JPH05333456A - Carrying device for stimulative phosphor sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a stimulative phosphor sheet from being defectively carried in a device which is provided with a sheet carrying surface brought into contact with one surface of the stimulative phosphor sheet and a rotating member which is rubbed and engaged with the other surface of the sheet and which carries the sheet on the sheet carrying surface. CONSTITUTION:A cassette cushioning material 14 being the sheet carrying surface brought into contact with one surface of the stimulative phosphor sheet 11 carried out from the inside of a cassette 10 is formed of a material whose frictional coefficient with one surface of the sheet 11 is <=0.5. On the other hand, a rotating roller 75 which is rubbed and engaged with the other surface of the sheet 11 and which feeds the sheet 11 is formed of a material whose frictional coefficient with the other surface of the sheet 11 is >=1.0.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for conveying a stimulable phosphor sheet for accumulating and recording radiation image information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a recording medium for recording a radiation image of a human body or the like, for example, JP-A-55-12429,
The stimulable phosphor sheet disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 56-11395, that is, a sheet having a layer of the stimulable phosphor is known. The above-mentioned stimulable phosphor means radiation (X
Radiation, α-rays, β-rays, γ-rays, ultraviolet rays, electron rays, etc.), some of that energy is accumulated, and when it is irradiated with excitation light such as visible light after that, it luminesces according to the accumulated energy It is a phosphor showing exhausted light emission.

After the radiation image of the subject is recorded (photographed) on the stimulable phosphor sheet, for example, by irradiating the radiation that has passed through the subject, the stimulable phosphor sheet is two-dimensionally scanned with excitation light, At that time, if the stimulated emission light emitted from the sheet is photoelectrically detected, an electric image signal indicating radiation image information can be obtained. Then, after the reading of the radiation image information is completed, the stimulable phosphor sheet is irradiated with the erasing light to release the radiation energy remaining therein, so that the stimulable phosphor sheet again has the radiation image of the radiation image. It is ready to be used for recording.

The above-mentioned stimulable phosphor sheet is usually handled by being housed in a light-shielding cassette or magazine. The cassette is for accommodating sheet-like image recording media such as stimulable phosphor sheets one by one. Usually, a box provided with an opening for inserting and removing the recording medium, and this box And a lid that is attached to the box via a swing shaft that is substantially parallel to the sheet-shaped image recording medium housed in, and that swings around the swing shaft to open and close the opening. It

When a radiation image is photographed (recorded) using such a cassette, the cassette is arranged, for example, at a position where it is irradiated with the radiation that has passed through the subject, and as a result, the stimulable phosphor stored in the cassette. A sheet or the like is irradiated with radiation, and a radiation image is captured there.

When the cassette is loaded in a reading device for reading radiation image information from, for example, a stimulable phosphor sheet on which a radiation image has been taken, in many cases, the stimulable phosphor contained therein is stored. The sheet is automatically ejected from there. As one of the devices for automatically carrying out the stimulable phosphor sheet as described above, a rotating roller is fed into the cassette with the lid opened, and one surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet placed in the cassette is turned downward. Other surface (upper surface)
There is known a device in which the stimulable phosphor sheet is slid out of the cassette by being brought into pressure contact with the roller and rotating the roller.

On the other hand, in the radiation image information reading apparatus as described above, the supplied stimulable phosphor sheet is sent to the radiation image information reading section, or the stimulable phosphor sheet after the reading is finished is subjected to the above-mentioned residual radiation energy. A device for transporting the stimulable phosphor sheet is provided in order to send the stimulable phosphor sheet to an erasing section or to send the stimulable phosphor sheet after the erasing process to an empty cassette or magazine. Be done.

Various types of transporting devices have been known so far, and as one of the typical transporting devices, a stimulable phosphor sheet is placed on the sheet transporting surface with one surface thereof facing downward. , A device for slidingly transporting a stimulable phosphor sheet on the sheet transporting surface by rotating a rotating member such as a rotating roller or a rotating belt under pressure contact with the other surface and frictionally engaging the rotating member. Widely known. An apparatus for automatically carrying out the stimulable phosphor sheet from the cassette as described above is also considered as a kind of this type of carrying apparatus. In that case, the inner surface of the cassette, which is in contact with the lower surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet, becomes the above-mentioned sheet conveying surface.

[0009]

By the way, in the above-described conveying device having the sheet conveying surface and the rotating member, the stimulable phosphor sheet is not fed at a predetermined speed or is bent in an incorrect direction. Occasionally, there was a situation in which it was sent.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a transporting device for a stimulable phosphor sheet which does not cause such a transport failure.

[0011]

A transporting device for a stimulable phosphor sheet according to the present invention comprises a sheet transporting surface which is in contact with one surface of the above-mentioned stimulable phosphor sheet and a rotating member which frictionally engages with the other surface of the sheet. In a device that has a member and conveys this sheet on the sheet conveying surface, the sheet conveying surface has a friction coefficient of 0 with one surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet.
The rotating member is formed of a material of 5 or less, and the rotating member is formed of a material of which the coefficient of friction with the other surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet is 1.0 or more.

[0012]

According to the research conducted by the present inventors,
It has been found that the above-mentioned defective conveyance of the stimulable phosphor sheet is caused by the rotation member slipping on the other surface of the sheet. The conventional stimulable phosphor sheet is often handled by a sheet conveying system including a mechanism for free-falling it, and on the premise of that, both the one surface and the other surface are prevented in order to prevent the jam at the time of the free-fall. It was finished quite smooth. Therefore, the coefficient of friction between the other surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet and the rotating member of the conventional conveying device was about 0.9 at the maximum. Therefore, when the rotating member is brought into pressure contact with the other surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet and the sheet is conveyed, the above-described slip is likely to occur.

On the other hand, since the stimulable phosphor sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention is formed so that the friction coefficient between the other surface of the sheet and the rotating member is 1.0 or more, the rotating member is formed on the other surface of the sheet. On the other hand, it becomes difficult to slip, and as a result, the stimulable phosphor sheet is reliably conveyed without causing conveyance failure.

If the coefficient of friction between one surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet and the sheet conveying surface is set to 0.5 or less as in the present invention, the stimulable phosphor sheet will slide well on the sheet conveying surface. From this point as well, the sheet conveyance is ensured.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a stimulable phosphor sheet 11 conveyed by an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a cassette 10 in which the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is stored.
It shows the appearance of. As an example, the cassette 10 is loaded into the radiation image information reading device 40 shown in FIG. 3 and supplies the radiation image recorded (photographed) stimulable phosphor sheet 11 housed therein to the reading device 40.

As shown in FIG. 1, the above-mentioned stimulable phosphor sheet
Reference numeral 11 denotes a support 11A, a stimulable phosphor layer 11B carried on the support 11A, a protective layer 11C covering the phosphor layer 11B, and a protective layer 11D covering the back side of the support 11A.
Consists of. The protective layer 11C, which is one surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11, is made of, for example, a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film, while the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is used.
The protective layer 11D, which is the other surface of 11, is made of, for example, a polypropylene film.

Next, the cassette 10 will be described with reference to FIG. This cassette 10 consists of a thin box 12 and this box
Opening 12a for storing and removing the stimulable phosphor sheet provided in 12
And a lid 13 for opening and closing. The box 12 and the lid 13 are made of synthetic resin, for example. The lid 13 is made swingable around a swing axis A that is substantially parallel to the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 housed in the box 12.
It is attached to 12, and swings in this way to open the opening 12a.
Open and close. A cushioning material 14 for preventing damage to the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is entirely attached to the inner surface of the cassette 10. The buffer material 14 is made of, for example, a non-woven fabric called Stratec (trade name) of Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., Ltd. In order to make the lid body 13 swingable as described above, for example, a known hinge mechanism is used, or the lid body 13 and the box body 12 are integrally molded by a synthetic resin, and the lid body 13 is boxed. It suffices if the body 12 can be bent at a hinge line.

The cassette 10 in which the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is housed is provided in the cassette loading portion formed in the radiation image information reading device 40 of FIG. 3 after being used for capturing a radiation image as described above. Is set. 4 and 5 show the cassette loading section in detail. As shown in the figure, the cassette loading section includes a mounting table 20 on which the cassette 10 is mounted, a fixed guide member 21 for positioning the right end (lower end in FIG. 5) of the cassette 10 from the outside, and the left end of the cassette 10. It has a fixed guide member 22 for defining the position from the outside, and a light blocking roller pair 23.

A lock roller 29 is rotatably attached to each of the pair of fixed guide members 21 and 22. Further, each roller of the light shielding roller pair 23 is formed to be slightly longer than the width of the cassette 10, and is biased in a direction toward each other by a biasing means (not shown) and is kept slightly separated from each other by a stopper (not shown). Be drunk Further, the radiation image information reading device 40 is provided with a frame 30 that covers the upper roller of the light blocking roller pair 23, and a frame 31 having a cassette setting port 31a.

When the cassette 10 is set, one end thereof, that is, the end on the side having the opening 12a is inserted between the light shielding roller pair 23 through the cassette set opening 31a of the frame 31. At this time, the pair of light-shielding rollers 23 is opened slightly up and down to receive the cassette 10. When the cassette 10 is pushed to a predetermined position, the stoppers 21a and 22a formed on the fixed guide members 21 and 22 come into contact with the tips thereof, and the cassette 10 is set to this predetermined position. When the cassette 10 is set in this way, the protective layer 11C (see FIG. 1) which is one surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 faces downward and contacts the cushioning material 14 on the inner surface of the cassette.

Then, the lid 13 is opened by an appropriate method as shown in FIG. 4, and the roller arm 74 holding the rotating roller 75 at the tip is moved in the direction of arrow B, that is, toward the inside of the cassette 10. In this way, when the roller 75 comes into pressure contact with the other surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 in the cassette 10, that is, the protective layer 11D (see FIG. 1), the movement of the roller arm 74 is stopped, and then the roller 75 is driven by a driving means not shown It is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. Then, the rotational force of the roller 75 is transmitted to the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 by frictional engagement, and the sheet 11 is carried out of the cassette 10 through the opening 12a.

Here, the peripheral surface of the rotary roller 75 is made of silicone rubber. The friction coefficient between the silicone rubber and the polypropylene film forming the protective layer 11D of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is about 2.0.
This value is much larger than the maximum value 0.9 in the conventional stimulable phosphor sheet described above, so that the roller 75 does not slip with respect to the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 and the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is not conveyed properly. It can be reliably carried out of the cassette without causing any trouble.

On the other hand, as described above, the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is used.
The coefficient of friction between the cushioning material 14 of the cassette 10 which becomes the sheet conveying surface when the sheet is carried out and the PET film forming the protective layer 11C of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is about 0.4. If the friction coefficient of this portion is sufficiently small as described above, the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 slides well on the cushioning material 14, and from this point also the sheet 11 can be conveyed smoothly and reliably. become.

The discharged stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is
In the radiation image information reading device 40 of FIG.
6, 47, 48 and nip rollers 45, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 5
The erasing unit 6 is composed of a sheet conveying system consisting of 4, 55, 56, 57, etc.
It is sent to the reading unit 62 via 0. The reading process of the radiation image information in the reading unit 62 is described in, for example, JP-A-55-12429.
Although it is known from the publications, etc., it will be briefly described below. The stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is moved by the nip rollers 55, 56 and 57 for the excitation light sub-scanning as shown in FIG.
It is conveyed at a constant speed in the direction of the middle arrow H. Then, the laser beam 64 as the excitation light emitted from the main scanning optical system 63 scans (main scanning) the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the arrow H direction.

From the portion of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 which has been irradiated with the laser beam 64, stimulated emission light of a light amount corresponding to the radiation image information accumulated and recorded therein is emitted. This stimulated emission light is detected by a photodetector 66 such as a photomultiplier tube via a light guide 65. Therefore, from the photodetector 66, the output signal S indicating the radiation image information accumulated and recorded in the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is obtained. When this signal S is sent to an image reproducing device such as a CRT display device or an optical scanning recording device for image reproduction, the radiation image recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is reproduced as a visible image.

After the radiation image information has been read, the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is rotated from the reading section 62 to the erasing section 60 by the nip rollers 45, 49 to 57 being rotated in the opposite direction to that of the cassette, and then the cassette. It is sent to the loading section. When the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 passes through the erasing section 60, a plurality of erasing light sources 61 are turned on, and the erasing light emitted from them is applied to the stimulable phosphor sheet 11. The radiation energy remaining in the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 even after reading the radiation image information is stored in the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 by this erasing light irradiation.
The sheet 11 is ready for use in radiographic imaging.

A stimulable phosphor sheet that has been subjected to this erasing process
The roller 11 is carried into the cassette 10 by the roller 75 rotating in the opposite direction to the previous case, that is, in the clockwise direction in FIG. Also in this case, the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 can be reliably carried in for the same reason as in the case where the stimulable phosphor sheet is unloaded. Then, by performing the reverse operation to the case of taking out the stimulable phosphor sheet, the cassette 10
Is closed and locked. That is, first, the roller arm 74 moves in the direction opposite to the arrow B direction to move the roller 75.
Is returned to the standby position outside the cassette 10. Then, the lid 13 that has been opened wide is slightly opened by the means for opening the lid as described above (state shown by broken line in FIG. 4).
Returned to. When the detection means detects that the roller 75 has returned to the standby position and is notified by, for example, a display device, the device operator pulls the cassette 10 out of the cassette setting port 31a. In this way cassette 10
When the lid is pulled out, the lid 13 is pushed from above by the pair of lock rollers 29, and the lock claws (both not shown) provided on both the lid 13 and the box 12 are engaged with each other so that the lid 13 13 is locked.

In the stimulable phosphor sheet conveying apparatus of the above-described embodiment, the rotating roller 75 is frictionally engaged with the stimulable phosphor sheet 11, and the sheet 11 is slid on the cushioning material 14 to be conveyed. However, the present invention can also be applied to a stimulable phosphor sheet conveying device having other rotating members and a sheet conveying surface.

For example, the accumulative phosphor sheet conveying apparatus shown in FIG. 6 includes free rollers 91, 92, 93 and drive rollers.
While the rotating member is formed from the endless belt 90 stretched around 94, five free rollers 95, 96, 97, 98 and 99 arranged by being pressed against the endless belt 90 constitute a sheet conveying surface. .. That is, in this sheet conveying device, the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 and the free roller 91 are
95 is placed on the endless belt 90 stretched horizontally between the endless belt 90 and the drive roller 94, and when the endless belt 90 rotates clockwise in the figure by the rotation of the drive roller 94, the endless belt 90 is frictionally engaged with the endless belt 90. Free rollers 95, 96, 97, 98
And 99 are brought into contact with each other one after another.

Also in the above-described stimulable phosphor sheet conveying apparatus, the endless belt 90, which is a rotating member, is formed of a material having a friction coefficient of 1.0 or more with the other surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11, and the sheet conveying surface. As Free Roller 95 ~
99, the coefficient of friction with one surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is 0.
When the sheet is formed of a material of 5 or less, the sheet does not slip with respect to the endless belt 90 when the tip of the stimulable phosphor sheet 11 to be conveyed comes into contact with the free rollers 95 to 99, and the sheet is conveyed. Can be ensured.

In the stimulable phosphor sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention, in order to increase the friction coefficient between the rotating member and the other surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet, the material forming the rotating member is appropriately embossed. It may be applied, or this material may be formed into a corrugated cross section. Further, the same processing may be applied to the other surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side sectional view showing an example of a stimulable phosphor sheet conveyed by the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a cassette in which the stimulable phosphor sheet is stored.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a radiation image information reading device in which the cassette is loaded.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway side view showing a stimulable phosphor sheet conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a cassette loading section of the radiation image information reading apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a stimulable phosphor sheet conveying device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Cassette 11 Accumulable phosphor sheet 11C, 11D Protective layer 12 Box 13 Cover 14 Buffer material 75 Rotating roller 90 Endless belt 91, 92, 93, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 Free roller 94 Drive roller

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location G21K 4/00 L 8607-2G

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for transporting this sheet on the sheet transport surface, comprising: a sheet transport surface in contact with one surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet; and a rotating member frictionally engaged with the other surface of the sheet. The sheet conveying surface is formed of a material having a coefficient of friction of 0.5 or less with one surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet, and the rotating member has a coefficient of friction of 1.0 or more with the other surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet. A transporting device for a stimulable phosphor sheet, characterized in that it is formed of the following material.