US 11,925,496 B2
Apparatus for x-ray CT scanning
Nicholas Martin Bolas, Ashford (GB); Eduardo Pallas Lodeiro, Valencia (ES); Laura Moliner Martinez, Castellon (ES); Giedre Podolyak, Guildford (GB); Paul Michael Kurn, Guildford (GB); and James Richard Barnett, West Byfleet (GB)
Assigned to HALLMARQ VETERINARY IMAGING LTD, Guildford (GB)
Appl. No. 17/296,706
Filed by HALLMARQ VETERINARY IMAGING LTD, Guildford (GB)
PCT Filed Nov. 27, 2019, PCT No. PCT/GB2019/053350
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 25, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/109788, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 4, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1819349 (GB), filed on Nov. 28, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0022832 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 6/03 (2006.01); A61B 6/00 (2006.01); A61B 6/04 (2006.01); A61B 6/10 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 6/508 (2013.01) [A61B 6/035 (2013.01); A61B 6/0407 (2013.01); A61B 6/107 (2013.01); A61B 6/4452 (2013.01); A61B 6/4476 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for x-ray CT scanning of an associated object, the apparatus comprising:
an x-ray generator mounted on a first support provided on an outer ring, an x-ray detector mounted on a second support provided on an inner ring, and a drive mechanism arranged to rotate the outer and inner rings, wherein:
the outer and inner rings have a first common axis of rotation and a diameter of the outer ring is greater than a diameter of the inner ring,
the first and second supports being positioned diametrically opposite each other with the second support on a far side of the inner ring with respect to a position of the outer ring,
an inner surface of the outer ring and an outer surface of the inner ring are formed with teeth,
the drive mechanism includes a gearing arrangement connecting the outer and inner rings,
the gearing arrangement comprises toothed, first and second rotary gears fixed so as to rotate together about a second common axis of rotation,
the first rotary gear having a greater diameter than the second rotary gear,
the first rotary gear interengaging with the teeth of the outer ring and the second rotary gear interengaging with the teeth of the inner ring via a toothed, third rotary gear or a toothed drive belt,
a ratio of a number of teeth on the outer and inner rings being the same as a ratio of a number of teeth on the first and second rotary gears so that the outer and inner rings rotate at substantially a same angular speed in a same direction, and
wherein x-ray radiation emitted by the x-ray generator is directed towards the x-ray detector while the first and second supports, on which the x-ray generator and x-ray detector are respectively mounted, are moving along respective first and second annular concentric paths defined by the outer and inner rings.