Radiographic apparatus

• US 8,899,831 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2012
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Yutaka, Kitagawa, Yusuke, Shimada, Katsumi, Ida, Noriaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Souw, Bernard E
• Application Number:
  US13/407,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20120250825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 378/29, 378/87, 378/162, 378/169, 378/172, 378/189, 378/210, 378/928, 250/370.08, 250/370.09, 250/559.07, 250/557.08, 250/559.46
• US Class Current: 378/169
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4021 involving movement of the focal spot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4233 using matrix detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4283 characterised by a detector unit being housed in a cassette
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/56 Details of data transmission or power supply, e.g. use of slip rings
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2206/008 using holders for the photographic material
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 42/047 provided with marking means

Abstract

A radiographic apparatus includes an image acquisition controller for controlling operation of more than one electronic cassette. For signal communication between the image acquisition controller and the electronic cassettes, each electronic cassette may be connected to a communication cable. These communication cables are connected to a switching hub that intermediates communication between the electronic cassettes and the image acquisition controller. The radiographic apparatus includes multiple power supplies corresponding in number to the electronic cassettes. Each electronic cassette may be connected to one power supply through a power cable separately from the communication cable.

Claims

1. A radiographic apparatus comprising:

a power cable connectable to an electronic cassette;

a power supply for supplying power to the electronic cassette, the power supply being connected directly with the power cable;

a communication cable provided separately from the power cable; and

an image acquisition controller for controlling operation of the electronic cassette, the image acquisition controller being communicable with the electronic cassette through the communication cable to a plurality of users.

2. The radiographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radiographic apparatus includes multiple power supplies, the same number of power cables and the same number of communication cables as the power supplies, and only one image acquisition controller.

3. The radiographic apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a line concentrator for intermediating communication between the image acquisition controller and multiple electronic cassettes through the communication cables.

4. The radiographic apparatus of claim 3, wherein communication cables connectable to the electronic cassettes and a communication cable directly connected with the image acquisition controller are connected to each other at the line concentrator.

5. The radiographic apparatus of claim 3, wherein a composite cable bundling a communication cable and a power cable into a string is connectable to an electronic cassette, and the radiographic apparatus further comprises a first transporter that connects with the composite cable to separate the composite cable into the communication cable and the power cable, wherein the communication cable from the transporter and a communication cable directly connecting with the image acquisition controller are connected to each other at the line concentrator.

6. The radiographic apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first transporter is mounted on or in a radiographic cassette holding device, to which an electronic cassette is detachably attachable.

7. The radiographic apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first transporter is detachably attachable to a radiographic cassette holding device, to which an electronic cassette is detachably attachable.

8. The radiographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein a composite cable bundling a communication cable and a power cable into a string is connectable to an electronic cassette, and the radiographic apparatus further comprises a first transporter that connects with the composite cable to separate the composite cable into the communication cable and the power cable, wherein the communication cable from the transporter is directly connected with the image acquisition controller, and the power cable from the transporter is directly connected with the power supply.

9. The radiographic apparatus of claim 3, wherein a composite cable bundling a communication cable and a power cable into a string is connectable to an electronic cassette, and the radiographic apparatus further comprises a second transporter having a wireless communication device and a wireless LAN for communication with the wireless communication device of the second transporter, wherein an access point of the wireless LAN and a communication cable directly connecting with the image acquisition controller are connected to each other at the line concentrator.

10. The radiographic apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second transporter is mounted on or in a radiographic cassette holding device, to which the electronic cassette is detachably attachable.

11. The radiographic apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second transporter is detachably attachable to a radiographic cassette holding device, to which the electronic cassette is detachably attachable.

12. The radiographic apparatus of claim 3, wherein a radiographic cassette holding device for detachably attaching an electronic cassette is provided with a connector, the connector being connected with a socket of the electronic cassette to connect the electronic cassette to the communication cable and the power cable when the electronic cassette is attached to the radiographic cassette holding device, wherein the communication cable extending from the connector and a communication cable directly connecting with the image acquisition controller are connected to each other at the line concentrator.

13. The radiographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein a radiographic cassette holding device for detachably attaching an electronic cassette is provided with a connector, the connector being connected with a socket of the electronic cassette to connect the electronic cassette to the communication cable and the power cable when the electronic cassette is attached to the radiographic cassette holding device, wherein the communication cable and the power cable extending from the connector are respectively connected directly with the image acquisition controller and the power supply.

14. The radiographic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the image acquisition controller and the line concentrator are connected to each other through a LAN that is developed within a hospital.