Patent ID: 7250622
Filing Date: 2007-07-31
Classification: G03B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for applying stimulating light to a stimulable phosphor sheet on which radiation image information has been recorded, photoetectrically reading light emitted from said stimulable phosphor sheet to acquire said recorded radiation image information therefrom, and applying erasing energy to said stimulable phosphor sheet to erase remaining radiation image information therefrom, said apparatus comprising: a loading unit for loading a cassette holding said stimulable phosphor sheet between a first holding member and a second holding member; an opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing one of said first holding member and said second holding member with respect to the other; feeding means for removing said stimulable phosphor sheet from said cassette opened by said opening/closing mechanism and feeding said stimulable phosphor sheet in an auxiliary direction; a reading unit for applying stimulating light to scan said stimulable phosphor sheet in a main direction while said stimulable phosphor sheet is being fed by said feeding means, and reading light which is emitted from said stimulable phosphor sheet upon exposure to said stimulating light, thereby reading recorded radiation image information from said stimulable phosphor sheet; and an erasing unit for applying erasing energy to said stimulable phosphor sheet in said cassette opened by said opening/closing mechanism to erase remaining radiation image information from said stimulable phosphor sheet.