Patent · US Expired

Adjustable x-ray collimator

US6449340B1 · kind B1 · utility

63Cited by
14References
42Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 18, 2001
Grant dateSep 10, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 18, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B6/03
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an adjustable collimator for collimating a beam of energy emitted from a focal spot of a beam source. The collimator is particularly intended for collimating an x-ray beam of a computed tomography scanner after the x-ray beam has passed through a patient being scanned. The collimator includes two elongated parallel plates arranged side by side to define a collimating slit between the plates. At least one of the plates is movably relative to the other plate for varying a width of the collimating slit. The collimator also includes a movable cam operatively arranged with respect to the at least one movable plate such that movement of the cam in a first direction causes the width of the collimating slit to increase, while movement of the cam in a second direction causes the width of the collimating slit to decrease.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.