Radiant energy – Source with recording detector – Including a light beam read-out
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-13
2003-09-02
Hannaher, Constantine (Department: 2878)
Radiant energy
Source with recording detector
Including a light beam read-out
C250S580000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06614045
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an imaging apparatus. This invention particularly relates to an imaging apparatus, which is provided with an imaging device (an image detector) for recording an image as an electrostatic latent image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apparatuses utilizing image detectors, e.g. facsimile apparatuses, copying machines, and radiation image sensors, have heretofore been known.
Methods and apparatuses for recording and reading out radiation image information by utilizing image detectors have heretofore been proposed. With the proposed methods and apparatuses for recording and reading out radiation image information, such that a radiation dose delivered to an object during a medical X-ray image recording operation maybe kept small, and such that the image quality of an image and its capability of serving as an effective tool in, particularly, the efficient and accurate diagnosis of an illness maybe enhanced, a solid-state radiation detector (an electrostatic recording material), which is provided with a photo-conductive material sensitive to radiation (such as X-rays), e.g. a selenium plate constituted of a-Se, or the like, is employed as an image detector. The solid-state radiation detector is exposed to radiation, such as X-rays, carrying radiation image information, and electric charges occurring in an amount proportional to the dose of the radiation delivered to the solid-state radiation detector are accumulated as latent image charges in a charge accumulating section formed within the solid-state radiation detector. In this manner, the radiation image information is recorded as an electrostatic latent image at the charge accumulating section. Thereafter, the solid-state radiation detector, on which the radiation image information has been recorded, is scanned with a laser beam or line light acting as reading light, and the radiation image information is thereby read out from the solid-state radiation detector. The methods and apparatuses for recording and reading out radiation image information by utilizing image detectors are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,569, PCT International Publication No. WO 98/59261, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9(1997)-5906, and Japanese Patent Application Nos. 10(1998)-232824, 11(1999)-242876, and 11(1999)-87922.
As described above, various electrostatic recording materials have heretofore been proposed as the image detectors. However, as for the technique for scanning the image detector with a reading electromagnetic wave and thereby reading out the electrostatic latent image from the image detector, no example has heretofore been disclosed wherein the technique is applied to a more practical apparatus.
For example, in the cases of a chest image recording apparatus, an image recording section of the chest image recording apparatus is moved vertically to a position matching with the position of an object, and an image recording operation is performed in this state. Therefore, it is necessary for the image detector acting as the image recording section to be capable of being moved vertically. Accordingly, in order for the image detector to be utilized practically in the chest image recording apparatus, or the like, it is necessary that the chest image recording apparatus, or the like, utilizing the image detector be small in size. Also, in cases where the image recording apparatus is to be utilized as a portable image recording apparatus, it is necessary that the image recording apparatus be small in size and portable.
Further, in cases where an image recording operation and an image read-out operation are to be performed by utilizing the a-Se photo-conductive material, such that a high radiation absorptivity may be obtained and such that an image with a high signal-to-noise ratio maybe obtained, a high voltage (of at least 1 kV) must be applied across the photo-conductive material. Specifically, in an ordinary image recording operation, it is necessary for the film thickness of the a-Se photo-conductive material to be at least approximately 500 &mgr;m. In such cases, in order for an electric field intensity in the film to be kept, a voltage of at least 5 kV should preferably be applied across the photo-conductive material. Therefore, it is necessary for a high-voltage electric power source to be utilized for the image recording operation and the image read-out operation. However, in cases where a high voltage is applied across the image detector, if electrical insulation between a hot side and a grounding side is not good, arc discharge will occur, and reliability of a discharging section will become markedly low. Furthermore, strong noise will occur and will adversely affect the equipment. In cases where the image detector is to be utilized in the practical apparatus, it may be considered that the high-voltage electric power source located at the exterior of the apparatus be connected to the image detector via a cord and a connector. However, since the problems described above are encountered, the problems occur in that a special cord and a special connector must be utilized, and the cost of the apparatus cannot be kept low.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus provided with an image detector, which records image information as an electrostatic latent image and which generates an electric current in accordance with the recorded electrostatic latent image when being scanned with a reading electromagnetic wave, wherein the imaging apparatus is small in size.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus, which is cheap in cost.
The present invention provides a first imaging apparatus, comprising:
i) a planar image detector, which records image information as an electrostatic latent image, and which generates electric currents in accordance with the electrostatic latent image when the planar image detector is scanned with a reading electromagnetic wave,
ii) a pre-exposure light source section, which is located at a position facing the planar image detector, and which irradiates a predetermined amount of an electromagnetic wave to an entire area of the planar image detector before the electrostatic latent image is recorded on the planar image detector,
iii) a reading exposure light source section, which is located between the planar image detector and the pre-exposure light source section, and which produces the reading electromagnetic wave and scans the planar image detector with the reading electromagnetic wave, and
iv) current detecting means for detecting the currents flowing out of the planar image detector in accordance with the electrostatic latent image, which has been recorded on the planar image detector, when the planar image detector is scanned with the reading electromagnetic wave,
the planar image detector, the pre-exposure light source section, the reading exposure light source section, and the current detecting means being accommodated within a single same case housing.
The present invention also provides a second imaging apparatus, comprising:
i) a planar image detector, which records image information as an electrostatic latent image, and which generates electric currents in accordance with the electrostatic latent image when the planar image detector is scanned with a reading electromagnetic wave,
ii) a pre-exposure light source section, which irradiates a predetermined amount of an electromagnetic wave to an entire area of the planar image detector before the electrostatic latent image is recorded on the planar image detector,
iii) a reading exposure light source section, which produces the reading electromagnetic wave and scans the planar image detector with the reading electromagnetic wave, and
iv) current detecting means for detecting the currents flowing out of the planar image detector in accordance with the electrostatic latent image, which has been recorded on the planar image detector, when the planar image detector is sca
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Gagliardi Albert
Hannaher Constantine
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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