JP2007046957A - Grasping mechanism for microplate - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To grasp a microplate without using a rotary motor and a screw feed mechanism. <P>SOLUTION: This grasping mechanism for the microplate constituted to clamp both side faces of the microplate M by a pair of grasping arms 30a, 30b is provided with a slide guide mechanism 40 for slide-guiding the grasping arms 30a, 30b along an opening and closing direction, an energizing means (tension spring 50) for energizing the grasping arms 30a, 30b toward a closing direction, a rotary link 52 for opening the grasping arms 30a, 30b against the energizing means 50, and a rotary solenoid 60 for driving the rotary link 52. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gripping mechanism for a microplate used for analyzing serum or the like, and in particular, a pair of gripping arms suitable for use in an apparatus in which dispensing or the like is automated enables both sides of the microplate to be connected. The present invention relates to an improvement of a gripping mechanism of a microplate that is sandwiched.

  In an apparatus in which dispensing or the like is automated, it is necessary to grasp and transfer a microplate used for analyzing serum or the like.

  For this reason, in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 1, a pair of holding arms 8 and 9 that sandwich both side surfaces of the microplate M are mounted on one holding a rotary motor 18 that rotates the screw shaft 19 forward or backward. There is described a microplate transfer mechanism that is opened and closed by the other holding plate 11 provided with a support piece 20 having a plate 10 and a female screw portion 21 screwed into the screw shaft 19. In the figure, 1 and 2 are rails, 3 is a guide bar, 7 is a substrate, 8a and 9a are rubbers attached to the inner surfaces of the front end portions of the holding arms 8 and 9, and 12 is provided on the substrate 7. The support shaft 13 is a spring projection provided on the substrate 7, 14 and 15 are spring support pieces provided on the holding plates 10 and 11, and 16 and 17 are central portions of the support shaft 12. The pair of sandwiching arms 8 and 9 are always inwardly hooked, with one end hooked on the spring hooking protrusion 13 and the other end hooked on the spring hooking pieces 14 and 15, respectively. Wire-like springs 22 and 23 for urging them to rotate are limit switches for restricting the rotation angle of the pair of sandwiching arms 8 and 9.

JP-A-9-89904 (FIG. 2)

  However, in the method of opening and closing the holding arms 8 and 9 by a feed mechanism (also called a screw feed mechanism) of the rotary motor 18 and the screw shaft 19, (1) limit switches 22, 23 and the like are required to limit the operation. The structure is complicated and expensive, (2) the operation is slow because the rotary motor 18 is rotated forward or reverse, and (3) when the power supply is suddenly cut off for some reason, the holding arms 8 and 9 are There is a problem that the microplate M cannot be automatically closed and may drop the microplate M.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides a microplate gripping mechanism that can be gripped with a simple structure, fast operation, and capable of reliably gripping the microplate when the power is cut off. The task is to do.

  The present invention provides a microplate gripping mechanism that sandwiches both side surfaces of a microplate by a pair of gripping arms, a slide mechanism that slides and guides the gripping arm in the opening and closing direction, and the gripping arm in the closing direction. The above-mentioned problem is solved by providing an urging means for urging, a rotating link for opening the gripping arm against the urging means, and a rotating solenoid for driving the rotating link. It is.

  Further, a rotatable gripping tool is provided at the tip of the gripping arm.

  The lower end of the gripping tool is bent inward.

  According to the present invention, since the grip arm is opened and closed by the rotary solenoid, the operation is fast. Further, since a screw feed mechanism, a limit switch for limiting the operation, and the like are unnecessary, the configuration is simple and can be configured at low cost. Further, when the power of the rotary solenoid is turned off, the gripping arm is biased in the closing direction by the biasing means, so that the microplate can be securely gripped.

  In particular, when a rotatable gripping tool is provided at the tip of the gripping arm, the gripping tool rotates according to the bending of the gripping arm, so that the microplate is not affected by the bending of the gripping arm. Can be held stably.

  Further, when the lower end of the gripping tool is bent inward, even a microplate with a large mass can be stably conveyed without being displaced.

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

  As shown in FIG. 2, the first embodiment of the present invention opens and closes the gripping arms 30a and 30b in a microplate gripping mechanism in which both sides of the microplate M are sandwiched between a pair of gripping arms 30a and 30b. A sliding mechanism 40 that slides and guides the gripping arms 30a and 30b in a closing direction, a tension spring 50 that biases the gripping arms 30a and 30b in a closing direction, and the gripping arm 50 against the tension spring 50 The rotary link 52 for opening 30a, 30b and the rotary solenoid 60 for driving the rotary link 52 are provided.

  In the figure, reference numeral 38 denotes a base of the slide mechanism 40 and the rotary solenoid 60.

  As shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4, for example, sheet metal gripping tools 32 a and 32 b are rotatably held at the tips of the gripping arms 30 a and 30 b by pins 34 a and 34 b. The lower ends of the gripping tools 32a and 32b are bent inward. As shown in FIG. 5, the lower end of the microplate M is positioned by a vertical movement so that it can be gripped at the bending position C.

  As shown in detail in FIG. 6, the slide mechanism 40 includes substantially L-shaped arm holding members 42a and 42b to which the bases of the gripping arms 30a and 30b are coupled, and the arm holding members 42a and 42b in the horizontal direction. A slide guide 44 fixed to a base 38 (FIG. 2) for sliding guide, and rotation link engaging portions 46a and 46b having substantially U-shaped tips fixed to the arm holding members 42a and 42b are provided. .

  As shown in detail in FIG. 7, the rotary link 52 includes slide member engaging rollers 54a and 54b that engage with the rotary link engaging portions 46a and 46b of the slide mechanism 40, which are shown in FIG. As shown, the rotary solenoid 60 is rotated.

  In the above configuration, when the gripping mechanism grips the microplate M placed at a specific position, as shown in FIG. 7, the rotating solenoid 60 is operated to move the rollers 54a and 54b, the rotating link engaging portion 46a, When the rotary solenoid 60 is turned off after the gripping arms 30a and 30b are opened via the arm 46b and the arm holding members 42a and 42b and moved to a predetermined gripping position, the gripping arms 30a and 30b are pulled by the tension force of the tension spring 50. The microplate M is gripped by gripping tools 32a and 32b which are closed by a slide guide 44 and arm holding members 42a and 42b which are coupled so as to be able to move in parallel, and which are pivotally coupled by pins 34a and 34b.

  At this time, if the tension force of the tension spring 50 is set to be strong in order to obtain a sufficient gripping force, the gripping arms 30a and 30b are not strong enough particularly in view of lightness and compactness. Although it is unavoidable that the tension spring 50 is bent slightly, the gripping tools 32a and 32b are rotatably coupled to the gripping arms 30a and 30b by pins 34a and 34b. Stable gripping is possible without being affected.

  In addition, since the lower ends of the gripping tools 32a and 32b are bent inward, even if a microplate having a large mass is inserted because the test liquid layer is deep and more test liquid enters, which is called a deep well, it shifts. And can be stably conveyed.

  The gripping mechanism moves to another processing unit or the like while gripping the microplate M, moves to a predetermined position, operates the rotary solenoid 60, and pulls the gripping arms 30a and 30b by the reverse operation to the tension spring 50. To open the microplate M.

  When the power is cut off during operation and the rotary solenoid 60 is turned off, the gripping arms 30a and 30b are automatically closed by the action of the tension spring 50, so that the microplate M is not dropped. It is safe.

  The configuration of the gripping tools 32a and 32b is not limited to that of the first embodiment. Instead of bending the lower end inward as in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 9, for example, rubber 36a is used as the surface of the gripping tool 32a. You may attach it to.

A plan view showing a conventional microplate transfer mechanism described in Patent Document 1 The perspective view which shows the structure of 1st Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which similarly shows the holding tool at the tip of the holding arm The perspective view which similarly shows the cross section of the holding tool center Similarly, a front view showing a state where the microplate is held by a gripping tool. Similarly, a perspective view showing details of the slide mechanism The front view which similarly shows the engagement state of a rotation link and a slide mechanism The perspective view which shows the rotation link similarly attached to the rotation solenoid The perspective view which shows the holding tool of 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

M ... Microplate 30a, 30b ... Grip arm 32a, 32b ... Grip tool 34a, 34b ... Pin 40 ... Slide mechanism 42a, 42b ... Arm holding member 44 ... Slide guide 46a, 46b ... Rotating link engaging part 50 ... Tension spring 52 ... Rotating links 54a, 54b ... Rolling member engaging roller 60 ... Rotating solenoid

Claims (3)

In a microplate gripping mechanism that sandwiches both sides of a microplate by a pair of gripping arms,
A slide mechanism for slidingly guiding the gripping arm in the opening and closing direction;
Biasing means for biasing the gripping arm in the closing direction;
A rotating link for opening the gripping arm against the biasing means;
A rotary solenoid for driving the rotary link;
A holding mechanism for a microplate, comprising:   The microplate gripping mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a pivotable gripping tool is provided at a tip of the gripping arm.   The microplate gripping mechanism according to claim 2, wherein a lower end of the gripping tool is bent inward.

Images