X-ray examination apparatus

• US 5,073,917 A
• Filed: 11/15/1990
• Issued: 12/17/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Doorn, Cornelis M., Van Endschot, Johannes G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Janice A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, DON KITSUN
• Application Number:
  US07/614,414
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 378/197, 378/196, 378/193, 378/189, 378/15, 378/21, 378/198
• US Class Current: 378/197
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm

Abstract

In an X-ray examination apparatus, comprising a column, a mount which is connected to the column and which is rotatable about an axis, and a C-shaped carrier which is journalled in the mount, there is provided a friction roller which serves to drive and brake the C-shaped carrier and which bears against a contact face provided along the carrier. The carrier is thus locked in a play-free manner and can be readily adjusted by hand. Because the friction roller is journalled in a carriage which is displaceable with respect to the mount, a pressure exerted on the contact face by the friction roller is adjustable.

Claims

1. An X-ray examination apparatus comprising:

a column;

a mount connected to the column and rotatable about an axis;

a C-shaped carrier journaled in the mount and which carries an X-ray source and an X-ray detector in facing relation, said carrier being displaceable in the mount along a segment of a circle;

carrier displacement means coupled to the mount including a drive shaft and a friction roller secured to the shaft for bearing against the carrier on a carrier contact face for displacing the carrier relative to the mount; and

coupling means secured to the mount for selectively coupling and decoupling said friction roller to said displacement means.

2. An X-ray examination apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displacement means includes a carriage which is displaceable with respect to the mount in a direction extending transversely of the contact face, said drive shaft being journaled in said carriage and a pressure member interconnecting the carriage and the mount and pressing the friction roller against the contact face.

3. An X-ray examination apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pressure member comprises a spring.

4. An X-ray examination apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the pressure member is adjustable.

5. An X-ray examination apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the displacement means includes a motor selectively coupled to the drive shaft, the motor being connected to the carriage and displaceable together with the carriage with respect to the mount.

6. An X-ray examination apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the motor is coupled to the drive shaft via a drive coupling.

7. An X-ray examination apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the drive shaft comprises a brake member which selectively contacts, via a brake clutch, a further brake member mounted on the carriage.

8. An X-ray examination apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the pressure member is adjustable.

9. An X-ray examination apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the displacement means includes a motor selectively coupled to the drive shaft, the motor being connected to the carriage and displaceable together with the carriage with respect to the mount.

10. An X-ray examination apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the displacement means includes a motor selectively coupled to the drive shaft, the motor being connected to the carriage and displaceable together with the carriage with respect to the mount.

11. An X-ray examination apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the displacement means includes a motor selectively coupled to the drive shaft, the motor being connected to the carriage and displaceable together with the carriage with respect to the mount.

12. An X-ray examination apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the drive shaft comprises a brake member which selectively contacts, via a brake clutch, a further brake member mounted on the carriage.

13. An X-ray examination apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the drive shaft comprises a brake member which selectively contacts, via a brake clutch, a further brake member mounted on the carriage.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 including locking means for selectively locking said roller in fixed bearing relation against said carrier to preclude relative displacement of the carrier to said mount.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the friction roller is substantially incompressible material for assisting in said precluding said relative displacement.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said roller is metal.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said coupling means includes first clutch means for driving said roller in the coupled state and said locking means comprises second clutch means for locking the roller in place.

18. An X-ray examination apparatus comprising:

a support;

a mount connected to the support;

a C-shaped carrier having a contact face and journaled in the mount, said carrier carrying an X-ray source and an X-ray detector in facing relation, said carrier being displaceable in the mount along a segment of a circle;

carrier displacement means coupled to the mount including a friction carrier drive roller secured for bearing against the carrier on said carrier contact face and friction roller drive means for displacing the carrier relative to the mount, said drive roller being made of relatively incompressible material; and

means for selectively locking the carrier to preclude carrier displacement relative to said mount.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 including clutch means coupled to said mount for selectively locking said drive roller.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said contact face and drive roller have metal engaging surfaces.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said surfaces are steel.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 including coupling means for selectively coupling and decoupling said roller to said displacement means.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said locking means include brake clutch means for selectively locking the roller in fixed bearing relation against said carrier to preclude said relative displacement of the carrier to said mount.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said drive means includes first clutch means for selectively coupling said drive means to said roller and second clutch means coupled to said roller for selectively locking the roller in place.