JPH01212066A - Multi semiconductor laser beam source device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To generate an excellent beam in reading and recording without expanding the whole body of an image information reading and reproducing device by fixing plural semiconductor lasers for read and those for reproduction on one same supporter and using the both semiconductor lasers switchingly between read and reproduction. CONSTITUTION:The semiconductor lasers 3A-3H for read and those 3I, 3J for reproduction are fixed on the same supporter 2, and only the lasers 3A-3H for read are driven when reading, while at the time of reproducing, only those 3I, 3J are driven, and thus a read beam and a recording beam are respectively emitted in specific optical paths. As a result, a beam source for read and that for recording can be collected closely, hence a read beam and a recording beam can be emitted without expanding the whole of an image information reading and reproducing device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Field of the Invention) The present invention is capable of reading image information recorded on an image information sheet, such as a stimulable phosphor sheet, using the same scanning system, and scanning the read image information on the recording sheet. The present invention relates to a multi-semiconductor laser light source device used in an image information reading and reproducing device that reproduces images.

(Prior art) Light containing image information is obtained by two-dimensionally scanning a light beam such as a laser beam over a sheet on which image information is conventionally recorded, and then irradiating the light beam onto the sheet. (
For example, an image information reading device that reads image information recorded on a sheet by detecting reflected light, transmitted light, emitted light) using a light detection means equipped with a photomultiplier tube, etc. It is widely used as an input device, etc.

Also, when certain types of phosphors are irradiated with radiation (X-rays, alpha rays, beta rays, gamma rays, electron beams, ultraviolet rays, etc.), some of this radiation energy is accumulated in the phosphors, making them visible. It is known that when irradiated with excitation light such as light, phosphors exhibit stimulated luminescence depending on the accumulated energy. )
It is called. Using this stimulable phosphor, radiation image information of a subject such as a human body is partially recorded on a sheet of stimulable phosphor, and this stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned with excitation light such as a laser beam to make it shine. The resulting stimulated luminescence is read photoelectrically to obtain an image signal, and based on this image signal, a radiation image of the subject is recorded on a recording material such as a photographic light-sensitive material.
The applicant has already proposed a radiation image information recording and reproducing system that outputs a visible image to a CRT or the like.

(Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-12429, 5B-11195,
No. 55-183472.

No. 5B-104845, No. 55-118340, etc. ) In the above system, the image information accumulated and recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet is transmitted to the radiation image information reader by deflecting the excitation light to main scan the stimulable phosphor sheet and transmitting the image information between the stimulable phosphor sheet and the excitation light. The entire surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned with excitation light by relatively moving the stimulable phosphor sheet in the sub-scanning direction, and the stimulated luminescent light emitted from the scanning position is read by photoelectrically detecting it with a photodetector.

On the other hand, image information read by a reading device such as the radiation image information reading device described above is modulated based on an image signal obtained by the reading device onto a recording sheet that is relatively transported in the sub-scanning direction. The image is recorded and reproduced as a visible image by main-scanning the light beam.

Therefore, conventionally, in order to form a final visible image of the image information recorded on an image information sheet such as a stimulable phosphor sheet, in addition to a reading device that reads the image information, a recording device is required. A playback device was required to record image information on the sheet.

In particular, in the radiation image information recording and reproducing system described above,
In recent years, various improvements have been made based on the desire to simplify the entire system as much as possible, downsize the entire device, and reduce manufacturing costs. Therefore, a device has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 184877/1987, etc., in which a conventional reading device and a reproducing device, both of which perform scanning using a light beam, are integrated, and reading and reproducing are performed using the same scanning system.

However, in the above-mentioned reading/reproducing device,
° During reading, scanning must be performed with a light beam of a fixed amount of light, and during reproduction, scanning must be performed with a light beam modulated based on image information.
In No. 84877, the optical modulator is inserted into the light beam during reproduction and withdrawn from the light beam during reading, but in this case a mechanism for moving the optical modulator is required, making the configuration complicated. Therefore, an acousto-optic modulator (A
The applicant has already proposed a reading/reproducing device in which an optical modulator such as OM) is fixedly provided in a light beam, thereby simplifying the mechanism and making it possible to obtain a suitable light beam during reading and recording. (Patent application 1982-385505)
issue).

Incidentally, it has been known to use a semiconductor laser as a means for generating reading light for reading image information or recording light for reproducing image information.

Semiconductor lasers have the advantage of being smaller, cheaper, and consume less power than gas lasers (in addition to being able to perform so-called analog direct modulation, in which the output is changed by controlling the drive current), they are the preferred choice for AOMs, etc. There is no need to provide a separate adjustment device, and even when used in the above-mentioned reading/reproducing apparatus, problems such as taking the AOM in and out of the optical path do not occur.

However, although semiconductor lasers have the above-mentioned advantages, their current output is only 20 to 80 mW when continuously oscillated, and therefore, the radiation image requires high-energy scanning light as excitation light. It is difficult to use it as a means for generating reading light in an information reading device or the like.

Therefore, as mentioned above, in order to obtain a sufficiently high-energy scanning beam from a semiconductor laser with low optical output, it is necessary to use multiple semiconductor lasers and combine the laser beams emitted from these semiconductor lasers into one beam. Conceivable.

In order to combine the laser beams emitted from multiple semiconductor lasers into a single laser beam as described above and use it as scanning light, the laser beams emitted from each semiconductor laser are usually collimated into parallel beams using a collimator lens. After that, it is common to guide the light into parallel optical paths close to each other and make the light enter an optical deflector.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the image information reading and reproducing device that reads and reproduces image information in the same device, which high output scanning light is required when reading the above-mentioned image when reproducing the image? Therefore, when using a multi-semiconductor laser light source device equipped with a large number of semiconductor lasers as a light source for generating reading light, it is not necessary to separately provide a light source that emits relatively low output recording light in addition to this light source device. However, there is a disadvantage that the structure of the device becomes complicated and large.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is used in an image information reading and reproducing device that performs reading and reproduction using the same scanning system, and is capable of combining reading light and recording without complicating or increasing the size of the device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-semiconductor laser light source device that can emit light.

(Means for Solving the Problems) A multi-semiconductor laser light source device of the present invention includes a plurality of reading semiconductor lasers, one or more reproducing semiconductor lasers, the reading semiconductor laser, and the reproducing semiconductor laser. A collimator optical system that converts the laser beams emitted from each into parallel beams, and an optical path adjustment element that emits the laser beams into parallel optical paths close to each other are supported by the same support, and when reading the image information, A control unit that drives the reading semiconductor laser to oscillate a laser beam, and drives the reproduction semiconductor laser to oscillate the laser beam when reproducing the image information. It is.

Note that when the laser beams are emitted into parallel optical paths close to each other, they can be incident on the same reflective surface of an optical deflector and deflected, or can be focused at the same position by a single scanning lens, etc. This means that each laser beam is emitted in a state where it can be treated as a single beam of light.

Further, in that case, some of the laser beams may be emitted onto the same optical path.

(Function) In the multi-semiconductor laser light source device of the present invention, a reading semiconductor laser and a reproducing semiconductor laser are fixed to the same support, and only the reading semiconductor laser is driven during reading, and the reproducing semiconductor laser is driven during reproducing. Since it is possible to drive only the semiconductor laser and emit the reading light and recording light onto predetermined optical paths, the reading light source and the recording light source can be compactly integrated into one, and the entire device can be used in image information reading and reproducing devices. Suitable reading light and recording light can be emitted without increasing the size of the device.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-semiconductor laser light source device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the illustrated multi-semiconductor laser light source device 1, the upper plate 2A of the support 2 includes eight reading semiconductor lasers 3A and 3B whose laser emission axes are parallel to each other.

Two reproducing semiconductor lasers 3L3J and 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F, 3G, and 3H are fixed, and 10 lasers are mounted on the middle plate 2B of the support 2, facing these semiconductor lasers 3A to 3J. A concave lens 4 is fixed to the lower plate 2C, and ten prism mirrors 5, which are optical path adjusting elements, are respectively fixed to the lower plate 2C. Note that the semiconductor lasers 3A to 3J, the concave lens 4,
The prism mirror 5 is the upper plate 3A and the middle plate 3B, respectively.

They are arranged symmetrically with respect to the wall portion 2D of the support body that integrally supports the lower plate 3C.

A convex lens 6 is disposed inside the upper plate 2A, facing each of the semiconductor lasers 3A to 3J.

(As an example, FIG. 2, which is a sectional view taken along the line X--X in FIG. 1, shows a convex lens 6 facing the semiconductor laser 3). In this device, the concave lens 4 and the convex lens 6 constitute a collimator optical system. As shown in FIG. 2, the laser beam 3a emitted from the semiconductor laser 3A becomes a parallel beam by passing through this collimator optical system, and the laser beams 3b to 3'' emitted from the other semiconductor lasers 3B to 3J also become parallel beams. Similarly, collimator optical systems disposed on each optical path form parallel beams.

Laser beams 3a, 8cs 3e become parallel beams
.

3g and 81 are reflected by the prism mirror 5 disposed below and then incident on the polarization beam splitter. The semiconductor lasers 3A and 3C.

3E, 3G, 3 I are laser beams 3as Bes 3
The prism mirrors 5 on the optical path of these laser beams are arranged to be gradually shifted in the vertical direction as shown in the figure. , laser beam 3a.

3c, Bes 8L The reflection position by the prism mirror 5 of 31 is slightly shifted only in the vertical direction, and the laser beam 3as 3c, reflected by each prism mirror 5,
Be.

3g and 81 follow parallel optical paths very close to each other in the vertical direction. Further, on the back side of the wall portion 2D, laser beams 3b, ad, 3f', 8h, 3j emitted from the semiconductor lasers 3B, 3D, 3F, 3H, 3J
In exactly the same way, they are reflected by the prism mirror 5 and take parallel optical paths very close to each other in the vertical direction. In addition, wall part 2
Laser beams emitted from semiconductor lasers placed at opposing positions via D (for example, laser beams 3a and 3b)
, the heights of the laser beams 3c and 3d) reflected by the prism mirror 5 are equal to each other, and all the semiconductor lasers 3A to 3J have the same polarization direction in the laser beams 3a to 3j reflected by the prism mirror 5. is fixed to the upper plate 2a so that the angle is uniform (in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 1).

The polarizing beam splitter 7 has a characteristic of reflecting light polarized in the direction of arrow a, and the polarizing beam splitter 7
as 3c, 8es 3gs at is reflected by this polarizing beam splitter. On the other hand, laser beam ab
, ad, ar, ah, sj are mirrors s ni,
J1. After being reflected and changing the optical path by about 90'',
By passing through the wavelength plate 9, the polarization direction is changed by 90@, and the light becomes polarized in the direction indicated by the arrow. The polarizing beam splitter 7 transmits the light polarized in the direction indicated by the arrow, so that the laser beam lb,
3d, 3f, ah, and 3j pass through the polarizing beam splitter 7, and the laser beams 3b become the laser beams 3a.
The laser beam 3d is the laser beam 3c, the laser beam 3r is the laser beam 3e, the laser beam 3h is the laser beam 3g, and the laser beam 3j is the laser beam 3.
1 and are respectively emitted onto the same optical path. The beam cross section of the 1G laser beams 3a to 3j emitted into parallel optical paths in close proximity to each other in this manner is shown in FIG.

By the way, for convenience, 10 semiconductor lasers 38 to 3J
The structure of the light source device has been described assuming that a laser beam is emitted from the 3D laser beam at once. However, this light source device is used in a reading/reproducing device that reads and reproduces image information, and includes semiconductor lasers 3A to 3H for reading. is driven only during reading, and the reproducing semiconductor lasers 31 and 3J are driven only during reproducing. The operation of the present light source device will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, which are perspective views showing the outline of image information reading and reproduction, respectively, of the radiation image information reading and reproducing device in which the present light source device is used. explain.

Each semiconductor laser 3A to 3J of the multi-semiconductor laser 1
are turned ON-OFF by the light source drive circuits 10A to 10JI, respectively. Further, a control circuit 11 is connected to these light source drive circuits 10A to IOJ.
The light source drive circuits 10A to 10J and the control circuit 11 constitute a control section of the light source device 1. The above control circuit 11
The eight light source drive circuits 10A to 10A during reading shown in the fourth example are
Send a drive signal to IOH, and light source drive circuit 10A to IOH
As a result, only the reading semiconductor lasers 38 to 3H are allowed to emit laser beams. As described above, the laser beams 3a to 3h oscillated from the semiconductor lasers 3A to 3H are emitted from the light source device 1 into parallel optical paths close to each other, and the laser beams 3a to 3h are apparently a single beam.
is incident on the rotating polygon mirror 21, which is an optical deflector, and is reflected and deflected by the rotating polygon mirror 21, which rotates in the direction of the arrow in the figure.

On the other hand, below the rotating polygon mirror 21, the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 on which radiographic image information has been stored and recorded is conveyed in the direction of arrow Y and sub-scanned by an endless belt device 23 serving as sub-scanning means.

As described above, the laser beams 3a to 3h reflected and deflected by the rotating polygon mirror 21 are focused on the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 by a scanning lens such as an fθ lens, and the laser beams 3a to 3h are reflected and deflected by the rotating polygon mirror 21 and are focused on the stimulable phosphor sheet 22. Main scanning is repeatedly performed in the direction of arrow X, which is substantially perpendicular to the scanning direction.

In this way, the entire surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is two-dimensionally scanned by a high-output laser beam formed by combining eight laser beams.

This combined laser beam is transmitted to the stimulable phosphor sheet 22.
As the laser beam scans the stimulable phosphor sheet 22, the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 irradiated with the laser beam emits stimulated light according to the image information stored therein. Emitted light (not shown) enters a transparent light collector 24 having an incident end face 24a arranged parallel to the main scanning line near the stimulable phosphor sheet. This light condenser 24 has a front end portion 2 located near the stimulable phosphor sheet 22.
4b is formed into a flat plate shape, and gradually becomes cylindrical toward the rear end side, and the rear end portion 24C
It has a substantially cylindrical shape and is connected to a photomultiplier 25 which is a photodetector, and the incident end surface 24
The stimulated luminescence light incident from a is focused on the rear end portion 24C,
The light is received by the photo multiplier 25. In this photomultiplier 25, the stimulated luminescent light is converted into an electrical signal, and the obtained electrical signal is transmitted to the image information processing circuit 2B.
The image is then sent to the computer for image processing.

When the reading of the image information is completed, in order to reproduce the read image information, a recording sheet 27 such as a photosensitive film or photographic paper is conveyed in the direction of the arrow Y by the endless belt device 23, as shown in FIG. . Further, prior to this, the control circuit 11 controls the light source drive circuit 10A-10.
Stop sending the drive signal to H, and instead send the drive signal to light source drive circuit 1.
01. A drive signal is sent to IOJ to drive only the reproducing semiconductor laser 3L3J. At the same time, a modulation signal is input to the light source drive circuits 101, 101 based on the image signal read earlier, and the semiconductor lasers 3I, 3J emit laser beams 3I, 3J with outputs corresponding to the modulation signals. These laser beams 3I, 3J are deflected by the rotating polygon mirror 21, and after passing through the scanning lens 29, they are directed by the arrow Y.
The recording sheet 27, which is sub-scanned in the directional direction, is repeatedly scanned in the main direction by the recording light in the direction of the arrow X, and the image information read from the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is recorded and reproduced on the entire surface of the recording sheet 27. The recording sheet 27 on which image information has been recorded and reproduced is sent to an automatic developing machine (not shown) and subjected to development processing.

As described above, according to the multi-semiconductor laser light source device of this embodiment, a plurality of semiconductor lasers for reading and a semiconductor laser for reproduction are supported by the same support, and the control unit controls only the semiconductor laser for reading during reading. Since only the semiconductor lasers for reproduction are driven during reproduction, the reading light generation means and the recording light generation means are compactly integrated into one, and high-output reading light is emitted during reading, while relatively low-output during reproduction. can oscillate recording light.

Note that the number of reading semiconductor lasers and reproducing semiconductor lasers can be arbitrarily changed as long as there is at least a plurality of reading semiconductor lasers. It goes without saying that the arrangement of lenses, mirrors, etc. within the light source device can also be changed as appropriate.

Next, FIG. 6 shows a practical device incorporating the above-mentioned radiation image information reading and reproducing device as a reading and reproducing section, and a more specific manner of use of the above-mentioned radiation image information reading and reproducing device will be described.

The illustrated device includes a cassette holding section 11 that removably holds a cassette 102 capable of storing a stimulable phosphor sheet 22.
0, a reading and reproducing unit 120 that reads the image information stored and recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet and reproduces the read image information; radiation that remains on the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 after reading has been completed in the reading and reproducing unit 120; The erasing unit 130 that erases energy can store a plurality of stimulable phosphor sheets.
It includes a stacker 140 that carries out sheets one by one, and a recording sheet supply section 150 that removably holds a magazine 103 that stores a plurality of recording sheets 27. Each of the above sections is arranged in a line in the vertical direction, and a sheet conveying means 100 for conveying the stimulable phosphor sheet and the recording sheet is provided on the side of each of these sections and extends in the vertical direction. It is connected to this sheet conveying means 100.

In an external photographing device (not shown), the cassette 102 in which the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 stored therein has been photographed is loaded into the cassette holding section 110.

This cassette 102 has a light-shielding property to prevent the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 from being exposed to external light when recording (photographing) image information by irradiating the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 with radiation. A cassette main body 102a that stores a stimulable phosphor sheet and a lid portion 102b that can be opened and closed.
It consists of This lid portion 102b is attached to the cassette 102.
is closed when it is loaded into the cassette holder 110, but when the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 inside is removed from the cassette holder 110, the opening means 111 such as a suction cup is closed. Open the lid 102b as shown.

When the lid part 102b is opened, a stimulable phosphor sheet take-out means 112 such as a suction cup enters into the cassette 102 and sucks the stimulable phosphor sheet 22, and the sheet conveying means 100
nip roller 1 near the cassette 102, which is a part of the
Pass it to 00a. The stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is held in the cassette 102 so that the front surface on which the stimulable phosphor layer is formed faces down.

The sheet conveying means 100 includes an endless belt, a guide plate,
The stimulable phosphor sheet 22, which is composed of a roller, a movable sheet sorting plate, etc., and whose tip is held by the nip roller 100a, is conveyed in the direction of arrow C1 by the sheet conveying means 100, and then placed at the position indicated by the solid line in the figure. The sheet is guided by a certain sheet sorting plate 1oob and conveyed in the direction of arrow C2, and further conveyed in the direction of arrow C3 and CA force to the reading and reproducing section 120.
will be brought inside.

Note that 1 provided in the conveyance path of the stimulable phosphor sheet 22
80 performs secondary erasing, which will be described later, using an erasing light source 181 d
In the secondary erasing section, the erasing light source 181 is turned off when the stimulable phosphor sheet taken out from the cassette holding section 110 is conveyed from above. Also, the sheet distribution plate 1 located between the secondary erasing section 18G and the reading and reproducing section 120
When the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 taken out from the cassette 102 is immediately sent to the reading and reproducing section 120 as described above, oneSLOOd is at the position shown by the solid line in the figure, and the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is conveyed downward. allow yourself to be

In the reading and reproducing section 120, as described above, the multi-semiconductor laser light source device 1 sends high-output laser beams 3a to 3h to the stimulable phosphor sheet 22, and sends low-output laser beams to the recording sheet 27. 31.3j are respectively injected. Among the members in the reading and reproducing section 120, the same numbers are given to the same parts as those in the apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 described above, and the explanation thereof will be omitted. Note that this reading/reproducing section 12G is provided with a galvanometer mirror 21' as an optical deflector. Further, a portion of the sheet conveying means 10G disposed within the reading and reproducing section 120 serves as a sub-scanning means.

The stimulable phosphor sheet 22 carried into the reading and reproducing section 120
is transported in the direction of arrow C3 by the sheet transport means 100, and its entire surface is two-dimensionally scanned by laser beams 3a to 3h. The stimulated luminescence light emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 passes through the condenser 24 and is photoelectrically detected by the photomultiplier 25, and is sent to the image information processing circuit 2.
6, the image is processed, and then stored in memory 28. After the entire surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 has been read, its rear end is held by the nip roller 100e, and its leading edge abuts the guide plate 1oOf, and from that position it is fed back in the direction of arrow C6 by switchback. In addition, in reading radiation image information, prior to reading to obtain the image signal for visible image output as described above (main reading),
Pre-reading is performed in advance to read the outline of the radiation image information stored and recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet, and based on the image information obtained by this pre-reading, the reading conditions etc. for performing the main reading are determined, and this reading is performed. A method of performing the reading according to conditions is known.

As a method for performing such pre-reading, for example, a stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned using excitation light with an energy lower than that of the light beam (excitation light) used for the above-mentioned main reading, and the stimulable phosphor sheet is emitted by this scanning. There is also a method of reading the stimulated luminescent light using a photoelectric reading means (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58''67240).

The reading and reproducing section in the present invention may be a section that performs only main reading as described above, or a section that performs both main reading and pre-reading. For example, the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is conveyed in the direction of arrow C and pre-reading is performed first, then the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is conveyed back in the direction of arrow C6 by switchback, returned to the reading start position, and then again in the direction of arrow C5. The main reading may be performed by transporting the paper to the machine. Note that the optical members arranged in the reading and reproducing section are not limited to those mentioned above.
For example, as a photoelectric reading means, a long photomultiplier may be arranged along the main scanning line to detect stimulated luminescence light (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 16886/1986).

By the way, since it takes a relatively long time to read the image information in the reading and reproducing section 120, it is necessary to wait for the processing of the preceding stimulable phosphor sheet in the reading and reproducing section 12G to be completed before loading the new cassette holding section 11O. If the cassette 102 containing photographed stimulable phosphor sheets 22 is loaded, the stimulable phosphor sheets may not be processed efficiently. Therefore, this apparatus is provided with the stacker 140. The stimulable phosphor sheet 22 taken out from the cassette holding section 11G is read and reproduced by the reading and reproducing section 1.
Depending on the situation of 20, it is possible to carry it into the -H stacker 140 and wait there before being sent to the reading/reproducing section 120.

The stacker 140 includes a plurality of stimulable phosphor sheet storage chambers 142 partitioned by partition plates 141, and is movable up and down in the direction of the arrow from the position shown by the solid line to the position shown by the broken line in the figure. All seat storage chambers 142 can be adjacent to each other. When carrying the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 taken out from the cassette holding section 110 into the stacker 140, the sheet distribution plate 10
0d is moved to the position shown by the broken line in the figure, and the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 conveyed from above is guided toward the stacker 140. The stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is carried into a predetermined sheet storage chamber 142 of the stacker 140, and after the rear end leaves the nip roller 100g, it falls due to its own weight, and the leading end contacts the stopper 148 in the sheet storage chamber 142. is held in When taking out the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 from the stacker 140, move the stacker 140 so that the desired sheet storage chamber 142 is adjacent to the nip roller 100g, and then move the stopper 143 to the position indicated by the broken line in the figure. Then, the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is pushed up, and its tip is gripped by the nip roller 100g. The stimulable phosphor sheet 22 gripped by the nip roller toog is once conveyed upward by the sheet conveying means 100 while being guided by the sheet distribution plate 100d located at the position indicated by the broken line in the figure, and then moved in the direction of the arrow C3, CA force. It is transported and carried into the reading and reproducing section 120. Note that the stimulable phosphor sheet taken out from the stacker 140 is once conveyed upward so that the surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 on which the stimulable phosphor is formed faces upward (excitation light irradiation side) in the reading and reproducing section 120. This is to ensure that.

The stimulable phosphor sheet 22 that has been read in the reading and reproducing section 120 as described above is conveyed by the sheet conveying means 100 in the directions of arrows 07 to C9, and then transferred to the erasing section 130.
sent to. At this time, the sheet sorting means 100b is placed at the position indicated by the broken line in the figure, and the sheet sorting means 100c, 100
d is located at the position indicated by the solid line in the figure.

The erasing unit 130 erases the radiation image information remaining in the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 after the above-mentioned reading is completed (releases the radiation energy remaining in the stimulable phosphor).
It is for. That is, a part of the radiation image information stored and recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 still remains on the stimulable phosphor sheet after being read, and in order to reuse the stimulable phosphor sheet 22, this information is removed. The remaining image information is erased in the erasing section 130. The erasing unit 13G of this device is provided with an erasing light source 131 such as a fluorescent lamp, a tungsten lamp, a sodium lamp, a xenon lamp, an iodine lamp, etc., and the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is moved along the guide plate 132 in the direction of arrow C1@. The remaining radiation energy on the stimulable phosphor sheet is emitted by being irradiated with light by these erasing light sources 131 while being transported. Note that the erasing method in the erasing section 130 may be any known method, and erasing may be performed using heating or a combination of light irradiation and heating. Note that, after the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is conveyed to the position indicated by the broken line in the figure, it is conveyed backward in the direction of the arrow Cu. Preferably, a guide plate is provided. Further, as will be described later, when a stimulable phosphor sheet storage tray 108 is provided close to the erasing section, this tray 106 can also be used as a guide.

The stimulable phosphor sheet 22 that has been erased in the erasing section 180 is moved by the sheet conveying means 100 to the arrows CI2,
The sheet is conveyed in the C13 direction and is stored in the empty sheet storage chamber 142 in the stacker 140 while being guided by the sheet distribution plate 100d, which has been moved to the position shown by the broken line in the figure. Note that if a number of erased stimulable phosphor sheets 22 are stored in advance in the stacker 40 in this way, the stimulable phosphor sheets 22 (taken out) from the cassette 102 in the cassette holder 110 can be After that, the erased stimulable phosphor sheet can be immediately carried into the empty cassette 102.The stimulable phosphor sheet 2 can be loaded from the stacker 140
When taking out the sheet distribution plate 100d and conveying it to the cassette holding unit 110, the sheet distribution plate 100d is placed in the position shown by the broken line.

1one to the positions indicated by solid lines, and the stimulable phosphor sheet is moved to the position indicated by the solid line, and the stimulable phosphor sheet is moved to the position indicated by the solid line.
, CI! direction and carry it into the cassette 102.

Note that the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 carried out from the stacker 14G may have been kept in standby for a long time in the stacker 140, and a long time may have passed since it was erased in the erasing unit 130.

Even if a stimulable phosphor sheet is erased once, after a certain period of time has elapsed, it will be exposed to radiation emitted from radioactive isotopes such as 228 Ra and 40, which are contained in small amounts in the stimulable phosphor, and from space. Radiation energy is accumulated due to environmental radiation such as X-rays and X-rays from other X-ray sources, and this radiation energy may become noise in the next captured image.
A secondary erasing section 180 is provided in the transport path up to the point where the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is irradiated with erasing light again. 2
The next erasing unit 18G turns on the erasing light source 181 only when the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 taken out from the stacker 14G is conveyed toward the cassette holding unit 110, thereby causing the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 that has accumulated while being stored in the stacker 140 to The radiation energy stored in the fluorescent phosphor sheet is released.

The cassette 102 into which the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 has been carried in in this manner can be taken out of the apparatus and supplied for new imaging. Further, in this apparatus, the stimulable phosphor sheet that has been erased in the erasing section 130 can be immediately carried into the cassette 102.

In that case, the stimulable phosphor sheet transported from the erasing section 130 in the direction of arrow CI2 may be transported downward, then switched back upward, and then transported into the cassette 102. If so, cassette 10
2, the surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet on which the phosphor layer is formed can face downward.

By the way, in addition to photographing a stimulable phosphor sheet held in a cassette, an external photographing device also photographs multiple stimulable phosphor sheets housed in a sheet supply magazine when performing continuous photographing. In some cases, images are taken one by one and photographed. The stimulable phosphor sheets that have been photographed are sequentially stored in a sheet storage magazine, and the sheet storage magazine containing the sheets is sent to a reading device and read. In addition to the above-mentioned cassette holding section, this device is equipped with a magazine holding section for removably holding the above-mentioned sheet storage magazine on the side of the sheet conveying means, and reads and erases the stimulable phosphor sheet taken out from the magazine. It may also be something that can be done. The magazine holding section can be provided at any position as long as it is connected to the sheet conveyance means 100 and is lined up and down with the above-mentioned reading/reproducing section 120, erasing section 130, etc.; As shown, the cassette holder 110 can be loaded with both the cassette 102 and the magazine 107, and the cassette holder and the magazine holder may be integrated. Further, when a magazine holding section is provided, a tray holding section is required to hold a tray in which stimulable phosphor sheets are successively taken out from the magazine and read and erased one by one. This tray holding section can also be provided at any position connected to the sheet conveying means 100 like the magazine holding section, but as shown by the dotted chain line in the figure, the tray holder is located adjacent to the erasing section 130.
If a tray holding section is provided outside the erasing section 130 so as to position the tray 10B, the tray 10B functions as a guide during erasing for the stimulable phosphor sheet taken out from the cassette, and The removed stimulable phosphor sheet can be dropped into the tray and stored as is after erasing, which is extremely convenient.

By the way, when the reading power for one stimulable phosphor sheet 22 in the reading and reproducing section 120 is completed and the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is carried out from the reading and reproducing section 120, the recording power in the recording sheet supply section 150 increases. One recording sheet 27 is picked up from the sheet supply magazine 108 by the suction means 151.
The sheet is taken out and passed to a nearby nip roller 1ooh. The recording sheet 27 is conveyed in the direction of arrow Di along the guide plate 1001 by the nip roller 100h, and then conveyed into the reading and reproducing section 120 by the sheet conveying means 100 in the same manner as the stimulable phosphor sheet. In the reading and reproducing section 120, the recording sheet 27 is conveyed in the direction of arrow D2, and the image information read from the stimulable phosphor sheet 22 is recorded thereon.

When the recording sheet 27 is conveyed, the reading/reproducing section 120 receives low-power laser beams a+, a from the light source device.
, : is oscillated. Further, this laser beam is modulated based on the image information stored in the memory 28, and the recording sheet 27 is scanned by the laser beam as recording light, so that the entire surface of the recording sheet 27 is covered with the stimulable phosphor sheet 2.
The image information recorded in 2 is reproduced.

The recording sheet 27 on which the image information has been reproduced in the reading and reproducing section 120 is moved by the sheet conveying means 100 in the direction of arrows D3 to D3.
It is transported in the D5 direction. When the recording sheet 27 that has been reproduced is transported in this way, the sheet sorting means 1
00d is at the position shown by the solid line in the figure, and the sheet sorting means 100c moves to the position shown by the broken line in the figure, guides the recording sheet 27 in the direction of arrow D6, and causes the discharging roller 100j to grip the leading end of the recording sheet 27.

For example, the ejection roller 100j may carry the recording sheet 27 into an automatic processor 17G connected to a reading device in advance, or a tray or the like may be placed in the vicinity of the ejection roller 100j, and the recording sheet 27 They may be sequentially discharged into this tray. Furthermore, a holding section for a recording sheet storage tray may be provided inside the apparatus, and the recording sheet may be stored in the tray within the apparatus, and the tray may be taken out from the apparatus and transported to an external automatic developing machine as appropriate.

Note that in the reading and reproducing section 120, as described above, 1
After reading one stimulable phosphor sheet, the read image information is immediately recorded on one recording sheet. Reading may be performed continuously, all read image information may be temporarily stored in a memory, and then the image information may be successively reproduced for a plurality of recording sheets. Furthermore, without having to reproduce all the read image information as a hard copy on the recording sheet, the image information can be displayed once on a CRT display device or the like, and only the necessary images can be reproduced as a hard copy on the recording sheet.

As the recording sheet, in addition to the above-mentioned ordinary silver salt photographic film, dry silver or the like suitable for heat development can be used. Furthermore, heat-sensitive recording materials can also be used in addition to these photosensitive recording materials. In addition to the wet development method mentioned above, development methods when using a silver halide film include the above-mentioned wet development method.
There are instant methods, etc. Further, although the light source device of the present invention has been described above using an example in which the light source device of the present invention is attached to a radiation image information reading and reproducing device that uses a stimulable phosphor sheet as an image information sheet, the light source device of the present invention has the following features: - an image information sheet; It may also be used in a type of device that reads image information by detecting reflected light or transmitted light emitted from the sensor.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the multi-semiconductor laser light source device of the present invention, a plurality of semiconductor lasers for reading and a semiconductor laser for reproduction are fixed to the same support, and both semiconductor lasers are used during reading and reproduction. Since the laser can be switched and used, it is possible to compactly integrate the reading light source and the recording light source and obtain suitable amounts of light respectively during reading and reproduction.

Therefore, if this light source device is used in an image information reading and reproducing device, it is possible to generate good reading light and recording light without increasing the size of the entire device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-semiconductor laser light source device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a laser beam emitted from the light source device. Schematic Diagram 1 FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views of a radiation image information reading and reproducing device equipped with the above light source device, and FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of the device equipped with the above reading and reproducing device as a reading and reproducing section. be. 1...Multi-semiconductor laser light source device 2...Support bodies 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E. 3F, 3G, 3H...Semiconductor laser 3 for reading
, 3J... Semiconductor laser for reproduction 8aq 8bq B
es 3ds Bes 3rs Bgs 3hs 81
% 8J... Laser beam 4... Concave lens 5... Prism mirror 6.
...Convex lens 10A, IOB%IOC, IOD, IOE. 10F, LOG, IOH, 101, IOJ...Light source drive circuit 11...Control circuit 21...Rotating polygon mirror 22...Stormative phosphor sheet 23...Endless belt device 27...Recording sheet

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An image information sheet on which image information is recorded or a recording sheet for reproducing the image information is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction by the same sub-scanning means, and a reading light is caused to main-scan the image information sheet. The image information is read by detecting light emitted from the image information sheet, and the image information is recorded by main-scanning the recording light modulated according to the image information on the recording sheet. A multi-semiconductor laser light source device used in an information reading and reproducing device, comprising a plurality of reading semiconductor lasers, one or more reproducing semiconductor lasers, and a plurality of semiconductor lasers emitted from the reading semiconductor laser and the reproducing semiconductor laser. A collimator optical system that converts the laser beams into parallel beams, and an optical path adjustment element that emits the laser beams into parallel optical paths close to each other are supported by the same support, and when reading the image information, the reading A multi-semiconductor laser light source device comprising: a control unit that drives a semiconductor laser to oscillate a laser beam, and drives the reproduction semiconductor laser to oscillate a laser beam when reproducing the image information.