JPH05180732A - Equipment for replacement of sample - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To conduct manual replacement of a sample in the course of a test without danger, to convey an arbitrary sample to a testing apparatus selectively and to lessen a space for installation. CONSTITUTION:A tray 11 holding samples in the lateral direction (direction (X) is stacked in a plurality of stages in the longitudinal direction (direction Z). A mechanism which moves within a plane X-Z and conducts taking in and out of the samples held in the tray 11 is provided. By drawing out the tray 11, replacement of the samples can be performed without contact of the mechanism conducting taking in and out of the samples with the hand of an operator. Besides, arbitrary samples can be taken in and out and a space for holding the samples, i.e. a space for installation of an apparatus, can be lessened.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is used in various test devices for testing a sample, such as a fluorescent X-ray analyzer, and has a sample storage part for storing a plurality of samples.
Sample exchange consisting of a sample loading / unloading mechanism for loading / unloading samples into / from the sample storage unit, and a sample transporting mechanism for reciprocating between this sample loading / unloading mechanism and the test device to load / unload the sample into / from the test device Regarding the device.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

<First Conventional Example> FIG. 6 shows a schematic configuration of a sample exchanging apparatus according to the first conventional example. In this figure, only the sample storage section and the sample loading / unloading mechanism are shown, and the sample transport mechanism is not shown. The same applies to the subsequent FIG. 7. A sample storage unit 40 that stores a large number of samples m aligned in the XY direction of the horizontal plane (hereinafter,
A pair of parallel guide rails 41 and 42 extending in the Y direction are attached to the upper surface of a stocker 40). A moving rail 45 that moves in the Y direction on the guide rails 41 and 42 is provided by the electric motor 43 and the meshing belt 44 that are provided on the upper surface of the stocker 40. Further, the electric motor that is provided on the moving rail 45 is provided. A chucking mechanism 48 that moves in the X direction on the moving rail 45 by the motor 46 and the meshing belt 47 to grip the sample m is provided.

When the chucking mechanism 48 grabs an arbitrary sample m and places it at the sample transfer position P shown by the phantom line in the figure, a sample transport mechanism (not shown) chucks the sample m and tests it. It is designed to be transported to the device.
The reverse is also true, and when the sample transport device places the sample m at the sample transfer position after the test, the chucking mechanism 48 grasps the sample m and returns it to the original position. By repeating this, a large number of samples m stored in the stocker 40 are tested.

<Second Conventional Example> FIG. 7 schematically shows a sample exchanging device according to a second conventional example. A sample m is placed on a moving plate 51 guided by a meandering groove 50 formed on a horizontal plane.
The movable tray 51 is circulated along the groove 50 by a chain or belt (not shown) provided in the lower portion of the groove 50, and at the position P, the sample m is transferred to the test apparatus.

[0005]

However, in the apparatus of the first conventional example, the chucking mechanism 48 for gripping the sample m moves in the XY direction in the space above the stocker 40, so that, for example, by a hand during the test, It was not possible to take out the sample m after the test or store a new sample m in the stocker 40. Further, in order to do so, the operation of the sample exchange apparatus and the operation of the test apparatus associated therewith must be temporarily stopped, which is inefficient.

In the apparatus of the second conventional example, since the chucking mechanism 48 does not move in the space above the sample m, there is no danger even if the sample m is replaced manually during the test. Since the sample m is conveyed using the circulating moving tray 51, it is not possible to selectively convey an arbitrary sample m to the test apparatus. Further, in both the first and second conventional examples, since the sample m is arranged and stored in a horizontal plane, there is a drawback that the installation space of the sample exchange device becomes large.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is possible to manually replace samples during a test without danger, and to selectively transport an arbitrary sample to a test apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sample exchange device capable of reducing the installation space.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following constitution. That is, the present invention is a sample exchanging device for accommodating a plurality of samples and for loading and unloading the stored samples into and out of the test device, wherein the plurality of samples are arranged in the lateral direction and stored. A sample storage unit formed by stacking a plurality of trays that can be pulled out in a vertical direction, and a sample loading / unloading mechanism that moves in a vertical plane represented by the horizontal direction and the vertical direction to load / unload a sample stored in the tray. It is characterized by having and.

[0009]

The function of the present invention is as follows. Since a plurality of trays for arranging and storing the samples in the horizontal direction are stacked in the vertical direction, the samples are aligned in the vertical plane with respect to the horizontal plane of the conventional example, and the installation space of the sample storage unit, and thus the sample exchange device. Installation space is reduced. Since the sample loading / unloading mechanism moves in the vertical plane,
It is possible to selectively take in and out any sample,
Also, combined with the fact that the tray can be pulled out,
Manual replacement of samples during testing can be done without risk. This is because the sample loading / unloading mechanism that moves in the vertical plane does not exist in the upper space at the position where the tray is pulled out.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of this sample exchange device. A transport path 6 connects the upper part of the sample exchanging device 2 in which a plurality of trays 11 for accommodating samples are arranged in the vertical direction and the turntable 5 provided in the test device 4.
The sample stored in the tray 11 is placed on the turntable 5 of the test apparatus 4 through the transport path 6, and the arm (not shown) of the test apparatus 4 takes in the sample on the turntable 5 to perform the test, and after the test is completed. The sample is again collected from the turntable 5 through the transport path 6 into the tray 11. From FIG. 2 onward, the internal configuration of the sample exchange device 2 will be illustrated and described.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the inside of the sample exchanging device 2, FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a stocker (corresponding to a sample storage portion), and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a sample loading / unloading mechanism. The cross-sectional shape is "U"
Frames 10a, 10b having a V shape are installed in an upright posture. As it is sandwiched between the frames 10a and 10b,
A plurality of drawable trays 11 are attached along the longitudinal direction (Z direction in FIG. 3) of the frames 10a, 10b. As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 3, the tray 11 has a circular groove 12 for arranging the samples in the lateral direction (X direction) and has an L-shaped cross section. A pull-out handle 13 is attached to the drawer. At the position where the tray 11 is stored, limit switches SW for detecting this are provided on the frames 10a and 10b.
Display lamps 14 are provided at b in a one-to-one correspondence with each tray 11. These will be described later.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, guide rails 15 extending in the Z direction are installed on the side walls of the frames 10a, 10b on the far side of the tray 11, and the sliding movement on these guide rails 15 is performed. A moving rail 17 extending in the X direction is attached to the member 16. A chucking mechanism 18 for grabbing the sample stored in the tray 11 is movably attached to the moving rail 17, and an electric motor 20 for driving a meshing belt 19 for moving the chucking mechanism 18 and a pulley 21 move. It is supported by the member 16.

A meshing belt 22 for moving the moving member 16 up and down along the guide rail 15 is attached to each member. Each meshing belt 22 is stretched over a driving pulley 24 and a driven pulley 25 that are driven to rotate by an electric motor 23, and the moving member 16 moves up and down on the guide rail 15 by driving the electric motor 23. ing. Further, as described above, the moving member 16 includes
Since the moving rail 17, the locking mechanism 18, the electric motor 20, etc. are supported and the weight is considerable, the frame
A counterweight 26 that moves up and down in the interior of the 10a is used to balance the weight.

Next, an example of the sample transport mechanism installed in the transport path 6 of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the simplified diagram of FIG. The sample m taken out from the tray 11 by the sample loading / unloading mechanism shown in FIG. 4 is placed on the delivery table 29 installed in the frame 10b. A chucking mechanism for an "L" -shaped moving body 32 that moves in the transport path 6 by a meshing belt 31 spanning an electric motor 30 provided in the transport path 6 (see FIG. 1) and a pulley (not shown).
33 is attached. The chucking mechanism 33 grabs the sample m placed on the delivery table 29, conveys it to the top of the turntable 5 of the test apparatus 4, and also mounts the sample m placed on the turntable 5 after the test. It is designed to be grabbed and stored in the original tray 11.

According to the sample exchanging device configured as described above, a tray for arranging and storing samples in a horizontal row in the X direction
Since a plurality of 11 are provided in the Z direction, the installation space of the sample storage portion is considerably reduced compared to the conventional example. Since the mechanism for loading and unloading the sample is located at the back side of the tray 11 and moves in the XZ plane in which the sample is stored,
When the operator or the like pulls out the tray 11 to replace the sample during the test, the chucking mechanism 18 does not come into contact with the operator's hand, and the replacement work can be performed without danger.

For convenience in this replacement work, the limit switch SW and the display lamp 14 described above are used.
Is installed. The limit switch SW and the display lamp 14 are connected to the control device for controlling the sample loading / unloading mechanism shown in FIG. 3 and the sample transporting mechanism shown in FIG. Although not shown, the control device is provided inside the sample exchange device 2 in FIG. 1 so as to control the operation of each mechanism by receiving data from a personal computer (not shown) provided in the test device 4. It has become. The functions of the limit switch SW and the indicator lamp 14 will be briefly described below.

First, the operator inputs the sample number as the DUT to the personal computer of the test apparatus 4. For example, 1
Ten samples are stored in one tray 11, and this tray 11
It is assumed that 10 layers are stacked. The samples placed on each tray 11 are numbered, and the control device manages the samples by the numbers. That is, the number of the sample arranged in the fourth from the left of the tray 11 in the third stage from the top is "34", and the memory table showing the relationship between the sample number and the arrangement place is held. Further, the relationship between each tray 11 and the limit switch SW and the display lamp 14 provided corresponding to the tray 11 is also held as a memory table.

When the sample number input from the personal computer of the test apparatus 4 is transmitted to the control unit of the sample exchanging apparatus, the control unit stores the tray containing the sample corresponding to the sample number.
11 is identified (the above memory table is used), and the indicator lamp 14 corresponding to the tray 11 is turned on.
For example, if you want to test the samples with the numbers "15", "32", "55", and "87", enter the numbers into the PC and the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 8th The indicator lamp 14 attached to the side of the tray 11 (frame 10b) lights up.

Tray 11 with indicator lamp 14 lit
Is the tray 11 containing the sample to be tested.
Therefore, when a new sample should be stored, the other tray 11 should be used. For example, when the tray 11 in which the sample to be tested is stored is newly used, there is a possibility that a new sample may be stored in an empty space that has already been sent to the test apparatus 4, In that case, the sample cannot be returned to the original position after the test, an error occurs, and the apparatus stops.

The indicator lamp 14 and the limit switch SW are for avoiding such a situation. When the tray 11 with the indicator lamp 14 lit is pulled out, the limit switch SW detects this and controls. A signal is sent to the device to notify the operator by issuing an alarm or lighting a patrol light.

[0021]

As is clear from the above description, the sample exchanging device of the present invention is provided with a plurality of vertically extendable trays for storing a plurality of samples arranged in the horizontal direction. Since it is arranged and stored in a vertical plane as opposed to a conventional horizontal plane, the storage space, that is, the installation space of the sample exchange device can be reduced, and the device can be miniaturized. Moreover, since the sample loading / unloading mechanism moves in the vertical plane to load / unload the sample stored in the tray, it is possible to selectively load / unload any sample. Furthermore, if the tray is pulled out to exchange the sample, the operator's hand and the sample loading / unloading mechanism do not come into contact with each other, and the exchange work can be performed safely. Therefore, it is not necessary to temporarily stop the operation of the sample exchange device or the test device when exchanging samples,
The operation rate of the device is also improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a sample exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an internal cross-sectional view of a sample exchange device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a sample storage unit.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a sample loading / unloading mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an outline of a sample transport mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a conventional sample exchange device.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another conventional sample exchange device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 ... Sample exchange device 11 ... Tray 18 ... Chucking mechanism

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A sample exchanging device for accommodating a plurality of samples and for loading and unloading the stored samples to and from a testing device, wherein the drawer is arranged to store a plurality of samples in a lateral direction. A sample storage unit formed by stacking a plurality of possible trays in a vertical direction, and a sample loading / unloading mechanism that moves in a vertical plane represented by the horizontal direction and the vertical direction to load / unload a sample stored in the tray. A sample exchange device comprising: