Patent ID: 7812314

Claim:
A flat panel X-ray detector comprising: a housing having an opening through which said X-rays could pass through unimpeded; a detector assembly disposed within said opening to receive said X-rays, said detector assembly comprising a detector selected from the list of direct detectors, indirect detectors having a scintillator integral with its detector glass, and indirect detectors having a scintillator that is not integral with its detector glass; an X-ray transparent front layer having a low-Z sandwich structure, disposed adjacent to the front side of said detector assembly; an X-ray transparent back layer having a low-Z sandwich structure, disposed adjacent to the back side of said detector assembly; a front interface member connecting said front sandwich structure to said housing; a back interface member connecting said back sandwich structure to said housing; a glass mount member connecting said detector assembly to said housing; wherein said low-Z sandwich structure comprises two thin skins, a low-volume-density transparent core disposed between said skins, and a rigid member disposed between and bonded to said skins; and wherein said rigid member surrounds the perimeter of said transparent core for the purpose of resisting compressive loads.