Abstract:
An x-ray cassette holder and clips capable of holding various types of x-ray cassettes including aluminum cassettes and tunnel cassettes. The clips when used with the tunnel cassettes allow for the changing of the vinyl cassette without releasing the cassette holder. The shaft or upright structure is calibrated to allow for easy positioning of the height of the cassette.

Description:
REFERENCE TO PENDING APPLICATIONS 
   This application is not related to any pending applications. 
   REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
   This application is not referenced in any microfiche appendix. 
   TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to the field of x-ray technology. More specifically, it is directed towards an x-ray film cassette holder and clips for such a holder. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Veterinarians with large animal practices typically work from their truck driving from one client&#39;s ranch to another client&#39;s ranch. This requires them to carry all of the equipment necessary to practice medicine and surgery as well as perform diagnostic procedures. 
   One of the pieces of this equipment is a portable x-ray machine and x-ray film cassettes. This is typically used to examine the limbs and joints of large animals, especially horses. In a purchase examination of a horse, it may be necessary to take thirty or more radiographs of the horse&#39;s lower limbs. Each joint is x-rayed from several different angles to obtain a complete picture of the condition and health of the joint. In order to take a radiograph, an x-ray cassette containing the film is held adjacent to the body part being x-rayed. The x-ray machine is then used to shoot x-rays through the body part and into the cassette and film. 
   There are two types of x-ray cassettes typically used. The first type of cassette is an aluminum cassette which has a thickness of approximately 9/16 of an inch and typically has an area of 8″×10″, 10″×12″, or 14″×17″. In order to use the aluminum cassettes, the x-ray film must be loaded into the cassette while in a photographer&#39;s dark room. Use of the dark room is necessary to avoid exposing the x-ray film. Each cassette contains enough film for one x-ray. Therefore, in order to do one purchase horse examination, it would be necessary to have thirty or more aluminum cassettes loaded with film then carried into the barn for exposure. 
   The vinyl cassette holder or tunnel is a newer version of the x-ray cassette. The tunnel is approximately 13/16 of an inch thick and typically has an area of 8″×10″. When using the tunnel, the x-ray film is loaded into the vinyl cassette in a photographer&#39;s dark room. Each vinyl cassette contains enough film for one x-ray. The vinyl cassette is an envelope shaped device which is approximately ⅛″ thick, when loaded with film. The area of the vinyl cassette is approximately 8″×10″. It has a lens located on either side of the film. In using the tunnel, the vinyl cassette containing the x-ray film is inserted into the tunnel. The tunnel holds the lenses against the film to produce a sharp image. The cassette is then held in place while the radiograph is taken. The vinyl cassette containing the x-ray film is then removed from the tunnel and a new cassette containing x-ray film is then inserted into the tunnel so the next x-ray can be taken. 
   X-ray film cassette holders are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,522 issued to Gilbert L. Blais on Sep. 17, 1985 discloses such a device. These prior art holders allow a veterinarian assistant to hold the x-ray film cassette steady in the appropriate spot without being in the line of fire of the x-ray machine. Thus reducing the assistant&#39;s exposure to x-rays. 
   The x-ray film cassette holder disclosed in the &#39;522 patent secures two opposing corners of the cassette and holds the cassette secure against the adjacent sides of the cassette holder. In order to change cassettes, it is necessary to loosen the members securing the opposing corners of the cassette, remove the current cassette and replace it with a new cassette. Loosening the members requires partially unscrewing a threaded nut. His can become a tedious and time consuming task, especially considering that in a typical purchase examination of a horse, it would require that the cassette be changed thirty some times. 
   Another example of an x-ray cassette holder is the one disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2002/0039402A1 published on Apr. 4, 2002 disclosing an x-ray cassette holder (the &#39;402 patent application). The &#39;402 patent application discloses an x-ray cassette holder which secures opposing sides of the cassette using a U-shaped channel. The cassettes are changed by loosening a screw holding one of the channels in place and then sliding the channel along the bracket far enough so the cassette can be removed and then putting in a new cassette and sliding the U-shaped channel back in place and re-tightening the screw. 
   While the prior art may work well with the traditional aluminum cassette which requires that the entire cassette be replaced after each x-ray is shot, the prior art, however, adds unnecessary labor to x-ray taking when using the newer style tunnel cassette. With the tunnel, only the vinyl cassette holding the x-ray film is removed from the tunnel and replaced with a new cassette containing the x-ray film for the next picture. However, with the prior art cassette holders, it is necessary to remove the entire tunnel from the holder, replace the vinyl cassette and then reinstall the tunnel into the cassette holder. This adds unnecessary time, labor and expense. 
   Often times, the assistant tires of removing and reinserting the cassettes into the x-ray cassette holder. At that point, the assistant may begin holding the cassettes in place while wearing a pair of lead-lined gloves and a lead-lined apron to shield the assistant from the x-ray. This obviously raises concerns of the dangers of exposure to x-rays. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Responsive to the foregoing challenges and shortcomings of the prior art, the Applicant has developed an innovative x-ray cassette holder. The Applicant has also developed an innovative clip to be used with the x-ray cassette holder. The cassette holder provides a simple, compact and durable device which allows the user to be in close contact with the horse while holding the cassette in place. This gives assurance to the animal rendering them easier to handle. 
   The clips are compatible for use with both the traditional styled aluminum x-ray film cassettes as well as the newer tunnel and vinyl cassettes. The clips allow for quick changing of the cassettes. When using the clips with the new tunnel, the vinyl cassette and film can be changed without removing the tunnel from the x-ray cassette holder. Further, the x-ray cassette holders and clips allow the cassette to be held at many different angles allowing access to difficult areas. 
   It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein by reference, and which constitute a part of this specification, illustrate certain embodiments of the invention and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. 
   In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in this application to the details of construction and to the arrangement so the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
   Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the design engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
   The additional objects and advantages of the invention are set forth, in part, in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent to one of the ordinary skill in the art from the description and/or from the practice of the invention. 
   These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference would be had to the accompanying drawings, depictions and descriptive matter in which thee is illustrated preferred embodiments and results of the invention. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of the x-ray cassette holder and clips being used for an x-ray of the front leg of a horse; 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the x-ray film cassette holder and clips; 
       FIG. 3  is side view of the x-ray film cassette holder and clips; 
       FIG. 4  is perspective view of the x-ray film cassette holder and clips holding an aluminum x-ray film cassette; 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view as indicated in  FIG. 4  of the upper portion of the film cassette holder and a clip holding an aluminum x-ray film cassette. The motion of the grip is indicated in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the x-ray film cassette holder and clips holding a tunnel cassette; 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view as indicated in  FIG. 6  of the x-ray film cassette holder and clip holding the upper portion of a tunnel cassette; 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view as indicated in  FIG. 6  of the x-ray film cassette holder and clip holding the upper portion of a tunnel cassette while the vinyl cassette is being removed or inserted; 
       FIG. 9  shows the x-ray film cassette holder and a clip holding the lower end of a tunnel cassette; 
       FIG. 10  is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the clip; 
       FIG. 11  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the clip; 
       FIG. 12  is a front perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the clip; and 
       FIG. 13  is an exploded view of one embodiment of the present invention to illustrate a grip threadedly engaging the pin. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides for inventive concepts capable of being embodied in a variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific manners in which to make and use the invention and are not to be interpreted as limiting the scope of the instant invention. 
   The claims and the specifications describe the invention presented and the terms that are employed in the claims draw their meaning from the use of such terms in the specification. The same terms employed in the prior art may be broader in meaning than specifically employed herein. Whenever there is a question between the broader definition of such terms used in the prior art and the more specific use of the terms herein, the more specific meaning is meant. 
   While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is clear that many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification, but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claim or claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled. 
     FIG. 1  shows an assistant  20  holding the x-ray cassette holder  22  in place for an x-ray of the front leg of a horse  24 . 
     FIGS. 2 and 3  show a front view and a side view, respectively, of the x-ray cassette holder  22 . The x-ray cassette holder  22  has an upright structure  26 . There is an elongated slot  28  contained in the upright structure  26 . A pair of clips  30  engage and can be slid along the elongated slot  28 . There is a handle  32  pivotally attached to the upright structure  26 . A cap  33  can be placed on the lower end of the upright structure  26 . The cap  33  can be made of any type of skid resistant material such as rubber or plastic and helps prevent the lower end of the upright structure  26  from sliding when used on a hard surface. Markings  35  can be placed on any of the surfaces of the upright structure along the elongated slot  28  to help consistently place the clips  30  in the same place. The markings  35  can be numbered and placed at set intervals to indicate the height of the clip  30 . 
   In order to better understand how the clips  30  of the present invention operate, it is necessary to understand the x-ray film cassettes that are commonly used.  FIG. 4  shows the x-ray cassette holder  22  in use with a typical aluminum x-ray film cassette  34 . As previously mentioned, in order to install and remove x-ray film from an aluminum cassette  34 , it is necessary to perform the removal and installation of the x-ray film within the confines of a photographer&#39;s dark room. Exposing x-ray film to light will ruin the image captured on the film. Therefore, once in the field, when an aluminum cassette  34  has been used once, it is necessary to remove that aluminum cassette  34  and replace it with another aluminum cassette  34  containing an unexposed piece of x-ray film. 
     FIGS. 6 ,  7 ,  8  and  9  show the x-ray cassette holder  22  and clips  30  in use with a tunnel  36 . As previously mentioned, the x-ray film used with a tunnel  36  is contained in an envelope-like device called a vinyl cassette  38 . The x-ray film is loaded in to the vinyl cassette  38  in the confines of a photographer&#39;s dark room. The vinyl cassette  38  protects the x-ray film contained inside of it from exposure to light. Once in the field, the tunnel  36  is attached to the x-ray cassette holder  22  at the desired height using one clip  30  on the top and a second clip  30  on the bottom. The vinyl cassette  38  containing the x-ray film is then slid into the tunnel  36  through the open side  40  as shown in  FIG. 8 . The x-ray is then taken and the vinyl cassette  38  containing the used x-ray film is removed as shown in  FIG. 8  and another vinyl cassette  38  containing new x-ray film is then inserted and the device is ready for another x-ray. 
     FIG. 10  shows a side view of the preferred embodiment of the clip  30 .  FIG. 11  is a top view of the clip  30 . The clip  30  has a body  42  with a front side  44  and a back side  46 . The body  42  also has a top end  48  and a bottom end  50 . The top end  48  of the back side  46  has a first shoulder  52  and a second shoulder  54 . The bottom end  50  of the back side  46  has a third shoulder  56 . 
   The first should  52  has a depth  58  as indicated in  FIG. 10  of preferable approximately 0.8″. The second shoulder  54  has a depth  60  as indicated in  FIG. 10  of preferably approximately 0.54″. The third shoulder  56  has a depth as shown in  FIG. 10  of preferably approximately 0.115″. These depths correspond to certain dimensions of the aluminum cassettes  34  and tunnels  36 . Therefore, it is possible that the depths could vary to better fit an aluminum cassette  34 , tunnel  36  or other type of cassette. 
   The first end of a pin  64  is coupled to the body  42 . The second end of the pin  64  is coupled to a grip  66 . The grip  66  as shown in the drawings is pivotally attached to the pin  64 . The grip  66  has a cammed surface  68  which in the preferred embodiment bears upon one or more washers  70  contained on the pin  64 . 
   The grip  66  is attached to the pin  64  such that the distance  72  as indicated in  FIG. 10  between the cammed surface  68  and the pivot point  74  is greater than the distance  76  between the cammed surface  68  and the pivot point  74 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5 , therefore the locking mechanism of the clip  30  is operated by moving the grip  66  between a locked or closed position where the grip  66  is parallel with the pin  64  (shown in the solid lines in  FIG. 5 ) and an open or unlocked position where the grip  66  is perpendicular to the pin  64  (shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 5 ). When the clip  30  is in the unlocked or open position, the clip  30  can slide along the elongated slot  28 . When the clip  30  is in the closed or locked position, the clip  30  is secured to the upright structure  26 . 
   In the preferred embodiments, the top end  48  of the front side  44  of the clip  30  has a contoured face which the vinyl cassette  38  bends around as it is inserted and removed from the tunnel  36  as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     FIGS. 4 and 5  show the x-ray cassette holder  22  and clips  30  in use with an aluminum cassette  34 . In use, the bottom clip  30  is located at the desired level. The grip  66  is then moved into the locked position to secure the bottom side of the cassette  34  to the upright structure  26 . The top clip  30  is then moved to engage the top side of the aluminum cassette  34  and the grip  66  of the top clip  30  is then moved into the locked position to secure the top side of the cassette  34  to the upright structure  26 . As best seen in  FIG. 5 , when the clip  30  is used with an aluminum cassette  34 , the second shoulder  54  is used to engage the upper and lower sides of the aluminum cassette  34 . 
     FIGS. 6 ,  7 ,  8  and  9  show the x-ray cassette holder  22  and clips  30  of the present invention in use with a tunnel  36 . In use, the bottom clip  30  is moved to the desired height on the upright structure  26 . The lower clip  30  is then clamped onto the bottom edge of the tunnel  36  by moving the grip  66  from the open to the closed position. As best seen in  FIG. 9 , the first shoulder  52  of the clip  30  is used to secure the bottom edge of the tunnel  36 . The top clip  30  is then moved into place such that the third shoulder  56  of the clip  30  engages the top edge of the back wall  78  of the tunnel  36 , as best seen in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The top clip  30  is then secured in place by moving the grip  66  from the opened to the closed position. A vinyl cassette  38  containing the x-ray film is slid around the contoured face of the top clip  30  and into the tunnel  36 . The x-ray cassette holder  22  and loaded tunnel  36  are then held in place while the x-ray is taken. Once the x-ray has been taken, the vinyl cassette  38  is pulled through the opened side  40  of the tunnel  36  and around the contoured face of the clip  30 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . The tunnel  36  is then reloaded in the same manner with another vinyl cassette  38  for the next x-ray. 
   It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the construction, configuration, and/or operation of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For example, in the embodiments mentioned above, variations in the materials used to make each element of the invention may vary without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of the invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 
   In alternative embodiments, it should be noted that the present invention could be manufactured without any washers  70 . In this embodiment, the locking mechanism would be created by the cammed surface  68  engaging the back side of the upright structure  26 . Another embodiment of the locking mechanism as shown in  FIG. 13  might be to have a portion of the end of the pin  64  opposite the clip  30  be threaded and to have the grip  66  or a nut threadedly engage the pin  64 . Here again, the locking mechanism could be used either with or without washers  70 . In the threaded embodiment of the locking mechanism, the clip  30  would be locked in place by tightening the grip  66  such that it bears against either the washers  70  and the upright structure  26  or directly against the upright structure  26 . 
   Due to the fact that the aluminum cassettes  34  and tunnel  36  are used to x-ray other types of animals including humans it would be possible that the clips  30  of the present invention as well as the x-ray cassette holder  22  and clips  30  could be used to x-ray any other type of an animal including humans. 
   Further, in another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the end of the grip  66  which has the cammed surface  68  can be made with a flat section  80 , as best seen in  FIGS. 5 and 10  to provide the user with a positive feedback when the grip  66  is moved into the locked position. The cammed surface  68  can also be made without a flat section  80  as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
   While this invention has been described to illustrative embodiments, this description is not to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments as well as other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon referencing this disclosure. It is therefore intended that this disclosure encompass any such modifications or embodiments,