# US 12,007,340 B2 · X-ray CT apparatus

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- Number: US 12,007,340 B2
- Document ID: US12007340B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/624,554
- Filed: 2020-04-08
- Published: 2022-08-11
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-07-25
- Assignees: SHIMADZU Techno-Research, Inc.
- Applicants: SHIMADZU Techno-Research, Inc.
- Inventors: Takashi Nakayama; Atsuhiro Hayashi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007340B2

## CPC

- A61B 6/032: {Transmission computed tomography [CT]}
- G01N 23/046: using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT]
- A61B 6/54: {Control of apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis}
- A61B 6/583: {using calibration phantoms}
- G01N 3/20: by applying steady bending forces (G01N3/26, G01N3/28 take precedence)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

The present invention provides an X-ray CT apparatus capable of obtaining a high-quality X-ray CT image by suppressing occurrence of an artifact. The X-ray CT apparatus including an X-ray imaging system including an X-ray irradiation unit and an X-ray detector, a rotating stage disposed between the X-ray irradiation unit and the X-ray detector, a rotation mechanism configured to relatively rotate the X-ray imaging system and the rotating stage about a rotation axis orthogonal to an optical axis of an X-ray that runs from the X-ray irradiation unit to the X-ray detector, and a load mechanism which is set on the stage and applies test force to a test piece includes an angle changing mechanism that tilts a bending tester to change the direction of the test force applied to the test piece by the bending tester from a direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the X-ray.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An X-ray CT apparatus including
an X-ray imaging system including an X-ray irradiation unit and an X-ray detector,
a stage disposed between the X-ray irradiation unit and the X-ray detector,
a rotation mechanism configured to relatively rotate the X-ray imaging system and the stage about a rotation axis orthogonal to an optical axis of an X-ray that runs from the X-ray irradiation unit to the X-ray detector, and
a load mechanism which is set on the stage and is configured to apply test force to a test piece,
the X-ray CT apparatus comprising:
an angle changing mechanism configured to tilt the load mechanism to change a direction of the test force applied to the test piece by the load mechanism from a direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the X-ray;
a camera configured to take a picture of the test piece; and
a connection member connecting the load mechanism to the camera so that the camera tilts together with the load mechanism.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the angle changing mechanism is configured to change a tilt angle of the load mechanism to change an angle between the direction of the test force applied to the test piece and the optical axis of the X-ray.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the load mechanism includes a pair of fulcrums which comes into contact with the test piece, an indenter which comes into contact with the test piece from a direction opposite to a direction in which the pair of fulcrums comes into contact with the test piece, and a test force applying mechanism configured to change a distance between the pair of fulcrums and the indenter, and performs a bending test on the test piece.