Electron applicator
First Claim
1. An electron irradiator comprising an electron source, primary electron field shaping means and an electron applicator at the point of radiation egress in the radiation direction after the primary field shaping means of the electron source, said adjustable collimator plates surrounding and disposed in planes oriented perpendicularly to the symmetry axis of the electron applicator, characterized in that the collimator plates (24, 25, 26, 27) each have transverse legs which overlap the legs of other plates, said collimator plates each having fixedly connected guide rods extending parallel to the respective legs, and the length of each of the guide rods being such as to not extend beyond the ends of a respective parallel leg movable therewith, and carrier means (20, 21, 22, 23) mounting each of said collimator plates for movement along the directions of the lengths of both its legs, said carrier means (20, 21, 22, 23) being adjustable toward and away from the symmetry axis (13), each of the collimator plates (24, 25, 26, 27) having mounted therewith one cornered wall element (28, 29, 30, 31) partially covering the exterior walls of the electron applicator (15) which border on the respective collimator plate, said wall elements being opaque to electrons and being substantially parallel to said symmetry axis and adjacent wall elements (28, 29, 30, 31) overlapping in a virtually grazing fashion on the side remote from the electron source (2), the guide rods being slideably attached to and guided by respective carrier means during adjustment of the carrier means without projection of the guide rods outside of the wall elements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In the illustrated embodiment, an electron collimator is to be mounted on the accessory holder of an electron accelerator. In radiation therapy, the down beam end of the applicator is to contact the patient to establish a precise spacing of the electron source therefrom. The legs of the L-shaped collimator plates have rods secured to the corner part thereof which link pairs of overlapping legs to a common carrier for joint lateral adjustment toward and away from the beam axis. The rods slide in apertures in the carrier as the legs are adjusted longitudinally. Cornered wall elements are secured to each collimator plate and overlap each other to surround the beam path, and have in-turned closely overlapping edges which terminate flush with the inner margins of the collimator plates so as to provide further electron collimation and to provide an essentially smooth patient contacting end face.
63 Citations
12 Claims
- 1. An electron irradiator comprising an electron source, primary electron field shaping means and an electron applicator at the point of radiation egress in the radiation direction after the primary field shaping means of the electron source, said adjustable collimator plates surrounding and disposed in planes oriented perpendicularly to the symmetry axis of the electron applicator, characterized in that the collimator plates (24, 25, 26, 27) each have transverse legs which overlap the legs of other plates, said collimator plates each having fixedly connected guide rods extending parallel to the respective legs, and the length of each of the guide rods being such as to not extend beyond the ends of a respective parallel leg movable therewith, and carrier means (20, 21, 22, 23) mounting each of said collimator plates for movement along the directions of the lengths of both its legs, said carrier means (20, 21, 22, 23) being adjustable toward and away from the symmetry axis (13), each of the collimator plates (24, 25, 26, 27) having mounted therewith one cornered wall element (28, 29, 30, 31) partially covering the exterior walls of the electron applicator (15) which border on the respective collimator plate, said wall elements being opaque to electrons and being substantially parallel to said symmetry axis and adjacent wall elements (28, 29, 30, 31) overlapping in a virtually grazing fashion on the side remote from the electron source (2), the guide rods being slideably attached to and guided by respective carrier means during adjustment of the carrier means without projection of the guide rods outside of the wall elements.
Specification