JPH02278252A - Conveying device for accumulating phosphor sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To exactly convey the accumulating phosphor sheet onto the prescribed position of a next process by pushing and conveying the trailing edge of the accumulating phosphor sheet by means of a projecting member arranged on an endless belt. CONSTITUTION:The device is provided with the endless belt 106 which places and conveys the accumulating phosphor sheet 12, the projecting member 108 which is engaged with the trailing edge of the accumulating phosphor sheet 12 arranged on the surface of the endless belt 106, at least two rollers 102 and 104 for stretching and suspending the endless belt 106 and detecting means S1 and S2 which detect the positions of the accumulating phosphor sheet 12 and of the projecting member 108. Then the projecting member 108 arranged on the endless belt 106 is engaged with the trailing edge of the accumulating phosphor sheet 12. Then the accumulating phosphor sheet 12 is conveyed with its trailing edge pushed. Thus the accumulating phosphor sheet is exactly and safely conveyed to a next mechanism without causing slip nor dislocation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a device for transporting a stimulable phosphor sheet within an erasing area for erasing radiation image information remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet after image information has been read. .

<Prior Art> Recently, radiographic image recording and reproducing systems that obtain radiographic images of subjects using stimulable phosphors have been attracting attention.

A stimulable phosphor is a material that emits radiation (X-rays, α-rays, β-rays, γ-rays,
When exposed to irradiation with electron beams, ultraviolet rays, etc., a portion of the radiation energy is accumulated, and when later irradiated with excitation light such as visible light, it emits stimulated luminescence according to the accumulated energy. Refers to a light body.

A radiation image information recording and reproducing system utilizes this stimulable phosphor, and records radiation image information of a subject or subject on a sheet (with a layer made of a stimulable phosphor).
Accumulated and recorded on a stimulable phosphor sheet (hereinafter referred to as a stimulable phosphor sheet),
This stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned with excitation light such as a laser to generate stimulated luminescence light, and the resulting stimulated luminescence light is read photoelectrically to obtain an image signal. Based on this image signal, the image of the subject is The radiation image is output as a visible image to a recording material such as a photographic light-sensitive material or a CRT.

This type of radiographic image information recording and reproducing system is useful for medical diagnosis using the human body because it can obtain radiographic images rich in information with a much lower exposure dose than conventional radiography. It is extremely advantageously used in direct medical radiography such as X-ray photography for the purpose of medical treatment.

Further, such radiographic image information recording and reproducing systems have come to be used for various purposes in various fields in addition to being used as a means for recording medical images as described above.

For example, the present applicant has disclosed an electron microscope image recording and reproducing method to which such a radiographic image information recording and reproducing system is applied in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications No. 61-51738 and No. 61-93539.

This electron microscope image recording and reproducing method basically irradiates a stimulable phosphor sheet that stores electron energy with an electron beam that has passed through the sample in a vacuum state, and then irradiates the stimulable phosphor sheet with excitation light. The accumulated energy is then emitted as stimulated luminescence light, this emitted light is detected in a charging manner to obtain an image signal, and this image signal is used to reproduce an electron microscope image of the sample.

In such various radiation image information recording and reproducing systems, the stimulable phosphor sheet is not used to ultimately record image information, but is used to temporarily store radiation in order to provide an image to the recording medium as described above. Since this stimulable phosphor sheet only holds image information, it is extremely economical and convenient to use this stimulable phosphor sheet repeatedly.

To reuse a stimulable phosphor sheet, after reading is performed by irradiation with excitation light, the remaining radiation energy in the stimulable phosphor sheet is released by irradiation with light to erase the residual radiation image. The stimulable phosphor sheet can then be used again for recording radiation images.

Therefore, in various radiation image information recording and reproducing systems, especially radiation image information reading devices, after the radiation image information reading section for photoelectrically reading the radiation image stored and recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet, An erasing area is provided for erasing the radiation image information remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet, and the stimulable phosphor sheet can be erased while being transported after reading and by stopping the transport as necessary. The stimulable phosphor sheet is irradiated with a conventional light source to erase any remaining radiation image information, and then transported to the next process.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> By the way, in order to record good and accurate image information the next time radiation image information is recorded, it is necessary to uniformly and completely erase the entire surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet. There is.

Therefore, in such an erasing area, it is preferable that various members such as rollers that shield erasing light be not present on the stimulable phosphor sheet at least during erasing of residual radiation image information. Therefore, conveyance of the stimulable phosphor sheet in such an erasing area is often performed by a belt conveyor.

However, since the stimulable phosphor sheet is relatively lightweight and has flexibility, it may not be smoothly conveyed to a conveying means such as a nip roller in the next mechanism. In particular, the stimulable phosphor sheet applied to the above-mentioned electron microscope image recording and reproducing method is small and therefore has a small weight, so it is difficult to convey accurately and smoothly due to slipping or misalignment.

An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art, and to use a simple mechanism to store radiation image information in an area for erasing residual radiation image information after image information has been read. Even small and lightweight items such as fluorescent phosphor sheets can be transported reliably and safely to the next mechanism without slipping or misalignment. Moreover, the light source for erasure can be used without nipping with rollers, etc. An object of the present invention is to provide a transport device for a stimulable phosphor sheet that can suitably irradiate the entire surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet with irradiation light from the stimulable phosphor sheet.

Means for Solving the Problems> In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a stimulable phosphor sheet conveying device used when erasing radiation image information remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet. an endless belt on which the stimulable phosphor sheet is placed and conveyed; a protrusion member that engages with a rear end of the stimulable phosphor sheet disposed on the surface of the endless belt; and a protrusion member that stretches the endless belt. for at least 2
A stimulable phosphor sheet conveying device is provided, comprising: a book roller; and a detection means for detecting the positions of the stimulable phosphor sheet and the protruding member.

Further, it is preferable that the protruding member is a member having a step-like shape arranged on the endless belt.

Further, it is preferable that the detection means for detecting the positions of the stimulable phosphor sheet and the protrusion member is a variety of sensors.

Further, it is preferable that the detecting means for detecting the position of the protruding member is a detecting means for detecting the position of the protruding member from the rotational speed of the roller.

<Operation of the Invention> According to the stimulable phosphor sheet conveying device of the present invention having such a configuration, the stimulable phosphor sheet is conveyed in the erasing area by placing the stimulable phosphor sheet on the endless belt. Therefore, the entire surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet can be irradiated with the erasing light without blocking the erasing light, and the entire surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet can be erased well.

In addition, since the protruding member placed on the endless belt engages with the rear end of the stimulable phosphor sheet and pushes the rear end of the sheet to convey the stimulable phosphor sheet, even if an electron microscope image is recorded and reproduced, Even if the stimulable phosphor sheet used in this method is small and lightweight, the stimulable phosphor sheet can be reliably conveyed to the specified position of the next mechanism without slipping or misalignment. can.

In addition, by having a detection means for detecting the position of the stimulable phosphor sheet and the position of the protruding member, accidents such as the stimulable phosphor sheet riding on the protruding member can be prevented, and it is possible to prevent the stimulable phosphor sheet from riding on the protruding member. By pushing the rear end of the stimulable phosphor sheet with the protruding member during conveyance, it is possible to reliably convey the stimulable phosphor sheet to the next mechanism.

<Embodiments> Hereinafter, a stimulable phosphor sheet conveying device according to the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the stimulable phosphor sheet conveying device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view thereof.

Conveying device 100 of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2
In a radiation image reading device that photoelectrically reads the radiation image information stored and recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet 12, this is applied to the erase area of the residual radiation image information of the stimulable light body after reading the image information. , a pair of rollers 10
2 and 104, an endless belt 106 stretched over the rollers 102 and 104, and a rear end portion of the storage phosphor sheet 12 arranged on the surface of the endless belt 108 to engage with the rear end of the storage phosphor sheet 12. It has a protruding member 108 that presses the rear end, a sensor S1 that detects the position of the stimulable phosphor sheet 12, and a sensor S2 that detects the position of the protruding member 108.

Further, a drive belt 11 is attached to the spindle 102a of the roller 102.
A motor 112 is connected through 0 and rotates the endless belt 106 by rotating the roller 102.

An erasing device 32 is disposed above the transport device 100 to irradiate erasing light onto the storage phosphor sheet 12 after reading has been completed to erase residual radiation image information.

The conveying device 100 of the present invention as described above transfers the stimulable phosphor sheet 12, which has been conveyed after being read by the reading unit 18 of the radiation image information reading device, to the endless belt 10.
6 and transported in the direction of arrow A. When the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 is moved to a predetermined position in the erasing area, the conveyance is stopped, and then the stimulable phosphor sheet 1 is removed by the erasing device 32.
2 is irradiated with erasing light, and residual radiation image information is erased.

When the erasing device 32 finishes erasing the residual radiation image information on the stimulable phosphor sheet 12, the endless belt 106 starts rotating again, and as the endless belt 106 rotates, the protruding member 108 moves behind the stimulable phosphor sheet 12. The stimulable phosphor sheet 12 is conveyed by engaging with the end portion and pushing this rear end portion, and the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 is surely conveyed and nipped by the nip roller pair 114, which is the next conveying means.

The conveying device 100 of the present invention basically includes a pair of rollers 102 and 104, an endless belt 106, and a motor 11.
The stimulable phosphor sheet 12 is conveyed by a belt conveyor consisting of two. Therefore, the entire surface is uniformly irradiated with the erasing light without any member such as a roller on the top, and residual radiation image information can be suitably erased over the entire surface.

The motor 112 as a drive source is not particularly limited, and various motors commonly used in ordinary belt conveying devices can be used.

Projection member 10 arranged on the surface of endless belt 106
8 conveys the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 by engaging with the rear end thereof.

In the conveying device 100 of the present invention, in particular, when the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 after erasing is held between the pair of nip rollers 114, which is the next conveying means, the endless belt 106
By rotating the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 and pushing the rear end surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 with this suppressing means 108 to convey it, even if the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 is small, such as one applied to an electron microscope image recording and reproducing method. Even if it is lightweight, the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 will not slip on the endless belt 106, and the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 can be reliably held between the nip roller pair 114, which is the next conveying means.

In the present invention, the protrusion member 108 is not limited to the continuous step-like shape of the illustrated example, but may be formed of a plurality of pins, etc., at the rear end of the stimulable phosphor sheet 12. There is no particular limitation as long as it can be reliably engaged with and conveyed.

Further, the number of protruding members 108 may be plural as required.

The conveying device 100 of the present invention includes a sensor S1 that detects the position of the stimulable phosphor sheet 12, and a sensor S2 that detects the position of the protrusion member 108. 12 position and protrusion member 1
By confirming the position of 08, the motor 112 is rotated by a predetermined amount, the endless belt 106 is rotated, and the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 is conveyed.

In the illustrated transport device 100, when the sensor S2 confirms that the projection member 108 is in a predetermined position, the reading unit 18 finishes reading the stimulable phosphor sheet 1.
2 is pinched and conveyed to the conveyance device 100 by the drive roller 44 and roller 42 of the reading section 18. Here, the predetermined position of the protruding member 108 refers to the position where the protruding member 108 is located when the endless belt 106 rotates and the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 is conveyed to the position where the residual radiation image information is erased by the erasing device 32. The position may be any position as long as the fluorescent material sheet 1-1.2 does not ride on the protruding member 108.

When the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 is conveyed to a predetermined position on the conveying device 100, the sensor S1 detects it.
), the motor 112 rotates and the endless belt 106
Rotate the stimulable phosphor sheet 1 a predetermined number of times in the direction of arrow A.
2 to a position where it is to be used for erasing residual radiographic image information (FIG. 2a). In this case, in the illustrated example, the protruding member 108 engages with the rear end of the stimulable phosphor sheet 12, but the present invention is not limited to this, and as described above, the protruding member 108 engages with the rear end of the stimulable phosphor sheet 12. Sheet 12 is protruding member 1
Any position that does not run over 08 is fine.

When the erasing device 32 irradiates the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 with irradiation light and erases the residual radiation image information, the endless belt 106 starts rotating again, and as the endless belt 106 rotates, the protruding member 108 erases the stimulable phosphor sheet 12. It engages with the rear end of the phosphor sheet 12 and pushes the rear end to transport the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 to the nip roller pair 114 of the next transport means (FIG. 2c).

The sensors S1 and S2 applied to the present invention are not particularly limited, and various types of sensors can be used, such as a photodetection type, a magnetic type, and a mechanical type having a gate.

Note that the means for detecting the position of the pressing means 108 is not limited to such a sensor S2; for example, a rotary encoder or the like is arranged on the roller 102 or 104 or the motor 112, and the position of the protruding member is determined based on the rotation speed thereof. The position of 108 may be detected.

An erasing device 32 for erasing radiation image information remaining on the storage phosphor sheet 12 after reading is disposed above the conveyance device 100 of the present invention.

The erasing device 32 basically consists of an erasing light source 28 and an ultraviolet removal filter 3o, and emits ultraviolet rays onto the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 fed to a predetermined position by the II feeding device 100 of the present invention. Erasing light is emitted from the erasing light source 28 through the filter 30 to erase the radiation image information remaining on the storage phosphor sheet 12.

In the illustrated apparatus, a fluorescent lamp is used as the erasing light source 28 because it has high performance stability, is inexpensive, and generates little heat.

Note that the erasing light source 28 is not limited to the fluorescent light shown in the illustrated example, but may be any light source capable of emitting light in the excitation wavelength region of the stimulable phosphor sheet 12, such as incandescent light, sodium lamp, etc. Various products such as Rokenlanb and xenon lasib can be applied.

Such a stimulable phosphor sheet conveying device 10 of the present invention
is a radiographic image information reading device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 1988-6337003 filed by the present applicant, and the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
The present invention can be suitably applied to various radiation image information recording and reproducing systems, such as a radiation image information recording and reproducing apparatus that realizes the electron microscope image recording and reproducing method disclosed in Publications No. -51738 and No. 61-93539. .

Above, the stimulable phosphor sheet conveying device according to the present invention has been described in detail based on the preferred embodiment shown in the attached drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the gist of the present invention is Of course, various improvements and changes may be made as long as they do not change the above.

<Effects of the Invention> As described in detail above, according to the stimulable phosphor sheet conveying device of the present invention, the stimulable phosphor sheet can be conveyed in the erasing area of the radiation image information reading device on the endless belt. Since this is carried out while the stimulable phosphor sheet is placed, it is possible to irradiate the entire surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet with the erasing light without blocking the erasing light without any interference with the stimulable phosphor sheet, and the entire surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet can be erased well. becomes possible.

Furthermore, since the rear end of the stimulable phosphor sheet is pushed and conveyed by a protruding member placed on the endless belt, it is difficult to use the electron microscope image recording and reproducing method even though such belt conveyance is applied. Even if the stimulable phosphor sheet used is small and lightweight, the stimulable phosphor sheet can be reliably transported to a predetermined position for the next process.

In addition, since the position of the stimulable phosphor sheet and the position of the protruding member are detected by various detection means, accidents such as the stimulable phosphor sheet riding on the protruding member can be prevented, and it is possible to proceed to the next process. By pushing the rear end of the stimulable phosphor sheet with the protruding member during conveyance, the stimulable phosphor sheet can be reliably conveyed to the next step.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an example of a conveying device for a stimulable phosphor sheet of the present invention. 2a, 2b, and 2c are front views of the stimulable phosphor sheet conveying device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. Explanation of symbols 12...Stormable phosphor sheet, 32...Eraser, 100...Transport device, 102.104...Roller, 106...Endless belt, 108...Protrusion member, 110 ... Drive belt, 112 ... Motor, Sl, S2 ... Sensor FI G, 2b FI G, 2c FI G, 2a

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A transporting device for the stimulable phosphor sheet used when erasing radiation image information remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet, comprising: an endless belt for placing and transporting the stimulable phosphor sheet; a protrusion member that engages with the rear end of the stimulable phosphor sheet disposed on the surface of the endless belt; and at least two projecting members for stretching the endless belt.
1. A stimulable phosphor sheet conveying device, comprising: a book roller; and a detection means for detecting the positions of the stimulable phosphor sheet and the protruding member.