X-ray diagnostic device with safe and durable X-ray tube suspension mechanism

• US 5,037,059 A
• Filed: 06/16/1989
• Issued: 08/06/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Inoue, Kiyoaki, Asano, Kiyoshi, Nishigaki, Shunichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Talbott, David L.
• Application Number:
  US07/367,346
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 248/572, 248/573, 248/579, 248/610, 248/320, 248/330.1, 248/331, 248/332, 248/329, 248/328
• US Class Current: 248/572
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/447 the source unit or the detector unit being mounted to counterpoise or springs

Abstract

An X-ray diagnostic device with a suspension mechanism for suspending an object in a vertically movable manner, using two suspension wires, which can avoid the shortened durability of the suspension wires, and using windup type springs, which can eliminate possibility for the fall of the suspended object due to the breaking of the windup type springs. The suspension mechanism may includes two suspension wires for holding the suspended object; and single threaded corn pulleys, one for each one of the two suspension wires, for winding the respective suspension wires. The suspension mechanism may also includes a plurality of windup type springs for balancing against gravitational force acting on the suspended object; connection between the plurality of windup type springs such that this connection moves when the plurality of windup type springs are put to be not balanced with respect to each other; and mechanism for preventing the fall of the suspended object by detecting motion of the connection.

Claims

1. An X-ray diagnostic device, comprising:

a bed means for supporting a patient to be diagnosed; and

a suspension mechanism for suspending an X-ray tube in a vertically movable manner over the patient on the bed means, including;

two suspension wires for holding the suspended object;

changing means, one for each one of the two suspension means, for changing directions of the associate suspension wire;

two single threaded corn pulleys, one for each one of the two suspension wires, for winding the respective suspension wires passing through the changing means; and

spring means for balancing against a gravitational force acting on the suspended object by providing a force to rotate the corn pulleys;

wherein the spring means comprises a plurality of windup type spring means for balancing against gravitational force acting on the suspended object by providing a force to rotate the corn pulleys, and which further comprising;

means for connecting the plurality of windup type spring means such that this connecting means moves when the plurality of windup type spring means are unbalanced with respect to each other; and

means for preventing the rotation of the corn pulleys by detecting motion of the connecting means.

2. A diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the preventing means further comprising:

an engaging means fixed to the corn pulleys;

a movable member having an engaging portion, connected with the connecting means; and

a pivotal member having first and second engaging ends, the first engaging end being engaged with the engaging portion of the movable member when the connecting means is not in motion, the second engaging end being engaged with the engaging means when the first engaging means is not engaged with the engaging portion of the movable member.

3. An X-ray diagnostic device, comprising:

a bed means for supporting a patient to be diagnosed; and

suspension mechanism for suspending an X-ray tube in a vertically movable manner over the patient on the bed means, including;

suspension wires for holding the suspended object;

means for winding the suspension wires;

a plurality of windup type spring means for balancing against a gravitational force acting on the suspended object by providing a force to rotate the winding means;

means for connecting the plurality of windup type spring means such that this connecting means moves when the plurality of windup type spring means are unbalanced with respect to each other; and

means for preventing the rotation of the winding means by detecting motion of the connecting means.

4. A diagnostic device of claim 3, wherein the preventing means further comprising:

an engaging means fixed to the winding means;

a movable member having an engaging portion, connected with the connecting means; and

a pivotal member having first and second engaging ends, the first engaging end being engaged with the engaging portion of the movable member when the connecting means is not in motion, the second engaging end being engaged with the engaging means when the first engaging means is not engaged with the engaging portion of the movable member.

5. A suspension mechanism for permitting vertical movement of a suspended object, comprising:

two suspension wires for holding the suspended object;

idler pulleys, one for each of the two suspension wires, for changing the direction of the associated suspension wire, each of the idler pulleys having a contact portion for contacting the associated suspension wire;

two single threaded corn pulleys, one for each of the two suspension wires, on which the associated suspension wire is wound and unwound when the suspended object is respectively raised and lowered, the respective suspension wires each forming a changing fleet angle with the contact portion of the associated idler pulley as the suspension wires are wound on to and off of the respective corn pulleys;

mounting means for rotatably mounting the corn pulleys; and

balancing means for balancing a gravitational force acting on the suspended object by providing a force to rotate the corn pulleys;

wherein the balancing means comprises;

a wind-up spring, having ends, associated with each of the two corn pulleys, for exerting the force to rotate the associated corn pulley, one end of each of the wind-up springs being connected to the associated corn pulley and an other end being attached to the mounting means;

connecting means for connecting the one end of each of the wind-up spring to the associated corn pulley;

a movable member attached to each of the connecting means, the movable member having a first position when the force exerted by each of the wind-up springs are balanced and a second position when the force exerted by each of the wind-up springs are unbalanced; and

preventing means for preventing rotation of the corn pulleys when the movable member is at the second position.

6. A suspension member according to claim 5, wherein the preventing means includes:

an engaging member fixed at least to the corn pulleys;

a pivotal member having a first end for engaging the engaging member when the movable member is at the second position to prevent the corn pulleys from rotating and a second end engaged by the movable member when the movable member is at the first position to prevent the first end of the pivotal member from engaging the engaging means; and

biasing means for biasing the first end of the pivotal member toward the engaging member.