Radiography unit and radiographic system

Abstract

To provide a radiography unit and a radiographic system capable of facilitating position adjustment when position adjustment is performed manually.SOLUTION: A radiography unit includes: a wheel part having a first wheel provided in the lower part of the unit and movable in a first direction by rotation, and a second wheel aligned circumferentially along a rotation direction of the first wheel, and movable in a second direction different from the first direction by rotation; a brake mechanism capable of regulating the rotation of the first wheel; and an operation part for receiving an operation which is an operation to change the state of regulation of the wheel part by the brake mechanism, and to bring the moving direction of the unit by the wheel part into one direction. In the case where the movement in another direction intersecting with the one direction is regulated when the rotation of the first wheel is regulated by the brake mechanism according to the operation to the operation part, the movement in the first direction is made possible by the rotation of the second wheel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology of the present disclosure relates to a radiation imaging unit and a radiation imaging system.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an object information acquisition means for acquiring detection information of an object existing around the own device, and among the detection information of the object acquired by the object information acquisition means, within a predetermined region a masking means for masking the detection information, a local map creation means for creating a local map of the periphery of the own device from the detection information subjected to the masking process by the masking means, a moving means for moving the own device, and based on the local map created by the local map creation means and the moving amount of the moving means, a self-position estimation means for estimating the self-position, a guiding means for driving the moving means based on a user operation to guide the own device, and during the guidance by the guiding means, an environmental map creation means for creating an environmental map of the moving area from the self-position estimated by the self-position estimation means and the local map. An autonomous mobile device characterized by comprising these is described.

[0003] Patent Document 2 describes an omnidirectional mobile device including a vehicle body on which a plurality of wheels capable of moving in all directions are arranged, a vehicle body arranged on the vehicle body, a universal joint connecting the vehicle body and the vehicle body and enabling the posture of the vehicle body to change with respect to the vehicle body, and a posture stabilization system that moves the vehicle body in the direction in which the posture of the vehicle body has changed and stably maintains the posture of the vehicle body.

[0004] Patent Document 3 describes a mobile platform. The mobile platform includes a chassis configured to accommodate one or more medical devices, an omnidirectional wheel system including omnidirectional wheels coupled to the chassis, a battery housed in the chassis, the battery being configured to supply power to drive the omnidirectional wheel system and / or to supply power to operate one or more medical devices, and a battery charging system housed within the chassis, the battery charging system being configured to facilitate wired and / or wireless charging of the battery.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In Patent Documents 1 and 2, in both cases where the omni-wheels receive power from a power source and rotate, the device is enabled to travel omnidirectionally, but the moving direction of the device when it is manually moved is not considered. Further, Patent Document 3 describes a mobile medical device driving platform having a chassis configured to accommodate medical devices and omnidirectional wheels coupled to the chassis. However, in Patent Document 3, in the case of performing radiography, manual position adjustment of the mobile medical device driving platform is not considered. Therefore, the technology of the present disclosure provides a radiography unit and a radiography system capable of facilitating position adjustment when manual position adjustment is performed.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] A first aspect of the technology according to the present disclosure includes a first wheel provided at a lower portion of a unit and movable in a first direction by rotation, and a second wheel arranged circumferentially along the rotation direction of the first wheel and movable in a second direction different from the first direction by rotation. The wheel unit includes a brake mechanism capable of restricting the rotation of the first wheel, and an operation unit capable of receiving an operation for changing the state of restriction of the wheel unit by the brake mechanism and making the moving direction of the unit by the wheel unit in one direction. When the rotation of the first wheel is restricted by the brake mechanism according to the operation on the operation unit, and the movement in the other direction intersecting the one direction is restricted, the rotation of the second wheel enables the movement in the one direction. This is a radiation imaging unit.

[0008] A second aspect of the technology according to the present disclosure is a radiation imaging unit according to the first aspect, in which a plurality of wheel units are provided, and the plurality of wheel units include a first wheel unit which is a wheel unit arranged in a direction with the first direction as one direction, and a second wheel unit which is a wheel unit arranged in a direction with the first direction as the other direction.

[0009] A third aspect of the technology according to the present disclosure is a radiation imaging unit according to the second aspect, in which the operation unit is capable of receiving an operation for making the movable direction of the radiation imaging unit in either the one direction or the other direction, and according to the operation on the operation unit, the restriction of the rotation of the first wheel by the brake mechanism in the first wheel unit and the restriction of the rotation of the first wheel by the brake mechanism in the second wheel unit are selectively switched, so that the movable direction in the one direction or the other direction is switched.

[0010] A fourth aspect of the technology according to the present disclosure is a radiation imaging unit according to the second aspect, in which the number of the first wheel units is the same as the number of the second wheel units.

[0011] A fifth aspect of the technology according to the present disclosure is a radiation imaging unit according to the second aspect, in which the plurality of wheel units include two or more first wheel units and two or more second wheel units.

[0012] The sixth aspect according to the technology of the present disclosure is a radiation imaging unit according to the first aspect in which a plurality of wheel parts are provided and the plurality of wheel parts are arranged in such a manner that the first directions are the same.

[0013] The seventh aspect according to the technology of the present disclosure is a radiation imaging unit according to the sixth aspect which is a radiation source unit including a radiation irradiation unit capable of irradiating radiation and an arm supporting the radiation irradiation unit, and the arm is capable of moving the radiation irradiation unit in a direction intersecting the moving direction of the radiation imaging unit.

[0014] The eighth aspect according to the technology of the present disclosure is a radiation imaging unit according to the first aspect in which, in the wheel part, the second direction is a direction orthogonal to the first direction.

[0015] The ninth aspect according to the technology of the present disclosure is a radiation imaging unit according to the eighth aspect in which the second wheel is formed of a material having a friction coefficient capable of suppressing movement in other directions in the wheel part in which the rotation of the first wheel is restricted by a brake mechanism.

[0016] The tenth aspect according to the technology of the present disclosure is a radiation imaging unit according to the first aspect in which, in the wheel part, the second direction is a direction inclined with respect to the first direction.

[0017] The eleventh aspect according to the technology of the present disclosure is a radiation imaging unit according to the first aspect which is a radiation source unit including a radiation irradiation unit capable of irradiating radiation, and the operation unit is provided in the radiation irradiation unit.

[0018] The twelfth aspect according to the technology of the present disclosure is a radiation imaging unit according to the eleventh aspect in which the operation unit has a display unit indicating a direction in which the radiation source unit can move, and the display in the display unit is switched according to the irradiation direction of the radiation in the radiation irradiation unit.

[0019] A thirteenth aspect of the technology according to the present disclosure includes a radiation source unit including a radiation irradiation unit capable of irradiating radiation, and a detection unit including a radiation detection unit capable of detecting radiation, and the radiation source unit and / or the detection unit is a radiation imaging system that is a radiation imaging unit according to the first aspect.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] According to the technology of the present disclosure, a radiation imaging unit and a radiation imaging system capable of facilitating position adjustment when manual position adjustment is performed are provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] An example of an embodiment of a radiation imaging system 10 according to the technology of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] In the following description, for convenience of explanation, the front-rear direction (also referred to as the depth direction), width direction, and height direction of the radiation imaging system 10 are indicated by three arrows X, Y, and Z. First, the height direction is indicated by the arrow Z, the direction of the arrow Z indicated by the arrow Z is defined as the upward direction of the radiation imaging system 10, and the opposite direction is defined as the downward direction. The up-down direction corresponds to the vertical direction. The width direction is indicated by the arrow Y orthogonal to the arrow Z, the direction indicated by the arrow Y is defined as the front direction of the radiation imaging system 10, and the opposite direction is defined as the rear direction. The left-right direction is indicated by the arrow X orthogonal to the arrows Z and Y, the direction indicated by the arrow X is defined as the left direction of the radiation imaging system 10, and the opposite is defined as the right direction. Also, in the following, expressions using sides such as the upper side, lower side, left side, right side, front side, and rear side have the same meaning as expressions using directions.

[0024] Further, in the present embodiment, the "vertical direction" refers to not only the complete vertical direction but also the vertical direction including an error generally allowed in the technical field to which the technology of the present disclosure belongs and not contrary to the spirit of the technology of the present disclosure. The same applies to the "horizontal direction", which refers to not only the complete horizontal direction but also the horizontal direction including an error generally allowed in the technical field to which the technology of the present disclosure belongs and not contrary to the spirit of the technology of the present disclosure.

[0025] <First Embodiment> As shown in FIG. 1 as an example, the radiographic system 10 is a system for performing radiography on a subject A. The radiographic system 10 includes a radiation source unit 20 and a detection unit 30. The radiation source unit 20 includes a radiation source 26A and is a device that irradiates the subject A with radiation (e.g., X-rays or gamma rays) generated from the radiation source 26A. The detection unit 30 includes a radiation detector 36A and is a device that detects the radiation that has passed through the subject A. When radiography is performed, the radiation source unit 20 and the detection unit 30 are arranged at positions facing each other. The subject A stands between the radiation source unit 20 and the detection unit 30 and near the detection unit 30. Then, the subject A is irradiated with radiation, and radiography is performed. The radiographic system 10 is an example of the "radiographic system" according to the technology of the present disclosure, and the radiation source unit 20 and the detection unit 30 are examples of the "radiographic units" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The radiation source unit 20 is an example of the "radiation source unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure, and the detection unit 30 is an example of the "detection unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0026] The radiation source unit 20 includes a main body portion 22, an arm 24, and a radiation irradiation portion 26. The main body portion 22 is a part that forms the main body of the radiation source unit 20 and houses a power supply system that supplies power to the radiation source 26A, a control device that controls the entire radiation source unit 20, and a mechanism for driving the arm 24, etc.

[0027] The arm 24 is a part extending from the main body portion 22. The base end side is attached to the main body portion 22, and the radiation irradiation portion 26 is provided at the tip end. The arm 24 is displaceable to move the radiation irradiation portion 26 relative to the subject A. Specifically, the arm 24 is extendable and retractable in the vertical direction. Also, the arm 24 is extendable and retractable in the horizontal direction. Thereby, the radiation irradiation portion 26 is movable relative to the subject A via the arm 24.

[0028] The operation unit 25 is provided on the main body 22. The operation unit 25 is capable of receiving an operation for designating the moving direction of the radiation source unit 20 in a predetermined direction. The operation unit 25 is, for example, an operation panel having buttons capable of designating the moving direction of the radiation source unit 20. The operation unit 25 is provided, for example, on the left side surface of the main body 22. The operation unit 25 is an example of the "operation unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0029] The radiation irradiation unit 26 is capable of irradiating the subject A with radiation. The radiation irradiation unit 26 is attached to the tip of the arm 24. Inside the radiation irradiation unit 26, a radiation source 26A is housed. The radiation generated in the radiation source 26A has its irradiation direction defined by an irradiation field limiter (not shown) inside the radiation source 26A. Then, the radiation is irradiated from the radiation source 26A to the subject A. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the radiation irradiation unit 26 irradiates radiation in the forward direction. The arm 24 is an example of the "arm" according to the technology of the present disclosure, and the radiation irradiation unit 26 is an example of the "radiation irradiation unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0030] Further, the radiation irradiation unit 26 includes a grip portion 26B. The grip portion 26B is a portion that can be gripped by a user (for example, a radiologic technologist or a doctor) of the radiation imaging system 10. The user can move the radiation source unit 20 by grasping the grip portion 26B.

[0031] Also, a base portion 28 is provided below the main body 22. The base portion 28 is a portion that supports the main body 22. Further, a wheel portion 40 is provided on the lower surface of the base portion 28. The radiation source unit 20 is capable of traveling via the wheel portion 40 provided on the main body 22. The radiation source unit 20 can be manually moved by a user (for example, a doctor or a radiologic technologist). Details of the wheel portion 40 will be described later. The wheel portion 40 is an example of the "wheel portion" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0032] The detection unit 30 includes a main body 32, an arm 34, and a radiation detection unit 36. The main body 32 is a part that forms the main body of the detection unit 30, and houses inside a power supply system that supplies power to the radiation detector 36A, a control device that controls the entire detection unit 30, and a mechanism for driving the arm 34, etc.

[0033] The arm 34 is a part extending from the main body 32, with its proximal end attached to the main body 32 and the radiation detection unit 36 provided at its distal end. The arm 34 is capable of being displaced to move the radiation detection unit 36 relative to the subject A. Specifically, the arm 34 is a rod-shaped member provided on the main body 32, and the arm 34 enables the radiation detection unit 36 to move along the vertical direction.

[0034] An operation unit 35 is provided on the main body 32. The operation unit 35 is capable of receiving an operation for designating the moving direction of the detection unit 30 in a predetermined direction. The operation unit 35 is, for example, an operation panel having buttons capable of designating the moving direction of the detection unit 30. The operation unit 35 is provided, for example, on the left side surface of the main body 32. The operation unit 35 is an example of the "operation unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0035] The radiation detection unit 36 detects the radiation irradiated from the radiation irradiation unit 26. Inside the radiation detection unit 36, a radiation detector 36A is housed. The radiation detector 36A detects the radiation irradiated from the radiation source 26A and transmitted through the part of the subject A to be diagnosed, and outputs a radiation image. The radiation detector 36A is called an FPD (Flat Panel Detector). The radiation detector 36A may be an indirect conversion type having a scintillator that converts radiation into visible light and converting the visible light emitted by the scintillator into an electrical signal, or a direct conversion type that directly converts radiation into an electrical signal.

[0036] Also, a base portion 38 is provided below the main body portion 32. The base portion 38 is a part that supports the main body portion 32. Further, a wheel portion 40 is provided on the lower surface of the base portion 38. The detection unit 30 is configured to be able to travel via the wheel portion 40 provided on the main body portion 32. The detection unit 30 can be manually moved by a user (for example, a doctor or a radiological technologist). Details of the wheel portion 40 will be described later.

[0037] Here, in the radiographic imaging using the radiographic imaging system 10, it may be necessary to adjust the positional relationship between the radiation source unit 20 and the detection unit 30. For example, by adjusting the distance between the radiation source unit 20 and the detection unit 30, it may be necessary to adjust the SID (Source to image receptor distance), which is the distance from the focal point of the radiation source 26A to the radiation detector 36A. In this case, it is conceivable to perform the position adjustment by each unit self-propelling via the wheel portion 40. However, there are limitations such as the limitation of the moving speed during traveling and the limitation of the minimum amount that can be moved, and the time required for the position adjustment becomes long.

[0038] Therefore, the user manually moves the radiation source unit 20 and the detection unit 30 to perform the position adjustment. In this case, in order to facilitate the position adjustment, it is required to move the radiation source unit 20 and the detection unit 30 only in one direction. For example, with the position of the radiation source unit 20 in the left-right direction (the direction along the X direction shown in FIG. 1) with respect to the detection unit 30 determined, it is required to adjust the position in the front-rear direction (the direction along the Y direction shown in FIG. 1). On the other hand, the radiation source unit 20 and the detection unit 30 also need to be able to move freely in various directions to facilitate movement in situations other than the position adjustment.

[0039] Therefore, the X-ray source unit 20 and the detection unit 30 according to this embodiment are provided with a wheel unit 40. In the following description, the wheel unit 40 provided on the base portion 28 of the X-ray source unit 20 will be taken as an example for explanation, but the wheel unit 40 provided on the base portion 38 of the detection unit 30 has the same configuration. Also, in the following description, when the X-ray source unit 20 and the detection unit 30 are not distinguished, they may be simply referred to as "each unit".

[0040] As an example, as shown in FIG. 2, a wheel unit 40 is provided on the base portion 28. Specifically, the wheel unit 40 is attached to the lower surface 29 of the base portion 28. In the example shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of wheel units 40 are provided. The wheel units 40 are provided one by one at both ends in the front-rear direction of the base portion 28, and further provided one by one at both ends in the left-right direction of the base portion 28.

[0041] Specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 2, four wheel units 40A to 40D are provided. The base portion 28 has an octagonal outer frame when viewed from below, and the wheel unit 40A is provided at a position corresponding to the front side edge 28A of the octagon, and the wheel unit 40B is provided at a position corresponding to the rear side edge 28B. Also, the wheel unit 40C is provided at a position corresponding to the right side edge 28C of the octagon, and the wheel unit 40D is provided at a position corresponding to the left side edge 28D. Hereinafter, when the wheel units 40A to 40D are not distinguished, they may be simply referred to as "wheel unit 40".

[0042] The wheel unit 40 has main wheels 42A and 42B. The main wheels 42A and 42B are wheels for enabling the line source unit 20 to travel. The main wheels 42A and 42B have approximately the same outer diameter. Also, the main wheels 42A and 42B are rotatable about a common rotation axis ML. The main wheels 42A and 42B may be rotatable by receiving power from a power source (not shown) except in the case of manual position adjustment, and the main wheels 42A and 42B rotate simultaneously by receiving power from a power source (not shown). In other words, the main wheels 42A and 42B rotate passively in the case of manual position adjustment by the user. The main wheels 42A and 42B are arranged adjacent to each other along the direction of the rotation axis ML. The upper portions of the main wheels 42A and 42B are accommodated in the housing 41. The main wheels 42A and 42B are an example of the "first wheel" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0043] The wheel unit 40 has auxiliary wheels 44A arranged circumferentially along the rotation direction of the main wheel 42A. Specifically, the main wheel 42A is configured to include the auxiliary wheels 44A, and the auxiliary wheels 44A are attached along the outer periphery of the main wheel 42A. That is, the auxiliary wheels 44A form an outer peripheral surface of the main wheel 42A that can contact the ground. The auxiliary wheels 44A have a spindle shape and are rotatable about a rotation axis SL along the central axis of the spindle shape. The rotation axis SL of the auxiliary wheels 44A is orthogonal to the rotation axis ML of the main wheel 42A. That is, the moving direction due to the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A is orthogonal to the moving direction due to the rotation of the main wheel 42A. Also, the auxiliary wheels 74 rotate passively in the case of manual position adjustment. In the example shown in FIG. 2, three auxiliary wheels 44A are provided and are arranged shifted by 120° each in the circumferential direction of the main wheel 42A. The auxiliary wheels 44A are an example of the "second wheel" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0044] The auxiliary wheels 44A are formed of a material having a friction coefficient capable of suppressing the movement due to the rotation of the main wheel 42A in a state where the rotation of the main wheel 42A is restricted by the brake mechanism 46. The auxiliary wheels 44A are formed of, for example, a synthetic resin material (for example, rubber).

[0045] Also in the main wheel 42B, an auxiliary wheel 44B is provided in the same manner as the auxiliary wheel 44A in the main wheel 42A. However, the circumferential arrangement of the auxiliary wheel 44B in the main wheel 42B is shifted by 60° with respect to the rotation axis ML from the circumferential arrangement of the auxiliary wheel 44A in the main wheel 42A. As a result, in a region where there is no groundable surface in the main wheel 42A (i.e., a region where the auxiliary wheel 44A is not provided), the auxiliary wheel 44B of the main wheel 42B comes into contact with the ground. As a result, in the wheel unit 40, either the main wheel 42A or the main wheel 42B comes into contact with the ground, so that stable movement by the wheel unit 40 is realized.

[0046] The main wheels 42A and 42B are, for example, so-called omni wheels (registered trademark). Here, an example of an omni wheel having three auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B is given, but this is merely an example. For example, it may have three or more auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B. Also, a configuration example in which a pair of main wheels 42A and 42B are provided in one wheel unit 40 is described, but this is merely an example, and one main wheel may be provided in one wheel unit 40. In this case, by increasing the number of auxiliary wheels provided on the main wheel (for example, to 30) and widening the contact area, the movement due to the rotation of the main wheel becomes stable.

[0047] In the wheel units 40A and 40B, the rotation axes ML of the pair of main wheels 42A and 42B are in the same direction. That is, in the wheel units 40A and 40B, the moving directions due to the rotation of the pair of main wheels 42A and 42B are the same. Here, in the wheel units 40A and 40B, the rotation axis ML is along the front-rear direction (the direction along the Y direction shown in FIG. 2), and the movable direction is the left-right direction (the direction along the X direction shown in FIG. 2). The wheel units 40A and 40B are an example of the "first wheel unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0048] On the other hand, also in the wheel units 40C and 40D, the rotation axes ML of the pair of main wheels 42A and 42B are in the same direction. That is, in the wheel units 40C and 40D, the moving directions due to the rotation of the pair of main wheels 42A and 42B are the same. Here, in the wheel units 40C and 40D, the rotation axis ML is along the left - right direction (the direction along the X - direction shown in FIG. 2), and the movable direction is the front - rear direction (the direction along the Y - direction shown in FIG. 2). The wheel units 40C and 40D are an example of the "second wheel unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0049] Thus, the plurality of wheel units 40 include the wheel units 40A and 40B in which the movable direction due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is the left - right direction. Also, the plurality of wheel units 40 include the wheel units 40C and 40D in which the movable direction due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is the front - rear direction orthogonal to the left - right direction. Also, the number of wheel units 40 in which the movable direction due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is the left - right direction is the same as the number of wheel units 40 in which the movable direction due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is the front - rear direction. In a state where it is not braked by the brake mechanism 46, the line source unit 20 is movable in the front - rear direction and the left - right direction by the plurality of wheel units 40.

[0050] The base portion 28 is provided with a brake mechanism 46. The brake mechanism 46 is a mechanism capable of restricting the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B of the wheel unit 40. The brake mechanism 46 is not particularly limited, and a general wheel braking mechanism can be adopted. In the example shown in FIG. 2, a brake mechanism 46 is provided for each of the plurality of wheel units 40. The brake mechanism 46 is an example of the "brake mechanism" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0051] As described above, when adjusting the position of the radiation source unit 20, first, a rough position of the radiation source unit 20 is set. Then, the brake mechanism 46 of the radiation source unit 20 is activated to restrict the movement of the radiation source unit 20. From this state, the user manually moves the radiation source unit 20 only in a predetermined direction to perform the position adjustment. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3 as an example, the operation unit 25 is configured to accept an operation for setting the moving direction of the radiation source unit 20 by the wheel unit 40 in a predetermined direction. Specifically, the operation unit 25 is configured to accept an operation for setting the movable direction of the radiation source unit 20 in either the left-right direction or the front-back direction.

[0052] In the example shown in FIG. 3, the left-right movement button 25A provided on the operation unit 25 is pressed by the finger F of the user. Thereby, an operation for setting the moving direction of the radiation source unit 20 in the left-right direction (the direction along the X direction shown in FIG. 3) is accepted.

[0053] Here, an example in which the left-right movement button 25A is pressed on the operation unit 25 has been described, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, when the operation unit 25 is a touch panel, the left-right movement button 25A may be a soft button displayed on the screen.

[0054] The operation unit 25 may include a display 25C capable of displaying information regarding the position of the radiation source unit 20. On the display 25C, the SID is displayed, or the angle of the radiation source unit 20 with respect to the detection unit 30 is displayed.

[0055] Then, in response to an operation on the operation unit 25, the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is restricted by the brake mechanism 46. Here, since an operation for setting the moving direction of the radiation source unit 20 to the left - right direction is received, the movement of the wheel unit 40 in the front - rear direction is restricted by the brake mechanism 46. Specifically, the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B in the wheel units 40C and 40D is restricted by the brake mechanism 46. On the other hand, in the wheel units 40A and 40B where the moving direction due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is the left - right direction, the restriction by the brake mechanism 46 is released.

[0056] After the state of the restriction of the wheel unit 40 by the brake mechanism 46 is changed according to the operation on the operation unit 25, the user manually moves the radiation source unit 20. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the radiation source unit 20 is moved in the left - right direction by the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B in each of the wheel units 40A and 40B. Also, in the wheel units 40C and 40D, the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is restricted by the brake mechanism 46.

[0057] Here, in the wheel units 40C and 40D, the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B is not restricted. Furthermore, the moving direction due to the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B in the wheel units 40C and 40D is the left - right direction. Therefore, the radiation source unit 20 can be moved in the left - right direction not only by the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B in the wheel units 40A and 40B but also by the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B in the wheel units 40C and 40D.

[0058] Also, the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B are formed of a material having a friction coefficient capable of restricting the movement in the front - rear direction. That is, in the wheel units 40C and 40D, the movement in the front - rear direction is also restricted by the contact between the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B and the floor surface.

[0059] In this way, in the wheel units 40C and 40D where the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is restricted, the movement in the left - right direction is realized by the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B. The user adjusts the position of the radiation source unit 20 in the left - right direction.

[0060] Next, the user adjusts the longitudinal position of the radiation source unit 20. As shown in FIG. 4 as an example, the forward and backward movement button 25B provided on the operation unit 25 is being pressed by the finger F of the user. Thereby, an operation for setting the moving direction of the radiation source unit 20 to the longitudinal direction (the direction along the Y direction shown in FIG. 3) is accepted.

[0061] Since an operation for setting the moving direction of the radiation source unit 20 to the longitudinal direction is accepted, the lateral movement of the wheel unit 40 is restricted by the brake mechanism 46. Specifically, the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B in the wheel units 40A and 40B is restricted by the brake mechanism 46. On the other hand, in the wheel units 40C and 40D whose moving direction due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is the lateral direction, the restriction by the brake mechanism 46 is released.

[0062] After the restriction state of the wheel unit 40 by the brake mechanism 46 is changed according to the operation on the operation unit 25, the user manually moves the radiation source unit 20. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the radiation source unit 20 is moved in the longitudinal direction by the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B in each of the wheel units 40C and 40D. Also, in the wheel units 40A and 40B, the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is restricted by the brake mechanism 46.

[0063] Here, in the wheel units 40A and 40B, the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B is not restricted. Further, the moving direction due to the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B in the wheel units 40A and 40B is the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the radiation source unit 20 can be moved in the longitudinal direction not only by the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B in the wheel units 40A and 40B but also by the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B in the wheel units 40A and 40B.

[0064] Also, the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B are formed of a material having a friction coefficient capable of restricting lateral movement. That is, in the wheel units 40A and 40B, the lateral movement is also restricted by the contact between the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B and the floor surface.

[0065] Thus, in the wheel units 40A and 40B in which the rotations of the main wheels 42A and 42B are restricted, the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B enables the movement in the front-rear direction. The user adjusts the position of the radiation source unit 20 in the front-rear direction.

[0066] Thus, in response to the operation on the operation unit 25, the restriction of the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B by the brake mechanism 46 in the wheel units 40A and 40B and the restriction of the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B by the brake mechanism 46 in the wheel units 40C and 40D are selectively switched. Thereby, the movable direction of the radiation source unit 20 is switched to the left-right direction or the front-rear direction.

[0067] Here, the manual position adjustment by the user for the radiation source unit 20 has been described. However, it goes without saying that the detection unit 30 may be similarly adjusted in position. Further, an example has been described in which the front-rear position adjustment is performed after the left-right position adjustment. However, the order may be reversed, or the position adjustment may be performed a plurality of times. Also, only either the left-right position adjustment or the front-rear position adjustment may be performed. Further, the manual position adjustment includes not only the complete manual operation by the user but also the manual position adjustment in a state where the wheel unit 40 receives the assist of the driving force from the drive source.

[0068] As described above, in the radiation source unit 20 according to the present embodiment, the wheel unit 40 is provided on the base portion 28. The wheel unit 40 has main wheels 42A and 42B. Further, the wheel unit 40 includes auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B that are arranged circumferentially along the rotation directions of the main wheels 42A and 42B. The moving direction due to the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B is orthogonal to the moving direction due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B. Further, a brake mechanism 46 capable of restricting the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is provided on the base portion 28 of the radiation source unit 20. Furthermore, an operation unit 25 is provided on the main body portion 22 of the radiation source unit 20. The operation unit 25 is capable of receiving an operation for setting the moving direction by the wheel unit 40 to a predetermined direction.

[0069] In the radiographic system 10, each unit may be manually adjusted in position. In this case, by making each unit movable only in one direction and not movable in other directions, manual position adjustment becomes easier. For example, the case of adjusting only the distance between the detection unit 30 of the radiation source unit 20 and the like can be cited. In this configuration, when the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B of the wheel units 40A and 40B is restricted by, for example, the brake mechanism 46 in response to an operation on the operation unit 25, the movement in the left - right direction is restricted. In this case, the movement in the front - rear direction is enabled by the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B of the wheel units 40C and 40D. Also, the movement in the front - rear direction is enabled by the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B in the wheel units 40A and 40B. Thereby, since the movable direction of the radiation source unit 20 is limited to only one direction (here, only the front - rear direction), the manual position adjustment of the radiation source unit 20 becomes easier.

[0070] Also, in the radiation source unit 20 according to the present embodiment, a plurality of wheel units 40A to 40D are provided. The wheel units 40A and 40B are arranged such that the moving direction due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is in the left - right direction. Also, the wheel units 40C and 40D are arranged such that the moving direction due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is in the front - rear direction. Thereby, it is realized that the radiation source unit 20 moves stably in both the left - right direction and the front - rear direction. For example, compared with the case where all the wheel units 40 are attached in the same direction, the movement due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is performed in both the left - right direction and the front - rear direction. Therefore, the movement of the radiation source unit 20 is stabilized in both directions.

[0071] Also, in the line source unit 20 according to the present embodiment, the operation unit 25 is capable of receiving an operation for setting the movable direction of the line source unit 20 to the front-rear direction or the left-right direction. Then, in response to an operation on the operation unit 25, the restriction of the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B by the brake mechanism 46 in the wheel units 40A and 40B and the restriction of the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B by the brake mechanism 46 in the wheel units 40C and 40D are selectively switched. Thereby, it is realized that the movable direction of the line source unit 20 can be easily switched by an operation on the operation unit 25.

[0072] Also, in the line source unit 20 according to the present embodiment, two of the wheel units 40A and 40B and two of the wheel units 40C and 40D are provided. That is, the number of the wheel units 40 in which the movement due to the rotation direction of the main wheels 42A and 42B is in the front-rear direction is the same as the number of the wheel units 40 in which the movement due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is in the left-right direction. Thereby, the rolling resistance in each of the two moving directions becomes approximately the same, so that the force required for manual movement can be made approximately the same and the position adjustment becomes easy.

[0073] Also, in the line source unit 20 according to the present embodiment, the wheel units 40A and 40B and the wheel units 40C and 40D are provided. Thereby, in each of the two moving directions (here, the front-rear direction and the left-right direction), it is possible to move stably with the two wheel units 40. For example, if it is possible to move only with one wheel unit 40 in any of the two moving directions (for example, the front-rear direction), there is a risk that the movement becomes unstable in that direction. In this configuration, since the line source unit 20 can be moved while being supported by the two wheel units 40 in each of the two moving directions, the manual position adjustment becomes easy.

[0074] Also, in the line source unit 20 according to the present embodiment, the moving direction due to the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B is orthogonal to the moving direction due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B. Thereby, since the main wheels 42A and 42B of the wheel unit 40 are omni-wheels, it is realized that the manual movement can be stably performed in two orthogonal directions (for example, the left-right direction and the front-rear direction).

[0075] Also, in the X-ray source unit 20 according to the present embodiment, the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B are formed of a material having a friction coefficient capable of restricting movement in the moving direction due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B in the wheel unit 40 in which the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is restricted by the braking mechanism 46. Thereby, not only the braking by the braking mechanism 46 but also the frictional force between the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B and the floor surface restricts the movement in the direction unintended by the user in the case of manual movement.

[0076] In the above first embodiment, a form example in which the operation unit 25 is an operation panel is shown, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the operation unit 25 may be a brake release lever provided on a handle for moving each unit. In this case, a lever for releasing the restriction of the movement in the front-rear direction and a lever for releasing the restriction of the movement in the left-right direction are provided. And by operating these release levers, the movable direction of the X-ray source unit is selectively switched.

[0077] (First Modification Example) In the above first embodiment, a form example in which four wheel units 40A to 40D are provided has been described, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. The number and arrangement of the wheel units 40 are not particularly limited. As an example, in FIG. 5 As shown, the two wheel parts 40 and the ball caster 50 may be provided on the base part 28. In this case, the two wheel parts 40 are arranged such that the rotation axes of the main wheels 42A and 42B are orthogonal. Also, the two wheel parts 40 and the ball caster 50 are arranged at the positions of the vertices of a virtual triangle formed within the frame of the base part 28 when the base part 28 is viewed from below.

[0078] Also, as an example, in FIG. 5 As shown, a mode in which the four wheel parts 40 and the ball caster 50 are provided on the base part 28 may be adopted. When viewed from below, the four wheel parts 40 and the ball caster 50 are arranged at the positions of the vertices of a virtual pentagon formed within the frame of the base part 28. In this case, each of the four wheel parts 40 is arranged such that the rotation axes of the main wheels 42A and 42B of the wheel parts 40 located at adjacent vertices are orthogonal to each other.

[0079] Also, as an example, in FIG. 5 <c>As shown, six wheel parts 40 may be provided on the base part 28. When the six wheel parts 40 are viewed from below the base part 28, they are arranged at the positions of the vertices of a virtual hexagon formed within the frame of the base part 28. In this case, each of the six wheel parts 40 is arranged such that the rotation axes of the main wheels 42A and 42B of the wheel parts 40 located at adjacent vertices are orthogonal to each other.

[0080] In addition, in this modified example, a form example in which the ball caster 50 is used has been described, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. Any wheel that has no restriction on the direction of movement may be used, for example, a caster may be used.

[0081] <Second Embodiment> In the above first embodiment, a form example in which the wheel parts 40A and 40B and the wheel parts 40C and 40D are arranged such that the rotation axes ML are orthogonal to each other has been described, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. In the second embodiment, the moving directions due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B of the wheel parts 40A to 40D are arranged to be the same direction.

[0082] As an example, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of wheel parts 40 are provided on the base part 28. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the base part 28 has a rectangular outer frame, and each of the four wheel parts 40A to 40D is provided at the four corners of the outer frame of the base part 28. The moving directions due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B of the four wheel parts 40A to 40D are the same direction. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the moving directions due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B of the four wheel parts 40A to 40D are all in the front-rear direction (the direction along the Y direction shown in FIG. 6). In other words, in the wheel parts 40A to 40D, the rotation axes ML of the main wheels 42A and 42B are all along the left-right direction (the direction along the X direction shown in FIG. 6).

[0083] When the position of the radiation source unit 20 is adjusted, first, an operation is performed on the operation unit 25, and the movement of the wheel units 40A to 40D is restricted by the brake mechanism 46. Then, after the restriction state of the wheel unit 40 by the brake mechanism 46 is changed according to the operation on the operation unit 25, the user manually moves the radiation source unit 20. That is, the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B of the wheel units 40A to 40D is restricted by the brake mechanism 46. Thereby, the movement of the wheel units 40A to 40D in the front-rear direction is restricted.

[0084] Here, in the wheel units 40A to 40D, the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B is not restricted. Further, the moving direction by the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B of the wheel units 40A to 40D is the left-right direction. Therefore, the radiation source unit 20 is made movable in the left-right direction by the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B of the wheel units 40A to 40D. In this way, in the wheel units 40A to 40D in which the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B by the brake mechanism 46 is restricted, the movement in the left-right direction by the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B is made possible. The user manually adjusts the position of the radiation source unit 20 in the left-right direction.

[0085] Note that here, an example has been described in which the moving directions by the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B of the four wheel units 40A to 40D are all in the front-rear direction (the direction along the Y direction shown in FIG. 6), but this is merely an example. Of course, the moving directions by the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B of the four wheel units 40A to 40D may all be in the left-right direction.

[0086] As an example, as shown in FIG. 7, the arm 24 can be displaced to move the radiation irradiation unit 26 relative to the subject A. The arm 24 can be expanded and contracted in the horizontal direction. Thereby, the radiation irradiation unit 26 can be moved relative to the subject A via the arm 24. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the arm 24 can be expanded and contracted along the front-rear direction (the direction along the Y direction shown in FIG. 7) of the radiation source unit 20.

[0087] In the X-ray source unit 20, the arm 24 is configured to be movable in a direction (here, the front-rear direction) intersecting the movable direction of the X-ray source unit 20. More specifically, in the wheel unit 40 of the X-ray source unit 20, since the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B is restricted by the brake mechanism 46, the moving direction of the X-ray source unit 20 is only the left-right direction. Here, after manually adjusting the position in the left-right direction, it is necessary to adjust the position of the radiation irradiation unit 26 in the front-rear direction. In this case, in the X-ray source unit 20 according to the present embodiment, the position of the radiation irradiation unit 26 in the front-rear direction is adjusted by expanding and contracting the arm 24 in the front-rear direction. Of course, after the position adjustment by the arm 24, the X-ray source unit 20 may be moved.

[0088] Also, as an example, as shown in FIG. 8, in the radiographic system 10 according to the present embodiment, the X-ray source unit 20 may be used together with the supine table 60. In this case, the radiographic system 10 includes the X-ray source unit 20 and the supine table 60. The supine table 60 is a table on which the subject A can be placed. With the subject A placed on the supine table 60, the subject A is irradiated with radiation, and radiography is performed. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the radiation irradiation unit 26 irradiates radiation downward.

[0089] The supine table 60 includes a placement portion 62 and leg portions 64. The placement portion 62 is a flat plate-shaped portion for placing the subject A. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the placement portion 62 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with the front-rear direction as the longitudinal direction. The placement portion 62 has a placement surface 62A on which the subject A is placed on the upper side. That is, the placement surface 62A has a rectangular parallelepiped shape in plan view. The supine table 60 is, for example, a dedicated bed for radiography. A radiation detector (not shown) is provided on the supine table 60.

[0090] Further, legs 64 are provided on the lower surface of the placement portion 62. The legs 64 are members that support the placement portion 62. The placement portion 62 is set to a predetermined height from the floor surface by the legs 64. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the legs 64 are provided at both ends in the front-rear direction of the placement portion 62, respectively. Wheels 64A are provided on each of the pair of legs 64. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the wheels 64A are provided one by one at both ends in the left-right direction of the legs 64. The wheels 64A enable the lying table 60 to be movable. Note that the lying table 60 may be in a state where it does not have the wheels 64A and is fixed to the floor surface.

[0091] The arm 24 is capable of expanding and contracting in the vertical direction. Further, the arm 24 is also capable of expanding and contracting in the horizontal direction. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the arm 24 is capable of expanding and contracting along the front-rear direction of the radiation source unit 20 (the direction along the Y direction shown in FIG. 8). Specifically, the horizontal portion 24B of the arm 24 is capable of expanding and contracting along the front-rear direction with respect to the vertical portion 24A.

[0092] Thereby, in the radiation source unit 20, the arm 24 enables the radiation irradiation unit 26 to move in a direction orthogonal to the movable direction of the radiation source unit 20 (here, the front-rear direction). In the radiation source unit 20 according to the present embodiment, the position of the radiation irradiation unit 26 in the front-rear direction is adjusted by expanding and contracting the arm 24 in the front-rear direction.

[0093] As described above, in the linear source unit 20 according to the present embodiment, the wheel units 40A to 40D are arranged in such a manner that the moving directions due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B are the same. As a result, in the moving direction of the linear source unit 20, the linear source unit 20 can be moved while being supported by the plurality of wheel units 40, so that manual movement is stabilized. Also, in the direction orthogonal to the moving direction due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B, the movement is enabled by the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B. As a result, the movement due to the rotation of the wheel units 40A to 40D is restricted by the brake mechanism 46, and the movement can be achieved by the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 44A and 44B. As a result, the moving direction of the linear source unit 20 is limited to only one direction, and the manual position adjustment becomes easy.

[0094] Also, in the linear source unit 20 according to the present embodiment, an arm 24 that supports the radiation irradiation unit 26 is provided. The arm 24 enables the radiation irradiation unit 26 to move in a direction (for example, the front-rear direction) that intersects the moving direction (for example, the left-right direction) of the linear source unit 20. Specifically, the arm 24 can be extended and contracted in the front-rear direction. As a result, the position adjustment of the radiation irradiation unit 26 in the direction in which the linear source unit 20 cannot move is realized.

[0095] (Second Modified Example) In the above first embodiment, the form example in which the four wheel units 40A to 40D are provided has been described, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. The number and arrangement of the wheel units 40 are not particularly limited. As an example, in FIG. 9< / c> As shown, a mode in which two wheel portions 40 and a ball caster 50 are provided on the base portion 28 may be adopted. In this case, the two wheel portions 40 are arranged in such a manner that the moving directions are the same due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B. Further, the two wheel portions 40 and the ball caster 50 are arranged at the positions of the vertices of a virtual triangle formed within the frame of the base portion 28 when the base portion 28 is viewed from below.

[0096] Also, as an example, in FIG. 9 As shown, two wheel parts 40 and three ball casters 50 may be provided on the base part 28. In this case, the two wheel parts 40 are arranged in such a manner that the moving directions are the same due to the rotation of the main wheels 42A and 42B. The two wheel parts 40 and the three ball casters 50 are arranged at the positions of the vertices of a virtual pentagon formed within the frame of the base part 28 when viewed from below the base part 28. Note that the arrangement order of the wheel part 40 and the ball caster 50 is not particularly limited.

[0097] Also, as an example, in FIG. 9 <c>As shown, a mode in which two wheel parts 40 and four ball casters 50 are provided on the base part 28 may be adopted. When viewed from below, the two wheel parts 40 and the four ball casters 50 are arranged at the positions of the vertices of a virtual hexagon formed within the frame of the base part 28. Note that the arrangement order of the wheel parts 40 and the ball casters 50 is not particularly limited.

[0098] <Third Embodiment> In the above first embodiment, a morphological example in which omni-holes are used as the main wheels 42A and 42B in the wheel part 40 has been described, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In the third embodiment, mecanum wheels are used as the main wheels 72 in the wheel part 70.

[0099] As an example, as shown in FIG. 10, a wheel part 70 is provided on the base part 28. In the example shown in FIG. 10, a plurality of wheel parts 70 are provided. Specifically, four wheel parts 70A to 70D are provided. The base part 28 has a rectangular outer frame when viewed from below, and the wheel parts 70A to 70D are respectively provided at the four corners of the rectangle. That is, the wheel part 70A is provided at the right front corner of the rectangular base part 28, and the wheel part 70B is provided at the left front corner. Also, the wheel part 70C is provided at the right rear corner, and the wheel part 70D is provided at the left rear corner. Hereinafter, when the wheel parts 70A to 70D are not distinguished, they are simply referred to as "wheel part 70".

[0100] The wheel part 70 has a main wheel 72. The main wheel 72 is a wheel for enabling the linear source unit 20 to travel. The main wheel 72 is rotatable about the rotation axis ML. The main wheel 72 may be rotatable by receiving power from a power source (not shown) except in the case of manual position adjustment.

[0101] The wheel unit 70 has auxiliary wheels 74 arranged circumferentially along the rotation direction of the main wheel 72. Specifically, the main wheel 72 is configured to include the auxiliary wheels 74, and the auxiliary wheels 74 are attached along the outer periphery of the main wheel 72. That is, the auxiliary wheels 74 form the ground-contactable outer peripheral surface of the main wheel 72. The auxiliary wheel 74 has a spindle shape and is rotatable about a rotation axis SL along the central axis of the spindle shape. The rotation axis SL of the auxiliary wheel 74 is inclined at a predetermined angle (for example, 45°) with respect to the rotation axis ML of the main wheel 42A. That is, the moving direction due to the rotation of the auxiliary wheel 74 is inclined with respect to the moving direction due to the rotation of the main wheel 42A. In the example shown in FIG. 10, ten auxiliary wheels 74 are provided.

[0102] The auxiliary wheel 74 is formed of a material having a friction coefficient capable of suppressing the movement due to the rotation of the main wheel 72 in a state where the rotation of the main wheel 72 is restricted by the brake mechanism 46. The auxiliary wheel 74 is formed of, for example, a synthetic resin material.

[0103] The main wheel 72 is, for example, a so-called mecanum wheel (registered trademark). Here, an example of a mecanum wheel having ten auxiliary wheels 74 is given, but this is merely an example. For example, it may have less than ten or more than eleven auxiliary wheels 74.

[0104] In the wheel units 70A and 70D, the inclination directions of the rotation axes SL of the auxiliary wheels 74 with respect to the rotation axis ML of the main wheel 72 are the same. Also, in the wheel units 70B and 70C, the inclination directions of the rotation axes SL of the auxiliary wheels 74 with respect to the rotation axis ML of the main wheel 72 are the same. Furthermore, the inclination direction of the auxiliary wheels 74 in the wheel units 70A and 70D is opposite to the inclination direction of the auxiliary wheels 74 in the wheel units 70B and 70C.

[0105] The base portion 28 is provided with a brake mechanism 76. The brake mechanism 76 is a mechanism capable of restricting the rotation of the main wheel 72 of the wheel portion 70. The brake mechanism 76 is not particularly limited, and a general wheel braking mechanism may be adopted. In the example shown in FIG. 10, a brake mechanism 76 is provided for each of the plurality of wheel portions 70.

[0106] In a state where the brake mechanism 76 is not braking, the radiation source unit 20 is movable in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction by the plurality of wheel portions 70. For example, when manually moved by the user, the radiation source unit 20 is movable in the front-rear direction by the plurality of wheel portions 70. Also, for example, by receiving power from a power source (not shown), in all of the wheel portions 70A to 70D, the main wheels 72 rotate in the same rotational direction, thereby realizing movement in the front-rear direction. Further, in the wheel portions 70A and 70D, the main wheels 72 rotate in the same rotational direction as each other, and in the wheel portions 70B and 70C, the main wheels 72 rotate in the same rotational direction as each other and in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the wheel portions 70A and 70D, thereby realizing movement in the left-right direction.

[0107] Then, in response to an operation on the operation unit 25, the rotation of the main wheel 72 is restricted by the brake mechanism 76. The operation unit 25 is capable of receiving an operation for setting the movable direction of the radiation source unit 20 to either the left diagonal direction or the right diagonal direction. In the case of movement in the left diagonal direction, the rotation of the main wheels 72 in the wheel portions 70B and 70C is restricted by the brake mechanism 76. On the other hand, in the wheel portions 70A and 70D, the restriction by the brake mechanism 76 is released.

[0108] Also, in the case of movement in the right diagonal direction, the rotation of the main wheels 72 in the wheel portions 70A and 70D is restricted by the brake mechanism 76. On the other hand, in the wheel portions 70B and 70C, the restriction by the brake mechanism 76 is released.

[0109] After the braking state of the wheel unit 70 by the brake mechanism 76 is changed according to the operation on the operation unit 25, the user manually moves the radiation source unit 20 only in a predetermined direction to perform position adjustment. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the radiation source unit 20 is moved along the left diagonal direction (i.e., the direction inclined to the left with respect to the front-rear direction) by the rotation of the main wheels 72 and the auxiliary wheels 74 in each of the wheel units 70A and 70D. On the other hand, in the wheel units 70B and 70C, the rotation of the main wheels 72 is restricted by the brake mechanism 76. In this case, in the wheel units 70B and 70C, the movement in the left diagonal direction is realized by the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 74. Thus, in the wheel units 70B and 70C in which the rotation of the main wheels 72 is restricted by the brake mechanism 76, the movement in the left diagonal direction is realized by the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 74. The user performs position adjustment of the radiation source unit 20 in the left diagonal direction.

[0110] Also, the auxiliary wheels 72 are formed of a material (e.g., a synthetic resin material such as rubber) having a friction coefficient capable of restricting movement in the right diagonal direction. That is, in the wheel units 70B and 70C, the movement in the right diagonal direction is also restricted by the contact between the auxiliary wheels 74 and the floor surface.

[0111] As described above, in the radiation source unit 20 according to the third embodiment, the moving direction by the rotation of the auxiliary wheels 74 is an inclined direction (e.g., the left diagonal direction) with respect to the moving direction by the rotation of the main wheels 72 (e.g., the front-rear direction). Thereby, since the movable direction of the radiation source unit 20 is limited to only one direction (here, only the left diagonal direction), the manual position adjustment for the radiation source unit 20 becomes easy.

[0112] <Fourth Embodiment> In the first embodiment described above, the form example in which the operation unit 25 is provided in the main body unit 22 of the radiation source unit 20 has been described, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In the fourth embodiment, the operation unit 27 is provided in the radiation irradiation unit 26.

[0113] As an example, as shown in FIG. 11, an operation unit 27 is provided in the radiation irradiation unit 26. The operation unit 27 has the same configuration as the operation unit 25 provided in the main body unit 22. The operation unit 27 is capable of receiving an operation for setting the moving direction of the radiation source unit 20 by the wheel unit 40 in a predetermined direction. Specifically, the operation unit 25 is capable of receiving an operation for setting the movable direction of the radiation source unit 20 in either the left-right direction or the front-back direction. In the example shown in FIG. 11, the operation unit 25 is an operation panel provided on the left side surface of the radiation irradiation unit 26.

[0114] The operation unit 27 is provided with a forward-backward movement button 27A. The forward-backward movement button 27A receives an operation for setting the moving direction of the radiation source unit 20 in the front-back direction (the direction along the Y direction shown in FIG. 11). When the forward-backward movement button 27A is pressed, the restriction state of the wheel unit 40 by the brake mechanism 46 is changed, and the moving direction by the wheel unit 40 is limited to the front-back direction.

[0115] Incidentally, in the case of upright position imaging performed on the subject A in a standing state as shown in FIG. 11, the radiation irradiation direction is the horizontal direction. Therefore, the radiation irradiation unit 26 is set in a direction in which the radiation irradiation direction is horizontal. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12, when the radiation source unit 20 is used together with the supine table 60 (that is, in the case of supine position imaging), the radiation irradiation direction is along the vertical direction. Therefore, the radiation irradiation unit 26 is set in a direction in which the radiation irradiation direction is downward. Since it is necessary to switch the radiation irradiation direction by 90° between upright position imaging and supine position imaging in this way, the radiation irradiation unit 26 is rotated by 90° with the axis along the left-right direction as the rotation axis R.

[0116] The forward and backward movement button 27A provided on the operation unit 27 is capable of indicating the movable direction of the radiation source unit 20. Specifically, the forward and backward movement button 27A is a button with a liquid crystal display function. The movable direction of the radiation source unit 20 is displayed as double arrows on the forward and backward movement button 27A. In the example shown in FIG. 11, double arrows along the left-right direction as viewed from the front side of the paper surface are displayed on the liquid crystal screen of the forward and backward movement button 27A. The forward and backward movement button 27A is an example of the "display unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0117] And as described above, the radiation irradiation unit 26 is rotated as the imaging method is changed. For this reason, the operation unit 25 also rotates as it rotates and moves. For example, when the operation unit 25 is provided on a side surface (here, the left side surface of the radiation irradiation unit 26) with the direction along the rotation axis R as the normal direction, as the operation unit 25 rotates and moves, the movable direction (for example, double arrows indicating the moving direction) displayed on the operation unit 25 also rotates. In this case, if the display of the movable direction remains the same after rotation, depending on the displayed moving direction, the user may erroneously recognize the movable direction. For example, rotate the double arrows displayed on the forward and backward movement button 27A shown in FIG. 11 counterclockwise as viewed from the front side of the paper surface. As a result, the double arrows along the left-right direction become double arrows along the up-down direction. For this reason, the user may misrecognize the forward and backward movement button 27A as a button for receiving an operation to move it in the up-down direction.

[0118] Therefore, the display on the forward / backward movement button 27A is switched according to the radiation irradiation direction in the radiation irradiation unit 26. For example, an angle sensor provided in the radiation irradiation unit 26 detects the radiation irradiation direction, and based on the detection result, the display on the operation unit 25 is switched. In the example shown in FIG. 12, double-headed arrows along the left-right direction as viewed from the front side of the paper surface are displayed on the liquid crystal screen of the forward / backward movement button 27A. That is, even after the radiation irradiation unit 26 is rotated, the movement direction indicated by the forward / backward movement button 27A is consistent with the movable direction of the radiation source unit 20. In this way, the display on the forward / backward movement button 27A is switched according to the radiation irradiation direction in the radiation irradiation unit 26. Then, the user recognizes the display content of the forward / backward movement button 27A and presses the forward / backward movement button 27A. Further, the user manually adjusts the position of the radiation source unit 20 in the front-rear direction.

[0119] As described above, in the radiation source unit 20 according to the present embodiment, the operation unit 27 is provided in the radiation irradiation unit 26. Thereby, when manually adjusting the position of the radiation source unit 20 while gripping a part (for example, the gripping part 26B) of the radiation irradiation unit 26, since the positions of the gripping position and the operation unit 27 are close, the operation on the operation unit 27 becomes easier.

[0120] Also, in the radiation source unit 20 according to the present embodiment, the operation unit 27 has a forward / backward movement button 27A indicating the movable direction of the radiation source unit 20. And the display of the movement direction on the forward / backward movement button 27A is switched according to the radiation irradiation direction in the radiation irradiation unit 26. Thereby, even when the radiation irradiation direction is changed according to the radiation imaging method, the movable direction in which the radiation source unit 20 can be manually moved becomes easy to understand.

[0121] In the above-described fourth embodiment, a form example in which the forward / backward movement button 27A is a button with a liquid crystal display function has been described, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, when the operation unit 27 is a touch panel, the display of the soft button indicating the forward / backward movement button 27A may be switched according to the radiation irradiation direction.

[0122] In addition, in each of the above embodiments, a form example in which the lying table 60 is a dedicated bed for radiography has been described. However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. The lying table 60 may be a bed provided in a general ward or a general examination table.

[0123] The description content and the illustrated content shown above are detailed descriptions of the part related to the technology of the present disclosure and are only examples of the technology of the present disclosure. For example, the descriptions regarding the above-described configuration, function, action, and effect are descriptions regarding an example of the configuration, function, action, and effect of the part related to the technology of the present disclosure. Therefore, it goes without saying that within the scope not departing from the gist of the technology of the present disclosure, the description content and the illustrated content shown above may be deleted of unnecessary parts, new elements may be added, or replacements may be made. In addition, in order to avoid complication and facilitate the understanding of the part related to the technology of the present disclosure, in the description content and the illustrated content shown above, descriptions regarding common technical knowledge and the like that do not particularly require explanation for implementing the technology of the present disclosure are omitted.

[0124] In this specification, "A and / or B" is synonymous with "at least one of A and B". That is, "A and / or B" means that it may be only A, only B, or a combination of A and B. Also, in this specification, when three or more matters are connected and expressed by "and / or", the same concept as "A and / or B" is applied.

[0125] All documents, patent applications, and technical standards described in this specification are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard were specifically and individually stated to be incorporated by reference.

[0126] Regarding the above embodiment, the following is further disclosed. <Appendix 1> A first wheel provided at the lower part of the unit and movable in a first direction by rotation, and a second wheel arranged circumferentially along the rotation direction of the first wheel and movable in a second direction different from the first direction by rotation, and a wheel unit having the second wheel; A brake mechanism capable of restricting the rotation of the first wheel; An operation unit that can receive an operation for changing the state of restriction of the wheel unit by the brake mechanism and making the moving direction of the unit by the wheel unit in one direction; When the rotation of the first wheel is restricted by the brake mechanism according to the operation on the operation unit and the movement in the other direction intersecting the one direction is restricted, the rotation of the second wheel enables the movement in the one direction. A radiation imaging unit. <Appendix 2> A plurality of the wheel units are provided; The plurality of wheel units include a first wheel unit that is the wheel unit arranged in the direction in which the first direction is the one direction, and a second wheel unit that is the wheel unit arranged in the direction in which the first direction is the other direction. The radiation imaging unit according to Appendix 1. <Appendix 3> The operation unit can receive an operation for making the movable direction of the radiation imaging unit in either the one direction or the other direction; According to the operation on the operation unit, the restriction of the rotation of the first wheel by the brake mechanism in the first wheel unit and the restriction of the rotation of the first wheel by the brake mechanism in the second wheel unit are selectively switched, so that the movable direction in the one direction or the other direction is switched. The radiation imaging unit according to Appendix 2. <Appendix 4> The number of the first wheel units is the same as the number of the second wheel units; The radiation imaging unit according to Appendix 2 or Appendix 3. <Appendix 5> The plurality of wheel units include two or more of the first wheel units and two or more of the second wheel units. The radiation imaging unit according to any one of Appendices 2 to 4. <Appendix 6> A plurality of the wheel portions are provided. The plurality of wheel portions are arranged in such a manner that the first direction is the same. The radiation imaging unit according to Appendix 1. <Appendix 7> The radiation imaging unit is a radiation source unit including a radiation irradiation unit capable of irradiating radiation and an arm supporting the radiation irradiation unit. The arm is capable of moving the radiation irradiation unit in a direction intersecting the moving direction of the radiation imaging unit. The radiation imaging unit according to Appendix 6. <Appendix 8> In the wheel portion, the second direction is a direction orthogonal to the first direction. The radiation imaging unit according to any one of Appendices 1 to 7. <Appendix 9> The second wheel is formed of a material having a friction coefficient capable of suppressing movement in the other direction in the wheel portion where the rotation of the first wheel is restricted by the braking mechanism. The radiation imaging unit according to Appendix 8. <Appendix 10> In the wheel portion, the second direction is a direction inclined with respect to the first direction. The radiation imaging unit according to any one of Appendices 1 to 7. <Appendix 11> The radiation imaging unit is a radiation source unit including a radiation irradiation unit capable of irradiating radiation. The operation unit is provided on the radiation irradiation unit. The radiation imaging unit according to Appendix 1. <Appendix 12> The operation unit has a display unit indicating the movable direction of the radiation source unit. The display on the display unit is switched according to the irradiation direction of the radiation in the radiation irradiation unit. The radiation imaging unit described in Supplementary Note 11. <Supplementary Note 13> A radiation imaging system including a radiation source unit having a radiation irradiation unit capable of irradiating radiation, and a detection unit having a radiation detection unit capable of detecting the radiation. The radiation source unit and / or the detection unit is the radiation imaging unit described in any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 6. Radiation imaging system.

Explanation of Reference Signs

[0127] 10 Radiation imaging system 20 Radiation source unit 22 Main body 24 Arm 24A Vertical part 24B Horizontal part 25 Operation unit 25A Left - right movement button 25B Forward - backward movement button 25C Display 26 Radiation irradiation unit 26A Radiation source 26B Gripping part 27 Operation unit 27A Forward - backward movement button 28 Base part 28A, 28B, 28C, 28D Sides 29 Bottom surface 30 Detection unit 32 Main body 34 Arm 35 Operation unit 36 Radiation detection unit 36A Radiation detector 38 Base part 40, 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D Wheel parts 41 Housing 42A, 42B Main wheels 44A, 44B Auxiliary wheels 46 Brake mechanism 50 Ball caster 60 Recumbent table 62 Mounting part 62A mounting surface 64 legs 64A wheels 70, 70A, 70B, 70C, 70D wheel parts 72 main wheels 74 auxiliary wheels 76 braking mechanism A subject F finger< / c>

Claims

1. A wheel unit including a first wheel provided at a lower part of the unit and movable in a first direction by rotation, and a second wheel arranged circumferentially along the rotation direction of the first wheel and movable in a second direction different from the first direction by rotation. A braking mechanism capable of restricting rotation of the first wheel. An operation unit capable of receiving an operation for changing a restricted state of the wheel unit by the braking mechanism and for making the moving direction of the unit by the wheel unit in one direction. When rotation of the first wheel is restricted by the braking mechanism according to an operation on the operation unit, and movement in another direction intersecting the one direction is restricted, movement in the one direction is enabled by rotation of the second wheel. A radiation imaging unit.

2. A plurality of the wheel units are provided. The plurality of wheel units include a first wheel unit which is the wheel unit arranged in a direction making the first direction the one direction, and a second wheel unit which is the wheel unit arranged in a direction making the first direction the other direction. The radiation imaging unit according to Claim 1.

3. The operation unit is capable of receiving an operation for making the movable direction of the radiation imaging unit in either the one direction or the other direction. According to an operation on the operation unit, restriction of rotation of the first wheel by the braking mechanism in the first wheel unit and restriction of rotation of the first wheel by the braking mechanism in the second wheel unit are selectively switched, thereby switching the movable direction in the one direction or the other direction. The radiation imaging unit according to Claim 2.

4. The number of the first wheel units is the same as the number of the second wheel units. The radiation imaging unit according to Claim 2.

5. The plurality of wheel units include two or more of the first wheel units and two or more of the second wheel units. The radiation imaging unit according to Claim 2.

6. A plurality of the wheel units are provided. The plurality of wheel units are arranged in such a manner that the first direction is the same. The radiation imaging unit according to Claim 1.

7. The radiation imaging unit is a radiation source unit including a radiation irradiation unit capable of irradiating radiation and an arm supporting the radiation irradiation unit. The arm is capable of moving the radiation irradiation unit in a direction intersecting the moving direction of the radiation imaging unit. The radiation imaging unit according to claim 6.

8. In the wheel portion, the second direction is a direction orthogonal to the first direction. The radiation imaging unit according to claim 1.

9. The second wheel is formed of a material having a friction coefficient capable of suppressing movement in the other direction in the wheel portion where the rotation of the first wheel is restricted by the brake mechanism. The radiation imaging unit according to claim 8.

10. In the wheel portion, the second direction is a direction inclined with respect to the first direction. The radiation imaging unit according to claim 1.

11. The radiation imaging unit is a radiation source unit including a radiation irradiation unit capable of irradiating radiation, and the operation unit is provided in the radiation irradiation unit. The radiation imaging unit according to claim 1.

12. The operation unit has a display unit indicating a direction in which the radiation source unit can move, and the display on the display unit is switched according to the irradiation direction of the radiation in the radiation irradiation unit. The radiation imaging unit according to claim 11.

13. A radiation imaging system including a radiation source unit including a radiation irradiation unit capable of irradiating radiation, and a detection unit including a radiation detection unit capable of detecting the radiation. The radiation source unit and / or the detection unit is the radiation imaging unit according to claim 1. Radiation imaging system.

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