Abstract: A radiation image detector includes: a photoconductive layer that generates electric charges when irradiated by recording electromagnetic waves which have passed through an electrode layer; and detecting electrodes, for detecting signals corresponding to the electric charges generated in the photoconductive layer.

Abstract: A sheet material conveying apparatus for conveying a sheet material under attraction to a conveying belt has an attraction unit for attracting the sheet material to the conveying belt, and which exerts a attraction in succession from a front end to a rear end of the sheet material in a conveying direction thereof and from a position in the front end toward both ends in the direction of width, or in succession from an end at either side in the direction of width of the sheet material and a front end in the conveying direction thereof toward a rear end thereof, and from the either end toward an end at the other side.

Abstract: Systems and methods that enhance imaging by reducing artifacts and providing for dynamic range control. In aspects, the beam of illumination generated by a scanned beam imaging system can be modulated to offset fluctuations in the beam source. In other aspects, an image frame generated by a scanned beam imager can be used to predict whether pixels in future frames are likely to be over or under illuminated. The light source, beam of illumination and/or detectors can be adjusted on a pixel by pixel basis to compensate. In further aspects, localized gamma correction can be used to map image data to a display means. A plurality of regions are defined, such that separate gamma functions or values can be assigned to individual regions of the image.

Abstract: A storage phosphor reader includes a multicassette autoloader for vertically oriented storage phosphor cassettes, the autoloader having a front, back, and opposite sides. The autoloader includes an input bin for receiving multiple vertically oriented storage phosphor cassettes stacked together in face-to-face contact such that said cassette faces face front and back; wherein each of said cassettes contains a storage phosphor which is removable from said cassette; and an output bin located beside said input bin, said output bin having a storage phosphor read location at which a storage phosphor is removed from and replaced in a storage phosphor cassette positioned at said storage phosphor read location, and having an output region for read cassettes to be subsequently removed from said output bin.

Abstract: A radiation image reading apparatus includes an image reading section for reading a radiation image on a stimulable phosphor sheet by scanning the stimulable phosphor sheet with exciting light in a main scanning direction, and a conveying section having a windable member to hold the stimulable phosphor sheet, a supporting member to support the windable member, and a driving section to move the windable member so as to convey the stimulable phosphor sheet to the image reading section in a sub scanning direction. The apparatus further includes a vibration damping mechanism being in contact with the windable member to damp vibration of the windable member, and a vibration refraining mechanism being in contact with the vibration damping mechanism to refrain vibration of the vibration damping mechanism itself.

Abstract: A radiation image reading apparatus for reading a radiation image information from a stimulable phosphor sheet attached to a back base of a cassette comprised of an inlet through which the cassette is inserted, a separator to separate the front cover and the back base of the cassette, a vertical scanner, an image reader to read radiation image information, an eraser to erase the remaining radiation image information, a re-assembling section to re-assemble the front cover and the back base again, an outlet, and a conveyer to move the cassette, wherein the conveyer moves the cassette with at least a rotational displacement.

Abstract: A discharge mechanism has a lid closing roller for closing a lid of a cassette and automatically delivering the cassette to a predetermined position upon rotation thereof, a motor for rotating the lid closing roller, and an electromagnetic clutch for transmitting rotational power from the motor to the lid closing roller and disconnecting the lid closing roller from the rotary actuator.

Abstract: In an image recording medium, in which a size of a first electrode layer is smaller than a recording photoconductive layer, image quality is enhanced by preventing an influence of corona discharge at an end portion of the first electrode layer and electric charge injection into the recording photoconductive layer. The on and off state of the retrieving light irradiating means is controlled in a manner that an electromagnetic wave for retrieval is not irradiated onto end portions of a non-imaging region of a retrieving photoconductive layer corresponding to a peripheral portion on an upper surface of the recording photoconductive layer where the first electrode layer is not provided, thus avoiding retrieval of a false image signal attributable to corona discharge at the end portion of the first electrode layer and electric charge injection from the end portion of the first electrode layer into the recording photoconductive layer.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus has an imaging bed for placing a subject thereon, the imaging bed having a recording unit for temporarily recording radiation image information of the subject on a stimulable phosphor sheet, a housing accommodating therein a reading unit for photoelectrically reading the radiation image information from the stimulable phosphor sheet, and an erasing assembly for erasing remaining radiation image information from the stimulable phosphor sheet, and a lifting/lowering mechanism for lifting and lowering the imaging bed with respect to the housing. The subject can easily be put onto the imaging bed, and the imaging bed can easily be operated.

Abstract: A method for transferring a stimulable phosphor sheet by holding and driving the phosphor sheet by a set of rollers which are placed on both edge sides of the phosphor sheet, at least one of the rollers being rotated by a driving force provided by a driving means, is advantageously employed in a radiation image reading step composed of sequentially applying stimulating rays onto the phosphor sheet to excite the phosphor sheet whereby releasing radiation energy from the radiation image as light emission and collecting the light emission from both surface sides of the phosphor sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus for reading a radiographic image is provided with a holding section for holding a medium taken out from a cassette, wherein the medium has a recording surface on which the radiographic image is stored, the hold section holding the medium such that the orientation of the recording surface is substantially vertical; and a reading section for reading the radiographic image on the recording surface of the medium held by the holding section, thereby obtaining radiographic image information from the recording surface.

Abstract: An image information reading apparatus has an apparatus housing including in its front wall a cassette loading section which has first, second, third, and fourth loading regions, and a cassette placing section disposed immediately below the cassette loading section for placing a given number of cassettes therein. The operator of the image information reading apparatus temporarily places a given number of cassettes in the cassette placing section, and loads the cassettes, one by one, into the first, second, third, and fourth loading regions. No dedicated table for placing cassettes thereon is needed around the image information reading apparatus. The operator can handle the cassettes highly efficiently.

Abstract: While radiation image information recorded in a first stimulable phosphor sheet removed from a cassette which is loaded in a cassette loading region is being read by a reading unit, a second stimulable phosphor sheet in a cassette loaded in a cassette loading region is attracted by a suction cup of a vertically movable sheet feeder, and removed from the cassette so that its leading edge is gripped by a feed roller pair. Immediately after the radiation image information has been read from the first stimulable phosphor sheet, the second stimulable phosphor sheet can quickly be fed to the reading unit.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus has an imaging bed for placing a subject thereon, the imaging bed having a recording unit for temporarily recording radiation image information of the subject on a stimulable phosphor sheet, a housing accommodating therein a reading unit for photoelectrically reading the radiation image information from the stimulable phosphor sheet, and an erasing assembly for erasing remaining radiation image information from the stimulable phosphor sheet, and a lifting/lowering mechanism for lifting and lowering the imaging bed with respect to the housing. The subject can easily be put onto the imaging bed, and the imaging bed can easily be operated.

Abstract: A radiation image recording and reproducing system includes a conveyor which conveys a stimulable phosphor sheet along a predetermined circulation passage in an image recording section which is disposed on the circulation passage and records a radiation image of an object on the stimulable phosphor sheet by exposing the stimulable phosphor sheet to radiation through the object. At least one grid is provided in the image recording section and the position of the stimulable phosphor sheet in the image recording section relative to the grid with respect to the projecting direction in which the radiation is projected onto the stimulable phosphor sheet upon recording of the radiation image of the object is changed according to the amount of radiation to be scattered by the object.

Abstract: A system is provided for reading an image stored on a storage layer radiation screen. The system includes a carousel for holding a storage layer radiation screen and a screen scanning system. The screen scanning system includes a carousel mount on which the carousel may be mounted and a rotation mechanism for rotating the carousel mount, rotation of the carousel mount serving to rotate the carousel about a rotational axis which, in turn, causes the screens held on the carousel to move in a circular path about the rotational axis. The carousel is preferably removable from the carousel mount. The screen scanning system also includes an image acquisition optical system positioned adjacent the circular path of the screen, the image acquisition optical system including an excitation system for focusing an excitation beam on a portion of the screen to cause a light emission, and an emission collecting system for collecting the light emitted from the screen.

Abstract: A radiation image read-out apparatus includes cassette support devices for releasably supporting at least two cassettes, each of which can house a single stimulable phosphor sheet therein. A read-out unit moves between at least two read-out positions, each of which corresponds to one of the cassettes supported by the cassette support devices, and at each of which a radiation image is read out from a stimulable phosphor sheet taken out of each cassette. An erasing device is located so as to correspond to each read-out position. A sheet conveyance system takes a stimulable phosphor sheet out of each cassette, conveys the stimulable phosphor sheet into the read-out unit and the erasing device, and then returns the stimulable phosphor sheet into the cassette. The waiting period of the read-out unit and the waiting period of the erasing device are kept short, and the cycle time for the image read-out and erasing operations is thereby kept short as a whole.

Abstract: An autoloader for positioning cassettes relative to a storage phosphor reader (i.e. stimulable phosphor). A capacitive sensor located at one or more cassette retaining sites of the autoloader senses the presence of a cassette at the site.

Abstract: A storage phosphor system includes a storage phosphor cassette autoloader for use with a plurality of cassettes. The autoloader includes first and second endless conveyor belts, which are spaced apart and which have a plurality of outwardly extending shelves in vertical alignment so as to define a cassette read site and a plurality of cassette retaining sites. A drive drives the conveyor belts in unison to transfer cassettes loaded in the retaining sites serially through the read site. A belt position sensor senses the position of at least one of the conveyor belts and produces a signal representative of conveyor belt displacement.

Abstract: In an apparatus for storing and automatically delivering cassettes and/or pallets containing cassettes to a reader. The apparatus includes a plurality of cassette retaining sites. A door assembly is provided adjacent the portal for allowing access to the plurality of cassette retaining sites. The door assembly has at least one panel slideably mounted to the apparatus for movement between a closed position and an open position. Sensors are provided for determining if a foreign object is in the closure path of the at least one panel.