Image information read-out apparatus

Radiant energy – Source with recording detector – Using a stimulable phosphor

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C250S584000, C250S591000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06787790

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image information read-out apparatus which reads out image information from a recording medium by scanning the recording medium with reading light, and more particularly to an image information read-out apparatus in which the reading light is in the form of a line beam.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image information read-out apparatus which reads out image information from a recording medium by scanning the recording medium with a reading light beam has been used in a facsimile, a copier, a radiation image recording and read-out apparatus and the like. For example, in the field of medical radiography, there has been known a method in which an electrostatic recording medium such as plates or sheets having a photoconductive layer sensitive to radiations such as X-rays (e.g., a selenium plate) is used as an image recording medium, the electrostatic recording medium is exposed to X-rays passing through an object to store a latent radiation image of the object as latent image charges accumulated in respective parts of the recording medium according to the amount of X-rays impinging upon the parts, and the electrostatic recording medium is scanned with a reading light beam to read out the latent radiation image stored thereon. For example, see our Japanese Patent Application Nos. 10(1998)-232824, 10(1998)-271374 and 11(1999)-87922.
When certain kinds of phosphors are exposed to a radiation such as X-rays, &agr;-rays, &bgr;-rays, &ggr;-rays, cathode rays or ultraviolet rays, they store a part of the radiation. Then when the phosphor which has been exposed to the radiation is exposed to stimulating rays such as visible light, light is emitted from the phosphor in proportion to the stored energy of the radiation. A phosphor exhibiting such properties is generally referred to as “a stimulable phosphor”. A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus using a sheet having a layer of stimulable phosphor (generally referred to as a “stimulable phosphor sheet”) has been put into practice. In the radiation image recording and read-out apparatus, the stimulable phosphor sheet is first exposed to a radiation passing through an object and stores a radiation image of the object and the stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned with a reading light beam (a stimulating light beam) and light emitted from the stimulable phosphor upon exposure to the stimulating light beam is detected to read out the radiation image of the object. In this specification, the light emitted from the stimulable phosphor upon exposure to the stimulating light will be referred to as “stimulated emission”.
In the image information read-out apparatus where an image recorded on a recording medium (e.g., an electrostatic recording medium, a stimulable phosphor sheet and the like) is read out by exposing the recording medium to reading light, the recording medium is often exposed to the reading light by sweeping a line reading light beam emitted from a line light source such as an LED array or an LD array in a direction intersecting the direction of the line reading light beam.
When the image information read-out apparatus is for medical radiography, the recording/read-out unit carrying thereon a recording medium and a line reading light source must be moved according to the height of the object, a picture taking angle and/or the like. Accordingly, the image information read-out apparatus is sometimes provided with a recording/read-out unit moving means.
However, when the recording/read-out unit moving means moves the recording/read-out unit while the line reading light source is scanning the recording medium with a line reading light beam, a certain physical force sometimes acts on the line reading light source in the direction of scanning of the line reading light beam. As a result, the reading light beam scanning speed of the line reading light source fluctuates and the reading light beam can impinge upon the recording medium in wrong positions, which can result in generation of artifact in the image information read out.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing observations and description, the primary object of the present invention is to provide an image information read-out apparatus having a read-out means and a moving means for moving the read-out means in which generation of artifact due to movement of the read-out means is prevented, whereby image information excellent in S/N ratio can be obtained.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image information read-out apparatus comprising an image read-out means which is provided with a line reading light source for scanning a recording medium with a line reading light beam and reads out image information from the recording medium in response to the line reading light source scanning the recording medium, and an image read-out means moving means which moves the image read-out means inclusive of the recording medium and the line reading light source, wherein the improvement comprises that
a scanning detecting means which detects that the line reading light source is scanning the recording medium with the line reading light beam, and an alarm means which informs the operator that the line reading light source is scanning the recording medium with the line reading light beam when the scanning detecting means detects the fact.
The alarm means may comprise, for instance, an alarm buzzer or an alarm lamp.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image information read-out apparatus comprising an image read-out means which is provided with a line reading light source for scanning a recording medium with a line reading light beam and reads out image information from the recording medium in response to the line reading light source scanning the recording medium, and an image read-out means moving means which moves the image read-out means inclusive of the recording medium and the line reading light source, wherein the improvement comprises
a scanning detecting means which detects that the line reading light source is scanning the recording medium with the line reading light beam, and a movement inhibiting means which inhibits the image read-out means moving means from moving the read-out means when the scanning detecting means detects that the line reading light source is scanning the recording medium with the line reading light beam.
The movement inhibiting means may electrically inhibit movement of the read-out means by the use of, for instance, a relay which cuts an electrical signal directing movement of the read-out means or mechanically inhibit movement of the read-out means by the use of, for instance, a brake mechanism or a clutch mechanism.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image information read-out apparatus comprising an image read-out means which is provided with a line reading light source for scanning a recording medium with a line reading light beam and reads out image information from the recording medium in response to the line reading out scanning the recording medium, and an image read-out means moving means which moves in a predetermined direction the image read-out means inclusive of the recording medium and the line reading light source, wherein the improvement comprises that
the line reading light source scans the recording medium with the line reading light beam in a direction substantially perpendicular to said predetermined direction in which the image read-out means moving means moves the image read-out means.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image information read-out apparatus comprising an image read-out means which is provided with a line reading light source for scanning a recording medium with a line reading light beam and reads out image information from the recording medium in response to the line reading out scanning the recording medium, and an image read-out means movin

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