Patent Number: 045286850
Section: claims

1. A filter device for being interposed in an X-ray beam projected from an X-ray source, the device comprising: a base member,  a first generally planar filter element and a second generally planar filter element adjacent the first element and substantially coplanar therewith, said first and second elements being joined to form a unitary member mounted for travelling between limit positions relative to the base member in one plane that is transverse to the path of the central ray of the X-ray beam,  a third planar filter element mounted for travelling relative to said base member in a second plane parallel to said one plane,  means on said unitary member and third filter element cooperating to cause said member to pull said third filter element into the beam path when said member is driven toward and to one limit of its travel and to push said third element out of the beam when said member is driven toward and to the other limit of its travel, and  reversible motor means and means operatively coupling said motor means to said member comprised of said first and second filter elements for said motor means to drive said member selectively in opposite directions to obtain a plurality of filtering modes,  in one of said modes, driving the unitary member to said one limit position causing said third element to be pulled into the beam,  in another of said modes, driving the unitary member to the other of said limit positions to push said third element out of the beam path to permit said member to be oscillated under the influence of said motor to position said first and second filter elements alternately in the beam path, and  in another mode wherein said member is first moved to said one limit to pull said third filter element into the beam path and then said member is oscillated to position the first filter element in the beam path with the third element and alternately to let only the third filter element remain in the beam path.  first and second substantially planar filter elements composed of first and second X-ray filtering materials, said elements being substantially coplanar and adjacent each other and joined to form a unitary member,  guide means for guiding said unitary member to travel between a limit position in one direction and a limit position in the opposite direction in a first plane that is transverse to the path of the central ray of the X-ray beam,  a third substantially planar filter element and means for guiding said third element to travel in a second plane that is parallel to said first plane,  reversible motor means and means operatively coupling said motor means to said unitary filter member for driving the member to one and the other of its opposite limit positions and to a position intermediate of said limit positions,  first and second lug means spaced apart on said third filter element in the direction of its travel, and  third lug means on said unitary filter member projecting between and in the path of travel of the first and second lug means on said third element,  driving said unitary member to one of its limit positions causing said third lug means to engage said first lug means on said third filter element and move said third filter element into said X-ray beam path and driving said unitary member to the other of its limit positions causing said third lug means to engage said second lug means on said third element and move said third element out of the X-ray beam path.  pin means projecting from said third filter element into the plane of said latch elements for entering one slot or the other when said third element approaches one or the other of its length positions to rotate the latch element, and  spring means acting one said latch elements, respectively, and whose force must be overcome by driving said filter element to rotate said latch elements and which spring means then applies said force for holding said latch element against rotation to lock the third filter element against moving under the influence of gravity. 2. The filter device according to claim 1 wherein said first filter element is copper, said second filter element is gadolinium and the third filter element is aluminum. 3. A filter device for use in an X-ray beam that is projected from an X-ray source, the device comprising: 4. The filter device according to claim 3 wherein said unitary member is comprised of a strip of one filter material a part of which constitutes said first filter element and said strip has an aperture adjacent said part in alignment with which said second filter element is fastened. 5. The filter device according to claim 4 wherein said strip comprises copper. 6. The filter device according to claim 4 wherein said strip comprises iron. 7. The filter device according to any of claims 3, 4, 5, or 6 wherein said third filter element comprises aluminum. 8. The filter device according to any of claims 3, 4, 5 or 6 wherein said second filter element comprises gadolinium. 9. The filter device according to claim 3 including engagement means spaced apart from each other along the path of travel of said third filter element, one of said engagement means engaging detachably with said third filter element when it is positioned in the X-ray beam path and the other of said engagement means engaging detachably with said third filter element when it is positioned out of the beam path to prevent said third element from shifting under the influence of gravity, the force applied to said third filter element by movement of said unitary filter member being sufficient to engage and detach said engagement means and third filter element. 10. The filter device according to claim 3 including latch elements spaced from each other along and above the path of travel of said third filter element and pivotable about axes, respectively, that are perpendicular to said second plane in which said third element travels, said latch elements each having a slot extending substantially radially away from the pivot axis of the element,