JPH03132752A - Carrying and positioning device for image recording carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carrying an image record carrier after photographying smoothly to an image read process by catching the image record carrier in a nearly vertical state at a photography part, moving it to a photographying position while the vertical state is maintained, and recording an image such as a radiation image. CONSTITUTION:An accumulable phosphor sheet IP which is carried through a conveyance system 98 to reach a photography table falls between a front plate 146 and a rear plate 148 which are separated at a specific interval and stops by the other end part 150b of a shutter 150. A rotary driving source 156 is driven to rotate, a pin member 128 is displaced along a rail member 126, and a holding plate 138, the front plate 146, and the rear plate 148 reach the front surface of the photographying table 118 while being held in the nearly vertical state. Thus, the accumulable phosphor sheet IP is carried to the photography surface of the photographying table 118 in the nearly vertical state along the rail member 126. The sheet, therefore, faces an object in the nearly vertical state at all times and the radiation image can be photographed effectively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a transport and positioning device for an image recording carrier,
In detail, for example, in an upright radiographic imaging apparatus, the image recording carrier is once removed from the conveyance system, is transported while maintaining a substantially perpendicular state to the imaging section, and is fixed in a fixed position to record the image. The present invention relates to a transport positioning device for an image recording carrier configured to perform recording and then smoothly return the recording carrier on which an image has been recorded in a substantially vertical state to a transport system again.

[Prior Art] The present applicant has already published Japanese Patent Application No. 59-31736 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 60-60) as a device capable of repeatedly recording radiation images on a single image recording carrier using a stimulable phosphor sheet.
No. 176032) proposed the invention ``Recording medium transport and positioning device''. This device is built into an upright radiation image recording/reading device, smoothly feeds the record carrier to the imaging unit, fixes it in a fixed position, and transfers the record carrier after imaging to the subsequent radiation image reading mechanism. This makes it possible to reliably transport the materials.

Here, the upright radiation image recording/reading device refers to a device that captures radiation images of a subject in an approximately upright position.
Furthermore, when irradiated with radiation (X-rays, α-rays, β-rays, γ-rays, electron beams, ultraviolet rays, etc.), stimulable phosphors (stimulable phosphors) accumulate some of this radiation energy and later A phosphor that emits stimulated light according to the energy accumulated by irradiation with excitation light such as visible light. A stimulable phosphor sheet is a sheet having a layer made of the stimulable phosphor.

The radiation image recording/reading device using the stimulable phosphor sheet described above uses this stimulable phosphor sheet, in which radiation image information of the human body, etc. is first recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet, and then A photosensitive phosphor sheet is scanned with excitation light such as a laser beam to generate stimulated luminescent light, and the resulting stimulated luminescent light is read photoelectrically to obtain an image signal, and based on this image signal, photographic light-sensitive materials, etc. recording material, i.e. film,
Alternatively, it is outputted as a visible image on a CRT or the like.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The present invention is made in connection with a radiation image recording/reading device that preferably uses this stimulable phosphor sheet, and the present invention relates to a radiation image recording/reading device that preferably uses this stimulable phosphor sheet. A recording carrier, such as a stimulable phosphor sheet, is temporarily held in a substantially vertical position, and then displaced in a substantially vertical position toward the imaging unit where the subject is waiting, and brought into close contact with the imaging surface to capture a radiographic image. After that, the stimulable phosphor sheet is returned to the conveyance system again while being maintained in a substantially vertical state, and the image recording carrier conveyance positioning device is capable of being fed to an image reading unit, etc. The purpose is to

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention captures and holds an image recording carrier conveyed from vertically upward via a conveyance system in a substantially vertical state. a set of plates; a moving mechanism that integrally with the set of plates maintains the image recording carrier in a substantially vertical state and moves it relative to the imaging platform; and an opening means for discharging while maintaining a substantially vertical state to another conveying system.

[Operation] The image recording carrier is captured in a substantially vertical state in the photographing section while being held between a pair of plates, and is moved to the photographing position while maintaining the vertical state to record an image such as a radiographic image. Next, the image recording carrier is returned to its original position again in a substantially vertical state, and is ejected toward the conveyance system directly below.

[Embodiments] Next, preferred embodiments of the image recording carrier conveying and positioning device according to the present invention in relation to an image recording/reading device incorporating the device will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. .

The image recording/reading device 10 basically includes an image photographing section 12, an image reading section 14, a residual image erasing section 16, a photographing special equipment section 18, and an electrical component section 20. The image photographing section 12, the image reading section 14, the residual image erasing section 16, and the photographing standby B1g are connected by a transport system for transporting the stimulable phosphor IP.

Therefore, first, the image reading section 14, the residual image erasing section 16,
The photographing special equipment section 18 will be explained, and finally, the image photographing section 1 will be explained in which the image recording carrier transport and positioning device according to the present invention is incorporated.
2 will be explained.

First, as will be described later, a stimulable phosphor sheet IP on which a radiation image of a subject has been accumulated and recorded by the image capturing section 12 is used.
After passing through a guide member 22 constituting a conveyance system, it reaches a pair of conveyance rollers 24, and further passes through a guide member 26 to reach a conveyance system 28 consisting of rollers and a belt conveyor. The conveyance system 28 is composed of large diameter rollers 30a, 30b, a belt conveyor 32, a guide roller disposed between the rollers 30a, 30b, or a roller slidingly in contact with the belt conveyor 32, and a guide plate 34. Transport system 28
Further, a different conveyance system 36 is arranged above the bending downstream side, and like the conveyance system 28, this conveyance system 36 includes small-diameter guide rollers, a belt conveyor, and the like. This conveyance system 36 is bent by a large diameter roller 38, and its downstream side faces a curved guide plate 40. Therefore, the image reading section 14 including this guide plate 40 will be explained.

Reference numeral 42 is an optical unit including an optical surface plate, and is held in a stable state by a set of relatively large side plates 44 to prevent vibrations and the like. Inside the set of side plates 44 are two pairs of nip rollers 46a, 46b and 48.
2 and 48b are arranged with a predetermined distance between them.

These nip rollers 46a, 46b and 48a,
48b, the tip of the condensing guide 50 faces. Fifth
As shown in the figure, the nip roller 48b is connected to a rotational drive source, and its rotation is transmitted to the nip roller 46b via the metal belt 52. The nip roller 46a can slowly slide toward and away from the nip roller 46b under the biasing action of the solenoid 54.

That is, an arm 56 is connected to the rotating shaft of the solenoid 54, and this arm 56 is connected to the arm 5 through its tip.
Lower 8. Since this arm 58 is swingable, it is possible to raise the nip roller 46a via its rotating shaft. The lowering of the nip roller 46a is completed by deenergizing the solenoid 54 and slidingly contacting the nip roller 46b by a biasing means (not shown). In this case, large diameter rollers 60 are provided on the nip rollers 46a, 46b and 48a, 48b so as to face the curved guide plate 40 in order to smoothly feed the stimulable phosphor sheet (IP).

Similarly, a curved guide plate 62 and a large diameter roller 64 are provided on the downstream side of the nip roller 48b.

The downstream side of the guide plate 62 faces a guide roller 66, and the further downstream side of this guide roller 66 is a guide roller 68.
A residual image erasing section 16 is provided via the.

In fact, the residual image erasing unit 16 has an opening for receiving the stimulable phosphor sheath (IP) fed through the guide roller 68, and an opening for receiving the stimulable phosphor sheath (I) from which the residual image has been erased.
It has a casing 70 with an opening for leading P to the photographic special equipment section 18, and inside this casing 70 there is an erasing light source 72 made of a halogen lamp or the like, and this erasing light source 72 is turned on. The heat generated by the image recording/reading device 10
sirocco fan 74 for forcibly guiding the
and is provided.

The photographic special equipment section 18 has a set of side plates 80 extending in the vertical direction.
A conveyance system 86 including large diameter rollers 82 and 84 is provided on the side plates 80a and 80b. As can be easily understood from the figure, this conveyance system 86 has a first standby zone 88, a second standby zone 90, and a third standby zone 92 located upstream of the rollers 82. The downstream side of the third standby zone 92 is a large diameter roller 94.96.
facing the conveyance system 98 including.

The downstream side of the conveyance system 98 further includes a conveyance system 1 extending from above to below the casing that constitutes the image reading and recording device 10.
It is configured to face 00.

This conveyance system 100 is composed of a plurality of conveyance roller pairs including the aforementioned conveyance roller pair 24.

Therefore, the image capturing section 12 will be explained below. A ball screw 104 is installed near the roller 96 that constitutes the conveyance system 98.
is rotatably supported in the vertical direction. In fact, the ball screw 104 is retained by a pair of retaining members 106, 108 located at its upper and lower ends. As can be easily understood from FIG. 3, a pulley 110 is engaged with the upper end of the ball screw 104.
and a rotary drive source 1120, which is a pulley 1 mounted on a rotary drive shaft.
A belt 116 is suspended between the belt 14 and the belt 14.

Therefore, when the rotational drive source 112 rotates, the belt 11
6, the ball screw 104 rotates.

Then, the photographing table 118 engages with this ball screw 104. In fact, the imaging platform 118 has an internal threaded member 120, 122 that meshes with the ball screw 104, and this guard threaded member 12
The casing 124 that constitutes the imaging platform 118 at 0.122
is retained. The casing 124 bulges outward from the outer casing of the image recording/reading device 10 and is used for radiographic imaging of a subject. Although not shown,
A grid or the like is disposed inside the imaging section of the casing 124 to obtain a good radiographic image. However, since this configuration belongs to the prior art, its details will not be discussed here.

Therefore, a pair of rail members 126, 126 are disposed inside the imaging platform 118 so as to be orthogonal to each other in the vertical direction. The rail members 126 and 126 have pin members 12g and 1
30 are engaged and can be displaced in the horizontal direction within the groove defined in the rail member 126. That is, an arm 132 is engaged with the pin member 128 to form a link mechanism, while an arm 134, which is longer than the arm 132, is engaged with the pin member 130. Arm 132
The end portion of the arm 134 is pivotally supported approximately at the center of the arm 134.

A pin member 136 is further engaged with the lower end of the arm 134, and holds a holding plate 138 extending vertically between the pin member 136 and the pin member 128.

An elongated hole 140 is formed on the lower end side of the holding plate 138 and is inclined slightly inward with respect to the vertical direction. Holding plate 13
8 has pin members 142 and 144 implanted in its upper and lower parts, respectively, and these pin members 142 and 144 lock the front plate 146 and the rear plate 148 vertically at a predetermined distance. Moreover, although not shown, coil springs are fitted into the pin members 142 and 144. Therefore, in a normal state, the front plate 146 is urged in a direction away from the rear plate 148 by the elastic force of the coil spring, but as will be described later,
When the holding plate 138 is pressed against the front surface of the front plate 8, the front plate 146 can be displaced toward the rear plate 148 against the elastic force of the coil spring. Further, below the holding plate 138, a shutter 150 bent in a U-shape is pivotally attached via a swing shaft 152. Therefore, when the distal end portion of the shutter 150 that extends largely in the horizontal direction is pressed, the shutter 150 can swing via the swing shaft 152.

By the way, a short arm 154 is pivotally supported on the arm 134, and this arm 154 is rotatably connected to an arm 158 that is pivotally supported on a rotational drive shaft of a rotational drive source 156. Furthermore, a separate rotary drive source 160 is disposed below the rotary drive source 156, and a belt 166 is suspended between pulleys 162 and 164 that are pivotally attached to the rotary drive shaft of the rotary drive source 160. The rotational force of the pulley 164 is transmitted to the pulley 164. Note that the rotational force of the pulley 164 is transmitted to an eccentric cam 168 disposed close to it. Therefore, the rotational force of the rotational drive source 1600 is, after all,
This will cause the eccentric cam 168 to rotate.

Further, below the casing 124 is a rotary drive source 170.
is provided, and a link mechanism 172 is engaged with the rotational drive shaft of this rotational drive source 170. Link mechanism 17
2 is connected to an arm 176 that rotates by a shaft 174, and a pressure roller 178 is attached to one end of the arm 176.
is held rotatably. Therefore, the rotational drive source 17
0, the arm 176 rotates via the link mechanism 172, and the pressing roller 178
0, it comes into pressure contact with the rotating roller 182.

In the above configuration, the holding plate 138, the rotary drive source 156, the rotary drive source 160, and the rotary drive source 17
0. The drive roller 180 and the like can be vertically displaced together with the casing 124 under the rotation of the ball screw 1040.

In addition, in the figure, reference numerals 184 and 186 indicate the photographing stand 11, respectively.
8 shows a winding roller for winding up or unwinding a closing member 190 for closing an opening 188 defined in the image recording/reading device 10 within a movement range of 8.

An image recording/reading apparatus incorporating the image recording carrier conveying and positioning device according to the present invention is basically constructed as described above, and its operation and effects will be explained next.

Here, as an initial state, one sheet of stimulable phosphor sheet) IP
The front plate 146 and the rear plate 1 are placed at the photographing position in front of the photographing stand 118.
48 and the remaining three stimulable phosphor sheets (IP) are placed in the first to third standby zones 88 and 90, respectively.
．． Assume that there is one in each 92. Therefore, when the rotational drive source 112 is driven in accordance with the height of the subject whose image is to be photographed, the pulley 110 rotates via the belt 116, which causes the ball screw 104 to rotate. . This ball screw 104 is an internally threaded member 1
20 and 122, the photographing table 118 can adjust its height position according to the height of the subject (not shown) under its rotational action. During this time, the closing member 1
90 extend and contract integrally with the imaging platform 118 under the rotation of the take-up rollers 184 and 186, thereby closing the opening 188 and maintaining the inside thereof in a light-shielded state.

When the photographing stage 118 is thus positioned at a suitable position relative to the subject, the stimulable phosphor IP is then fed to the photographing stage 118. Then, the subject is irradiated with radiation from a radiation source (not shown), and a radiation image of the subject is recorded on the stimulable phosphor IP. When the image recording is finished, the photographing platform 118
Then, the rotational drive source 156 is rotationally driven to rotate the arm 158 that constitutes the link mechanism. As a result, arm 1
54 displaces the arm 134 in the direction of arrow A, and accordingly, the pin member 128 is displaced in the direction of arrow B together with the holding plate 138, front plate 146, and rear plate 148. Front plate 1
46 and the rear plate 148 from the front of the photographing table 118, the front plate 146 is separated from the rear plate 148 under the action of the unillustrated coil springs of the pin members 142 and 144.
A predetermined space is defined between them.

When the pin member 128 is displaced along the groove of the rail member 126 under the action of the arms 154, 134, and 132, the retaining plate 138, front plate 146, and rear plate 148 move along the two-dot chain line while maintaining a substantially vertical state. Move to the indicated position.

At this time, the pin member 13 implanted in the arm 134
6 is displaced within the elongated hole 140. Of course, shutter 15
0 is also displaced integrally with the holding plate 138 , and the shutter 150 has its one end 150 a facing the eccentric cam 168 .

Next, the rotational drive source 170 is energized, and the link mechanism 172
The arm 176 is retracted via , and the pressing roller 178 is displaced toward the roller 182 . In the end, shutter 15
The stimulable phosphor sheet IP held at the other end 15 (lb) of the stimulable phosphor sheet IP is held between the roller 182 and the pressing roller 178.

Here, the rotational drive source 160 is energized, and the eccentric cam 168 causes its tip end to reach the one end 150a of the shutter 150. As a result, the shutter 150 rotates via the swing shaft 152 of the holding plate 138 in a direction that raises the other end portion 150b. As a result, the holding of the stimulable phosphor IP by the other end 150b is released. Next, the stimulable phosphor sheet IP is conveyed to the guide member 22 side by rollers 178 and 182.

When the conveyance of the stimulable phosphor sheet IP to the guide member 22 side is completed, the rotational drive source 170 is energized, and the press roller 178 is separated from the roller 182 via the link mechanism 172 and the arm 176. Further, the rotational drive source 160 is energized, and the tip end of the eccentric cam 168 moves away from the position where it presses the one end 150a of the shutter 150, and the shutter 15
The other end 150b of 0 is lowered to form a stimulable phosphor sheet (IP).
Return to the position where it is held.

Incidentally, the stimulable phosphor sheet IP reaches the image reading section 14 via the transport system 28, the transport system 36, and the curved guide plate 40. In this image reading section 14, the nip roller 46
The stimulable phosphor sheet (a) is in the raised position via the arm 56.58 under the biasing action of the solenoid 54, and the nip roller 46a is lowered and guided. reach the state. Next, the optical unit 42 is driven, and laser light is irradiated onto the stimulable phosphor IP in the main scanning direction. The knee/proaches 46a, 46b, 48a, and 48b transport the N-stimulable phosphor sheet [P] in the sub-scanning direction shown by the arrow, and thus perform two-dimensional scanning on the stimulable phosphor sheet IP. You will be killed.

The stimulated luminescence light obtained by main scanning the laser beam as described above is introduced into the condensing guide 50, converted into an electrical signal via a photoelectric conversion means (not shown), and stored in a storage means (not shown). It turns out. The radiation image of the subject read from the stimulable phosphor sheet IP in this way is read out from the storage means as necessary, and is exposed to a film or the like by a different recording device, or displayed on a CRT or the like. It is possible to do so.

The stimulable phosphor sheet IP whose image information has been read in this way reaches the residual image erasing section 16 along the curved guide plate 62. Then, the erasing light source 72 disposed inside the casing 70 turns on, and the stimulable phosphor sheet)
The energy remaining in the IP is released under the lighting action of the erasing light source 72, and is transferred again to the photographic special equipment section 18 side, where it waits for image recording again. During this time, the sirocco fan 74 is energized to forcibly release the heat generated inside the residual image erasing section 16 to the outside.

During this time, the stimulable phosphor sheet (IP) in the third standby zone 92 of the photographic special equipment section 18 is transferred horizontally by the conveyance system 98 under the urging action of the conveyance system 86, and is further curved to the photographing table 111. reach. Of course, at the same time, the stimulable phosphor IP in the second standby zone 90 is transferred to the third standby zone 92,
In addition, the stimulable phosphor sheet) I in the first standby zone 88
P is transferred to the second waiting zone 90.

Next, the stimulable phosphor sheet IP that has been transferred via the above-mentioned conveyance system 98 and reached the photographing stand falls between the front plate 146 and the rear plate 148 separated by a predetermined interval, and is then moved by the other end 150b of the shutter 150. Stop.

Therefore, the rotational drive source 156 is rotationally driven, and the arm 15
8. The holding plate 138, the front plate 146, and the rear plate 148 are displaced in the direction of arrow C via the arms 154, 134, and 132. That is, the bin member 128 is displaced along the rail member 126, and the holding plate 138, front plate 146, and rear plate 148 reach the front surface of the photographing table 118 while maintaining a substantially vertical state. At this time, the front plate 14 resists the elastic force of the unillustrated coil springs of the pin members 142 and 144.
6 and the rear plate 148 are pressed against the front surface of the photographing table 118 in such a manner as to pinch the stimulable phosphor sheet (IP) held therebetween.

Here, as described above, an image is recorded on this stimulable phosphor IP, and the same operation will be repeated thereafter.

According to this embodiment, as described above, in the image capturing section 12, the stimulable phosphor IP is transported along the rail member 126 in a substantially vertical state to the imaging surface of the imaging platform 118. Become. Therefore, the subject is always faced substantially perpendicularly to the subject, and radiation images can be effectively captured.

Furthermore, when the front plate 146 and the rear plate 148 move together with the holding plate 138 to return to the conveyance system again, the stimulable phosphor sheet IP, which maintains a substantially vertical state, is conveyed toward the image reading section 14. That will happen. Therefore, when the photographed stimulable phosphor sheet IP is transferred to the image recording unit 14 side, it is possible to avoid a situation in which, for example, the stimulable phosphor sheet IP becomes difficult to transfer due to bending. Further, it is possible to take a large stroke from the transport system 100 to the photographing position in front of the photographing table 118, and it becomes possible to extend the photographing table largely forward. This means that images of the subject can be more easily recorded.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, as described above, the image recording carrier, for example,
The stimulable phosphor sheet is always received in a substantially vertical state and transferred to the photographing stand in that state, and the stimulable phosphor sheet after image recording is transferred to the conveyance system while maintaining the substantially vertical state. The image is returned again and can be transferred to the image reading section.

Therefore, a clear image is recorded during photography, and the photographed image record carrier can be smoothly transferred to other processing steps.
For example, it can be transferred to an image reading process.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an image recording/reading device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the image recording/reading device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIGS. 4a to 4d are perspective explanatory views of a mechanism for displacing the photographing table; FIGS. FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory diagram of the image reading section of the image recording and reading apparatus according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Image recording and reading device 12... Image photographing section 14... Image reading section 16... Residual image erasing section 18... Special photographing equipment section 50... Focusing guide 74... Sirocco Fans 88,90,92...Standby zone 112...Rotary drive source 138...Holding plate 148...Rear plate 156,160...Rotary drive source 170...Rotary drive source 178... Pressing roller 42...Optical unit 72...Erasing light source...Ball screw...Photography stand...Front plate...Shutter...Eccentric cam...Link mechanism

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) a set of plates that capture and hold an image recording carrier conveyed from vertically upward via a conveyance system in a substantially vertical state; a moving mechanism that maintains the image recording carrier in a substantially vertical state and moves it relative to the photographing platform; an opening means that releases the recorded image recording carrier while maintaining the substantially vertical state to another transport system; An image recording carrier transport and positioning device comprising: