Radiation image recording and read-out apparatus

Claim 2

A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprising: i) a sheet conveying means for conveying at least one stimulable phosphor sheet for recording a radiation image thereon along a predetermined path, ii) an image recording section positioned on said path for recording the radiation image of an object on said stimulable phosphor sheet by exposing said stimulable phosphor sheet to a radiation passing through said object, iii) an image read-out section positioned on said path on the downstream side of said image recording section in the sheet conveyance direction and provided with a stimulating ray source for emitting stimulating rays for scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet carrying said radiation image stored therein at said image recording section, and a photoelectric read-out means for detecting light emitted by said stimulable phosphor sheet scanned by said stimulating rays to obtain an electric image signal, iv) a sheet feeding section positioned at an upstream end of said path in the sheet conveyance direction for feeding said stimulable phosphor sheet to said sheet conveying means, and v) a sheet ejecting section positioned at a downstream end of said path in the sheet conveyance direction for ejecting said stimulable phosphor sheet from said sheet conveying means after said stimulable phosphor sheet passes through said image read-out section.

Claim 3

An apparatus as defined in Claim 1 wherein said sheet conveying means comprises endless belts, guide rollers and guide plates.

Claim 4

An apparatus as defined in Claim 1 wherein said path is L-shaped.

Claim 5

An apparatus as defined in Claim 1 wherein said sheet feeding section is provided with a magazine releasably mounted on the body of said apparatus and housing a plurality of said stimulable phosphor sheets, and a sheet feeding mechanism for feeding said stimulable phosphor sheets one by one from said magazine to said sheet conveying means.

Claim 6

An apparatus as defined in Claim 1 wherein said sheet ejecting section is provided with a magazine releasably mounted on the body of said apparatus for receiving a plurality of said stimulable phosphor sheets ejected by said sheet conveying means.

Claim 7

A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprising: a) a recording and read-out apparatus body constituted by integrally incorporating therein: i) a first sheet conveying means for conveying at least one stimulable phosphor sheet for recording a radiation image thereon along a predetermined path, ii) an image recording section positioned on said path for recording the radiation image of an object on said stimulable phosphor sheet by exposing said stimulable phosphor sheet to a radiation passing through said object, and iii) an image read-out section positioned on said path on the downstream side of said image recording section in the sheet conveyance direction and provided with a stimulating 1Y source for emitting stimulating rays for scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet carrying said radiation image stored therein at said image recording section, and a photoelectric read-out means for detecting light emitted by said stimulable phosphor sheet scanned by said stimulating rays to obtain an electric image signal, and b) an erasing unit for, prior to the next image recording on said stimulable phosphor sheet for which the image read-out has been conducted at said image read-out section, having said stimulable phosphor sheet release the radiation energy remaining in said stimulable phosphor sheet, wherein c) said recording and read-out apparatus body and said erasing unit are positioned independently of each other in spaced relation by a predetermined distance, and d) said path in said recording and read-out apparatus body is connected on the downstream side of said image read-out section in the sheet conveyance direction with a sheet inlet of said erasing unit by a second sheet conveying means, and is connected on the upstream side of said image recording section in the sheet conveyance direction with a sheet outlet of said erasing unit by a third sheet conveying means.

Claim 8

A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprising: a) a recording and read-out apparatus body constituted by integrally incorporating therein: i) a first sheet conveying means for conveying at least one stimulable phosphor sheet for recording a radiation image thereon along a predetermined path, ii) an image recording section positioned on said path for recording the radiation image of an object on said stimulable phosphor sheet by exposing said stimulable phosphor sheet to a radiation passing through said object, and iii) an image read-out section positioned on said path on the downstream side of said image recording section in the sheet conveyance direction and provided with a stimulating 1Y source for emitting stimulating rays for scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet carrying said radiation image stored therein at said image recording section, and a photoelectric read-out means for detecting light emitted by said stimulable phosphor sheet scanned by said stimulating rays to obtain an electric image signal, and b) an erasing unit for, prior to the next image recording on said stimulable phosphor sheet for which the image read-out has been conducted at said image read-out section, having said stimulable phosphor sheet release the radiation energy remaining in said stimulable phosphor sheet, wherein c) said recording and read-out apparatus body and said erasing unit are positioned independently of each other in spaced relation by a predetermined distance, and d) said path in said recording and read-out apparatus body is connected on the downstream side of said image read-out section in the sheet conveyance direction with a sheet inlet of said erasing unit by a second sheet conveying means, and is connected on the upstream side of said image recording section in the sheet conveyance direction with a sheet outlet of said erasing unit by a third sheet conveying means.

Claim 9

An apparatus as defined in Claim 6 wherein said first sheet conveying means comprises conveying rollers, conveyor belts and guide plates.

Claim 10

An apparatus as defined in Claim 6 wherein said path is L-shaped.

Claim 11

An apparatus as defined in Claim 6 wherein said erasing unit comprises an inlet side stacker for receiving said stimulable phosphor sheet conveyed through said sheet inlet of said erasing unit by said second sheet conveying means, a subsidiary sheet conveying means for conveying said stimulable phosphor sheet from said inlet side stacker to an erasing section, a subsidiary sheet conveying means for taking said stimulable phosphor sheet out of said erasing section and conveying it to an outlet side stacker, and the outlet side stacker positioned near said sheet outlet of said erasing unit.

Claim 12

An apparatus as defined in Claim 6 wherein said second sheet conveying means and said third sheet conveying means comprise belt conveyors.

Claim 13

An apparatus as defined in Claim 6 wherein a plurality of said recording and read-out apparatus bodies are connected with the single erasing unit.

Claim 14

An apparatus as defined in Claim 11 wherein a plurality of said recording and read-out apparatus bodies and said erasing unit are positioned in a row, and said erasing unit is positioned at one end of said row.