Cassette for radiological inspection device with shock absorbing material

Abstract

To provide a cassette for radiation inspection devices equipped with a shock absorber.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a three-dimensional component 30 intended to work together with a base 12 which is a single-component base 12 including a first principal surface 13 and a second principal surface 14 and demarcated by four side faces 15, 17, and capable of supporting a digital detector 11 and an electronic circuit board on the first principal surface 13, and a housing 20 which is a mechanical protective housing 20, with the base 12, the digital detector 11 and the electronic circuit board 19 intended to be arranged therein, and includes four side faces 25, 27, an upper face 23 and a bottom face 24. The three-dimensional component 30 includes a lower part 31 associated with the base 12 and enclosing, at least partly, the side faces 15, 17 of the base 12, and an upper part 32 extending from the first principal surface 13 of the base 12 to the upper face 23 of the housing 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of imaging. It is applicable to all types of imaging devices, in particular X-ray, visible light, and infrared imaging devices. In this specification, the invention is described in the field of X-ray medical imaging, but this is by way of example and does not exclude any application to other imaging fields. The present invention relates to a cassette for a portable radiological examination device, which is provided with a shock absorbing material, which provides better protection of the cassette from falls, impacts from external objects, localized or distributed compressive forces, and any stress. [Background technology]

[0002] The cassette includes a digital detector of ionizing radiation, which allows for providing an image correlated with the radiation received. The radiological inspection system further includes a source of ionizing radiation, e.g., an X-ray tube, which allows for generating X-rays, and a base station including an image processing system, which allows for synchronizing the X-ray tube and the detector and also allows for performing image processing operations, such as, for example, an edge highlighting operation, in which any defects inherent in the detector are corrected and an improved image is presented to the operator. The object from which an X-ray image is to be acquired is placed between the radiation source and the detector. Such a system can be used in numerous applications, e.g., medical radiological inspection and non-destructive testing. The invention can also be implemented for detecting other types of radiation, in particular gamma rays.

[0003] In the past, radiological inspection systems containing digital sensors or X-ray image intensifiers were bulky and largely immobile. To acquire the desired image, the object had to be positioned relative to the system. With the advent of a new generation of solid-state detectors, detectors have become smaller, allowing them to be moved relative to the object, which remains stationary. In medical radiological inspections, digital detectors are used in the form of portable cassettes that can be placed in close proximity to the patient being imaged when the patient's health condition does not allow them to be transported to a dedicated radiological inspection room. Such detectors currently have similar geometric characteristics to older analog sensors, either cassette or electroluminescent screen type. However, they are much weaker mechanically than older analog sensors and are at greater risk of internal element damage, especially if dropped or subjected to strong impacts.

[0004] The portable cassette essentially comprises a digital detector of ionizing radiation in the form of a flat panel and an electronic circuit board, which serves inter alia to drive the digital detector, the detector and the circuit board being arranged in a housing to ensure their mechanical protection.

[0005] Cassettes used in portable systems are handled more frequently than those used in fixed radiological inspection systems, and their mechanical protection must be strengthened, especially with regard to the shocks that the cassettes may be subjected to during their movement. More specifically, digital detectors are often made from photosensitive components arranged in a matrix on a glass plate, which forms the most sensitive element of the cassette. In addition to shocks that can damage it, this plate is also susceptible to deformation, especially due to torsion.

[0006] Therefore, portable cassettes must offer a compromise between maximum resistance to external attacks and low weight and compactness. Indeed, during handling and throughout their service life, these portable cassettes may be subjected to drops, impacts from external objects, localized or distributed compressive forces, and bending stresses when the patient's weight is applied to an unevenly supported detector. For this reason, the detector's mechanical structure must provide maximum protection for the sensitive elements of the digital detector and the electronic circuit board.

[0007] As a result of shocks, vibrations, or mechanical play inside the cassette, these mechanical stresses induce degradation. This degradation can break the active components of the detector (the photodiode matrix on a glass substrate, possibly encapsulated by a glass cover placed over the scintillator), break or damage the electronic circuit boards or components mounted on these boards, and may cause connectors or flexible ribbon cables that electrically connect the various subassemblies to become disconnected or broken, ultimately resulting in radiographic image disturbances due to vibrations of the flexible connectors (so-called flexible modules) that establish electrical contact between the photodiode matrix and the electronic circuit board. Such degradation can occur quickly during mechanical stress and lead to instantaneous failure. They can also result from wear mechanisms related to friction or repeated small failures over the product's lifetime.

[0008] To protect the delicate components of the cassette, several solutions are currently implemented: the first solution consists in an additional layer incorporated into the external protective film: this solution does not protect the panel from external impacts due to internal movements in case of a drop, and tends to increase the bulk of the product, which is constrained by compliance with three-dimensional standards for radiological inspection equipment.

[0009] Another solution is to add local brackets to the edges of the base. This solution does not protect the module (flexible connector) from vibrations or the risk of tearing. Furthermore, the absorption capacity is very limited due to the small size of these brackets (the bulk is constrained by the standardized size of the detector).

[0010] Finally, reducing mechanical play is also a known practice, however, there is currently no easy solution to reducing mechanical play other than reducing the dimensional tolerances of all the parts, with the attendant impact on the cost of these parts as well as their feasibility and difficulty of assembly.

[0011] All these solutions offer only partial protection against a limited range of mechanical stresses (shocks, vibrations) and are not entirely satisfactory.

[0012] 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the structure of a portable radiological inspection cassette 100 known from the prior art. Conventionally, a portable radiological inspection cassette 100 comprises: a digital detector 111 of ionizing radiation in the form of a flat panel extending in a plane (XY); a base 112 including a first main surface 113 and a second main surface 114 opposite the first main surface 113, the base 112 being defined by four side surfaces 115, 116 (not shown as they are not visible in the cross-sectional view), 117, 118, and supporting a digital detector 111 on the first main surface 113; an electronic circuit board 119 that handles the management of the digital detector 111; a mechanically protective housing 120 in which the base 112, the digital detector 111 and the electronic circuit board 119 are arranged, the housing 120 including four sides, a top surface 123 and a bottom surface 124; Includes.

[0013] The prior art portable radiology cassette 100 also includes two elements 107 positioned inside the housing 120, with each element 107 resting against the side and base of the housing. The two elements 107 act as buffers against shocks in the lateral direction, i.e., in a plane parallel to the base plane (parallel to the plane (XY)). A foam layer 130 is superimposed on the digital detector 111 on an axis Z perpendicular to the plane (XY) and is positioned between the digital detector 111 and the top surface 123 of the housing to insulate the detector from shocks on the axis Z. In other words, prior art radiology cassettes require lateral shock isolation elements and an additional protective layer that absorbs shocks on the axis Z to insulate the digital detector and other sensitive components of the cassette.

[0014] The shock-absorbing element 107, intended to absorb shock, is mounted on the housing, and then the panel (assembly of the base and digital detector) is placed on the housing. This arrangement does not allow for control of the stress-transfer interface between the shock-absorbing element and the panel. The shock-absorbing element is only effective when stress is applied to the edges of the detector, and can therefore be considered as two-dimensional protection. Impacts to the front are only absorbed by the foam layer, which does little to filter shocks and vibrations, transmitting them directly to the workpiece without passing them through the shock-absorbing element. Such a prior art radiological inspection cassette 100 is described, inter alia, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,989,773 B2. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0015] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 7,989,773 B2 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0016] The present invention aims to overcome all or part of the aforementioned problems by proposing a cassette for portable radiological examinations equipped with shock absorbers, which will be protected from occasional or repetitive mechanical stresses that, when used in environmental disturbances, risk irreversibly degrading the product or affecting its performance. The invention makes it possible to increase the inherent mechanical robustness of the cassette by ensuring both the protection of the internal active parts of the detector integrated in the external housing when the detector is dropped or subjected to strong shocks, the protection of sensitive components during image acquisition that cause image defects when subjected to vibrations, and the reduction of internal mechanical play between the housing and the assembly formed by the base and the digital detector. [Means for solving the problem]

[0017] To this end, the subject matter of the invention relates to a portable radiological examination cassette, which comprises: a digital detector of electromagnetic radiation in the form of a flat panel; a base in one piece including a first main surface and a second main surface opposite the first main surface, the base being defined by four side surfaces and supporting a digital detector on the first main surface; - an electronic circuit board that handles the management of the digital detector; a mechanically protective housing in which the base, the digital detector, and the electronic circuit board are disposed, the housing including four sides, a top surface, and a bottom surface; Including, The portable radiology cassette includes at least one three-dimensional part, each of the at least one three-dimensional part associated with at least one of four sides of the base, each three-dimensional part having: a lower portion associated with the base and at least partially surrounding at least one side of the base with which the three-dimensional part is associated; an upper portion extending from the first major surface of the base to the upper surface of the housing; Including, the portable radiological inspection cassette includes a flexible circuit, a bottom portion of at least one of the three-dimensional parts includes at least one recess for storing the flexible circuit, and an upper portion of at least one of the three-dimensional parts includes at least one opening on an axis substantially perpendicular to a side of the base with which the three-dimensional part is associated; The portable radiological inspection cassette includes a comb-like member extending substantially parallel to a first major surface of the base and including a branch that contacts a lower portion of the three-dimensional part, the branch having at least one tooth extending substantially perpendicular to the branch, the at least one tooth configured to cooperate with the three-dimensional part to prevent the branch from moving against the flexible circuit.

[0018] Advantageously, the lower part of at least one of the three-dimensional parts partially surrounds the side of the base adjacent to the side with which the three-dimensional part is associated.

[0019] Advantageously, at least one tooth is inserted into an opening in the top of the three-dimensional part and is configured to prevent the comb from translating in a plane substantially parallel to the base.

[0020] Advantageously, the upper part of at least one of the three-dimensional parts has a terminal end that is complementary in shape to the upper surface of the housing.

[0021] Advantageously, at least one three-dimensional part is made of elastomer, polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomer, polyamide and / or polyester.

[0022] Advantageously, the lower part of the at least one three-dimensional part is glued to the base.

[0023] The present invention also relates to a three-dimensional part, which comprises: a single-piece base including a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface, the base being defined by four side surfaces and capable of supporting a digital detector and an electronic circuit board on the first major surface; a mechanical protective housing into which the base, the digital detector, and the electronic circuit board are disposed, the housing including four sides, a top surface, and a bottom surface; It is intended to work with Three-dimensional parts include: a lower portion associated with the base and at least partially surrounding a side of the base; an upper portion extending from the first major surface of the base to the upper surface of the housing; Includes.

[0024] The invention also relates to a computer program product, said computer program comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to control an additive manufacturing apparatus to manufacture a three-dimensional part according to the invention.

[0025] The present invention also relates to a method for additively manufacturing a three-dimensional part according to the present invention, the method comprising the steps of obtaining an electronic file representing geometric information of a product, the three-dimensional part, and controlling an additive manufacturing device to manufacture the product according to the geometric information specified in the electronic file through one or more additive manufacturing steps.

[0026] The invention will be better understood and other advantages will become apparent on reading the detailed description of embodiments given as examples, the description being illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a prior art radiological examination cassette; [Figure 2] 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a cassette for radiological examination according to the invention; [Figure 3] 1 shows a schematic view of a portion of a portable digital cassette according to the invention without the housing; [Figure 4] 4 shows a schematic enlarged view of the view of the portable digital cassette according to the invention shown in FIG. 3 without the housing; [Figure 5] 1 depicts a three-dimensional part for a portable digital cassette according to the present invention. [Figure 6] 10 shows a schematic view of another embodiment of a portable digital cassette according to the present invention without the housing; [Figure 7] 7 shows a schematic enlarged view of the view of the portable digital cassette according to the invention shown in FIG. 6 without the housing; [Figure 8] 1 shows diagrammatically the steps of a method for producing a three-dimensional part according to the invention by additive manufacturing; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] For the sake of clarity, the drawings are not to scale and like elements in the various drawings are given the same reference numerals.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically a cross-sectional view of a prior art radiological examination cassette 100 already described in the introduction.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a cassette 10 for radiological examination according to the present invention. The portable cassette 10 for radiological examination includes a digital detector 11 of ionizing radiation in the form of a flat panel. The cassette 10 includes a base 12 in a single piece, including a first main surface 13 and a second main surface 14 opposite the first main surface 13, the base 12 being defined by four side surfaces 15, 16, 17, and 18 (side surface 16 is the rear side, not visible in this cross-sectional view, and side surface 18 is the front side, not visible in this cross-sectional view). The base 12 supports the digital detector 11 on the first main surface 13. The base extends in a plane (XY). The digital detector is thus superimposed on the base 12 on an axis Z, perpendicular to the plane (XY). The cassette 10 further includes at least one electronic circuit board 19, which ensures the safe handling of the digital detector 11. The electronic circuit board 19 is typically located on the second major surface 14 of the base, although it can also be located on the first major surface 13 or elsewhere in the cassette 10. Finally, the cassette 10 includes a mechanically protective housing 20 within which the base 12, digital detector 11, and electronic circuit board 19 are disposed. The housing 20 includes four side surfaces 25, 26, 27, 28 (side surface 26 is the rear side, not visible in this cross-sectional view, and side surface 28 is the front side, not visible in this cross-sectional view), a top surface 23, and a bottom surface 24. In accordance with the present invention, the portable radiology cassette 10 includes at least one three-dimensional part 30 (hereinafter, by way of example and not limitation, several three-dimensional parts are contemplated), each of which is associated with one of the four side surfaces 15, 16, 17, 18 of the base 12. Each three-dimensional part 30 includes a lower portion 31 associated with base 12 and at least partially surrounding a side 15, 16, 17, 18 of base 12 with which the three-dimensional part 30 is associated. As described in more detail below, the lower portion 31 associated with base 12 can at least partially surround at least one side of base 12 with which the three-dimensional part 30 is associated, such as two of them. Each three-dimensional part 30 also includes an upper portion 32 that extends from the first major surface 13 of base 12 to the top surface 23 of housing 20.

[0031] The three dimensional part can be similar to a three dimensional shock absorber in three dimensions X, Y, and Z.

[0032] The three-dimensional part 30 can be made of elastomer, polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomer, polyamide, and / or polyester, or any other material with similar mechanical properties.

[0033] The three-dimensional part reliably absorbs forces in three directions between the panel (the assembly formed by the base 12 and the digital detector 11) and the housing 20. The three-dimensional part makes it possible to filter the acceleration transmitted to the X-ray imaging technology (the panel) when the detector is dropped.

[0034] The three-dimensional components are designed so that a height-wise wedge on the axis Z is created between the modules. This prevents external vibrations from being transmitted to the modules. This filters the transmission of vibrations to the modules and significantly reduces so-called "microphone" failures.

[0035] Furthermore, the properties of the materials used, preferably but not exclusively elastomeric, also make it possible to limit the internal play between the panel and the housing, thereby limiting internal movements that could cause failures during use of the product (particularly electrical disconnections, wear and tear).

[0036] The three-dimensional part ensures more accurate positioning of the sensing element with respect to the external markings.

[0037] The choice of materials for these parts allows for injection molding manufacturing methods to be considered, thus allowing these parts to be manufactured at lower production costs. Other manufacturing methods, such as additive manufacturing, can also be considered, as discussed below.

[0038] The three-dimensional part engages the base both in the XY plane and in the Z height direction, thereby fixing it with respect to the housing. A single part ensures isolation against shocks on the three axes Z, Y and Z. The resulting advantage is high mechanical robustness despite drops of the cassette, vibrations during image acquisition and rough handling by the user. The three-dimensional part ensures protection against occasional or repetitive mechanical stresses that, when used in environmental disturbances, risk irreversibly degrading the product or affecting its performance. Furthermore, the three-dimensional part does not significantly increase the cost of the detector.

[0039] The internal active components of the digital detector are fragile components that are at risk of breaking if the cassette is dropped or subjected to a strong impact. The active core of the cassette (panel + electronic circuit board) can be significantly deformed by the impact of the shock wave generated by a drop or a strong lateral impact on the outer casing.

[0040] A flexible or resilient hood is still necessary to reliably position the sensitive image zone with respect to mechanical references on the outside of the product.

[0041] These flat digital detectors are also susceptible to mechanical disturbances (shocks, vibrations) arising from the external environment in their daily use. Even if they are not destructive to the product, these mechanical disturbances are likely to cause visible artifacts in the radiological image, most often in the form of some dark lines appearing in the image, significantly degrading its quality.

[0042] Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to avoid damage to the internal active components and avoid disturbances induced in the image when the product is dropped (typically from a drop height of 80 cm to 120 cm).

[0043] In one embodiment (seen in the right portion of FIG. 2), a lower portion 31 associated with base 12 extends from second major surface 14 of base 12 to first major surface 13 of the base and contacts the opposite side of housing 20. In this example embodiment, lower portion 31 holds a portion of base 12 in a vice-like manner.

[0044] In another embodiment (seen in the left portion of FIG. 2 ), a lower portion 31 associated with the base 12 extends from a side of the base 12 to the first major surface 13 of the base and contacts the opposite side surface 20. In this embodiment, the lower portion 31 secures a portion of the base 12.

[0045] The three-dimensional part according to the invention can also take other forms, for example a bracket, the lower part of which is associated with a base.

[0046] The lower portion 31 of the three-dimensional part 30 is preferably glued to the base 12. It may also be fastened or secured to the base by any other suitable fastening means.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a portion of a portable digital cassette 10 according to the invention without the mechanical protective housing 20. In FIG.

[0048] The radiology cassette 10 can include a first three-dimensional part 30 and / or a second three-dimensional part 40. The first three-dimensional part 30 and the second three-dimensional part 40 include a lower part 31 and an upper part 32. The first three-dimensional part 30 has its upper part 32, which extends from its lower part 31 to a certain height on the axis Z, corresponding to a height below the housing, i.e., a height below the face 23 of the housing 20. The purpose of the upper part is to absorb forces on Z.

[0049] The second three-dimensional part 40 is distinguished from the first three-dimensional part 30 by its lower part 41. The portable radiology cassette 10 generally includes one flexible circuit 60 (or a plurality of them) that may contain electronic components. The lower part 41 of the three-dimensional part 40 includes at least one recess 44 for storing the flexible circuit 60.

[0050] Figure 4 shows a schematic enlarged view of the portable digital cassette 10 according to the present invention without the housing 20 shown in Figure 3. As will be seen in more detail shortly, the flexible circuit 60 is positioned within the recess 44 in the lower portion 41. This positioning allows the flexible circuit to be nicely wedged and secured in place. In the event of a side impact, the lower portion 41 can collapse slightly to absorb the force.

[0051] The terminus of at least one top portion 42 of the three-dimensional part 40 can have a shape complementary to the top surface 23 of the housing 20. In other words, the terminus of the top portion 42 is a combination of recesses and / or protrusions at its top portion that are complementary to the shape of the surface 23 so as to closely follow the interior shape of the housing 20.

[0052] At least one bottom portion 41 of three-dimensional part 40 (just as with bottom portion 31 of part 30) can partially surround a side 18 of base 12 adjacent to the side 15 with which the three-dimensional part is associated. In other words, the bottom portion of the three-dimensional part can surround a corner of the base.

[0053] 5 shows a three-dimensional part 40 for a portable digital cassette 10 according to the present invention. As previously explained, the three-dimensional part 40 is a base 12 in a single piece, comprising a first main surface 13 and a second main surface 14 opposite the first main surface 13, the base 12 being defined by four side surfaces 15, 16, 17, 18, the base 12 being capable of supporting the digital detector 11 on the first main surface 13 and an electronic circuit board; a mechanical protective housing 20 in which the base 12, the digital detector 11, and the electronic circuit board 19 are intended to be placed, the housing 20 comprising four side surfaces 25, 26, 27, 28, a top surface 23, and a bottom surface 24; It is intended to work with

[0054] In accordance with the present invention, three-dimensional part 40 includes a lower portion 41 associated with base 12 and at least partially surrounding sides 15, 16, 17, 18 of base 12, and an upper portion 42 extending from first major surface 13 of base 12 to top surface 23 of housing 20.

[0055] In this figure, a recess 44 in the lower part 41 of the three-dimensional part 40, intended to house the flexible circuit 60, is highlighted.

[0056] It can be pointed out that the three-dimensional part can be associated with a side of the base (as shown in Figures 3 and 4), or it can also be associated with more than two sides, for example two, as can be seen in Figure 5. In this latter variant, the lower part 41 extends along the two sides of the base 12. Such a three-dimensional part, in addition to covering the two sides of the base, allows the correct positioning of the element with respect to the housing. Also, one three-dimensional part is sufficient to absorb shocks in three directions (X and Y by the lower part 41, and Z by the upper part 42).

[0057] The top portion 42 of at least one of the three-dimensional parts 40 includes at least one opening 43 on an axis substantially perpendicular to the side of the base 12 to which the three-dimensional part 40 is associated. The function of this opening 43 is explained with reference to the following figure.

[0058] Figure 6 shows a schematic view of another embodiment of the portable digital cassette 10 according to the invention without the housing 20, in relation to a second three-dimensional part 40. The view shown in Figure 6 is the same as the view shown in Figure 3. In this view, the cassette 10 further comprises a comb-like member 50, as shown in more detail in Figure 7, which is intended to cooperate with the three-dimensional part 40 to ensure that the flexible circuit 60 is held in place in the recess and to press it against the lower part 41 of the three-dimensional part.

[0059] Figure 7 shows a schematic enlarged view of the portable digital cassette 10 according to the invention without the housing 20 shown in Figure 6. As can be seen in a little more detail, the cassette 10 comprises a comb-like member 50, which includes a branch 51 extending substantially parallel to the first main surface 13 of the base 12 and in contact with the lower portion 41 of the three-dimensional part 40, the branch 51 being provided with at least one tooth 52 extending substantially perpendicular to the branch 51, the at least one tooth 52 being configured to cooperate with the three-dimensional part 40 to prevent the branch 51 from moving when it hits the flexible circuit 60.

[0060] At least one tooth 52 is inserted into an opening 43 in the upper part 42 of the three-dimensional part 40 and is configured to prevent the comb 50 from translating in a plane substantially parallel to the base 12. The comb 50 is prevented from translating in the plane XY and along the axis Z by inserting the tooth 52 into the opening 43. The comb 50 presses the flexible circuit 60 against the lower part of the three-dimensional part 40 toward the base. The comb ensures correct positioning of the flexible circuit 60, which must be held very precisely relative to the base. It should also be noted that the lower part 41 of the part 40 can extend beyond the flexible circuit only slightly (on the order of a few tenths of a millimeter). In other words, the lateral thickness of the lower part 41 is greater than the thickness of the flexible circuit that can extend beyond the base at the sides of the base. This configuration contributes to holding the flexible circuit in place even under impact because the three-dimensional part is flexible enough to collapse, ensuring a uniform effect along the entire length of the three-dimensional part.

[0061] Above, only the comb member 50 has been described. Although the invention is applicable with a single comb member, it may also be advantageous to include multiple comb members, as shown in FIG.

[0062] Therefore, in addition to its role of three-dimensional shock absorption, three-dimensional component 40 can incorporate a comb-like member, which is a component for keeping the module / flexible circuit mechanically isolated from the housing, which contributes to better filtering of external vibrations to the module / flexible circuit.

[0063] The invention relies on a three-dimensional component that is able to absorb shocks and vibrations in all directions X, Y and Z, thus protecting the detector from the risk of damage. The three-dimensional component constitutes a mechanical filter between the mechanical protective housing and the active components of the detector. Its elastic structure allows the sensitive image zone of the digital detector to be positioned with respect to an external mechanical reference.

[0064] Another advantage of the present invention is that the three-dimensional part is removable, allowing for easy repair or replacement of the panel and electronic circuit board. Finally, the three-dimensional part contributes to the stiffness of the panel by limiting uncontrolled local bending due to the propagation of shock waves caused by lateral impacts.

[0065] The present invention also relates to a computer program product, said computer program comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to control an additive manufacturing apparatus to manufacture the three-dimensional part 30 or 40 as described above.

[0066] 8 shows schematically the steps of a method for producing a three-dimensional part according to the invention by additive manufacturing. The method for producing a three-dimensional part 30, 40 by additive manufacturing comprises step 501 consisting of obtaining an electronic file representing geometric information of a product, the product being the three-dimensional part 30 or 40, and step 502 of controlling an additive manufacturing device to produce the product according to the geometric information specified in the electronic file through one or more additive manufacturing steps.

[0067] Examples according to the present disclosure can be formed using additive manufacturing methods. A common example of additive manufacturing is 3D printing, but other additive manufacturing methods are also available. Rapid prototyping or rapid manufacturing are also terms that can be used to describe additive manufacturing methods. As used herein, "additive manufacturing" generally refers to a manufacturing method in which successive layers of material are deposited one on top of the other to "build" or "additively manufacture" a three-dimensional part layer by layer. This is in contrast to certain subtractive manufacturing methods (such as grinding or drilling) in which material is successively removed to produce a part. Successive layers typically fuse together to form a monolithic component, which can have various subcomponents incorporated therein. In particular, this manufacturing method can enable examples of the present disclosure to be fully formed and to include various features that would not be possible using prior art manufacturing methods. The additive manufacturing methods described herein allow for the manufacture of any size and shape with various features that would not be possible using prior art manufacturing methods. Additive manufacturing can create complex geometries without the use of tools, molds, or rigs of any kind, and with little to no waste. Instead of machining a component from a solid billet of plastic or metal, much of which is cut away and discarded, the only material used in additive manufacturing is the material needed to form the part.

[0068] Additive manufacturing techniques that are suitable according to the present disclosure include, for example, fusible deposition modeling (FDM), selective laser sintering (SLS), 3D printing such as inkjet and laser jet, stereolithography (SLA), direct selective laser sintering (stereolithography or DSLS), electron beam sintering (EBS), electron beam melting (EBM), laser engineered net shaping (LENS), electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM), laser net machining manufacturing (LNSM), direct laser sintering (DSM), and laser beam additive manufacturing (WSM). Additive manufacturing processes include direct metal deposition (DMD), digital light processing (DLP), continuous digital light processing (CDLP), direct selective laser melting (DSLM), selective laser melting (SLM), direct metal laser melting (DMLM), direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), material jetting (MJ), nanoparticle jetting (NPJ), drop-on-demand (DOD), binder jetting (BJ), multi-jet fusion (MJF), laminated oxide manufacturing (LOM), and other known processes. The additive manufacturing processes described herein can be used to form components using any suitable material. For example, the material can be plastic, composite, polymer, epoxy, photopolymer resin, or any other suitable material, which can be in solid, liquid, powder, sheet, or thread form, or in any other suitable form, or combination thereof. More specifically, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the additively manufactured components described herein can be formed partially, entirely, or in specific combinations of materials. These materials are examples of suitable materials for use in manufacturing processes that may be suitable for the manufacturing examples described herein.

[0069] As previously mentioned, additive manufacturing methods described herein can form a component from multiple materials. Therefore, examples described herein can be formed from any suitable mixture of the aforementioned materials. For example, a component can include multiple layers, segments, or portions formed using different materials, methods, and / or different additive manufacturing equipment. In this manner, components can be constructed with different materials and material properties to meet the requirements of any particular application. Furthermore, while the components described herein are constructed entirely by additive manufacturing methods, it should be noted that in alternative embodiments, these components can be formed in whole or in part by molding, machining, and / or any other suitable manufacturing method. Indeed, these components can be formed using any suitable combination of materials and manufacturing methods. Additive manufacturing methods generally produce components based on three-dimensional (3D) information for the component, such as a 3D computer model (or design file). Consequently, examples described herein include not only the products or components described herein, but also methods for producing such products or components via additive manufacturing, as well as software, firmware, or computer hardware for controlling the production of such products via additive manufacturing.

[0070] The structure of one or more parts of a product can be digitally represented in the form of a digital file. A design file, or computer-aided design (CAD) file, is a configuration file that encodes one or more surface or volume configurations of a product's form. In other words, a design file represents the geometric properties or form of a product. A design file can be in any known or later-developed file format. For example, a design file can be the stereolithography format, i.e., "Standard Tessellation Language" (.stl), devised for CAD stereolithography programs in 3D systems, or the Additive Manufacturing File (.amf) format, a standard-based format promoted by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) based on Extensible Markup Language (XML) and designed to describe the form and composition of any three-dimensional object produced with any CAD software or on any additive manufacturing printer. Other examples of design file formats include AutoCAD (.dwg) files, Blender (.blend) files, Parasolid (.x_t) files, 3D Manufacturing Format (.3mf) files, Autodesk (3ds) files, Collada (.dae) files, and Wavefront (.obj) files, although many others exist. Design files can be created using modeling software (e.g., CAD modeling) and / or by scanning the surface of a product to measure the surface configuration of the product.

[0071] Once acquired, the design file can be converted into a set of computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to control an additive manufacturing device to produce a product according to the geometric properties specified in the design file. The conversion can convert the design file into slices or layers that must be sequentially formed by the additive manufacturing device. The instructions (also known as geometry code, or "Code G") can be calibrated to a specific additive manufacturing device and can specify the precise placement and quantity of material to form each step of the manufacturing process. As previously mentioned, formation can occur by layering, sintering, or any other form of additive manufacturing method. The code or instructions can be translated into different formats, converted into a set of data signals, transmitted, received in the form of data signals, converted into code, stored as needed, etc. The instructions can be input to an additive manufacturing system and can originate from a part designer, an intellectual property (IP) provider, a design company, an operator or owner of the additive manufacturing system, or other source. The additive manufacturing system can execute the instructions to manufacture a product using any one of the techniques or methods described herein. The design file or computer-executable instructions can be stored on a computer-readable storage medium (transient or non-transient) (e.g., memory, storage system, etc.) that stores code or computer-readable instructions representing the product to be manufactured. As discussed above, the code or computer-readable instructions define a product that can be used to physically generate an object when the code or instructions are executed by an additive manufacturing device. For example, the instructions can include a precisely defined 3D model of the product, which can be generated from one of many well-known computer-aided design (CAD) software systems, such as AutoCAD®, TurboCAD®, DesignCAD 3D Max, etc. Alternatively, a model or prototype of a component can be scanned to determine three-dimensional information about the component.

[0072] As a result, by controlling the additive manufacturing device according to computer-executable instructions, the additive manufacturing device can be responsible for printing one or more parts of a product. These can be printed in assembled or pre-assembled form. For example, different parts of the product can be printed separately (in the form of a kit of pre-assembled parts) and then assembled. In a variant, preferably, the various parts can be printed in assembled form. In view of the above, embodiments include a manufacturing method based on additive manufacturing, which includes the steps of obtaining a design file representing a product and obtaining instructions for an additive manufacturing device to manufacture the product in assembled or pre-assembled form according to the design file. The additive manufacturing device can include a processor, which is configured to automatically convert the design file into computer-executable instructions for controlling the manufacture of the product. In these embodiments, the design file itself can also automatically initiate the manufacture of the product when input to the additive manufacturing device. As a result, in this embodiment, the design file itself can be considered as computer-executable instructions that cause the additive manufacturing device to manufacture the product. In a variant, the design file can also be converted into instructions by an external computing system, and the resulting computer-executable instructions are provided to the additive manufacturing device. As noted above, the design and manufacture of embodiments of the subject matter and operations described herein can be implemented using digital electronic circuitry, or in software, firmware, or computer hardware, including the structures described herein and equivalent structures, or any combination of one or more thereof. For example, hardware can include processors, microprocessors, electronic circuits, electronic components, integrated circuits, etc. Embodiments of the subject matter described herein can also be implemented using one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions, encoded on a computer storage medium and executed by or controlling the operation of a data processing apparatus.Alternatively, or in addition, the program instructions can be encoded on an artificially generated propagated signal, such as a machine-generated electrical, optical, or electromagnetic signal, for transferring information to an appropriate receiving device and encoding it for execution by a data processing device. A computer storage medium can be, or be included within, a computer-readable storage device, a computer-readable storage substrate, a matrix, or a random or serial access memory device, or a combination of one or more of these. For example, a computer storage medium is not a propagated signal, but the computer storage medium can be the source or destination of computer program instructions encoded in an artificially generated propagated signal. A computer storage medium can also be, or be included within, one or more other physical components or media (e.g., several CDs, disks, or other storage devices). Additive manufacturing techniques are described herein as being capable of producing complex objects by building the object point-by-point or layer-by-layer, typically in a vertical direction, although other manufacturing methods are possible and within the scope of the present specification. For example, while the description herein refers to adding material to form successive layers, one skilled in the art will recognize that the methods and structures described herein may be implemented using any additive manufacturing technique or other manufacturing techniques. Reference may also be made to manufacturing by injection molding or low pressure elastomeric casting.

[0073] The present invention is primarily applicable to the manufacture of image sensors for radiation, and more particularly to sensors of the "portable" type that are constantly exposed to shocks and may be dropped during handling. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the invention is also applicable to devices that are not digital detectors, but include fragile electronic elements linked by flexible modules in relation to other electronic elements, such as displays, touch or non-touch screens, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 10 Portable radiological inspection cassette 11 Digital detector 12 base 13 First principal surface 14 Second main surface 15, 16, 17, 18 Side of the base 19 Electronic Circuit Board 20. Housing 23 Top of housing 24 Bottom of the housing 25, 26, 27, 28 Housing side 30, 40 Three-dimensional parts 31, 41 lower 32, 42 upper part 43 Aperture 44 Recess 50 Comb-shaped member 51 Branch 52 teeth 60 Flexible Circuit

Claims

1. a digital detector of electromagnetic radiation in the form of a flat panel (11); a base (12) in a single piece, comprising a first main surface (13) and a second main surface (14) opposite said first main surface (13), defined by four side surfaces (15, 16, 17, 18), supporting said digital detector (11) on said first main surface (13); - an electronic circuit board (19) that handles the management of said digital detector (11); a mechanically protective housing (20) in which the base (12), the digital detector (11) and the electronic circuit board (19) are arranged, the housing (20) comprising four side surfaces (25, 26, 27, 28), a top surface (23) and a bottom surface (24); A portable radiological inspection cassette (10) comprising: at least one three-dimensional part (30, 40), each of said at least one three-dimensional part (30, 40) being associated with at least one of said four sides (15, 16, 17, 18) of said base (12), each three-dimensional part (30, 40) being a lower part (31, 41) associated with said base (12) and at least partially surrounding at least one side (15, 16, 17, 18) of said base (12) associated with a three-dimensional part (30, 40); an upper portion (32, 42) extending from the first main surface (13) of the base (12) to the upper surface (23) of the housing (20); and The portable radiological examination cassette includes a flexible circuit (60); the lower portion (41) of at least one of the three-dimensional parts (40) includes at least one recess (44) for accommodating the flexible circuit (60); at least one top portion (42) of at least one of said three-dimensional parts (40) includes at least one opening (43) on an axis substantially perpendicular to said side of said base (12) with which said three-dimensional part (40) is associated; The portable radiological inspection cassette includes a comb-like member (50) including a branch (51) extending substantially parallel to the first main surface (13) of the base (12) and contacting the lower portion (41) of the three-dimensional part (40), the branch (51) being provided with at least one tooth (52) extending substantially perpendicular to the branch (51), the at least one tooth (52) being configured to cooperate with the three-dimensional part (40) to prevent the branch (51) from moving against the flexible circuit (60). A portable radiological examination cassette (10) characterized by:

2. 2. The portable radiological inspection cassette (10) of claim 1, wherein at least one lower part (31, 41) of the three-dimensional parts (30, 40) partially surrounds a side of the base (12) adjacent to the side with which the three-dimensional part (30, 40) is associated.

3. 3. A portable radiological inspection cassette (10) as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one tooth (52) is inserted into the opening (43) in the top (42) of the three-dimensional part (40) and is configured to prevent the comb-like member (50) from moving translationally in a plane substantially parallel to the base (12).

4. The portable radiological inspection cassette (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the upper end of at least one of the three-dimensional parts is of a complementary shape to the top surface (23) of the housing (20).

5. The portable radiological examination cassette (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said at least one three-dimensional part (30, 40) is made of elastomer, polyurethane, thermofusible elastomer, polyamide and / or polyester.

6. The portable radiological examination cassette (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the lower part (31, 41) of the at least one three-dimensional part (30, 40) is glued to the base (12).

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