Radiographic imaging device, wireless power supply device, and radiographic imaging system

Abstract

A radiographic imaging device 100 comprises: a radiation detector for converting incoming radiation into an electric signal pertaining to a radiographic image; at least one power reception unit 110 capable of receiving power from an external source; and a housing 8 enclosing the radiation detector and the power reception unit 110. The housing 8 has a thick part 8a and a thin part 8b integrated through an internal space. A panel portion 1 of the radiation detector and the power reception unit 110 are disposed in the thin part 8b.

Description

Radiation imaging device, wireless power supply device, and radiation imaging system

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a radiographic imaging device, a wireless power supply device, and a radiographic imaging system.

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art In medical diagnostic settings, radiographic imaging apparatuses are widely used to obtain radiographic images by detecting the intensity distribution of radiation that has passed through an object.

[0003] In order to enable rapid imaging of a wide range of body parts, there is a demand for a radiation imaging device that is thin and easy to handle and operate. To address this issue, Patent Document 1 describes a configuration in which the thickness of a radiation detector of a radiation imaging device is reduced. Furthermore, while radiation imaging devices often include a power receiving unit, such as a connector for connecting to an external power source for charging a built-in battery, Patent Document 2 describes a configuration in which the thickness of an area outside the radiation detector is increased and the power receiving unit of the connector is located in that area, making the thick and thin portions detachable as separate units.

[0004] Patent No. 7031014 Patent No. 5638372

[0005] If the power receiving unit is provided in an area outside the radiation detector, the size of the radiation imaging device will differ from conventional ones. In particular, the area outside the radiation detector may be thicker than conventional radiation imaging devices. In this case, the radiation imaging device may not be able to be stored in a storage box of a medical cart that was designed based on the thickness of conventional radiation imaging devices. Another problem is that the charging plug built into the storage box of the medical cart may no longer fit with the connector provided on the radiation imaging device.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a radiographic imaging device that realizes a suitable configuration and arrangement of a power receiving unit that is suitable when the thickness of the radiation detector is reduced.

[0007] The radiographic imaging device disclosed herein includes a radiation detector that detects radiation, a power supply unit that supplies power to the radiation detector, a housing that houses the radiation detector in a thin portion and the power supply unit in a thick portion, and a power receiving unit that receives power supply from an external source and is provided in the thin portion.

[0008] The radiographic imaging device of the present disclosure includes a radiation detector that detects radiation, a power supply unit that supplies power to the radiation detector, a housing that houses the radiation detector in a thin portion and the power supply unit in a thick portion, and a power receiving unit that receives power supply from an external source and is provided in the thick portion.

[0009] The wireless power supply device disclosed herein is a wireless power supply device capable of wirelessly supplying power to a radiation imaging device equipped with a wireless power receiving unit that accepts wireless power supply, and includes a storage section that can store the radiation imaging device, a wireless power transmitting section that can wirelessly supply power to the wireless power receiving unit, and an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the position of the radiation imaging device so that, when the radiation imaging device is stored in the storage section, it is in a positional relationship that allows the wireless power supply to be performed.

[0010] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to obtain a radiographic imaging apparatus that realizes a suitable configuration and arrangement of a power receiving section that is compatible with a case in which the thickness of a radiation detector is reduced.

[0011] 1 is a perspective view showing a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view taken along dashed line B-B' in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a first modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a second modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a third modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a fourth modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a third embodiment. FIG. 7 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to the third embodiment. FIG. 8 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to the third embodiment. FIG. 9 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of temperature-dependent control in the fourth embodiment. FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of temperature-dependent control in the fifth embodiment. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a radiographic imaging system. FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a sixth embodiment. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a radiographic imaging apparatus according to the sixth embodiment. 21. A cross-sectional view taken along dashed dotted line A-A' in FIG. 17A. A plan view from the back side showing the internal configuration of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a sixth embodiment. A side view showing a state when a radiographic imaging apparatus according to the sixth embodiment has been dropped. A perspective view showing a medical examination cart equipped with a storage box for a radiographic imaging apparatus according to the sixth embodiment. A cross-sectional view of the storage box taken along dashed dotted line B-B' in FIG. 21. A cross-sectional view of the storage box taken along dashed dotted line B-B' in FIG. 21. A cross-sectional view of the storage box taken along dashed dotted line B-B' in FIG. 21. A side view showing another example of a medical examination cart equipped with a storage box for a radiographic imaging apparatus according to the sixth embodiment. A cross-sectional view of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a modified example of the sixth embodiment. A perspective view of a medical examination cart equipped with a storage box for a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a modified example of the sixth embodiment. A schematic view showing a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a seventh embodiment.35 is a schematic enlarged view showing the periphery of a power receiving connector of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a seventh embodiment. FIG. 36 is a schematic enlarged view showing the periphery of a power receiving connector of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a seventh embodiment. FIG. 37 is a side view showing a state when the radiographic imaging apparatus according to the seventh embodiment has been dropped. FIG. 38 is a perspective view showing a medical cart equipped with a storage box for the radiographic imaging apparatus according to the seventh embodiment. FIG. 39 is a partially cutaway side view showing a portion of the storage box for the radiographic imaging apparatus according to the seventh embodiment as viewed from the S direction in FIG. 13. FIG. 39 is a schematic view showing a storage box for the seventh embodiment ... radiographic imaging apparatus according to an eighth embodiment. FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view taken along the dashed dotted line D-D' in FIG. 32. FIG. 39 is a side view showing a state when the radiographic imaging apparatus according to the eighth embodiment has been dropped. FIG. 39 is a top perspective view of a cassette according to a ninth embodiment. FIG. 39 is a bottom perspective view of a cassette according to a ninth embodiment. FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view taken along the dashed dotted line B-B' in FIG. 35. FIG. 39 is a top perspective view of a cassette according to a ninth embodiment. FIG. 39 is a bottom perspective view of a cassette according to a ninth embodiment. 38. A sectional view taken along the dashed dotted line CC' in FIG. 38. A perspective view of a charging device according to a ninth embodiment. A top view of a charging device according to a ninth embodiment. A perspective view showing a series of behaviors when a cassette is accommodated in a charging device according to a ninth embodiment. A perspective view showing a series of behaviors when a cassette is accommodated in a charging device according to a ninth embodiment. A perspective view showing a series of behaviors when a cassette is accommodated in a charging device according to a ninth embodiment. A perspective view showing a state in which a cassette has been accommodated in a charging device according to a ninth embodiment. A perspective view of a charging device according to a tenth embodiment. A side view of a charging device according to a tenth embodiment. A perspective view showing a series of behaviors when a cassette is accommodated in a charging device according to a tenth embodiment. A perspective view showing a series of behaviors when a cassette is accommodated in a charging device according to a tenth embodiment. A perspective view showing a series of behaviors when a cassette is accommodated in a charging device according to a tenth embodiment.13 is a front view showing a state in which the cassette with the smallest height among the cassettes that are expected to be accommodated is accommodated in the charging device according to the tenth embodiment. FIG.

[0012] Preferred embodiments to which the present disclosure can be applied will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, common components across multiple drawings are designated by common reference numerals. Therefore, the common components will be described with mutual reference to multiple drawings, and descriptions of the components designated by the common reference numerals will be omitted as appropriate. The radiation in the various embodiments may include α-rays, β-rays, γ-rays, and the like, which are beams formed by particles (including photons) emitted by radioactive decay, as well as beams having the same or higher energy levels, such as X-rays, particle beams, and cosmic rays.

[0013] First Embodiment A first embodiment will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0014] [Radiation Imaging Apparatus According to the Present Embodiment] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a radiation imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view taken along the dashed line BB' in Fig. 1.

[0015] The radiation imaging device 100 detects radiation emitted by a radiation generating device (not shown) and transmitted through a subject using a radiation detection panel 5. Image information acquired by the radiation imaging device 100 is transferred to an external device and displayed on a predetermined display monitor or the like for use in diagnosis or the like.

[0016] The radiation detection panel 1 is of a so-called indirect conversion type, and includes a sensor substrate on which a large number of photoelectric conversion elements (sensors) are arranged, a phosphor layer (scintillator layer) arranged on the sensor substrate, a phosphor protective film, and the like. In the radiation detection panel 1, some or all of the photoelectric conversion elements (sensors) constitute the effective imaging area. The effective imaging area is an area where radiation imaging is possible and an image is actually generated. In this embodiment, the effective imaging area has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the radiation incident direction (side A in FIG. 1 ), but is not limited to this. The phosphor protective film is made of a material with low moisture permeability and is used to protect the phosphor. The radiation detection panel 1 is electrically connected to one end of the flexible circuit board 4a. Furthermore, a control board 5, which serves as a first control unit that reads and processes detection signals from the radiation detection panel 1, is electrically connected to the other end of the flexible circuit board 4a. The control board 5 includes a control unit and a memory unit (not shown). The wireless power receiving unit 110, which will be described later, is electrically connected to a charging circuit board 7, which is a second control unit, that controls the charging operation of the wireless power receiving unit 110, via a connection cable 4b.

[0017] The radiation imaging apparatus 100 also has a housing (exterior) 8 that houses the radiation detection panel 1. The radiation detection panel 1 may be, but is not limited to, a so-called direct conversion type, which is made up of a conversion element section in which conversion elements made of a-Se or the like and electrical elements such as TFTs are two-dimensionally arranged. The sensor substrate of the radiation detection panel 1 may be made of glass, highly flexible resin, or the like, but is not limited to these. A flexible circuit board 4a, a control board 5, a drive board (not shown), and the like are connected to the radiation detection panel 1 to form a radiation detector. In other words, the panel portion of the radiation detector corresponds to the radiation detection panel 1.

[0018] The housing 8 has a thick portion 8a whose outer shape is thick in the radiation incidence direction, and a thin portion 8b which is thinner than the thick portion 8a. The thick portion 8a and the thin portion 8b are integrated in the internal space of the housing 8. The effective imaging area of ​​the radiation detection panel 1 is located in the thin portion 8b when viewed from the radiation incidence direction A. Furthermore, at least a portion of the control board 5 is located in the thick portion 8a.

[0019] Conventionally, radiographic imaging devices 100 have often been provided in sizes conforming to ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 4090:2001, with thicknesses of approximately 15 mm to 16 mm. However, in this embodiment, the housing thickness of the thin-walled portion 8b is set to, for example, approximately 8.0 mm. This reduces the step caused by the thickness of the radiographic imaging device 100 during imaging, thereby reducing the reaction force generated between the patient and the end of the radiographic imaging device 100. To achieve these effects, the housing thickness of the thin-walled portion 8b is not limited to approximately 8.0 mm and may be thinner. It has been confirmed that the effects are particularly pronounced when the housing thickness is less than approximately 10.0 mm.

[0020] Furthermore, to achieve both portability and strength, the housing 8 is preferably made of a magnesium alloy, an aluminum alloy, a fiber-reinforced resin, a resin, or the like, although other materials are also acceptable. In particular, the radiation incident surface of the thin-walled portion 8b, where the effective imaging area is located, is preferably made of a carbon fiber-reinforced resin, which has high radiation transmittance and is lightweight, although other materials are also acceptable. Furthermore, a buffer material 2 is disposed between the radiation detection panel 1 and the incident surface of the housing 8 to protect the radiation detection panel 1 from external forces, etc. The buffer material 2 is preferably made of a foamed resin, a gel, or the like, although other materials are also acceptable. Furthermore, a support base 3 is provided to support the radiation detection panel 1. The support base 3 is preferably made of a magnesium alloy, an aluminum alloy, a fiber-reinforced resin, a resin, or the like, which are lightweight, although other materials are also acceptable.

[0021] An index 9 is provided on the incident surface of the thin portion 8b to indicate the effective imaging area and its center point, and a user can visually confirm the effective imaging area by using the index 9. The index 9 is formed, for example, by painting the thin portion 8b, printing, surface treatment such as graining or blasting, forming a shape such as a depression, or a combination thereof.

[0022] Concave gripping portions 10a and 10b are formed on the front and back of the center of the thick portion 8a. A user can securely grip the cassette 100 by placing a first finger on the gripping portion 10a and hooking the other fingers onto the stepped portion of the gripping portion 10b. Here, the gripping portion 10a does not have to be a single continuous concave surface as shown in the figure, but may have a ribbed or dotted shape, or a convex shape. Alternatively, the gripping portion 10a may have no shape, but may be partially made of a highly frictional material such as rubber, or may have a surface treatment such as a high-friction coating or textured surface to improve gripping. These shapes, materials, and surface treatments may also be combined appropriately. The gripping portion 10b may also have various shapes and materials. The gripping portions 10a and 10b may be reversed, or may be connected and penetrate the thick portion 8a.

[0023] The radiation imaging apparatus 100 has a battery 6, which is a power supply unit for supplying necessary power, and the battery 6 is disposed in the thick portion 8 a. As the battery 6, for example, a lithium ion battery, an electric double layer capacitor, an all-solid-state battery, or the like is used, but other types of battery may also be used.

[0024] The radiation imaging apparatus 100 has a wireless power transmitting and receiving unit that can transmit and receive power wirelessly to and from the outside. In this embodiment, the "power transmitting and receiving unit" refers to a component that supplies power, charges, performs imaging operations, and exchanges image information between the radiation imaging apparatus and the outside (such as an external power source, a computer, or a support member described below). Note that, considering that the main situation assumed in this embodiment is when the radiation imaging apparatus 100 is charged from the outside, the following description will be given of a case in which a wireless power receiving unit 110 is provided as the wireless power transmitting and receiving unit.

[0025] The wireless power receiving unit 110 has a wireless coil (receiving coil) and receives power supplied by wireless power transmission from a charging device (not shown). The received power is rectified via the charging circuit board 7 and supplied at a predetermined voltage, and is used to charge the battery 6 or drive the control board 5. The wireless power receiving unit 110 is housed within the housing 8 and is arranged on the back side of the radiation detection panel 1 (the surface opposite to the radiation entrance surface) within the thin portion 8a so as to overlap with the radiation detector panel 1 in a planar view. The charging circuit board 7 may be arranged in either the thick portion 8a or the thin portion 8b, but is preferably arranged in the thick portion 8a as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to prevent reflections due to backscattered radiation.

[0026] The radiographic imaging device 100 transmits and receives electromagnetic energy (power) using electromagnetic induction, an example of a wireless charging method. In particular, with the electromagnetic induction method, charging efficiency is enhanced when the central axes of the power transmitting coil and the power receiving coil are as close as possible to each other, ultimately coinciding, and when the coil faces are as close as possible to each other. The required accuracy of proximity varies depending on the type of coil and the conditions surrounding the coils, but in many cases the distance between the central axes or the distance perpendicular to the faces is approximately 5 mm or less. In this embodiment, the wireless power receiving unit 110 is a single circular coil as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . However, this is not limited to this, and the number and shape of the coils may be changed depending on the arrangement within the device and the charging power. For example, an elliptical or rectangular coil may be used. Other wireless charging methods, such as radio wave reception and resonance, may also be used.

[0027] The support base 3 supports the radiation detection panel 1 on its incident surface side, and supports the wireless power receiving unit 110 on its back surface side. The housing 8 further includes a notification unit (not shown) made up of a speaker, an LED, or the like, and a communication unit (not shown) that communicates with a PC or the like via a wired cable, a wireless LAN, or the like.

[0028] As described above, in this embodiment, in the radiation imaging device 100 with a reduced thickness, the wireless power receiving unit 110 is disposed on the thin portion 8a on the back side of the radiation detection panel 1. By disposing the wireless power receiving unit 110 on the thin portion 8a, the radiation imaging device 100 is prevented from increasing in size due to the provision of the wireless power receiving unit 110, so that it can be fitted to medical carts compatible with conventional radiation imaging devices. Furthermore, by disposing the thin portion 8a on the back side of the radiation detection panel 1, the wireless power receiving unit 110 is protected by the radiation detection panel 1, improving its strength and reducing the possibility that a user will come into contact with the wireless power receiving unit 110.

[0029] --Modifications-- Various modifications of this embodiment will be described below.

[0030] [Modification 1] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, with some parts omitted, of a radiographic apparatus according to Modification 1 of this embodiment.

[0031] The wireless power receiving unit 110 and the charging circuit board 7 are connected by a cable or the like. If radiation noise from the wireless power receiving unit 110 or the cable is transmitted to the radiation detection panel 1, it may cause a malfunction in the control of the radiation detection panel or artifacts may be superimposed on the captured image.

[0032] In view of the above problem, in Modification 1, a shielding material 111 is disposed between the wireless power receiving unit 110 or the cable and the radiation detection panel 1. A sheet or film-like shielding material is preferably used. A shielding material that exhibits shielding performance against radiated noise having a frequency of several tens to several hundreds of kHz, which is preferably used in wireless power transmission and reception, is also preferably used. The shielding material 111 is preferably attached to or embedded in the support base 3. This can reduce the occurrence of false detections (artifacts) due to radiated noise from the wireless power receiving unit 110 or the cable.

[0033] [Modification 2] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a radiation imaging apparatus according to Modification 2 of this embodiment, similar to FIG. 2, with some parts omitted.

[0034] The wireless power receiving unit 110 or the cable transmits power of several watts to several tens of watts. Therefore, heat is generated due to the impedance of the wireless power receiving unit 110 or the cable. When this heat is transmitted to the radiation detection panel 1, there is a risk that uneven temperature distribution will occur within the radiation detection panel 1. Even uneven temperature distribution can cause artifacts to be superimposed on captured images.

[0035] In view of the above problem, in Modification 2, a heat insulating material 112 that suppresses temperature propagation due to heat generation from the wireless power receiving unit 110 or the cable is disposed between the wireless power receiving unit 110 or the cable and the radiation detection panel 1. A sheet or film-like material is preferably used as the heat insulating material 112. The heat insulating material 112 is preferably attached to the support base 3 or is preferably enclosed within the support base 3. This can reduce the occurrence of artifacts due to heat generation from the wireless power receiving unit 110 or the cable.

[0036] [Modification 3] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, with some parts omitted, of a radiographic apparatus according to modification 3 of this embodiment.

[0037] There is a risk of power loss due to the impedance of the connection cable 4b in the wireless power receiving unit 110 and the charging circuit board 7. For this reason, it is desirable to connect the wireless power receiving unit 110 and the charging circuit board 7 via the connection cable 4b over as short a distance as possible. On the other hand, it is desirable to place the charging circuit board 7 in the thick portion 8a as described above.

[0038] In consideration of the above points, in Modification 3, the wireless coil of the wireless power receiving unit 110 is positioned so that one end thereof is located at the end of the thick portion 8a, beyond the outer periphery of the effective imaging area of ​​the radiation detector 1 in a plan view. By positioning the wireless coil in this position, when the radiation imaging device 100 is stored in the storage box of the medical cart, one end of the wireless coil will be located at a position that approximately coincides with the insertion opening of the storage box. In Modification 3, the distance between the wireless power receiving unit 110 and the charging circuit board 7 is made as short as possible, making it possible to reduce artifacts and power loss.

[0039] [Modification 4] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, with some parts omitted, of a radiographic apparatus according to Modification 4 of this embodiment.

[0040] It is known that the power receiving efficiency of the wireless power receiving unit 110 varies depending on the material of the support base 3. In particular, power efficiency decreases when the material of the support base 3 contains metal or other conductive material (electromagnetic field shielding material). Therefore, it is desirable to support the wireless power receiving unit 110 with an electromagnetic field transparent material other than metal or other conductive material.

[0041] In view of the above, in the fourth modification, the portion of the support base 3 that supports the wireless power receiving unit 110 is molded from an electromagnetic field-transmitting material, for example, a resin material 113. The material may be any material that transmits an electromagnetic field, such as a foaming agent. Also, a portion of the support base 3 may be hollowed out. This can reduce the decrease in power efficiency.

[0042] Second Embodiment A second embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Explanations of points overlapping with those of the first embodiment will be omitted where appropriate. In the first embodiment, an example was described in which a wireless power transmitting and receiving unit (specifically, a wireless power receiving unit 110) was provided in the thin portion 8b. However, in addition to the wireless power receiving unit 110, a wired power transmitting and receiving unit (another wired power transmitting and receiving unit), in this case a wired power receiving unit, can be provided. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a wired power receiving unit is further provided in addition to the wireless power receiving unit.

[0043] Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a radiation imaging apparatus according to this embodiment, and Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the radiation imaging apparatus according to this embodiment.

[0044] In the radiographic imaging apparatus 200 according to this embodiment, in addition to the wireless power receiving unit 110 disposed in the thin portion 8a as in the first embodiment, a wired power receiving unit 210 is disposed on one side of the thick portion 8b. A power transmitting / receiving connector, such as a general-purpose or dedicated connector, is preferably used for the wired power receiving unit 210. The wired power receiving unit 210 receives power via a wire from a charging device (not shown).

[0045] The wireless power receiving unit 110 and the wired power receiving unit 210 are connected to a charging circuit 802 via a switch unit 801 on the charging circuit board 7. In the charging circuit 802, the received power is rectified and supplied at a predetermined voltage, and is used to charge the battery 6 or drive the control board 5. The control board 5 monitors the power transmission / reception state of the wireless power receiving unit 110 and the wired power receiving unit 210 to the switch unit 801, i.e., the power receiving state in this case, and switches the power receiving unit connected to the charging circuit 802 from one of the wireless power receiving unit 110 and the wired power receiving unit 210 to the other under predetermined conditions. It is desirable that the predetermined conditions be determined in advance and stored in the control board 5. The predetermined conditions may be any, but a condition that switches the connection state based on priority is preferably used, such as connecting the wireless power receiving unit 110 when power can be supplied from the wireless power receiving unit 110 and switching to the wired power receiving unit 210 when power supply from the wireless power receiving unit 110 is interrupted.

[0046] Third Embodiment A third embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Explanations of points overlapping with those of the first embodiment will be omitted where appropriate. In the first embodiment, an example was described in which a wireless power transmitting and receiving unit (specifically, a wireless power receiving unit 110) was provided in the thin portion 8b. However, a wired power transmitting and receiving unit (wired power transmitting and receiving unit), in this case a wired power receiving unit, can be provided instead of the wireless power receiving unit 1. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a wired power receiving unit is further provided instead of the wireless power receiving unit.

[0047] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the radiation imaging apparatus according to this embodiment.

[0048] In the radiation imaging apparatus 300 according to the present embodiment, a wired power receiving unit 310 is disposed on the side of the thin portion 8 b that faces the thick portion 8 b in the longitudinal direction, instead of the wireless power receiving unit 110 in the radiation imaging apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. The wired power receiving unit 310 receives power via a wire from a charging device (not shown).

[0049] Considering the effect on the thickness of the thin portion 8b, a connector that is thin and capable of transmitting power of several watts to several tens of watts is preferably used for the wired power receiving unit 310. For example, a USB connector is preferably used, and a USB-Type C connector with a thickness of approximately several millimeters is particularly preferred. Furthermore, taking into consideration the handling of the wired power transmission device and cable, it is desirable to place the wired power receiving unit 310 in a position that does not overlap with the radiation detector panel 1 in a planar view, for example, on a side surface of the thin portion 8b. The wired power receiving unit 310 may also be placed on the back surface of the radiation detection panel 1 (the surface opposite the radiation entrance surface) of the thin portion 8a so as to overlap with the radiation detector panel 1 in a planar view.

[0050] 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views of the radiation imaging apparatus according to this embodiment, similar to FIG. 2, with some parts omitted.

[0051] 10A and 10B, the wired power receiving unit 310 is a so-called USB-Type C connector. The wired power receiving unit 310 is arranged so that its opening is located in the thin portion 8b. In FIG. 10A, at least a part of the housing of the wired power receiving unit 310 is arranged on the back side of the radiation detection panel 1. This is expected to prevent an increase in the external size of the radiation imaging device 300 due to the provision of the wired power receiving unit 310 and to improve the strength of the housing 8. Furthermore, in FIG. 10B, the housing of the wired power receiving unit 310 is arranged on the outside of the radiation detection panel 1. This is expected to prevent an increase in the thickness of the thin portion 8b due to the provision of the wired power receiving unit 310.

[0052] Fourth Embodiment A fourth embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Explanations of points overlapping with those of the first embodiment will be omitted where appropriate. While the second modification of the first embodiment described an example of countermeasures against temperature effects by installing a heat insulating material, other measures are also possible. The fourth embodiment differs from the second modification of the first embodiment in that charging is controlled using a temperature sensor.

[0053] Fig. 11 is a partially omitted cross-sectional view of the radiation imaging apparatus according to this embodiment, similar to Fig. 2. Fig. 12 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the radiation imaging apparatus according to this embodiment.

[0054] In the radiation imaging apparatus 400 according to this embodiment, a temperature sensor 410 is disposed near the wireless power receiving unit 110. The control board 5 monitors temperature changes associated with charging measured by the temperature sensor 410 and performs control in accordance with the temperature. The notification unit 11 notifies the outside of information generated by the temperature monitoring by the control board 5.

[0055] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of control according to temperature in this embodiment.

[0056] In step S1301, the operation of the radiation imaging apparatus 300 is started. In step S1302, the control board 5 starts temperature monitoring by the temperature sensor 401.

[0057] In step S1303, the control board 5 determines whether the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 401 exceeds a threshold value. It is desirable to set the threshold value in advance and store it in a storage unit (not shown) mounted on the control board 5. If the detected temperature exceeds the threshold value, the process proceeds to step S1304. If the detected temperature does not exceed the threshold value, the process returns to step S1302, and the temperature monitoring and determination continues.

[0058] In step S1304, the control board 5 determines whether or not the control board 5 is operating using power supplied from the wireless power receiving unit 110. If the power supplied from the wireless power receiving unit 110 is being used to operate the radiation imaging device 400, the process proceeds to step S1305, and the notification unit 11 notifies warning information about temperature artifacts, etc. If the power is not being used to operate the radiation imaging device 400, the process proceeds to step S1306.

[0059] In step S1306, the control board 5 checks whether the remaining capacity of the battery 6 is equal to or greater than a threshold. The threshold is preferably determined in advance and stored in a storage unit (not shown) mounted on the control board 5. The threshold is preferably a capacity that can maintain power for a certain period of time or a capacity that can capture a certain number of images. If the remaining capacity of the battery 6 is equal to or greater than the threshold, the process proceeds to step S1307.

[0060] In step S1307, the control board 5 notifies the wireless power transmitting unit of power transmission stop information via the wireless power receiving unit 110. This stops power transmission and reception at the wireless power transmitting and receiving unit, thereby suppressing temperature rise. If the remaining capacity of the battery 6 is not equal to or greater than the threshold, the process proceeds to step S1308, and the notification unit 11 notifies warning information about temperature artifacts, etc.

[0061] As described above, in this embodiment, by providing the temperature sensor 410 and monitoring the temperature, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of artifacts caused by heat generation in the wireless power receiving unit 110 or the cable.

[0062] Fifth Embodiment A fifth embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Explanations of points that overlap with the first embodiment will be omitted where appropriate. In the fourth embodiment, an example of a method for dealing with the influence of temperature using a temperature sensor was described, but other measures are also possible. The fifth embodiment differs from the fourth embodiment in that it deals with the influence of temperature using time information.

[0063] FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a radiation imaging apparatus according to this embodiment.

[0064] In the radiographic imaging apparatus 500 of this embodiment, a time measurement unit 1401 that measures the elapsed time during power reception (power supply time from the wireless power receiving unit 110) and the elapsed time from the end of power reception (completion of battery charging) is provided on the control board 5. The notification unit 11 notifies the outside of information generated by the time measurement by the control board 5.

[0065] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an example of control according to time in this embodiment.

[0066] In step S1501, when power supply from the wireless power receiving unit 110 starts, the control board 5 starts time measurement using the time measurement unit 1401. In step S1502, the control board 5 checks the power supply status to determine whether the wireless power transmitting unit that transmits power to the wireless power receiving unit 110 has been removed, or whether battery charging has been completed and power supply has stopped. If power supply is continuing, the process proceeds to step S1503. If power supply has stopped, the process proceeds to step S1504.

[0067] In step S1503, the control board 5 determines whether the power supply duration exceeds a threshold. The threshold is preferably determined by checking in advance the effects on temperature rise and artifacts, etc., associated with power supply and battery charging. The threshold is also preferably stored in a storage unit (not shown) mounted on the control board 5. If the threshold is exceeded, the process proceeds to step S1505, and the notification unit 11 notifies warning information about artifacts, etc., caused by temperature. If the threshold is not exceeded, the process returns to step S1502, and the control board 5 continues monitoring.

[0068] In step S1504, the control board 5 determines whether the time since the end of power supply exceeds a threshold. The threshold is preferably determined by checking in advance the amount of temperature increase during power supply and the amount of temperature decrease since the end of power supply, etc. The threshold is preferably stored in a storage unit (not shown) mounted on the control board 5.

[0069] If the time elapsed since the end of power supply exceeds the threshold, it is determined that there is no concern about artifacts, etc., and monitoring is terminated (S1506). If the threshold is not exceeded (less than the threshold), the process proceeds to step S1507, and the notification unit 11 notifies warning information about artifacts, etc., caused by temperature. Thereafter, the process returns to step S1504, and the control board 5 continues making judgments until the time since the end of power supply exceeds the threshold.

[0070] As described above, in this embodiment, by providing the time measurement unit 1401 and monitoring the temperature based on the measured time, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of artifacts caused by heat generation in the wireless power receiving unit 110 or the cable.

[0071] Other Embodiments The radiation detection apparatus according to the first to fifth embodiments and the modifications thereof described above can be applied to a radiation imaging system such as that shown in FIG. 16, for example.

[0072] This radiation imaging system includes a radiation imaging apparatus 1601 according to one of the first to fifth embodiments and modifications thereof, a radiation generating apparatus 1602, and a control and arithmetic processing unit 1603. The radiation imaging apparatus 1601 and the radiation generating apparatus 1602 are connected to the control and arithmetic processing unit 1603. Under the control of the control and arithmetic processing unit 1603, the radiation generating apparatus 1602 irradiates the subject 1600 with radiation. The radiation imaging apparatus 1601 detects radiation that has passed through the subject 1600. Information detected by the radiation imaging apparatus 1601 is read into the control and arithmetic processing unit 1603 as an electrical signal. The control and arithmetic processing unit 1603 performs desired arithmetic processing to make a diagnosis.

[0073] Sixth Embodiment In this embodiment, an example of a radiation imaging apparatus, a housing member for the radiation imaging apparatus, and a power supply and receiving system for the radiation imaging apparatus to which the present disclosure is applied will be described.

[0074] [Radiation imaging apparatus according to this embodiment] Figures 17A and 17B are perspective views showing a radiation imaging apparatus according to this embodiment, with Figure 17A showing the front side and Figure 17B showing the back side. Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along the dashed dotted line A-A' in Figure 17A. Figure 19 is a plan view of the back side showing the internal configuration of the radiation imaging apparatus according to this embodiment. In the following description, in the radiation imaging apparatus, the surface onto which radiation is irradiated (irradiation surface) is referred to as the front surface 601, and the surface opposite to the irradiation surface is referred to as the back surface 602.

[0075] The radiation imaging device 600 detects radiation emitted by a radiation generating device (not shown) and transmitted through a subject using a radiation detection panel 65. An image acquired by the radiation imaging device 600 is transferred to an external device, displayed on a monitor, or the like, and used for diagnosis or the like.

[0076] The radiation detection panel 65 includes a sensor substrate on which numerous photoelectric conversion elements (photoelectric conversion sensors) are arranged, which convert incident radiation into electrical signals related to a radiation image; a phosphor layer (scintillator layer) arranged on the sensor substrate; and a phosphor protective film. The radiation detection panel 65 employs a so-called indirect conversion method. In the radiation detection panel 65, some or all of the area of ​​the photoelectric conversion elements is defined as the effective imaging area. The effective imaging area is the area where radiation imaging is possible and where an image is actually generated. The phosphor protective film is made of a material with low moisture permeability and is used to protect the phosphor. The radiation detection panel 65 is connected to a flexible circuit board 68. A control board 69 that reads and processes detection signals from the radiation detection panel 65 is also connected to the flexible circuit board 68. A drive board 70 having a drive circuit on a side that intersects with the control board 69 is also connected to the radiation detection panel 65. The radiation detector is configured by connecting the circuit board 68, control board 69, and drive board 70 to the radiation detection panel 65. The panel portion of the radiation detector corresponds to the radiation detection panel 65 .

[0077] In conventional radiation imaging devices, the control board and drive board are folded and installed on the rear side of the radiation detection panel. In contrast, in the radiation imaging device 600 of this embodiment, in order to achieve an extremely thin shape, the control board 69 and drive board 70 are installed side by side with the radiation detection panel 65 without being folded on the rear side. The drive board 70 is arranged on approximately the same plane as the radiation detection panel 65. The control board 69 could also be arranged on approximately the same plane as the radiation detection panel 65, but this would cause interference with the gripping portion 64 arranged on the rear side 602, which will be described later. Therefore, the control board 69 is arranged inside the thick portion 61 to avoid the gripping portion 64.

[0078] Although various materials such as glass and highly flexible resin can be used as the material for the sensor substrate of the radiation detection panel 65, it is preferable to use a base material formed of a resin film. The radiation imaging device 600 of this embodiment is thinner than conventional devices and therefore fundamentally has low strength and is easily affected by external impacts, etc. Therefore, a resin film, which is more resistant to impacts and bending than a glass base material, is more suitable.

[0079] The radiation imaging device 600 has a housing 67 that houses a radiation detector including a radiation detection panel 65, a circuit board 68, a control board 69, and a drive board 70. A support base (not shown) that supports the radiation detection panel 65, an impact absorbing sheet 66 for impact absorption, and other components are arranged in the interior space of the housing 67. The housing 67 may be made of, but is not limited to, a magnesium alloy, fiber-reinforced resin, resin, or other material to achieve both portability and strength. The impact absorbing sheet 66 may be made of, but is not limited to, a foamed resin, gel, or other material. In this embodiment, a support base is used, but the radiation detection panel 65 may be disposed without using a support base. The housing 67 may be made of a single component, or may be made of multiple components joined together.

[0080] In the radiographic imaging device 600, the housing 67 has a thick portion 61 and a thin portion 62 that are integrated in the internal space, as shown in Figures 17A and 17B. The thick portion 61 is a portion that is thicker than the thin portion 62 when the device is installed on the X-Y plane, as shown in Figure 18. The thick portion 61 also includes an inclined portion from the end of the thin portion 62 to its thickest surface. The radiation detector is housed in the internal space of the housing 67, with the circuit board 68 and control board 69 located in the internal space of the thick portion 61 and the panel portion (the radiation detection panel 65) located in the internal space of the thin portion 62.

[0081] In this embodiment, the radiation detector housed in the housing 67 has the radiation detection panel 65 in the thin portion 62 connected (jointed) to the circuit board 68 and control board 69 in the thick portion 61. With this configuration, compared to a case where the radiation detection panel 65 and the control board 69 are configured separately, damage or the like is less likely to occur at the joints even if an impact is received when the radiation imaging device 600 is housed in a predetermined housing member.

[0082] Typically, radiographic imaging devices are often provided in sizes conforming to ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 4090:2001, which specifies a thickness of approximately 15 mm to 16 mm. In contrast, in this embodiment, the thickness of the thin-walled portion 62 is approximately 8.0 mm. This reduces the thickness due to the step between the radiographic imaging device and the ground surface, thereby reducing the reaction force generated between the patient and the edge of the radiographic imaging device. To achieve these effects, the thickness of the thin-walled portion 62 is not limited to approximately 8.0 mm; it may be thinner. It has been confirmed that significant effects are obtained, particularly when the thickness is less than approximately 10.0 mm. In this embodiment, the thinning is achieved by concentrating as many internal components, such as circuit boards and batteries (not shown), as possible in the thick-walled portion 1.

[0083] In the radiographic imaging device 600, a recessed grip portion 64 for carrying the device is provided in the thick portion 61. The grip portion 64 is formed by providing a recess in the thick portion 61 of the housing 67, for example, on the rear surface 602 side. Providing the grip portion 64 in the thick portion 61 makes it easier for the user to handle the radiographic imaging device 600 when inserting or removing the device directly below a subject in a supine position, allowing radiography to be performed quickly. From the viewpoint of the above-mentioned operability, it is preferable that the grip portion 64 be formed on the rear surface 602. The shape of the grip portion 64 is not limited to the shape shown in the figure, but it is preferable that the width W of the grip portion 64 be approximately 60 mm or more and the depth h be approximately 5 mm or more, assuming that the user will place their fingers on it.

[0084] In the radiation imaging device 600, a power receiving unit capable of receiving and supplying power to and from the outside is provided in the thick portion 61. Here, for example, a power receiving connector 63 is provided as a power receiving unit that allows power to be supplied to a radiation detector from the outside. By connecting the power receiving connector 63 to an external power supply connector, power can be supplied to and charging the radiation imaging device 600. In this embodiment, the term "power receiving unit" refers to a component that supplies power, charges, performs imaging operations, and exchanges image information between the radiation imaging device and the outside (such as an external power source, a computer, or a support member described below). Note that, considering that the main situation assumed in this embodiment is when the radiation imaging device 600 is charged from the outside, for convenience, the power receiving unit provided in the radiation imaging device will be referred to as the power receiving unit, and the power receiving unit provided externally will be referred to as the power supply unit.

[0085] The power receiving connector 63 is embedded within the layer of the housing 67 in the thick portion 61, and the portion connecting to the power supply connector is exposed to the outside from the surface of the housing 67. In this embodiment, the power receiving connector 63 is disposed on the inclined portion that is the boundary between the thick portion 61 and the thin portion 62. In the example of Figures 17A and 17B, the power receiving connector 63 is disposed in approximately the center of the inclined portion of the thick portion 61, but in consideration of usability, for example, the power receiving connector 63 may be disposed at a position shifted from the center of the inclined portion so as not to overlap with the grip portion 64 on the back surface 602 in a plan view.

[0086] In conventional radiographic imaging devices conforming to ISO 4090, the power receiving connector is provided on a side surface with a thickness of approximately 15 mm to 16 mm. However, in the radiographic imaging device 600 of this embodiment, the thin-walled portion 62 is only approximately 8.0 mm thick, making it difficult to arrange the power receiving connector on the side surface. Even if the power receiving connector could be forcibly arranged in the thin-walled portion 62, there is a high possibility that the power receiving connector would be damaged. In particular, because the thin-walled portion 62 has low strength, there is a risk that the connection between the power receiving connector and the power supply connector will not be able to withstand bending stress and will be damaged. Therefore, in this embodiment, the power receiving connector 63 is arranged in the thick-walled portion 61. The thick-walled portion 61 has higher rigidity than the thin-walled portion 62, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the power receiving connector 63. Specifically, the power receiving connector 63 is arranged on the inclined portion of the thick-walled portion 61. By placing the power receiving connector 63 on the inclined portion, as shown in Figure 20, even if the radiation imaging device 600 is accidentally dropped to the floor 613, the power receiving connector 603 will be out of contact with the floor 613, thereby preventing damage to the power receiving connector 603.

[0087] According to this embodiment, a radiographic imaging device is realized that is unlikely to be damaged even if subjected to an impact when being carried, etc., and that can easily and reliably receive and supply power by electrically connecting the power receiving connector 63 located in the thick-walled portion 61 of the housing 67 to an external power supply connector.

[0088] [Support Member According to the Present Embodiment] The radiographic imaging device of the present embodiment can be stored and transported, for example, in a storage box of a medical examination cart. In this case, it is possible to supply power to the radiographic imaging device while it is mounted on the medical examination cart. Furthermore, it is also possible to supply power to the radiographic imaging device by placing it in a dedicated power supply stand, rather than just in the medical examination cart. It is also possible to place it in a Bucky stand or the like and perform radiography while supplying power. In either case, the radiographic imaging device is taken in and out of the storage unit. However, because the radiographic imaging device of the present embodiment has thin and thick portions and the position of the power receiving connector is significantly different from that of conventional radiographic imaging devices, the configuration of the storage member must also be significantly changed from the conventional configuration.

[0089] A storage box for a medical examination cart will be described as an example of a storage member for storing a radiographic imaging device according to the present disclosure. Fig. 21 is a perspective view showing a medical examination cart equipped with a storage box for a radiographic imaging device according to this embodiment. Figs. 22A to 22C are cross-sectional views of the storage box taken along the dashed line B-B' in Fig. 21. Fig. 22A shows a state in which a radiographic imaging device is stored in the storage box, Fig. 22B is an enlarged view of the area within the dashed rectangular frame in Fig. 22A, and Fig. 22C shows a state in Fig. 22B in which the radiographic imaging device is not stored in the storage unit. Here, the internal structure of the storage box or other storage member will be referred to as the storage unit.

[0090] In the radiation imaging device 600 housed in the housing 67, the radiation detector housed in the housing 67 has the radiation detection panel 65 in the thin portion 62 connected (joined) to the circuit board 68 and control board 69 in the thick portion 61. Therefore, even if the radiation imaging device 600 receives an impact when housed in the housing box 605, damage or the like is less likely to occur at the above-mentioned joints, compared to a radiation imaging device in which the radiation detection panel 65 and the control board 69 are configured as separate bodies.

[0091] When inserting or removing the radiographic imaging device 600 into or from the storage box 605 of the medical cart 603, the user holds the grip 64 provided on the thick-walled portion 61. Therefore, the radiographic imaging device 600 is inserted into the storage unit 71 from the thin-walled portion 62. If the storage unit 71 were excessively large, the thin-walled portion 62 would collide with the bottom surface 74 of the storage unit 71, resulting in damage to the thin-walled portion 62 of the radiographic imaging device 600, similar to that caused by a drop impact. Even in the radiographic imaging device 600 equipped with the radiation detector of this embodiment, which takes into consideration ensuring the strength of the joints as described above, the thin-walled portion 62 is weak and may be damaged by impact. Therefore, it is preferable that the storage unit 71 of the radiographic imaging device 600 be configured so that it abuts against the thick-walled portion 61. Therefore, in this embodiment, the storage unit 71 that stores the radiographic imaging device 600 is provided with a support surface 73 as a support portion capable of supporting at least the thick-walled portion 61.

[0092] The accommodation section 71 has a thick region 75 and a thin region 76, with the thick region 75 corresponding to the thick portion 61 of the radiography device 600 and the thin region 76 corresponding to the thin portion 62 of the radiography device 600. In the accommodation box 605, the inclined portion of the thick portion 61 of the radiography device 600 comes into contact with the support surface 73 of the thick region 75. When the radiography device 600 is accommodated in the accommodation box 605, the inclined portion of the thick portion 61 is supported by the support surface 73, which is a slope corresponding to the inclined portion, thereby absorbing impact. Here, the accommodation box 605 is not limited to a configuration that supports the inclined portion of the thick portion 61, and a support surface may be provided to support the side surface of the thick portion 61. Furthermore, the accommodation box 605 may be configured to support the grip portion 64 on the rear side of the radiography device 600, for example.

[0093] In this embodiment, a power receiving connector 63 is provided on the inclined portion of the thick portion 61 of the radiographic imaging device 600. A power supply connector 72 is provided on the support surface 73 of the storage section 71 of the medical cart 603 as a power receiving section, for example, a power supply section that can charge the device while the device is stored. When the radiographic imaging device 600 is placed in the storage section 71 of the medical cart 603, the inclined portion of the thick portion 61 of the radiographic imaging device 600 abuts against the support surface 73 of the storage section 71, and the radiographic imaging device 600 is supported within the storage section 71.

[0094] At this time, the power receiving connector 63 arranged on the inclined portion of the thick portion 61 and the power supply connector 72 arranged on the support surface 73 of the storage portion 71 are electrically connected, and power is supplied and received between the storage box 605 and the radiographic imaging device 600.

[0095] FIG. 23 is a side view showing another example of a medical examination cart equipped with a storage box for a radiographic imaging apparatus according to this embodiment.

[0096] In the storage box 605 of the medical cart 604, a support surface 73 is arranged so that when the radiographic imaging device 600 is placed in the storage section 71, the support surface 73 will abut against one of the four side surfaces of the thick-walled section 61 of the radiographic imaging device 600 that is located opposite the thin-walled section 62. Here, the storage section 71 is inclined downward on the support surface 73 side, so that the radiographic imaging device 600 naturally abuts against the support surface 73. Furthermore, in order to increase the strength of the support surface 73 and the housing of the radiographic imaging device corresponding to the support surface 73, the support surface 73 can be made stronger against impacts by being made of metal, by being partially thickened, or by providing predetermined ribs.

[0097] 23 , a power receiving connector 63 is provided on one of the four side surfaces of the thick portion 61 of the radiographic imaging device 600, which is located on the side opposite to the thin portion 62. A power feeding connector 72 is provided on a support surface 73 of the storage section 71 of the radiographic imaging device 600 so that power can be fed when the device is attached. When the radiographic imaging device 600 is placed in the storage section 71 of the medical cart 604, the side surface of the thick portion 61 of the radiographic imaging device 600 abuts against the support surface 73 of the storage section 71, and the radiographic imaging device 600 is supported within the storage section 71. Here, at the time of this abutment, the power receiving connector 63 arranged on the side surface of the thick portion 61 and the power feeding connector 72 arranged on the support surface 73 of the storage section 71 are electrically connected, and power is fed. The power supply includes power supply and charging from the storage box 605 to the radiation imaging device 600, and also includes imaging operations and exchange of image information between the radiation imaging device 600 and the medical cart 604.

[0098] In this way, the power receiving connector 63 and the power supply connector 72 are connected on the support surface 73 that supports the thick portion 61 of the radiographic imaging device 600, thereby reducing the risk of poor contact due to misalignment between the power receiving connector 63 and the power supply connector 72. However, unlike the configuration of this embodiment, consider a case in which the radiographic imaging device 600 is butted against the bottom surface 74 of the housing portion 71 shown in Fig. 22A. In this case, the distance from the bottom surface 74 of the housing portion 71 to the power supply connector 72 of the thick portion 61 of the radiographic imaging device 600 is long, which increases the dimensional tolerance and makes it difficult to align the power receiving connector 63 and the power supply connector 72.

[0099] Since dimensional accuracy is extremely important for accurately connecting connectors to each other, it is preferable to have a configuration in which the support surface 73 against which the thick-walled portion 61 abuts is provided in the housing portion 71, as in this embodiment. From the viewpoints of strength and alignment described above, it is important that the power receiving connector 63 is disposed in the thick-walled portion 61 and that the support surface 73 is provided in the housing portion 71.

[0100] According to this embodiment, when storing a radiographic imaging device, a storage box is realized that can reduce the impact on the radiographic imaging device to prevent damage to the device, and can also securely connect the power receiving connector 63 to the power supply connector 72, thereby enabling highly reliable power supply and reception.

[0101] In this embodiment, a power supply and reception system is configured by the above-described radiation imaging apparatus 600 and the storage box 605 of the medical examination cart 603 or the medical examination cart 604. In this power supply and reception system, power is supplied when the radiation imaging apparatus 600 is placed in the storage box 605, as described above. Specifically, the power receiving connector 63, which is a first power receiving unit of the radiation imaging apparatus 600, and the power supply connector 72, which is a second power receiving unit of the storage box 605, are electrically connected on the support surface 73 on which the thick portion 61 is supported, and power is supplied and received between them. Examples of power supply and reception include power supply and charging from the medical examination carts 603 and 604 to the radiation imaging apparatus 600, and exchange of imaging operations and image information between the radiation imaging apparatus 600 and the medical examination cart 603 or the medical examination cart 604.

[0102] According to this embodiment, a power supply / receiving system is realized that, when storing a radiographic imaging device in a storage member, can reduce the impact that the radiographic imaging device receives, thereby preventing damage to the radiographic imaging device, and can also reliably connect the power supply connector 72 to the power receiving connector 63 to receive and supply power.

[0103] --Modification of Sixth Embodiment-- A modification of the sixth embodiment will now be described. Fig. 24 is a cross-sectional view showing a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a modification of this embodiment, and corresponds to Fig. 18 of this embodiment. Fig. 25 is a perspective view showing a medical cart equipped with a storage box for a radiographic imaging apparatus according to a modification of this embodiment, and corresponds to Fig. 22B of this embodiment.

[0104] 24 , in a radiographic imaging device 600, a wireless power receiving unit 91 capable of wirelessly receiving and supplying power to and from the outside is disposed in the thick portion 61 as a power receiving unit, instead of the power receiving connector 63 that enables the radiation detector to receive and supply power from the outside. The wireless power receiving unit 91 has a wireless coil for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic wave energy. The wireless power receiving unit 91 is disposed inside a housing 67 in the thick portion 61. Here, if the housing 67 is formed of a metal material such as a magnesium alloy, an opening is formed in the portion of the housing 67 where the wireless power receiving unit 91 is disposed, and an insulating film 93 made of resin or the like is provided to close the opening.

[0105] In this modification, the wireless power receiving unit 91 is disposed in an inclined portion that is the boundary between the thick portion 61 and the thin portion 62. For example, the wireless power receiving unit 91 is disposed in approximately the center of the inclined portion of the thick portion 61, but in consideration of usability, for example, the wireless power receiving unit 91 may be disposed in a position shifted from the center of the inclined portion so as not to overlap with the grip portion 64 on the back surface 102 in a plan view. The other configurations of the radiation imaging device 600 of this modification are the same as those of the radiation imaging device 600 of the present embodiment.

[0106] 25, a wireless power supply unit 92 capable of wirelessly supplying and receiving power to and from the outside is disposed on the support surface 73 of the storage section 71 of the medical cart, instead of a power supply / receive unit, for example, a power supply connector 72 that can be charged when attached. The wireless power supply unit 92 has a wireless coil for sending and receiving electromagnetic wave energy. The support member of this modified example is otherwise similar in configuration to the support member of this embodiment.

[0107] When the radiographic imaging device 600 is placed in the storage section 71 of the medical cart, the inclined portion of the thick section 61 of the radiographic imaging device 600 abuts against the support surface 73 of the storage section 71, and the radiographic imaging device 600 is supported within the storage section 71. Here, during this abutment, the wireless coil of the wireless power receiving unit 91, which is arranged on the inclined portion of the thick section 61, and the wireless coil of the wireless power supply unit 92, which is arranged on the support surface 73 of the storage section 71, face each other and come close to each other or into contact, and the wireless coils are magnetically coupled. This allows power to be supplied and received between the storage box 605 and the radiographic imaging device 600. Power supply and reception includes supplying power and charging the radiographic imaging device 600 from the storage box 605, and performing imaging operations and exchanging image information between the radiographic imaging device 600 and the medical cart.

[0108] In this modification, power is supplied wirelessly between the wireless power receiving unit 91 and the wireless power supply unit 92, so power can be supplied over a fairly wide area, and power can be supplied reliably even if there is a slight positional misalignment between the wireless power receiving unit 91 and the wireless power supply unit 92 on the support surface 73. Furthermore, the wireless power receiving unit 91 is disposed inside the housing 67, and does not require an exposed portion from the housing 67 to use wireless communication, so that the wireless power receiving unit 91 is less likely to be damaged when electrically connected to the wireless power supply unit 92 or when the radiation imaging device 600 is dropped.

[0109] Seventh Embodiment In this embodiment, another example of a radiation imaging apparatus, a housing member for the radiation imaging apparatus, and a power supply and receiving system for the radiation imaging apparatus to which the present disclosure is applied will be described.

[0110] [Radiation imaging apparatus according to this embodiment] Fig. 26 is a schematic diagram showing a radiation imaging apparatus according to this embodiment, with the central portion being a plan view, the left portion being a side view seen from the X direction, and the upper portion being a side view seen from the Y direction. Figs. 27A and 27B are schematic diagrams showing an enlarged view of the periphery of the power receiving connector of the radiation imaging apparatus, with Fig. 27A being a side view seen from the X direction in Fig. 26, and Fig. 27B being a plan view.

[0111] In the radiographic imaging device 606, the housing 67 has a thick portion 77 and a thin portion 78 that are integrated in the internal space, similar to the sixth embodiment. A radiation detector is housed in the internal space of the housing 67, with the circuit board 68 and control board 69 located in the internal space of the thick portion 77 and the radiation detection panel 65 located in the internal space of the thin portion 78.

[0112] In this embodiment, the thick portion 77 is formed so that its width along the longitudinal direction (width along the X direction) is narrower than the width along the X direction of the thin portion 78. In the radiographic imaging device 606, the side surface of the thick portion 77 along the short direction (Y direction) is recessed inward in the outermost shape of the radiographic imaging device 606, and the power receiving connector 79 is disposed on this side surface. Note that the vertices of the thick portion 77, the vertices of the thin portion 78, and the connection portions (inclined portions) of the thick portion 77 and the thin portion 78 do not have to be edge-shaped, and may be curved (R-shaped), for example, as shown in FIG. 27B .

[0113] The width of the thick portion 77 in the X direction is set to be equal to the width of the effective imaging area (not shown) of the radiation detection panel 65. In this embodiment, the drive substrate 70 is in an expanded state without being bent relative to the radiation detection panel 65, so the width in the X direction from the effective imaging area to the housing surface of the thin portion 78 is increased to, for example, 20 mm or more. By making the width of the thick portion 77 equal to the width of the effective imaging area, it becomes easier for the user to recognize the effective imaging area by using the side position of the thick portion 77 as a guide. This is particularly effective when performing work in which it is difficult to see the indicators on the irradiation surface, such as during rounds.

[0114] 27A and 27B , in the outermost shape of the radiographic imaging device 606, the vertex of the thick-walled portion 77 is designated as 80a, and the vertex of the thin-walled portion 78 adjacent to vertex 80a is designated as 80b. The power receiving connector 79 is positioned inside (on the side of the radiographic imaging device 606) an imaginary line L, indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 27B , connecting vertices 80a and 80b. Even if the radiographic imaging device 606 is accidentally dropped while being carried, as shown in FIG. 28 , the power receiving connector 79 does not come into direct contact with the floor 613. This reduces the risk of damage to the power receiving connector 79. Because the thick-walled portion 77 is heavier than the thin-walled portion 78, it is more likely to fall off the thick-walled portion 77 when dropped, increasing the risk of damage to the power receiving connector 79 installed in the thick-walled portion 77. Therefore, the above configuration is effective in preventing damage to the power receiving connector 79. Therefore, by arranging the power receiving connector 79 inside the imaginary line L shown in FIG. 27B, it is possible to prevent damage to the power receiving connector 79 even if the radiation imaging device 606 is dropped.

[0115] It is also possible to arrange components that are likely to be damaged or malfunction due to impact, such as various switches and connectors, on the side surface of the thick portion 77 together with (or instead of) the power receiving connector 79. In this case, it is possible to prevent damage to these components, as in the case described above, even if the radiographic imaging device 606 is dropped.

[0116] According to this embodiment, a radiographic imaging device is realized that is less likely to be damaged even if subjected to an impact when being carried, and that can easily and reliably receive and supply power by electrically connecting the power receiving connector 79 located in the thick-walled portion 77 of the housing 67 to an external power supply connector.

[0117] [Support Member According to the Present Embodiment] A housing section for housing a radiographic imaging device that can be used in common with a conventional, standard-sized radiographic imaging device with a uniform thickness and the radiographic imaging device of the present embodiment is preferable in terms of size and number of parts, compared to providing two housing sections. However, simply increasing the size of the housing section to accommodate two types of radiographic imaging devices makes it impossible to secure the radiographic imaging device or connect it to a power supply connector. The housing box 608 of the present embodiment allows the use of the two types of radiographic imaging devices with a single housing box 608. Specifically, a single housing section has housing regions with different widths in the thickness direction, enabling commonality.

[0118] On the other hand, since the housing unit is provided with a rechargeable power supply connector, it is preferable that one power supply connector can be commonly connected to the two types of radiation imaging devices. Therefore, in the housing box of this embodiment, the power supply connector is arranged in an area from the back of the housing unit that is equal to or thinner than the thickness of a conventional radiation imaging device, so that it can be aligned with the power receiving connector of the two types of radiation imaging devices.

[0119] FIG. 29 is a perspective view showing a medical examination cart equipped with a storage box for a radiographic imaging apparatus according to this embodiment.

[0120] The medical cart 607 is provided with a storage box 608 for a radiographic imaging device, and the radiographic imaging device is taken in and out of the storage box 608 in the direction of an arrow 614 .

[0121] Figure 30 is a partially cutaway side view showing the storage box as viewed from the S direction in Figure 29, where (a) shows the state in which a conventional radiation imaging device is stored, and (b) shows the state in which the radiation imaging device of this embodiment is stored.

[0122] A power receiving connector 610 is disposed on the side of the conventional radiographic imaging device 609. As described above, a power receiving connector 79 is disposed on the side of the thick-walled portion 607 of the radiographic imaging device 606 of this embodiment. When the radiographic imaging devices 606, 609 are placed in the storage section of the storage box 608 of this embodiment, the power receiving connectors 610, 79 are located at the same position within the storage section, in this case, at the same position within the range indicated by the distance D upward from the rear surface B of the storage section. Here, the distance D corresponds to the thickness of the conventional radiographic imaging device 609, and is, for example, a value within a range of approximately 15 mm to 16 mm. As shown in FIG. 30( a), when the conventional radiographic imaging device 609 is placed in the storage section of the storage box 608, the power receiving connector 610 provided on the side faces and is electrically connected to the power supply connector disposed in the storage box 608. As shown in Figure 30 (b), when the radiation imaging device 606 of this embodiment is placed in the storage section of the storage box 608, the power receiving connector 79 provided on the side of the thick section 607 faces the power supply connector 79 arranged in the storage box 608 and is electrically connected.

[0123] 31A to 31D are schematic diagrams showing a storage box according to this embodiment, with Fig. 31A being a plan view and a side view, and Fig. 31B to 31D being cross-sectional views taken along the dashed dotted line CC' in Fig. 31A. Here, Fig. 31B shows a state where nothing is stored, Fig. 31C shows a state where a conventional radiographic device is stored, and Fig. 31D shows a state where the radiographic device of this embodiment is stored.

[0124] The accommodation section 84 has a first region, a thick region 81, a second region, a thin region 83, and a third region, a normal region 82. The thick region 81 corresponds to the thickness of the thick section 77 of the radiation imaging device 606 of this embodiment and is the widest. The thin region 83 corresponds to the thickness of the thin section 78 of the radiation imaging device 606 of this embodiment and is the narrowest. The normal region 82 corresponds to the thickness of the conventional radiation imaging device 609 and is narrower than the thick region 81 and wider than the thin region 83.

[0125] 31C , a conventional radiographic imaging device 609 is placed in the housing section 84 of the housing box 608. At this time, the radiographic imaging device 609 is thicker (approximately 15 mm to 16 mm) than the width of the thin-walled region 83, and therefore cannot enter the thin-walled region 83 and comes to a stop when it hits the bottom of the normal region 82. The power receiving connector 610 of the radiographic imaging device 609 is located at a predetermined position defined with respect to the rear surface B of the housing section 84 as described above, and is accurately connected to the power supply connector of the housing box 608.

[0126] 31D , the radiographic imaging device 606 of this embodiment is placed into the housing section 84 of the housing box 608. At this time, the radiographic imaging device 606 enters the thin-walled region 83 because its thickness corresponds to the width of the thin-walled region 83, and the thick-walled portion 77 hits the support surface 73 of the thick-walled region 81 and stops. The power receiving connector 79 of the radiographic imaging device 606 is located at a predetermined position defined with the back surface B of the housing section 84 as the reference, as described above, and is accurately connected to the power supply connector of the housing box 608.

[0127] When the radiation imaging device 606 is placed in the housing 84, the thick-walled portion 77 secures the radiation imaging device 606. Therefore, depending on the size of the radiation imaging device 606, it may be possible to secure the radiation imaging device 606 without using the thin-walled region 83. However, in the radiation imaging device 606, the radiation detector is configured such that the drive substrate 70 is spread out rather than folded over the radiation detection panel 65, and therefore the outer shape of the thin-walled portion 608 is larger than that of conventional radiation imaging devices. Therefore, it is preferable to provide the thin-walled region 83 in the housing 84. Furthermore, by making the thin-walled region 83 closer to the thickness of the thin-walled portion 78, the radiation imaging device 606 is prevented from being inserted at an angle in the thickness direction when inserted into the housing 84, which has the advantage of suppressing problems such as a so-called half-insertion state.

[0128] According to this embodiment, a highly reliable storage box is realized that, when storing a radiation imaging device, can reduce the impact on the radiation imaging device to prevent damage to the radiation imaging device, and can also securely connect the power receiving connector 79 to the power supply connector.

[0129] In this embodiment, a power supply and reception system is configured by the above-described radiation imaging apparatus 609 and the storage box 608 of the medical examination cart 607. In this power supply and reception system, power is supplied when the radiation imaging apparatus 600 is placed in the storage box 608, as described above. Specifically, on the support surface 73 on which the thick portion 61 is supported, a power receiving connector 79, which is a first power receiving unit of the radiation imaging apparatus 606, and a power supply connector, which is a second power receiving unit of the storage box 608, are electrically connected, and power is supplied and received between them. Examples of power supply and reception include power supply and charging from the medical examination cart 607 to the radiation imaging apparatus 606, and exchange of imaging operations and image information between the radiation imaging apparatus 606 and the medical examination cart 607.

[0130] According to this embodiment, a power supply / reception system is realized that, when storing a radiographic imaging device in a storage member, can reduce the impact that the radiographic imaging device receives, thereby preventing damage to the radiographic imaging device, and can also reliably connect the power receiving connector 79 to the power supply connector to receive and supply power.

[0131] In this embodiment, as in the modified example of the sixth embodiment, a wireless power receiving unit may be arranged in place of the power receiving connector 79 of the radiation imaging device 606, and a wireless power supply unit may be arranged in place of the power supply connector of the storage box 608.

[0132] Eighth Embodiment In this embodiment, another example of a radiation imaging apparatus to which the present disclosure is applied will be described.

[0133] Fig. 32 is a schematic diagram showing a radiographic apparatus according to this embodiment, with the central portion being a plan view, the right portion being a right side view, and the upper portion being an upper side view. Fig. 33 is a cross-sectional view taken along the dashed line DD' in Fig. 32.

[0134] In the radiation imaging device 611, the housing 67 has a thick portion 645 and a thin portion 646 that are integrated in the internal space, as in the sixth embodiment. A radiation detector is housed in the internal space of the housing 67, with the circuit board 68 and control board 69 located in the internal space of the thick portion 645 and the radiation detection panel 65 located in the internal space of the thin portion 646.

[0135] In this embodiment, a recess 641 is provided at the end of the back surface of a thick portion 645 of the radiographic imaging device 611, and a step 642 is formed at the outermost portion of this recess 641 between the recess 641 and the back surface of the housing 67. A power receiving connector 644 is disposed on a side wall surface 643 of the recess 641. In the radiographic imaging device 611, the vertex of the outermost surface of the step 642 is designated as 640a, and the vertex of the side wall surface 643 is designated as 640b. The power receiving connector 644 is disposed so as to be located inside (on the side of the radiographic imaging device 611) an imaginary straight line L, shown by a dashed line in FIG. 33 , which connects the vertices 640a and 640b.

[0136] Even if the radiographic imaging device 611 is accidentally dropped while being carried, the step 641 prevents the power receiving connector 644 from directly contacting the floor 613, as shown in FIG. 34 . This reduces the risk of damage to the power receiving connector 644. Because the thick-walled portion 645 is heavier than the thin-walled portion 646, it is more likely to fall off the thick-walled portion 645 when dropped, increasing the risk of damage to the power receiving connector 644 installed in the thick-walled portion 645. Therefore, by arranging the power receiving connector 644 inside the imaginary line L shown in FIG. 33 , it is possible to prevent damage to the power receiving connector 644 even if the radiographic imaging device 611 is dropped.

[0137] In this embodiment, as in the sixth embodiment, a storage box is provided that has a power supply connector that is electrically connected to the power receiving connector 644 of the radiography device 611 when stored in the storage box. Also, a power supply system is provided that includes the radiography device 611 and the storage box.

[0138] In this embodiment, as in the modified example of the seventh embodiment, a wireless power receiving unit may be arranged in place of the power receiving connector 644 of the radiation imaging device 611, and a wireless power supply unit may be arranged in place of the power supply connector of the storage box.

[0139] Regarding the radiation imaging system described in other embodiments with reference to Fig. 16, the radiation imaging apparatus according to the sixth embodiment and its modifications, the seventh embodiment, and one of the eighth embodiments can also be applied to the radiation imaging apparatus 1601 of the radiation imaging system.

[0140] - Basic configuration of power transmitting and receiving device to which the present disclosure is applied - Next, a ninth and tenth embodiment will be described. Before describing the ninth and tenth embodiments, the basic configuration of a power transmitting and receiving device to which the present disclosure is applied will be described.

[0141] The power transmitting and receiving device of the present disclosure is capable of housing a radiographic imaging device having a first wireless power transmitting and receiving means for wirelessly transmitting and receiving power to and from an external device. The radiographic imaging device has a radiation detection panel that converts radiation transmitted through a subject into an electrical signal. The power transmitting and receiving device includes a second wireless power transmitting and receiving means for wirelessly transmitting and receiving power to and from the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means, and an adjustment mechanism that is a position adjustment means that adjusts the position of the radiographic imaging device when the radiographic imaging device is housed so that the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means and the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means are close to each other and in a positional relationship that enables wireless power supply. The first wireless power transmitting and receiving means and the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means have wireless coils for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic wave energy, and the wireless coils are opposed to each other and close to each other, thereby electromagnetically coupling. This allows power to be transmitted and received between the radiographic imaging device and the power transmitting and receiving device. There are various types of radiographic imaging devices with different thicknesses, etc., and when the radiographic imaging device is housed in the power transmitting and receiving device, the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means and the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means may be spaced apart. Even in such cases, the adjustment mechanism moves the radiographic imaging device so that the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means is close to the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means. This allows stable and efficient wireless power transmission and reception, such as for charging.

[0142] In the radiographic imaging apparatus and the power transmitting and receiving apparatus, the power transmitting and receiving apparatus can supply power to the radiographic imaging apparatus and charge the radiographic imaging apparatus, and can exchange imaging operations and image information between the two apparatuses, via the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means and the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means. The power transmitting and receiving apparatus of the present disclosure is mainly assumed to be a charging apparatus that charges the radiographic imaging apparatus, and in the embodiments described below, a case will be illustrated in which the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means is a wireless power receiving unit that receives power for charging, and the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means is a wireless power transmitting unit that transmits power for charging.

[0143] The adjustment mechanism has, for example, a main surface pressing member. The main surface pressing member presses the main surface of the housed radiographic imaging device in its thickness direction so that the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means approaches the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means. The adjustment mechanism also has, for example, a side surface pressing member. The side surface pressing member presses the side surface of the housed radiographic imaging device in a direction intersecting the thickness direction so that the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means approaches the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means. The main surface pressing member and the side surface pressing member bring the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means close to the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means, allowing efficient power transmission and reception, such as charging.

[0144] The adjustment mechanism includes, for example, an inclined roller member. The inclined roller member is disposed at a position that bears the weight of the accommodated radiation imaging device and adjusts the position of the accommodated radiation imaging device by its own rotation so that the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means approaches the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means. By providing the inclined roller member, the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means of the accommodated radiation imaging device can be easily and reliably brought closer to the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means by utilizing gravity, without the need for a complex and large driving device or the like.

[0145] The power transmitting and receiving device includes a housing means having a slot for housing a radiographic imaging device. In the housing means, at least one of the surfaces forming the slot, which supports the weight of the housed radiographic imaging device, is inclined from the horizontal or vertical. Specifically, the bottom surface forming the slot is inclined from the horizontal so that one short side is lower than the opposing short side. This allows the radiographic imaging device inserted into the slot to slide along the bottom surface toward the short side due to its own weight, bringing the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means into proximity with the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means. In another specific example, the bottom surface and at least one main surface forming the slot are inclined from the horizontal and vertical so that one long side is lower than the opposing long side while maintaining a perpendicular relationship. This allows the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means to be positioned in proximity to the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means when the radiographic imaging device is inserted into the slot.

[0146] The power transmitting and receiving device of the present disclosure is capable of accommodating radiation imaging devices of different thicknesses, etc., and the adjustment mechanism brings the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means and the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means closer together regardless of the thickness, etc. of the radiation imaging device. In this way, the power transmitting and receiving device is capable of accommodating even radiation imaging devices that do not conform to conventional standards, and automatically brings the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means closer to the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means for various accommodated radiation imaging devices.

[0147] Specific examples of radiographic imaging devices that can be housed in a power transmitting and receiving device include the following: (1) A radiographic imaging device having a thin portion that partially or completely overlaps the effective imaging area when viewed from the thickness direction of the device, and a thick portion that is thicker than the thin portion, in which a first wireless power transmitting and receiving means is disposed in the thin portion, and a control means for controlling the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means is disposed in the thick portion. (2) A radiographic imaging device equipped with a cover. Examples of various covers include at least one selected from a grid cover for reducing predetermined radiation, an imaging auxiliary cover for adjusting the contact state of the device with the subject, and a protective cover for protecting against contamination and water intrusion.

[0148] The power transmitting and receiving device of the present disclosure may be embodied, for example, in the following first and second aspects. The first aspect will be described in detail in a ninth embodiment, which will be described later, and the second aspect will be described in detail in a tenth embodiment, which will be described later.

[0149] (1) First Aspect This power transmitting and receiving device includes a housing means having a slot. The first wireless power transmitting and receiving means is disposed on a first main surface of the radiographic imaging device, and the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means is disposed on a second main surface of the slot. When the radiographic imaging device is housed in the housing means, the radiographic imaging device moves in sliding contact with the bottom surface of the slot due to its own weight, so that the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means faces the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means. The adjustment mechanism adjusts the position of the radiographic imaging device so that the first main surface is pressed against the second main surface while the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means and the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means face each other.

[0150] (2) Second Aspect This power transmitting and receiving device includes a housing means having a slot. The first wireless power transmitting and receiving means is disposed on a first main surface of the radiographic imaging device. The second wireless power transmitting and receiving means is disposed on a second main surface of the slot. When the radiographic imaging device is housed in the housing means, the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means faces the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means. The adjustment mechanism adjusts the position of the radiographic imaging device so that the first main surface is pressed against the second main surface while the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means and the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means face each other.

[0151] In the first and second aspects, specifically, the first principal surface is a rear surface of the principal surfaces of the radiation imaging device as viewed in a thickness direction of the radiation imaging device, and the adjustment mechanism preferably presses the first principal surface toward the second principal surface so that the opposing distance between the first wireless power transmitting and receiving unit and the second wireless power transmitting and receiving unit in the thickness direction of the radiation imaging device is 5 mm or less.

[0152] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments to which the present disclosure can be applied will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As an example of a power transmitting and receiving device according to the embodiments, a charging device that wirelessly charges a cassette that is a radiation imaging device will be described.

[0153] Ninth Embodiment (Cassette 100) A cassette 700 according to a ninth embodiment will be described using Figures 35 to 48. Figure 35 is a top perspective view of cassette 700 according to the ninth embodiment, and Figure 36 is a bottom perspective view. Figure 37 is a cross-sectional view taken along dashed line B-B' in Figure 35, with a portion of the intermediate portion omitted. Note that, of the various cassettes that can be used in combination with the charging device according to this embodiment, cassette 700, which has a distinctive shape, will be described here; however, a conventional flat cassette 711 having a substantially uniform thickness can also be applied to the charging device. The flat cassette 711 will be described later.

[0154] The cassette 700 generates a radiographic image corresponding to radiation irradiated by a radiation generating device (not shown) and transmitted through the subject. The cassette 700 transfers the generated radiographic image to an external device, which displays the transferred radiographic image on an external display device or the like. The cassette 700 includes a radiation detection panel 701 for converting radiation into an electrical signal. The radiation detection panel 701 converts radiation incident from side A (hereinafter referred to as the incident side, and the opposite side as the back side) indicated by the arrow in FIG. 35 into an electrical signal. The radiation detection panel 701 includes a sensor substrate on which multiple photoelectric conversion elements (sensors) are two-dimensionally arranged on a glass substrate, a phosphor layer disposed on the sensor substrate, and a phosphor protective film disposed on the phosphor layer. The phosphor protective film is made of a material with relatively high moisture resistance and is used to protect the phosphor layer.

[0155] In the radiation detection panel 701 configured as described above, incident radiation causes the phosphor layer to emit light, and the emitted light is converted into an electrical signal by the photoelectric conversion elements arranged on the sensor substrate. Furthermore, the radiation detection panel 701 defines some or all of the photoelectric conversion elements as the effective imaging area. The effective imaging area is the area where radiation can be captured and an image is actually generated. However, the radiation detection panel 701 is not limited to the configuration described here, and multiple phosphor layers may be provided, or direct conversion elements that directly convert radiation into an electrical signal may be used instead of the phosphor layers and photoelectric conversion elements. Furthermore, the material of the sensor substrate of the radiation detection panel 701 is not limited to glass, and may be a more flexible resin material or the like.

[0156] The radiation detection panel 701 is electrically connected to a control board 705 via a flexible circuit board 704. The control board 705 reads out the electrical signals converted by the radiation detection panel 701 and performs various processes. For example, the control board 705 converts the electrical signals into digital signals and generates radiation image data. The control board 705 also transfers the generated radiation image data to an external device.

[0157] The cassette 700 also includes a secondary battery 706 that supplies power to the radiation detection panel 701 and the control board 705. The secondary battery 706 is, for example, a lithium ion battery, an electric double layer capacitor, or an all-solid-state battery. The secondary battery 706 may be detachable from the cassette 700 or may be fixed thereto.

[0158] The wireless power receiving unit 710, which is the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means, receives power supplied from the wireless power transmitting unit 810 in the charging device 800 (described below). The received power is rectified via a charging circuit board 707 having a control means for controlling the wireless power receiving unit 710, and is charged to a secondary battery 706 at a predetermined voltage. The cassette 700 and the charging device 800 transmit and receive power using an electromagnetic induction method, as an example of a wireless charging method. In particular, with the electromagnetic induction method, charging efficiency is increased when the central axes of the power transmitting coil and the power receiving coil are as close as possible to each other, ultimately coinciding, and when the coil surfaces are as close as possible to each other. The required accuracy of proximity varies depending on the type of coil and the conditions around the coils, but in this embodiment, it is assumed that the distance between the central axes and the distance perpendicular to the surfaces are each approximately 5 mm or less. In this embodiment, the wireless power receiving unit 710 and the wireless power transmitting unit 810 (described later) are each a single circular coil, but this is not limiting, and the number and shape of the coils can be changed as appropriate to suit the arrangement and charging power within the cassette 700 and the charging device 800. For example, an elliptical or rectangular coil may be used. The surface of the wireless power receiving unit 710 is arranged so as to be parallel to the surface of the radiation detection panel 701, but may be arranged so as to intersect with it as necessary. Other wireless charging methods such as radio wave reception and resonance may also be used.

[0159] The support base 703 supports the radiation detection panel 701 on its incident surface side, and supports the wireless power receiving unit 710 on its back surface side.

[0160] The housing 708 houses the above-mentioned components. The housing 708 has a thin portion 708a and a thick portion 708b. The thin portion 708a houses mainly the radiation detection panel 701, the wireless power receiving unit 710, and their adjacent components. On the other hand, the thick portion 708b houses mainly electrical components such as the control board 705, the secondary battery 706, and the charging circuit board 707. A buffer material 702 is provided between the thin portion 708a and the radiation detection panel 701 to protect the radiation detection panel 701 from external forces. Furthermore, the incident surface side of the thin portion 708a is preferably made of a material with a relatively high radiation transmittance in order to obtain clearer radiation image data.

[0161] As described above, by arranging thick components such as the secondary battery 6 in the thick portion 708b along one side of the radiation detection panel 701, it is possible to make the effective imaging area thinner than that of conventional cassettes, as shown in the thin portion 708a. In other words, the thickness of the insertion portion when inserting the cassette 700 between the supine patient and the bed during imaging is reduced, thereby reducing pain for the patient. At the same time, it is possible to reduce the physical strain felt by the imaging operator, such as insertion resistance. During imaging, the thick portion 708b is primarily positioned at the side of the supine patient, approximately parallel to the spine. Therefore, the dimension of the thin portion 708a in the direction perpendicular to the thick portion 708b (shown as L in FIG. 35 ) is preferably wide enough to fit the patient's torso width into the image. For example, dimensions equivalent to medium to large sizes within the conventional cassette standard, such as 380 mm to 500 mm, are anticipated.

[0162] Here, the wireless power receiving unit 710 is shown as being disposed on the back side of the radiation detection panel 701 in the thin portion 708a, but it may be disposed in the thick portion 708b. In particular, in the ninth embodiment, there is no difference in the effect on the user's charging operation whether the wireless power receiving unit 710 is disposed in the thin portion 708a or the thick portion 708b, but in the tenth embodiment described below, it is desirable for the wireless power receiving unit 710 to be disposed in the thin portion 708a, and the reason for this will be described later.

[0163] An index 709 is provided on the incident surface of the thin portion 708a to indicate the effective imaging area and its center point, and a user can visually confirm the effective imaging area by using the index 709. The index 709 is formed by, for example, painting the thin portion 708a, printing, surface treatment such as graining or blasting, forming a shape such as a depression, or a combination thereof.

[0164] Concave gripping portions 810a and 810b are formed on the front and back of the thick portion 708b, respectively, at approximately the center thereof. A user can stably grip the cassette 700 by placing a first finger on the gripping portion 810a and hooking the other fingers onto the stepped portion of the gripping portion 810b. Here, the gripping portion 810a does not have to be a single continuous concave surface as shown in the figure, but may have a ribbed or dotted shape, or may be convex. Alternatively, the gripping portion 810a may have no shape, but may be partially made of a highly frictional material such as rubber, or may have a surface treatment such as a high-friction coating or textured surface to improve gripping. These shapes, materials, and surface treatments may also be combined as appropriate. The gripping portion 810b may also have various shapes, materials, and the like. Furthermore, the gripping portions 810a and 810b may be arranged in reverse, or the gripping portions 810a and 810b may be connected and penetrate the thick portion 708b.

[0165] (Cassette 701) Cassette 711 according to the ninth embodiment will be described using Figures 38 to 40. Figure 38 is a top perspective view of cassette 711 according to the ninth embodiment, and Figure 39 is a bottom perspective view. Figure 40 is a cross-sectional view taken along dashed line CC' in Figure 38, with a portion of the intermediate portion omitted. In Figures 38 to 40, the same reference numerals as those in cassette 700 described above are used for components similar to those in cassette 700, and further description will be omitted.

[0166] Unlike cassette 700, which has thin portion 708a and thick portion 708b, cassette 711 is a conventional, mainstream, flat cassette having a substantially uniform thickness. The basic thickness M of cassette 711 is approximately 15 mm±2 mm according to the standard, but it may also be 13 mm or less, such as 10 mm or 8 mm, or 17 mm or more, such as 20 mm or 30 mm. Meanwhile, the size of the plane perpendicular to the thickness direction is approximately 300 mm to 500 mm on each side.

[0167] In the cassette 711, in addition to the wireless power receiving unit 710, electrical components such as a control board 705, a secondary battery 706, and a charging circuit board 707 are also arranged on the back side of the radiation detection panel 701. Furthermore, the cushioning material 702 is only present on the incident surface side of the radiation detection panel 701, and the grip part 810 is only present on the back surface of the housing 708.

[0168] (Charger 800) Next, a charging device 800 according to the ninth embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 41 to 44. Fig. 41 is a perspective view of charging device 800 according to the ninth embodiment, and Fig. 42 is a top view. Fig. 44 is a perspective view showing a state in which cassette 711 is housed in charging device 800 according to the ninth embodiment. Here, in charging device 800, the X direction in Fig. 41 is the width direction, the Y direction is the thickness direction, and the Z direction is the height or up-down direction.

[0169] A slot 721 is formed in the charging device 800. The slot 721 is a recess for accommodating a cassette. Hereinafter, "cassette" refers collectively to a cassette alone and a cassette with various covers attached. The thickness (width) S of the slot 721 is greater than the maximum thickness of the cassettes expected to be accommodated. Furthermore, a bottom surface 722 and a side surface 723 within the slot 721 are inclined so as to rotate around the Y axis in the figure while maintaining a mutual orthogonality. The front surface 724 (one of the main surfaces) and the rear surface 725 (the other main surface) are the side surfaces on the front and rear sides in the thickness direction within the slot 721, respectively.

[0170] The inclined rollers 726, which serve as position adjustment means for the cassette 700, are provided on the bottom surface of the slot 721. Their rotation axes are inclined relative to the Y axis in a plane parallel to the bottom surface 722, as shown in the figure. While eight inclined rollers 726 are illustrated in this embodiment, any number greater than two may be used. The main surface pressing member 727, which serves as position adjustment means for the cassette 700, is provided with a portion protruding from the front surface 724 and biased toward the rear surface 725 by a spring 728 (not shown in FIG. 41 ). When no external force is applied, the gap T between the main surface pressing member 727 and the rear surface 725 is smaller than or equal to the minimum thickness of the cassettes intended to be accommodated. When a cassette is inserted into the slot 721 and a force is applied to the main surface pressing member 727 in the approximately -Y direction, the spring 728 is compressed, and the pressing member 727 retracts to a position where the gap T is greater than the maximum thickness of the cassettes intended to be accommodated. When a cassette is inserted, the surface pressing member 727, the sliding portions of the side surface 723, and the rear surface 725 that slide against the cassette may preferably be made of a material or have a surface that provides good slipperiness. Alternatively, ribs or dots may be provided to reduce the sliding area, or rolling members such as rollers or balls may be provided in the portions that slide against the cassette to improve sliding with the cassette. In this embodiment, the main surface pressing members 727 are provided at two locations along the width direction. This is to improve parallelism between the cassette and the rear surface 725 when pressing the cassette toward the rear surface 725. The number, size, and shape of the main surface pressing members may be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, instead of using a spring, a pressing configuration may be used in which a cushioning or elastic member is used.

[0171] Wireless power transmitting unit 810, which is the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means, is provided on rear surface 725 and has a coil for wirelessly transmitting power to the cassette. The behavior of charging device 800 when cassette 700 is inserted as an example of a cassette will be described below.

[0172] As shown in Figure 43A , when a user attempts to insert cassette 700 into slot 721 with its back surface facing rear surface 725, cassette 700 is pressed toward rear surface 725 by surface pressing member 727. Furthermore, when cassette 700 is released from the user's grip and placed on inclined rollers 726 as shown in Figure 43B , cassette 700 moves due to its own weight along the inclination of bottom surface 722 in a direction that strikes side surface 723 (in the direction of arrow D in the figure). Because the axis of inclined rollers 726, which rotate passively due to this movement, is inclined, the lower end of cassette 700 moves toward rear surface 725, bringing the back surface of cassette 700 closer to contacting rear surface 725. Due to the pressure of main surface pressing member 727 and the inclination of inclined rollers 726, the back surface of cassette 700 is more reliably pressed toward rear surface 725. Due to the above behavior, the accommodated cassette 700 is guided and held in the state shown in Figure 43C where it abuts against side surface 723 and rear surface 725. When in the state shown in Figure 43C, the wireless power receiving unit 710 and the wireless power transmitting unit 810 are positioned within their respective devices so that the center and surface distance between the coils is as close as possible, particularly in this case, approximately 5 mm or less. By holding the cassette 700 in the state shown in Figure 43C, i.e., in a position where the wireless power receiving unit 710 is pressed against the wireless power transmitting unit 810, high wireless charging efficiency can be maintained.

[0173] The above behavior is the same when the cassette 711 is housed, and FIG. 44 is a diagram corresponding to the state of FIG. 43C.

[0174] The following also describes the case where a cassette 711 equipped with any of the aforementioned covers is placed in the charging device 800. The thickness of the item increases when a cover is attached, and covers such as grid covers and cushion covers are expected to significantly increase the thickness. These covers primarily increase the thickness of the incident surface of the cassette 711, with only a small increase in the thickness of the back surface. Specifically, the incident surface is expected to increase by approximately +10 mm at most, and the back surface is expected to increase by approximately +1 mm at most. Note that with the vinyl cover described above, the thickness increase on both the incident surface and back surface is expected to be approximately +1 mm or less. Therefore, similar to the case of the cassette 700 described above, the wireless power receiving unit 710 is provided on the back surface of the cassette 711, and the cassette 711 is pressed within the slot 721 in a direction that brings the back surface and rear surface 725 of the cassette 711 closer together. This presses the wireless power receiving unit toward the wireless power transmitting unit 810, thereby maintaining high wireless charging efficiency. However, since the increase in thickness on the back side is not zero, taking this into consideration, it is preferable that the wireless power receiving unit 710 and the wireless power transmitting unit 810 are arranged as close to the outer surface of the device as possible within their respective devices.

[0175] 45 to 48, a charging device according to a tenth embodiment will be described. In the following description, the same components as those in the ninth embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the ninth embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0176] FIG. 45 is a perspective view of a charging device 900 according to the tenth embodiment. FIG. 46 is a side view of the charging device 900 according to the tenth embodiment. FIGS. 47A to 47C are perspective views showing a series of behaviors when a cassette 700 is inserted into the charging device 900 according to the tenth embodiment. This embodiment is primarily intended for a charging device that is integrally provided with a mobile X-ray generator called a medical examination cart, and the dashed line in FIG. 46 represents a partial outline of the medical examination cart. The dashed circle in the figure represents the tires of the medical examination cart, which primarily travels left and right with the left side of FIG. 46 being the front, and the user inserts and removes cassettes from the charging device 900 from the upper right corner of the figure. To improve the ease of inserting and removing cassettes, the entire charging device 900 is tilted clockwise in FIG. 46 . Hereinafter, the right side in FIG. 46 will be referred to as the front side of the charging device 900, and the left side as the rear side, and the X direction in FIG. 45 will be referred to as the width direction, the Y direction as the thickness direction, and the Z direction as the height and up-down direction.

[0177] A slot 731 is formed in charging device 900. Slot 731 is a recess for accommodating cassettes in this embodiment, and its interior is made up of a bottom surface 732, side surfaces 733 and 734, a front surface 735 (one main surface) on the near side, and a rear surface 736 (the other main surface) opposite front surface 735. A notch 737 is formed in front surface 735. The height H from the bottom end of notch 737 to bottom surface 732 is smaller than the minimum height of the cassettes that are expected to be accommodated, ensuring space for the user to grip the cassette from above when inserting or removing it.

[0178] In this embodiment, the wireless power transmitting unit 810 is provided on the front surface 735 side, and the surface pressing members 727 and springs 728 (not shown) are provided on the rear surface 736 side, and the number of main surface pressing members 727 is, for example, four.

[0179] A side support member 738, which serves as a position adjustment means for the cassette 700 or the like, protrudes from one side surface 733. The side support member 738 is rotatable around one end and is provided with a torsion coil spring (not shown) at its base. The opposite end is provided with a roller 739, and the side support member 738 is biased by the torsion coil spring in a direction that moves the roller 739 away from the side surface 733. When no external force is applied to the side support member 738, the distance W from the roller 739 to the opposing side surface 734 is less than or equal to the minimum width of the cassettes that are expected to be accommodated. On the other hand, when an external force is applied in the direction of winding the torsion coil spring, the side support member 738 can be rotated and retracted to a position where the distance W is greater than the maximum width of the cassettes that are expected to be accommodated. The rollers 739 are provided to reduce the sliding resistance between the cassettes and the side support member 738 when inserting or removing the cassettes. Instead of using rollers, ball tips or a material with low sliding resistance may be used. In this embodiment, the side support members 738 are provided at two locations along the height direction. However, as with the above-described side support member 727, the number, size, and shape of the side support members may be changed as appropriate. Instead of using a spring to apply pressure, a cushioned or elastic member may be used for pressure application. While the side support member is provided on only one side here, side support members may also be provided on both side 733 and side 734 to press the loaded cassettes toward the center of the device.

[0180] Hereinafter, the behavior of the charging device 900 when the cassette 700 is inserted will be described with reference to FIGS. 47A to 47C.

[0181] As shown in FIG. 47A , when a user attempts to insert cassette 700 into slot 731, cassette 700 abuts against side retaining member 738 and is guided toward side 734. Subsequently, as the insertion state progresses to FIG. 47B , cassette 700 abuts against side retaining member 727 and is pressed toward front surface 735. Finally, when cassette 700 is released from the user's grip and placed on bottom surface 732, cassette 700 is guided and held in the position shown in FIG. 47C where it abuts against side surface 734 and front surface 735. At this time, cassette 700 slides against bottom surface 732, side surface 734, and front surface 735, and therefore these are preferably made of a material with high slidability. Alternatively, ribs or dots may be provided to reduce the sliding area, or rolling members such as rollers or balls may be provided to improve sliding relative to cassette 700. Furthermore, since the side pressing force is smaller if the cassette 700 is pressed against the side before being pressed against the front surface 735, it is preferable that the cassette 700 be positioned so that it abuts against the side pressing member 738 before the surface pressing member 727.

[0182] 47C, the wireless power receiving unit 710 and the wireless power transmitting unit 810 are arranged within their respective devices so that the centers and the planar distance between the coils are as close as possible. By holding the cassette 700 in the state of FIG. 47C, i.e., in a position where the wireless power receiving unit 710 is pressed against the wireless power transmitting unit 810, high wireless charging efficiency can be maintained. In particular, when the charging device 900 is mounted on a medical cart, the position of the cassettes in the slot becomes unstable due to vibrations during travel. However, by providing the position holding means of this embodiment, it is possible to improve wireless charging efficiency even while the cart is traveling.

[0183] As described above, when inserting or removing cassette 700 from charging device 900, it is most natural to assume that the user is gripping cassette 700 by thick portion 708b as part of a series of actions beginning with the image capture. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is assumed that cassette 700 is inserted into slot 731 with thick portion 708b facing upward and with the back surface of cassette 700 facing forward so that the step between thin portion 708a and thick portion 708b does not get caught at the entrance of slot 731. Meanwhile, consider the case where power is to be transmitted from a common wireless power transmitting unit 810 when cassette 711′ (height I) with the smallest height among the cassettes expected to be accommodated in charging device 900 is accommodated ( FIG. 48 ) and when cassette 700 is accommodated. In this case, wireless power transmitting unit 810 needs to be positioned within the range of height I from bottom surface 732. To face the wireless power transmitting unit 810 arranged in this manner, the wireless power receiving unit 710 of the cassette 700 is located in the thin portion 708a. As described above, by arranging the wireless charging unit in a manner that takes into account not only cassettes of various thicknesses but also cassettes of various widths and heights, users who own various cassettes can use a common charging device. This also enables device manufacturers to reduce the number of charging devices they need to provide.

[0184] While the above description describes power transmission and reception for charging using one wireless power receiving unit 710 and one wireless power transmitting unit 810, either the cassette or the charging device, or both, may have multiple wireless power receiving units 710 and / or multiple wireless power transmitting units 810. In this case, power transmission and reception is performed using one or all of the multiple wireless power transmitting and receiving units 710, 810. Position adjustment of the cassette in the width and height directions can be omitted; only position adjustment in the thickness direction is required. For example, some covers, such as grid covers, are approximately 20 mm to 50 mm wider than the cassette body. Even if such a cassette with a grid cover is housed in a charging device equipped with only one wireless power transmitting unit to match a cassette without a cover, it is difficult to align the centers of the coils within 5 mm or less. Even in such cases, if there are multiple coils, wireless charging efficiency from any of the coils can be ensured.

[0185] In addition to the above-described embodiments, the charging device may be provided with a charging confirmation mechanism for confirming the charging efficiency of the cassette. The charging confirmation mechanism includes, for example, a detection means, a confirmation means, and a notification means. The detection means detects whether a cassette is inserted in the charging device. When the detection means detects the insertion of a cassette, the confirmation means confirms whether the cassette has reached the desired specified charging efficiency during charging. When the detection means detects the insertion of a cassette but the confirmation means does not confirm the desired charging efficiency, the notification means notifies the user to correct the cassette insertion status. Possible notification means include a predetermined sound, light, or graphic display on the cassette, the charging device, or an external device. By providing such a charging confirmation mechanism, the user can perform the charging operation more reliably.

[0186] In each of the above embodiments, the position adjustment means applies pressure to the surface of the cassette with the wireless power receiving unit in a direction that presses the surface of the charging device with the wireless power transmitting unit. This makes it possible to accommodate various types of cassettes. A single charging device may accommodate cassettes with varying thicknesses, such as cassette 700, cassettes with a substantially uniform thickness, such as cassette 711, or cassettes covered with a cover. For such various cassettes, misalignment in the thickness direction between the wireless power receiving unit and the wireless power transmitting unit and a gap greater than a predetermined value are suppressed, thereby improving the efficiency of wireless charging.

[0187] As described above, according to this embodiment, the stability of wireless charging in the charging device is improved regardless of whether the cassette is thin, thick, or a combination of both. This allows a common charging device to be used with a variety of cassettes. Furthermore, the labor required for attaching and detaching accessories such as covers used with the cassette is eliminated, improving the efficiency of charging work.

[0188] In various embodiments, a charging system (power transmission and reception system) is configured including a charging device and various cassettes that can be accommodated in the charging device, thereby enabling stable and efficient wireless charging of various cassettes from the charging device.

[0189] In addition, regarding the radiation imaging system described in other embodiments with reference to Fig. 16, one of the radiation imaging apparatuses according to the ninth and tenth embodiments can also be applied to the radiation imaging apparatus 1601 of the radiation imaging system.

[0190] While the preferred embodiments and modifications of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments and modifications, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the disclosure. In addition, the above-described embodiments and modifications may be combined as appropriate.

[0191] The disclosure of the various embodiments and modifications includes the following configurations.

[0192] (Configuration 1) A radiographic imaging device comprising: a radiation detector that detects radiation; a power supply unit that supplies power to the radiation detector; a housing that houses the radiation detector in a thin portion and the power supply unit in a thick portion; and a power receiving unit that receives power supplied from an external source and is provided in the thin portion.

[0193] (Configuration 2) The radiation imaging apparatus according to Configuration 1, wherein a panel portion of the radiation detector is disposed in the thin portion.

[0194] (Configuration 3) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to configuration 1 or 2, wherein the power receiving unit is a wireless power receiving unit that receives power wirelessly from an external device.

[0195] (Configuration 4) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to configuration 1 or 2, wherein the power receiving unit is a wired power receiving unit that receives power from an external device via a wire.

[0196] (Configuration 5) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to Configuration 3, wherein the wireless power receiving unit has a wireless coil and receives electromagnetic energy by electromagnetic induction.

[0197] (Configuration 6) The radiographic imaging device according to Configuration 3 or 5, wherein the wireless power receiving unit is arranged on a surface of the panel portion of the radiation detector opposite to a radiation incident surface so that at least a portion of the wireless power receiving unit overlaps with the panel portion of the radiation detector in a plan view.

[0198] (Configuration 7) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to Configuration 5, wherein the wireless coil is disposed so that one end thereof is located at an end of the thick portion beyond the periphery of an effective imaging area of ​​the radiation detector in a plan view.

[0199] (Configuration 8) The radiation imaging apparatus according to Configuration 3, further comprising a first control unit that controls the wireless power receiving unit, the first control unit being disposed in the thick portion.

[0200] (Configuration 9) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to Configuration 3, wherein a shielding material for suppressing radiation noise from the wireless power receiving unit is disposed between the panel portion of the radiation detector and the wireless power receiving unit.

[0201] (Configuration 10) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to Configuration 3, wherein a heat insulating material is disposed between the panel portion of the radiation detector and the wireless power receiving unit to suppress temperature propagation due to heat generated from the wireless power receiving unit.

[0202] (Configuration 11) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to Configuration 3, further comprising a support base that supports the radiation detector, wherein an electromagnetic field transparent material is disposed in a portion of the support base where the wireless power receiving unit is disposed.

[0203] (Configuration 12) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to Configuration 3, wherein another wired power receiving unit is disposed in the thick portion.

[0204] (Configuration 13) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to Configuration 12, wherein the other wired power receiving unit is a power receiving connector.

[0205] (Configuration 14) A radiographic imaging device according to configuration 12 or 13, further comprising a second control unit that controls power reception using the wireless power receiving unit or the other wired power receiving unit, wherein the second control unit switches use of the wireless power receiving unit and the wired power receiving unit from one to the other based on the power receiving state of the wireless power receiving unit or the other wired power receiving unit.

[0206] (Configuration 15) The radiation imaging apparatus according to Configuration 4, wherein the wired power receiving unit is a USB connector.

[0207] (Configuration 16) The radiographic imaging device according to Configuration 4, wherein the wired power receiving unit is disposed on a surface of the panel portion of the radiation detector opposite to a radiation incident surface so that at least a portion of the wired power receiving unit overlaps with the panel portion of the radiation detector in a plan view.

[0208] (Configuration 17) The radiation imaging apparatus according to Configuration 4, wherein the wired power receiving unit is disposed at a position that does not overlap a panel portion of the radiation detector in a plan view.

[0209] (Configuration 18) A radiation imaging device according to Configuration 1, comprising: a notification unit that notifies predetermined information; and a temperature sensor arranged near the power receiving unit, wherein when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a threshold value and the power received by the power receiving unit is being used to operate the radiation imaging device, the notification unit notifies warning information.

[0210] (Configuration 19) A radiation imaging device according to Configuration 1, comprising: a notification unit that notifies predetermined information; and a temperature sensor arranged near the power receiving unit, wherein, when the power received by the power receiving unit is not being used for the operation of the radiation imaging device, the notification unit notifies the power transmitting side of power transmission stop information.

[0211] (Configuration 20) A radiation imaging device according to configuration 1, comprising: a measuring unit that measures the elapsed time during power reception or the elapsed time since power reception ended; and a notification unit that notifies predetermined information, wherein when the radiation imaging device is receiving power and the elapsed time during power reception is equal to or greater than a threshold, the notification unit notifies warning information.

[0212] (Configuration 21) A radiation imaging device according to Configuration 1, comprising: a measuring unit that measures the elapsed time during power reception or the elapsed time since power reception ended; and a notification unit that notifies predetermined information, wherein when the radiation imaging device is not receiving power and the elapsed time during power reception is less than a threshold, the notification unit notifies warning information.

[0213] (Configuration 22) A radiographic imaging device comprising: a radiation detector that detects radiation; a power supply unit that supplies power to the radiation detector; a housing that houses the radiation detector in a thin portion and the power supply unit in a thick portion; and a power receiving unit that receives power supply from an external source and is provided in the thick portion.

[0214] (Configuration 23) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to Configuration 22, wherein the thick portion is thicker than the thin portion on the radiation irradiated surface, and a concave grip portion is provided on a rear surface opposite to the radiation irradiated surface.

[0215] (Configuration 24) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to Configuration 22 or 23, wherein the power receiving section is provided at an inclined portion between the thick portion and the thin portion on the radiation irradiation surface.

[0216] (Configuration 25) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to Configuration 22 or 23, wherein, in a plan view, the width of the thick portion along the longitudinal direction is narrower than the width of the thin portion along the longitudinal direction.

[0217] (Configuration 26) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to Configuration 25, wherein, in a plan view, the power receiving unit is disposed inside an imaginary line connecting an apex of the thick portion and an apex of the thin portion adjacent to the apex.

[0218] (Configuration 27) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to Configuration 25 or 26, wherein the power receiving unit is disposed on a side surface along a short-side direction of the thick portion.

[0219] (Configuration 28) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to Configuration 27, wherein the power receiving unit is disposed in an area within a range of 15 mm to 16 mm from a rear surface opposite to a surface irradiated with radiation toward the surface irradiated with radiation.

[0220] (Configuration 29) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to any one of Configurations 22 to 28, wherein the power receiving unit is a power receiving connector.

[0221] (Configuration 30) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to any one of configurations 22 to 28, wherein the power receiving unit is a wireless power receiving unit capable of wirelessly receiving and supplying power to and from an external device.

[0222] (Configuration 31) A radiation imaging device according to Configuration 22, wherein a recess is formed at the end of the back surface of the thick portion opposite the radiation irradiation surface, a step is formed between the back surface and the recess at the outermost portion of the recess, and the power receiving unit is arranged on the side wall surface of the recess.

[0223] (Configuration 32) The radiographic imaging apparatus according to Configuration 31, wherein the power receiving unit is disposed inside an imaginary line connecting a vertex on the outermost surface of the step and a vertex on the side wall surface.

[0224] (Configuration 33) A storage member for storing a radiographic imaging device having a radiation detector that detects radiation, wherein a space forming a storage section for the radiographic imaging device has at least a first region and a second region narrower than the first region, and the first region has a power supply section that can supply power to and receive power from the radiographic imaging device.

[0225] (Configuration 34) The housing member according to Configuration 33, wherein the power supply portion is a power supply connector.

[0226] (Configuration 35) The housing member according to Configuration 33, wherein the power supply unit is a wireless power supply unit capable of wirelessly supplying power to and receiving power from the radiation imaging device.

[0227] (Configuration 36) The container member according to any one of Configurations 33 to 35, wherein the first region has a support portion capable of supporting the radiographic device.

[0228] (Configuration 37) The storage member according to any one of Configurations 33 to 36, wherein the space forming the storage portion has a third region that is narrower than the first region and wider than the second region.

[0229] (Configuration 38) The storage member according to any one of Configurations 33 to 37, which is provided in any one of a medical cart, a power supply stand, and a bucky stand.

[0230] (Configuration 39) A power supply and receiving system that houses a radiation imaging device in a housing member and supplies and receives power between the radiation imaging device and the housing member, wherein the radiation imaging device comprises: a radiation detector that detects radiation; a power supply unit that supplies power to the radiation detector; a housing that houses the radiation detector in a thin section and the power supply unit in a thick section; and a power receiving unit that receives power from an external source and is provided in the thick section, wherein the housing member has a space that forms the housing section for the radiation imaging device, which has at least a first region and a second region that is narrower than the first region, and the first region has a power supply unit that can supply and receive power to and from the radiation imaging device.

[0231] (Configuration 40) A wireless power supply device capable of wirelessly supplying power to a radiation imaging device having a wireless power receiving unit that accepts wireless power supply, characterized in that the wireless power supply device has: a storage section capable of accommodating the radiation imaging device; a wireless power transmitting section capable of wirelessly supplying power to the wireless power receiving unit; and an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the position of the radiation imaging device so that, when the radiation imaging device is accommodated in the storage section, it is in a positional relationship in which the wireless power supply can be performed.

[0232] (Configuration 41) The wireless power supply device according to configuration 40, wherein the wireless power receiving unit is a wireless power receiving means that receives power for charging, and the wireless power transmitting unit is a wireless power transmitting means that transmits power for charging.

[0233] (Configuration 42) The wireless power supply device according to Configuration 40 or 41, wherein the radiographic imaging device has a radiation detection panel that converts radiation that has passed through a subject into an electrical signal.

[0234] (Configuration 43) The wireless power supply device according to any one of Configurations 40 to 42, wherein the adjustment mechanism has a main surface pressing member, and the main surface pressing member presses the main surface of the housed radiation imaging device in a thickness direction so that the wireless power receiving unit approaches the wireless power transmitting unit.

[0235] (Configuration 44) The wireless power supply device according to any one of Configurations 40 to 43, wherein the adjustment mechanism has a side pressing member, and the side pressing member presses the side of the housed radiation imaging device in a direction intersecting with the thickness direction so that the wireless power receiving unit approaches the wireless power transmitting unit.

[0236] (Configuration 45) A wireless power supply device according to any one of configurations 40 to 44, wherein the adjustment mechanism has an inclined roller member, which is positioned at a location that receives the weight of the housed radiation imaging device, and which adjusts the position of the housed radiation imaging device by its own rotation so that the wireless power receiving unit moves closer to the wireless power transmitting unit.

[0237] (Configuration 46) The wireless power supply device according to any one of Configurations 40 to 45, further comprising a housing having a slot for housing the radiographic device.

[0238] (Configuration 47) The wireless power supply device according to Configuration 46, wherein the housing section has at least one surface, among surfaces forming the slot, that supports the weight of the housed radiation imaging device, inclined from the horizontal or vertical.

[0239] (Configuration 48) The wireless power supply device according to Configuration 47, wherein the bottom surface forming the slot is inclined from the horizontal so that one short side is lower than the other short side facing the bottom surface.

[0240] (Configuration 49) The wireless power supply device according to Configuration 47, wherein the bottom surface and at least one main surface forming the slot are inclined relative to the horizontal and vertical such that one longitudinal side is lower than the other opposing longitudinal side while maintaining a perpendicular state to each other.

[0241] (Configuration 50) A wireless power supply device according to any one of configurations 40 to 45, comprising: a storage means having a slot for storing the radiation imaging device; the wireless power receiving unit is arranged on a first main surface of the radiation imaging device; and the wireless power transmitting unit is arranged on a second main surface of the slot; when the radiation imaging device is stored in the storage unit, the radiation imaging device moves by its own weight in sliding contact with the bottom surface of the slot, and the wireless power receiving unit faces the wireless power transmitting unit; and the adjustment mechanism adjusts the position of the radiation imaging device so as to press the first main surface toward the second main surface while the wireless power receiving unit and the wireless power transmitting unit face each other.

[0242] (Configuration 51) A wireless power supply device according to any one of configurations 40 to 45, comprising a storage means having a slot for storing the radiation imaging device, wherein the wireless power receiving unit is arranged on a first main surface of the radiation imaging device, and the wireless power transmitting unit is arranged on a second main surface of the slot, and when the radiation imaging device is stored in the storage unit, the wireless power receiving unit faces the wireless power transmitting unit, and the adjustment mechanism adjusts the position of the radiation imaging device so as to press the first main surface toward the second main surface while the wireless power receiving unit and the wireless power transmitting unit face each other.

[0243] (Configuration 52) The wireless power supply device according to Configuration 51, wherein the first main surface is a back surface of the main surfaces of the radiation imaging device when viewed in a thickness direction of the radiation imaging device.

[0244] (Configuration 53) The wireless power supply device according to any one of Configurations 50 to 52, wherein the position adjustment means presses the first main surface against the second main surface so that a facing distance between the first wireless power transmitting and receiving means and the second wireless power transmitting and receiving means in a thickness direction of the radiation imaging device is 5 mm or less.

[0245] (Configuration 54) A wireless power supply device according to any one of configurations 40 to 53, which is capable of accommodating radiation imaging devices having different thicknesses and / or widths, and the adjustment mechanism brings the wireless power receiving unit and the wireless power transmitting unit close to each other regardless of the thickness and width of the radiation imaging devices.

[0246] (Configuration 55) A power transmission and reception system comprising: a radiation imaging device having a wireless power receiving unit that receives wireless power supply; and a wireless power supply device that can accommodate the radiation imaging device, wherein the wireless power supply device has: a wireless power transmission unit that can wirelessly supply power to the wireless power receiving unit; and an adjustment mechanism that, when the radiation imaging device is accommodated, adjusts the position of the radiation imaging device so that it is in a positional relationship that allows the wireless power supply to be performed.

[0247] (Configuration 56) The power transmitting and receiving system according to Configuration 55, wherein the radiation imaging device has a thin portion that overlaps in part or in whole with an effective imaging area when viewed from the thickness direction of the radiation imaging device, and a thick portion that is thicker than the thin portion.

[0248] (Configuration 57) The power transmitting and receiving system according to Configuration 56, wherein the wireless power receiving unit is disposed in the thin portion, and a control means for controlling the wireless power receiving unit is disposed in the thick portion.

[0249] (Configuration 58) The power transmitting and receiving system according to any one of configurations 55 to 57, wherein the radiation imaging device is provided with a cover, and the adjustment mechanism brings the wireless power receiving unit and the wireless power receiving unit closer together regardless of whether the cover of the radiation imaging device is attached or not.

[0250] (Configuration 59) The power transmission and reception system described in Configuration 58, wherein the cover is at least one selected from the group consisting of a grid cover for reducing predetermined radiation, an imaging auxiliary cover for adjusting the contact state between the radiation imaging device and a subject, and a protective cover for protecting the radiation imaging device from contamination and water intrusion.

[0251] (Configuration 60) The power transmitting and receiving system according to any one of Configurations 55 to 59, wherein one or both of the radiographic imaging device and the wireless power supply device have a plurality of the wireless power receiving units and / or the wireless power transmitting units.

[0252] (Configuration 61) A radiation imaging system comprising: a radiation generating device that irradiates a subject with radiation; a radiation imaging device according to any one of configurations 1 to 32; and an arithmetic processing device that performs predetermined arithmetic processing based on information acquired by the radiation imaging device.

[0253] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the present invention.

[0254] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-097148 filed on June 13, 2023, Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-191072 filed on November 8, 2023, Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-051814 filed on March 27, 2024, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-078892 filed on May 14, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0255] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Radiation detection panel 2 Cushioning material 3 Support base 4a Flexible circuit board 4b Connection cable 5 Control board 6 Battery 7 Charging circuit board 8 Housing 9 Index 10 Grip unit 11 Notification unit 100, 200, 300 Radiation imaging device 110 Wireless power receiving unit 111 Shielding material 112 Heat insulating material 113 Resin material 200 Radiation imaging device 210, 310 Wired power receiving unit 300 Radiation imaging device 400 Radiation imaging device 410 Temperature sensor 500 Radiation imaging device 801 Switch unit 802 Charging circuit 1401 Time measurement unit

Claims

1. A radiographic imaging device comprising: a radiation detector that detects radiation; a power supply unit that supplies power to the radiation detector; a housing that houses the radiation detector in a thin section and the power supply unit in a thick section; and a power receiving unit provided in the thin section for receiving power supplied from an outside source.

2. The radiation imaging device according to claim 1, wherein a panel portion of the radiation detector is disposed in the thin portion.

3. The radiographic imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the power receiving unit is a wireless power receiving unit that wirelessly receives power from an external device.

4. The radiographic imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the power receiving unit is a wired power receiving unit that receives power from an external device via a wire.

5. The radiographic imaging device according to claim 3, wherein the wireless power receiving unit has a wireless coil and receives electromagnetic energy by electromagnetic induction.

6. The radiation imaging device according to claim 3, wherein the wireless power receiving unit is arranged on a surface opposite to the radiation incident surface of the panel portion of the radiation detector so that at least a portion of the wireless power receiving unit overlaps with the panel portion of the radiation detector in a planar view.

7. The radiation imaging device according to claim 5, wherein the wireless coil is arranged so that one end is located at the end of the thick portion beyond the outer periphery of the effective imaging area of ​​the radiation detector in a plan view.

8. The radiation imaging device according to claim 3, further comprising a first control unit that controls the wireless power receiving unit, the first control unit being disposed in the thick portion.

9. The radiation imaging device according to claim 3, wherein a shielding material for suppressing radiated noise from the wireless power receiving unit is disposed between a panel portion of the radiation detector and the wireless power receiving unit.

10. The radiation imaging device according to claim 3, wherein a heat insulating material is disposed between the panel portion of the radiation detector and the wireless power receiving unit to suppress temperature propagation due to heat generated from the wireless power receiving unit.

11. A radiation imaging device as described in claim 3, further comprising a support base for supporting the radiation detector, and an electromagnetic field transparent material is disposed on the portion of the support base where the wireless power receiving unit is disposed.

12. The radiation imaging device according to claim 3, wherein another wired power receiving section is disposed in the thick section.

13. The radiographic imaging device according to claim 12, wherein the other wired power receiving unit is a power receiving connector.

14. A radiographic imaging device as described in claim 12, further comprising a second control unit that controls power reception using the wireless power receiving unit or the other wired power receiving unit, the second control unit switching use of the wireless power receiving unit and the wired power receiving unit from one to the other based on the power receiving state of the wireless power receiving unit or the other wired power receiving unit.

15. The radiation imaging device according to claim 4, wherein the wired power receiving unit is a USB connector.

16. The radiation imaging device according to claim 4, wherein the wired power receiving unit is arranged on a surface opposite to the radiation incidence surface of the panel portion of the radiation detector so that at least a portion of the wired power receiving unit overlaps with the panel portion of the radiation detector in a planar view.

17. The radiation imaging device according to claim 4, wherein the wired power receiving unit is disposed at a position that does not overlap with a panel portion of the radiation detector in a plan view.

18. A radiation imaging device as described in claim 1, comprising: a notification unit that notifies specified information; and a temperature sensor arranged near the power receiving unit, wherein when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a threshold value and the power received by the power receiving unit is being used to operate the radiation imaging device, the notification unit notifies warning information.

19. A radiation imaging device as described in claim 1, comprising: a notification unit which notifies predetermined information; and a temperature sensor arranged in the vicinity of the power receiving unit, wherein when the power received by the power receiving unit is not being used for the operation of the radiation imaging device, the notification unit notifies the power transmitting side of power transmission stop information.

20. A radiation imaging device as described in claim 1, comprising: a measurement unit that measures the elapsed time during power reception or the elapsed time since the end of power reception; and a notification unit that notifies specified information, wherein when the radiation imaging device is receiving power and the elapsed time during power reception is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the notification unit notifies warning information.

21. A radiation imaging device as described in claim 1, comprising: a measurement unit that measures the elapsed time during power reception or the elapsed time since the end of power reception; and a notification unit that notifies specified information, wherein when the radiation imaging device is not receiving power and the elapsed time during power reception is less than a threshold value, the notification unit notifies warning information.

22. A radiographic imaging device comprising: a radiation detector for detecting radiation; a power supply unit for supplying power to the radiation detector; a housing that houses the radiation detector in a thin portion and the power supply unit in a thick portion; and a power receiving unit for receiving power supply from an outside, the power receiving unit being provided in the thick portion.

23. A wireless power supply device capable of wirelessly supplying power to a radiation imaging device having a wireless power receiving unit that accepts wireless power supply, comprising: a housing section capable of accommodating the radiation imaging device; a wireless power transmitting section capable of wirelessly supplying power to the wireless power receiving unit; and an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the position of the radiation imaging device so that the radiation imaging device is in a positional relationship in which the wireless power supply can be performed when the radiation imaging device is accommodated in the housing section.

24. A radiation imaging system comprising: a radiation generating device that irradiates a subject with radiation; a radiation imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 22; and a processing device that performs predetermined arithmetic processing based on information acquired by the radiation imaging device.

Images