Abstract: A scanning apparatus is described with a transport device for conveying a cassette past a scanning and erasing station, which transport device comprises a scanning carriage (31), a carriage carrier (63) on the top surface of the carriage near its leading end, an endless belt (26) which has an upper stretch which runs through a groove in the top surface of the carriage, belt carrier device (60) on said endless belt, a coupling mechanism (64) for coupling the upper stretch of the belt to the carriage, and control unit (86, 78) for controlling the operation of said coupling mechanism.

Abstract: Scanning apparatus with a scanning and erasing station for scanning and erasing a cassette of the type used in photo-stimulable luminiscence ("PSL") radiography, which apparatus has a cassette receiving station comprising a roll-down shutter (15) for supporting thereon a vertical stack (35) of cassettes to be scanned, lateral grippers (42, 43) for supporting the bottom cassette (33) of said stack at opposite lateral sides thereby to hold said bottom cassette while a bottom supporting roller shutter (15) is temporarily removed, and vertical transfer support cams (51, 52) for taking over the support of the bottom cassette from the lateral grippers, and for first lowering said cassette over a distance equal to the height of the cassette so that the next cassette can be gripped and held by the lateral grippers, and for then further lowering said bottom cassette on the scanning carriage (31) of said scanning station.

Abstract: A compact digitizer apparatus for accurately scanning an image on a transparent sheet is particularly useful for scanning and storing medical x-ray photographs and other photographic-based records. The apparatus includes a photosensitive device which scans the image, and an illumination device for passing light through the sheet to project the image onto the photosensitive device. A transport system transports the sheet between the illuminating device and the photosensitive device. A guide keeps at least a portion of the sheet which is being illuminated in a fixed orientation. For guidance of the sheet, a planar sheet support keeps contact with the bottom edge of the sheet. A carrier abuts against a rear edge of the sheet to move the sheet past the photosensitive scanner device.

Abstract: A cassette for a photo-stimulable luminescence (PSL) radiography which comprises a flat rigid base having one surface of which a layer of PSL material is adapted to be supported, a cover for the flat base constituted of a top wall coextensive in area with the one surface of the flat base and a flange extending around the periphery of the cover top wall and projecting at an angle to the cover top wall, the peripheral flange of the wall being disposed in close-fitting relation to side edges of the base when the base and cover are assembled, and cooperating releasable detent means on the peripheral flange of the cover and the side edges of the base for securing the cover and base together, the cover being separable from the base upon release of the detent means to permit the base for radiographic exposure of the PSL layer.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus has an apparatus sub-frame and a separate sub-frame which are adapted to rest upon a floor or like supporting surface independently of one another. The separate sub-frame includes a scanning station having means for scanning the thus-transported recording medium with a beam of radiation and the apparatus sub-frame has a conveyor for transporting an image recording medium towards and away from the scanning station. The apparatus sub-frame carries wheels which are adapted to be lowered into contact with the supporting surface in order to elevate the apparatus sub-frame above such surface. The apparatus and separate sub-frames have cooperating shoulders which are brought into abutment when the apparatus sub-frame is elevated and upon continued elevation of the apparatus sub-frame result in simultaneous elevation of the scanning station sub-frame above the supporting surface.

Abstract: Scanning apparatus for scanning a cassette of the type used form photo-stimulable phosphor luminescence (PSL) radiography that includes a rigid base plate carrying a PSL layer thereon and a cover adapted to be releasably secured to the base plate in overlying relation to the PSL layer, in which a cassette is removed one-by-one from an input stack of a number of cassettes arranged with the plates thereof in generally vertical orientation and transported to a separating station for removal of the cover, to a scanning station for scanning of a PSL image thereon, to an erasing station for erasing the scanned image, and to a re-assembly station for re-assembly of the cover and base plate, all while the base plate is maintained in generally vertical orientation and preferably is displaced only within its own plane. The re-assembled cassettes are stacked vertically in an output stack for removal from the apparatus.