JP2903279B2 - Cassette - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cassette for storing a sheet-like image recording medium such as an X-ray photographic film and a stimulable phosphor sheet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an X-ray photographic film has been known as a recording medium for recording a radiation image of a human body or the like. Further, as a recording medium used for the same purpose, for example, a stimulable phosphor sheet disclosed in, for example, JP-A-55-12429 and JP-A-56-11395, that is, a sheet having a layer of a stimulable phosphor is also known. Has become. The above-mentioned stimulable phosphor is such that when it is irradiated with radiation (X-ray, α-ray, β-ray, γ-ray, ultraviolet ray, electron beam, etc.), a part of its energy is accumulated and then irradiated with excitation light such as visible light. The phosphor is a phosphor that emits stimulable luminescence in response to stored energy.

After recording (photographing) a radiation image of the subject by irradiating the stimulable phosphor sheet with radiation transmitted through the subject, for example, the stimulable phosphor sheet is two-dimensionally scanned with excitation light. At this time, if photostimulated light emitted from the sheet is photoelectrically detected, an electrical image signal indicating radiation image information can be obtained.

The above-mentioned stimulable phosphor sheet and X-ray photographic film are usually handled in a light-shielding cassette or magazine. The cassette accommodates sheet-shaped image recording media such as a stimulable phosphor sheet one by one, and usually has a box partially provided with an opening for taking a recording medium in and out, and a box including the box. And a lid for opening and closing the opening. When a radiographic image is taken (recorded) using this cassette, the cassette is arranged, for example, at a position to receive radiation that has passed through the subject, so that the radiation is accumulated on a stimulable phosphor sheet or the like stored in the cassette. It is irradiated and a radiation image is captured there.

As shown in, for example, JP-A-63-103231, there is also provided a cassette in which the above-mentioned opening is provided small at one end of a box. When such a cassette is used, the sheet-shaped image recording medium is taken out of the cassette by sliding in a direction parallel to the surface thereof, or is stored in the cassette. This kind of cassette
For example, when loaded into a reading device for reading radiation image information from a stimulable phosphor sheet on which a radiation image was taken, in order to take out the stored recording medium,
Part of the image recording medium pops out of the cassette opening,
It is necessary to feed the leading end to a sheet conveying device such as a nip roller. Further, when automatically storing the sheet-shaped image recording medium in an empty cassette, if the image recording medium is fed into the cassette using a sheet conveying device such as the nip roller, the image recording medium is separated from the nip roller or the like. At this point, the rear end portion is still protruding from the cassette opening, so it is necessary to push the image recording medium a little so as to be completely contained in the cassette.

As described above, in order to cause the image recording medium to slightly jump out of the opening of the cassette box or to slightly feed the image recording medium into the box, conventionally, an apparatus for freely dropping the image recording medium by gravity has been used. In addition, there is a device in which a rotating roller is inserted into the cassette from a portion where the lid of the cassette is opened, and the rotating roller is pressed against the surface of the image recording medium to send the image recording medium out of the box or to send the image recording medium into the box. Are known.

[0007]

However, in the above-described apparatus that relies on gravity, the reliability is low, and a mistake in taking out or feeding in the image recording medium tends to occur.
Further, in this device, there is also a disadvantage that the attachment / detachment direction of the cassette is restricted because of relying on gravity. On the other hand, an apparatus using a rotating roller has a drawback that the reliability is high, but the cost tends to be high because a driving device is required.

In any of the above apparatuses, the operation of taking out the image recording medium is started after the cassette is completely loaded, and the cassette is pulled out after the image recording medium is completely stored in the cassette. Therefore, there is also a problem that the time required from the loading of the cassette to the delivery of the image recording medium and the time required from the storage of the image recording medium to the removal of the cassette tend to be long.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and when an image recording medium is loaded in a cassette utilizing device, the image recording medium can be sent out from the box slightly and quickly. When the image recording medium is fed, the image recording medium can be reliably and quickly stored in the case, and further, no driving means is required, and the mounting / removing direction with respect to the cassette utilizing device is restricted. The purpose is to provide a cassette that does not have any.

[0010]

A cassette according to the present invention accommodates a sheet-like image recording medium as described above,
A box provided with an opening for taking in and out the recording medium on one end side, and a lid body for opening and closing the opening of the box, which is loaded from the one end side into the cassette utilization device and loaded, In the cassette which is pulled out in the direction opposite to the loading direction and is taken out, a moving member which moves in one direction and the other direction while being interfered with a member on the cassette utilization device side when the cassette is loaded and unloaded is attached to the case. While being connected to the moving member and engaging with the image recording medium, by moving the moving member in one direction, a part of the image recording medium stored in the box is sent out of the box through the opening, A sheet transfer device that completely pulls the image recording medium, part of which is housed in the case, through the opening into the case by moving the moving member in the other direction; It is characterized in that the bets is provided.

[0011]

When the cassette having the above-mentioned structure is loaded into the cassette utilizing device, the moving member in the case moves in one direction. Is sent out of the cassette through the opening. On the other hand, when the cassette is taken out from the cassette utilizing device, the moving member moves in the other direction, and the image recording medium is completely stored in the cassette by the sheet transport mechanism that is linked to the moving member.

As described above, the cassette of the present invention uses the loading operation and the pulling-out operation from the cassette using device to send out and pull in the image recording medium, so that the cassette is simultaneously loaded into the cassette using device. Then, the image recording medium is sent out, and the image recording medium can be stored in parallel with the pulling out of the cassette using device. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the time from loading the cassette to feeding out the image recording medium, and from the storage of the image recording medium to the removal of the cassette in a short time. In addition, since the image recording medium is sent and retracted as described above, a driving means for these operations is unnecessary, and therefore, if the present cassette is used, the image recording medium can be sent and retracted. It is possible to avoid a significant increase in the cost of the cassette utilizing device.

In the present cassette, the image recording medium is sent and retracted without relying on gravity, so that the mounting and dismounting direction is not restricted, and these operations can be reliably performed. Become.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall plan view of a cassette 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part thereof, and FIG. 3 shows a plan shape of the main part.

The cassette 10 accommodates the above-described stimulable phosphor sheet 11 by way of example.
And a lid 13 that opens and closes an opening 12a for taking in and out the stimulable phosphor sheet provided in the box 12. The box 12 and the lid 13 are formed of, for example, a synthetic resin. Then, the lid 13 is attached to the box 12 so as to be swingable about a swing axis A substantially parallel to the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 stored in the box 12, as described above. It swings to open and close the opening 12a. In order to make the lid 13 swingable in this way, for example, a known hinge mechanism is used, or the lid 13 and the box 12 are integrally formed of synthetic resin, and the lid 13 is What is necessary is just to be able to bend at 12 with a hinge line.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show that the lid 13 has an opening.
12a shows a state where 12a is open (opened state) and a state where 12a is closed (closed state). In FIG. 3, the lid lock is released by a manual operation described later. 2 and 3 show only the left end of the cassette 10, a mechanism similar to that shown is also provided at the right end of the cassette.

The housing 12 is movable in a direction (arrows B and C) which is parallel to the stored stimulable phosphor sheet 11 and perpendicular to the swing axis A of the lid 13. Then, a slider (moving body) 14 is held. This slider 14
Is formed by a guide member 15 formed on the inner surface of the box 12,
It is guided so as to be movable only in the above directions. Further, a lock claw 16 as an engagement portion is formed integrally with the slider 14.

A spring receiver 17 is formed on the box 12.
A compression coil spring is provided between the spring receiver 17 and the slider 14.
18 are arranged. Thus, the slider 14 is biased toward the front end of the cassette (in the direction of arrow B). The slider 14 urged in this manner is held at a position (lock position) where the overhang portion 14a contacts the stopper 19 formed on the guide member 15 unless another external force is received. The slider 14 is further integrally formed with a pressing member 20 having an upper portion formed as a slope portion gradually lowering toward the coil spring 18 side, and a projection 21 for manual lock release described later.
Further, a hook portion 22 for maintaining the state of manual lock release is formed inside the slider 14 on the box 12.

Next, the structure of the cover 13 will be described. Inside the lid 13, a lock claw 30 as an engaged portion protruding toward the upper surface of the slider 14 and a similarly pressed protruding projection 37 are fixed. A manual operation piece 31 is attached to the lid 13 so as to be movable in the directions of arrows D and E, that is, in the direction parallel to the directions of arrows B and C when the lid is closed. The manual operation piece 31 has a projection 32 protruding outward and laterally.
Is fixed to a hooking piece 33 which can move elastically in the direction of arrow K. On the upper surface of the manual operation piece 31, an operation section 34 having a wave-shaped cross section is formed.
It is exposed to the outside through an opening 35 formed in 13.

The manual operation piece 31 is held movably as described above by a holding member 39 (omitted in FIG. 2), and the cover 13 is inserted into two elongated guide grooves 31a formed therein. Each of the pins 13b is fixed so as to be movable only in the directions of arrows D and E.

The manual operation piece 31 is urged in the direction of arrow E by a compression coil spring 36. Unless another external force acts on the manual operation piece 31 urged in this manner, the arc portion of the operation portion 34 comes into contact with the opening 35 and is maintained at the predetermined lock position. This lock position is
When the lid 13 is closed, the rear end surface of the projection 32 of the manual operation piece 31 (the surface on the rear side in FIG. 2) is the front end surface of the projection 21 of the slider 14 also in the locked position (see FIG. 2 (front side in FIG. 2) at a small interval.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
A pair of guide members 15 serving as left and right inner frames are partially cut out, and an opening 12e is provided in a side wall of the box 12 at a portion facing each notch 15e from the outside. I have. A pinion 70 as a moving member is disposed between the opening 12e and the notch 15e. The pinion 70 is rotatably held by a holding member 72 swinging around a shaft 71 in a plane parallel to the stimulable phosphor sheet 11. Further, the holding member 72 is urged by a torsion coil spring 73 incorporated in the shaft 71 so that the tip side moves outward and outward. As a result, if each pinion 70 receives no other external force,
A part thereof keeps slightly protruding from the opening 12e.

As shown in FIG. 7, a roller 74 as a sheet transfer mechanism is fixed to each pinion 70 in a coaxial state. The roller 74 has a pulley-like outer shape, and its peripheral surface is formed of a material such as rubber, which has a relatively large friction coefficient with the side end surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11.

Next, the operation of the cassette 10 having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG.
Shows the side cross-sectional shape of the cassette 10 around the lid lock mechanism for each of the four states when the lid is opened. First, box 12
When the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is accommodated therein and the lid 13 is closed, the locking claw of the lid 13 is closed as shown in FIG.
30 engages with the locking claw 16 of the slider 14, and the lid 13 is locked so as to maintain this closed state.

The cassette 10 containing the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 therein is used for radiographic image capturing as described above, and then loaded into the radiographic image information reading device 40 shown in FIG. At this time, the cassette 10 is inserted into the cassette insertion opening 40a of the radiation image information reading device 40 from the front end (the end provided with the opening 12a), and is pushed to a predetermined loading position in that posture. A guide member (not shown) is provided inside the radiation image information reading device 40 for guiding the left and right ends of the cassette 10 pushed in in this manner.

When the cassette 10 is loaded in this manner, the lock release pin 41 fixed in the radiation image information reading device 40 so as to extend in a direction parallel to the loading direction is attached to the casing.
The rod enters the box 12 through a pin passage hole 12b (see FIG. 2) provided in the rod 12, and pushes the slider 14 backward (in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 2) against the urging force of the spring 18. . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4B, the lock claw 16 of the slider 14 is separated from the lock claw 30 of the lid 13, and the locked state of the lid 13 is released.

When the cassette 10 is further pushed in, the slider 14 moves further, and as shown in FIG. 4C, the slope of the pressing member 20 presses the pressed projection 37 of the lid 13 so that the cam is pressed. The pressed projection 37 is pushed upward by the action, and the lid 13 swings around the swing axis A to open the opening 12a. When the cassette 10 is pushed into the predetermined loading position, the front end of the cassette 10 contacts the stopper 42 as shown in FIG. 4 (4), and the cassette 10 is held at that position.

As described above, when the cassette 10 is loaded at a predetermined position in the radiation image information reading device 40, the lock is automatically released and the lid is opened. Then, a small amount of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is automatically sent out from the cassette 10 thus automatically opened. Hereinafter, this point will be described with reference to FIG.

A pair of racks 75 extending in the cassette loading direction are fixed to the radiation image information reading device 40 at a height position at which the pinion 70 of the loaded cassette 10 can be engaged. Each rack 75 has slope portions 75a and 75b at both ends. As shown in Fig. 8 (1), these racks
Reference numeral 75 is disposed at a position where the lock release pin 41 does not mesh with the pinion 70 when the lock release pin 41 does not contact the slider 14. Then, when the cassette 10 is pushed in and the unlocking pin 41 pushes the slider 14 as shown in FIG. Mesh with. Prior to the engagement, the pinion 70 rides on the slope 75a of the rack 75, and is pushed by the slope 75a to move inward while resisting the urging force of the torsion coil spring 73. Pinion 70 rack
When the roller 75 is engaged, the groove on the peripheral surface of the roller 74 is pressed against the side end face of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11.

Thereafter, when the cassette 10 is further pushed in, the pinions 70 meshing with the rack 75 rotate, and the rollers 74 rotate accordingly. Then, the tangential force of the rotating roller 74 is transmitted to the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 by frictional engagement, and the sheet 11 moves to the front side in the cassette loading direction, that is, to the opening 12a side of the box 12.

As described above, the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is sent out when the cassette 10 is pushed in, and
As shown in (3), the front end of the cassette 10 is
When the sheet 11 is in contact with the sheet 11, the front end of the sheet 11 jumps out of the opening 12a of the box 12, and is held between the nip rollers 45 of the radiation image information reading device 40.

In this state, the pinion 70 rides over the rack 75 and leaves it. Therefore, the pinion 70 and the roller 74 are biased by the biasing force of the torsion coil spring 73.
Move outward, and the roller 74 is separated from the side end surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11. If so, the stimulable phosphor sheet will be placed in the empty cassette 10 as described below.
When the 11 is loaded, it can be easily loaded.

The stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is formed by the guide plates 46, 47, 48 shown in FIG. 5, the nip roller 45 and other nip rollers 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56,
The sheet is conveyed to the reading section 62 via the erasing section 60 by a sheet conveying system including 57 and the like. The reading processing of the radiation image information in the reading section 62 is known, for example, from Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 55-12429, and will be briefly described below. The stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is moved by an arrow H in FIG.
It is conveyed at a constant speed in the direction. Then, the laser beam 64 as excitation light emitted from the main scanning optical system 63 scans the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the arrow H (main scanning).

The stimulable phosphor sheet 11 irradiated with the laser beam 64 emits stimulable luminescence light in an amount corresponding to the radiation image information stored and recorded therein. The light is detected via a light guide 65 by a photodetector 66 such as a photomultiplier tube. Therefore, from the photodetector 66, an output signal S indicating the radiation image information stored and recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is obtained. If the signal S is sent to an image reproducing device such as a CRT display device or an optical scanning recording device for image reproduction, the radiation image recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is reproduced as a visible image.

The stimulable phosphor sheet 11 from which the reading of the radiation image information has been completed is sent from the reading section 62 to the erasing section 60 by rotating the nip rollers 49 to 57 in the opposite direction. The erasing section 60 is connected to the stimulable phosphor sheet 11.
Are passed, a plurality of erasing light sources 61 are turned on, and the erasing light emitted from the plurality of erasing light sources 61 is applied to the stimulable phosphor sheet 11. The radiation energy remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 even after reading the radiation image information is released from the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 by this erasing light irradiation, and the sheet 11 can be newly used for radiographic image capturing. Becomes

The stimulable phosphor sheet having been subjected to the erasing process
11 is the nip roller rotating in the opposite direction to the previous case
By 45, it is carried into the cassette 10. Next, the operation of completely removing the stimulable phosphor sheet is performed in the reverse manner, whereby the lid of the cassette 10 is closed and the lid 13 is locked. That is, first, when the rear end of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 conveyed by the nip roller 45 is separated from the nip roller 45, the portion close to the rear end protrudes from the cassette 10 and stops.

When the conveyance of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is thus stopped by, for example, a display device, the apparatus operator puts the cassette 10 into the cassette insertion port 40.
Pull out from a. Then, in this case, the pinion 70 rides on the slope portion 75 b and then meshes with the rack 75, and the groove on the peripheral surface of the roller 74 is pressed against the side end surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11. When the cassette 10 is pulled out as it is, the pinion 70 meshing with the rack 75 rotates in the opposite direction to the case where the cassette is loaded. Accordingly, the roller 74 also rotates, so that the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is fed into the cassette. In this way, when the cassette 10 is pulled out to a position where the pinion 70 is separated from the inclined surface 75a of the rack 75, the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is completely stored in the box 12.

On the other hand, as the cassette 10 is pulled out as described above, the states of the slider 14 and the lid 13 are changed in the order of (4), (3), (2) and (1) in FIG. Then, the lid is closed and the lid 13 is locked.

However, at this time, before the slider 14 returns to the locked position shown in FIG. 4A, the lid 13 may not be able to return to the completely closed position. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, the lock claw 30 of the lid 13 is
They are on top of 16 and they do not engage. Therefore, the cassette 10 is installed in the radiation image information reading device 40.
A pair of lid closing rollers that elastically contact the
68 are provided. These rollers 68 are
When the is pulled out, the cover 13 is disposed at a position to press an upper surface portion (a portion indicated by a dashed circle J in FIG. 2) substantially corresponding to the back side of the lock claw 30 installation portion.

The cover 13 is provided by such a cover closing roller 68.
Is pushed downward, the lock claw 30 attempts to push the lock claw 16 downward. At this time, the lock claw 16 moves in the direction of arrow C by the action of the tapered surfaces of both lock claws 30, 16, and when the lid 13 is completely closed, the lock claw 16 returns to the lock position by the force of the spring 18, and the lock Engage with the pawl 30. As described above, when the cassette 10 is completely pulled out from the cassette insertion opening 40a of the radiation image information reading device 40, the lock claws 30 and 16 are always engaged with each other and the lid 13 is locked. Become.

The lid 13 of the cassette 10 is manually operated for loading the radiation image information reading apparatus 40 as described above, and for exchanging and checking the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 to be stored, for example. The lid may be opened. Hereinafter, the operation will be described. When the lid 13 is in the closed state, when the operator presses the operation unit 34 of the pair of manual operation pieces 31 attached thereto in the direction of arrow D in FIG. The protrusions 32 of the 31 move the slider 14 in the same direction via the protrusions 21. Then, the slider 14 enters the state shown in FIG. 4 (2), and the lock of the lid 13 is released.

When the manual operation piece 31 is thus pushed to be in the unlocked state, the hooking piece 33 fixed to the manual operation piece 31 deforms elastically and rides over the hooking portion 22, and Hang on. Then, each spring 1
The slider 14 and the manual operation piece 31 urged by 8 and 36 are used by the operator to operate the operation section of the manual operation piece 31.
Even if you release your hand from 34, it does not return to the locked position. Therefore, the operator can release the hand from the operation unit 34 and open the lid 13 by manual operation.

When the lid 13 is opened as described above, the latch piece 33 comes off the latch portion 22, so that the slider 14 and the manual operation piece 31 return to the lock position by the urging forces of the springs 18 and 36, respectively. . Therefore, for example, after exchanging the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 or the like, the lid 13 is closed by pushing the broken line circle J in FIG. Is pressed, the lock claw 30 engages with the lock claw 16, and the lid 13 is locked in the closed state.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In these drawings, the same elements as those already described are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof will be omitted (the same applies hereinafter). In the cassette 110 of the second embodiment, a rack 75 similar to that of FIG. In this embodiment, the slider 14 and the pinion 70
And the rack 75 constitute a moving member, and the disk-shaped magnetic body 76 fixed coaxially with the pinion 70 constitutes a sheet transfer mechanism. The stimulable phosphor sheet 11 housed in the cassette 110 of the second embodiment has a back surface (FIG. 10).
(A top surface in the middle) on which a magnetic layer is formed.

For example, when the cassette 110 having the above configuration is pushed into the radiation image information reading device 40 shown in FIG.
When the lock release pin 41 provided on the reader 40 pushes the slider 14, the rack 75 moves linearly and the pinion 70 moves.
The pinion 70 is rotated. At this time, since the pinion 70 moves toward the inside of the cassette, the magnetic material 76 is adsorbed on the back surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11. When the pinion 70 rotates as described above, the disk-shaped magnetic body 76 also rotates, and the tangential force of the stimulable phosphor sheet is magnetically engaged.
Then, the sheet 11 is sent out from the box opening 12a. When pulling out the cassette 10, the pinion 70 and the disk-shaped magnetic body 76 rotate in the opposite direction to the above case,
The stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is completely stored in the cassette 10.

Note that, as described above, the stimulable phosphor sheet 11
A mechanism for transferring the sheet 11 by magnetically engaging the disk-shaped magnetic body 76 with the disk-shaped magnetic body 76 may be employed instead of the roller 74 in the apparatus of FIG. Further, in the apparatus of the second embodiment, the roller 74 used in the apparatus of FIG. 1 can be used in place of the above-mentioned sheet transport mechanism.

Next, a cassette 210 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 11, an elongated rod 77 is fixed to the slider 14 and extends in the movement direction and reaches near the box end opposite to the side where the opening 12a is installed. In the box 12, an elliptical rotary member 78 in contact with the tip of the rod 77 is rotatably held around a rotary shaft 78a extending in the thickness direction of the cassette. The rotating member 78 includes the rotating shaft
A clip 79 is held so as to be swingable around a swing shaft 79a parallel to 78a.

FIGS. 12A and 12B show this rotating member 78.
Are shown for different states. As shown in FIG. 12, the other end of the tension coil spring 90 having one end fixed to the box 12 is hooked to the rotating member 78. Therefore, the rotating member 78 is pulled by the spring 90 and is urged to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. The slider 14
Is urged toward the front end of the cassette (in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 11). The slider 14 urged in this manner is held at a position (lock position) where the overhang portion 14a contacts the stopper 19 formed on the guide member 15 unless another external force is received.

As shown in FIG. 13, the clip 79 has a groove 79a having a substantially V-shaped cross section on the side surface of the swinging end, and the groove 79a is formed at the end of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11. Hold the part. Therefore, in the cassette 210, unlike the cassettes of the first and second embodiments, the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is always held. However, the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 does not accidentally slip down.

Next, the operation of the cassette 210 having the above configuration will be described. The cassette 210 is also mounted on the radiation image information reading apparatus 40 shown in FIG. 5, and the unlocking and opening operation of the lid 13 at that time, and the closing operation and the locking of the lid 13 at the time of pulling out the cassette are performed by the first operation. This is performed in the same manner as the cassette 10 of the embodiment.

On the other hand, when the cassette is loaded, the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is pulled out as follows. Cassette
When 210 is loaded, the lock release pin 41 fixed to the radiation image information reading device enters the box 12 through the pin passage hole 12b (see FIG. 11) provided in the box 12,
The slider 14 is pushed inward (in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 11) against the urging force of the spring 90. When the slider 14 moves as described above, the tip of the rod 77 pushes the rotating member 78, and the rotating member 78 rotates clockwise in FIG. 12 against the urging force of the spring 90. The rotating member 78 is at the position shown in FIG. 11A when the lid is closed, but the front end of the cassette 210 is
In the state of contact with, it rotates to the position shown in FIG. When the rotating member 78 rotates in this way, the clip 79 is pushed forward while swinging relative to the rotating member 78, so that the front end portion of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 held by the clip 79 is It pops out of the opening 12a of the box 12. Thus, the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 jumping out of the cassette 210 is carried out in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

When the rotating member 78 rotates as described above, the clip 79 swings rearward (downward in FIG. 12) relative to the rotating member 78, but when it swings to a predetermined position. It comes into contact with a stopper (not shown) on the rotating member 78 side and cannot swing any further. In this manner, the relative positional relationship between the rotating member 78 and the clip 79 finally reaches the state shown in FIG. 12B, and in this state, the clip 79 moves to push the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 forward.

When the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is stored in the cassette 210, the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is drawn by the nip roller 45 (see FIG. 5) of the radiation image information reader 40.
It is carried to the position shown in 12 (b). Then, the end of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is gripped by the clip 79. Next, when the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is pulled out of the radiation image information reading device 40, the rotating member 78
It rotates from the position shown in (b) to the position shown in (a). Accordingly, the clip 79 moves rearward, so that the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 held by the clip 79 is
It is retracted to the position shown in FIG. 12 (a) and completely stored in the box 12.

As is apparent from the above description, in the third embodiment, the slider 14, the rod 77, and the rotating member 78 are moving members, and the clip 79 and the spring 90 constitute a sheet transfer mechanism. .

Instead of providing the clip 79 as described above, the rotating member 78 is formed of a magnetic material, and the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 having the magnetic material fixed on the back surface is adsorbed to the rotating member 78, and the rotating member 78 is attached to the rotating member 78. Eleven delivery and retractions can be made. By doing so, the entire surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 can be used as a recording area, and the end of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 can be curved so as to rise from the bottom of the cassette for holding by a clip, Or it will not be damaged. This is the same for the above-described second embodiment.

On the other hand, in the cassette 10 of the first embodiment,
Since the left and right end surfaces of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 are fed out while being pressed by the rollers 74, the action of defining the width direction position of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 by these rollers 74 is also obtained.

The present invention is also applicable to a cassette for storing an image recording medium other than the stimulable phosphor sheet described above. Even when an image recording medium such as an X-ray film is handled, if a magnetic material is mixed in the film base, the above-described sheet transfer mechanism by magnetic force engagement can be employed.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a cassette which does not have a large swinging lid, has a slit-shaped opening at the front end portion for taking in and out the image recording medium, and closes this opening with a telem-shaped lid. Is also applicable.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially broken plan view showing a cassette according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of the cassette.

FIG. 3 is a partially broken plan view showing a main part of the cassette.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view sequentially showing an operation state of main parts when the cassette is opened;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of a radiographic image information reading apparatus in which the cassette is loaded.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing a state of a main part when the cassette is closed.

FIG. 7 is an elevational sectional view showing a part of the cassette;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional plan view sequentially showing a state in which a part of the stimulable phosphor sheet is pulled out from the cassette.

FIG. 9 is a partially broken plan view showing a cassette according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an elevational sectional view showing a part of the cassette of the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a cassette according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a partially broken plan view showing the main part of the cassette according to the third embodiment in each state when the cassette is closed and when the lid is opened.

FIG. 13 is an elevational sectional view showing a part of the cassette of the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 110, 210 cassette 11 stimulable phosphor sheet 12 box 12a box opening 12b box pin passage hole 13 lid 14 slider 15 guide member 16 locking claw (engaging portion) 18, 36 compression coil spring 19 Stopper 20 Pressing member 21, 32 Projection 22 Locking portion 30 Lock claw (engaged portion) 31 Manual operation piece 33 Locking piece 37 Pressed protrusion 40 Radiation image information reader 40a Cassette insertion slot 41 Lock release pin 70 Pinion 72 Holding member 73 Torsion coil spring 74 Roller 75 Rack 76 Magnetic material 77 Rod 78 Rotary member 79 Clip 90 Tension coil spring A Swing axis of lid

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A box which stores a sheet-shaped image recording medium and has an opening at one end side for taking in and out the recording medium, and a lid for opening and closing the opening of the box, A cassette which is loaded into the cassette using device from the one end side and is pulled out in a direction opposite to the loading direction to be taken out.The cassette is attached to the box, and a member of the cassette using device is used when loading and unloading the cassette. A moving member that moves in one direction and the other direction by interference, and is connected to the moving member and engages with the image recording medium, and is accommodated in the box by moving the moving member in one direction. While a part of the image recording medium is sent out of the box through the opening, the moving member moves in the other direction so that the part is stored in the box through the opening. Cassette, characterized in that the image recording medium and a sheet transport mechanism fully drawn into a box body provided. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving member is a pinion that meshes with a rack fixed to the cassette using device in a state extending in a direction parallel to a cassette loading direction, wherein the sheet transfer mechanism rotates in conjunction with the pinion, 2. The cassette according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral surface or the end surface is a rotating body that frictionally or magnetically engages the image recording medium. 3. A lid, which is set to an unlocked position by being pressed by a pressing member on the cassette utilization device side when the cassette is loaded into the casing, and is returned to the locked position by a spring when the cassette is removed from the pressing member when the cassette is taken out. The cassette according to claim 1, wherein a lock member is provided, and the moving member is moved by the lock member. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving member includes a rack that reciprocates with the reciprocating movement of the lock member, and a pinion that meshes with the rack, wherein the sheet transfer mechanism rotates in conjunction with the pinion, The cassette according to claim 3, wherein the peripheral surface or the end surface is a rotating body that frictionally or magnetically engages the image recording medium. 5. The sheet transfer mechanism moves under the force of a moving member that reciprocates, and a groove having a substantially V-shaped cross section grips an end of the image recording medium to feed and retract the image recording medium. 4. The cassette according to claim 3, wherein the cassette is performed.