U.S. patent number 3,917,952 [Application Number 05/453,648] was granted by the patent office on 1975-11-04 for radiographic record and film identification assembly.
Invention is credited to Dwight S. Jackson.
United States Patent |
3,917,952 |
Jackson |
November 4, 1975 |
Radiographic record and film identification assembly
Abstract
A detachably-connected radiographic record and film
identification assembly including a first sheet of material which
can be readily marked with pencil or pen or typerwriter, a second
sheet of material capable of being readily-deformable and which is
relatively opaque to X-ray radiation and a pressure-activated
transfer medium for transfering the pen, pencil or typewriter
markings from the first sheet and the second sheet in
correspondence with the markings applied to the first sheet to
still another sheet disposed beneath the pressure-activated
transfer medium. Adhesive means disposed on the sheets of material
provide a convenient means for securing the sheets to another
surface, such as X-ray film.
Inventors: |
Jackson; Dwight S. (Lakewood,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
23801474 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/453,648 |
Filed: |
March 21, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
378/165 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G03B
42/047 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G03B
42/04 (20060101); G03B 041/16 () |
Field of
Search: |
;250/476 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lawrence; James W.
Assistant Examiner: Nelms; D. C.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lofstedt; Ben E.
Claims
What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the
United States is:
1. A radiographic record and film identification assembly,
comprising:
a. a first sheet of material for receiving deformation pressure to
record data thereon and for transmitting deformation pressure
therethrough:
b. a second sheet of material deformable under pressure and
partially opaque to X-radiation, said second sheet of material
disposed beneath said first sheet of material in juxtaposition
thereto for receiving the deformation pressure transmitted through
said first sheet of material and for transmitting deformation
pressure therethrough;
c. means for securing said first sheet to said second sheet;
d. adhesive means secured to said second sheet to provide a means
for securing said second sheet to a surface;
e. a third sheet of material secured to said second sheet, said
third sheet of material further including a transfer medium
thereon, said transfer medium being capable of being activated by
means of deformation pressure received from said second sheet by
said third sheet of material from said second sheet of
material.
2. The combination of claim 1, further comprising: means disposed
beneath said transfer medium for receiving said marking substance
from said transfer medium when said transfer medium is activated by
deformation pressure received from said third sheet of material
from said second sheet of material.
3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said means disposed beneath
said transfer medium for receiving said marking substance from said
transfer medium when said transfer medium is activated by
deformation pressure received from said third sheet of material
from said second sheet of material, further includes means for
transmitting said deformation pressure therethrough.
4. The combination of claim 3, further comprising:
a. a fourth sheet of material disposed beneath said means for
receiving said marking substance from said transfer medium when
said transfer medium is activated by deformation pressure received
from said third sheet of material from said second sheet of
material in abutting relationship thereto, said fourth sheet of
material including a deformation pressure-activated transfer medium
therebeneath, said transfer medium being capable of being activated
by means of deformation pressure received from said means for
receiving said marking substance from said transfer medium from
said third sheet of material so as to deposit a marking substance
on a surface disposed immediately therebeneath; and
b. a fifth sheet of material disposed immediately beneath said
fourth sheet of material for receiving said marking substance
therefrom.
5. The combination of claim 1, wherein said first sheet of material
is roughened plastic capable of being easily marked on.
6. The combination of claim 1, wherein said second sheet is formed
of lead having a thickness of from one to two thousandths of an
inch.
7. The combination of claim 1, wherein said first sheet prevents
cutting of said second sheet when said deformation pressure is
received thereby.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Over the years, medical X-ray technology has advanced with many
changes occurring in this field. Many of these changes have been
centered around improved X-ray radiation generator design,
combining greater energy, shorter exposure settings or times,
improved beam focusing and greater machine efficiency. However,
X-ray records and film identification materials and methods have
not kept pace with the advances achieved in medical X-ray
technology. In fact, means for identifying exposed X-ray films and
plates taken of various parts of human and animal bodies, for
instance, have made no significant advances in the past 30 some-odd
years.
The means for marking the X-ray film generally comprises the use of
a lightweight, metallic base plate which is relatively transparent
to X-ray radiation, such as aluminum, upon which premolded lead
identification characters are temporarily arranged and bonded. The
combination of the base plate and identification characters are
then generally placed in a shallow film tray on top of the film to
be marked prior to exposure of the film. The characters formed are
typically of the alpha-numeric variety and are arranged to form
words and values to correspond to the part and its location in the
body of the subject to be X-rayed. As a matter of fact, this
identification is now required in most areas of the country and is
widely used in medical X-ray facilities throughout the world.
The above prior art device has been characterized as bulky and
unsightly. Further, they do not provide very distinct film
identifying characters. In addition, due to their construction,
these markers are easily damaged in ordinary use, and even more so,
for example, when accidentally dropped onto the floor. This method
is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,804.
A similar, but modified, X-ray film marking device is described in
U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,611. However, such fixed indicia are expensive
and are of limited value because it is limited in so far as it is
only capable of imparting a limited amount of information onto the
film.
Another method of providing means for identifying and placing
informative data upon X-ray film at the time of exposure to X-rays,
is typically found and illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,912,464;
2,162,420 and 2,939,958. This method is characterized by embossing,
or otherwise thinning, or removing, easily deformable, relatively
X-ray opaque material, such as lead, by means of a stencil (pointed
pin) or a typewriter having special type. For example, in U.S. Pat.
No. 1,912,464, special type called pin type or light face type is
used. Pin type is made up of a series of small points of metal;
light face type is characterized by continuous, narrow faces or
sharp edges. The X-ray opaque material is struck with the special
type and displaces the material to produce thin or perforated areas
in the form of characters, or indicia, through which the X-rays
will penetrate and thereby expose the film thereunder. However,
this method requires the use of special type not found in a
standard typewriter and is not suitable for other purposes for
which a typewriter is useful.
The plaque of U.S. Pat. No. 2,162,420 involves the removal of
relatively deformable, X-ray opaque material from a relatively
undeformable base plate material which is transparent to X-rays.
Such a rigid composite structure requires the use of a special
stylus for forming indicia thereon. The stylus removes the X-ray
opaque material from the base plate for forming indicia which can
be recorded on the X-ray film.
The prior art fails to provide or disclose any means for
simultaneously providing both X-ray film identification and a
separate record for other files. Other files, typically of the
paper variety, are indispensibly necessary to conveniently store
X-ray film data in areas typically remote from the special
photographic film file and storage area and are frequently used for
cross-referencing purposes and to complete working-file
histories.
A further disadvantage is presented when special stencils or
special typewriter type must be used to create indicia on the
deformable X-ray opaque material used in conjunction with the X-ray
film identification process.
A still further disadvantage in using deformable, X-ray opaque
materials without a supplementary cover sheet is that the stencil
or typewriter type, either of the special type discussed in the
patents supra or of the standard, office-type variety, will
frequently cut or tear these materials. Such cuts or tears add
unwanted impressions to the X-ray film during the film developing
or exposure process.
In addition, many of the items found in the prior art are
relatively expensive. For example, some methods require the use of
laminate structures; while others require the use of special
equipment.
Consequently, none of the prior art items have been found to be
sufficiently satisfactory to be accepted as a universal standard
for use with radiographic film.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a simple and inexpensive means for
permanently identifying radiographic film with data and signature
information while simultaneously providing a copy thereof. It
fundamentally comprises a sheet of material which can be readily
marked with pencil or pen or a typewriter, a sheet of easily
deformable material relatively opaque to X-rays and
detachably-connected to the other sheet, and a sheet composed of a
pressure-activated transfer medium such as carbon paper disposed
beneath the first and second sheets for transfering data or
signature information impressed on first and second sheets to still
another sheet disposed beneath the pressure-activated transfer
medium. In addition, the sheets may employ strips of adhesive
material about the borders thereof to provide a convenient means
for mounting the sheets to another surface, such as the X-ray
film.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an
X-ray film marker that is not subject to the disadvantages of the
prior art enumerated above.
It is another object of the invention to provide an X-ray film
marker that provides a greater amount of data to be permanently
recorded on the film and occupying less space on the film than that
found in the prior art.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a means for
simultaneously recording data on a sheet of paper and on the sheet
of material relatively opaque to X-ray radiation using an ballpen,
pencil, pen or office (standard) typewriter.
Although this invention is described with particularity in the
appended claims, a more complete understanding of the invention may
be obtained from the following detailed description of specific
embodiments of this invention when taken in conjunction with the
appended drawings wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an edge view, taken in cross section, of one embodiment
of the invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary section of the embodiment shown
and illustrated in FIG. 1 of the present invention and depicting
the deformation produced by a pen, pencil, typewriter or other
embossing means.
FIG. 3 is an edge view of the embodiment of the present invention
shown in FIG. 5 taken along plane 3--3.
FIG. 4 is a view of the present invention depicting the hinged,
detachable, interconnection therebetween.
FIG. 5 is another embodiment of the present invention illustrating
another type of detachably, interconnected assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the present invention
which I prefer to call a radiographic film record and
identification assembly, generally indicated at 10, and comprises a
top or first sheet 11 of material suitable for marking thereon by
means of a pen or pencil or typewriter, a second sheet 12 of
material which is readily deformable and relatively opaque to X-ray
radiation, adhesive means 13 bonded to the second sheet of material
12 and a pressure-activated transfer medium 14 disposed beneath the
second sheet 12 for transferring the pen, pencil or typewriter
markings from the first and second sheets 11, 12 to still another
sheet 15 disposed beneath the pressure-activated transfer medium
14.
The first sheet 11 is typically formed from paper of the character
necessary for accepting written or typewritten impressions thereon.
Paper is frequently used because it is conveniently available and
takes a printed or written impression easily. Further, paper is
sufficiently flexible to permit transferance of the pressure
applied to it by the writing instruments and it is this pressure
which is necessary to deform the second sheet of material 12
disposed therebeneath.
Another essential function performed by the first sheet 11 is that
it protects the second sheet 12 disposed therebeneath so as to
prevent ripping or tearing of the second sheet 12. In the event
that a rip or tear should occur in the X-ray opaque material
forming the second sheet 12, such a tear or rip would appear on the
exposed X-ray film along with the deliberately impressed indicia
thereon. Not only would it appear thereon, but the torn portion
would produce a darker image on the film than that produced by the
embossed indicia. This obviously is highly undesirable since it not
only tends to create markings which are confusing but it would tend
to block out, or otherwise interfere with, the imprinted or
embossed characters appearing thereon, such as the alpha-numeric
characters typically used for this purpose. In addition, the second
sheet 12 is generally composed of material which, if separated,
will continue to tear until it reaches the edge of the material. As
a result, the first sheet 11 is very necessary to the functional
composition of the present invention.
However, it should be noted at this time that the use of paper is
not essential and any similar sheet material capable of being
easily marked upon is suitable for this purpose, such as a sheet of
roughened polyethylene plastic or the like.
The second sheet 12 is typically and conveniently formed of a thin
sheet of lead. While industrial or commercial applications of the
present invention will generally require the use of an X-ray opaque
material sheet 12 with a substantially greater thickness, for most
medical purposes, I have discovered that the lead sheet should have
a thickness of from one to two thousandths of an inch thickness.
With this thickness, the lead may be readily and sufficiently
embossed to thin out the depression in the bottom of the deformed
area thereby reducing the thickness of the sheet 12. Since the
X-radiation is generally applied perpendicular to the plane of the
assembly 10, a greater amount of X-ray energy is permitted to pass
therethrough producing a darkened impression on the developed X-ray
photographic negative which is surrounded by a light area
representing the rest of the lead sheet material 12.
Obviously, numerous other materials other than lead may be used to
form the second sheet 12, such as, for example, finely divided
metals of high atomic numbers: namely, lead oxides such as trioxide
or lead monoxide, or any suitable chemical compounds such as barium
sulfate, or on the whole, substances adapted to arrest X-rays to a
higher degree than the material of which the first sheet 11 is
formed. Of course, to be a suitable material for this purpose, the
material must also be easily deformable so as to flow laterally or
become thinned during the embossing operation in a manner similar
to lead.
The second material 12 may be bonded to the first sheet 11 by means
of a suitable glue, it being also possible, however, to spray any
suitable foil-forming material on the first sheet 11 to form a
second sheet 12.
In order to conveniently permit temporary attachment to the X-ray
film (not shown), the second sheet 12 may be rimmed with an
adhesive 13. Generally, the adhesive 13 will be of the pressure
sensitive variety thereby eliminating the need to wet or otherwise
activate the adhesive 13. If the adhesive 13 used is of the
pressure-sensitive type, then it will be necessary to utilize a
peel-off backing material 15 to prevent the adhesive from attaching
itself to any other surface until such adhesion is desired by the
user of the present invention.
Referring now also to FIG. 2, it should be noted that in some cases
it may be desirable to bond the first and second sheets 11 and 12
together only along some small portion thereof to permit greater
lateral expansion of the deformable second sheet 12 during the
embossing process. Such greater lateral expansion produces a
larger, reduced-in-thickness area 16 defining the alpha-numeric
character surrounded by a border 17 which is actually and
effectively thicker than the original thickness 18 of the
undeformed lead sheet, namely, sheet 12. This characteristic is due
to the fact that the lead sheet 12 is not restricted in its
spreading movement during the embossing process by virtue of its
being bonded to the first sheet of material 11.
Another equally important advantage, as clearly illustrated in FIG.
4, is that in the event that the sheets 11, 12 and 15 are bonded
together along one edge 19 to form a hinge 20, the sheets 11 and 12
may be moved towards and away from each other to permit easy access
to each sheet for inspection and/ or correction and to allow
relative freedom of movement therebetween for the purposes
described hereinbefore.
Additionally, the hinge line 21 will normally be perforated to
permit the sheets to be easily detached from each other following
the impressing of data thereon prior to use with the X-ray film.
This is desirable because the first sheet 11 is suitable for use as
a file-history copy, the second sheet 12 is utilized in combination
with the film and the last sheet 15 is the peel-off backing which
is utilized to prevent the second sheet 12 from being prematurely
activated and bonded to another surface when the adhesive means 13
is exposed.
Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 5, another embodiment of the present
invention is illustrated. With specific attention to FIG. 5, the
present invention is embodied in the form of a card film assembly
generally indicated at 22. Typically, rapid access to medical
information regarding a particular patient or the use of medical
equipment, such as an X-ray machine, is provided by means of a card
23, typically measuring 3 inches by 5 inches. Information may be
recorded on this card 23 by handwriting the information onto the
card 23 or, as is frequently the case, by typewriting it
thereon.
In FIG. 3, the first sheet 24, which a relatively thin sheet of
material, typically paper, is provided for protecting the second
sheet 25 of easily deformable, relatively X-ray opaque material to
which adhesive means 26 is secured. Disposed beneath the second
sheet 25 is a third sheet 27 composed of a pressure-activated
transfer medium which when activated will deposit a layer of
material onto the fourth sheet 29 of material which also has a
pressure-activated transfer medium therebeneath. Typically, the
card 23 to be filed as a record, is disposed beneath the fourth
sheet 29 and the deposited layer of material obtained from the
pressure-activated transfer medium on the fourth sheet 29 on the
card 23 will be in correspondence with the written or typewritten
data which was applied to the first sheet 24.
Following the inputting of the data on this card file assembly 22,
the tab 28, connected to the fourth sheet 29 which is being secured
to the card 23 by adhesive means 32, is manually peeled away from
the card 23 along with the fourth sheet 29. The strip 30 comprising
the balance of the tab assembly, generally indicated at 31, is now
composed of the first, second, third, fourth sheets, respectfully
identified as 24, 25 and 29.
To apply the sheet 25 to the radiographic film prior to its
exposure to X-rays, the tab assembly 31 may be adhesively attached
by adhesive means 32 or the tab 28 may be gripped and manually
pulled so that the third sheet 27 and fourth sheet 29 are peeled
from the strip 30 to expose the adhesive means 26 on the underside
of the second sheet 25 and, thereafterwards, the adhesive means 26
is activated and the second sheet 25 bonded to the radiographic
film.
While several examples of this invention have been shown and
described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
many changes may be made without departing from this invention in
its broader aspects; the appended claims therefore are intended to
cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true
spirit and scope of this invention.
* * * * *