X-ray film scanning and digitizing apparatus

A flat bed digitizing scanner comprising:

• a housing having a transparent top;
• a scanning mechanism mounted within said housing, said scanning mechanism being adapted to receive commands that cause said scanning mechanism to move parallel to and scan an area of a data bearing medium positioned on said transparent top;
• an adapter assembly having a means if attachment to said scanning mechanism, said adapter assembly including a first light source, the attachment of said adapter assembly to said scanning mechanism resulting in said first light source being positioned above the transparent top of said housing so as to illuminate a data-bearing medium positioned on said transparent top;
• a means for converting the light emitted from a data-bearing medium positioned on said transparent top into digital data and making available said digital data at an output port;
• a second light source positioned beneath said transparent top and mounted on said scanning mechanism so as to illuminate a data-bearing medium positioned on said transparent top;
• wherein the attachment of said adapter assembly to said scanning mechanism prevents said second light source from being energized and allows said first light source to be energized and the detachment of said adapter assembly from said scanning mechanism allows said second light source to be energized and prevents said first light source from being energized.

A flat bed digitizing scanner comprising:

• a housing having a transparent top;
• a scanning mechanism mounted within said housing, said scanning mechanism being adapted to receive commands that cause said scanning mechanism to move parallel to and scan an area of a data bearing medium positioned on said transparent top;
• an adapter assembly having a means of attachment to said scanning mechanism, said adapter assembly including a first light source, the attachment of said adapter assembly to said scanning mechanism resulting in said first light source being positioned above the transparent top of said housing so as to illuminate a data-bearing medium positioned on said transparent top;
• a means for converting the light emitted from a data-bearing medium positioned on said transparent top into digital data and making available said digital data at an output port;
• a second light source positioned beneath said transparent top and mounted on said scanning mechanism so as to illuminate a data-bearing medium positioned on said transparent top;
• wherein said light conversion means includes:
• detector electronics comprising a photon sensitive detector array;
• a first calibration strip made from white opaque material and displaceably positioned beneath the transparent top of said housing, said first calibration strip being used to calibrate the detectors in said detector array when said adaptor assembly is detached from said scanning mechanism, said first calibration strip being laterally displaced from said transparent top when said adapter assembly is attached to said scanning mechanism;
• a second calibration strip of uniform optical density positioned on said transparent top above said first calibration strip, said second calibration strip being used to calibrate the detectors in said detector array when said adapter assembly is attached to said scanning mechanism.