JPH04157442A - Radioaction image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the inflow of the corrosive gas into a film digitizer from an automatic developer without requiring manual work by installing a corrosive gas inflow preventing mechanism. CONSTITUTION:A radioactive ray image reading-out device consists of a pressure adjusting mechanism 38 which increases the pressure in a film digitizer 14 higher than the pressure in an automatic developer 12. The pressure adjusting mechanism 38 is equipped with a pressurizing fan 40 for introducing the pressurized air into the film digitizer 14 and an exhaust fan 42 for discharging the air in the automatic developer 12 outside, and pressure adjustment is performed by these devices. Further, the outside air is introduced into a dry zone 26 by a suction fan 44, and jetted on an X-ray film 16, and then the pressure in the dry zone 26 can be made higher than that in other zones, and the inflow of the corrosive gas into the film digitizer 14 from a development zone 20 where corrosive gas is generated can be prevented in double ways. Accordingly, without requiring manual work, the generation of the corrosion of the film digitizer can be prevented.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a radiation image reading device equipped with a film digitizer that photoelectrically reads images recorded on a film discharged from an automatic processor. .

(Prior Art) It is practiced in various fields to read a recorded image to obtain an image signal, perform appropriate image processing on the image signal, and then reproduce and display the image.

For example, in a radiation image reading device, an X-ray image is recorded on the X-ray film by combining an X-ray film with a low gamma value designed to be suitable for later image processing and an intensifying screen. After developing the film on which the X-ray image has been recorded, a so-called film digitizer (
A device called FD) is used to read the X-ray image digital signal from the film, convert it into an electrical signal (image signal), perform image processing on this image signal, and then reproduce it as a visible image in a photocopy, etc. It is known to obtain reproduced images with good image quality performance such as contrast, sharpness, and graininess by
(Refer to Publication No.-5193).

In order to read an image recorded on a film such as an X-ray film using the film digitizer, the film is irradiated with radiation to form an image as a latent image on the film, and then an automatic processor is used to process the image. It is necessary to perform a developing process on the film to make the above-mentioned image visible, and then set the film at a predetermined position in a film digitizer.

For this reason, in the past, the work of manually setting the film discharged from an automatic processor into a predetermined position on a film digitizer was a problem, but it was troublesome, and since the film was handled directly, there were no fingerprints on the film. Dust and the like may adhere to the film, which may deteriorate the quality of the image represented by the image signal read from the film.

On the other hand, a radiation image reading apparatus has been proposed in which a film digitizer is connected to an automatic processor, and the film discharged from the automatic processor is directly supplied to the film digitizer, thereby solving the above-mentioned inconvenience.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, when such a radiation image reading device is employed, the following problems may occur.

In other words, in automatic processors, corrosive gases such as sulfur dioxide gas and acetic acid gas are generated from the chemicals used in the developing process, but as mentioned above, radiographic image reading is performed by connecting a film digitizer to an automatic processor. If such a device is adopted, corrosive gas generated by the automatic processor may flow into the film digitizer. When corrosive gas flows in, corrosion occurs in the film digitizer, making it difficult to accurately read images recorded on the film, resulting in the problem of not being able to obtain the desired image data. .

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to remove a film digitizer from an automatic developing machine without requiring any manual labor and by preventing fingerprints, dust, etc. from adhering to the film. It is an object of the present invention to provide a radiation image reading device that can prevent corrosive gas from flowing into the radiation image reading device.

(Means for Solving the Problems) A radiographic image reading device according to the present invention achieves the above object by providing a predetermined corrosive gas inflow prevention mechanism.

In other words, there is an automatic developing machine that develops a film on which a radiation image has been formed as a latent image, and an automatic developing machine that is connected to this automatic developing machine and photoelectrically converts the image recorded on the film discharged from the automatic developing machine. A radiation image reading device comprising: a film digitizer that reads the image automatically; a corrosive gas inflow prevention mechanism that prevents corrosive gas generated in the automatic processor from flowing from the automatic processor into the film digitizer; It is characterized by being provided with.

(Operations and Effects of the Invention) As shown in the above configuration, the radiation image reading device according to the present invention reads an image recorded on a film discharged from an automatic processor using a film digitizer connected to the automatic processor. The radiation image reading device according to the present invention does not require manual labor as in the past, and can prevent fingerprints, dust, etc. from adhering to the film. Since a corrosive gas generation prevention mechanism is provided to prevent corrosive gas generated in the automatic processor from flowing into the film digitizer from the automatic processor, it is possible to prevent corrosion from occurring in the film digitizer. This allows the desired image data to be obtained.

(Examples) Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a first embodiment of a radiation image reading device according to the present invention.

This radiation image reading device EIO includes an automatic developing machine 12,
The automatic developing machine 12 is provided with a film digitizer 14 connected thereto.

The automatic developing machine 12 transfers an X-ray film 16, on which a latent image has been formed by X-ray photography using an X-ray photography device (not shown), into a cassette 1.
8, and the X-ray film 16 is sequentially sent to a developing zone 20, a fixing zone 22, a washing zone 24, and a drying zone 26 for development processing.

The film digitizer 14 is configured to photoelectrically read the X-ray image recorded on the X-ray film 1B discharged from the automatic processor 12.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the film digitizer 14.

As shown in the figure, the X-ray film 16 discharged from the automatic processor 12 and sent in is conveyed within the film digitizer 14 in the direction of arrow Y.

The X-ray film 16 on the transport path of this X-ray film 16
A lamp 28 is placed above the X-ray film 16 to illuminate the X-ray film 16 in a straight line, and a line sensor 30 such as a CCD array is placed at a position facing the lamp 28 with the X-ray film 16 in between. When the X-ray film 16 is conveyed from a predetermined position in the Y direction and reaches a position sandwiched between the lamp 28 and the line sensor 30, the light emitted from the lamp 28 creates an X-ray image recorded on the X-ray film 16. This transmitted light is intensity-modulated and transmitted through the line sensor 30.
Analog image signal S for one line in the X direction received by
A is obtained, and by repeating this while conveying the X-ray film 16 in the direction of the arrow Y, an analog image signal SA corresponding to the entire surface of the X-ray image recorded on the X-ray film 1B is obtained. This image signal SA is amplified by an amplifier 32 and A
The /D converter 34 converts the image signal into a digital image signal SD. This image signal SD is stored on the optical disc 36.

In the automatic developing machine 12, corrosive gases such as sulfur dioxide gas and acetic acid gas are generated from the chemicals used in the developing process. If so, use automatic processor 1.
It is conceivable that the corrosive gas generated in step 2 flows into the film digitizer 14. When corrosive gas flows in in this way, corrosion occurs in the film digitizer 14, making it difficult to accurately read the image recorded on the film, and resulting in the inability to obtain the desired image data. arise.

Therefore, in this embodiment, a corrosive gas inflow prevention mechanism is provided to prevent the corrosive gas generated in the automatic processor 12 from flowing into the film digitizer 14 from the automatic processor 12.

In other words, the corrosive gas inflow prevention mechanism according to this embodiment is as follows:
As shown in FIG. 1, it includes a pressure adjustment mechanism 38 that makes the pressure inside the film digitizer 4 higher than the pressure inside the automatic processor 12. This pressure adjustment mechanism 38 includes a pressure fan 4o that introduces external air into the film digitizer 14, and an exhaust fan 42 that exhausts air inside the automatic developing machine 12 to the outside. It is supposed to be done. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the drying zone 26 in the automatic processor 12 is the developing zone 20. It is formed in a separate room from the fixing zone 22 and the washing zone 24, and external air is introduced into the drying zone 26 by an intake fan 44, and this introduced air is passed through the nichrome wire 4G.
The X-ray film 1B conveyed by the bus roller 48 is dried by being sprayed through the X-ray film 1B. By configuring the drying zone 2B in this way, the pressure in the drying zone 26 can be made higher than the pressure in other zones, and the inflow of corrosive gas from the development zone 20, where corrosive gas is generated, to the film digitizer 14 is prevented. of,
The presence of the drying zone 26 provides a double prevention.

As described in detail above, the radiation image reading device 10 according to the present embodiment reads an X-ray image recorded on the X-ray film 16 discharged from the automatic processor 12, Since the reading is performed by the film digitizer 14, there is no need for manpower as in the conventional method, and it is possible to prevent fingerprints, dust, etc. from adhering to the X-ray film IB. The radiographic image reading device 10 includes a pressure adjustment mechanism 3B as a corrosive gas inflow prevention mechanism that prevents corrosive gas generated in the developing zone 20 of the automatic developing machine 12 from flowing into the film digitizer 14 from the automatic developing machine 12. Since corrosion is provided in the film digitizer 14, it is possible to prevent corrosion from occurring in the film digitizer 14, thereby making it possible to obtain desired image data.

Moreover, in this embodiment, since the pressure in the drying zone 26 of the automatic processor 12 is configured to be higher than the pressure in other zones, the inflow of corrosive gas into the film digitizer 14 is prevented by double pressure. This difference can be effectively prevented.

3, 4 and 5 show the second part of the radiation image reading apparatus according to the present invention. The first part shows the third and fourth embodiments, respectively.
FIG.

As shown in each of these figures, the second. In the third and fourth embodiments, the drying zone 26 of the automatic processor 12 is not separated from other zones, and the Drying is performed by blowing air onto both the front and back surfaces of the film I6.

As shown in FIG. 3, the corrosive gas inflow prevention mechanism in the radiation image reading device according to the second embodiment is arranged in the automatic developing machine 1.
2 and the film digitizer 14.

That is, this opening/closing mechanism 52 opens and closes an X-ray film insertion hole 54 formed between the automatic processor 12 and the film digitizer 14 by vertical movement of the shutter 5B. This shutter 56 is connected to a solenoid 62 via a wire 58 and a lever 60, and the shutter 5B is moved upward by actuation of the solenoid 62 only when feeding the X-ray film 16 into the digitizer 14, and at other times. X-ray film insertion hole 54
This is to prevent corrosive gas from flowing into the digitizer 14.

As shown in FIG. 4, the corrosive gas inflow prevention mechanism in the radiation image reading device according to the third embodiment is arranged in the automatic developing machine 1.
2 and the film digitizer 14, and a shielding means 66 for covering the rollers 64.

That is, by nipping and feeding the X-ray film 16 by a pair of rollers 64, and by covering the roller B4 with the shielding means 6B, the X-ray film insertion hole 54 is shielded, and the corrosive gas is removed from the film. Digitizer 1
4 to prevent it from flowing into the interior. Shielding means 6
Reference numeral 6 has a plate spring embedded as a core material inside a flexible plate-like member such as a rubber plate or a plastic plate.

As shown in FIG. 5, the corrosive gas inflow prevention mechanism in the radiation image reading device according to the fourth embodiment includes an automatic developing machine 1.
2 and the film digitizer 14.

That is, the flexible shielding means 68 is made of a rubber film in which a slit 88a is formed.
The X-ray film insertion hole 54 is shielded to prevent corrosive gas from flowing into the film digitizer 14 except when the X-ray film 16 passes through the X-ray film 8a.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a first embodiment of a radiation image reading device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a film digitizer of the above embodiment, and FIGS. Second aspect of the radiation image reading device according to the invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram similar to FIG. 1, showing third and fourth embodiments; 10...Radiation image reading device 12...Automatic developing machine 14...Film digitizer 16...X-ray film (film) 38...Pressure adjustment mechanism (corrosive gas inflow prevention means) 52... Opening/closing mechanism (corrosive gas inflow prevention means) 64.
...Roller (corrosive gas inflow prevention means) 66...Shielding means (corrosive gas inflow prevention means) 68...Flexible shielding means (corrosive gas inflow prevention means) Figure 2 N Figure 3 No Figure 4 V Figure 5 1''

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] (1) An automatic developing machine that performs a developing process on a film on which a radiation image is formed as a latent image; A radiation image reading device comprising a film digitizer for photoelectrically reading a recorded image, wherein corrosive gas generated in the automatic developing machine is prevented from flowing into the film digitizer from the automatic developing machine. A radiation image reading device characterized by being provided with a corrosive gas inflow prevention mechanism. (2) The corrosive gas inflow prevention mechanism comprises a pressure adjustment mechanism that makes the pressure inside the film digitizer higher than the pressure inside the automatic developing machine.
The radiographic image reading device described above. (3) The radiation image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the corrosive gas inflow prevention mechanism comprises an opening/closing mechanism provided between the automatic developing machine and the film digitizer. (4) The corrosive gas inflow prevention mechanism comprises a pair of rollers provided between the automatic processor and the film digitizer, and a shielding means for covering the rollers. Radiographic image reading device. (5) The radiation image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the corrosive gas inflow prevention mechanism comprises flexible shielding means provided between the automatic processor and the film digitizer.