DE2059501C3 - Arrangement for collecting, transporting and distributing examination vessels - Google Patents

Description

The entire test vessels located in the magazines, for example, after they have been led past the sample distributor to select and provide different further treatments. Rather would have to such redistribution can be carried out manually using plain text information. Since by far not all analyzes can be carried out automatically, the Necessity for segregating individual overall search vessels and their feeding to special, mostly mechanical analysis devices or to non-automated analysis stations quite often. Such manual interventions in machines naturally inhibit the. Operational flow significant and require in addition, a high level of attention.

The invention is therefore based on the object of creating an arrangement that is compact and manageable, but still d ^; In addition to collecting and transporting the entire test vessels to the sample distributor and after the partial samples required for the automatic analyzes have been taken, the entire test vessels can be selected according to certain criteria and, at the same time, the selected vessels can be collected in common containers. For this purpose, it is proposed according to the invention to move the conveyor belt for the vessels beyond the filling position of the sample distributor past several collecting containers which have collecting magazines to which ejection devices influenced by the control electronics of the sample distributor are assigned on the feed side, which are assigned to the individual overall examination vessels according to the information determined by the reading device from the conveyor belt into one of the magazines of the collecting container assigned to the required further treatment. This means that manual interventions can be limited to a minimum and are only necessary if the material being examined has to be subjected to special treatment or if the examination is under particular time pressure.

From the US Pat. No. 3,422,948 there is already a transport device for transporting and sorter, of larger piece goods (packages Od. Like.) With a main conveyor belt and arranged on one of its long sides, transversely to the Longitudinal extension of the main conveyor belt extending auxiliary conveyor belts known at their ends there are collection points. The auxiliary conveyor belts are on the opposite side of the Main conveyor belt arranged ejector devices assigned, which then come into action and the transported goods from the main conveyor belt hit the assigned auxiliary conveyor belt when markings on the transported goods match with scanning means on the respective ejection device. One however, such an arrangement has the disadvantage that a reading device is associated with each ejection device have to be. Compared to the arrangement according to the invention, this requires a significantly higher one Effort and consequently also increases the susceptibility to failure.

A spatially particularly favorable one and easily manageable even by non-specialized staff and an operable arrangement results when, in a further development of the invention, the collecting container • formed on the storage container as rectangular-shaped and size-matching building blocks are, each with a support frame serving to guide and hold the vessels, transversely to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt have extending recesses that serve as collecting magazines serve and each assigned an ejection device is.

The invention is based on one below

ίο Embodiment described. In it shows

F i g. I a simplified representation of the entire arrangement,

F i g. 2 a basic diagram of the drive mechanism,

3 shows a basic diagram of the transmission arrangement, FIG. 4 shows a cross section through the ejection device and

F i g. 5 shows a cross section through the control mechanism of the ejection device.

Within the frame 1 of the arrangement according to FIG. I are the storage container 2, which is to be distributed so-called overall examination vessels, which receive the examination material coming from the stations included, as well as the three collection containers

»5 parts 3, 4 and 5, in which the according to certain criteria sorted total examination vessels can be introduced, arranged in a modular manner. Also contains the arrangement of the reading device 6, which the on or on the entire examination vessels picks up attached machine-readable information and feeds it to the control electronics 7. About it In addition, the arrangement includes a transport device with the drive motor 8, the gear 9 and the conveyor belt 10 and the only indicated camshaft U. This camshaft is part of a Ejection device 12, which is used to introduce the vessels from the conveyor belt into the collecting container. Another drive device with the motor 13 and the transport chain 14 guides the vessels from the entrance of the storage container 2 to the conveyor belt 10 in groups. The reservoir 2 as well the collecting containers 3, 4,5 have support frames 18, not shown in detail, with transverse to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt 1 · extending

Recesses that serve as receiving magazines for the containers.

The basic functionality of the arrangement is as follows

The entire examination vessels are placed in the

so the collecting magazines of the storage container 2 are inserted, guided by the transport device 13, 14 in the direction of the conveyor belt 10 and in the manner of a comb arranged support arms 17 pushed. At the same time, the one at the exit of the storage area

holder 2 arranged rocker switch 15, which actuates the switch Ϊ6 when a group of containers has reached the support arms 17 of the conveyor belt 10. The switch remains activated until the last vessel has left the exit area of the storage container 2 and during this time the motor 13 stops. In addition, does the switch report to the control electronics when it is triggered? the termination of the feeding process. The control electronics then switch on the motor 8, which sets the conveyor belt If in motion via the gear 9. As a result, the sludge vessels on the conveyor belt are to be fed to the reader 6. rler Hif> an nHcr on Acn Ci ~ färi> n he-

Sensitive machine-readable information receives and passes on to the Steucrelcktronik 7, which the triggers control processes corresponding to the information. The information can for example to the effect read that the test material located in the entire test vessel with the help of a dispenser which plays no role in understanding the present invention and is therefore not shown is to be distributed in so-called individual examination vessels and these individual examination vessels agreed upon providing the necessary information automated workstations for the desired analysis of their content. The information located on the entire examination vessel can also mean that the total content or a residual content of the total test vessel non-automatic analysis work or mechanical analysis devices not included in the automatic examination process should be supplied. It may also be necessary for part of the vessel's contents a further division of the rest of the examination quality to forward it to the reader again so that the sample is distributed to further individual test vessels

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Device in the coding of the individual vessels corresponding spatial location.

4 shows a cross section through the arrangement elwa at the level of the collecting container 4. There it can be seen how the conveyor belt 10 is shaped a chain, the links 37 of which by means of the laterally protruding pins 38 in both sides of the pin ends arranged profile strips 39 is performed. Some of the pins 38 bear on the container facing

th side the comb-like arranged holding arms 17, in which the examination vessels 40 in the direction of the container are suspended so that they can be ejected. The affected vessel is expelled by means of of the plunger 41. He is with the help of one on the

Axis 42 rotatably mounted lever system shifted in the ejection direction. This lever system is in two parts and consists of the lever arm 43 and the lever arm 44. Both lever arms are separated mounted on the axle 42. You will be of the

Helical spring 45 above the axis of rotation like tongs pressed together so that they are at the end of the adjusting screw 46 assigned to the arm 44 touch under pressure. The arm 44 protrudes with a I rush in the opposite direction across dii

such a distribution of the entire examination vessels to be able to make, the conveyor belt guides the vessels to several collection bins 3, 4.5 along. If the respective overall examination vessel now reaches him for his The container assigned to further processing is activated by the control electronics 7, the ejection device 12 with the camshaft 11 and. yet to be described magnetically controllable rams put into action, so that the respective vessel is pushed into one of the magazines of the container assigned to it.

About jamming of the vessel in the trans-port device during the injection and ejection processes To avoid this, the conveyor belt is moved step by step synchronously with the ejection rhythm. Dam that is shown schematically in FIGS. 2 and 3 is used Gear arrangement.

The Motorg uses a reduction gear. 19 the drive shaft 20 in motion. Af this drive shaft are the two cam disks 21, 11 which actuate the switches 23, 24 and the drive disk 25 of a double Geneva gear with the Geneva crosses 27 and 28 (FIG. 3). The Maltese cross 27 drives the conveyor belt 1Θ via the shaft 29 and the drive wheel 30, while the Maltese cross 28 drives the camshaft 11 via the shaft 31 and the deflection gear 32. The arrangement according to FIG. 3 in such a way that during the movement phase of one of the two Maltese crosses the other Maltese cross is at rest. This ensures that no ejection movement can take place during transport and vice versa. Control segment pairs 33 and 34 are arranged on the drive pulley 25. The switch 35 for the spatially defined stop of the drive motor 8 and the switch 36 for the spatially defined release of the control mechanism of the ejection device 12 are actuated by these segment pairs. With the help of the switches 23, 24, the control electronics 7 generate an information pulse for the movement of the slide-in device and the transport device for each revolution of the shaft 20.

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the movement impulses of the filled magazines associated Hebclsystcmc, as already stated, are taken up by the springs 45.

The collecting containers 3, 4, 5 may not be assigned to Endkoniakte, which are completely filled magazine the drive motor 8 of the

Shut down the transport device and loosen the egg. The area of the conveyor belt takes place in front of the supply in the transport direction, can be used to which with particular urgency must be introduced separately by hand

For this purpose 2 sheets of drawings

Claims (1)

... 7. Arrangement according to claim 6, characterized Claims: indicates that the drive shaft (29) of the 1. Arrangement for collecting, transporting the conveyor belt (10) and the camshaft (11) and distributing examination vessels, in which each one stepping mechanism (25 to 28) of a conveyor belt, the corresponding holder 5 a common motor (8) driven synchronously possesses, which are individually from a supply quake. so-called total examination vessels fed to the container, which encoded information for the identification and processing of the respective gen vessel contents are assigned to a reading * o
device and from there to a filling position of a sample distributor in which a The invention relates to an arrangement Controlled by the reading device for collecting, transporting and distributing tronik by means of a dosing and labeling examination vessel, in which a conveyor belt, device the distribution of the entire vessel 15 has the appropriate brackets, the individual contents or a part thereof on so-called supplied from a storage container so-called Individual examination vessels and their coding Overall examination vessels to which coded information vorinimt, characterized, mations for the identification and processing of the that the conveyor belt (10) are assigned via the AbfüUposi- respective vessel contents, to a Le- tion to several collection containers (3, 4, * ° s device and from there to a filling position 5) is passed, on the supply side tion of a sample distributor leads, in which one of the a reading device influenced by the control electronics (7) Ejection device (12) is arranged, which is a metering and marking device Individual overall examination vessels (40) correspond to distribution of the entire vessel contents or one according to the * 5 part of it determined by the reading device (6) on so-called individual examination carries out the information from the conveyor belt (10) into containers and their coding, one of the magazines is preferably used for the required assemblies of this type Collection containers assigned to further treatment - to simplify operation in clinical laboratories ters (3, 4, 5). and rationalize. For this purpose, the 2. Anoidnung according to claim 1, characterized in that the serum vessels coming to the stations that the collecting container (3, 4, 5) examination vessels), which are provided with the necessary information the storage container (2) rectangular formations for patient identification and the type ^k shaped, as the size of the examinations to be carried out are designed in machine modules that are each provided with a support frame with legible text, in a container geil 8) with to guide and hold the vessels 35 collects and individually a so-called sample earner, transversely fed to the direction of travel of the transport divider. It is used to have the examination material band extending recesses from the overall examination vessel to so-called zen, which serve as collecting magazines and to which individual examination vessels are distributed, each of which is then assigned an ejection means. assigned to the various examination sites 3. Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized thereby. At the same time, the indicates that the support frames (18) read and punched information from the search vessel Containers (2 to 5) are removable. transferred to the individual examination vessels. 4. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in order not to each overall examination vessel individually indicates that the storage container (2) has to be supplied by hand to the sample distributor motor-controlled transport means 45 sen are devices for collecting these vessels (13, 14) is assigned with grippers, each and for automatic feeding to the sample distributor a group of parallel to the running direction of the conveyor belt and for transporting away the conveyor belt that is no longer required (14) arranged vessels th vessel known. With one of these known at the same time in the brackets (17) of the trans devices (German Auslegeschrift 1 498 857) insert the strap (10). 50 is a number of vessels, for example five, 5. Arrangement according to claim 4, thereby initially collected in transport magazines. then indicates that a number of these magazines are in a Transter at the exit of the storage container put together into two columns below the brackets of the transport port unit, and bandes a contact rocker (15, 16) arranged in such a way that it is in one of the two columns is that the drive motor (13) of the transport 55 is one magazine less than the maximum possible, means of the storage container (2) after the introduction Now the two columns with the help of a a group of containers stops until the corresponding movement mechanism according to Art the last container of the group moved the insertion of a paternoster against each other. Included area of the storage container (2) has left. changes the outer when viewed in the direction of transport 6. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that 60 magazine of each column to the respective other column indicates that the ejector is out over and past one of the sample manifold the number of collecting magazines corresponds to the content of each receptacle Number of ejector levers as well as one corresponding to the assigned information and the in-camshaft (11) Use the ejector levers to pull formations even on individual examination vessels arranged cams (48), 65 of which are distributed each. individual through the control electronics (7,12) wah- This known device has above all the End of one revolution of the shaft with the draw- disadvantage that it is based on a single internal circuit arranged ejector lever (44) can be coupled. is limited. So there is no way that