X-ray image apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9398674-B2
Application number	US-201414160975-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2014
Priority date	Jan 21, 2013
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an X-ray image apparatus having an improved rotating unit for preventing a blind spot in which an X-ray-generating unit is not rotated from being generated. The X-ray image apparatus includes an X-ray-generating unit configured to generate X-rays and radiate the X-rays, an X-ray-detecting unit configured to detect the X-rays radiated from the X-ray-generating unit, and a rotating unit configured to rotate the X-ray-generating unit. Here, the rotating unit includes a rotating frame coupled to one side of the X-ray-generating unit; a protrusion configured to protrude from one side of the rotating unit; and a stopper being in contact with the protrusion to halt a rotation of the rotating frame and being provided such that the stopper can be moved in a preset zone. Since the stopper securing the rotating frame of the rotating unit can be moved in the preset zone, it is possible to prevent a blind spot caused by a restriction of the rotation of the rotating frame from being generated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An X-ray image apparatus, comprising;
an X-ray-generating unit configured to generate X-rays and radiate the X-rays;
an X-ray-detecting unit configured to detect the X-rays radiated from the X-ray-generating unit; and
a rotating unit configured to rotate the X-ray-generating unit;
wherein the rotating unit comprises:
a rotating frame coupled to the X-ray-generating unit;
a protrusion coupled to the rotating frame to rotate with the rotating frame; and
a stopper disposed outside of the rotating frame and configured to make contact with the protrusion to stop a rotation of the rotating frame,
wherein the stopper is moved linearly in a preset zone to make contact with the protrusion.

2. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the stopper is coupled to a driving unit for moving the stopper and the driving unit moves the stopper in a first direction when the rotating frame is rotated in a counterclockwise direction and moves the stopper in a second direction when the rotating frame is rotated in a clockwise direction.

3. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the driving unit comprises at least one elastic member, and
the stopper is able to move in the preset zone by way of the elastic force of the at least one elastic member.

4. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a housing to which the at least one elastic member is coupled, the housing being configured to receive the stopper.

5. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one elastic member comprises a first elastic member coupled to one side of the housing and a second elastic member coupled to another side of the housing.

6. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising a bracket to which the housing is coupled, the bracket comprising a groove for guiding a movement of the elastic member.

7. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the driving unit comprises one or more gears.

8. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a housing coupled to the stopper via one side thereof and coupled to the gear via another side thereof.

9. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a shaft coupled to the gear via one side thereof and coupled to the housing via another side thereof.

10. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the shaft has a thread portion provided on at least a portion thereof to allow the stopper to be moved along the thread portion.

11. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the driving unit further comprises a power-generating device generating a power for moving the stopper.

12. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a buffer part coupled to the stopper for preventing generation of noise or damage caused by the stopper coming into contact with the protrusion.

13. An X-ray image apparatus, comprising;
an X-ray-generating unit configured to radiate X-rays;
an X-ray-detecting unit configured to detect the X-rays radiated from the X-ray-generating unit; and
a rotating unit configured to rotate at least one of the X-ray-generating unit and the X-ray detecting unit, wherein the rotating unit comprises:
a rotating frame coupled to at least one of the X-ray-generating unit and the X-ray detecting unit;
a stopper disposed outside of the rotating frame and configured to make contact with one side of the rotating frame to stop a rotation of the rotating frame; and
a driving unit for moving the stopper from a first point to a second point or from the second point to the first point,
wherein the stopper is moved linearly from the first point to the second point or from the second point to the first point.

14. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising a protrusion configured to protrude from the rotating frame to allow the stopper to come into contact with the protrusion to stop the rotation of the rotating frame.

15. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the stopper comprises a head part and a body part extending from the head part, the head part being configured to come into contact with the protrusion.

16. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the driving unit comprises at least one elastic member, and
the stopper is moved from the first point to the second point by a linear movement of the elastic member.

17. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the elastic member comprises a first elastic member that is compressed when the stopper is moved to the second point and a second elastic member that is compressed when the stopper is moved to the first point.

18. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the stopper further comprises a bracket provided for preventing the stopper from being deviated from a zone between the first point and the second point and a housing coupled to the bracket via one surface thereof and coupled to the stopper through another surface thereof.

19. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the driving unit comprises at least one gear, and
the stopper is moved from the first point to the second point by a rotational movement of the gear.

20. The X-ray image apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the at least one gear comprises a first gear rotated according to a rotation of the rotating frame and a second gear determining a location of the stopper according to a rotation of the first gear.

21. A rotating unit configured to rotate an X-ray apparatus comprising one of an X-ray-generating unit and an X-ray-detecting unit, the rotating unit comprising:
a rotating frame coupled to the X-ray apparatus;
a protrusion coupled to the rotating frame to rotate with the rotating frame; and
an adjustable stopper disposed outside of the rotating frame and configured to make contact with the protrusion to stop a rotation of the rotating frame,
wherein the adjustable stopper is moved linearly in a preset zone to make contact with the protrusion.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Heo Min Ho
• Ko Seok Mo

Classifications

• A61B6/4429 Primary

  related to the mounting of source units and detector units · CPC title

• A61B6/4464

  the source unit or the detector unit being mounted to ceiling · CPC title

• H05G1/02 Primary

  Constructional details · CPC title

• A61B6/02 Primary

  Arrangements for diagnosis sequentially in different planes; Stereoscopic radiation diagnosis · CPC title