit 303 according to the detection amount detected by the detection means disposed on the travel handle 30. Here, in accordance with the drive control of the travel motor drive control circuit 303, the motor (left) 304L that drives the left drive wheel 12 and the motor (right) 304R that drives the right drive wheel 12 are driven. The vehicle travels according to the operation on the travel handle 30.

  When the apparatus main body is moved to the bedside by this traveling, when the apparatus main body is moved laterally, that is, when the distance from the bed is reduced or increased, the CPU 60 controls the support unit by operating the horizontal movement operation button 302 by the operator. The circuit 305 is controlled. Based on the operation control from the CPU 60, the support unit control circuit 305 operates a drive mechanism by a motor (not shown), so that the expansion / contraction unit 402 constituting the support unit 202 extends and the left and right drive wheels 12 float. Accordingly, when the operator pushes the apparatus main body in the bed direction or in the direction away from the bed, the support section 202 and the apparatus main body connected to the support section 202 are laterally moved along the rail section 201 installed on the floor surface. Is possible. After completion of the movement to the desired position, the operator operates the lateral movement operation button 302 to instruct the end of the lateral movement, so that the support unit control circuit 305 is based on the instruction from the CPU 60, so And the left and right drive wheels 12 are brought into contact with the floor, thereby preventing the movement of the apparatus main body. At this time, in the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment, the expansion / contraction part 402 is contracted, so that the rail part 201 is fixed at a position sufficiently raised from the floor surface 24, that is, the expansion / contraction part 402 (support part 202) and the rail. The part 201 (guide part 401) is stored at the bottom of the carriage 11.

  In the case of performing X-ray imaging after positioning on the bedside is completed, the operator moves the X-ray tube device 19 to a desired position by manual operation, and then applies the X-ray beam irradiation condition from the operation panel 22. By setting a certain tube current value, tube voltage, and irradiation range, the CPU 60 controls the collimator 20 to limit the irradiation range. Next, when the imaging start button is pressed, the CPU 60 controls the X-ray control device 21 to generate a high voltage from the battery 16 and supply it to the X-ray tube device 19 so that the X-ray beam is irradiated and the desired position is reached. X-ray imaging is performed.

  In the above description, the expansion / contraction mechanism 402 of the support unit 202 is expanded and contracted using a known motor controlled by the support unit control circuit 305. However, the present invention is not limited to this. An electric hydraulic pump or a stepping type hydraulic pump may be used, and the expansion / contraction mechanism 402 of the support portion 202 may be expanded and contracted by the hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump. In this case, it is possible to use a well-known piston-type expansion / contraction mechanism using hydraulic pressure or air pressure.

  Further, the configuration of the expansion / contraction part 402 is not limited to a well-known expansion / contraction mechanism using a motor, but is a mechanism such as a mechanism for moving a rod-like support member up and down with a well-known gear mechanism or the like, or a jack of an automobile. Other expansion / contraction mechanisms such as a mechanism that expands / contracts according to the amount of refraction of the pair of members assembled in a letter may be used.

  As described above, in the mobile X-ray apparatus of the first embodiment, the X-ray imaging unit having an X-ray tube device that irradiates the subject with X-rays, the free wheel disposed in the front part of the apparatus, and the rear part are disposed. And a carriage having a fixed wheel, and an X-ray imaging unit is mounted on the carriage. One end of a support mechanism having a telescopic function is attached to the carriage, and the fixed wheel protrudes in the floor direction by the operation of the operator. And a moving mechanism for moving the fixed wheel in the direction intersecting the traveling direction of the fixed wheel, that is, the rotation direction of the fixed wheel, on the other end side of the support mechanism. Since it has a configuration, it is possible to dramatically improve the operability in the left-right direction without providing a special mechanism for the fixed wheel serving as the drive wheel.

<Embodiment 2>
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the lateral movement mechanism in the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 5A shows the lateral movement in the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the second embodiment. It is an enlarged view from the back side for demonstrating the detailed structure of a mechanism, FIG.5 (b) is a sectional side view in the MM line | wire of Fig.5 (a). However, the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as that of the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment except for the lateral movement mechanism including the support portion 201 and the rail portion 202. Therefore, in the following description, a lateral movement mechanism having a configuration different from that of the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, in the lateral movement mechanism according to the second embodiment, the rail portion 201 includes a hollow guide rail portion (guide portion) 501 in which an opening extending in the extending direction is formed on the upper surface. . Further, the support unit 202 combined with the rail unit 201 is connected to the pair of expansion / contraction units 502 and a pair of expansion / contraction units 502 that perform expansion / contraction operation by a known motor mechanism in the direction of arrow J based on an instruction from an operator (not shown). A pair of first connecting portions 503 disposed horizontally on the floor surface 24, wheels 504 rotatably disposed between the pair of first connecting portions 503, and a telescopic portion 502 disposed in the guide portion 501. It is comprised from the 2nd connection part 505 attached to. Particularly, in the second embodiment, the wheel 504 for facilitating the movement with the rail 201 is arranged on the support portion 202 side.

  As apparent from FIG. 5B, also in the lateral movement mechanism of the second embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the guide portion 501 is rectangular, and an opening is formed at the upper end in the drawing. Further, the other end side of the expansion / contraction part 502 and the wheel 504 are inserted from the opening, and the expansion / contraction part 502 moves along the opening formed in the extending direction of the guide part 501. At this time, in the second embodiment, the wheels 504 roll on the inner peripheral surface of the guide portion 501, thereby allowing the expansion / contraction portion 502 to move with respect to the guide portion 501 with a small force.

  Furthermore, in the lateral movement mechanism of the second embodiment, the guide portion 501 is sandwiched between the first connecting portion 503 and the second connecting portion 505 disposed on the other end side of the expansion / contraction portion 502 serving as the support portion 202, whereby the guide The stability when the expansion / contraction part 502 is moved with respect to the part 501 is improved.

  As described above, in the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the second embodiment, the one end side of the support mechanism having an expansion / contraction function is attached to the carriage, and the floor surface is projected to the floor surface by the operator's operation and the fixed wheel is grounded to the fixed wheel. Since the fixed wheel is levitated from the other end side of the support mechanism, a moving mechanism that moves in the direction intersecting the traveling direction of the fixed wheel, that is, the rotation axis direction of the fixed wheel is provided. Similar to the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment, the operability in the horizontal direction can be dramatically improved without providing a special mechanism for the fixed wheel serving as the drive wheel.

<Embodiment 3>
FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the lateral movement mechanism in the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 6 is the back side of the carriage on which a pair of drive wheels are arranged. It is the expanded side view which looked at the said drive wheel part from between a pair of drive wheels. However, the mobile X-ray apparatus of the third embodiment is the same as the mobile X-ray apparatus of the first embodiment except for the configuration of the wheel switching mechanism 601 and the lateral movement wheel 602 that constitute the lateral movement mechanism. It becomes. Therefore, in the following description, the wheel switching mechanism 601 and the lateral movement wheel 602 having different configurations from the mobile X-ray apparatus of the first embodiment will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in the mobile X-ray apparatus of the third embodiment, for example, a well-known hinge mechanism 603 using a well-known motor (not shown) as a power source, and one end side of the hinge mechanism 603 are arranged, and the other end side. A wheel switching mechanism 601 is configured by the support portion 604 on which the lateral movement wheels 604 are disposed. At this time, as apparent from FIG. 6, when the wheel switching mechanism 201 is driven, that is, when the lateral movement wheel 202 is in contact with the floor surface 24, the driving wheel 12 floats from the floor surface. Therefore, it is possible to move laterally, that is, move in the bed direction, by the lateral movement wheels 604 instead of the drive wheels 12.

  At this time, in the lateral movement mechanism of the third embodiment, when the lateral movement mechanism is housed, the hinge mechanism 603 causes the support portion 604 and the lateral movement wheel 202 to move horizontally with the floor surface 24 as indicated by the dotted line in the figure. Since it is configured to be stored in the bottom portion of the carriage 11, the amount of protrusion from the bottom portion of the carriage 11 in the direction of the floor surface 24 can be suppressed, and the bottom portion of the carriage 11 can be lowered. . Therefore, in addition to the effect of the mobile X-ray apparatus of the first embodiment described above, a special effect that the center of gravity of the entire apparatus can be lowered can be obtained.

  In addition, in order to enable lateral movement of the apparatus main body, that is, movement in a direction intersecting with the traveling direction of the drive wheels 12, in the mobile X-ray apparatus of the third embodiment, the rotation axis of the drive wheels 12 and the lateral movement wheels. The lateral movement wheel 602 is arranged on the support portion 604 so that the rotational axis of the shaft 602 is orthogonal. However, the intersection angle between the rotation axis of the drive wheel 12 and the rotation axis of the lateral movement wheel 602 is not limited to orthogonal (90 °), and may be another angle.

  Furthermore, in the lateral movement mechanism of the third embodiment, the direction of rotation by the hinge mechanism 603 is set to the same direction as the rotation axis of the lateral movement wheel 602, so that the lateral movement mechanism is closer to the front side of the apparatus body than the hinge mechanism 603. Although the wheel 602 is stored, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the hinge mechanism 603 is operated by rotating the hinge mechanism 603 in a direction parallel to the rotation surface of the lateral movement wheel 602 (vertical direction in the figure), and the lateral movement wheel 602 is moved to the floor surface. The force acting on the contact surface between the lateral movement wheel 602 and the floor surface 24 due to the rotation of the hinge mechanism 603 during the period until the driving wheel 12 is completely lifted from the floor surface 24 after being grounded to the floor 24. It can be absorbed by the rotation of the moving wheel 602.

  In the lateral movement mechanism of the third embodiment, the lateral movement wheel 602 is arranged on the other end side of the support portion 604. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the rail portion of the first and second embodiments is not limited thereto. The above-described effects can be obtained even with the provided structure.

<Embodiment 4>
FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the lateral movement mechanism in the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 7 is an enlarged side view of the lateral movement mechanism as seen from the bottom side of the carriage. is there. However, the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the fourth embodiment has the same configuration as that of the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the first embodiment except for a mechanism that rotates each of the pair of drive wheels constituting the lateral movement mechanism. Therefore, in the following description, a mechanism for rotating drive wheels having a configuration different from that of the mobile X-ray apparatus of Embodiment 1 will be described in detail.

  As is apparent from FIG. 7, the lateral movement mechanism of the fourth embodiment includes a mechanism for rotating the drive wheels 12 in directions orthogonal to the traveling direction. In other words, the configuration includes two motors (wheel drive motors) 701 for driving the left and right drive wheels (traveling tires) 704 separately. At this time, the rotation shaft 706 of each wheel drive motor 701 is arranged in parallel with the apparatus main body when traveling straight, and the rotation shaft 706 projects from the wheel drive motor 701 toward the rear of the X-ray apparatus main body. It has become. A motor gear 702 is disposed at the tip of the rotating shaft 706 of each wheel driving motor 701. On the other hand, the drive wheel 704 is disposed at one end of the drive shaft 705, and a tire rotation gear 703 is disposed at the other end of the drive shaft 705. The drive shaft 705 is supported by a known rotation mechanism (not shown) at its center position G. The driving wheel 704 and the tire rotating gear 703 including the driving shaft 705 can be rotated in the H direction shown in the figure with the center G as the rotation center by the rotating operation by the rotating mechanism. ing.

  Here, in the mobile X-ray apparatus of the fourth embodiment, when performing normal traveling such as movement between hospital rooms, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 7, the driving shaft 706 of the wheel driving motor 701 and the driving are driven. The motor gear 702 and the tire rotation gear 703 form a bevel gear perpendicular to the drive shaft 705 that is the rotation shaft of the wheel 704. On the other hand, when the apparatus main body is moved laterally, as shown by a dotted line in FIG. 7, the drive wheel 704 including the drive shaft 705 and the tire rotation gear 703 are driven by the rotation mechanism (not shown) on the left drive wheel 704 in the drawing. By rotating 90 ° counterclockwise around the center G, the motor gear 702 and the tire rotating gear 703 are engaged with each other, and the driving force of the wheel driving motor 701 can be transmitted to the driving wheels 704. Similarly, in the drive wheel 704 on the right side in the drawing, the drive wheel 704 including the drive shaft 705 and the tire rotation gear 703 are rotated 90 ° clockwise around the center G by a rotation mechanism (not shown). The motor gear 702 and the tire rotation gear 703 mesh with each other in the same axial direction, so that the driving force of the wheel drive motor 701 can be transmitted to the drive wheels 704. At this time, since the direction of the drive wheel 704 is in the horizontal direction of the apparatus main body, the apparatus main body moves laterally by rotating the drive wheel 704, and the operability of the apparatus main body in the horizontal direction is greatly improved. Can be made.

  FIG. 8 is a block diagram for explaining the overall configuration of the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, based on FIGS. 7 and 8, the block of the mobile X-ray apparatus according to the fourth embodiment is shown. The configuration and operation will be described. However, the configuration excluding the movement direction switching button 801, the lateral movement operation button 802, the tire switching motor drive control circuit 803, the tire direction switching motor 804, and the motor 706 related to the lateral movement is the same as that of the first embodiment. The configuration is the same as that of the apparatus. Therefore, in the following description, the configuration and operation related to the lateral movement will be described in detail.

  In the mobile X-ray apparatus of the fourth embodiment, the CPU 60 controls the travel motor drive control circuit 303 according to the detection amount from the detection means disposed on the travel handle 30 in the travel control during normal travel. Here, the motor (left) and the motor (right) 706 that drive each drive wheel 12 are driven in accordance with the drive control of the travel motor drive control circuit 303, so that the operation to the travel handle 30 is performed. Driving is done.

  On the other hand, when the apparatus main body is moved laterally, that is, when the distance from the bed is decreased or increased, the CPU 60 controls the tire switching motor drive control circuit 803 when the operator operates the movement direction switching button 801. Based on the operation control from the CPU 60, the tire switching motor drive control circuit 803 drives the tire direction switching motor 804 and rotates it by 90 ° from the position indicated by the solid line to the position indicated by the dotted line in FIG. By this rotation operation, as described above, the direction of the drive wheel 704 is rotated from the front-rear direction of the X-ray apparatus main body to the horizontal direction (left-right direction of the apparatus main body).

  Next, when the operator operates the lateral movement operation button 802, the CPU 60 controls the traveling motor drive control circuit 303. Based on the operation control from the CPU 60, the traveling motor drive control circuit 303 drives the two motors 706, so that the rotation of the motor 706 is performed via the motor gear 706, the tire rotation gear 705, and the drive shaft 705. Thus, the rotation of the driving wheel 704 causes the apparatus main body to move laterally. However, the movement of the apparatus main body after the end of the lateral movement is prevented by a brake mechanism (not shown) arranged on the drive wheel 704.

  In the mobile X-ray apparatuses according to the first to fourth embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to a medical mobile X-ray apparatus has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to medical use, and luggage. The present invention can also be applied to other mobile X-ray apparatuses such as for inspection.

  Moreover, in this invention, since it has the structure which arrange | positions a free wheel on the one side of the front-back direction, and arrange | positions the drive wheel what is called a fixed wheel fixed to the other side, it has the stable straightness. Accordingly, stable movement is possible even when the movement distance such as movement between hospital rooms during a round is long.

  In the first to third embodiments, only the driving wheel 12 that is a fixed wheel is lifted from the floor surface 24 and the apparatus main body is moved laterally by the free wheel 13 and the lateral movement mechanism. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In other words, the lateral movement mechanism may be provided on the free wheel side as well as the drive wheel side.

  In the first and second embodiments, after the lateral movement is finished, the driving wheel 12 of the apparatus main body is landed on the floor surface 24, and the lateral movement of the apparatus main body is caused by the lateral friction between the driving wheel 12 and the floor surface. For example, a brake mechanism may be provided in the rail portion 201 and the lateral movement of the apparatus main body may be suppressed without causing the driving wheel 12 to land on the floor surface 24 by the brake mechanism.

  In the mobile X-ray apparatuses of the first to third embodiments, the support portion and the rail portion are moved by the operator's force. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a known gear mechanism or ultrasonic motor is used. The apparatus main body may be moved laterally using a drive mechanism such as a horizontal drive mechanism.

  As mentioned above, the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiment of the invention. However, the invention is not limited to the embodiment of the invention, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It can be changed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Carriage, 12 ... Drive wheel, 13 ... Front wheel, 15 ... Housing, 16 ... Battery, 17 ... Strut 18 ... X-ray tube support mechanism, 19 ... X-ray tube device, 20 ... Collimator, 21 ... X-ray control device 22 ... Operation panel, 23 ... Lock mechanism, 30 ... Travel handle mechanism, 60 ... CPU
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 201 ... Rail part, 202 ... Support part, 301 ... Movement direction switch button 302 ... Lateral movement operation button, 303 ... Driving motor drive control circuit 304L ... Motor (left), 304R ... Motor (right), 305 ... Support part control Circuits 401, 501 ... Guide part, 402, 502 ... Expandable part, 403 ... Horizontal plate 404 ... Bearing, 503 ... First connecting part, 504 ... Wheel, 505 ... Second connecting part 601 ... Wheel switching mechanism, 602 ... Transverse movement Wheel 603 ... Hinge mechanism 604 ... Wheel for lateral movement, 701 ... Motor for driving wheel, 702 ... Gear for motor 703 ... Gear for tire rotation, 704 ... Drive wheel (traveling tire), 705 ... Drive shaft 706 ... Rotation axis

Claims (3)

An X-ray imaging unit having an X-ray generation unit for irradiating the subject with X-rays;
A mobile X-ray apparatus comprising a carriage having a free wheel disposed on one side with respect to the traveling direction and a fixed wheel disposed on the other side, wherein the X-ray imaging unit is mounted on the carriage. There,
A support mechanism that is attached to the carriage, protrudes at least in the direction of the ground contact surface, and floats the fixed wheel from the ground contact surface;
A moving X-ray apparatus comprising: a moving mechanism that is disposed on the support mechanism and moves in a direction that intersects a traveling direction of the fixed wheel. The mobile X-ray apparatus according to claim 1,
The support mechanism includes a telescopic mechanism having one end attached to the carriage and the other end extending and contracting in the direction of the ground plane. The mobile X-ray apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The moving mechanism includes a guide portion that extends in a direction intersecting with the traveling direction of the fixed ring;
A support portion for supporting the guide portion on the other end side of the support mechanism;
A movable X-ray apparatus comprising: a movable portion that moves the support portion in the extending direction along the extending direction of the guide portion.

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