Cover for an X-Ray Cassette

The present invention relates generally to a device for enveloping an x-ray cassette and more specifically to a sleeve for an x-ray cassette cover that is both disposable to prevent the spread of germs and cushioned for comfort.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that x-ray cartridges are one of the few medical devices which are reused. It will further be appreciated by those skilled in the art that x-rays can be very impersonal and very uncomfortable to the patient. X-ray cassettes used in portable radiography and tabletop radiography are cold and hard. Often times, infants and small children must be placed on the x-ray cassette, thereby making the patient less cooperative and less comfortable. To this end, there have been several attempts to provide a more comfortable x-ray platform.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,780, issued to G. Ruiz on Aug. 7, 1984, discloses a pediatric restraint for x-ray photography. Although this device does provide a cushion upon which the patient can sit, the device does not provide a cushion proximate to the x-ray cartridge. Ruiz is also very complex, thereby making it difficult for disposability.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,719, issued to W. Gabriele et al. on Jun. 21, 1977, discloses a child immobilizing device for x-rays. This complex bed platform contains a recess into which the infant is placed. The child or infant is then strapped into the platform, thereby making the patient very uncomfortable. The complexity of the invention makes it difficult for disposability.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,525, issued to J. Daniels on Jan. 10, 1978, discloses a premature infant immobilizer and holding assembly for the nursery and radiological exposure. The Daniels invention has the same problems of the Gabriele et al. INVENTION which make it uncomfortable and economically impossible for disposal.

What is needed, then, is a cover for an x-ray cassette which is disposable, to prevent the spread of germs from patient to patient. This needed x-ray cassette cover must be simple and inexpensive to manufacture. This needed x-ray cassette cover must be comfortable by being both soft and warm. This needed cassette cover must be less traumatic for the patient to lie upon. This cover is presently lacking in the prior art.

In the present invention, a sleeve is made of a type of radiolucent material which is, in the preferred embodiment, plastic. The sleeve has a slot into which the x-ray cassette may be placed. On the exterior of the sleeve aligned over the area in which the x-ray cassette will reside, there is placed some type of cushion, such as a radiolucent foam pad. The foam pad may be secured to the plastic sleeve in any manner, including radiolucent glue, or may be glued such that the glue is placed around the exterior of a cassette in the cassette sleeve, so that it does not show up on the cassette during radiography.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cover for an x-ray cassette which is disposable, so that it will help prevent the spread of germs from patient to patient.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cover for an x-ray cassette which is easy to make and inexpensive.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cover for an x-ray cassette which is comfortable in that it is both soft and warm.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cover for an x-ray cassette that is not traumatic for a patient to lie upon.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the cover for an x-ray cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the cover for an x-ray cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the cover for an x-ray cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the cover for an x-ray cassette of the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown generally at 10 the cover for an x-ray cassette of the present invention. As shown, foam pad 14 attaches to second sheet 20 of sleeve 12. First sheet 18 and second sheet 20 combine to form sleeve 12. Sleeve 12 can be formed such that first sheet 18 and second sheet 20 have no discernable seams. However, in the preferred embodiment, first sheet 18 is heat sealed to second sheet 20. In the preferred embodiment, first sheet 18 is slightly larger than second sheet 20 such that first sheet 18 extends beyond slot 16 to form flap 28 which enables sleeve 12 to be "closed" when cassette (24 in FIG. 4) resides in sleeve 12. Sleeve 12 is radiolucent such that sleeve 12 does not interfere with the radiography. Foam pad 14 attaches to second sheet 20. Foam pad 14 is also radiolucent and attached to second sheet in a variety of ways, including, in the preferred embodiment, glue. In the preferred embodiment, if glue (26 in FIG. 4) is not radiolucent, care should be taken so that glue 26 does not interfere with radiography.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown another view of cover for x-ray cassette 10. As can be seen, second sheet 20 attaches to first sheet 18. Foam pad 14 then attaches to second sheet 20.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown generally at 10 an exploded view of the cover for an x-ray cassette of the present invention. Second sheet 20 attaches to first sheet 18 on three sides, thereby leaving slot (16 in FIG. 1). Foam pad 14 then attaches to second sheet 20.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown generally at 10 the cover for an x-ray cassette in more detail. First sheet 18 and second sheet 20 attach on three edges at sleeve seam 22. As stated earlier, in the preferred embodiment, heat sealing is used. However, any means of sealing can be used. In the preferred embodiment, plastic is used. However, any radiolucent material can be used. Foam pad 14 then attaches to second sheet 20 by, in the preferred embodiment, glue 26 shown in phantom in FIG. 4. Cassette 24 fits into slot 16 and resides between first sheet 18 and second sheet 20. Cassette 24 is aligned such that glue 26 does not interfere with radiography.

In the preferred embodiment, foam pad 14 is one-half inch thick.

Cover 10 can sized to fit any cassette size. However, generally, cassettes 24 are available in dimensions of 8".times.10", 10".times.12", 11".times.14", and 14".times.17".

When cassettes 24 are placed in sleeve 12, cassettes 24 can be placed on any radiography surface upon which any uncovered cassette may be placed.

Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention of a new and useful "Cover for an X-ray Cassette", it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims. Further, although there have been described certain dimensions used in the preferred embodiment, it is not intended that such dimensions be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.