BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a radiation image capturing apparatus.

Related Art

In the related art, a radiation image capturing apparatus that performs radiation imaging for the purpose of medical diagnosis has been known. In such a radiation image capturing apparatus, a radiation detector for detecting radiation transmitted through a subject and generating a radiation image is used.

A radiation detector comprising a sensor substrate in which a plurality of pixels accumulating electric charges generated in accordance with radiation are disposed is present. In such a radiation detector, by electrically connecting a circuit unit disposed outside the sensor substrate to the sensor substrate, the electric charges accumulated in each pixel are read out by driving the circuit unit. Connection between the sensor substrate and the circuit unit is performed by electrically connecting a cable such as a flexible cable to a base material of the sensor substrate.

In addition, a radiation detector using a flexible base material in the sensor substrate has been known (for example, refer to WO2010/070735). By using the flexible base material, for example, the weight of the radiation image capturing apparatus (radiation detector) can be reduced, and imaging of the subject may be facilitated.

A method called a lamination method has been known as an example of a method of manufacturing the radiation detector using the flexible base material in the sensor substrate. In the lamination method, a sheet as the flexible base material is bonded to a support such as a glass substrate. Furthermore, the sensor substrate and a conversion layer are formed. Then, the sensor substrate in which the conversion layer is formed is stripped from the support by mechanical stripping.

In the case of stripping the sensor substrate from the support by mechanical stripping, for example, any side of the outer edge of the sensor substrate is set as a starting point of stripping, and the sensor substrate is gradually peeled from the support from the side as the starting point to the opposite side.

The mechanical stripping may be performed in a state where a circuit substrate on which the circuit unit disposed outside is mounted is electrically connected to the sensor substrate through a cable. In the case of performing the mechanical stripping in such a state, the sensor substrate is bent. Thus, the circuit substrate is also bent in accordance with bending of the sensor substrate, and a problem such as damage to the circuit substrate or the circuit unit mounted on the circuit substrate may arise.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a radiation image capturing apparatus capable of suppressing an effect exerted on a first circuit unit in a state where a first circuit substrate is electrically connected to a sensor substrate through a first cable, compared to a case where the first circuit substrate is a non-flexible substrate.

A first aspect of the present disclosure is a radiation image capturing apparatus comprising a sensor substrate including a flexible base material and a plurality of pixels accumulating electric charges generated in accordance with radiation, a flexible first cable of which one end is electrically connected to the sensor substrate, and a flexible first circuit substrate that is electrically connected to the other end of the first cable and in which a first circuit unit driven in a case of reading out the electric charges accumulated in the plurality of pixels is mounted.

A second aspect of the present disclosure is such that in the first aspect, the first cable may be connected to a first side of the sensor substrate, and the radiation image capturing apparatus may further comprise a flexible second cable of which one end is electrically connected to a second side intersecting with the first side of the sensor substrate, and a non-flexible second circuit substrate that is electrically connected to the other end of the second cable and in which a second circuit unit which is different from the first circuit unit and is driven in a case of reading out the electric charges accumulated in the plurality of pixels is mounted.

A third aspect of the present disclosure is such that in the second aspect, the second circuit unit may include a circuit of a signal processing unit into which an electric signal corresponding to the electric charges accumulated in the plurality of pixels is input and that generates and outputs image data corresponding to the input electric signal.

A fourth aspect of the present disclosure is such that in the first aspect or the second aspect, the second circuit substrate may include a connector to which the second cable is electrically connected.

A fifth aspect of the present disclosure is such that in the first aspect, the first circuit unit may include a circuit of a driving unit that reads out the electric charges from the plurality of pixels.

A sixth aspect of the present disclosure is such that in the first aspect, the first circuit substrate may have a flexible region and a non-flexible region that are lined up in a direction intersecting with a connection direction in which the sensor substrate, the first cable, and the first circuit substrate are connected.

A seventh aspect of the present disclosure is such that in the sixth aspect, the first circuit unit may be mounted in the non-flexible region.

An eighth aspect of the present disclosure is such that in the first aspect, the circuit of the driving unit reading out the electric charges from the plurality of pixels may be mounted in the first cable, and a power supply line supplying power of a power supply to the circuit of the driving unit may be disposed in the first circuit substrate and the first cable.

A ninth aspect of the present disclosure is such that in the first aspect, a circuit of a driving unit reading out the electric charges from the plurality of pixels may be mounted in the first cable, and a power supply line supplying power of a power supply to the circuit of the driving unit may not be disposed in the sensor substrate.

A tenth aspect of the present disclosure is such that in the eighth aspect or the ninth aspect, the circuit of the driving unit reading out the electric charges from the plurality of pixels may be mounted in the first cable, and a signal line through which a signal for driving the circuit of the driving unit flows may be disposed in the sensor substrate and the first cable.

An eleventh aspect of the present disclosure is such that in any one of the first aspect to the tenth aspect, the first cable may be electrically connected to the first circuit substrate by thermocompression.

A twelfth aspect of the present disclosure is such that in any one of the first aspect to the eleventh aspect, the first cable may be electrically connected to the sensor substrate by thermocompression.

According to the first aspect of the present disclosure, an effect exerted on the first circuit unit in a state where the first circuit substrate is electrically connected to the sensor substrate through the first cable can be suppressed compared to a case where the first circuit substrate is a non-flexible substrate.

According to the second aspect of the present disclosure, electrical interference in the second circuit unit can be suppressed compared to a case where the second circuit substrate is a flexible substrate.

According to the third aspect of the present disclosure, electrical interference in the signal processing unit can be suppressed compared to a case where the signal processing unit is included in the first circuit unit.

According to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, reworking of the second cable can be easily performed compared to a case where the second circuit substrate does not comprise the connector.

According to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure, even in a case where the first circuit substrate has flexibility, an effect of electrical interference in the first circuit unit can be suppressed compared to a case where the first circuit unit includes a circuit in addition to the circuit of the driving unit.

According to the sixth aspect of the present disclosure, the sensor substrate can be easily bent compared to a case where the first circuit substrate has the flexible region and the non-flexible region lined up in the connection direction.

According to the seventh aspect of the present disclosure, damage to the first circuit unit can be suppressed compared to a case where the first circuit unit is mounted in the flexible region.

According to the eighth aspect of the present disclosure, a resistance value in the sensor substrate can be decreased compared to a case where the power supply line supplying the power of the power supply to the circuit of the driving unit is disposed in addition to the first circuit substrate and the first cable.

According to the ninth aspect of the present disclosure, the resistance value in the sensor substrate can be decreased compared to a case where the power supply line supplying the power of the power supply to the circuit of the driving unit is disposed in the sensor substrate.

According to the tenth aspect of the present disclosure, the signal line can be arranged at a position separated from the power supply line compared to a case where the signal line through which the signal for driving the circuit of the driving unit flows is disposed in other than the sensor substrate.

According to the eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, the sensor substrate can be easily bent in a state where the first cable is connected to the first circuit substrate, compared to a case where the first cable is electrically connected to the first circuit substrate through the connector.

According to the twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, the sensor substrate can be easily bent in a state where the first cable is connected, compared to a case where the first cable is electrically connected to the sensor substrate through the connector.

