US 7,498,598 B2
System for reading out X-ray information stored in a phosphor layer
Volker Melzer, Munich (Germany); Christian Bommer, Munich (Germany); Johannes Hoelzl, Grasbrunn (Germany); Armando De Felice, Buch am Buchrain (Germany); and Sibylle von Ruecker, Graefelfing (Germany)
Assigned to Agfa-Gevaert HealthCare GmbH, Leverkusen (Germany)
Filed on Mar. 14, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/79,653.
Claims priority of application No. 04101370 (EP), filed on Apr. 02, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2005/0218355 A1, Oct. 06, 2005
Int. Cl. G03B 42/08 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 250—589  [250/581; 250/582; 250/583; 250/584; 250/585] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for reading out X-ray information stored in a phosphor layer, the system comprising:
a read-out unit comprised of at least a first component and a second component for irradiating the phosphor layer with stimulation radiation, which can stimulate the phosphor layer to emit emission radiation dependent upon the X-ray information contained in the phosphor layer, and for collecting the emission radiation stimulated in the phosphor layer; and
a carrier onto which the first component and the second component of the read-out unit are mounted adjacent to the phosphor layer, the carrier and the first component and the second component of the read-out unit being moved relative to the phosphor layer in a conveyance direction during the irradiation of and collection of emission radiation from the phosphor layer;
wherein each of the first component and the second component of the read-out unit is mounted onto the carrier at a first end by a first bearing and a third bearing and at a second end by a second bearing and a fourth bearing, wherein the first bearing has a single translatory degree of freedom in a first direction, which is orthogonal to the conveyance direction, the second bearing has no translatory degrees of freedom, and the third bearing and the fourth bearing each have tow translatory degrees of freedom, one being in the first direction and the other being in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, said first bearing and the third bearing enabling movement of the first component and the second component in relation to the carrier and in relation to each other in the first direction and the third bearing and the fourth bearing enabling movement of the first component and the second component in relation to the carrier while preventing tipping of the first component and the second component around an axis extending parallel to the first direction.