# US 12,213,815 B2 · CT imaging apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,213,815 B2 - Document ID: US12213815B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/616,026 - Filed: 2020-06-01 - Published: 2022-09-22 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-03 - Assignees: Planmeca Oy - Applicants: Planmeca Oy - Inventors: Tommi Syrjälä; Lauri Seppälä; Timo Müller; Kari Malmén - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12213815B2 ## CPC - A61B 6/032: {Transmission computed tomography [CT]} - A61B 6/035: {Mechanical aspects of CT} - A61B 6/0407: {Supports, e.g. tables or beds, for the body or parts of the body} - A61B 6/0442: {made of non-metallic materials} - A61B 6/0487: {Motor-assisted positioning} - A61B 6/08: Auxiliary means for directing the radiation beam to a particular spot, e.g. using light beams - A61B 6/40: Arrangements for generating radiation specially adapted for radiation diagnosis - A61B 6/4085: {Cone-beams} - A61B 6/4429: {related to the mounting of source units and detector units} - A61B 6/4435: {the source unit and the detector unit being coupled by a rigid structure} - A61B 6/4447: {Tiltable gantries} - A61B 6/4452: {the source unit and the detector unit being able to move relative to each other} - A61B 6/4476: {related to motor-assisted motion of the source unit} - A61B 6/501: {for diagnosis of the head, e.g. neuroimaging or craniography} - A61B 6/51: for dentistry - A61B 6/54: {Control of apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis} - A61B 6/587: {Alignment of source unit to detector unit} - A61G 7/005: tiltable around transverse horizontal axis, e.g. for Trendelenburg position {(rocking beds for physical therapy A61H1/003; hanging patient inclined downwardly for drawing him out A61H2203/0493)} - A61G 13/04: tiltable around transverse or longitudinal axis - A61B 5/0088: {for oral or dental tissue} - A61G 2210/50: for radiography - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) ## Abstract The invention relates, in particular, to structures of dental and medical cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging apparatus. The basic construction of the apparatus includes a substantially vertically extending frame part (11) which supports via a horizontally extending support construction (12) the X-ray imaging means (14, 15) of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a patient support structure (18) which extends substantially in parallel with and is essentially of the same length as the substantially vertically extending frame part (11). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dental or medical CT imaging apparatus, comprising: a first substantially vertically extending frame part comprising a top end and a bottom end; a support construction extending essentially horizontally from the first substantially vertically extending frame part; an X-ray source and an image detector mounted to the support construction which together form an X-ray imaging means; a first driving mechanism arranged to move the imaging means, about an axis; a second driving mechanism arranged to move the support construction in a direction substantially parallel with a direction in which the substantially vertically extending frame part extends; a patient support; a control system; characterized in that the patient support is a structure mechanically connected to the first substantially vertically extending frame part and extending substantially in parallel with said first substantially vertically extending frame part and is essentially of the same length as said first substantially vertically extending frame part. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the first substantially vertically extending frame part is between 220 cm and 260 cm, or that the length of the substantially vertically extending frame part is of the order of 240 cm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the patient support is 80-90% of the length of the first substantially vertically extending frame part. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the patient support has a longer dimension in a first direction and a shorter dimension in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the patient support is at least in said first direction at least for its prevailing part radiolucent wherein the patient support optionally comprises at least at either of its ends in said first direction a section which is not radiolucent, and wherein optionally the length of the radiolucent part of the patient support in said first direction is 80-90% of the length of the first substantially vertically extending frame part. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the radiolucent part of the patient support is of essentially the same length as the length of the first substantially vertically extending frame part. ### Claim 7 A dental or medical CT imaging apparatus, comprising: a first substantially vertically extending frame part comprising a top end and a bottom end; a support construction extending essentially horizontally from the first substantially vertically extending frame part; an X-ray source and an image detector mounted to the support construction which together form an X-ray imaging means; a first driving mechanism arranged to move the imaging means, about an axis; a second driving mechanism arranged to move the support construction in a direction substantially parallel with a direction in which the substantially vertically extending frame part extends; a patient support; a control system; characterized in that the patient support is a structure mechanically connected to the first substantially vertically extending frame part and extending substantially in parallel with said first substantially vertically extending frame part and is essentially of the same length as said first substantially vertically extending frame part, and characterized in that the apparatus comprises a first connection construction, which mechanically connects the patient support to the first substantially vertically extending frame part, said first connection construction, comprising a patient support adjustment mechanism, configured to enable displacing the patient support closer and further away from the first substantially vertically extending frame part. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the apparatus comprises a third driving mechanism, arranged in functional connection with said patient support adjustment mechanism. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the patient support adjustment mechanism, comprises a first adjustment mechanism which is arranged, together with its driving mechanism comprised in said third driving mechanism, substantially at the top end of the first substantially vertically extending frame part and a second adjustment mechanism which is arranged, together with its driving mechanism comprised in said third driving mechanism, substantially at the bottom end of the first substantially vertically extending frame part. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) An apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the control system is configured to control the third driving mechanism, arranged in functional connection with said patient support adjustment mechanism. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the control system is configured to control the first connection construction, comprising the first adjustment mechanism with its driving mechanism, arranged substantially at the top end of the first substantially vertically extending frame part, and the second adjustment mechanism with its driving mechanism, arranged substantially at the bottom end of the first substantially vertically extending frame part, to keep at the top and bottom ends of the first substantially vertically extending frame part an identical distance between the first substantially vertically extending frame part and the patient support when adjusting the distance between the two. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the second driving mechanism is arranged to move the support construction along or alongside the first substantially vertically extending frame part. ### Claim 13 A dental or medical CT imaging apparatus, comprising: a first substantially vertically extending frame part comprising a top end and a bottom end; a support construction extending essentially horizontally from the first substantially vertically extending frame part; an X-ray source and an image detector mounted to the support construction which together form an X-ray imaging means; a first driving mechanism arranged to move the imaging means, about an axis; a second driving mechanism arranged to move the support construction in a direction substantially parallel with a direction in which the substantially vertically extending frame part extends; a patient support; a control system; characterized in that the patient support is a structure mechanically connected to the first substantially vertically extending frame part and extending substantially in parallel with said first substantially vertically extending frame part and is essentially of the same length as said first substantially vertically extending frame part, and characterized in that the apparatus comprises a second substantially vertically extending frame part as mechanically connected to the first substantially vertically extending frame part, said second substantially vertically extending frame part being of essentially the same length as the first substantially vertically extending frame part. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) An apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that at the proximity of the top end of the first substantially vertically extending frame parts, is arranged an articulated connection construction to mechanically connect the first and second substantially vertically extending frame parts, and to allow for tilting of the first substantially vertically extending frame part about a horizontal tilt axis with respect to the second substantially vertically extending frame part. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that in connection with said articulated connection construction, on the side of the second substantially vertically extending frame part, is arranged a mounting structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) An apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the mounting structure is arranged movable along or alongside the second substantially vertically extending frame part. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) An apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that in functional connection with the second substantially vertically extending frame part is arranged a fourth driving mechanism to drive the mounting structure along or alongside the second substantially vertically extending frame part. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) An apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that at the proximity of the bottom end of the second substantially vertically extending frame part is arranged a locking mechanism configured to enable connecting and disconnecting the first and second substantially vertically extending frame parts. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) An apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that the locking mechanism comprises a displacement mechanism configured to push the bottom end of the first substantially vertically extending frame part a distance away from the second substantially vertically extending frame part when the locking mechanism disconnects the first and second substantially vertically extending frame parts. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first substantially vertically extending frame part comprises at the proximity of its bottom end at least one wheel or roller, or a structure designed to slide on a surface.