JPH043145A - Radioactive image information reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To speed up operations and to provide the easy and inexpensive mechanism of a loading section by utilizing gravity for moving of a housing and discharging of an accumulation type fluorescent material sheet. CONSTITUTION:A cassette loading section 14 is loaded with a cassette 12 for housing the accumulation type fluorescent material sheet accumulated and recorded with radioactive image information, opens this cassette 12, discharges the accumulation type fluorescent material sheet 18 to a transporting device 18 and receives the accumulation type fluorescent material sheet transported by a housing device 22 after the end of erasing in the cassette 12. This section is so constituted as to position the cassette 12 in an approximately horizontal direction at the time of loading of the cassette and the housing of the accumulation type fluorescent material sheet, to move only the housing 24 or cap body 26 by gravity in a perpendicular direction at the time of discharging of the accumulation type fluorescent material sheet and to drop the housed accumulation type fluorescent material sheet by gravity. The need for using a suction device for opening the cap of the cassette and discharging of the accumulation type fluorescent material sheet from the cassette is eliminated in this way and the simple and inexpensive mechanism of the cassette loading section is obtd.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a radiation image information reading device to which a stimulable phosphor sheet is applied.

<Prior art> When a certain type of phosphor is irradiated with radiation (X-rays, α-rays, β-rays, γ-rays, electron beams, ultraviolet rays, etc.), a part of this radiation energy is accumulated, and after this, It is known that when a phosphor is irradiated with excitation light such as visible light, it exhibits stimulated luminescence depending on the accumulated energy. fluorophore).

Using this stimulable phosphor, radiation image information of a subject such as a human body is recorded on a sheet having a layer of stimulable phosphor (hereinafter referred to as a phosphor sheet), and this phosphor sheet is then exposed to a laser beam. The stimulated luminescent light is scanned two-dimensionally with excitation light, and the stimulated luminescent light is read photoelectrically to obtain an image signal. Based on this image signal, recording materials such as photographic light-sensitive materials, CRTs, etc. The present applicant has proposed a radiation image information recording and reproducing system that outputs a radiation image of a subject as a visible image on a display device (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 55-1
2429, 56-11395, etc.).

In such a radiation image information recording and reproducing system,
Conventionally, phosphor sheets have been read using various radiation image information reading devices as described below.

In a radiation image information reading device (hereinafter referred to as a reading device), excitation light of a constant intensity emitted from an excitation light source such as a He-Ne laser is reflected in the main scanning direction by an optical deflector such as a galvanometer mirror. The light is deflected and irradiates the phosphor sheet through various optical elements such as an fθ lens.

This phosphor sheet is conveyed in a sub-scanning direction substantially orthogonal to the previous main-scanning direction by a conveying means such as a belt conveyor or a nip roller.

Therefore, the excitation light deflected in the main scanning direction can two-dimensionally scan the entire surface of this phosphor sheet.

Stimulated luminescence light corresponding to the radiation image information accumulated and recorded there is generated from the part of the phosphor sheet that is irradiated with the excitation light.

This stimulated luminescence light is directly incident on the incident surface of the light guide, or is reflected by a focusing mirror placed opposite to this incident surface, enters the light guide's incident surface, and is transmitted by the light guide. After passing through a filter that cuts light in the wavelength range of the excitation light, it enters a photomultiplier tube, where it is photoelectrically converted into an electric signal, processed, and then reproduced as a visible image on a CRT or photosensitive material, or as a visible image on a CRT or photosensitive material. recorded and stored on a recording medium.

By the way, radiographic image information can be accumulated and recorded on a phosphor sheet by storing the phosphor sheet in a light-shielding storage member called a cassette and irradiating radiation through the subject, or by irradiating radiation through the subject. This is done by coming into close contact with a specimen that contains

Further, when the phosphor sheet is irradiated with light, the ultraviolet rays contained therein are also accumulated and recorded as image information.

Therefore, it is preferable to handle the phosphor sheet in a state where it is always shielded from light.For this reason, in a normal reading device, the phosphor sheet on which image information is stored is loaded into a cassette, and then the phosphor sheet is removed from the cassette inside the device. The phosphor sheet is taken out and the image information is read, and the stimulable phosphor sheet that has been read is stored in the cassette again after the remaining radiation image information is erased.

<Problem to be solved by the invention> Here, the cassette that stores the phosphor sheet is usually
It is composed of a casing and a lid thereof, and one side of the lid is supported by the casing, so that it can be opened and closed.

In conventional reading devices that use such cassettes and phosphor sheets, when the cassette containing the phosphor sheet is loaded into a predetermined position, it is opened and closed by an opening/closing means using a link mechanism or by suction means such as a suction cup. The lid is opened by adsorbing the phosphor sheet to the lid, and then the phosphor sheet is taken out of the cassette (casing) by the suction means and placed at a predetermined position on a conveyance means consisting of a pair of rollers, a belt conveyor, a conveyance guide, etc. It was transported to the reading position. Furthermore, after the phosphor sheet has been read, residual radiation image information is erased and the sheet is stored in the cassette again for use in the next image recording. (Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-9
No. 0641, No. 62-164039, JP-A-2-122
Refer to each publication such as No. 32. ) In other words, in conventional reading devices, in order to take out the phosphor sheet from the cassette,
A cassette lid opening mechanism using a link mechanism or suction means, and a phosphor sheet sheet wafer mechanism using suction means are required, making the device complicated and large-scale, and the device is expensive. It had become something.

In order to solve these problems, the applicant has proposed
Japanese Patent No. 0643 proposes a reading device having a configuration in which a cassette is loaded in a substantially vertical direction with the opening facing downward, and the phosphor sheet is allowed to fall under its own weight by opening the cassette using a wedge or the like. According to this device, there is no need to use a link mechanism, suction means, etc. as the lid opening mechanism and the single-wafer mechanism, and the device can be simplified.

However, in the above reading device, the cassette is loaded with the open end facing downward, so it is very difficult to store the phosphor sheet that has been read into the cassette.To do this, the cassette must be moved to another location. The problem is that it needs to be done.

An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and is capable of quickly discharging a stimulable phosphor sheet from a cassette with a simple mechanism, reducing the cost of the device, and An object of the present invention is to provide a radiation image information reading device that can improve reliability.

<Means for Solving the Problems> In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for storing a stimulable phosphor sheet on which radiation image information is recorded, which is housed in a cassette consisting of a lid and a housing, into the cassette. The stimulable phosphor sheet was then transported to a reading unit that irradiated the stimulable phosphor sheet with excitation light and photoelectrically detected the emitted stimulated luminescent light, and then read. The radiation image information reading device is configured such that the stimulable phosphor sheet is conveyed to an erasing section for erasing remaining radiation image information and then stored again in a cassette, wherein the cassette is loaded substantially horizontally and the means for supporting and fixing one of the lid and the casing; means for opening the cassette and moving the other of the lid and the casing vertically by gravity, thereby causing the stimulable phosphor sheet to fall under its own weight; and after discharging the stimulable phosphor sheet from the cassette, a cassette loading section having means for making the other side of the cassette substantially horizontal; a conveying mechanism for conveying to the erasing section, and the other substantially horizontal;
Provided is a radiation image information reading device characterized by having a storage mechanism for storing a stimulable phosphor sheet whose radiation image information has been read and erased.

Further, it is preferable that the cassette loading section is provided with a shock absorbing member for regulating the movement position of the cassette casing or the lid and for absorbing shock.

<Operation of the Invention> In the image information reading device of the present invention having the above-mentioned predetermined configuration, the cassette containing the stimulable phosphor sheet is loaded in the cassette loading section in a substantially horizontal direction, and the lid and the casing are On the other hand, for example, after supporting and fixing the lid, the cassette is opened using an opening means such as an opening claw.

Here, since the lid of the cassette is fixed as described above, only the casing of the cassette rotates around the hinge part due to gravity and moves in the vertical direction. Therefore, the stimulable phosphor sheet housed in the casing also falls from the casing due to its own weight, is caught by the conveyance means, and is carried into the reading device, where it is used for reading radiation image information.

On the other hand, the housing of the cassette from which the stimulable phosphor sheet has been discharged is moved approximately horizontally by means such as a pushing member such as a piston, and the image is read and erased by being transported by a storage mechanism such as a pair of transport rollers. The stimulable phosphor sheet that has been processed is stored.

In other words, in the radiation image information reading device of the present invention, the cassette is placed in a substantially horizontal direction when loading the cassette and storing the stimulable phosphor sheet, and only the casing or lid is moved by gravity when discharging the stimulable phosphor sheet. It has a configuration in which it moves in the vertical direction and allows the stored stimulable phosphor sheet to fall under its own weight.

Therefore, the radiation image information reading device of the present invention does not require the use of a link mechanism or suction means such as a suction cup as in conventional devices for opening the cassette lid and ejecting the stimulable phosphor sheet from the cassette. The mechanism of the loading section can be simple, inexpensive, and highly reliable.

In addition, to open the cassette lid, simply open the fixing mechanism between the casing and the lid using a release claw, etc. (The subsequent movement of the casing and ejection of the stimulable phosphor sheet uses gravity. Because of this, it works quickly.

<Embodiments> Hereinafter, regarding the radiation image information reading device according to the present invention,
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A detailed description will be given of preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a preferred example of the radiation image information reading device of the present invention.

The illustrated radiation image information reading device 10 (hereinafter referred to as reading device 10) reads radiation image information stored and recorded on a stimulable phosphor sheet (hereinafter referred to as phosphor sheet). Basically, there is a cassette loading section 14 that loads the cassette 12, a reading section 16 that reads radiation image information recorded on the phosphor sheet, and a phosphor sheet discharged from the cassette loading section 14 is conveyed to the reading section 16. an erasing unit 20 that erases radiation image information remaining on the phosphor sheet after reading has been completed; and a storage device 22 that stores the phosphor sheet from which the remaining radiation image information has been erased into the cassette 12 again. It has the following.
In addition, in FIG. 1, the dashed-dotted line indicates the conveyance path of the phosphor sheet.

The cassette loading section 14 loads a cassette 12 that stores a phosphor sheet in which radiographic image information is accumulated and recorded, opens the cassette 12, and transfers the phosphor sheet to a conveying device 18.
The storage device 22 discharges the stimulable phosphor sheet into the cassette 12 and receives the stimulable phosphor sheet after erasing, which is conveyed by the storage device 22.

There are no particular limitations on the cassette 12 that can be applied to the reading device 10 of the present invention, and all known cassettes can be used.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view showing its basic configuration.

The cassette 12 is composed of a casing 24 that houses the phosphor sheet A and a lid 26 thereof.

The casing 24 and the lid 26 are made of various known materials such as various resins and metals such as aluminum, and the lid 26 is formed by a known means such as a hinge at its - side as shown in the figure. It is configured to be openable and closable in the direction of arrow a. Note that both may be constructed from separate members, or may be constructed by integrally molding resin or the like so that the lid body 26 can be opened and closed in the direction of the arrow a.

In the illustrated cassette 12, a lock mechanism (not shown) is formed on the open end surface 28 of the lid 26, and when this lock mechanism lightly engages with the open end surface of the casing 24, the cassette 12 can be opened. Constructed to prevent accidental opening.

A cassette loading section 14 into which this flexible cassette 12 is loaded.
includes a support member 30 that supports the cassette 12, an opening means 32 that opens the cassette 12, a damper 34 that regulates the position of the opened casing 24 and absorbs the impact, and a damper 34 that moves the cassette 24 horizontally. In the illustrated example, the cassette 12 is loaded from the right side of the housing of the reading device 10.

Note that although the cassette loading section 14 in the illustrated example supports and fixes the lid 26 of the cassette 12 and opens the cassette 12 by dropping the casing 24, the present invention is not limited to this. Alternatively, the cassette 12 may be opened by supporting and fixing the housing 24 and dropping the lid 26.

The support member 30 supports the cassette 12 , and specifically engages with the vicinity of the tip (end surface 28 ) of the lid 26 of the cassette 12 to support and fix the lid 26 .
It supports In the illustrated example, the cassette 12 is loaded with the open side first in a slightly upper left direction with respect to the horizontal plane in the figure, and is supported by the support member 30.

The method of supporting and fixing the lid 26 by the supporting member 30 is not particularly limited, and there are various methods for fixing the lid 26, such as a method of fitting locking members together, a method of creating grooves and protrusions, etc., and locking them to each other. Any of various known methods can be applied as long as it can be supported and fixed reliably.

The opening means 32 engages with the casing 24 of the cassette 12 supported by the support member 30 and moves downward, thereby opening the casing 24 and the lid 26 by means of a locking mechanism formed on the end surface 28. Release the engagement with the cassette 12.
This will open up the world.

Here, since the lid 26 of the cassette 12 is supported and fixed by the support member 30, the housing 24 is attached to the cassette 1.
It rotates around the hinge part 2 and falls in the direction of the arrow,
The stored phosphor sheet is discharged to the conveyance means 18.

The opening means 32 is not limited to one that opens the cassette 12 by engaging with the case 24 and moving downward, as shown in the example shown in the drawings. For example, it may be inserted between the case 24 and the lid 26. Various methods can be applied, such as a wedge-shaped member, means for releasing the engagement by the end surface 28 by applying an impact to the cassette 12, etc.

In the illustrated example, the falling position of the casing 24 is regulated to ensure that the phosphor sheet falls onto the conveying device ]8, and the casing 24 is
In order to prevent damage to the cassette 12 and to prevent the supporting/fixing of the cassette 12 from unexpectedly opening, a damper 34 is preferably provided to receive the casing 24.

The damper 34 is not particularly limited, and any known shock absorbing member such as various elastic resins such as foamable urethane, springs, etc. can be used.

Further, in the reading device 10 of the present invention, the housing 24 that has been opened and moved to the practical position is moved horizontally and supported at that position, and the phosphor sheet that has been erased is placed in the cassette 1.
pushing means 3 for closing the cassette 12 after being stored in the cassette 2;
6 is placed. That is, after the phosphor sheet is discharged, the cassette 12 is pushed in the direction of arrow C by the pushing means 36 and is supported in the horizontal position shown by the dotted line in FIG. Store the finished phosphor sheets.

As the pushing means 36, any known means such as a hydraulic or air cylinder, various mechanical pushing means, etc. can be applied.

Moreover, such a pushing means 36 may act as a speed adjusting member when the housing 24 is opened. Note that it goes without saying that a member for adjusting the opening speed of the housing 24 may be provided separately.

The cassette loading section 14 of the reading device 10 of the present invention basically has the above-mentioned configuration, that is, the cassette 12 is loaded in a substantially horizontal direction, and the phosphor sheet is ejected from the casing 24 or the lid 26 in a substantially vertical direction. This is done by letting the phosphor sheet fall under its own weight, and the phosphor sheet is stored by returning the fallen casing 24 or lid 26 horizontally. Therefore, unlike conventional reading devices, suction devices such as suction cups and complicated devices such as link mechanisms are not used (but the phosphor sheet can be ejected from the cassette and stored in the cassette, and the cassette loading section can be made simpler and cheaper than conventional ones.

Furthermore, by simplifying the mechanism, the reliability of the device can also be improved.

In addition to these components, the cassette loading section 14 of the reading device 10 of the present invention includes a cassette loading section 14, which is installed after the casing 24 is opened, in order to reliably eject the phosphor sheet from the casing 24. A compressor or the like for wiping air may be disposed inside the cassette to prevent the lid body 26 and the phosphor sheet from coming into close contact with each other. Further, in order to reliably support and fix the cassette 12 at a predetermined position on the support member 30, various guide members may be provided.

The cassette 12 applied to the present invention also uses a suction pump or the like when storing the phosphor sheet in the cassette 12 in order to prevent the phosphor sheet from falling unexpectedly while the casing 24 is being opened. The phosphor sheet may be brought into close contact with the casing using the phosphor sheet.

The phosphor sheet discharged from the housing 24 of the cassette 12 falls and is received by a conveyance device 18 disposed below the cassette loading section 14.

In the illustrated transport device 18 of the reading device 10, the phosphor sheet discharged from the cassette 12 falls and is received by the guide member 38, and guided in a predetermined direction.

Next, the phosphor sheet is guided by the guide member 38 and the guide members 44 and 46, while passing through the pair of transport rollers 40.
and 42 to the reading unit 16 at a relatively high speed.

The phosphor sheet carried into the reading section 16 is transferred to the conveyance guide 4
8, and is held and conveyed by a pair of sub-scanning rollers 50 and 52 in the sub-scanning direction indicated by arrow d at a predetermined reading speed, while the entire surface is irradiated with excitation light.

Excitation light is emitted from an excitation light source 54 such as a He-Ne laser, is reflected in a predetermined direction by mirrors 56 and 58, enters a galvanometer mirror 60, and is reflected and deflected in a main scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of arrow d. and enters the phosphor sheet. Here, since the phosphor sheet is being conveyed in the direction of the arrow d as described above, the entire surface is irradiated two-dimensionally with the excitation light.

Stimulated luminescence light corresponding to the accumulated and recorded radiation image information is emitted from the position of the phosphor sheet irradiated with the excitation light. This stimulated luminescence light is collected by a light collection guide 62, enters a photodetector 64 such as a photomultiplier tube, and is photoelectrically converted. This electrical signal is sent to a control circuit (not shown), processed, transferred to an image forming device, CRT, etc., and reproduced as a visible image.

Note that the reading section 16 in the reading device 10 of the present invention is not limited to one having the above configuration, and any known reading device applied to a radiation image information recording/reproducing system can be applied.

The phosphor sheet whose image has been read is transferred to the conveyance guide 6.
6, 68, 708, and 71, and is conveyed upward by the pair of sub-scanning rollers 50 and 52 and the pair of conveying rollers 72, 74, and 76, and is carried into the erasing section 20.

The phosphor sheet carried into the erasing section 22 is guided by the guide member 8
0, is conveyed upward by a pair of reversible conveyance rollers 82, and is stopped at a position facing the erasing light source unit 84.

In the illustrated erasing light source unit 84, an erasing light source 86 such as a fluorescent lamp is disposed parallel to the guide member 80, and the phosphor sheet is stopped at the above-mentioned position and erased from the erasing light source 86. Light is irradiated, and residual radiation image information is erased after reading is completed.

After the predetermined erasing time has elapsed, the phosphor sheet is transported downward by the transport roller pair 82 and placed in the storage device 22.
transported to.

In the storage device 22, the conveyance path of the phosphor sheet conveyed downward is changed to the right in the figure by the flapper 88 and the conveyance guide 78, which are movable in the direction of the arrow e.

That is, the flapper 88 is disposed at the illustrated position when the phosphor sheet is transported from the reading section 16 to the erasing section 20, and does not act on the transport path of the phosphor sheet. Here, when erasing of the residual radiation image on the phosphor sheet is completed and the phosphor sheet is transported downward by the transport roller pair 82, the flapper 88 moves in the direction of arrow e to transport the phosphor sheet. The phosphor sheet is guided to the right along with the transport guide 78.

The phosphor sheet conveyed rightward by the flapper 88 and the conveyance guide 78 is then conveyed by a pair of conveyance rollers 90 and 92 and a guide member 94, and is stored in the cassette unit 2 again.

Here, as described above, the housing 24 of the cassette 12 is placed at the position indicated by the dotted line in the figure by the pushing means 36.

When the phosphor sheet is stored in the housing 24, the pushing means 36
further pushes the housing 24 upward, closing the cassette 12 so that it can be taken out of the apparatus.

In the present invention, the phosphor sheets stored in the cassette 12 are not limited to those discharged from the same cassette. For example, when the phosphor sheets discharged by oneself are being read, the erasing unit 20 Another phosphor sheet whose remaining image has been erased may be stored. Therefore, the number of phosphor sheets arranged in the reading device 10 is not limited to one, but may be two or more.

Although the radiation image information reading device according to the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various improvements and changes may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Of course.

Because it uses gravity, it operates quickly.

<Effects of the Invention> As explained in detail above, the radiographic image information reading device of the present invention basically positions the cassette in a substantially horizontal direction when loading the cassette and storing the stimulable phosphor sheet in the erasing section, thereby reducing the stimulability. When discharging the phosphor sheet, only the casing or the lid is moved in the vertical direction by gravity, and the stored stimulable phosphor sheet falls under its own weight.

Therefore, there is no need to use a lid-opening mechanism or single-sheet mechanism consisting of a link mechanism or suction means such as a suction cup, as in conventional devices, to open the cassette and eject the stimulable phosphor sheet from the cassette. The mechanism of the section can be made simple, inexpensive, and highly reliable. In addition, to open the cassette, simply open the fixing mechanism between the casing and the lid using a release claw, etc. (after moving the casing and ejecting the stimulable phosphor sheet

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a radiation image information reading device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a cassette for a stimulable phosphor sheet applied to the radiation image reading device according to the present invention. Explanation of symbols 10...Radiation image information reading device, 12...Cassette, 14...Cassette loading section, 16...Reading section, 18...Transporting means, 20...Erasing section, 22. ... Storage means, 24 ... Housing, 26 ... Lid, 28 ... Engagement end surface, 30 ... Support member, 32 ... Opening means, 34 ... Damper 36 ... Pushing means, 38.44, 46, 48, 66.68, 70°71.7
8,80.94...conveyance guide, 40.42,72,
74, 76.82゜90.92...Transport roller pair, 84...Erasing light source unit, 86...Erasing light source, 88...Flapper, A...Stormative phosphor sheet, L...・Excitation light IG

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Take out the stimulable phosphor sheet on which radiographic image information is recorded, which is stored in a cassette consisting of a lid and a housing, from the cassette, and direct the excitation light to the stimulable phosphor sheet. The phosphor sheet is irradiated and the emitted stimulated luminescence light is transported to a reading unit that photoelectrically detects the emitted light, and then the stimulable phosphor sheet that has been read is sent to an erasing unit that erases residual radiation image information. A radiation image information reading device configured to be stored in a cassette again after being transported, comprising means for loading the cassette substantially horizontally and supporting and fixing one of the lid and the casing, and for opening the cassette. means for vertically moving the other of the lid and the casing by gravity, thereby causing the stimulable phosphor sheet to fall under its own weight; and after discharging the stimulable phosphor sheet from the cassette, the other of the cassette a cassette loading section having means for making the cassette substantially horizontal; a transport mechanism that receives the stimulable phosphor sheet that has fallen from the cassette under its own weight and conveys it to the reading section and the erasing section; A radiation image information reading device comprising: a storage mechanism for storing a stimulable phosphor sheet after reading and erasing radiation image information.