JP2010271204A - Sample transport system - Google Patents

Abstract

An inexpensive and reliable test tube holder capable of transporting deformed test tubes with the same type of holder, and a transport path capable of transporting test tube holders and test tube racks with an inexpensive structure and line. And a sample transport system including a transport belt line.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the test tube holder is composed of a holder 1, an adapter and a holder 2, and uses a material excellent in antistatic property and conductivity. Moreover, the test tube holder and the test tube rack can be mixed and operated on the same belt line, and an inexpensive system that does not require compressed air or the like can be realized by using all the power sources as electricity.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique used in a system for transporting a specimen such as blood in the case of transporting a specimen in order to sort, dispense, or analyze a specimen.

  A test tube for storing a specimen such as blood is made of glass and resin. In order to transport the sample contained in the test tube, it is generally carried on a holder or rack that can be held vertically and carried by a belt line or the like.

  Various holders and racks have been devised so far to hold test tubes having different diameters and lengths (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  These have an annular groove that can be engaged with the guide rail of the transport system, have a cylindrical hollow to accommodate the test tube, and are known to be composed of several spring steel wires and spacers. It has been.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-262041

  The test tube holding part of the conventional holder (Patent Document 1) has two spring steel wires arranged in a cross shape at the bottom of the cylindrical hollow part of the holder and protrudes upward from the bottom of the cylindrical hollow part of the holder. Is forming. In such a configuration, it is necessary to use a separate part such as a spacer to fix them. The number of parts increases, which is disadvantageous in terms of cost.

  In addition, since the material used for the member of the holder has no antistatic function, it is expected that the holder will be charged due to friction during operation in the dry season such as winter, and it is necessary to remove electricity with a static elimination brush. When the holder is charged, when dispensing the sample contained in the held test tube, the dispenser that dispenses the sample from the test tube using the capacitance method There was a possibility of malfunction such as hovering (stop in the air), and there were problems such as low reliability.

  In terms of sample transport, it is not considered that test tube holders and test tube racks (eg, 5 racks) coexist on the same belt line when transporting to each analysis unit after sample pretreatment is completed. For this reason, separate belt lines are required, and the control and structure are complicated. There is also a problem that leads to an increase in the cost of the entire system.

  Furthermore, there are cases where the system is driven by using compressed air such as an air cylinder as a power source for system control. However, if this is used, equipment such as an air compressor is required separately, which also increases costs and increases the system's power. This increases the occupied area.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a holder 1 having a hollow cylindrical shape that can accommodate a test tube, a guide portion for preventing a fall, and an adapter formed in a circular shape for holding the test tube. And a holder 2 having a cylindrical shape similar to the holder 1 for the purpose of holding the adapter so that the adapter does not come off when the adapter is attached to the holder 1. The adapter is a thin plate having a certain length. A plurality of metals having a shape having an elastic force protrude continuously at a certain interval, and each plate-like metal is integrated at the bottom, and is integrally formed in a circular shape.

  The holder 1 and the holder 2 are made of thermoplastic resin, and the two are joined by an ultrasonic welding method or the like.

  Furthermore, materials with excellent antistatic and electrical conductivity are used as countermeasures against static electricity.

  In addition, the holder 1 has a groove processing with a thickness equivalent to the thickness of the metal plate so that the adapter can be easily attached, and can store and hold test tubes having different shapes. We decided to use a holder.

  In addition, test tube racks (for example, 5 racks) that can store test tubes can be mixed and operated on the same belt line in the same way as the test tube holder, and all system power sources can be driven by electric power. By using a simple mechanism and apparatus, the system can be realized without using compressed air by an air compressor.

According to this invention, the following test tube holder and sample transport system can be provided.
(1) A highly reliable test tube holder that stably holds test tubes containing specimens of different shapes, can be manufactured at low cost, and has excellent chargeability.
(2) A sample transport system capable of transporting a test tube holder and a test tube rack on the same transport line to a target location.
(3) Equipped with sensors for distinguishing between test tube holders and test tube racks, a temporary stop mechanism for positioning and stopping control, etc. that do not require compressed air as a power source on the transport line of (2) Specimen transport system.

The structure perspective view of a test tube holder and the perspective view of an adapter regarding the present embodiment. The perspective view of the state related to this embodiment in the state where the test tube was hold | maintained at the test tube holder. The side view which related to this embodiment and cut the whole test-tube holder. The perspective view of the state which is related to this embodiment and has a test tube holder and a test tube rack on the same belt line in the configuration diagram of the sample transport line. The embodiment relates to this embodiment, and a top view of the sample transport line shows an example of a stop pattern of the moving body.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 to 5 show an embodiment.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a test tube holder and an adapter alone.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view when the test tube is mounted.
FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the test tube holder.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the test tube holder and the test tube rack are on the same belt line.
FIG. 5 is a top view of the conveyance path and shows a typical stop pattern.

  The test tube holder 10 in the present embodiment includes a holder 11 and a holder 12 formed of a special synthetic resin excellent in chargeability and conductivity. The outer shape of the holder 11 and the holder 12 is a cylindrical shape, and the holder 11 needs to have a guide portion for preventing a fall on the belt line, so that the diameter is different between the upper and lower sides. On the other hand, the lower part has a larger diameter.

  In addition, the inner shape of the holder 11 is desirably a shape such as 11a when a test tube having a bottom R is to be stably installed.

  Further, the holder 11 is provided with a groove-shaped portion such as 11b. Due to this, for example, a thin plate-like metal such as the adapter 13 can be deformed into a shape having elasticity, and an object integrally formed in a circular shape can be easily installed.

  The holder 12 has a cylindrical hollow shape for accommodating the test tube 60, and a slit-like shape portion like the holder 12a is formed in a vertical direction so as not to disturb the adapter 13 so that the adapter 13a to the adapter 13e are in contact with each other. Is provided.

  The adapter 13 for holding and supporting the test tube has a thin plate-like elastic shape having a certain length and continuously protrudes at a certain interval, like an adapter 13f. Each plate-like metal is united at the bottom, and is integrally formed in a circular shape. A portion for holding the test tube is realized by forming the adapters 13a to 13e protruding continuously.

  Next, the assembly method will be described. The bottom portion 13 f of the adapter 13 is fitted into the groove-shaped portion 11 b of the holder 11. Since the groove-shaped portion 11b is slightly wider than the thickness of the adapter 13, it can be easily mounted.

  After the adapter 13 is attached, the holder 12 is mounted so as to cover the adapter 13. As a result, the adapter 13 is completely fixed.

  Finally, the holder 11 and the holder 12 are joined. In this case, it is more effective that the holder 11 and the holder 12 are in close contact with each other in consideration of charging property and conductivity. Therefore, it is desirable to employ a method in which the resin and the resin are melted and joined, such as ultrasonic welding. The ultrasonic welding method is a general joining method and is a widely used joining method.

  In order to allow the test tube holder 10 and the test tube rack 40, which are another embodiment, to pass through the same conveyance path, it is possible to realize the structure shown in FIG. These devices have a control unit (not shown), and the control unit is composed of an information processing device having a CPU, a memory, an I / O, and the like.

  In the conveyance path, guides 31 and 32 are attached or joined to the rail 30, and the large diameter portion of the test tube holder 10 is guided in the vertical direction. The rail 30 and the guides 31 and 32 may be integrally formed.

  Furthermore, the test tube holder 10 is transported by the belt line 33 on the transport path being operated by a drive unit such as a motor.

  Further, by making the small diameter portion of the test tube holder 10 the same width as the test tube rack 40, both can be transported on the same transport path. However, since the shapes and sizes are completely different, it is necessary to distinguish between them in order to control the operation. As a method for discriminating the presence and shape of an object, it is common to use a sensor or a camera.

  As an example of a method for discriminating between the test tube holder 10 and the test tube rack 40 at a relatively low cost, a method using a sensor is shown in FIG.

  Each test tube holder and test tube rack are transported in a state of being placed on a belt line that operates the transport path at a certain interval or a non-constant interval. The belt line can be stopped depending on the situation, and the speed of the belt line can be easily controlled by using a pulse control motor or the like. Usually it is continuous operation.

  Moreover, if the temporary stop mechanisms 34a and 34b which can control operation | movement by sensor detection (ON⇔OFF) are provided, by operating the temporary stop mechanisms 34a-34f back and forth, on the belt line in operation. Stop control of the test tube holder 10 or the test tube rack 40 becomes possible. The temporary stop mechanism uses a solenoid valve or the like, and has a compact and inexpensive mechanism configuration.

  Furthermore, in order to discriminate the moving body that has stopped, it is possible to discriminate both by using a configuration in which sensors are installed like the sensors 35a to 35d. Among various sensor systems used in this embodiment, an inexpensive reflective micro photo sensor system is selected.

  When it is necessary to discriminate between the moving test tube holder 10 and the test tube rack 40, it is common to use a camera system that can recognize the shape at least.

  FIG. 5A shows an example in which the test tube holder 10a is stopped on the belt line at the stop position. At this time, since the sensor 35a is in a state of detecting the test tube holder 10a, it outputs an ON signal, and since it is a space where nothing exists at the position of the sensor 35b, it becomes an OFF signal when it is not detected. It is recognized that the moving body stopped by these is the test tube holder 10. Next, if necessary, the moving body to be conveyed next can be stopped by advancing the temporary stop mechanism 34b on the belt line. It is possible to determine the type of the moving body that has stopped using the sensors 35c and 35d in a similar manner.

  FIG. 5B shows an example in which the test tube rack 40a is conveyed while the test tube holder 10 is stopped. The test tube rack is in the shape of a rectangular cube. Therefore, when the test tube rack arrives, both sensors 35c and 35d output detection ON signals. That is, the system recognizes that the moving object next to the test tube holder 10 is the test tube rack 40a.

  5 (3) and 5 (4) are examples in which the test tube rack 40a is stopped on the belt line at the stop position. At this time, all the sensors 35a to 35d are in a detected state, and output an ON signal. Thus, it can be recognized that the moving body stopped is the test tube rack 40a. Next, if necessary, the moving body to be conveyed next can be stopped by advancing the temporary stop mechanism 34d on the belt line. In this case, the temporary stop mechanism 34b is controlled so as not to operate because the test tube rack 40a exists in front.

  That is, it is possible to determine the type of the moving body conveyed to the stop position and control the temporary stop mechanism to be operated.

  Furthermore, it is also possible to detect the test tube 60 mounted on the test tube holder 10 by changing the height to the mounting position of these sensors 35 and adding the sensor 35. Thereby, it can be recognized whether the test tube 60 is mounted in the stopped test tube holder.

  As a developed version of the above embodiment, the test tube holder 10 and the test tube rack 40 are equipped with information transmission / reception tags and the like, and the system side is equipped with an information transceiver, so that the transport container itself can be designated as a transport destination. It is possible to control based on information such as how to sort the test tubes with specimens installed, and it is possible to construct a more convenient and easy-to-use system.

10 Test tube holder body 11 Holder 1
12 Holder 2
13 Adapter 30 Rail 31 Guide 1
32 Guide 2
33 Belt line 34 Pause mechanism 35 Reflection sensor 40 Test tube rack

Claims (14)

In a sample transport system comprising a sample container for storing a sample, a sample container holder for holding the sample container, and a transport path for transporting the sample container holder,
The sample container holder includes: a) a holder portion having a storage portion for storing the sample container; b) a pedestal portion for supporting the holder portion; and c) the sample container provided in the holder portion. An adapter having a C-shaped bottom shaped to hold and a plurality of extending portions extending substantially perpendicularly from the C-shaped portion, the extending portions being bent toward the center;
A specimen transport system comprising: The sample transport system according to claim 1,
The specimen transport system, wherein the pedestal is made of resin. The sample transport system according to claim 1,
The sample transport system, wherein the adapter is made of metal. The sample transport system according to claim 1,
The extension part of the adapter is bent in parallel with the extending direction, and the bent part is oriented in the center direction. The sample transport system according to claim 1,
The specimen transport system according to claim 1, wherein the holder part has a groove part for fitting a C-shaped bottom part of the adapter. The sample transport system according to claim 1,
The specimen transport system, wherein the pedestal portion includes a metal weight. The sample transport system according to claim 1,
A sample transport system, wherein a distal end portion of the extending portion of the adapter is bent outward. The sample transport system according to claim 1,
The specimen transport system, wherein an outer diameter of the pedestal part is larger than an outer diameter of the holder part. The sample transport system according to claim 1,
The specimen transport system, wherein the holder part and the pedestal part are made of a thermoplastic resin and are melted and joined by vibration and pressurization of the resin. The sample transport system according to claim 1,
At least one of the holder part and the pedestal part has a different color. The sample transport system according to claim 1,
At least one of the holder part and the pedestal part is painted in a color that easily absorbs light, or is made of a material that easily absorbs light. The sample transport system according to claim 1,
The transport path can transport both the sample container holder and a sample rack that holds a plurality of sample containers,
A sample transport system comprising an identification mechanism for identifying which of the sample container holder and the sample rack is transported in the transport path. The sample transport system according to claim 12,
A specimen transport system comprising a control mechanism for controlling the operation of the transport path based on the identification result of the identification mechanism. The sample transport system according to claim 13,
The sample transport system according to claim 1, wherein the control mechanism controls the sample container holder and the sample rack to stop at different positions.

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