JP3581778B2 - X-ray equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a panoramic X-ray imaging apparatus for dental use or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the field of dental diagnosis, panoramic X-ray imaging apparatuses for dentition are widely used. The X-ray imaging apparatus generally has a column fixed to the floor and a support arm extending laterally from the column. The supporting arm is provided with a connecting shaft arranged in a vertical direction and an XY moving mechanism for supporting the upper end of the connecting shaft and moving the connecting shaft in the X direction and the Y direction orthogonal to the horizontal axis along the horizontal plane. It is. At the lower end of the connecting shaft, a swing arm extending in the horizontal direction is swingably connected at a substantially central portion thereof. An X-ray generator is provided at one end of the swing arm, and an X-ray image receiving device is provided at the other end. is there. In the X-ray imaging apparatus thus configured, panoramic X-ray imaging along the dental arch can be performed by moving the connection axis in the X and Y directions by the XY movement mechanism while turning the turning arm.
[0003]
Since the above X-ray imaging apparatus is intended for a person (patient), it is necessary to cover and hide machines and components incorporated in the apparatus so as to reduce anxiety of the patient. is there.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Therefore, in the conventional panoramic X-ray imaging apparatus, the XY moving mechanism of the support arm and the mechanical parts attached to the movable arm are covered with a decorative plate. However, in order to perform panoramic imaging with the X-ray imaging apparatus, the connecting shaft must be moved with respect to the support arm. For this purpose, the decorative plate covering the XY moving mechanism is provided with an opening for opening the moving area of the connecting shaft in order to prevent interference with the connecting shaft. Parts and the like were exposed, causing a feeling of anxiety to the patient.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Therefore, the present invention provides a panoramic X-ray imaging apparatus in which a blindfold mechanism is provided between the housing of the XY moving mechanism and the swivel arm so that a machine or the like housed in the housing cannot be seen. Things. The blindfold mechanism has a first frame connected and fixed to the Y-direction moving unit, a groove-shaped through hole extending in the X direction and penetrating the connection shaft, and a plate-shaped second frame supported by the first frame. And two frames. In the space between the first and second frames, there is provided a shielding plate that moves with the movement of the connecting shaft and closes the groove-shaped through-hole except for a portion occupied by the connecting shaft. .
[0006]
In another aspect of the present invention, the space between the first and second frames includes a rotation center axis passing through the center of the groove-shaped through-hole and provided on a line in a direction transverse to the groove-shaped through-hole. And a shielding plate that extends along the groove and penetrates the connecting shaft, covers the groove-shaped through hole, and is rotatably provided on the rotation center axis.
[0007]
Function and effect of the present invention
According to the panoramic X-ray imaging apparatus thus configured, when the connection axis is moved in the Y direction, the shield plate moves in the same direction together with the connection axis. On the other hand, when the connection shaft is moved in the X direction, the connection shaft moves in the groove-shaped through hole in the X direction. Further, with the movement of the connection shaft, the shield plate comes into contact with the connection shaft and moves or rotates in the movement direction of the connection shaft. At this time, the shielding plate covers most of the groove-shaped through-hole except for the region where the connecting shaft is located, so that the inside of the housing is not visible. Therefore, the inside of the housing containing the XY moving unit cannot be seen through the opening through which the drive shaft passes, and the patient does not feel uneasy. Also, the patient is safe without accidentally touching the machine in the housing.
[0008]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an external appearance of an X-ray imaging apparatus 10 for dental diagnosis. The X-ray imaging apparatus 10 includes a base 14 fixed to a floor 12 of a dental office and a support 16 fixed vertically to the base 14. An elevating unit 18 is provided on the upper part of the column 16, and the elevating unit 18 can be moved up and down along the column 16 by a driving device (not shown). The elevating unit 18 includes a main frame 20, an upper frame 22 and a lower frame 24 protruding forward from upper and lower portions of the main frame 20, respectively. The upper frame 22 supports a turning unit 26 via a connecting shaft described later. The lower frame 24 includes, for example, a chin rest (not shown) for fixing the head of the subject.
[0009]
The upper frame 22 moves the turning unit 26 in the X direction along a horizontal plane inside a housing 28 made of, for example, a synthetic resin (a direction parallel to the direction in which the upper frame 22 and the lower frame 24 project from the main frame 20). And an XY moving mechanism 30 (see FIG. 2) for moving in the X and Y directions (the direction orthogonal to the X direction on the horizontal plane). In this embodiment, as described above, the direction parallel to the direction in which the upper frame 22 and the lower frame 24 protrude from the main frame 20 is the X direction, and the direction orthogonal to the X direction on the horizontal plane is the Y direction. However, the present invention is not limited to understanding the invention described in the appended claims, and the present invention includes embodiments in which the X direction and the Y direction are reversed.
[0010]
As shown in FIG. 2, the XY moving mechanism 30 includes a Y-direction moving unit 32 that moves the turning unit 26 in the Y direction, and an X-direction moving unit 34 that moves the turning unit 26 in the X direction. The Y direction moving section 32 has a Y direction guide rail 36 extending in the Y direction. The Y-direction guide rail 36 supports a Y-direction moving table 38 that moves along the Y-direction guide rail 36. The Y-direction moving table 38 has a nut 40, and the nut 40 is fixed to the Y-direction moving table 38 with its central axis directed in the Y direction. A screw shaft 42 arranged in the Y direction is inserted into the nut 40, and the screw shaft 42 is drivingly connected to a Y direction moving motor 44 that can rotate forward and reverse. Therefore, when the Y-direction moving motor 44 is rotated forward and backward, the screw shaft 42 is rotated forward and backward, whereby the nut 40 and the Y-direction moving table 38 to which the nut 40 is fixed reciprocate in the Y direction.
[0011]
The Y-direction moving table 38 has a pair of vertical arms 46 extending downward from both ends in the Y-direction. Each of the vertical arms 46 has an X-direction guide rail 48 extending in the X direction on a side facing the other vertical arm 46, and the X-direction guide table 48 is provided with an X-direction moving table of the X-direction moving unit 34. 50 are supported movably in the X direction.
[0012]
The X-direction moving unit 34 also has an X-direction moving motor 52, which is, like the Y-direction moving unit 32, a screw shaft (not shown) drivingly connected to the X-direction moving motor 52. And a nut (not shown) fixed to the X-direction moving table 50 and having the screw shaft inserted therein. The X-direction moving table 50 reciprocates in the X direction by forward and reverse rotation of the X-direction moving motor 52. You can move.
[0013]
The X-direction moving table 50 fixedly supports the upper end of the connecting shaft 60 extending in the vertical direction. The lower end of the connecting shaft 60 protrudes from the housing 28, and supports the turning unit 26 so as to be rotatable along a horizontal plane.
[0014]
A blindfold mechanism 62 is provided between the upper frame 22 and the turning unit 26. The blindfold mechanism 62 continuously connects an upper plate (first frame) 64, a lower plate (second frame) 66 having the same size as the upper plate 64, and peripheral portions of the upper plate 64 and the lower plate 66. There is a connecting portion 68 for connection, and a space 70 is formed between the upper plate 64 and the lower plate 66.
[0015]
The upper plate 64 is fixed to the vertical arm 46 of the Y-direction moving section 32 projecting downward from the upper frame 22, so that the blindfold mechanism 62 can move in the Y-direction together with the Y-direction moving table 38. An opening 72 is formed in the housing 28 in order to prevent interference between the vertical arm 46 and the housing 28 when the vertical arm 46 moves in the Y direction. The connection shaft 60 penetrates the opening 72, thereby preventing interference between the connection shaft 60 and the upper plate 64.
[0016]
Similarly, in order to allow the connecting shaft 60 supported by the X-direction moving table 50 to move in the X direction relative to the lower plate 66, a long groove-shaped opening extending in the X direction is formed in the lower plate 66. A part 74 (see FIG. 3) is formed. The length of the opening 74 in the X direction is determined according to the maximum moving distance of the X direction moving table 50 in the X direction, and when the X direction moving table 50 and the connecting shaft 60 are moved in the X direction, the connecting shaft The length 60 does not interfere with the lower plate 66.
[0017]
A shielding plate 76 is accommodated in a space 70 between the upper plate 64 and the lower plate 66. The shielding plate 76 has a substantially disk shape, and has a long groove 78 extending from a part of the edge toward the center. The width of the long groove 78 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the connecting shaft 60. The shielding plate 76 has the connecting shaft 60 positioned in the long groove 78, and is centered on a shaft 82 provided on an imaginary line 80 in the transverse direction (short side direction) passing through the center of the long groove-shaped through hole 74 of the lower plate 66. It is rotatably supported. As a result, when the connecting shaft 60 moves in the X direction, the edge of the long groove 78 comes into contact with the connecting shaft 60, and the shielding plate 76 occupies the connecting shaft 60 in the long groove-shaped through hole 74 while rotating about the shaft 82. The opening of the uncovered area is covered so that the internal mechanism of the housing 28 cannot be seen from the outside. In addition, the shaft 82 may be formed integrally with either the upper plate 64 or the lower plate 66, or may be configured by a boss protruding from the upper plate 64 and the lower plate 66 toward the other. Good.
[0018]
Returning to FIG. 1, the swing unit 26 has a swing arm 84. Both ends of the turning arm 84 are extended downward, and an X-ray generator 86 is provided at one end and an X-ray image receiving device 88 is provided at the other end. The turning arm 84 includes a turning motor (not shown) and a drive mechanism for driving and connecting the turning motor and the connection shaft 60. The turning unit 26 can turn based on the driving of the turning motor.
[0019]
When performing panoramic imaging of the dentition using the X-ray imaging apparatus 10 configured as described above, with the head (not shown) of the subject positioned above the lower frame 24, the turning motor is operated. When driven, the turning unit 26 turns. In addition, the Y-direction movement motor 44 and the X-direction movement motor 52 are driven in synchronization with the rotation of the turning motor to move the center of the connecting shaft 60 on a locus along the tooth row. On the other hand, the X-ray generating device 86 emits X-rays toward the X-ray image receiving device 88, and the X-rays transmitted through the imaging site are transmitted to the image receiving portion of the X-ray image receiving device 88 (an X-ray photosensitive film or an X-ray such as a CCD sensor). A panoramic X-ray photograph along the dentition is obtained.
[0020]
The driving of the X-direction moving motor 52 causes the connecting shaft 60 to move in the long groove-shaped through hole 74 of the blindfold mechanism 62 along the longitudinal direction (X direction). At this time, the shield plate 76 rotates in contact with the connection shaft 60, and the long groove-shaped through hole 74 is closed except for the portion occupied by the connection shaft 60. Therefore, the subject cannot visually access the mechanism housed in the upper frame 22, so that the subject does not feel uneasy and the X-ray imaging apparatus has an excellent appearance. .
[0021]
In the above description, a case has been described in which the present invention is applied to an X-ray imaging apparatus for dental diagnosis, but the present invention can also be applied to other medical X-ray imaging apparatuses.
[0022]
Further, in the above X-ray imaging apparatus, the turning arm turns around the vertical connection axis, but the present invention is also applicable to an X-ray imaging apparatus in which this connection axis is arranged in the horizontal direction.
[0023]
Further, although the lower plate 66 of the blindfold mechanism 62 is required to be a plate, the member (the upper plate 64 in the above embodiment) disposed thereon is not limited to the plate, but is a rod-shaped member. Is also good.
[0024]
In the above embodiment, the shielding plate 76 is rotated about the shaft 82. However, the shielding plate 76 may simply be a disk-shaped or elliptical plate surrounding the connecting shaft 60.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an X-ray imaging apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of an upper frame, showing a configuration of an XY moving mechanism.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2, showing an internal structure of the blindfold mechanism.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... X-ray imaging apparatus, 22 ... Upper frame, 26 ... Revolving unit, 28 ... Housing, 30 ... XY moving mechanism, 32 ... Y direction moving part, 34 ... X direction moving part, 62 ... Blindfold mechanism, 60 ... Connecting shaft , 64: Upper plate, 66: Lower plate, 74: Slotted through hole, 70: Space, 76: Shielding plate, 78: Slot, 82: Shaft, 84: Revolving arm.

Claims (2)

A connecting shaft arranged in a predetermined direction, and an X direction supporting one end of the connecting shaft and moving the connecting shaft in an X direction and a Y direction orthogonal to the surface along a plane orthogonal to the predetermined direction. An XY moving mechanism having a moving unit and a Y-direction moving unit, a housing that has an opening in a moving area of the connecting shaft to avoid interference with the connecting shaft, and covers the XY moving mechanism; A swing arm rotatably connected to the other end of the connection shaft, an X-ray generator provided at one end of the swing arm, an X-ray image receiving device provided at the other end of the swing arm, A turning drive unit that turns the turning arm about an axis, and based on the driving of the X-direction moving unit, the Y-direction moving unit, and the turning drive unit, turns the connecting shaft while turning the turning arm. X-ray moved along a predetermined curved path In the shadow apparatus,
Between the housing and the swing arm,
A first frame connected and fixed to the Y-direction moving unit;
A plate-shaped second frame that has a groove-shaped through hole extending in the X direction and penetrating the connection shaft, and is supported by the first frame;
A shielding plate that is housed in the space between the first and second frames and moves with the movement of the connection shaft, except for a portion occupied by the connection shaft, and covers the groove-shaped through-hole;
An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising a blindfold mechanism comprising: A connecting shaft arranged in a predetermined direction, and an X direction supporting one end of the connecting shaft and moving the connecting shaft in an X direction and a Y direction orthogonal to the surface along a plane orthogonal to the predetermined direction. An XY moving mechanism having a moving unit and a Y-direction moving unit, a housing that has an opening in a moving area of the connecting shaft to avoid interference with the connecting shaft, and covers the XY moving mechanism; A swing arm rotatably connected to the other end of the connection shaft, an X-ray generator provided at one end of the swing arm, an X-ray image receiving device provided at the other end of the swing arm, A turning drive unit that turns the turning arm about an axis, and based on the driving of the X-direction moving unit, the Y-direction moving unit, and the turning drive unit, turns the connecting shaft while turning the turning arm. X-ray moved along a predetermined curved path In the shadow apparatus,
Between the housing and the swing arm,
A first frame connected and fixed to the Y-direction moving unit;
A plate-shaped second frame that has a groove-shaped through hole extending in the X direction and penetrating the connection shaft, and is supported by the first frame;
A rotation center axis housed in the space between the first and second frames, passing through the center of the groove-shaped through-hole, and provided on a line in a direction transverse to the groove-shaped through-hole;
A shielding plate extending along the line and having a long groove penetrating the connection shaft and covering the groove-shaped through hole, and rotatably provided on the rotation center axis;
An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising a blindfold mechanism comprising:

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