GANTRY HOUSING, AND MEDICAL APPARATUS

• US 20200137861A1
• Filed: 10/29/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: IMAIZUMI, Masayuki, KOBAYASHI, Mitsuru, ABESHIMA, Kiyomi
• Granted Patent: US 11,389,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/035 Mechanical aspects of CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/44 Constructional features of apparatus for radiation diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4411 the apparatus being modular A61B6/4283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 1/04 Mounting the X-ray tube within a closed housing

Abstract

[Problem] To reduce deformation of a housing while reducing the risk of liquid penetration to the inside of a gantry.

[Means for Solution] A housing 20 comprises a front cover 30, a main cover 40, a rear cover 50, and a scan window 60. The scan window 60 has a PC sheet 61, and elastic members 62 and 63. The front cover 30 has a receiving portion 32 in which the elastic member 62 is disposed, and a reinforcing portion 33 for reducing deformation of the PC sheet 61; the rear cover 50 has a receiving portion 52 in which the elastic member 63 is disposed, and a reinforcing portion 53 for reducing deformation of the PC sheet 61.

Claims

1. A gantry housing in which an X-ray tube rotating around a specific axis is housed, said housing comprising:

a first cover constituting a front surface portion of said housing, said first cover having a first wall surface for defining a first opening through which a subject to be examined can be carried;

a second cover constituting a rear surface portion of said housing, said second cover having a second wall surface for defining a second opening through which said subject can be carried; and

a scan window constructed to be X-ray transparent, said scan window being attached to said first cover and second cover to run along a path of rotation of said X-ray tube, wherein

said scan window comprises;

an X-ray transparent member having an inner surface for defining a third opening through which said subject can be carried between said first opening and said second opening, and an outer surface for defining space for movement through which said X-ray tube moves along said path of rotation;

a first elasticity member joined to the outer surface of said X-ray transparent member, for preventing liquid penetration into an inside of said gantry; and

a second elasticity member joined to the outer surface of said X-ray transparent member, for preventing liquid penetration into the inside of said gantry,

said first cover comprises;

a first receiving portion in which said first elasticity member is disposed, said first receiving portion having a first surface in contact with said first elasticity member; and

a first reinforcing portion for reducing deformation of said X-ray transparent member, said first reinforcing portion supporting said X-ray transparent member from the outer surface side of said X-ray transparent member, and

said second cover comprises;

a second receiving portion in which said second elasticity member is disposed, said second receiving portion having a second surface in contact with said second elasticity member; and

a second reinforcing portion for reducing deformation of said X-ray transparent member, said second reinforcing portion supporting said X-ray transparent member from the outer surface side of said X-ray transparent member.

2. The gantry housing as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said scan window can be removably fitted in said first cover and said second cover.

3. The gantry housing as recited in claim 2, wherein:

said scan window is fitted in said first cover and second cover by the first elasticity member of said scan window pushed into the first receiving portion of said first cover and the second elasticity member of said scan window pushed into the second receiving portion of said second cover.

4. The gantry housing as recited in claim 3, wherein:

said first receiving portion has a first base portion, and

said second receiving portion has a second base portion.

5. The gantry housing as recited in claim 4, wherein:

said first elasticity member is pushed against said first base portion, and

said second elasticity member is pushed against said second base portion.

6. The gantry housing as recited in claim 5, wherein:

an inner wall surface of said first base portion is said first surface, and

an inner wall surface of said second base portion is said second surface.

7. The gantry housing as recited in claim 4, wherein:

said first cover has a first wall portion having said first wall surface, and

said first receiving portion has a first side portion formed in said first wall portion and a second side portion facing said first side portion.

8. The gantry housing as recited in claim 4, wherein:

said second cover has a second wall portion having said second wall surface, and

said second receiving portion has a third side portion formed in said second wall portion and a fourth side portion facing said third side portion.

9. The gantry housing as recited in claim 8, wherein:

an inner wall surface of the first side portion or that of the second side portion of said first receiving portion is said first surface, and

an inner wall surface of the third side portion or that of the fourth side portion of said second receiving portion is said second surface.

10. The gantry housing as recited in claim 2, wherein:

said first receiving portion and said first reinforcing portion are integrally formed, and

said second receiving portion and said second reinforcing portion are integrally formed.

11. The gantry housing as recited in claim 2, wherein:

said first receiving portion is integrally formed with said first wall portion, and

said second receiving portion integrally formed with said second wall portion.

12. The gantry housing as recited in claim 2, wherein:

said first cover comprises the first wall portion having said first wall surface, and

said first receiving portion is joined to said first wall portion.

13. The gantry housing as recited in claim 2, wherein:

said second cover comprises the second wall portion having said second wall surface, and

said second receiving portion is joined to said second wall portion.

14. The gantry housing as recited in claim 2, wherein:

said scan window fitted in said first cover and said second cover is fixed to said first cover and said second cover by a fixing member.

15. The gantry housing as recited in claim 14, wherein:

said fixing member fixes said scan window to said first cover in a portion in which said X-ray transparent member and said first reinforcing portion lie over each other.

16. The gantry housing as recited in claim 14, wherein:

said fixing member fixes said scan window to said second cover in a portion in which said X-ray transparent member and said second reinforcing portion lie over each other.

17. The gantry housing as recited in claim 14, wherein:

said fixing member fixes said scan window to said first cover in a portion opposite to said first reinforcing portion with respect to said first receiving portion.

18. The gantry housing as recited in claim 14, wherein:

said fixing member fixes said scan window to said second cover in a portion opposite to said second reinforcing portion with respect to said second receiving portion.