JP3950936B2 - Conveying apparatus and sample inspection apparatus provided with the same - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
【Technical field】
The present invention relates to a transport device of a type configured to discharge a desired transport object transported along a transport path using a pusher in a direction intersecting the transport path, and a sample inspection apparatus including the transport device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as an example of the conveying device, there is a device as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, for example. This conventional conveying device is configured as a belt conveyor device including an endless belt 95 that can be circulated and driven, on both sides of the end portion of the conveying path 96 formed on the belt 95, A pusher 3e and a guide body 4e are provided. The pusher 3e can reciprocate in a substantially horizontal direction intersecting the transport path 96, and the guide body 4e can be raised and lowered.
[0003]
According to such a configuration, when the conveyance object m is conveyed in the direction of the arrow Na along the conveyance path 96, the guide body 4e is raised and arranged on one side of the conveyance path 96. With the guide body 4e, it is possible to guide the conveyance object m, and thereby it is possible to convey the conveyance object m while preventing distortion. Next, after the transport object m is transported to the end of the transport path 96, the transport object m can be pushed in the same direction by moving the pusher 3e in the direction of the arrow Nb. The conveyance object m can be pushed out of the conveyance path 96. Therefore, the transfer device sequentially discharges a plurality of transfer objects m in the direction of the arrow Nb and sequentially transfers them to the next process position, or transfers a plurality of transfer objects m that have been transferred by the transfer device. It can be used for stocking outside. Conventionally, the pusher 3e and the guide body 4e are configured to be individually operated by two drive sources such as an air cylinder or a motor.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional conveying device has the following problems.
[0005]
That is, in the past, the pusher 3e and the guide body 4e are operated by separate drive sources, respectively, so that a total of two dedicated drive sources are required to operate them, and the entire transport apparatus is accordingly increased. The configuration becomes complicated. In order to operate the pusher 3e and the guide body 4e in correspondence with each other at a predetermined timing, a sensor for detecting the movement of the pusher 3e and a sensor for detecting the raising / lowering operation of the guide body 4e are provided. This is necessary, and the device configuration is further complicated. Therefore, conventionally, there has been a problem that the configuration of the entire conveying apparatus becomes very complicated and the manufacturing cost is expensive.
[0006]
Further, conventionally, it is necessary to set the operation timings of the pusher 3e and the guide body 4e based on the detection signals from the plurality of sensors, and the setting work is very complicated. . Furthermore, when performing such timing setting, for example, it is necessary to perform operation setting such that the forward movement of the pusher 3e is started after the end of the lowering operation of the guide body 4e is detected by the sensor. It is difficult to promptly perform the operations of the guide body 4e. Therefore, conventionally, there is also a tendency that the lead time from the start of the lowering of the guide body 4e to the time when the conveyance object m is pushed out of the conveyance path 96 by the pusher 3e becomes long.
[0007]
The present invention has been conceived under such circumstances, and is provided with a pusher and a guide body in the transport device to transport the transport target and to transport the transport target to the outside of the transport path. When the discharge operation is properly performed, the device configuration required for the operation control of the pusher and the guide body is simplified, the manufacturing cost is reduced, and the operation timing can be easily adjusted. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to improve the handling of the transfer device.
[0014]
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to the 1st side surface of this invention, a conveying apparatus is provided. The transport device includes a horizontal transport path for transporting a desired transport target, a guide body that can be moved up and down on one side of the transport path, and a transport target positioned on the transport path. A pusher that is disposed so as to oppose and a reciprocating motion of the pusher in a direction that intersects the conveyance path so that the pusher pushes a conveyance object positioned in the conveyance path in a direction in which the guide body is provided. And a drive mechanism having a fixed radius by a drive source having a rotatable vertical drive shaft and driving of the drive shaft. And a swivel roller supported by the drive shaft via an arm, and a long hole provided in the pusher or a support member of the pusher. Thus is the pusher fitted relatively movably along the longitudinal direction of the slots so as to linearly reciprocate in the horizontal direction intersecting with the conveying path, and, in the arm, turning motion of the arm A cam that contacts a cam follower attached to the guide body is provided so that the guide body moves up and down in conjunction with the cam.
[0015]
In the present invention, when the drive roller of the drive mechanism is rotated to turn the turning roller, the turning roller turns while relatively moving along the longitudinal direction of the long hole provided in the pusher or the pusher support member. This means that the pusher performs a linear reciprocating motion in the horizontal direction intersecting the conveyance path. Therefore, the pusher is operated by the revolving operation of the revolving roller, and the object to be conveyed located on the conveyance path can be appropriately pushed out of the conveyance path. Further, when the turning roller is turning, the cam provided on the arm supported by the turning roller comes into contact with the cam follower attached to the guide body at a certain timing, and the turning roller rotates. The guide body moves up and down in conjunction with the operation. Accordingly, the guide body can be moved up and down in one side of the transport path in conjunction with the reciprocating motion of the pusher, and the guide object by the guide body of the transport object to be transported along the transport path and the transport object by the pusher. It is possible to appropriately perform the retracting operation of the guide body when the object is discharged. Thus, as the drive source for operating the flop Ssha and guide member each well in one driving source, simplification of the apparatus structure, and attained the simplification of the operation timing setting the pusher and the guide body. In particular, since the raising / lowering operation of the guide body is performed using a cam provided on the arm that supports the turning roller, the configuration of the entire apparatus is further simplified, and the operation is reliable. In addition, since the reciprocating motion of the pusher makes it possible to obtain a single linear reciprocating motion of the pusher, a general-purpose motor is used as a drive source to facilitate the reciprocating motion of the pusher once. It is also possible to obtain.
[0016]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a sample inspection apparatus is provided. The sample inspection apparatus is provided with a the conveyor apparatus and sample analyzer is provided depending on the first side surface, and conveying an object to be conveyed by the conveying device is analyzed by the sample analyzer It is characterized in that it is a container containing a sample.
[0017]
In the present invention, for example, a plurality of containers that contain samples that have been analyzed by the sample analyzer are sequentially transported by the transport device, and the containers that have been transported are sequentially discharged out of the transport device by a pusher. By doing so, the plurality of containers can be efficiently transported to the next processing step position, or stocked at the outer position of the transport device. In this case, as described above, the transport apparatus has a simple configuration and can easily set the operation of the pusher and the guide body, so that the sample inspection apparatus can be easily managed.
[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
[0019]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a transfer system A including a transfer apparatus 1C according to the present invention and a sample inspection apparatus B including the transfer system A. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X1-X1 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a partially omitted plan view of FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X2-X2 of FIG.
[0020]
In FIG. 1, the transport system A uses a plurality of test tubular containers 20 containing samples to be inspected by the sample inspection apparatus B as an example of a transport object. However, the plurality of containers 20 are accommodated and held upright in the rack 2 so that the conveyance can be appropriately performed, and the rack 2 is also an object to be conveyed. For example, human blood or urine is applied as the sample. In addition, as the rack 2, for example, a block whose overall schematic shape is a block shape is applied.
[0021]
The transfer system A includes a first transfer device 1A, a second transfer device 1B, a third transfer device 1C, and a fourth transfer device 1D. Among the plurality of transport devices, the third transport device 1C is a transport device to which the present invention is applied, and a pusher 3 and a guide body 4 described later are provided in the third transport device 1C. .
[0022]
The transport system A is configured to sequentially transport a plurality of racks 2 in the directions of arrows N1 to N3, and each of the first transport device 1A and the fourth transport device 1D is in the same direction. The belt conveyor device is configured as a set of two parallel belts 10 and 10 that can be circulated freely. When both ends of the rack 2 in the longitudinal direction are placed on the two belts 10 and 10, the rack 2 is transferred in the directions indicated by arrows N1 and N3. A flat plate 11 is appropriately disposed between the two belts 10 and 10 from the viewpoint of improving stability when the rack 2 is placed on the belts 10 and 10.
[0023]
An auxiliary transport device 1E is provided as appropriate as a device for sequentially supplying the racks 2 on the first transport device 1A before the first transport device 1A. However, the means for supplying the rack 2 onto the first transfer device 1A is not limited to this, and a plurality of racks 2 may be mounted and supplied onto the first transfer device 1A by manual work, for example. .
[0024]
The second transport device 1B is for transporting the rack 2 transported in the arrow N1 direction by the first transport device 1A along the guide plate 12 in the arrow N2 direction. The second transport device 1B is configured as a pusher conveyor device including a reciprocating pusher 13 for pushing the rack 2, for example, and the pusher 13 preferably moves the rack 2 to the arrow. It is provided so that it can be intermittently transferred by a predetermined pitch in the N2 direction. As will be described later, the container 20 is subjected to predetermined data reading processing and sample sampling processing when being intermittently transferred by the second transport device 1B.
[0025]
The third transport apparatus 1C further transports the rack 2 transported by the second transport apparatus 1B in the arrow N2 direction, and finally delivers the rack 2 to the fourth transport apparatus 1D. Is. The third conveying device 1C is configured as a belt conveyor device in which an endless belt 14 wound around a set of rollers is provided to be freely circulated. Therefore, a conveying path 15 (see FIG. 2) is formed above the belt 14.
[0026]
As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the third transfer device 1 </ b> C is provided with the pusher 3 and the guide body 4, and a drive mechanism for operating the pusher 3 and the guide body 4. 5 and a cam mechanism 6 are also provided.
[0027]
The guide body 4 is formed of, for example, an angle member having a substantially L-shaped cross section having an upstanding piece 40 extending in the vertical direction and a horizontal plate portion 41 connected thereto. The guide body 4 is provided such that the upright piece 40 is disposed in a gap between the conveyance path 15 and the fourth conveyance device 1D. As will be described later, the guide body 4 moves up and down in the direction of the arrow N4 by the operation of the cam mechanism 6. The pusher 3 is formed by, for example, appropriately bending a flat metal plate, and is disposed on the side opposite to the guide body 4 with the conveyance path 15 in between. As will be described later, the pusher 3 reciprocates in the substantially horizontal direction indicated by the arrow N5 by the operation of the drive mechanism 5, and the distal end portion 3a of the pusher 3 extends from the hole 16 provided in the guide plate 12a to the conveying path 15 side. Infested.
[0028]
The drive mechanism 5 includes a fixed frame 50 fixed at a predetermined position, a motor M attached to the fixed frame 50, an arm 51 attached to a drive shaft 55 of the motor M, and attached to the arm 51. The revolving roller 52 and the slide plate 53 are provided.
[0029]
The slide plate 53 is a member that supports the pusher 3, and a lower end portion of the pusher 3 is connected to one end portion 53 a of the slide plate 53. As clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, both side edge portions 53 b and 53 c of the slide plate 53 are fitted into respective groove portions of the rollers 54 provided in a total of four locations on the upper surface of the fixed frame 50. The slide plate 53 is supported by the roller 54 so as to be able to reciprocate in the arrow N5 direction. The slide plate 53 is provided with a long hole 56 extending in a direction orthogonal to the arrow N5 direction. The elongated hole 56 is not necessarily provided in the slide plate 53. For example, when the slide plate 53 is formed as a part of the pusher, the elongated hole 56 is provided in the pusher itself. It becomes.
[0030]
The swivel roller 52 is fitted into the long hole 56 so as to be capable of relative sliding in the longitudinal direction. The turning roller 52 is separated from the drive shaft 55 of the motor M by a predetermined dimension R, and performs a turning operation with a predetermined radius R when the drive shaft 55 rotates. Therefore, in this drive mechanism 5, when the drive shaft 55 is rotated and the turning roller 52 is turned in the direction of the arrow N6, as shown in FIG. While relatively moving in the longitudinal direction, the slide plate 53 is pushed in the direction of the arrow N7, and thereafter, the slide plate 53 is pushed in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow N7. As a result, by the one turning operation of the turning roller 52, the slide plate 53 reciprocates once in the direction of arrow N5 with a stroke of 2R. The pusher 3 moves in and out from the guide plate 12 a to the transport path 15 in accordance with the linear reciprocating motion of the slide plate 53.
[0031]
The drive mechanism 5 is provided with a detection mechanism 7 for detecting the operation of the slide plate 53. The detection mechanism 7 includes a sensor 71 such as a photoelectric tube supported by a bracket 70 connected to a fixed frame 50, and a shielding plate 72 that moves along with the slide plate 53. When 72 faces the sensor 71, an ON or OFF switching operation is performed at that time. The off control of the motor M is performed by the switching operation of the detection mechanism 7. Specifically, when the drive of the motor M is started, as described above, the slide plate 53 starts moving, but the reciprocating operation of the slide plate 53 is finished and the slide plate 53 is moved to the original initial position (see FIG. 2 and the position shown in FIG. 3), the detection mechanism 7 performs a predetermined switching operation at that time, and the driving of the motor M is stopped at that time. The detection mechanism 7 is only for controlling the rotation angle of the motor M, but by providing such a detection mechanism 7, a general-purpose and inexpensive motor can be used as the motor M. There is no need to use an expensive pulse motor.
[0032]
The cam mechanism 6 is a mechanism for moving the guide body 4 up and down. The cam mechanism 6 includes a cam follower 60 attached to the cam of the guide body 4 and a cam 61 attached to the arm 51. Yes. The guide body 4 is supported so as to be movable up and down by the horizontal plate portion 41 supported by a lifting rod 63 inserted through a holder 62 held by a fixed frame 50. Is provided with a spring 64, and is always urged downward by an elastic force of the spring 64 as indicated by an arrow N8. The cam 61, like the turning roller 52, performs a turning operation as the arm 51 rotates, and is provided so as to abut on the lower peripheral surface of the cam follower 60 during the turning operation. The cam 61 is configured to raise the cam follower 60 against the elastic force of the spring 64 at the time of contact. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, when the cam 61 is not in contact with the cam follower 60, the cam follower 60 and the guide body 4 are in the lowered state due to the elastic force of the spring 64 and their own weight. When 61 is in contact with the lower peripheral surface of the cam follower 60, the cam follower 60 is raised by the pushing operation of the cam 61. The cam 61 is configured as a plate cam or a swash plate cam having a tapered surface 61a formed on its upper surface, for example, because it is necessary to smoothly raise the cam follower 60 when it comes into contact with the cam follower 60.
[0033]
In FIG. 1, the sample inspection apparatus B includes a sample analysis apparatus (not shown) for performing component analysis of a sample contained in a container 20 that is transported by the second transport apparatus 1B of the transport system A. is doing. As this sample analyzer, a device configured to analyze a predetermined component of a sample by a technique such as liquid chromatography is applied. For example, when the sample is human blood, the concentration of glucose in the blood Or a specific device for analyzing the type of hemoglobin in the blood and specifying the ratio thereof.
[0034]
The sample inspection device B also includes a chucking device 8 and a sampling device 9 as devices for assisting a sample analysis operation using the sample analysis device. The chucking device 8 is used for the operation of lifting the container 20 from the rack 2 and reading a barcode or the like displayed on the outer peripheral surface of the container 20 using the reading sensor 80. The bar code displays data for specifying the owner of a specimen as a sample. The chucking device 8 is also used for the work of stirring the sample stored in the container 20. On the other hand, the sampling device 9 is configured such that a hollow needle 90 is connected to a liquid feed pump 91 and these are movable in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. When sampling the sample in the container 20, the needle 90 is inserted into a rubber plug 21 (see, for example, FIG. 2) attached to the upper part of the container 20, and its tip is placed in the container 20. Then, the sample in the container 20 is sucked and taken out by a certain amount into the needle 90 by the suction negative pressure action of the liquid feed pump 91.
[0035]
Next, the operation of the transport system A and the sample inspection apparatus B configured as described above will be described.
[0036]
As shown in FIG. 1, in the transport system A, a plurality of racks 2 are sequentially supplied onto the first transport device 1A, so that these racks 2 are transported in the direction of the arrow N1, and the second transport is performed. Sequentially supplied on the apparatus 1B. In the second transport device 1B, the rack 2 is intermittently transferred in the direction of the arrow N2, and the barcode reading operation using the chucking device 8 at the time of the intermittent transfer, or the sample sampling process using the sampling device 9 Is made. Next, the rack 2 containing the container 20 that has been subjected to the sampling process in this way is transferred from the second transfer device 1B to the third transfer device 1C. The third transport device 1C transports the rack 2 to the terminal end side of the transport path 15, and in this case, the following operation is performed.
[0037]
First, as shown in FIG. 2, when the rack 2 is transported through the transport path 15, the pusher 3 is in a state of being immersed in the back side of the guide plate 12a, and the guide body 4 is connected to the third transport device 1C. The belt 14 protrudes upward from the belt 14. Therefore, in such a state, the pusher 3 does not interfere with the transport of the rack 2, and the guide of the rack 2 can be performed using the guide body 4. It is possible to avoid unreasonably protruding outside.
[0038]
Next, when the rack 2 is transported to the end portion of the transport path 15, the motor M of the drive mechanism 5 is driven to rotate the arm 51 and to swing the cam 61 and the swing roller 52. When the cam 61 starts the turning operation, the contact state between the cam 61 and the cam follower 60 is released, and the cam follower 60 and the guide body 4 are lowered. The lowering operation of the guide body 4 is performed such that the guide body 4 is positioned below the upper surface of the belt 14 as shown in FIG.
[0039]
When the turning roller 52 starts the turning operation, the slide plate 53 performs a linear reciprocating operation in a predetermined direction by the turning operation of the turning roller 52 as shown in FIGS. As described above, the pusher 3 performs a reciprocating motion that moves forward in the direction of the arrow N9 and then moves backward in the reverse direction. During the forward movement of the pusher 3, the rack 2 positioned in the transport path 15 is pushed and discharged onto the fourth transport device 1D. When the rack 2 is ejected, the guide body 4 is located below the belt 14, so that the guide body 4 does not hinder the ejection operation of the rack 2. Further, the rack 2 transferred onto the fourth transport apparatus 1D is then transported in a predetermined direction by the fourth transport apparatus 1D, or is stocked on the fourth transport apparatus 1D. .
[0040]
In the third transport apparatus 1C having the above-described configuration, the operation control of the pusher 3 and the guide body 4 is performed by one motor M, and the pusher 3 and the guide body 4 need to be driven by separate motors. The configuration of the entire apparatus can be simplified as much as there is not. Further, although the drive mechanism 5 is provided with a detection mechanism 7 for detecting one rotation operation of the drive shaft 55 of the motor M, the drive mechanism 5 is for detecting the operation positions of the pusher 3 and the guide body 4 respectively. The sensors need not be provided. Therefore, the apparatus configuration of the third transfer apparatus 1C can be further simplified. Furthermore, the timing of the horizontal movement of the pusher 3 and the raising / lowering operation of the guide body 4 can be set by adjusting the timing at which the revolving roller 52 reciprocates the slide plate 53 and the timing at which the cam 61 contacts the cam follower 60. This adjustment can be easily performed by adjusting the positions of the cam 61 and the cam follower 60. Moreover, according to such an adjustment, it is easy to set so as not to cause a time loss in the interlocking operation of the pusher 3 and the guide body 4, and the pusher 3 and the guide body 4 are operated to operate the rack 2. One cycle time required for discharging the transfer path 15 to the outside can be shortened.
[0041]
In the above embodiment, the motor M is configured to perform one reciprocating operation of the pusher 3 and one raising / lowering operation of the guide body 4 by rotating the driving shaft 55 of the motor M once. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the pusher 3 or the guide body 4 may be caused to perform a predetermined operation by rotating the drive shaft of the motor a plurality of times. Therefore, in the present invention, for example, as a means for reciprocating the pusher 3, a rack and pinion mechanism or the like may be used. In this case, for example, a plate cam may be provided on a rack that performs horizontal movement, and the guide body 4 may be moved up and down by the horizontal movement operation of the plate cam. As described above, in the present invention, the specific configuration of the driving mechanism for reciprocating the pusher and the operating mechanism for operating the guide body using this driving mechanism is not limited to that of the above embodiment. If a cam mechanism is used as an operation mechanism for operating the guide body, the configuration can be simplified, and it is preferable to employ a mechanism other than the cam mechanism. The configuration is not limited.
[0042]
In addition, the specific configuration of each part of the transport device and the sample inspection device according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various design changes can be made. The transport device according to the present invention may be configured as a pusher conveyor device or the like other than the belt conveyor device. Moreover, the specific kind of the articles | goods used as a conveyance target object is not limited. Furthermore, in the sample inspection apparatus according to the present invention, the specific configuration of the sample analyzer is not particularly limited.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a transport system including a transport apparatus according to the present invention and a sample inspection apparatus including the transport system.
2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X1-X1 of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a partially omitted plan view of FIG. 2;
4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X2-X2 of FIG.
5 is a plan view of a principal part showing an operating state of a drive mechanism applied to the transport apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation principle of a cam mechanism for moving the guide body up and down.
7 is a side cross-sectional view of a main part showing an operating state of a drive mechanism applied to the transport apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is a plan view of relevant parts showing an example of a conventional transport device.
9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X3-X3 of FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
1C Third transfer device (transfer device)
2 racks (objects to be transported)
3 Pusher 4 Guide body 5 Drive mechanism 6 Cam mechanism 15 Transport path 20 Container (transport object)
51 Arm 52 Swivel roller 53 Slide plate 55 Drive shaft 56 Long hole 60 Cam follower 61 Cam (motion transmission member)
64 Spring B Sample inspection device M Motor

Claims (2)

A horizontal conveyance path for conveying a desired conveyance object, a guide body that can be moved up and down on one side of the conveyance path, and a conveyance object that is positioned on the conveyance path are disposed so as to face each other. A pusher, and a drive mechanism for reciprocating the pusher in a direction intersecting the conveyance path so that the pusher pushes a conveyance object positioned in the conveyance path in a direction in which the guide body is provided, A conveying device comprising:
The drive mechanism includes a drive source having a rotatable vertical drive shaft, a swivel roller supported by the drive shaft via an arm so as to perform a swivel operation with a constant radius by driving the drive shaft, The pusher or a long hole provided in the pusher support member, and the swivel roller causes the pusher to linearly reciprocate in a horizontal direction intersecting the transport path by the swiveling operation of the swivel roller. Are fitted so as to be relatively movable along the longitudinal direction of the long hole, and
The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the arm is provided with a cam abutting on a cam follower attached to the guide body so that the guide body moves up and down in conjunction with a turning operation of the arm. The transport apparatus according to claim 1 and a sample analyzer are provided, and the object to be transported by the transport apparatus is a container containing a sample to be analyzed by the sample analyzer. A sample inspection apparatus characterized by

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