JPH04371142A - Non-contact communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To transmit and receive a predetermined amount of electricity between first and second electric devices which move relative to each other by generating a magnetic field of intensity proportional to a desired amount of electricity at the first electric device, and detecting the desired amount of electricity proportional to the intensity of the magnetic field at the second electric device. CONSTITUTION:An X-ray beam is emitted from an X-ray source 20 in the direction of a subject P and the X-ray beam transmitted at each channel is detected by a data collecting portion 22. The transmitted X-ray beam is A/D converted and fed to a non-contact communication device 1. At the non-contact communication device 1 the digitized beam is converted into an analogue signal by the D/A converter 111 of a magnetic force generating portion 11 and the analogue signal is amplified by a first amplifier 112 and then electromagnetic waves are generated from a primary coil 113. A voltage proportional to the intensity of the magnetic field is induced at the secondary coil 123 of a magnetic force detecting portion 12. The voltage is amplified by a second amplifier 122 and converted into a digital signal by an A/D converter 121 and fed to a reconfiguring portion 33 and data processing is continued.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a relatively moving first
The present invention relates to a non-contact communication device that transmits and receives a predetermined amount of electricity between an electrical device and a second electrical device.

0002

[Prior Art] A first electrical device and a second electrical device that move relatively.
A non-contact communication device that transmits and receives a predetermined amount of electricity to and from an electrical device is used, for example, in an X-ray CT scanner device that obtains a tomographic image of a subject.

An X-ray CT scanner device consists of a gantry section that collects projection data and a bed section on which a subject is placed. The gantry section has a hole (imaging space) into which the subject is inserted. The so-called third generation (R/R
), the gantry section is equipped with a rotatably supported ring, in which an X-ray source and a multichannel X-ray detector are installed facing each other. There is. In addition to the ring, the gantry section is provided with an X-ray control section, a data collection control section, a reconstruction section, and the like. Various signals are transmitted and received between the ring and other constituent parts of the ring. The various signals used for transmission and reception are as follows. High-voltage power is supplied from the X-ray control unit to the X-ray source, bias power is supplied from the data acquisition control unit to the multi-channel X-ray detector, and multi-channel detection signals are sent from the multi-channel X-ray detector to the reconstruction unit. is supplied.

[0004] For the above-mentioned transmission and reception, the ring and other constituent parts of the ring are electrically connected by an electrical connection mechanism. Conventionally, a slip ring mechanism or a cable mechanism has been employed as an electrical connection mechanism. The slip ring mechanism consists of a brush and a slip ring, and the brush slides on the surface of the slip ring to establish electrical connection. Cable mechanisms use flexible electrical cables to make electrical connections.

[0005]

However, since the above-mentioned slip ring mechanism is a physical connection structure, there are many problems as described below. First, since the brushes slide while making contact with the surface of the slip ring, the brushes are subject to wear and tear and have poor durability, so the brushes must be replaced periodically, for example every 3 or 6 months. be. In addition, wear powder is generated due to the wear,
If the abrasion powder is left as it is, it will cause an electric discharge phenomenon, so maintenance to remove the abrasion powder is required at least once a month. Furthermore, with this type of slip ring mechanism, there is a problem in that the contact resistance between the brush and the slip ring changes over time, making it impossible to provide and receive a stable amount of electricity, and as a result, it is not possible to obtain a stable image. Ta.

[0006] Furthermore, the cable mechanism does not allow continuous rotation of the ring in the same direction. This is because the length of the flexible electrical cable is naturally finite, so after rotating the ring in one direction, the ring must be rotated in the opposite direction to unwind the flexible electrical cable. Flexible electrical cables are therefore susceptible to damage. Furthermore, since continuous rotation in one direction is not possible, a sufficiently long scan interval is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a contactless communication device that can contactlessly transfer a predetermined amount of electricity between a first electrical device and a second electrical device that move relatively. There is a particular thing.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention has taken the following measures in order to solve the above problems and achieve the objects. That is, the contactless communication device according to the present invention is a contactless communication device that transmits and receives a desired amount of electricity between a first electrical device and a second electrical device that move relatively. a magnetic field generating means disposed in the device and generating a magnetic field with an intensity corresponding to the desired amount of electricity;

[0009] The present invention is characterized in that it comprises a magnetic field detecting means disposed in the second electric device and detecting the desired amount of electricity in accordance with the intensity of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating means.

0010

[Operation] The non-contact communication device according to the present invention generates a magnetic field with an intensity corresponding to a desired amount of electricity from the first electric device side, and generates a magnetic field with an intensity corresponding to the intensity of the magnetic field on the second electric device side. The amount of electricity can be detected.

[0011]

[Example] Hereinafter, a non-contact communication device according to the present invention will be described.
An example applied to a T-scanner device will be explained. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of the X-ray CT scanner device, and is a diagram for clearly showing the range to which the main parts of the present invention are applied in the gantry section of the X-ray CT scanner device of this embodiment.

In the X-ray CT scanner device to which this embodiment is applied, an X-ray source 20 and a multi-channel X-ray detector 21 arranged opposite to the X-ray source 20 move around a subject P. This is a so-called third generation (R/R) X-ray CT scanner device that rotates integrally. This X-ray CT scanner device has a gantry section and a bed section (not shown). The gantry section has a hole (imaging space), into which the subject P is inserted while being supported by the bed section. The gantry part is equipped with a rotatably supported ring L, and this ring L includes an X-ray source 20 and a multi-channel X-ray detector disposed at a position facing the X-ray source 20. 21 and a data collection section 22. In addition to the ring L, the gantry part includes an X-ray control unit 31 and a data collection control unit 3.
2. A reconstruction unit 33 is provided. Various signals are transmitted and received between the ring L and components other than the ring L. High-voltage power is supplied from the X-ray control unit 31 to the X-ray source 20, and the data collection control unit 32 supplies multi-channel
A bias power supply is supplied to the X-ray detector 21, a control signal is supplied to the data acquisition section 22, and projection data is supplied from the multi-channel X-ray detector 21 to the reconstruction section 33. Although the system control unit 34 and the monitor 35 may be provided in the gantry unit, they are usually provided in a console (not shown).
2. Overall control of the reconfiguration unit 33 and monitor 35. The non-contact communication device according to the present invention is a multi-channel X-ray detector 21
This is performed regarding communication of projection data supplied from to the reconstruction unit 33. For communication of other signals, ie, high-voltage power, bias power supply, and control signals, a conventional slip ring mechanism S is used.

The X-ray control unit 31 includes a high voltage generator for supplying high voltage to the X-ray source 20, and supplies the high voltage to the X-ray source 20 according to the timing of X-ray exposure. Apply. The data acquisition control unit 32 supplies the multi-channel X-ray detector 21 with bias power for controlling X-ray detection timing, and also supplies the data acquisition unit 22 with timing signals for A/D conversion. Give control signal. The data collection unit 22 converts transmitted X-ray data (analog signals) for each channel obtained by the multi-channel X-ray detector 21 into digital signals and outputs the digital signals to the non-contact communication device 1. The reconstruction unit 33 receives transmitted X-ray data regarding the subject P from the non-contact communication device 1, obtains a tomographic image based on a predetermined reconstruction method, and supplies the tomographic image to the monitor 35.

Next, the non-contact communication device 1 will be explained. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the contactless communication device. The non-contact communication device 1 includes a magnetic force generating section 11 provided in a ring L (rotating side) and a magnetic force detecting section 12 provided in a portion other than the ring L (fixed side). The magnetic force generating section 11 inputs transmitted X-ray data from the data collecting section 22 , and the magnetic force detecting section 12 outputs the transmitted X-ray data to the reconstructing section 33 . The magnetic force generation unit 11 includes a D/A converter 111 that converts transmitted X-ray data (digital signal) into an analog signal, a first amplifier 112 that amplifies the analog signal, and an analog signal supplied from the first amplifier 112. A primary coil 113 that generates electromagnetic waves (magnetic field) with a strength corresponding to the electric power.
It is equipped with The magnetic force detection unit 12 includes a primary coil 113
A secondary coil 123 that induces power according to the intensity of electromagnetic waves generated by the secondary coil 123, a second amplifier 122 that amplifies the voltage induced in the secondary coil 123, and converts the analog signal input from the second amplifier 122 into a digital signal. A to convert
/D converter 121.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the gantry section. FIG. 4 is a front view schematically showing the arrangement of the primary coil. A ring drive unit LD is disposed at the bottom of the housing H, and rotates in the direction of arrow a2 about a rotation axis T2. The ring L is supported by a ring drive section LD, and is driven by the ring drive section LD to rotate in the direction of arrow a1 about a rotation axis T1. The outer periphery of the ring L is provided with grooves d1 and d2 whose both side wall surfaces are partitioned by magnetic shields MS. The number of grooves matches the number of channels in a multi-channel X-ray detector, and in this case the number of channels is 2.
Channel. Grooves d1 and d2 are magnetic shield MS
Since they are separated by , they do not have any magnetic influence on each other. Primary coils 113a and 113b of the magnetic force generating section 11 are provided on the bottom surface of each of the grooves d1 and d2. A spiral surface coil is adopted as the primary coil, and as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of surface coils SC1, SC2, SC3, SC4, SC5, SC
6, SC7, and SC8. Each of the plurality of surface coils is arranged adjacent to each other on the surface side of the bottom portion of the groove, and each of the plurality of surface coils is electrically connected in parallel to a first amplifier (not shown). The secondary coils 123a, 123b are arranged so that they always exist inside the grooves d1, d2 from one inner surface of the housing H, in this case the upper inner surface, and are spaced a certain distance from the primary coils 113a, 113b. The secondary coils 123a and 123b also employ surface coils like the primary coil. As described above, the primary coil 113a,
113b and the secondary coils 123a, 123b are arranged, voltages corresponding to the magnetic fields generated by the primary coils 113a, 113b are induced in the secondary coils 123a, 123b, respectively.

Next, the operation of the X-ray CT scanner device configured as described above will be explained. When the operator sets diagnostic conditions etc. on the console of the system control unit 34, the ring L is driven by the ring drive unit LD and begins to rotate around the subject P. From the point when a predetermined speed is reached, multiple Start collecting transmission X-ray data. X
The radiation source 20 emits an X-ray beam in the direction of the subject P every time it rotates by a certain angle under the control of the X-ray control section 31. The multi-channel X-ray detector 21 detects transmitted X-ray data transmitted through the subject P for each channel under the control of the data collection control section 32. The data collection section 22 inputs the transmitted X-ray data, performs A/D conversion on the transmitted X-ray data under the control of the data collection control section 32, and supplies the digital signal to the non-contact communication device 1. The magnetic force generator 11 of the non-contact communication device 1 converts the digital signal into a D/A converter 11.
1, and after amplifying the analog signal in a first amplifier 112, an electromagnetic wave is generated from the primary coil 113, and a magnetic field is generated throughout the internal space of the grooves d1 and d2 shown in FIG. The magnetic force detection section 12 induces a voltage according to the magnetic field strength in the secondary coil 123, amplifies it in the second amplifier 122, converts it into a digital signal in the A/D converter 121, and sends the digital signal to the reconstruction section. 33. Transmitted X-ray data of other channels are similarly supplied to the reconstruction unit 33 via the non-contact communication device 1. In this manner, the transmitted X-ray data outputted as a digital signal from the data collection section 22 of the ring L can be accurately reproduced before being supplied to the reconstruction section 33 via the non-contact communication device 1. The reconstruction unit 33 inputs the transmitted X-ray data for 180 degrees or 360 degrees,
Obtain a tomographic image using a predetermined reconstruction method based on the line data,
The tomographic image is displayed on the monitor 35. As described above, according to this embodiment, transmitted X-ray data generated on the ring side can be accurately reproduced on the housing side.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Although the present invention is used in an X-ray CT scanner device in the above embodiment, it can also be applied to other devices that communicate between a fixed body and a movable body that moves relative to the fixed body. In addition, although this non-contact communication device was used to communicate the collected X-ray projection data, other information and power, such as bias power and data sent from the data collection control unit 32 to the multi-channel X-ray detector 21, are also used. Timing signal sent from acquisition control unit 32 to data acquisition unit 22, X-ray control unit 3
It may also be used to transfer high-voltage power sent from X-ray source 1 to X-ray source 20 .

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, a predetermined amount of electricity can be exchanged between a first electrical device and a second electrical device that are relatively movable without contact.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an X-ray CT scanner device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a contactless communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a gantry section.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the arrangement of primary coils.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Non-contact communication device, 20... X-ray source, 21... Multi-channel X-ray detector, 22... Data collection section, 31... X-ray control section, 32... Data collection control section, 33... Reconfiguration section, 34 …
Monitor, M...Electrical connection mechanism, L...Ring.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A non-contact communication device that transmits and receives a desired amount of electricity between a first electrical device and a second electrical device that move relatively, the contactless communication device being arranged in the first electrical device and transmitting and receiving a desired amount of electricity between a first electrical device and a second electrical device that move relatively. a magnetic field generating means for generating a magnetic field with an intensity corresponding to the quantity of electricity; and a magnetic field arranged in the second electric device and detecting the desired quantity of electricity according to the intensity of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating means. A non-contact communication device comprising: a detection means.