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US3892967A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for radiological examination of a subject through a solid angle

Assignee: Honeywell Measurex Corp
•
Filing: 1973-12-10
•
Granted: 1975-07-01
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Expires: 1993-12-10
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Abstract

Abstract A framework supporting a radiation source, such as an x-ray tube, and a radiation receptor, such as an x-ray film plate holder, comprises four arms pivotally connected to form a regular parallelogram, a parallel pair of the arms extending outside the parallelogram to pivot points for the radiation source and receptor. The parallelogram is mounted on a rotor whose central axis is parallel to the parallel pair of arms. Two links between another one of the arms and the source and receptor respectively, and parallel to the central axis, hold the axis of the source and receptor aligned on a radiation axis which passes through an isocenter on the central axis as the parallelogram is angularly adjusted in planes parallel to the central axis. The angular adjustment of the parallelogram combined with turning of the parallelogram on the rotor permit the source to radiate through a subject at the isocenter, for example the human heart or brain, from throughout a solid angle while maintaining constant radiological distance between the source and subject and a constant axial alignment of the source and receptor. The radiological magnification may also be kept constant, or the receptor may be adjusted along its axis, in which case a counterweight reciprocating along the transverse arm and connected to the receptor by two cables counterbalances the receptor in all solid angle positions.

Inventors

  • 👤 John J Howarth
  • 👤 John K Grady
  • 👤 David B Rice

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 17:47
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/44; A61B6/4429; A61B6/4435; A61B6/4441; A61B6/447; A61B6/50; A61B6/504; A61B6/48; A61B6/481

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 211 words
Radiological apparatus for examination of a fixed subject comprising: a main support rotor mounted to turn about a central axis; four pivotally connected members of fixed length forming an angularly adjustable parallelogram, two of the members being pivotally attached transversely of the rotor at locations spaced along the central axis, the other two members having extensions parallel to the central axis beyond the parallelogram; radiation source means having an axis and attached by a pivot on one extension; radiation receptor means having an axis and attached by a pivot on the other extension; first and second links respectively mechanically connected at one end to one transverse member and at the other end to a point spaced from the pivot of one radiation means so as to hold the axes of both radiation means aligned on a common radiation axis through an isocenter on the central axis, the links being parallel to the central axis and operative to hold at least one radiation means at a fixed distance from the isocenter as adjustment of the rotor and parallelogram inclines the radiation axis through a solid angle about the isocenter, whereby a fixed subject at the isocenter may be radiologically examined at constant radiological distance and axial alignment from throughout the solid angle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 211 words
Radiological apparatus for examination of a fixed subject comprising: a main support rotor mounted to turn about a central axis; four pivotally connected members of fixed length forming an angularly adjustable parallelogram, two of the members being pivotally attached transversely of the rotor at locations spaced along the central axis, the other two members having extensions parallel to the central axis beyond the parallelogram; radiation source means having an axis and attached by a pivot on one extension; radiation receptor means having an axis and attached by a pivot on the other extension; first and second links respectively mechanically connected at one end to one transverse member and at the other end to a point spaced from the pivot of one radiation means so as to hold the axes of both radiation means aligned on a common radiation axis through an isocenter on the central axis, the links being parallel to the central axis and operative to hold at least one radiation means at a fixed distance from the isocenter as adjustment of the rotor and parallelogram inclines the radiation axis through a solid angle about the isocenter, whereby a fixed subject at the isocenter may be radiologically examined at constant radiological distance and axial alignment from throughout the solid angle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 64 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including means mounting at least one of said radiation means for sliding adjustment on its axis, a counterweight slidingly mounted on one of said transverse members, and coupling means connecting the radiation means and counterweight so as to produce substantially equal and opposite movement of the counterweight with respect to the central axis when the radiation means is adjusted.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 17 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the counterweight is distributed on both sides of the central axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the coupling means comprises cable means guided by a pulley at the pivot of the radiation means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 23 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the cable means is further guided by a pulley at the pivotal connection of the transverse member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the said transverse member is hollow and the counterweight is mounted inside the transverse member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 45 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the cable means comprises two cables each connected at one end to one of the two opposite ends of the counterweight and at the other cable end to one of the two opposite ends of the sliding mounting means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 17 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the links are parallel to and equidistant from the central axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 20 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the aforesaid other two members extend parallel to and equidistant from the central axis.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3177757A Cited
US3803417A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1978-06-30 1978-12-30 1979-07-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1982-06-30 1982-12-30 1983-07-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1986-06-30 1986-12-30 1987-07-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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