JPS6288773A - Sheet storing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To store sheets in a receive magazine quickly and without damaging sheets by arranging a sheet pressing mechanism above a sheet guiding guide plate arranged corresponding to the opening section of the receive magazine. CONSTITUTION:A sheet guiding guide plate is arranged corresponding to the opening section of receive magazine 72, the upper section of which is opened to receive sheets A. A sheet pressing mechanism 74, which is lowered and forcibly presses and stores sheets A in the receive magazine 72 when sheets A are to be guided into the receive magazine 72, is arranged above this guide plate. Therefore, the stack order of sheets A is not disturbed, and it is unnecessary to rectify an irregular state or recheck the order, thus sheets A can be stored in the receive magazine 72 quickly and without damaging sheets A themselves at all.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a sheet storage device, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a sheet storage device, and more particularly, for example, for rapidly storing radiographically imaged stimulable phosphor sheets fed continuously at high speed into a receive magazine. Moreover, the present invention relates to a seat storage device that can accommodate the seats without damaging the seats themselves.

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a radiation image recording and reproducing system that uses a stimulable phosphor to obtain a radiographic image of a subject has been attracting attention. Here, a storage phosphor is a material that, when irradiated with radiation (X-rays, α-rays, β-rays, T-rays, electron beams, ultraviolet rays, etc.), stores a portion of this radiation energy and later emits visible light, etc. A phosphor that exhibits stimulated luminescence according to the energy accumulated by irradiation with excitation light.

The radiation image recording and reproducing system described above utilizes this stimulable phosphor, and once the radiation image information of the human body etc. is stored in a sheet (hereinafter referred to as stimulable phosphor sheet 1-) having a layer of stimulable phosphor. This stimulable 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 produce an image signal. Based on this image signal, it is outputted as a visible image to a recording material such as a photographic light-sensitive material, a CRT, etc. Regarding this type of technology, please refer to JP-A No. 55-1
No. 2429, No. 56-1) No. 395, etc.

This system therefore has the practical advantage of being able to record images over a much wider range of radiation exposure compared to conventional radiographic systems using intensifying screens and X-ray film.

That is, in a stimulable phosphor, it is recognized that the amount of emitted light that is stimulated to emit light due to excitation after accumulation is proportional to the amount of radiation exposure over an extremely wide range. Therefore, even if the amount of radiation exposure varies considerably due to various imaging conditions, the amount of emitted light can be read by the photoelectric conversion means by setting the reading gain to an appropriate value and converted into an electrical signal. Description of photographic materials used
Th+;lne4. If the image is output as a visible image on a display device such as a CRT, a radiation image that is not affected by fluctuations in radiation exposure can be obtained.

Furthermore, according to this system, radiation image information stored and recorded in a stimulable phosphor is converted into an electrical signal and then subjected to appropriate signal processing. It is also possible to output the image as a visible image to a display device such as , etc., thereby producing an extremely effective radiographic image suitable for observation and interpretation (appropriate for diagnosis).

Therefore, in a radiographic image recording and reproducing system using this stimulable phosphor sheet, if a high-speed imaging stand like the one used in conventional This makes it possible to take pictures, which has an extremely large diagnostic effect.

However, the conventionally adopted high-speed X-ray transmission image↑
In the most imaging stage, there is a first film storage section that stores unexposed X-ray film, an X-ray film is taken out from this first film storage section and transported to the imaging position, and an X-ray film that has been taken is transported to the imaging position. Generally, the camera is equipped with a transport mechanism for feeding out the X-ray film, and a second film storage section for storing the photographed X-ray film. Therefore, a radiation image recording/reading device using a stimulable phosphor sheet also follows the essential mechanism of this conventional X-ray imaging device, and has a supply magazine for supplying the stimulable phosphor sheet to the imaging unit. The camera includes a photographing section, and a receive magazine which is arranged in relation to the photographing section and stores a photographed stimulable phosphor sheet.

By the way, in radiographic image information recording and reproducing systems using stimulable phosphor sheets or conventional X-ray imaging devices, the imaging device itself must be made as compact as possible in order to utilize the narrow space as effectively as possible. are doing. Therefore, the supply magazine and the receipt magazine incorporated in this photographing device are efficiently arranged in relation to the photographing section within the narrow housing. For this reason, especially when performing high-speed imaging, the unexposed stimulable phosphor sheet or X-ray film supplied from the supply magazine is fed at high speed to the imaging unit, where it is once positioned and then taken. After that, it is stored in the receive magazine again at high speed. As a result, photographed sheets or X-ray films are stacked and stored one after another in the receive magazine, but relatively thin and lightweight stimulable phosphor sheets or X-ray films are placed at a high distance from the imaging table. When being fed at a high speed, a suitable buoyant force is created, so that the next photographed sheet or In some cases, the stimulable phosphor sheets may collide with each other within the space of the receive magazine, or may sit unevenly in the receive magazine due to their buoyancy, or even be fed later. A situation occurs in which the incoming stimulable phosphor sheet or X-ray film is fed below the stimulable phosphor sheet or XvA film that is still in a floating state, and the stacking order of the sheets or X-ray film is disturbed. This means that when a stimulable phosphor sheet or an X-ray film is used to photograph the affected area of a subject, the sequence of photographing will be out of order. Furthermore, in the case of a radiation image information recording and reproducing system using a stimulable phosphor sheet, when reading the photographed stimulable phosphor sheet with a radiation image information reading device, it is necessary to correct any irregularities in advance or , this becomes an inconvenience that requires complicated processing such as rechecking the order.

The present invention has been made in order to overcome all of the above-mentioned disadvantages, and it captures the timing of the stimulable phosphor sheet or X-ray film being fed at high speed from the imaging unit, and forcibly cuts it. The stimulable phosphor sheet or X-ray film is seated inside the receive magazine, thereby aligning and stacking the sheets or X-ray film at predetermined positions in the receive magazine, shortening the flight time of the stimulable phosphor sheet or It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet storage device configured so as not to confuse the stacking order of body sheets or X-ray films.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a receive magazine with an opening at the top for receiving sheets, a guide plate for guiding sheets disposed corresponding to the opening of the receive magazine, and a guide plate for guiding the sheets. It is characterized by comprising a sheet holding mechanism disposed above and lowering to forcibly press and store the sheet into the receive magazine when the sheet is introduced into the receive magazine.

Next, preferred embodiments of the seat storage device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a high-speed radiation image capturing apparatus using a stimulable phosphor sheet, in which reference numeral 10 designates a casing that is horizontally placed and fixed, constituting this image capturing apparatus. A patient to be photographed is placed above this housing 10 and photographed.

Inside the housing 10, a stimulable phosphor sheet 1-A is placed in the photographing section 1.
A supply magazine 14 for feeding the stimulable phosphor sheets A is arranged and fixed, and the stimulable phosphor sheets A are stacked and stored inside this supply magazine 14.

Note that a take-out mechanism 16 for feeding the sheet A to the photographing section 12 is disposed at the top of the supply magazine 14 . The take-out mechanism 16 includes a crank arm 20 rotated by a disc 18 and the crank arm 20.
It includes a rod 22 connected to the tip of the rod 22 and a single leaf claw 24 fixed to one end of the rod 22. The leading end of the supply magazine 14 faces a pair of rollers 26, 28. The supply magazine 14 is centered around the rollers 26 and 28.
A switching plate 30 is disposed on the opposite side. The vicinity of one end of the switching plate 30 is supported by a rod 34 that is swingably supported by a column 32. One end of the rod 34 engages with the switching plate 30 through an elongated hole, while a shaft 36 faces the elongated hole bored at the other end of the rod 34, and the shaft 36 is connected to the rotational drive source 38. Under the rotational action of the rod 34, the rod 34 is displaced in the vertical direction using the support 32 as a fulcrum.

The other end of the switching plate 30 is swingably supported by one end of a support member 40 which is bent into an angular shape and is pivoted.

At the end of the switching plate 30, there is a stop roll 42 for stopping the stimulable phosphor sheet A being conveyed as a buffer.
and the receiving plate 44 are arranged in sliding contact. A discharge lever 50 for discharging the stimulable phosphor sheet A is disposed at the sliding contact portion between the stop roll 42 and the receiving plate 44, and is displaced within a predetermined angle by the clampers I and 48 that swing under the action of the disk 46. be done. On the other hand, a top plate 52, which faces the switching plate 30 when it is raised, is disposed to extend horizontally between the roller 26 and the stop roll 42, and is adjacent to one end of the top plate 52. A roller 54 that is in sliding contact with the roller 26 is rotatably supported.

Next, a pair of guide plates 56a and 56b are disposed so as to face the sliding contact portions of the rollers 26.54, and rollers 58.60 are disposed on one end side of the guide plates 55a and 56b so as to be in sliding contact with each other. It is set up.

These rollers 58, 60 further face a sheet storage device 70 according to the invention.

Therefore, the sheet storage device 70 is shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. The seat storage device 70 includes a receive magazine 72 that can be freely accessed and removed from the outside of the housing 10, and this receive magazine 72.
and a sheet holding mechanism 74 disposed above the sheet. The receive magazine 72 is horizontally i! ! The photographing section 12 side is inclined at an angle such that the photographing section 12 side is slightly lifted with respect to the housing 10 which is positioned in two positions (see FIG. 4).

Next, the sheet holding mechanism 74 will be explained.

The plate bodies 73a, 78b, and 78c constituting the sheet holding mechanism 74 are fixed to the inside of the casing 10 at a predetermined distance so as to maintain a vertical state. In this case, roller 58.
The plate 78c disposed on the 60 side consists of a relatively wide central plate and narrow plates disposed at a predetermined distance from both ends of the central plate. A supporting plate 80a is fixed to the plate 78a and extends bent from the upper end thereof, while the plate 78a is fixed to the plate 78a. A support plate body 80b is fixed to the upper end portion of the support plate body 8b, which is bent and extends downward in the same manner as the support plate body 80a. The distal ends of the support plates 80a and 80b support the guide plate 82 by bending each other. As can be easily understood from FIG. 4, the guide plate 82 has a thicker inclination angle than the receive magazine 72.
A housing 84 containing a rotational drive source (not shown), for example, a motor, is fixed to the inside of the housing 8c, and a first sprocket 86 is fitted into the rotational drive shaft of the motor that protrudes from the housing 84 to the outside. On the other hand, IMi supports 88a, 88b are fixed to the plate 78b, and these supports 88a, 88b
A rod 90 is rotatably bridged between. The rod 90 has a second sprocket 92) a third sprocket 94,
A fourth sprocket 96, a fifth sprocket 98, and a sixth sprocket 100 are fitted and fixed, respectively.

The plate body 78c further includes a pair of support members 102a, 102.
b are provided to extend substantially horizontally, and crank arms 104a, 104b are pivotally supported at the distal end portions of each of the support members 102a, 102b so as to be swingable.

On the other hand, a pair of support members 106a and 106b are fixed to the housing 84 side of the plate body 78c, and this support member 106a
, 106b connects the seventh sprocket 108a and the eighth sprocket 1 via the rotating shafts 1) 0a and 1) 0b, respectively.
The 0-day table is rotatably supported. The rotating shafts 1) 0a and 1) 0b which support the seventh sprocket 108a and the eighth sprocket 108b respectively have cam plates 1) 2a,
1) 2b is pivotally supported, and crank arms 1) 4a and 1) 4b are swingably engaged with peripheral edges of the cam plates 1) 2a and 1) 2b that are offset from the center of the rotating shaft, respectively. Note that the tips of the crank arms 1) 4a and 1) 4h are rotatably engaged with substantially central portions of the crank arms 104a and 104b.

Next, a pair of guide bars 1) 6a, 1) 6b are fixed to the photographing unit 12 side of the plate 78C using a pair of narrow plates, and these guide bars 1) 6a, 1) 6b are fixed. The sliding members 1) 8a and 1) 8b are movably fitted into the housings. A rod 120 is bridged between the sliding members 1) 8a and 1) 8b,
A presser rod 122 is fixed approximately at the center of this rod 120. Similarly, pressing rods 124a and 124b are also fixed to the sliding members 1) 8a and 1) 8b. In this case, a roller 126 is rotatably supported at the tip of the presser rod 122, while the presser foot 124a,
Presser rollers 128a and 128b are also provided at the tip of 124b.
is rotatably supported. In this case, Fig. 2 and 3
As can be easily understood from the figure, the presser roller 12
8a and 128b are separated by a width selected to be at least larger than the length of the guide plate 82 in the width direction and smaller than the length of the receive magazine 72 in the width direction.

Therefore, when this rod 120 descends, the presser roller 128a.

128b extends in the gap defined by the guide plate 82 and the receive magazine 72;
The roller 126 fixed to the tip faces the inside of the notch 82a formed in the guide plate 82.

Next, the plate body 78 will be explained. Near the upper end of the plate body 78b, the support body 88a, which is directed toward the plate body 78a,
Two sets of supports 130a, 130b, 1 longer than 88b
31a and 131b are provided with a predetermined distance between them. A rod 132a bridges the tips of the supports 13Qa and 130b, and a ninth sprocket 134a is pivotally attached to the substantially central portion of the rod 132a. On the other hand, the support body 131a
, 131b as well as the rod 13
2b is pivotally supported, and a tenth sprocket 134b is fixed to this loft 132b. each rod 132a,
One end of the support 130a and the support 131
cam plates 136a, 136b extending outward from b, respectively;
support.

The crank arms 13 are attached to the cam plates 136a and 136b.
8.138 is engaged, and this crank arm 138.13
8 engage with rods 140a and 140b, respectively. Both ends of these rods 140a and 140b are connected to plate bodies 78, respectively.
Sliding members 142a and 142b arranged at a and 78b
and 144a, 144b. That is, guide bars 146a and 146b are arranged at both ends of the plate 78a in parallel to the direction in which the plate 78a is disposed, and guide bars 148a and 148b are similarly arranged on the plate 78b. .

The sliding member 1 is attached to the guide bars 146a and 146b.
42a and 142b are fitted onto the outside, and the sliding members 144a and 144b are fitted onto the guide bars 1488 and 148b.

These sliding members 142a and 142b include a rod 150a,
150b is fixed and these rods 150a, 150
Presser rollers 152a and 152b are rotatably supported at the tip of b.

On the other hand, the rod 1 is also applied to the sliding members 144a and 144b.
54a and 154b are engaged, and presser rollers 156a and 156b are rotatably supported at their tips. In this case, the rods 140a and 140b each have a rod 155.
157, and a presser rod 161 having a presser roller 159 pivotally supported is fixed to the approximate center of the rod 157.

Note that in the above configuration, the first sprocket 8
A chain 15B is suspended between the third sprocket 94 and the second sprocket 92, and a chain 160 is suspended between the third sprocket 94 and the ninth sprocket 134a through a hole bored in the plate 78b. A chain 162 is suspended between the fourth sprocket 96 and the seventh sprocket 108a.

On the other hand, the 6th sprocket 100 and the 8th sprocket HO8
A chain 164 is suspended between the fifth sprocket 9 and the tenth sprocket 134b, and a chain 166 is suspended between the fifth sprocket 9 and the tenth sprocket 134b through the hole drilled in the plate 78b in the same manner as described above. .

In the figure, reference numeral 168 indicates a rotational drive source such as a motor, and reference numeral 170 indicates a button that constitutes the imaging section 12 and prevents radiation from being scattered.

The seat storage device of this embodiment is basically constructed as described above, and its operation and effects will be explained next.

When the rotary drive source 16B is driven to rotate the disk 18, the crank arm 20 is displaced, and the sheet pawl 24 fixed to the tip of the rod 22 moves the stimulable phosphor sheet A to the roller 26.
Send it to the 28th side. The sheet A held between the rollers 26.28 is transferred toward the switching plate 30 under the rotational action of the rollers 26.28. That is, the stimulable phosphor sheet A is sent out vigorously at high speed by the rollers 26 and 28, and the stimulable phosphor sheet A is fed out by the rollers 26 and 28.
2 and the receiving plate 44 are brought into contact with each other. In this way, when the sea) A reaches the switching plate 30, the rotational drive source 3
8 is driven in the direction shown by the arrow to lower the shaft 36 of the rod 34, so that the other end of the rod 34, which is swingably supported by the column 32, moves the switching plate 3° under the action of the support member 40. Then, raise it to the position shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 1. When a subject (not shown) lying above the housing 10 is irradiated with radiation, a radiation image of the patient is taken on the sheet A via the button key 170 and the top plate 52.

Then, the crank arm 48 swings under the action of the disk 46 which starts rotating, and the ejection lever 50 pushes out this stimulable phosphor sheath) A towards the roller 54.26, and the guide plate 5
6a and 56b, and is fed to the sheet storage device 70 at high speed under the rotational action of rollers 58, 60. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, since the guide plate 82 is in a position slightly inclined from the horizontal direction, the leading edge of the stimulable phosphor sheet A being fed is received along its surface. It acts to introduce it into the magazine 72.

Therefore, the rotational drive source inside the housing 84 is activated at this timing. That is, when the rotational drive source within the housing 84 is driven, the sprocket 86 rotates, thereby causing the respective sprockets to rotate simultaneously via the chains 158, 160, 16 and 164, 166. Therefore, when the sprockets 108a and 108b rotate,
The cam plates 1) 2a, 1) 2b coaxially connected to these sprockets 08a, 108b rotate, and as a result,
The crank arms 1) 4a and 1) 4b are displaced downward, lowering the crank arms 104a and 104b.

For this reason, these crank arms 104a, 104b
A sliding member 1) 8a connected to the tip of the slider via a long hole,
1) 8b descends under the action of the crank arms 104a, 104b, and along with this, the sliding members 1) 8a, 1
) Presser rods 124a, 124b fixed to 8b
lowers the rollers 128a and 128b at the tip. As a result, even if the sea 1-A directed downward is still floating in the receive magazine 72, the guide plate 82 acts to forcefully push it downward.

At this time, even if the sheet A is slightly displaced in the conveying direction, there is no risk of the rollers 128a, 128b, etc. causing scratches on the sheet A due to their rotation.

Similarly, the crank arm 138 is lowered under the action of the cam plates 136a and 136b, and the rod 14 is accordingly lowered.
0a, 140b sliding members 142a, 142b, 1
44a and 144b. To this end, rods 150a, 150b, 154a, displaced along guide bars 146a, 146b, 148a, 148b,
Presser rollers 152a and 152b are rotatably supported on the tip of the roller 154b.

156a, 156b and a presser roller 159 pivotally supported by the rod 161 are connected to the presser rollers 128a, 128.
Press down the stimulable phosphor sheet A together with b.

When the rotational drive source inside the housing 84 continues to drive, the crank arms 104a, 104b, the rod 140a,
140b rises and the presser roller 128a as a whole,
128b, 152a, 152b, 156a, 156b
and 159 and the following stimulable fluorophore sea 1-A
The machine waits for the sheet 4 output operation to the receive magazine 72. Once a predetermined number of photographed stimulable phosphor sheets are stored in the receive magazine 72, the receive magazine 72 can be easily taken out from the outside.
The image will be sent to an image reading mechanism for display on a CRT or the like.

As described above, according to the present invention, when there is an imaged stimulable phosphor sheet being fed at high speed, the X-ray film is forcibly stored and stacked in the receive magazine at the right time. It is composed of Therefore, the time required for the stimulable phosphor sheet or the X-ray film to be stored and seated in the receive magazine is extremely short, and the seating position can also be maintained at a substantially constant position. That is, there is no need to align the photographed stimulable phosphor sheets or X-ray films again when taking out the photographed sheets or X-ray films. Furthermore, since it is possible to reduce the floating state of relatively lightweight stimulable phosphor sheets or Because it is configured to be pressed by
There is no possibility of causing damage to the surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet or the X-ray film. As a result, a stimulable phosphor sheet or an X-ray film that is subjected to high-speed imaging can be accommodated extremely quickly, and no accidental damage will occur, resulting in the remarkable effect of further increasing the efficiency of imaging.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.
For example, various sprockets are rotated by a single rotary drive motor to simplify the device itself, and the up and down movement of the guide plate can be easily synchronized with the movement of the single leaf pawl. You can also do that. In addition, various improvements and designs can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention, such as application not only to stimulable phosphor sheets but also to all other types of sheets that are transported at high speeds. Of course, changes are possible.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a radiation image recording device for stimulable phosphor sheets incorporating a sheet storage device according to the present invention;
2 is a partially omitted perspective explanatory view of the sheet storage device according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the sheet storage device for the stimulable phosphor sheet shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is the same as that shown in FIG. 3. It is a sectional view taken along the line It/-IV.

Claims (7)

[Claims] (1) A receive magazine with an open upper portion for receiving sheets, a guide plate for guiding the sheets disposed corresponding to the opening of the receive magazine, and a guide plate disposed above the guide plate to accommodate the receive magazine. When the seat is introduced,
A sheet storage device comprising: a sheet holding mechanism that lowers and forcibly presses and stores the sheet in a receive magazine. (2) In the device according to claim 1, the sheet holding mechanism includes a cam plate that rotates under the driving action of a rotary drive body, a crank arm that is pivotally attached to the cam plate, and is connected to the crank arm. A sheet storage device consisting of a presser rod. (3) A sheet storage device according to claim 2, in which a roller is rotatably supported at the tip of the presser rod. (4) In the device according to claim 2 or 3, the receive magazine is formed in a rectangular or rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a plurality of presser rods are arranged so as to face at least a corner of the receive magazine. Seat storage device. (5) In the device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the receive magazine is arranged at a predetermined angle with respect to the sheet conveyance direction, and the guide plate is arranged in the sheet conveyance direction. On the other hand, the sheet storage device is arranged to be inclined at a larger inclination angle than the receive magazine, and is configured such that one end of the guide plate faces the inside of the receive magazine. (6) In the device according to claim 5, the presser rod constituting the presser mechanism is configured to face the inside of the receive magazine through a gap defined by the receive magazine and the guide plate. Seat storage device. (7) A sheet storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the sheet is a stimulable phosphor sheet.