Patent Application
20140098943
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to radiation imaging apparatuses for obtaining a radiation image from radiation transmitted through a subject, and more particularly, the present invention relates to mobile X-ray imaging apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as medical X-ray imaging apparatuses, mobile X-ray imaging systems have been prevalently used. Mobile X-ray imaging systems are generally used for performing X-ray photography in a hospital room or an operating room. Mobile X-ray imaging apparatuses typically include an X-ray tube for emitting X-rays, an X-ray detector for detecting the X-rays transmitted through a body part of a patient, and a C-shaped arm for holding the X-ray tube on one end and the X-ray detector at the other end.
In performing the X-ray photography using the mobile X-ray imaging system, to position the X-ray tube over a subject lying on the bed, a means for changing positions over the bed needs to be provided for the X-ray tube. Especially, in a case where the arms and legs of the subject are to be photographed, the positioning of the X-ray detector and the X-ray tube is not maintained in a good condition if it is not possible to locate the X-ray tube at any position over the bed. In such a case, appropriate images are not provided.
Further, when the mobile X-ray imaging system is moved in a narrow space between beds in a hospital room or moved in a corridor in a hospital ward where stretchers and various medical devices come and go, for movement, it is desirable that the entire size of the system be reduced to a compact size.
For that purpose, an arm for supporting the X-ray tube may be provided with a mechanism for extending the arm during X-ray photography, and contracting it during movement. For example, in an exemplary embodiment in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-81690, an extendable arm for supporting an X-ray tube is provided to extend the arm for X-ray photography and to shorten the arm for storage in movement.
In operator's round visit with the mobile X-ray imaging system, on a monitor disposed on a movable carriage portion, information and location of a patient to be photographed next is displayed and the operator can check the information while moving, and thereby smooth round visit can be performed. In known X-ray imaging systems like that discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-81690, however, the X-ray tube is disposed near the monitor when the system is moved, and this prevents the operator from checking the monitor during movement.
Aspects of present invention are directed to mobile X-ray imaging apparatuses enabling an operator to check information on a monitor disposed even in a conventional way in moving the apparatus.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a mobile X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray tube configured to emit X-rays, an extendable arm configured to support the X-ray tube, a support post configured to move the extendable arm in a direction perpendicular to the ground, a carriage portion configured to control the X-ray tube to emit the X-rays and to support the support post, and including a movable unit, a monitor disposed on an upper surface of the carriage portion, and an arm opening and closing unit configured to open and close the extendable arm with respect to the support post.
According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a mobile X-ray imaging apparatus that enables an operator to check information displayed on a monitor while moving the apparatus, and that increases the operator's ease of operability is disclosed.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Hereinafter, a first exemplary embodiment will be described.
In
A monitor 7 is disposed on an upper surface of the carriage portion 5. The monitor 7 displays information of a patient and a location of the patient to be photographed in an operator's round visit. A support post rotating portion 8 connects the carriage portion 5 and the support post 3 to serve as a bearing. The support post rotating portion 8 enables the support post 3 to rotate around the axis perpendicular to the ground on which the wheels move, i.e., around the vertical axis, on the carriage portion 5. The support post rotating portion 8 also serves as a non-excitation electromagnetic brake, and in a state in which electric power is applied to the non-excitation electromagnetic brake, the rotation of the support post 3 can be stopped at a desired position. A handle 13 is provided in the carriage portion 5. The operator holds the handle 13 in moving the apparatus to control the moving direction of the apparatus. Such a structure prevents the X-ray tube 1 from being disposed over the monitor 7 when the apparatus is being moved, and enables the operator to check the information displayed on the monitor 7 while moving, and thereby the ease of operability is improved.
In
The arm supporting portion 4 connects the second arm 10 and the support post 3. A rotation portion 14 joins the second arm 10 and the arm supporting portion 4. The rotation of the rotation portion 14 rotates the second arm 10 with respect to the arm supporting portion 4. To reduce the width of the arm 2, it is desirable to use a gas spring as a compression spring 15. A first spring guide 16 is rotatable at one end on the arm supporting portion 4. A second spring guide 17 is rotatable at one end on the second arm 10. The compression spring 15 is compressed when the second arm 10 is extended from the storage state to the horizontal state (extended or operational state) as illustrated in
A pulley 18 is provided in an upper part in the support post 3. A tapered pulley 19 having a diameter larger than the pulley 18 is provided coaxially with the pulley 18. A first wire 20 is fixed to the arm supporting portion 4 at one end, and wound around the tapered pulley 19 at the other end. A second wire 22 is connected to an extension spring 21 at one end, and wound around the pulley 18 at the other end. The taper angle of the tapered pulley 19 is set to balance the force of the extension spring 21 to a weight of the members provided to the side from the arm supporting portion 4 to the X-ray tube 1 even if the length of the extension spring 21 is changed.
A cam followers 23 are provided on the arm supporting portion 4. Slide guide plates 24 are provided in the support post 3 to hold the cam followers 23. To improve the slip of the cam followers 23, it is desirable to smooth the surface of the slide guide plates 24 where the plates contact the cam followers 23 as much as possible. With such structure, the force of the extension spring 21 applies a predetermined small force to the members provided at the side from the arm supporting portion 4 to the X-ray tube 1, so that the arm 2 can be moved up and down along the support post 3 in the direction perpendicular to the ground. The cam followers 23 and the slide guide plates 24 enable the arm supporting portion 4 to move up and down along the support post 3 without changing the angle with the support post 3. In other words, the rotation of the arm 2 around the rotation portion 14 enables the arm 2 to change the opening and closing angle with respect to the support post 3.
An angle sensor 25 detects an angle of the second arm 10 to the ground. In the first exemplary embodiment, the angle sensor 25 detects whether the second arm 10 has been horizontally set. As the angle sensor 25, an acceleration sensor for detecting the ground direction is desirably employed. A lock portion 26 is used to lock the extension and contraction of the first arm 9 and the second arm 10. That is, the lock portion 26 serves as an arm extension and contraction lock unit for restricting the extension and contraction operation. As the lock portion 26, a permanent electromagnetic holder is desirably employed, and in the first arm 9, the lock portion 26 is provided to contact the surface of the second arm 10 of a magnetic substance. By the structure, depending on whether electric power is applied to the lock portion 26, the lock portion 26 attracts the second arm 10 to lock the extension and contraction of the first arm 9 and the second arm 10.
With the above-described structure, the extension and contraction of the arm 2 is allowed only when the arm 2 has been set to the horizontal position. Thus, the operator can move the X-ray tube 1 while maintaining the height of the X-ray tube 1 at a certain height in the positioning operation of the X-ray tube 1. This increases the operability of the operator.
Hereinafter, a second exemplary embodiment is described.
In the second exemplary embodiment, as compared to the first exemplary embodiment, the width of the arm is reduced, and the opening and closing operation of the arm 2 can be locked. Thus, an applicable range of exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be widened.
The arm supporting portion 4 connects the second arm 10 and the support post 3. The rotation portion 14 joins the second arm 10 and the arm supporting portion 4. The second arm 10 rotates around the rotation center of the rotation portion 14 with respect to the arm supporting portion 4. A tapered pulley 27 is provided coaxially with the rotation portion 14, and rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the rotation portion 14. To the rotation portion 14, a non-excitation electromagnetic brake is further provided. In a state electric power is being applied to the non-excitation electromagnetic brake, the rotation of the second arm 10 can be stopped at a position. In other words, the rotation portion 14 includes an arm opening and closing unit for fixing an opening and closing angle of the arm 2. The rotation brake in the rotation portion 14 is controlled by a signal from a brake input unit provided in the apparatus. In the second exemplary embodiment, the brake input unit is provided in the X-ray tube 1, or near the X-ray tube 1. To the rotation portion 14 according to the first exemplary embodiment, a rotation brake similar to that in the second exemplary embodiment may be provided.
A spring supporting portion 28 is fixed on the arm supporting portion 4. A wire 29 is wound around the tapered pulley 27 at one end. An extension spring 31 is fixed to the spring support portion 28 at one end, and connected to one end of the wire 29 at the other end to maintain the tension via a pulley 30. The taper angle of the tapered pulley 27 is set to balance the force of the extension spring 31 to the rotational moment of the arm 2 even if the length of the extension spring 31 is changed. As illustrated in
As compared to the first exemplary embodiment, the internal structure of the support post 3 is widened by providing the extension spring 31. Due to the structure, the wire 20 can maintain the tension via a pulley 32. Except the above-described structure, the structure from the small-sized pulley 18 to the slide guide plates 24 is similar to that in the first exemplary embodiment. The structure enables the arm 2 to move up and down along the support post 3 in the direction perpendicular to the ground. The cam followers 23 and the slide guide plates 24 enable the arm supporting portion 4 to move up and down along the support post 3 without changing the angle with the support post 3. In other words, the rotation of the arm 2 around the rotation portion 14 enables the arm 2 to change the opening and closing angle with respect to the support post 3.
In the second exemplary embodiment, the angle sensor 25 detects whether the first arm 10 has been horizontally set. A lock portion 26 is used to lock the extension and contraction of the first arm 9 and the second arm 10. The lock portion 26 is disposed in the second arm 10 to contact the surface of the first arm 9 of a magnetic substance. By the structure, depending on whether electric power is applied to the lock portion 26, the lock portion attracts the first arm 9 to lock the extension and contraction of the first arm 9 and the second arm 10.
With the above-described structure, the arm can be moved upward only by the slide mechanism of the support post to move the X-ray tube 1 upward only in the vertical direction. By the structure, while the X-ray tube 1 is kept in the certain horizontal position, the height of the X-ray tube 1 can be changed. This increases the operability of the operator.
Hereinafter, a third exemplary embodiment is described.
A small-diameter pulley 35 is provided in an upper part in the second support post 34. A tapered pulley 36 is provided coaxially with the small-diameter pulley 35. A third wire 37 is fixed to a bottom part of the first support post 33 at one end, and wound around the tapered pulley 36 at the other end. A fourth wire 39 is connected to an extension spring 38 at one end, and wound around the small-diameter pulley 35 at the other end. The taper angle of the tapered pulley 36 is set to balance the force of the extension spring 38 to a weight of the members provided to the side from the first support post 33 to the X-ray tube 1 even if the length of the extension spring 38 is changed.
A linear guide 40 is provided in the bottom part of the first support post 33. A linear guide rail 41 is provided in the second support post 34 to guide the linear guide 40. With such structure, the extension spring 38 applies a predetermined small force to the members provided at the side from the first support post 33 to the X-ray tube 1, so that the first support post 33 can be moved up and down. With the linear guide 40 and the linear guide rail 41, the first support post 33 can be moved up and down along the second support post 34 in the direction perpendicular to the ground. In other words, a support post extension and contraction unit enabling the support posts 33 and 34 to extend and contract in the vertical direction can be provided.
With the above-described structure, the support posts can extend and contract in the vertical direction, which allows compact storage of the arm and support posts in the movement, including the arm extension and contraction. As a result, the front visibility of the operator in moving the apparatus can be increased. Consequently, the mobile X-ray imaging apparatus can be provided that enables the operator to easily grasp the environment while moving the apparatus, to check a next subject from the monitor information, and to move the apparatus smoothly.
Hereinafter, a fourth exemplary embodiment is described.
In
A control unit 43 controls the rotation brake of the rotation portion 14 based on a detection result of the support post rotation detection portion 42 to restrict opening and closing operation of the arm 2 depending on the direction of the support post 3. In the forth exemplary embodiment, as compared to the second exemplary embodiment, the control unit 43 also serves as the rotation brake input unit of the rotation portion 14. Further, the control unit includes a correspondence table of arm opening and closing angles and support post rotational angles for preventing the X-ray tube 1 and the arm 2 from interfering with the carriage portion 5 due to the shapes of the carriage portion 5, the X-ray tube 1, and the arm 2 when the arm 2 is to be set to the horizontal position.
In the present exemplary embodiment, it is assumed that the arm 2 is to be set to the horizontal position, however, the arm 2 may be used in a state other than the horizontal state. In such a case, the angle sensor 25 described in the first and second exemplary embodiments detects an angle between the arm 2 and the ground. In the flowchart in
After the image capturing, when the X-ray tube 1 is stored in the apparatus, control of operation opposite to the above-described operation may be performed to contract the arm 2 and to control the rotational angle of the support post 3 depending on the opening and closing angle of the arm 2. Further, a height detection sensor may be provided to the arm 2 to control release of the arm opening and closing lock unit depending on a height of the arm 2.
With the above-described structure, in setting the X-ray tube in photographing, or in storing the X-ray tube after the photographing, the X-ray tube and the arm are prevented from interfering with the carriage portion. Thus, the possibility that the operator's fingers are caught or the carriage portion having the control unit is damaged may be reduced. With the above-described structure, the mobile X-ray imaging apparatuses increased in the safety of operators and the apparatuses can be provided.
Aspects of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus (or devices such as a CPU or MPU) that reads out and executes a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method, the steps of which are performed by a computer of a system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s). For this purpose, the program is provided to the computer for example via a network or from a recording medium of various types serving as the memory device (e.g., computer-readable storage medium).
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-223563 filed Oct. 5, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-223563 | Oct 2012 | JP | national |
