Adjustable chute for X-ray sheet film

Abstract: The invention relates to an adjustable chute (6) for x-ray sheet film which is to be centrically introduced into, and deposited in a light-tight collecting magazine (1), said chute (6) providing the film transport path (4a) between said device (10), characterized in that chute (6) consists of two guide holders (61, 62) which are arranged in one plane and whose film entrance sides (68) are pivotable about oppositely arranged and fixedly spaced pivot points (68) such that the film ejection sides (69) of the guide holders are adjustable by setting means (65, 67, 610) to the film format of the x-ray sheet film supplied to collecting magazine (1).

Description: The invention relates to an adjustable chute for x-ray sheet film, which serves for centrically entering and depositing said sheet film in a light-tight collecting magazine and provides the film transport path between said collecting magazine and a cassette loading and unloading station of a daylight cassette loading and unloading device. An adjustable x-ray film feeding device in a means for automatically loading and unloading x-ray film cassettes is known from DE-32 20 606 C2. The feeding device for an x-ray sheet film which is selected by means of a cassette unloading and loading device, respectively, from a number of supply magazines loaded with unexposed x-ray films and is fed into an x-ray film cassette corresponding to the film format chosen consists of a single guide funnel for the films removed from the supply magazines. The guide funnel has two guide elements one of which is stationarily mounted whereas the second is adjustable such that it is movable in both directions relative to the first guide element and immovably connected with a shifting device. This type of design of the guide funnel does not prevent the film from being tilted or jammed as a result of its lateral abutment effective along the whole length of the film. Moreover the film cannot be centrically entered into a cassette because of the stationary arrangement of the first guide element. It is desirable, however, that a great number of exposed films removed from the cassettes by means of the cassette loading and unloading device be stored in a single depositing magazine so that the films can be further processed by means of a separate device at a later date. It is moreover desirable that the films can be unloaded from the cassettes independently of their formats and thus in a random order. This, however, requires a centrical alignment of the films in the depositing magazine. It is the object of the invention to further develop an adjustable chute for x-ray sheet films such that exposed x-ray film sheets of different formats can be safely and centrically entered into, and deposited in a single collecting magazine, such chute being easily and readily adjustable to various film formats. According to the invention this object is attained by the features listed in claim 1. Since the chute is composed of two guide holders arranged in one plane and its film entrance sides are pivotable about oppositely positioned pivot points spaced at a fixed distance from each other such that the film ejection sides of the guide holders can be adjusted, with the aid of setting means, to the film format of the x-ray sheet film supplied to the collecting magazine, a point-wise film guidance is advantageously attained which prevents the film from being tilted or jammed in the feeding device. The pivot points consist of pins which are arranged on a holding rail connected with the housing of the cassette loading and unloading device and which are received in bores arranged in the guide holders. On the film ejection side, guide plates connect the guide holders with elements movable to and fro on a shaft, the path of movement of said elements being limited by an inner abutment element fixedly connected with said shaft and by outer abutment elements. The elements themselves are connected with the piston rod as well as the housing of a bi-directional pneumatic cylinder, which allows a speedy and uncomplicated adjustment of the width to the film format fed to the collecting magazine. The collecting magazine and the film ejection sides of the guide holders are centrically aligned with each other whereby the films fed into the collecting magazine are also centrically deposited in the magazine. Further details and advantages of the invention can be inferred from the subclaims in connection with the description of an embodiment that will now be explained with reference to the drawing. Fig. 1 shows a schematical cross-sectional view of a daylight cassette loading and unloading device and Fig. 2 a perspective view of the chute according to the invention. A loading and unloading device 10 for x-ray film cassettes comprises at its front a cassette entrance opening 8 which is closable in a light-tight manner and into which an x-ray film cassette 11 can be introduced. A station 7 (see DE 40 37 378-A1 and DE 37 05 851-Al) serves for opening and closing cassette 11 as well as for detecting the film format of the film loaded in cassette 11. A number of film supply magazines which are denoted 11a and 11b and may also consist of a greater number than illustrated contain unexposed x-ray films each of a specific format. A loading and unloading station 5 is movable horizontally and vertically according to the arrows shown in the drawing to allow the exposed film to be removed from cassette 11 and subsequently to be transferred to one of the pairs of film transport rollers 4 as well as an unexposed film to be removed from one of the supply magazines 11a and 11b. The film is selected according to the film format detected by station 7. The individual elements of the loading and unloading station including their functioning are explained in more detail in the aforementioned specifications, e.g. the cassette transport (DE 40 13 285), the alignment of the cassettes (DE 40 13 285-A1), the opening and closing of the cassettes (DE4037378-A1), the film sheet removal device (DE 37 16 904-C2), the film loading device (DE 37 05 851-C1) so that they need not be described in detail. Moreover, the detection of the number of films as well as the film height of the exposed x-ray films introduced into a collecting magazine are described in DE patent application 195 25 085.4. According to the previously detected film format the loading and unloading station 5 removes a film of a corresponding format from one of the film supply magazines 11a or 11b and introduces it into cassette 11 which subsequently can be removed from the loading and unloading device 10 through opening 8. Within the film transport path 4a, a deflecting element 15 is provided by which the films removed from cassette 11 can be fed to a processing station (not illustrated). A collecting magazine 1 is provided for receiving the films from the cassette fed through entrance opening 8, the films 1c being introduced into said magazine in a random way, i.e. corresponding to the order in which they are unloaded from the cassettes containing the preferred film formats of 18 x 24 cm and 24 x 30 cm. For this purpose the films are transported by means of the pairs of transport rollers 4 through an adjustable chute 6. Chute 6 consists of two guide holders 61 and 62 arranged in one plane and pivotable at their film entrance sides 68 about pins 63. The pins 63 which are spaced on a holding rail 64 at a fixed distance from each other which corresponds to the maximum film format are received in bores 63a of the guide holders 61 and 62 and are prevented from being withdrawn by a spring element 63b. The holding rail has bent-off ends 64a which are connected to the housing of the cassette loading and unloading device. Collecting magazine 1 (not illustrated) is arranged at the film ejection sides 69 of the guide holders 61 and 62 in centrical alignment with the central axis 6a of chute 6. At the film ejection side, the guide holders feature guide plates 64b which are connected each with elements 67 movable to and fro in the direction of the arrow A on a shaft 65a. An inner abutment element 65 serving to limit the path of movement of the elements 67 is moreover stationarily arranged in the middle of shaft 65a. One element 67 each is mounted to the piston rod of a bi-directional pneumatic cylinder 610 and the other one to the other end thereof, end switches 611a and 611b being actuated by means of actuating elements 611c such that the chute control is informed about the chute position. The shaft is mounted in a frame portion 612 whose bent-off ends 64a are connected with the cassette loading and unloading device 10. The film entrance and ejection sides of the guide elements 61 and 62 are funnel-shaped, with the vertical parts of the guide elements having rectangular cross-sections and the cross-sectional height corresponding to several times the thickness of the films. Via a light-sealable opening (not illustrated), the collecting magazine 1 can be shifted into, and removed from, respectively, the front side of the loading and unloading device 10, lid 1b of collecting magazine 1 being opened when the magazine is shifted in and closed in a light-tight manner when the magazine is withdrawn, by means of a device (not illustrated either). In addition, an electronic unit 12 connects by lines not illustrated the individual stations such as the cassette entrance opening, station 7, loading and unloading station 5, the rollers of the pairs of film transport rollers 4 which are each driven by a motor (not illustrated) and the end switches 611a and 611b by which the bi-directional pneumatic cylinder 610 of chute 6 is switched on and off. Upon arrangement of a collecting magazine 1 in the loading and unloading device 10 the chute according to the invention functions as follows: After a film cassette 11 has been introduced through cassette entrance opening 8, said opening is closed in a light-tight manner. Station 7 detects the film format of the film contained in the cassette whereupon the cassette lid is opened and, by means of loading and unloading station 5, the exposed film removed from cassette 11 and fed to the pair of film transport rollers 4 arranged adjacent to station 7. Depending on the configuration of the device, deflecting element 15 has been activated. As indicated on the operating and display panel 9, film transport thus either occurs along the film transport path 4a into the processing machine or through chute 6 into collecting magazine 1. If the film is fed to collecting magazine 1 it is transported with the aid of the pairs of transport rollers 4 through adjustable chute 6 into magazine 1. Depending on the film format detected by station 7 the electronic unit 12 ascertains whether or not the final position of the chute (width set) and thus the end switch 611a or 611b actuated at that moment corresponds to the film format supplied. If there is a deviation the electronic unit actuates the pneumatic cylinder which moves up to abutment 612 and 65, respectively, the corresponding end switch informing the electronic unit about the completion of the movement of the pneumatic cylinder. The film ejection side 69 of the chute has thus been adjusted to the corresponding film width of the film fed to the collecting magazine and the film is entered into the magazine in a centrically aligned fashion. Within the scope of this invention the device can also be operated in the absence of a deflecting element 15 and a processing machine.

Claims: Adjustable chute (6) for x-ray sheet film, which serves for centrically entering and depositing said sheet film in a light-tight collecting magazine (1) and provides the film transport path (4a) between said collecting magazine (1) and a cassette loading and unloading station (7) of a daylight cassette loading and unloading device (10), characterized in that the chute (6) comprises two guide holders (61, 62) which are arranged in one plane and whose film entrance sides (68) are pivotable about oppositely arranged and fixedly spaced pivot points (63) such that the width of the film ejection sides (69) of the guide holders is adjustable by setting means (65, 67, 610) to the film format of the x-ray sheet film supplied to the collecting magazine (1). Chute according to claim 1, characterized in that on their film ejection sides, the guide holders (61, 62) are connected by guide plates (64b) to elements (67) movable to and fro on a shaft (65a), the path of movement (A) of said elements being limited by an inner abutment element (65) stationarily mounted on said shaft and outer abutment elements (67a) and in that said elements (67) are connected with the piston rods of a bi-directional pneumatic cylinder. Chute according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the shaft (65a) is held by a frame portion (612) and in that said frame portion can be connected, via a fastening element (64a), with the housing of the cassette loading and unloading device (10). Chute according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivot points consist of pins (68) which are arranged on a holding rail (64) connected with the housing of the cassette loading and unloading device (10) and pass through bores (63a) provided in the guide holders (61, 62). Chute according to claim 4, characterized in that the distance of the pins (68) from each other is chosen such that the chute (6) allows an x-ray sheet film to be introduced whose format corresponds to the maximum film format that can be introduced into collecting magazine (1). Chute according to claim 1, characterized in that the collecting magazine (1) and the film ejection sides (69) of the guide holders (61, 62) are centrically aligned with respect to the central axis (6a). Chute according to claim 1, characterized in that the film entrance and film ejection sides (68, 69) of the guide holders (61, 62) are funnel-shaped.

Inventors: HOITZ GERD, RIEGER ALBERT, UEFFINGER FRIEDRICH, HOITZ, GERD, RIEGER, ALBERT, UEFFINGER, FRIEDRICH
Applicants: EASTMAN KODAK CO, EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Application year: 1997
Main classification: G03B42
IPC codes: G03B42, B65H5