Film changer
First Claim
1. A medical film changer for an x-ray apparatus, which comprises:
- a magazine for holding a plurality of unexposed sheets of film;
a film exposure device for receiving a sheet of film from the magazine, the film exposure device including a film backing plate and a film pressure plate having a natural substantially flat configuration, for receiving the sheet of film therebetween, and the pressure plate being movable toward and away from the backing plate;
a film-receiving cassette adjacent the film exposure device for receiving an exposed sheet of film from the exposure device, the film-receiving cassette including a guide plate formed into an inwardly spiraling configuration having an open end and an inner end;
first film feeding means in the magazine for feeding sheets of film to the film exposure device;
actuating means in the film exposure device for operating the film feeding means in the magazine;
second film feeding means in the film exposure device for feeding unexposed sheets of film fed to the exposure device by the first feeding means in the magazine, into a exposure position between the backing plate and the pressure plate;
means in the film exposure device for moving the pressure plate toward and away from the backing plate;
means in the film exposure device for flexing the pressure plate from its natural substantially flat configuration into a convex configuration as the pressure plate is moving away from the backing plate by the pressure plate moving means, with outer ends of the pressure plate moving back to initial positions as the pressure plate is moved toward the backing plate and back to its natural substantially flat configuration by the moving means, such that the pressure plate applies pressure to the unexposed sheet of film progressively outward from the center of the sheet of film toward opposite ends thereof; and
third film feeding means in the film exposure device for feeding the exposed sheet of film out of the exposure device into the open end of the spirally formed guide plate of the film-receiving cassette such that the exposed sheet of film travels along an interior surface of the guide plate and assumes the spiral configuration thereof.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a film feeding mechanism for use during medical x-ray techniques, particularly angiography. Sheets of film are fed sequentially at high speed into and out of a film exposure device, by a feed mechanism including continuously driven feed wheels and movable pinch rollers, in a manner so as to reduce damage to the films, including the build-up and discharge of static charge on the films. In the film exposure device, a free-floating lower clamping assembly, having a natural substantially flat configuration, clamps each film against an upper clamping assembly from the center of the film progressively outward towards its leading and trailing ends, to eliminate wrinkling of the film. A firing command is transmitted to an X-ray generator before each unexposed sheet of film reaches the exposure position and each cycle of operation is accomplished by energizing a single revolution clutch connectable to a continuously running, constant speed motor.
75 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A medical film changer for an x-ray apparatus, which comprises:
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a magazine for holding a plurality of unexposed sheets of film; a film exposure device for receiving a sheet of film from the magazine, the film exposure device including a film backing plate and a film pressure plate having a natural substantially flat configuration, for receiving the sheet of film therebetween, and the pressure plate being movable toward and away from the backing plate; a film-receiving cassette adjacent the film exposure device for receiving an exposed sheet of film from the exposure device, the film-receiving cassette including a guide plate formed into an inwardly spiraling configuration having an open end and an inner end; first film feeding means in the magazine for feeding sheets of film to the film exposure device; actuating means in the film exposure device for operating the film feeding means in the magazine; second film feeding means in the film exposure device for feeding unexposed sheets of film fed to the exposure device by the first feeding means in the magazine, into a exposure position between the backing plate and the pressure plate; means in the film exposure device for moving the pressure plate toward and away from the backing plate; means in the film exposure device for flexing the pressure plate from its natural substantially flat configuration into a convex configuration as the pressure plate is moving away from the backing plate by the pressure plate moving means, with outer ends of the pressure plate moving back to initial positions as the pressure plate is moved toward the backing plate and back to its natural substantially flat configuration by the moving means, such that the pressure plate applies pressure to the unexposed sheet of film progressively outward from the center of the sheet of film toward opposite ends thereof; and third film feeding means in the film exposure device for feeding the exposed sheet of film out of the exposure device into the open end of the spirally formed guide plate of the film-receiving cassette such that the exposed sheet of film travels along an interior surface of the guide plate and assumes the spiral configuration thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A medical film exposure device for an x-ray apparatus, which comprises:
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a backing plate; a pressure plate mounted in opposed relationship to the backing plate such that a film to be exposed can be positioned between the backing plate and the pressure plate, the pressure plate having a natural substantially flat configuration; means for moving the pressure plate toward and away from the backing plate, to clamp and release the film, respectively; and means for flexing the pressure plate from its natural substantially flat configuration into a convex configuration as the pressure plate is moved away from the backing plate, with outer ends of the pressure plate returning to initial positions as the pressure plate is moved toward the backing plate and back to its natural substantially flat configuration, such that the pressure plate applies pressure to the unexposed sheet of film progressively outward from the center of the sheet of film to opposite ends thereof. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A medical film exposure device for an x-ray apparatus, which comprises:
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clamping means movable from an open position into a closed position for clamping a sheet of film for an exposure operation, the clamping means including at least one movable clamping member movable between the open and closed positions; continuously driven feed wheel means for feeding the sheet of film into and out of an exposure position between the clamping means when the clamping means is in the open position; and pinch roller means movable into and out of engagement with the sheet of film for pressing the film against the feed wheel means and causing selective feeding of the sheet of film by the feed wheels means, the pinch roller means including pinch rollers supported on pivoted levers biased to an inoperative position, and the pivoted levers being engageable by the movable clamping member as the clamping member moves to the open position, so that the levers are moved into an operative position in which the pinch rollers engage the film for a film feeding operation. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A medical film exposure device for an x-ray apparatus, which comprises:
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a backing plate; a pressure plate mounted in opposed relationship to the backing plate such that a film to be exposed can be positioned between the backing plate and the pressure plate; means for moving the pressure plate toward and away from the backing plate, to clamp and release the film, respectively; and means for flexing the pressure plate into a convex configuration as the pressure plate is moved away from the backing plate, with outer ends of the pressure plate returning to initial positions as the pressure plate is moved toward the backing plate, such that the pressure plate applies pressure to the unexposed sheet of film progressively outward from the center of the sheet of film to opposite ends thereof; the pressure plate moving means and the pressure plate flexing means comprising; first and second lever means having outer ends pivoted to respective outer ends of the pressure plate and having inner ends pivoted to one another; first and second support means for pivotally mounting the first and second lever means, respectively, for pivotal movement about intermediate portions thereof; and means for causing movement of the pivotally interconnected inner ends of the first and second lever means toward the backing plate, to pivot the lever means about their respective support means, to cause movement of the pressure plate away from the backing plate and flexing of outer ends of the pressure plate away from the backing plate. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A medical film exposure device for an x-ray apparatus, which comprises:
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a backing plate; a pressure plate mounted in opposed relationship to the backing plate such that a film to be exposed can be positioned between the backing plate and the pressure plate; means for moving the pressure plate toward and away from the backing plate, to clamp and release the film, respectively; means for flexing the pressure plate into a convex configuration as the pressure plate is moved away from the backing plate, with outer ends of the pressure plate returning to initial positions as the pressure plate is moved toward the backing plate, such that the pressure plate applies pressure to the unexposed sheet of film progressively outward from the center of the sheet of film to opposite ends thereof; and means for feeding a film into and out of the film exposure device, the film feeding means comprising; a pivoted lever having an opening therein; a longitudinally reciprocable feed rod having one end engageable by the pivoted lever; cam means for pivoting the lever and causing longitudinal movement of the feed rod; and means for selectively moving the one end of the feed rod into alignment with the opening in the pivoted lever to preclude longitudinal movement of the feed rod by the lever.
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31. A medical film exposure device for an x-ray apparatus, which comprises:
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a backing plate; a pressure plate mounted in opposed relationship to the backing plate such that a film to be exposed can be positioned between the backing plate and the pressure plate; means for moving the pressure plate toward and away from the backing plate, to clamp and release the film, respectively; means for flexing the pressure plate into a convex configuration as the pressure plate is moved away the backing plate, with outer ends of the pressure plate returning to initial positions as the pressure plate is moved toward the backing plate, such that the pressure plate applies pressure to the unexposed sheet of film progressively outward from the center of the sheet of film to opposite ends thereof; means for feeding a film into and out of the film exposure device; a continuously running drive motor; and a single revolution clutch connectable to the continuously running drive motor for operating the pressure plate moving means and the film feeding means and producing an operating cycle of the medical film exposure device.
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32. A medical film-processing device for an x-ray apparatus, which comprises:
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a medical film exposure device for holding a sheet of film during an exposure operation; a cassette, which includes no film driving mechanism, for receiving successively exposed films from the film exposure device, the cassette including a single guide plate disposed in the cassette and formed into an inwardly spiraling configuration having an outer open end and an inner end, such that an initial film fed into the open end of the spiraling configuration and fed along an interior surface of the guide plate assumes a configuration corresponding to that of the guide plate, and subsequently received films each nest in spiral relationship inside a respective previously received film, to facilitate storage of the films in a small space; and film feeding means in the film exposure device for feeding each of the exposed films from the film exposure device into the cassette and along a path essentially parallel to the interior surface of the guide plate after exposure of the film. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A cassette which includes no film driving mechanism, for receiving successively exposed films from a film exposure device, which comprises:
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an essentially box-shaped housing having a film-receiving feed-in slot in one wall thereof; and a single guide plate formed into an inwardly spiraling configuration having an outer open end and an inner end, such that an initial film fed into the open end of the spiraling configuration and fed along an interior surface of the spiral guide plate assumes a configuration corresponding to that of the guide plate, and subsequently received films each nest in spiral relationship inside a respective previously received film, to facilitate storage of the films in a small space. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification