EP0052995A1 — X-ray apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 379 words

X-ray equipment capable of performing stereoscopic cinematography, single cinematography and fluoroscopy, the equipment comprising an X-ray tube (1) having at least a pair of focal points (fl, fr) from which X-rays are independently radiated to create an X-ray image of an object (2); means (3) for converting the X-ray image to a corresponding optical image; an optical system (4) arranged to receive and transmit the optical image, that system including a half-mirror (4b) which is substantially equally reflective and transmissive and which is movable between an operative position in which it intercepts the light path of the optical image and an inoperative position, a fully reflective mirror (4d) which is movable between an operative position in which it intercepts the light path and an inoperative position; and a small light deflector (41) to receive light from the converting means (3); a first cinecamera (5) arranged to receive the image transmitted from the converting means (3) through the half-mirror (4b); a second cinecamera (6) arranged to receive the image transmitted from the converting means (3) and reflected by the half-mirror (4b) in its operative position, the two cinecameras having shutters which are out of phase with one another; a television camera means (7) arranged to receive the image from the converting means (3) either via the fully reflective mirror (4d) in its operative position or via the small deflector (41); a mode setting device (8) for selecting one of the stereoscopic cinematography, single cinematography and fluoroscopy modes; and a radiographic control device (9, 9a) for controlling the positioning of the half mirror (4b) and the fully reflective mirror (4d) according to the selected mode so that the half-mirror (4b) is brought into its operative position for stereographic cinematography to direct the image to both cinecameras (5, 6), the half-mirror (4b) is brought into its inoperative position for single cinematography, and the fully reflective mirror (4d) is brought into operative position for fluoroscopy to direct the image to the television camera means (7), the radiographic control device (9, 9a) further controlling the photographing operation of the cinecameras (5, 6) according to the selected mode, and controlling the X-ray radiations from the X-ray tube (1) in synchronism with the position of the shutter of one or both of the cinecameras (5, 6).

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 379 words

X-ray equipment capable of performing stereoscopic cinematography, single cinematography and fluoroscopy, the equipment comprising an X-ray tube (1) having at least a pair of focal points (fl, fr) from which X-rays are independently radiated to create an X-ray image of an object (2); means (3) for converting the X-ray image to a corresponding optical image; an optical system (4) arranged to receive and transmit the optical image, that system including a half-mirror (4b) which is substantially equally reflective and transmissive and which is movable between an operative position in which it intercepts the light path of the optical image and an inoperative position, a fully reflective mirror (4d) which is movable between an operative position in which it intercepts the light path and an inoperative position; and a small light deflector (41) to receive light from the converting means (3); a first cinecamera (5) arranged to receive the image transmitted from the converting means (3) through the half-mirror (4b); a second cinecamera (6) arranged to receive the image transmitted from the converting means (3) and reflected by the half-mirror (4b) in its operative position, the two cinecameras having shutters which are out of phase with one another; a television camera means (7) arranged to receive the image from the converting means (3) either via the fully reflective mirror (4d) in its operative position or via the small deflector (41); a mode setting device (8) for selecting one of the stereoscopic cinematography, single cinematography and fluoroscopy modes; and a radiographic control device (9, 9a) for controlling the positioning of the half mirror (4b) and the fully reflective mirror (4d) according to the selected mode so that the half-mirror (4b) is brought into its operative position for stereographic cinematography to direct the image to both cinecameras (5, 6), the half-mirror (4b) is brought into its inoperative position for single cinematography, and the fully reflective mirror (4d) is brought into operative position for fluoroscopy to direct the image to the television camera means (7), the radiographic control device (9, 9a) further controlling the photographing operation of the cinecameras (5, 6) according to the selected mode, and controlling the X-ray radiations from the X-ray tube (1) in synchronism with the position of the shutter of one or both of the cinecameras (5, 6).

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 145 words

. X-ray equipment according to claim 1, in which the optical system further includes a second half-mirror (4e) which is movable between a first operative position, a second operative position, and an inoperative position, and which is controlled by the radiographic control device (9, 9a) (a) to bring it to the inoperative position during stereoscopic cinematography, (b) to bring it to the first operative position for single cinematography when the image is directed to one of the cinecameras (6) by reflection at the second half mirror and to the television camera means (7) by transmission through the second half mirror (4e), reflection at the fully reflective mirror (4d) and reflection at the second half-mirror (4e), and (c) to bring it to its second operative position for fluoroscopy when the image is directed to the television camera means (7) by reflection at the second half-mirror (4e).

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 87 words

X-ray equipment according to claim 2, in which the optical system includes a lens (4a) for directing the image from the converting means along an optical axis, in which a first of the cinecameras (5) has its axis coincident with the optical axis, the other cinecamera (6) has its axis at right angles to the optical axis, and the television camera means (7) has its axis transverse to the optical axis; and the three mirrors (4b, 4d and 4e) in their operative positions intercept the optical axis.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 33 words

X-ray equipment according to claim 3, in which the first half-mirror (4b) when in its inoperative position is between the operative position of the fully reflective mirror (4d) and the first cinecamera (5).

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 35 words

X-ray equipment according to any one of claims 2 to 4, in which the small deflector means (41) is arranged to direct the image to the television camera means (7, 51) when in stereographic cinematography.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 51 words

. X-ray equipment according to claim 5, in which the television camera means comprises a television camera (7) which is positionable in alignment with the second half-mirror (4e) in the single cinematography mode and in the fluoroscopy mode and in alignment with the deflector means (41) in the stereoscopic cinematography mode.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 44 words

X-ray equipment according to claim 5, in which the television camera means comprises a first television camera (7) fixed in position in alignment with the second half-mirror (4e), and a second television camera (51) fixed in position in alignment with the deflector means (41).

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 77 words

X-ray equipment according to claim 1, in which a first (5) of the cinecameras is aligned with the optical axis, the second (6) has its axis transverse to the optical axis and the television camera means (7) has its axis transverse to the optical axis, and in the single cinematography mode, the half-mirror (4b) is positioned to lie to one side of the optical axis whereby the image is directed without reflection to the first cinecamera (5).

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 45 words

X-ray equipment according to claim 8, in which the television camera means is a television camera (7) which is angularly adjustable to align its axis with the fully reflective mirror (4d) in its operative position during fluoroscopy and with the deflector means (41) during. cinematography.

X-ray apparatus

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