Patent ID: 7148500

Claim:
In a storage phosphor reader for reading a latent image stored in a storage phosphor contained in a cassette, a cassette handling apparatus comprising: a cassette platen and front plate for receiving a cassette having a storage phosphor; a cassette centering guide mechanism for centering a received cassette on said cassette platen, said cassette centering guide mechanism including left and right cassette guides and means for moving said guides into and out of centering when received on said cassette platen; a cassette feed mechanism for moving a received cassette into contact with said front plate, including a drive motor having a driven shaft and a pinion mounted on said driven shaft and left and right racks engaging said pinion and coupled respectively to said left and right cassette guides; and a storage phosphor feed mechanism for feeding a storage phosphor out of a received cassette into said storage phosphor reader for processing.