JP2024045469A - Radiography device and power supply connector - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a radiography device that can be charged at all times without providing a non-contact power receiving circuit inside and without connecting to a wired cable. [Solution] The radiography device 1 includes a connector section 39 to which a power supply connector 5 having a power receiving section 54 capable of receiving power from the outside in a non-contact manner can be connected, a fixing section 41 for fixing the power supply connector 5 to the connector section 39, a charging circuit 25 that charges the sensor panel SP using power supplied from the power supply connector 5 connected to the connector section 39, and a sensor panel SP that operates using the power charged by the charging circuit 25. [Selected Figure] Figure 6

Description

The present invention relates to a radiographic apparatus and a power supply connector.

In a radiation imaging device (FPD: Flat Panel Detector), which detects radiation emitted from a radiation source and passes through a subject to capture a radiation image, a sensor panel (panel) serving as a radiation detection unit that detects radiation and a control board are used. In order to obtain the necessary power, it is necessary to charge the battery by inserting it into a cradle or connecting it to a cable when the remaining power runs out. However, when using a cradle, you have to check the amount of power remaining, and if it is low, you have to go back and forth to the cradle, one cradle can only charge one radiography device, and it cannot be charged in an environment without an AC outlet. There is a problem. When using a wired cable, there are problems such as having to be careful about the routing of the wires and not being able to charge the battery in an environment where there is no AC outlet.

In recent years, a technology has been developed that provides wireless charging by having a power receiving circuit inside the radiography device and a power supply circuit installed on an upright radiography stand or the like. However, the currently mainstream magnetic non-contact power supply technology requires that the power receiving unit and the power supply unit be located in close proximity, and it is thought that restrictions on the location of the power receiving unit may be imposed due to restrictions on the device, etc. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, multiple power receiving units are placed inside the panel housing, allowing for reliable power reception without restrictions. In Patent Document 2, a holding function is provided using a recess or magnet to maintain the positional relationship between the power supply unit and the power receiving unit, allowing for reliable charging. In addition, by making the power receiving unit movable, it is possible to move the power receiving unit outside the panel housing.

Patent No. 6362472 Patent No. 6355365

However, the technique of Patent Document 1 has the following problems.
(1) Having multiple power receiving sections on the panel increases cost and weight.
(2) Restrictions remain regarding the state (position, orientation) of the panel.
(3) To charge the battery on the photographing stand, the photographing stand must be modified.
(4) Incompatible with previous models.

Furthermore, the technique of Patent Document 2 has the following problems.
(1) The panel structure becomes complicated, resulting in increased costs and weight.
(2) The structure for connecting the wires remains unchanged, limiting the flexibility of handling.
(3) There is no compatibility with previous models.

The objective of the present invention is to enable constant charging of a radiography device without the need to install a non-contact power receiving circuit inside or connect to a wired cable.

In order to solve the above problem, a radiographic apparatus according to the invention according to claim 1 includes:
a connector part to which a power supply connector having a power reception part capable of receiving power from the outside without contact can be connected;
a fixing part for fixing the power supply connector to the connector part;
a charging circuit that performs charging from power supplied from a power supply connector connected to the connector section;
a radiation detection unit that operates using electric power charged by the charging circuit;
Equipped with.

The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1,
The connector section is configured to be capable of data communication with an external device connected to the connector section.

The radiation imaging apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention comprises:
A connector section capable of receiving power from a connected external device;
a charging circuit that charges the device using power supplied from an external device connected to the connector;
a radiation detection unit that operates using power charged by the charging circuit;
a control unit that identifies an external device connected to the connector unit and controls a power state of the radiation detection unit and a charging state of the charging circuit in accordance with the connected external device;
Equipped with.

The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 3,
The control unit stops or limits charging by the charging circuit during photographing.

The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claim 3,
The control unit causes the external device to reduce the power supplied to the radiation imaging apparatus by transmitting a signal instructing the external device to reduce power supply at the time of starting imaging.

The power supply connector of the invention according to claim 6 comprises:
a power receiving unit capable of receiving power from an external device in a non-contact manner;
A connector for connecting to an external device;
Equipped with
The power received by the power receiving portion is supplied to an external device connected to the connector portion.

The invention according to claim 7 is the invention according to claim 6,
The power receiving section is provided in the same housing as the connector section.

The invention described in claim 8 is the invention described in claim 6,
The power receiving unit is provided outside a housing in which the connector unit is provided.

According to the present invention, it is possible to charge a radiographic device at all times without having to provide a non-contact power receiving circuit inside or connect to a wired cable.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a radiographic apparatus. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a radiation imaging apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a power supply connector is attached to the radiation imaging apparatus. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the power supply connector of FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of a control process executed by a control unit in FIG. 3 . 1 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a power supply connector having a power receiving unit outside a housing in which a connector unit is provided; FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the power supply connector of FIG. 7 is attached to a radiation imaging apparatus.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example.

[Configuration of Radiation Imaging Apparatus 1]
First, the configuration of the radiation imaging apparatus 1 will be described.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a radiographic apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the housing 2 of the radiography device 1 has a radiation incident surface R, which is the surface on the side where radiation is incident, and is formed by closing the openings on both sides of the hollow rectangular cylindrical housing main body 2A with cover members 2B and 2C. The cover member 2B on one side of the housing 2 is provided with a power switch 37, a changeover switch 38, a connector section 39, and an indicator 40 consisting of an LED or the like that displays the state of the battery 24 (see Figure 2 and Figure 3 described later, etc.) and the operating state of the radiography device 1, etc.

The connector section 39 can be connected to (attachable to) external devices such as a power supply connector 5, a wired cable, and a cradle, which will be described later. The connector section 39 supplies power supplied from a connected external device to the inside of the radiation imaging apparatus 1, and performs data communication with a connected external device (for example, transmitting image data to an external device, etc.). do.
A fixing part 41 is provided at or near the connector part 39, and includes a magnet for fixing a connected external device such as the power supply connector 5, a recess for attaching a screw, and the like.

Note that as the battery 24, it is possible to use, for example, a power storage device such as a lithium ion capacitor or an electric double layer capacitor, a battery such as a lithium ion battery, a secondary battery, or the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, a base 31 is disposed inside the housing 2, and the radiation entrance surface R side of the base 31 (hereinafter simply referred to as the upper surface side in accordance with the vertical direction in the figure). ) is provided with a sensor substrate 4 via a thin lead plate (not shown) or the like. Although not shown in the drawings, the surface of the sensor substrate 4 on the side of the radiation incidence surface R is provided with a structure in which the incident radiation (in this configuration example, more precisely, the incident radiation is converted into light by the scintillator 3 described later). Radiation detection elements such as photodiodes that convert the converted light into electrical signals are arranged in a two-dimensional (matrix) manner. The scintillator substrate 34 is arranged so that the scintillator 3 that converts the irradiated radiation into light such as visible light is disposed on the upper surface side of the sensor substrate 4, that is, on the side where the radiation detection elements are arranged two-dimensionally. It is located.

The PCB board 33 on which electronic components 32 and the like are arranged, the battery 24, and the like are attached to the underside of the base 31. In this way, the base 31, the sensor board 4, and the like form a sensor panel SP as a radiation detection unit. In this embodiment, a cushioning material 35 is provided between the sensor panel SP and the side of the housing 2.

Here, we will explain the functional configuration of the radiation imaging device 1, in particular the configuration related to charging the battery 24. Figure 3 is a block diagram explaining the internal configuration of the radiation imaging device.

The radiation imaging apparatus 1 includes a control unit 22 that controls the operation of the sensor panel SP and the various functional units provided on the sensor panel SP and within the radiation imaging apparatus 1. The control unit 22 is configured with a computer having a bus connected to a central processing unit (CPU), read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), input/output interface, etc. (not shown), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The control unit 22 may be configured with a dedicated control circuit. Appropriate devices and circuits, such as a storage means (not shown), are also connected to the control unit 22.

Further, in this embodiment, the control unit 22 is connected to the connector unit 39 of the radiation imaging apparatus 1, and as described above, external devices such as the power supply connector 5 and a wired cable are connected to the connector unit 39. When a connector ID and a cable ID, which are identification information of an external device, are inputted via the connector section 39, these pieces of information are inputted to the control section 22. For example, the storage means stores a table showing the correspondence between identification information and external device information (device name, type, etc.), and the control unit 22 selects the connected external device based on the identification information. can be identified. Further, the storage means stores a table showing the correspondence between identification information and power supply capacity, and the control unit 22 can recognize the power supply capacity of the connected external device based on the received identification information. can. Note that a table showing the correspondence between input voltage and external device information (or power supply capacity) may be stored, and the connected external device (or power supply capacity) may be identified based on the input voltage.

On the other hand, a charging circuit 25 for charging the battery 24 is provided on a power supply path 30 for charging from the connector section 39 to the battery 24 . The charging circuit 25 is supplied with power for charging from an external device such as the power supply connector 5 or a wired cable via the connector section 39, and based on this, power is supplied from the charging circuit 25 to the battery 24. Then, the battery 24 is charged. The battery 24 supplies power necessary for the operation of each functional section such as the control section 22 and the sensor panel SP.

In this embodiment, when the power supply connector 5 is connected to the connector unit 39, the control unit 22 constantly operates the sensor panel SP with power from the battery 24. When a wired cable is connected to the connector unit 39, the control unit 22 operates the sensor panel SP with power supplied via the connector unit 39.

Although not shown, it is also possible to provide a backflow prevention circuit between the charging circuit 25 and the connector section 39 to prevent current from flowing back from the charging circuit 25 to the connector section 39, or to provide a voltage detection means for detecting the voltage of the battery 24.

[Configuration of power supply connector 5]
Next, the configuration of the power supply connector 5 will be explained. As shown in FIG. 4, the power supply connector 5 is a device that can be attached to the radiographic apparatus 1, receives power supplied from an external source (not shown) in a non-contact manner, and supplies the received power to the radiographic apparatus 1. be. In other words, if a power supply device such as a transmitter that can supply power using a non-contact radio wave method is placed within a range where the power supply connector 5 can receive the radio waves, the power supply connector 5 can be simply attached to the radiation imaging apparatus 1. , power can be supplied to the radiation imaging apparatus 1.

Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the main components of the power supply connector 5. As shown in Figure 5, the power supply connector 5 includes a connector section 51, a fixing section 52, an identification information storage section 53, and a power receiving section 54.

The connector unit 51 connects to the connector unit 39 of the radiation imaging device 1 and supplies power from the power receiving unit 54 to the radiation imaging device 1. The connector unit 51 is also capable of data communication with the connector unit 39 of the radiation imaging device 1, and when connected to the connector unit 39, for example, transmits a connector connection signal that includes a connector ID for identifying the power supply connector 5, which is stored in the identification information storage unit 53.

The fixing part 52 is provided at or near the connector part 51 and is composed of a magnet, a screw, etc. for fixing the power supply connector 5 to the radiography device 1.

The power receiving unit 54 includes a power receiving circuit 54a and a power receiving antenna 54b, and receives power transmitted from an external device such as a transmitter (not shown) using a wireless radio wave method in a non-contact manner, and outputs it to the connector unit 51. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the power receiving section 54 is provided within a casing 55 in which the connector section 51 is provided. This allows the entire power supply connector 5 to be attached to the radiographic apparatus 1 in close contact with the radiographic apparatus 1, making it easier to handle the radiographic apparatus 1 to which the power supply connector 5 is attached.

In this way, the power supply connector 5 can receive power from the outside without contact, and by connecting the power supply connector 5 to the radiographic apparatus 1, the received power is supplied from the power supply connector 5 to the radiographic apparatus 1. By attaching the power supply connector 5 to the radiographic apparatus 1, it is possible to constantly charge the radiographic apparatus 1 without providing a non-contact power receiving circuit inside the radiographic apparatus 1 or without connecting it to a wired cable. becomes. That is, it is possible to constantly charge the radiographic apparatus 1 and the radiographing table without making any major modifications to the radiographic apparatus 1 or the radiographing table, and without restricting the degree of freedom in handling. Furthermore, since the capacity of the battery 24 can be reduced by being able to be constantly charged, the cost and weight of the radiographic apparatus 1 can be reduced. Furthermore, by attaching the power supply connector 5 to each of the plurality of radiation imaging apparatuses 1, it becomes possible to charge a plurality of images simultaneously within the radio wave range, thereby improving work efficiency.

[Operation of radiographic apparatus 1]
Next, the operation of the radiographic apparatus 1 will be explained.
When the connector section 39 receives the connector connection signal, the control section 22 acquires identification information of the external device connected via the connector section 39, and determines whether the connected external device is a device to which power can be supplied. In this case, the control processing shown in FIG. 6 is executed in cooperation with the program stored in the ROM. In the control process, the power state of the sensor panel SP and the charging state of the charging circuit 25 are controlled according to the connected external device. The control processing will be explained below.

First, the control unit 22 determines whether or not the power supply capacity of the connected external device is large (step S1).
For example, the control unit 22 identifies the connected device and determines whether the power supply capacity is large (larger than a predetermined supply power) based on the identification information of the external device connected by communication via the connector unit 39. Alternatively, the control unit 22 may determine the connected device and the power supply capacity based on the input voltage from the connected device. In this embodiment, for example, if the connected device is the power supply connector 5, the control unit 22 determines that the power supply capacity is small. If the connected device is the wired cable 6, the control unit 22 determines that the power supply capacity is large.

If it is determined that the power supply capacity of the connected device is large (step S1; YES), the control unit 22 performs the control of steps S2 to S11.

First, the control unit 22 turns off the power saving mode (step S2).
When the power supply capacity is large, sufficient power can be supplied to the sensor panel SP, so there is no need to put the sensor panel SP into the power saving mode, and the power saving mode is turned off.

Next, the voltage of the battery 24 is checked (step S3).
If it is determined that the voltage of the battery 24 is not below a predetermined reference value (exceeds the reference value) (step S4; NO), the control unit 22 terminates charging of the battery 24 by the charging circuit 25 (step S9) and returns to step S3.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the voltage of the battery 24 is equal to or lower than the predetermined reference value (step S4; YES), the control unit 22 causes the charging circuit 25 to charge the battery 24 (step S5).

Next, the control unit 22 determines whether the current operating state is a shooting preparation state (step S6).
If it is determined that the camera is not in a state ready for shooting (step S6; NO), the control unit 22 continues normal charging (step S7) and determines whether the voltage of the battery 24 has exceeded a predetermined reference value (step S8).
When it is determined that the voltage of the battery 24 does not exceed the predetermined reference value (step S8; NO), the control unit 22 returns to step S5.
When it is determined that the voltage of the battery 24 has exceeded a predetermined reference value (step S8; YES), the control unit 22 ends charging (step S9) and returns to step S3.

If it is determined that the camera is ready for photographing (step S6; YES), the control unit 22 controls the charging circuit 25 to stop charging or limit the current (step S10).
As a method of current limitation, for example, the charging circuit 25 is controlled to reduce the amount of charge. Alternatively, for example, a control program is installed that reduces the power supply when a shooting start signal is received as a signal instructing the external device to reduce the power supply, and the control unit 22 connects the connector unit when shooting starts. The imaging start signal may be transmitted to the external device via the connector 39, and the power supplied from the connector section 51 to the external device may be reduced.
In this way, by reducing charging by the charging circuit 25 during photographing, noise from the circuit is reduced, so that the influence of noise on images can be suppressed.

When shooting is completed (step S11), the control unit 22 returns to step S5 and charges the battery 24 using the charging circuit 25. The control unit 22 repeatedly executes steps S3 to S11 until the external device is removed from the connector unit 39.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S1 that the power supply capacity of the connected device is small (step S1; NO), the control unit 22 performs control in steps S12 to S23.

First, the power saving mode is turned on (step S12).
When the power supply capacity is small, the sensor panel SP is put into a power saving mode in order to reduce power consumption as much as possible until the image capture preparation state is reached.

Next, the voltage of the battery 24 is checked (step S13).
If it is determined that the voltage of the battery 24 is not below a predetermined reference value (exceeds the reference value) (step S14; NO), the control unit 22 terminates charging of the battery 24 by the charging circuit 25 (step S19) and returns to step S13.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the voltage of the battery 24 is below a predetermined reference value (step S14; YES), the control unit 22 causes the charging circuit 25 to charge the battery 24 (step S15).

Next, the control unit 22 determines whether the current operating state is a shooting preparation state (step S16).
If it is determined that the camera is not in a state ready for shooting (step S16; NO), the control unit 22 continues normal charging (step S17), and determines whether the voltage of the battery 24 has exceeded a predetermined reference value (step S18).
When it is determined that the voltage of the battery 24 does not exceed the predetermined reference value (step S18; NO), the control unit 22 returns to step S15.
When it is determined that the voltage of the battery 24 has exceeded a predetermined reference value (step S18; YES), the control unit 22 ends charging (step S19) and returns to step S13.

If it is determined that the camera is ready for shooting (step S16; YES), the control unit 22 turns off the power saving mode (step S20) and controls the charging circuit 25 to stop charging or limit the current. (Step S21).
Current limiting methods include, for example, controlling the charging circuit 25 to reduce the amount of charge, or, if the power supply connector 5 is connected, starting imaging to the power supply connector 5 via the connector section 39. The signal is transmitted and the power supplied from the connector section 51 is reduced.
In this way, by reducing the amount of charging by the charging circuit 25 during photographing, noise from the circuit is reduced, so that the influence of noise on images can be suppressed.

When shooting is completed (step S22), the control unit 22 turns on the power saving mode (step S23), and the process returns to step S15, where the charging circuit 25 charges the battery 24.
The control unit 22 repeatedly executes steps S13 to S23 until the external device is removed from the connector unit 39.

In the above control process, if an external device with a low power supply capacity is connected, the camera switches to power saving mode, but if an external device with a high power supply capacity is connected, the camera does not switch to power saving mode. This controls the power state of the sensor panel SP and the charging state of the charging circuit 25 according to the external device connected to the connector unit 39, making it possible to perform shooting without losing time due to unnecessary mode switching operations.

(Modification)
In the above embodiment, the power supply connector 5 has been described using an example in which the power receiving unit 54 is provided in the same housing 55 as the connector portion 51, but the power receiving unit 54 may also be provided outside the housing 55 in which the connector portion 51 is provided.
For example, as in the power supply connector 5A shown in Fig. 7, a power receiving unit 54 may be provided outside a housing 55 in which a connector unit 51 is provided, via a power supply cable unit 56. This makes it possible to receive power by placing the power receiving unit 54 outside, even if the device is surrounded by many shielding objects such as metal. Fig. 8 shows the power supply connector 5A attached to the radiation imaging device 1.

As described above, the radiographic apparatus 1 includes a connector section 39 to which the power supply connector 5 having the power receiving section 54 capable of receiving power from the outside without contact can be connected, and a connector section 39 for fixing the power supply connector 5 to the connector section 39. , a charging circuit 25 that performs charging from power supplied from the power supply connector 5 connected to the connector portion 39, and a sensor panel SP that operates using the power charged by the charging circuit 25. .
Therefore, by attaching the power supply connector 5, the radiographic apparatus 1 can be constantly charged without providing a non-contact power receiving circuit inside the radiographic apparatus 1 and without connecting to a wired cable. can. That is, it is possible to constantly charge the radiographic apparatus 1 and the radiographing table without making any major modifications to the radiographic apparatus 1 or the radiographing table, and without restricting the degree of freedom in handling. Furthermore, since the capacity of the battery 24 can be reduced by being able to be constantly charged, the cost and weight of the radiographic apparatus 1 can be reduced. Furthermore, by attaching the power supply connector 5 to each of the plurality of radiation imaging apparatuses 1, it becomes possible to charge a plurality of images simultaneously within the radio wave range, thereby improving work efficiency.

In addition, the connector unit 39 is configured to enable data communication with an external device connected to the connector unit 39, so it is possible to communicate with an external device using the same connector unit 39. For example, it is possible to transmit image data captured by the sensor panel SP to an external device.

Further, the control unit 22 of the radiation imaging apparatus 1 identifies the external device connected to the connector unit 39, and controls the power state of the sensor panel SP and the charging state by the charging circuit 25 according to the connected external device. . Therefore, it is possible to operate in an optimal power state and charging state depending on the external devices connected to the connector section 39, such as the power supply connector 5, wired cable, and cradle. For example, depending on whether the connected external device is the power supply connector 5 or a wired cable, it is possible to take pictures without losing time due to switching between power saving modes or the like.

Furthermore, the control unit 22 can reduce the generation of noise and its effect on the image by stopping or limiting charging by the charging circuit 25 during shooting.
Alternatively, when imaging begins, the control unit can send a signal to the external device instructing it to reduce the power supplied to the external device, thereby causing the external device to reduce the power supplied to the radiation imaging device 1, thereby reducing the generation of noise and suppressing the impact on the image.

In addition, the power supply connector 5 is equipped with a power receiving unit 54 capable of receiving power contactlessly from the outside, and a connector unit 51 for connecting to an external device, and supplies the power received by the power receiving unit 54 to the external device connected to the connector unit 51.
Therefore, by attaching the charging device to a radiation imaging device 1 that does not have a non-contact power receiving function, it becomes possible to charge the radiation imaging device 1 in a non-contact manner.

For example, by providing the power receiving unit 54 in the same housing as the connector unit 51, the entire power supply connector 5 can be attached in close contact with the radiography device 1, making it easier to handle the radiography device 1 to which the power supply connector 5 is attached.

In addition, for example, the power receiving unit 54 can be configured to be provided outside the housing 55 in which the connector unit 51 is provided, so that even if the device is surrounded by many shielding objects such as metal, it is possible to receive power by placing the power receiving unit 54 outside.

Note that the description in the above embodiment is a preferred example of the radiation imaging apparatus and power supply connector according to the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto.
Further, the detailed configuration and detailed operation of each part constituting the radiographic apparatus and the power supply connector can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1 Radiographic apparatus 22 Control section 24 Battery 25 Charging circuit 39 Connector section SP Sensor panel 5 Power feeding connector 51 Connector section 52 Fixing section 53 Identification information storage section 54 Power receiving section 54a Power receiving circuit 54b Power receiving antenna 55 Housing 56 Power feeding cable section

Claims (8)

a connector section to which a power supply connector having a power receiving section capable of receiving power from an outside source in a non-contact manner can be connected;
a fixing portion for fixing the power supply connector to the connector portion;
a charging circuit that charges the device using power supplied from a power supply connector connected to the connector portion;
a radiation detection unit that operates using power charged by the charging circuit;
A radiography apparatus comprising: The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connector section is configured to be capable of data communication with an external device connected to the connector section. A connector part that can receive power from a connected external device,
a charging circuit that performs charging from power supplied from an external device connected to the connector section;
a radiation detection unit that operates using electric power charged by the charging circuit;
a control unit that identifies an external device connected to the connector unit and controls a power state of the radiation detection unit and a charging state of the charging circuit according to the connected external device;
A radiographic apparatus comprising: The radiographic imaging device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit stops or limits charging by the charging circuit during imaging. The radiographic imaging device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit transmits a signal to the external device at the start of imaging to instruct the external device to reduce the power supplied to the radiographic imaging device. A power receiving unit that can receive power from the outside without contact;
A connector part for connecting with external equipment,
Equipped with
A power supply connector that supplies power received by the power receiving section to an external device connected to the connector section. The power supply connector according to claim 6, wherein the power receiving unit is provided in the same housing as the connector unit. The power supply connector according to claim 6, wherein the power receiving section is provided outside a casing in which the connector section is provided.

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