US3037119A - X-ray apparatus - Google Patents

Description

y 29, 1962 A. J. KIZAUR ETAL 3,037,119

X-RAY APPARATUS Filed NOV. 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

ARTHUR J. KIZAUR EDWARD A. LABUS y 1962 A. J. KIZAUR rAL 3,037,119

- X-RAY APPARATUS Filed Nov. 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ARTHUR J. KIZAUR EDWARD A. LABUS MAzW ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,037,119 X-RAY APPARATUS Arthur J. Kizaur and Edward A. Labus, Brookfield, Wis., assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 850,369 Claims. (Cl. 250-91) This invention relates to X-ray equipment and more particularly to apparatus for positioning an X-ray source or tube at any selected horizontal or vertical location with respect to a work station.

When X-ray tube positioners are used to cover a large area in order to perform radiography several conditions must be met before the installation can be considered fully satisfactory. First, the high voltage cables supplying the-source must be supported so that they do not interfere with the operating personnel. Secondly, the cables must be supported without oatenary droop and in a state of tensile equilibrium so as to impose no force or re.- sistance on the source which would tend to change its position or impede its free movement. Thirdly, it is desirable that the cables be supported so that moving them by changing the position of the source requires small but equal effort for any direction of motion. Fourth, it is prefer-able for practical and esthetic reasons that the cables and all mechanism for controlling the positioner be concealed from the view of the patient and operating personnel.

Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide an X-ray source positioner with improved means for handling the various electric high voltage and control cables associated with operation of the source.

Another object is to provide means for changing the disposition of the cable in order to compensate its length for various positions of the X-ray source and to bring about this result with the imposition of only a minimum frictional restraint to the end that the positioner may be manipulated in any direction with equal and small physical or mechanical elfort.

A further object is to arrange the cables so they are not subjected to small radius bends or abrading frictional contact that might bring about premature electrical or mechanical failure.

Yet another object is to provide means which, to the greatest extent conceals the cables and other positioning mechanism from view, this means comprising a flexible but laterally self supporting curtain whose operating mechanism is also designed for minimum restraint on the source positioner and which requires substantially equal forces for any direction of movement.

Other more specific objects will appear from time to time throughout the course of the specification.

X-ray apparatus embodying the invention may be generally characterized as comprising a. hollow open bottom beam extending laterally from and mounted for rolling movement on a stationary track disposed longitudinally of a room. An X-ray source carriage is in turn mounted on rails carried interiorly of the beam and the carriage includes a multiple section telescopic column supporting an X-r-ay tube casing at its lower end. The column extends through the open bottom of the beam and is adapted to be moved bodily along the beam. A novel curtain mechanism is provided for closing the opening in the beam regardless of the X-ray sources lateral position.

Electric cables, emanating from X-ray tube control apparatus and from a high voltage supply, enter the beam at one end and run along its interior in a lengthwise direction whereupon they are reentrantly bent to follow the opposite side of the beam. Then they emerge downwardly through an opening between the curtain reels for making an external connection to the X-ray source mounted below on the telescoping column. Means are also provided for handling the electric cable and maintaining constant tension therein for various positions of the tube carriage.

A more detailed description of what is considered a preferred embodiment of the invention will now be set forth in reference to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective plan view, with parts broken away, of an X-ray tube positioner embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of various parts of the positioner embodying the invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the beam, with parts broken away, showing details of the curtain operating mechanism; and,

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing the relationship between the electric cable and the curtain mechanism.

In FIG. 1 of the drawing, there is shown a universally positionable X-ray source 10 carried on the lower end of a vertical telescopic column 11 which is adapted for movement lengthwise of a hollow beam member, generally designated by the reference numeral 12.. Beam member 12 is provided with end rollers 13 engaged with wall mounted stationary rails 14 that enable movement of the beam lengthwise of an operating or X-ray diagnostic room.

The beam or bridge member 12 comprises a pair of side members in the form of channels 15 arranged in parallelism and opposed relation with respect to each other. The two channels are tied together at opposite ends by a suitable end plate member 16 in order to impart rigidity to the structure and to provide means for journaling the rollers 13. On the respective vertical walls inside of side members 15 are provided nails 17 and on the top of one side member 15 is provided a rail 17 in the form of rectangular sectioned bars on which a tube carriage plate 18 is adapted to roll and be guided while traversing the length of the beam member .12.. For this purpose carriage plate 18 is provided with horizontal axis guide rollers 19 and vertical axis rollers 20 that cooperate with rails 17 and 17' respectively to maintain plate 18 in vertical and transverse alignment with respect to the beam 12. Carriage plate 18 has allixed directly to its underside and by any suitable bracket means a vertically extending, square cross-section non-telescoping hollow column 2.1. Additional column sections 22, 22' may be arranged to telescope within section 21 and within each other in order to provide for vertical movement of X- ray source 10'.

The various sections 22 of the telescopic X-ray source f0 support are maintained in selected vertical location by means of a balancing system which is illustrated to the extent that its coaction with one vertically movable section 22 is shown, see FIGS. 1 and 2. The counterbalancing system is seen to comprise a pulley 23 journaled on the inside of telescoping section 22. A wire rope 24 is looped over a pulley 23 and each leg of the rope extends vertically upwardly through an aperture 25 in car-- riage plate 18 and over a pair of pulleys 26, 26' that are suitably journaled on plate 18 by any conventional bearing support, not shown. In FIGS. 1 and 2 it will be seen that one side of the wire rope 2'4 runs to the right over 26 and over another fixed pulley 27 whereupon the Wire rope returns to the remotely opposite foreground end of the beam 12 where it passes over another pulley 28 carried on end plate 16 and then it emerges and terminates in a wall anchored attachment 29. The other end of the cable 24 running over pulley 26 extends immediately to theleft in FIG. 1 after it leaves vertical column 21 and runs over another stationary pulley 28 whereupon it emerges and extends to the right where it rides on a pulley 30. The wire rope extends vertically after passing over pulley 36 to a point where it has attached a pulley supported counterweight 31, see FIG. 2.

The purpose of this arrangement is to permit carriage plate 18 to traverse along beam 12 without afiecting or changing the vertical elevation of the X-ray source 10. In order words, when the tube source is shifted from left to right in FIG. 1, for example, wire rope 24 merely feeds over pulleys 26', 23 and 26, increasing the length of rope 24 between pulleys 28' and 26 and decreasing rope length between pulleys 26 and 27. Such movement of the X- ray source in a horizontal plane does not affect the elevation of counterweight 31.

On the other hand, when one of the movable sections 22 is telescoped upwardly in fixed support section 21, the counterweight 31 assists by moving downwardly so that only the small frictional forces in the system need be overcome by the operator who is positioning the tube carriage at the desired vertical elevation. When a section 22 is moved downwardly the converse occurs.

Each telescoping section 22, two of which are shown, has its own pulley, rope and counterweight system. The number of systems needed corresponds with the number of telescoping sections employed. In a commercial embodiment, there are actually two such wire rope systems using a common counterweight for each telescoping section 22 each of which has a wire rope like 24 capable of sustaining the full load by itself. The second wire rope system acts as a safety support in the even one of the wire ropes fails.

Attention is now invited to the novel means provided for handling the electric cables 35, that supply X-ray source 10, and that are concealed within beam member 12. Usually there are two high voltage supply electric cables 35 and at least one control cable, not shown, which emanate from the beam member 12 and terminate in the vicinity of X-ray source 10 exteriorly of the beam member. In this illustration of the invention only one cable 35 is shown in order to avoid confusion in the drawing. Those versed in the art will be able to carry out the example to handle any desired number of cables.

Cable 35 may originate at a high voltage power source 36, see FIG. 2, and run horizontally over a large drum wheel 37, which may be of plastic, and is journaled for rotation on carriage plat 39. Rollers 38 on the carriage plate 39 are adapted to bear on a track 40 supported parallel to the stationary longitudinal track 14 that supports transversely extending movable beam assembly 12. Cable 35, see FIG. 1, after looping over wheel 37, extends through a suitable aperture 41 and into the interior of beam 12. It is desirable to clamp cable 35 immediately on the inside of aperture 41. One leg of cable 35 then extends along the bottom 42 of channel side member whereupon it makes a re-entrant loop 35' and returns on the opposite side of the beam assembly 12 in a parallel passageway constituting the bottom 42 of other channel member 15. It then emerges vertically from beam 12 through a suitable opening on the side of fixed column member 21 whereupon cable 35 extends through space next to column sections 21, 22, with some slack, to the X-ray source 10.

The re-entrant bend portion 35' of the cable 35 is formed over a take-up carriage plate 44 which has several stacks of grooved pulleys 45 that impart the desired curvature of the cable. Usually a plurality of cables are used and three or more pulleys 45 may be stacked over each other and arranged for rotation on a common spindle. Then all cables are parallel to each in different horizontal planes.

Take-up carriage 44 is adapted to move along beam 12 one-half the distance that tube carriage plate 18 traverses along the beam when the X-ray source 10 is manipulated into a different horizontal position by the operator. For this purpose, cable take-up carriage 44 is provided on its sides with rollers 46 that bear in rolling engagement on the bottom 42 of channel side member 4 15. Another set of rollers 47 mounted for rotation on the bottom of take-up carriage 44, see FIG. 3, engage with a track 48 of right angular cross section that is afiixed to the inside of channel 15 bottom 42 in order to guide the take-up carriage 44 in the beam member 12 against lateral shifting.

To assure that frictional drag of electric cable 35 is minimized and equalized so as to impart no force to the source carriage and in order to assist flexing of the cable 35 and prevent it from fouling, a mechanical advantage system is used to move the take-up carriage 44. This system comprises a wire rope 51 that is fixed at one end to the beam member through the agency of a rope tensioning coil spring 52. Wire rope 51 then extends over a pulley 53 which is rotatably mounted on the bottom of take-up carriage 44. The wire rope 51 extends further to a fixed pulley 54 at the far right end of beam member 12 in FIG. 1 whereupon it loops back to the far left end and over another pulley 55. It then terminates in a connection 56 with X-ray source support carriage 18. It will be evident that when source carriage 18 is shifted to the right in FIG. 1, for example, a tensile force will be exerted on wire rope 51 that will be transmitted therethrough to exert a corresponding force on take-up carriage 44 which will be translated toward the right half the distance through which the source carriage 18 is moved, thereby bringing about a mechanical advantage while at the same time maintaining both legs of cable 35 in a straight equal tension condition. A converse action takes place when carriage 18 is shifted to the left in which case tensile force is imparted to the cable 51 through the translation of pulley 53 that is mounted on take-up carriage 44. In either case, take-up carriage 44 translates half the distance of tube carriage 18 so that movement of the latter is accounted for by division between each leg of cable 35.

An advantage of this system is its low frictional forces and lack of drag on the cable 35 as a result of it being merely laid out where it is supported on the bottom 42 of channel members 15. Flexing parts of the cable are never bent sharply. Cables 35 are largely suspended in space so that they make little frictional contact. The principal but insignificant energy requirement is the small amount necessary to overcome friction inherent in the ball bearings supporting pulleys 45 on the take-up carriage 44 and the small flexing force involved in reforming the re-entrant loop 35' when carriage 18 is moved.

Means are also provided, see FIGS. 1 and 2, for maintaining electric cable 35 unfouled and in a condition of constant tension exterior of beam assembly 12 between exit aperture 41, where the cable emerges from the end of beam member 12, and an X-ray source Power supply 36. As outlined earlier, cable 35 extends over a large plastic wheel 37 that is journaled for rotation on a plate 39 which is in turn mounted on rollers 38, bearing on part of a stationary track 40. A wire rope 59 for positioning wheel 37 so that it translates half the distance through which beam member 12 is moved longitudinally of the room connects fixedly to the beam member at anchor point 60 and extends over a pulley 61 that may be journaled for rotation on a pivot that is fixed to any suitable support such as at the far right end of track 40, for example. The wire rope 59 after looping around the pulley 61 extends to another similarly mounted pulley 62 whereupon it loops back and runs over a carriage plate mounted pulley 63 whence it terminates in an anchor connection 64. Thus, wheel 37 is translated, through the wire rope and pulley system, half the distance through which the beam member 12 moves along track 14 and cable 35 is taut at all times.

Although it forms no part of the instant invention, means are provided for stabilizing beam member 12 in order that both ends remain at perfect right angles with respect to longitudinal track 14 when the beam is moved therealong. By referring to FIG. 2, one may see that there is provided a wire rope 66 that terminates at anchor connections 67 and 68 near opposite ends of the room. Supported on the beam member are a pair of pulleys 69 over which are run the wire ropes originating from opposite directions and which extend along the full length of beam member 12 whereupon they pass over pulleys 70, 71 and 72 in a criss-cross manner and thereupon extend to opposite points Where they terminate at 67' and 68'. By this arrangement, any force that would tend to skew the beam member with respect to stationary track 14 is corrected by a converse tensile force set up in the crisscross cable.

It is highly desirable that the mechanism and electric cables interior of box-like beam assembly 12 be concealed in order to enhance the esthetic quality of the X- ray apparatus without introducing mechanical complications or increasing the manual effort required for positioning the X-ray source over a work station. In accordance with the present invention the interior of hollow beam assembly 12 is obscured from view below the beam by a translucent curtain 81, which may be a substance known by the registered trademark Mylar, that bridges the rrctangular gap between side members 15 and that extends ft. om each end of beam 12 to closely on opposite sides of fixed source carriage column 21.

In FIG. 3 particularly, one may see that the curtain 81 is divided into two sections each of which is adapted to be rolled and unrolled from a pair of similar reels 74 that are provided with shafts 76 journaled for rotation in brackets 75. The brackets may be attached by screws or other suitable means to X-ray source carriage plate 18.

The ends of each respective curtain 81 section are anchored at remotely opposite ends of beam assembly 12 by a strap 79 that spans between side members 15, see FIG. 3. Immediately below the bottom flanges 42 of channel side members 15 and at thin inner margins, a decorative strip 80 running the length of beam 12 is provided for supporting curtain 81 at its edges. Further guidance for the curtain is obtained by it fitting between upwardly turned flange edges 82 on the channel bottoms 42.

It is desirable that the curtain 81 should be flat and without any sag across its Width as it spans between side members 15. For this reason the curtain has small integrally formed ribs 83 that may be spaced at intervals in order to impart the necessary rigidity without affecting its flexibility insofar as rolling is concerned.

The present invention seek-s to operate the curtain without storing energy in springs as is customary and without at any time bringing about any dragging movement of the curtain that would manifest itself as an increased frictiona1 force and in curtain wear. This is important where all possible restraints on the X-ray source must be eliminated in view of the technician positioning the source manually in the absence of motor drive means. It is also important that the effort for operating the curtain be equal and constant for any position or direction.

To handle the curtain 81 so it merely lays out on the support strips 80 without dragging, the two reels 74 are coupled for simultaneous rotation by means of an endless flexible member comprising chain 78 that runs over wheels in the form of sprockets 77 carried on the ends of reel shafts 76. Since each curtain section is anchored at an end, movement of the carriage 18 and reels 74 in either direction will cause one of the latter to roll curtain 81 and the other to unroll at the same rate, so regardless of the source carriage 18 position the same total amount of curtain will be handlai by the reels. Space is allowed between reels 74 for passing the cable 35 downwardly next to column 21 and to the X-ray source 10.

In summary, the foregoing specification has described an overhead X-ray tube hanger that features handling the electric supply and control cables in such manner that the force requirements for changing vertical or horizontal locations of the X-ray source are extremely low. The cables, although being concealed from view to a large extent and being in proximity with other mechanism, are

adapted for being moved without interfering with other moving parts of the apparatus. Further, a curtain is provided for impressing the apparatus with a heretofore inexperienced esthetic quality resulting from obscuring moving mechanical parts of the apparatus from view. The curtain and its operating mechanism feature requiring balanced forces for operation in either direction and the absence of any stored energy device or dragging of the curtain to the end that wear and operating forces are minimized.

Although what is contemplated as a preferred way of practicing the invention has been described, those versed in the art will now perceive from this example modifications and alternatives demonstrating that the invention may be variously embodied. The inventive concepts in volved, however, are to be determined by the scope and construction of the claims which follow.

It is claimed:

1. X-ray source positioning apparatus comprising longitudinally disposed stationary track means, beam means extending laterally from and supported on said longitudinal track means for movement therealong, an X-ray source carriage supported for movement along said beam means, an electric cable extending into said beam means and re-entrantly bent to form two substantially straight parallel cable portions one of which is attached to said source carriage for movement therewith, means compensating for the length of cable required for various positions of the source carriage on said beam means, said last named means including take-up carriage means engaging said cable in the region of its re-entrant bend, a plurality of rope sheave means at least one of which is rotatably mounted on said take-up carriage means and others of which are rotatably mounted near opposite ends of said beam means respectively, rope means attached at one end to said source carriage means and passing around said other sheave means and said one sheave means into attachment with said beam means, said rope means being adapted to translate said take-up carriage means a lesser distance than the distance which the source carriage is moved.

2. X-ray source positioning apparatus comprising stationary longitudinal track means, beam means extending laterally and supported from said track means for movement therealong, said beam means including parallel spaced apart side members defining an opening substantially coextensive with the length of said beam means,

an X-ray source carriage supported for movement along said beam means and having an element thereof extending through said opening, an electric cable extending into said beam means and re-entrantly bent to form two parallel cable portions one of which is attached to said source carriage means for movement therewith, means associated with said side members defining parallel passageways for accommodating portions of said electric cable on opposite sides of said opening, cable take-up carriage means engaging said electric cable in the region of its re-entrant bend, said take-up carriage means being mounted for movement along said beam means, and means connecting said take-up carriage with said X- ray source carriage so that movement of the latter will translate the tower to compensate for the change in cable length and thereby maintain sides of said cable straight in said passageways.

3. X-ray source positoning apparatus comprising beam means, said beam means including spaced apart parallel side members defining a substantially rectangular open ing therebetween, an X-ray source carriage rollably sup ported on said beam means for movement lengthwise thereof, said source carriage including an element extending through said opening, a fixed length of electric cable passing into said beam means and out in the region of said element, said electric cable being re-entrantly bent between said side members to form two par-allel cable portions one of which is attached to said source carriage for movement therewith, means associated with said side members forming parallel channel passageways for accommodating respective parallel cable portions on opposite sides of said opening, cable take-up carriage means engaging said cable in the region of its re-entrant bend, said last named means being mounted for movement along said beam means, and means connecting both said carriage means together so that movement of one translates the other to maintain said cable portions in substantially constant tension and in substantially straight condition in opposite passageways.

4. The invention set forth in claim 3 including means for concealing the cable and cable handling mechanism from view through said rectangular opening, said concealing means comprising a pair of reel means supported on said source carriage means with their axes of rotation spaced and parallel with each other, curtain means attached on each reel means for reeling thereon and each having an end attached near respectively opposite ends of said beam means so that said opening is closed in both directions from said movable source carriage.

5. The invention set forth in claim 4 including wheel means axially connected with each reel means at a corresponding end thereof, a member jointly engaging said wheel means for concurrent rotation when said source carriage is moved along said opening, whereby the force required to move said source carriage to operate the curtain means is substantially equal for any direction or position thereof.

6. An X-ray source positioner comprising beam means, said beam means including side members connected with each other and having horizontally disposed portions defining passageways for an elongate flexible cable substantially coextensive with its length, X-ray source support means mounted for movement lengthwise of said beam means between said side members, a continuous electric cable extending into said beam means and having one portion lying in said passageway and another portion which is re-entrantly bent and lying in a substantially horizontal plane and still another portion continuing from said bent portion lying in the other passageway at the other side of said beam means, said cable projecting outside of said beam means adjacent said source support means, and a carriage means mounted for movement along said beam means and supporting said cable in the region of its re-entrant bend.

7. An overhead supported X-ray source positioner comprising a substantially closed hollow beam means having an elongate opening in its bottom, an X-ray source "supportmember extending through said opening, said member being movable lengthwise of said opening, a pair of reels with their axes parallel and spaced from each other, curtain means having corresponding ends attached to the reels for winding thereon and opposite ends attached to the remote opposite ends of the beam means, said curtain means spanning said opening on the bottom of the beam means to conceal from view the interior of the beam means, and electric cable means extending from the interior of said beam means into connection with said source through the space between said reel means.

8. The invention set forth in claim 7 wherein each reel means has sprocket means coaxially attached, and an endless chain engaging both sprockets for joint rotation when said curtain means are operated by movement of said source carriage.

9. The invention set forth in claim 7 wherein the curtain means constitutes a pliable plastic member having integral ribs across its width at spaced intervals to impart stifiness across the opening and allow flexibility along the length thereof.

10. An X-ray source positioner mechanism concealing assembly, comprising a hollow elongate member having an opening therein through which mechanism would ordinarily be visible, an X-ray source support extending through the opening and being movable therealong, a pair of reels spaced from each other and rotatably mounted on said source support, a flexible curtain on each reel with a curtain end attached to a respectively opposite end of the hollow member, wheel means attached axially of each reel, and an endless flexible member connecting the wheel means together for joint rotation when the source support undergoes translation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,553,901 Hynes Sept. 15, 1925 2,712,080 Koerner June 28, 1955 2,737,596 Haupt Mar. 6, 1956 2,866,101 Wagner Dec. 23, 1958 2,894,140 Schneeman July 7, 1959

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