Method and apparatus for an improved programmable X-ray film changer
US4782504A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 23, 1985 |
| Grant date | Nov 1, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 23, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03B42/021
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A programmable X-ray film changer for use, for example, in making angiograms, is provided with an improved pressure plate mechanism, feed and removal mechanism, photographic plate indexing mechanism, a clutched single cycle drive mechanism, a receiving photographic plate cassette and control methodology. The improvements in combination permit a substantial reduction of the number of parts in the film changer resulting in increased reliability, a decrease in the expense of manufacture, and decreased weight. Furthermore, the X-ray photographic film changer is arbitrarily orientable in space and independent of gravity feed mechanisms or the interference of gravity with respect to its operation. The improved pressure plate is normally substantially flat and is bowed to form a convex surface by a pressure plate bowing mechanism. Misfeeds of multiple numbers of photographic plates are thus tolerated by the natural resiliency of the pressure plate. Bowing of the pressure plate is used to actuate feeding and removal of the photographic plates into the exposure position. Alphanumeric information is arbitrarily photographically printed onto the photographic plate subject to programmable cont…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.