JP2008026055A - Nozzle device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a nozzle device adapted to a dispenser, which carries a nozzle at a high speed without increasing the weight of the nozzle, and detaches a disposable chip by a short distance movement in one direction. <P>SOLUTION: The carrying force supplied for carrying the nozzle of a feed device is used as carrying force for advancing the nozzle in a process for allowing the nozzle to approach a nozzle detaching position in a removing section. When this approach motion is performed, a part of a mechanism for detaching the disposable chip impinges against the collision member provided to the removing section so as to convert nozzle carrying motion force to the detaching force of the nozzle chip by a chip detaching mechanism. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a nozzle device, and more particularly to a nozzle device provided with a nozzle tip for inhaling or discharging a sample.

  In a medical sample analysis system that is used to analyze a sample such as blood or urine and understand the state of a disease or disease, a single sample is divided into small quantities at the pre-processing stage prior to sample analysis. A note has been made. In the sample dispensing operation, in order to prevent contamination and contamination between samples, a nozzle tip that is disposable after one suction and one discharge, that is, a disposable tip is used. In an analysis system such as blood or urine, since there are a large number of specimens to be processed, the operation of mounting and removing the disposable chip performed by the automatic dispensing device is naturally automated.

  As a method for removing the nozzle tip, a method using a tip removal plate having a U-shaped cutout is known. The method is as follows. First, the nozzle equipped with the nozzle tip is lowered to a position lower than the height of the fixed tip removal plate. Next, the nozzle is moved horizontally, and the cylindrical portion on which the nozzle tip is mounted is inserted into the U-shaped notch. Then, the nozzle chip is removed by lifting it vertically while hooking the upper edge of the nozzle chip on the U-shaped notch.

  In addition, there are the following as patent documents showing an apparatus for removing the nozzle tip. The chip removing device shown in Patent Document 1 includes a mechanism for hooking a nozzle tip to a step at the upper edge of the nozzle tip, separately from the dispensing nozzle. The tip removal device requires two steps of lowering and raising in order to remove the nozzle tip. That is, the dispensing nozzle is lowered to a position where the nozzle tip is caught, and then the nozzle tip is removed when the dispensing nozzle is raised. In each of the dispensing nozzles shown in Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3, a motor for removing the nozzle tip is mounted on the dispensing nozzle that is a movable part.

JP 2004-24981 A JP 2004-170076 A JP-A-8-285860

  In an automatic dispensing device, speeding up of the dispensing work is desired. In particular, when a disposable chip is used, since the chip is attached and detached every time, the proportion of time spent for chip removal is large. Therefore, shortening of the time required for removing the chip is particularly desired.

  There are various known techniques for removing the nozzle tip, but all have problems. For example, in order to remove the nozzle tip, there is a method of mounting a motor on the nozzle, but this method makes the nozzle itself heavy. As another known technique, as described above, there is a method in which a nozzle tip is hooked and removed from a plate having a U-shaped notch. According to this method, in order to remove the nozzle tip, it is indispensable to move in three directions: descending, leveling, and ascending. That is, an apparatus that can transport the nozzles at high speed without increasing the weight of the nozzles and that can remove the nozzle tips by a short movement in one direction has not yet been realized.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a nozzle device to which a new configuration for removing a nozzle tip is applied. Alternatively, another object of the present invention is to provide a nozzle device capable of removing a nozzle tip by an approach movement of the nozzle to a position for removing the nozzle. Alternatively, another object of the present invention is to provide a nozzle device that can remove the nozzle tip only by movement in one direction and can reduce the time for removing the nozzle tip. Alternatively, another object of the present invention is to provide a nozzle device capable of generating a force sufficient to remove a nozzle tip using a conveying force for conveying a nozzle.

  The present invention includes a movable part having a nozzle composed of a nozzle base and a nozzle tip attached thereto, a transport mechanism for transporting the movable part, a remove means for removing the nozzle chip from the nozzle base in a remove section, And the removal means accompanies the transfer of the nozzle by utilizing the contact with the structure provided in the remove section when the nozzle moves downward or horizontally to the remove position in the remove section. The kinetic force is converted into a remove force that removes the nozzle tip.

  According to the said structure, the conveyance force for a conveyance apparatus to convey a movable part is used as a conveyance force for a downward motion or a horizontal motion in the process approaching the remove position in a remove section. When this approach movement is performed, a part of the removing means hits the structure provided in the remove section, so that the removing means converts the moving force that conveys the movable part into the removing force that removes the nozzle tip. To do. That is, no special drive source for removing the nozzle tip is required.

  The present invention includes a movable part having a nozzle base and a nozzle composed of a nozzle chip attached thereto, a transport mechanism for transporting the movable part, and a removing means for removing the nozzle chip from the nozzle base in a remove section; The removing means includes a pedestal provided in the remove section and a mechanism provided in the movable part, and when the nozzle descends to a removal position in the remove section, the remove means bounces up against the pedestal. And a conversion mechanism having a driven end portion that performs a downward movement by an upward movement of the driven end portion.

  According to the said structure, the conveyance force given to a movable part from a conveying apparatus is transmitted to a removal means as a raising motion which jumps up a driven end part, when the driven end part provided in the conversion mechanism contacts a base. The upward movement is converted into a downward movement of the drive end by changing the direction of the force by the conversion mechanism. That is, a downward movement is sufficient as an approach movement toward the removal position of the nozzle tip.

  Preferably, the conversion mechanism includes a seesaw member having a rotating shaft and a member having the driven end as one end and the drive end as the other end. According to the above configuration, the seesaw member that performs the oscillating motion includes the rotating shaft, and further includes a conversion function of the amplification factor of the force with the rotating shaft as a fulcrum. Therefore, the multiplication factor of the transmitted force can be changed according to the distance from the rotating shaft to the driven end or the distance from the central axis to the driving end.

  Preferably, the conversion mechanism includes a pressing portion that is slidable in a vertical direction relative to the nozzle base, and the seesaw motion of the seesaw member is converted into a sliding motion of the pressing portion. . According to the said structure, the rotational motion obtained by the effect | action of a seesaw member can be converted into the sliding motion to the up-down direction suitable for pushing out a nozzle tip. By using the pressing portion that slides in the vertical direction, the nozzle tip can be pushed straight along its central axis.

  Preferably, the seesaw member includes a pulley provided at the driven end and abutting against an upper surface of the pedestal. According to the above configuration, the driven end portion of the seesaw member can reduce the frictional force by the action of the pulley.

  Desirably, a control unit that determines error processing based on a force sensor that detects a pressing force applied to the upper surface of the pedestal, a detection signal of the force sensor, and position information of a movable unit that is transported by the transport mechanism. It is characterized by including. According to the above configuration, it is possible to collate the detection signal of the force sensor that detects the force pressing the pedestal with the position information of the nozzle of the transport device.

  The present invention includes a movable part having a nozzle base and a nozzle composed of a nozzle chip attached thereto, a transport mechanism for transporting the movable part, and a removing means for removing the nozzle chip from the nozzle base in a remove section; The removing means includes a contact portion provided in the movable portion, a driven end portion that swings against the contact portion when the nozzle moves downward or horizontally, and a driven end portion. And a conversion mechanism having a drive end portion that transmits the swing motion and performs the downward motion.

  According to the above configuration, the conveying force applied from the conveying device to the movable portion is transmitted to the driven end portion side of the conversion mechanism via the contact portion provided in the movable portion. The conveying force transmitted to the driven end side is transmitted to the drive end by changing the direction of the force by the swinging motion of the conversion mechanism. At the drive end, the oscillating motion is converted into a descending motion, which is a direction of force suitable for removing the nozzle tip. That is, according to the present invention, even when the direction of the approach movement with respect to the removal position of the nozzle tip is different from the direction of the force for removing the nozzle tip, it is suitable for removing the tip by the changing mechanism that swings. A downward pressing force can be obtained.

  Preferably, the conversion mechanism includes a swing member having a rotating shaft and a member having the driven end as one end and the driving end as the other end. According to the above configuration, the swing member that performs the swing motion includes the rotation shaft. The swing member with the rotation axis set has a force gain conversion function and a force direction change function with the rotation axis as a fulcrum. The multiplication factor of the transmitted force can be changed according to the distance from the rotating shaft to the driven end or the distance from the rotating shaft to the driving end.

  The present invention includes a movable part having a nozzle base and a nozzle composed of a nozzle chip attached thereto, a transport mechanism for transporting the movable part, and a removing means for removing the nozzle chip from the nozzle base in a remove section; The removing means includes a pedestal provided in the remove section and a member connected to the nozzle base, and the nozzle contacts the pedestal when the nozzle descends to a removal position in the remove section. A pressing member that keeps moving down relatively, leaving the protruding member restricted in the downward movement, the protruding member restricted in the downward movement and the nozzle base, and converting the conveying force of the movable part into the pressing force to the nozzle tip. And a portion.

  According to the above configuration, the nozzle tip can be pushed downward without changing the direction of the downward conveying force applied to the nozzle from the conveying device. Since the force that conveys the nozzle is converted into the force that pushes out the nozzle tip, the loss of conversion from the conveying force to the pressing force can be reduced.

  Desirably, an elastic member for urging the nozzle base downward with respect to the pressing portion is included. According to the above configuration, the nozzle base portion to which the nozzle tip is attached is always urged downward by the action of the elastic member, so that the relative position between the nozzle base portion and the pressing portion is determined. Therefore, a mounting portion for mounting the nozzle tip can be secured at the lower end position of the nozzle base.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a new configuration for removing the nozzle tip can be applied. Or according to this invention, a nozzle tip can be removed by the approach motion of the nozzle to the position which removes a nozzle. Or according to this invention, it becomes possible to remove a nozzle tip only by movement to one direction, and the time of nozzle tip removal can be shortened. Alternatively, according to the present invention, it is possible to generate a force sufficient to remove the nozzle tip using the conveying force for conveying the nozzle.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a dispensing device as a nozzle device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a nozzle 22 for performing a dispensing operation. The nozzle 22 has a nozzle tip 18 and a nozzle base 20. The nozzle 22 is connected to the dispensing pump 14 by a tube 16. The nozzle 22 is a component of the movable unit 12, and the movable unit 12 is supported by the transport unit 28. Accordingly, the nozzle 22 is transported to a predetermined position in the XYZ three-dimensional space by the transport unit 28.

  The movable portion 12 is transported to the remove section 46 after completing the inhalation and ejection of the specimen. The remove section 46 is a place prepared in advance for removing the nozzle tip 18. In the present embodiment, the remove section 46 includes a pedestal 48, a force sensor 39, and a main body side remove mechanism 54. The main body side removing mechanism 54 will be described later.

  The control unit 26 is a part that controls the nozzle device in an integrated manner, and is electrically connected to each unit shown in FIG. The control unit 26 reads the position information from the transport unit 28 and grasps the position of the movable unit 12. Based on the position information, a command to move the movable unit 12 is generated for the transport unit 28. The control unit 26 issues an operation command to the dispensing pump 14 with respect to the pump driving unit 24. The dispensing pump 14 is used when aspirating or discharging a sample. The pressure signal output from the force sensor 39 is amplified by the amplification circuit 38, and the load determination unit 36 determines the magnitude of the pressure value. The determination result of the load determination unit 36 is transmitted to the control unit 26. For example, an error message notifying the abnormal mounting of the nozzle tip 18 is displayed on the display unit 30. Note that an input unit 32 and a memory 34 are connected to the control unit 26.

  In the present embodiment, the nozzle-side remove mechanism 52 is provided as one component of the movable unit 12. The nozzle-side remove mechanism 52 is combined with the main body-side remove mechanism 54 that cooperates with the nozzle-side remove mechanism 52 to constitute a remove mechanism 56. When the movable portion 12 moves to the remove section 46 to remove the nozzle tip 18, the following operation is performed. That is, when the nozzle 22 performs an approach movement toward the removal position, the main body side removal mechanism 54 and the nozzle side removal mechanism 52 come close to each other, and a dynamic interaction occurs therebetween. A force applied according to the conveying force is transmitted from the main body side remove mechanism 54 to the nozzle side remove mechanism 52. In FIG. 1, the force applied according to the conveying force is indicated by an arrow 62. The nozzle-side remove mechanism 52 converts the force applied according to the conveying force into a remove force that removes the nozzle tip 18. In FIG. 1, the removal force is represented by an arrow 64. When the force converting action is performed between the main body side removing mechanism 54 and the nozzle side removing mechanism 52, the nozzle tip 18 is removed from the nozzle base 20 and discarded in the box 60.

  FIG. 2 is an external view of the nozzle unit 100 having a remove mechanism. The nozzle unit 100 includes a remove mechanism, a fitting 101, a fitting base 102, and the like. The removal mechanism includes a sleeve 104, a seesaw portion 118, and a pedestal 66. Here, the sleeve 104 and the seesaw portion 118 are included in the nozzle-side remove mechanism 52 shown in FIG. The pedestal 66 is included in the main body side removing mechanism 54.

  The fitting 101 is a cylindrical part having a diameter φ1 to which the nozzle tip 18 is attached. The fitting 101 is provided with a through-hole used for suction or discharge on the central axis of the cylinder. The fitting base 102 is made of, for example, a metal such as brass or stainless steel, and includes a cylindrical portion having a diameter φ2 larger than the diameter φ1 and is fixed with the central axis of the fitting 101 being the same.

  The sleeve 104 is made of, for example, resin, and is slidably mounted on a cylindrical portion having a diameter φ1 of the fitting 101, and an outer surface cylinder of the cylindrical portion is provided with a taper. The sleeve 104 has two projecting portions 105 projecting upward from the outer cylindrical portion thereof in parallel with each other. The two protruding portions 105 are provided with one long hole 106A having the long axis aligned in the horizontal direction, one for each protruding portion. When the distance from the lower end surface 104A of the sleeve 104 to the lower end surface of the fitting 101 is D1, the distance D1 is set to a sufficiently long distance for mounting the nozzle tip 18 in the state shown in FIG.

  The seesaw portion 118 includes a seesaw plate 108A, a rotating shaft 110, a guide shaft 112, a pulley 114, and two projecting materials 116A (the projecting material is shown only on the front side in FIG. 2). The seesaw plate 108 </ b> A is rotatably connected to the fitting base 102 by a rotation shaft 110. The seesaw plate 108A has a rotating shaft 110 and a guide shaft 112 connected to one end thereof, and two projecting members 116A are provided on the other end. The pulley 114 is connected through a guide shaft 112 through a through hole provided at the center thereof. The two protrusions 116 </ b> A are respectively hooked in the two long holes 106 </ b> A provided in the sleeve 104. In the present embodiment, when the distance from the rotating shaft 110 to the guide shaft 112 is L1, and the distance from the rotating shaft 110 to the projection material 116A is L2, L1 is set longer than L2. 2 shows a state in which the nozzle tip 18 is not mounted, it is preferable to configure a balance relationship such that the pulley 114 side naturally falls. As a method of lowering the pulley 114 side, the weight of the pulley 114 may be increased, or the distance L2 may be increased. A spring for pulling up the protruding member 116A may be added.

  Incidentally, in this embodiment, the diameter φ1 of the fitting 101 is about 8 mm, the diameter φ2 of the fitting base 102 is about 22 mm, and the length obtained by adding L1 and L2 in the seesaw plate is about 20 to 30 mm.

  The pedestal 66 is provided in the remove section and is fixed to the dispensing device.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the nozzle unit 100. FIG. 3A shows a state in the middle of removing the nozzle tip 18. FIG. 3B shows a state where the nozzle tip 18 is detached. 3A and 3B, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those shown in FIG. 2, and the description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the nozzle unit 100 transported to the remove section switches from a predetermined height to a low speed and descends along the Z axis. A descending route for removing the nozzle tip 18 is predetermined on the conveying device side. When the nozzle unit 100 continues to descend, the pulley 114 protruding from the outer peripheral cylinder of the fitting base 102 comes into contact with the metal flat plate 42. Since the flat plate 42 does not substantially move, when the nozzle unit 100 is lowered, the seesaw portion 118 that is integral with the pulley 114 rotates in a direction in which the pulley 114 springs up around the rotation shaft 110. The two projections 116A provided on the opposite side of the seesaw portion 118 lower the height in the direction opposite to the direction in which the pulley 114 is flipped up by the action of the lever. Since the height of the two protruding members 116 </ b> A is lowered, the sleeve 104 pushes down the upper edge portion 18 </ b> A of the nozzle tip 18. Since the pulley 114 rolls on the flat plate 42, a large frictional force does not work on the surface of the flat plate 42. The two protrusions 116A draw a circular arc centered on the rotation shaft 110, whereas the sleeve 104 moves linearly along the fitting 101. Therefore, the two protrusions 116A are long enough to be hooked to each other. The inner wall surface of the hole 106A slides in the horizontal direction.

  Regarding the seesaw plate 108A, the distance L1 from the rotation shaft 110 to the guide shaft 112 is longer than the distance L2 from the rotation shaft 110 to the projection material 116A. Therefore, due to the lever principle, the force by which the sleeve 104 pushes down the upper edge portion 18A of the nozzle tip 18 is greater than the reaction force by which the flat plate 42 pushes up the pulley 114. Of course, it is possible to increase the force for pushing down the nozzle tip by changing the distance between the distances L1 and L2 and the ratio thereof, or to adjust the stroke amount of the sleeve 104 in the Z-axis direction.

  FIG. 3A shows a state where the sleeve 104 pushes down the nozzle tip 18, and shows a state where the force with which the pulley 114 pushes the flat plate 42 reaches the maximum. The force with which the pulley 114 presses the flat plate 42 can be detected by monitoring the load on the load cell 40 provided on the metal base 50. It is desirable that the pressure detection point of the load cell 40 be arranged at a position almost directly below the pulley 114 with the plane plate 42 interposed therebetween. By monitoring the output signal of the load cell 40, the magnitude of the force by which the nozzle tip 18 is pushed out can be detected qualitatively.

  FIG. 3B shows a state where time has elapsed from the state shown in FIG. Since the base 50 and the load cell 40 are fixed, the seesaw portion 118 further rotates as the nozzle unit 100 descends. As a result, the distance D1 from the lower end surface 104A of the sleeve 104 to the lower end surface of the fitting 101 becomes so short that the nozzle tip 18 cannot be inserted and held, and the nozzle tip 18 falls. As shown in FIG. 3B, when the nozzle tip 18 is detached, the force applied to the load cell 40 is much smaller than that in the state of FIG.

  Incidentally, when the nozzle unit 100 is further lowered from the state shown in FIG. 3B, the distance D1 shown in FIG. Since the position where the distance D1 becomes zero corresponds to a position where the nozzle tip 18 can be reliably removed, in this embodiment, the spatial coordinate position of the nozzle unit 100 at this position on the XYZ three-dimensional coordinates is referred to as a remove position. To. Of course, if the nozzle tip can be reliably dropped even if the distance D1 is not zero, the position can be regarded as the remove position.

  In FIG. 9, the modification of embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is shown regarding the base with which a pulley contact | abuts. A hinge 43 is used in the base shown in FIG. One of the hinges 43 is fixed to the pedestal 50 and the other is naturally placed on the load cell 40 without being fixed. One hinge of the hinge covering the load cell 40 by using the hinge 43 can freely rotate around the support bar 45. Therefore, the force with which the pulley 114 presses the hinge 43 is smoothly transmitted to the load cell 40 without loss. When the hinge 43 is used as shown in FIG. 9, the ratio of the length L11 from the support bar 45 to the pressing point of the load cell 40 and the length L12 from the support bar 45 to the contact point of the pulley 114 can be changed. The magnitude of the force detected by the load cell 40 can be adjusted by finely adjusting the location of the load cell 40 by the action of the lever.

  Returning to FIG. 3, according to the nozzle unit 100 of the present embodiment, the nozzle tip 18 can be reliably removed simply by lowering the entire nozzle to a predetermined position, that is, a removal position. The nozzle unit that has reached the removal position can be moved horizontally as it is. That is, since it is not necessary to start the upward movement again, useless movement is reduced. Further, by increasing the area of the flat plate 42, the range in which the nozzle tip can be dropped can be substantially enlarged.

  Further, in the conventionally used method of hooking the nozzle tip onto the U-shaped attachment plate, the moving direction (upward direction) of the nozzle tip and the falling direction of the removed nozzle tip are opposite to each other. That is, when there is liquid remaining in the nozzle tip, the residual liquid scatters due to the fact that the inertial force acting on the residual liquid is upward along with the movement and the impact is applied when the nozzle chip is removed. Although there was a possibility, in this embodiment, since the moving direction of the nozzle and the falling direction of the nozzle tip are the same direction, the possibility that the liquid scatters is low.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart relating to operation control of the nozzle unit 100. Hereinafter, it demonstrates along a flowchart. When an operation start command is issued to the dispensing device, the nozzle unit 100 moves to the nozzle tip mounting section and mounts a new nozzle tip 18 at the tip (S100). Thereafter, the sample is moved to the original sample rack where the sample to be examined is placed, and one sample is sucked into the nozzle chip 18 (S102). The nozzle unit 100 moves to the child sample rack placed for dispensing, where the sample is dispensed (S104). The nozzle unit 100 is transported horizontally to the remove section after dispensing (S106). When the pulley 114 is positioned vertically above the flat plate 42 (see FIG. 3), the nozzle unit 100 starts a downward movement at a high speed (S108). When the nozzle unit 100 is lowered to a predetermined position, the descending speed is changed to a low speed and further descends (S110).

  When the pulley 114 is brought into contact with the flat plate 42 and a load is applied to the flat plate 42 as shown in FIG. 3A, the load cell 40 detects the load amount, and is the load amount within an appropriate range? Whether or not is determined by the load determination unit 36 (see FIG. 1) (S112). If the load amount is within the proper range, the nozzle unit 100 continues to descend, but if it is not within the proper range, the size determination is performed (S114). If the load amount is too small, it is determined that the nozzle tip is not mounted, and the descent of the nozzle unit 100 is stopped and error processing is performed (S116). If the load amount is too large, it is determined that the nozzle tip cannot be removed, and the descent of the nozzle unit 100 is stopped and error processing is performed (S118). Incidentally, an appropriate load range is, for example, about 10 to 30N.

  Next, after the load amount reaches the maximum value, the load amount is determined again in a state where the nozzle is further lowered. In a state where the nozzle unit 100 has reached the remove position, it is determined that a state where a load is hardly applied, that is, a state where the load amount is almost zero is normal (S120). If some load remains, it is determined that the nozzle tip is not detached, and the descent of the nozzle unit 100 is stopped and error processing is performed (S118).

  After it is determined that the load amount is almost zero and normal by the second load determination, the nozzle unit 100 is moved horizontally (S122). If the next sample dispensing operation remains, the process returns to the step of mounting a new nozzle tip 18 (S124).

  FIG. 5 is an external view of the nozzle unit 130 having a remove mechanism. The nozzle unit 130 includes a remove mechanism, a fitting 132, and the like. The removal mechanism includes a fitting base 136, a sleeve 134, and a swing arm 140. Here, the fitting base 136 and the sleeve 134 are included in the nozzle-side remove mechanism 52 shown in FIG. The swing arm 140 is included in the main body side remove mechanism 54.

  FIG. 5A shows the nozzle unit 130 and the swing arm 140. FIG. 5A shows a state before the nozzle tip 18 is removed. FIG. 5B shows a state where the nozzle tip 18 is removed.

  The fitting 132 is a cylindrical part having a diameter φ1 to which the nozzle tip 18 is attached. The fitting 132 is provided with a through hole on the central axis of the cylinder. The fitting 132 is fixed to the fitting base 136 by a fixing bracket (not shown) above the fitting 132. The sleeve 134 is made of, for example, resin and includes a cylindrical inner wall surface through which a cylindrical portion having a diameter φ1 of the fitting 132 passes. The appearance of the sleeve 134 is cylindrical.

  The swing arm 140 that cooperates with the nozzle unit 130 is a main body side remove mechanism installed in the remove section. Hereinafter, the configuration of the swing arm 140 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The swing arm 140 includes fixed plates 142A and 142B, a crank member 144, triangular plates 148A and 148B, and the like. In the swing arm 140 of this embodiment, all of the components are made of metal. The swing arm 140 is fixed to the remove section by fixing plates 142A and 142B. The fixed plates 142 </ b> A and 142 </ b> B are connected by a rotation shaft 146, and the rotation shaft 146 passes through the crank member 144. The crank member 144 is a component having a shape in which portions having three extending directions perpendicular to each other are integrated. In the crank member 144, the triangular plates 148A and 148B hooked on the crank member 144 are held in parallel with each other with the crank member 144 interposed therebetween. A distance L3 between the two triangular plates 148A and 148B is set to be larger than the diameter φ1 of the fitting 132 and smaller than the cylindrical outer diameter of the sleeve 134. Since the rotation shaft 146 passes through the crank member 144, the crank member 144 swings around the rotation shaft 146 when the end portion 143 of the crank member 144 is pressed or the upper end surface 145 is pressed.

  Returning to FIG. 5A, the operation when the nozzle unit 130 attached to the transport device is moved horizontally and approaches the fixed swing arm 140 will be described. The nozzle unit 130 conveyed to the remove section moves horizontally in parallel with the X axis at a low speed. A horizontal movement route for removing the nozzle tip 18 is determined, and the fitting base 136 collides with the end 143 of the crank member 144 with the horizontal movement. Then, since the crank member 144 starts rotating, the triangular plates 148A and 148B move the apexes of the triangular plates in the negative direction of the X axis. Here, the triangular plates 148A and 148B that maintain the parallel distance L3 sandwich the cylindrical portion of the fitting 132 having a diameter φ1. Further, the bottom sides 149A and 149B of the triangular plates 148A and 148B are in contact with the upper end surface of the sleeve 134.

  FIG. 5B shows a state where the horizontal movement of the nozzle unit 130 in the X-axis direction has further progressed. As shown in FIG. 5B, it is shown that a force that presses the end portion 143 of the crank member 144 is generated by the collision of the fitting base 136. The force that presses the end 143 is converted into a force that rotates the crank member, and the triangular plates 148A and 148B are converted into forces that act on the sleeve 134.

  Here, FIG. 5B shows a state in which the bases 149A and 149B of the triangular plate are kept almost parallel to the X axis to press the sleeve 134, but the triangular plates 148A and 148B are fixed to the crank member 144. Thus, the upper end surface of the sleeve 134 may be pressed at the apexes of the triangular plates 148A and 148B. When the triangular plates 148A and 148B are fixed to the crank member 144, the stroke in the Z-axis direction when the sleeve 134 is pressed can be increased.

  When the sleeve 134 is pushed down, a force is applied to the upper edge portion 18A of the nozzle tip 18 and the nozzle tip 18 falls. FIG. 5B shows a state where the nozzle tip 18 falls. The action of the swing arm 140 is also a kind of lever action, and the force and the magnitude of the stroke that pushes down the sleeve 134 are the distance from the rotary shaft 146 that is the fulcrum to the distance from the rotary shaft 146 to the point of action. Will change accordingly. 5A and 5B do not show pressure detection means for monitoring the force with which the nozzle tip is removed, but the pressure is monitored by attaching a load cell to the end 143 of the crank member 144. Of course it is possible.

  FIG. 7 shows a modification of the swing arm 140 shown in FIG. Below, the structure of the swing arm 150 of a modification is shown. The two fixing plates 182A and 182B are each provided with two small holes, and the rotating shaft portions 196A and 196B are provided using the small holes. The rotation shaft portion 196A supports the square member 184, and the rotation shaft portion 196B supports the crank member 186. The square member 184 and the crank member 186 are connected by three plates (link plate 188, acute angle plates 190A and 190B). The link plate 188 is locked to the square member 184 and the crank member 186 by two engagement pins 196C and 196D, respectively. The acute angle plate 190A is also locked to the square member 184 and the crank member 186 by the two engagement pins 196E and 196F. Similarly, the acute angle plate 190B is locked to the square member 184 and the crank member 186 by two engagement pins (not shown). A cutout hole 185 is provided at the upper end of the square member 184, and a cutout hole 183 is also provided in the fixed plate 182B. Both ends of the spring 198 are hung on the two cutout holes. Further, a stopper 152 is fixed to the fixed plate 182A at a position behind the square member 184 near the rotation shaft portion 196A.

  The operation of the swing arm 150 will be described below. The swing arm 150 shown in FIG. 7 is used in combination with the nozzle unit 130 shown in FIG. The swing arm 150 is fixed to the remove section using two fixing plates 182A and 182B. Since the vertical portions of the square member 184 and the crank member 186 are connected by the link plate 188 and the two acute angle plates 190A and 190B, they can rotate around the respective rotation shaft portions 196A and 196B while maintaining a parallel relationship with each other. . That is, the square member 184 and the vertical portion of the crank member 186 are kept parallel, the link member 188 and the acute angle plate 190A are kept parallel, and a parallel link is formed. Therefore, when a pressing force is applied to the end surface 192 of the crank member 186, the distance between the two acute angle plates 190A and 190B is reduced while keeping parallel to the fixed plates 182A and 182B. The square member 185 is biased by the spring 198, but its rotation is limited by the stopper 152, and the square member 184 is kept standing in an unloaded state.

  When this swing arm 150 is applied to the nozzle unit 130, the crank member 186 rotates with the horizontal movement of the nozzle, and the positions of the acute angle plates 190A and 190B are lowered. Since the acute angle plates 190A and 190B move in parallel with the fixed plates 182A and 182B, the bottom sides 191A and 191B of the acute angle plates 190A and 190B press the upper end surface of the sleeve 134 vertically downward along the Z axis, and the nozzle The tip 18 can be removed.

  FIG. 8 is an external view of a nozzle unit 160 having a remove mechanism. The nozzle unit 160 includes a remove mechanism and a fitting 164. The removal mechanism includes a fitting base 162, a lever 166, and a base 170. Here, the fitting base 162 and the lever 166 are included in the nozzle-side remove mechanism 52 shown in FIG. The pedestal 170 is included in the main body side removing mechanism 54.

  FIG. 8A shows a state before the nozzle tip 18 is removed. FIG. 8B shows a state where the nozzle tip 18 is removed. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to FIG.

  The fitting 164 is a cylindrical part having two different diameters, large and small, and includes a small cylindrical part having a diameter φ1 to which the nozzle tip 18 is mounted and a cylindrical part having a diameter φ3 smaller than the diameter φ1. A part with a shoulder at the border. The fitting 164 is provided with a through-hole that is used for inhaling or discharging the specimen by aligning the cylindrical portion with the central axis. The fitting 164 includes a lever 166 provided so as to protrude from a part of a cylindrical surface having a diameter φ1, and the fitting 164 and the lever 166 are integrally coupled. The fitting base 162 is a metal part having a cylindrical inner wall on which the fitting 164 is mounted. An elongated hole opening 172 extending in the vertical direction is provided on the side surface of the fitting base 162, and a lever 166 protrudes beyond the outer cylindrical portion of the fitting base 162 from the opening 172. One spring 168 is provided between the fitting 164 and the fitting base 162 along the central axis direction. The spring 168 has an action of pushing and expanding the fitting 164 and the fitting base 162. By the action of the spring 168, the lever 166 is pressed against the lowest position of the opening 172 of the fitting base 162 in a natural state with no load. A pedestal 170 is provided at the position where the protrusion of the lever 166 is brought into contact with the protruding portion of the lever 166. The conveying device transmits the conveying force to the fitting base 162 instead of the fitting 164.

  FIG. 8A shows an operation when the nozzle unit 160 attached to the transport device is lowered and approaches the fixed base 170. Since the nozzle unit 160 descends the route defined by the remove section, the lever 166 that has come out from the fitting base 162 abuts on the base 170 and further descends thereafter. Since the conveying device of the nozzle unit 160 holds the fitting base 162 and transmits the conveying force, even if the lever 166 collides with the pedestal 170, the fitting base 162 can continue to descend temporarily. The nozzle base united with the lever 166 is prevented from moving downward, but the fitting base 162 continues to descend, so that the total length of the spring 168 is shortened. When the nozzle unit 160 continues to descend, the lower end surface 163 of the fitting base 162 applies a force to the upper edge portion 18A of the nozzle tip 18 and presses the nozzle tip 18. The force with which the conveying device conveys the nozzle unit 160 is greater than the combined force of the elastic force for returning the spring 168 and the frictional force for removing the nozzle tip 18, so that the nozzle tip 18 has a fitting base 162. Extruded at the bottom end of

  FIG. 8B shows a state where the nozzle tip 18 has fallen. As shown in FIG. 8B, in the state where the nozzle tip 18 falls, the lever 166 is lifted from the lower end of the opening of the outer ring cylinder. As a result, the lower end surface of the fitting base 162 and the lower end surface of the fitting 164 The distance D3 becomes shorter. The flat plate 42 and the load cell 40 applied to the nozzle unit 100 can be applied to the nozzle unit 160 as they are.

It is a functional block diagram of the dispensing apparatus as a nozzle apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of a nozzle unit provided with a remove mechanism. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of a nozzle unit. It is a flowchart regarding operation control of a nozzle unit. It is a side view of a nozzle unit provided with a remove mechanism. It is a perspective view of the swing arm used with a nozzle unit. It is a perspective view of the modification of a swing arm. It is a side view of a nozzle unit provided with a remove mechanism. It is a side view of the modification of the base part of a nozzle unit.

Explanation of symbols

  18 Nozzle Tip, 20 Nozzle Base, 22 Nozzle, 24 Pump Drive Unit, 26 Control Unit, 28 Transport Unit, 39 Force Sensor, 40 Load Cell, 42 Plane Plate, 46 Remove Section, 48, 50, 66 Base, 52 Nozzle Side Remove Mechanism, 54 Main body side remove mechanism, 56 Remove mechanism, 60 Box, 100 Nozzle unit, 101 Fitting, 102 Fitting base, 104 Sleeve, 106A Long hole, 108A Seesaw plate, 110 Rotating shaft, 112 Guide shaft, 114 Pulley, 116A Protrusion Material, 118 seesaw part.

Claims (10)

A movable part having a nozzle composed of a nozzle base and a nozzle tip attached to the nozzle base;
A transport mechanism for transporting the movable part;
Removing means for removing the nozzle tip from the nozzle base in the remove section;
Including
When the nozzle moves downward or horizontally to a removal position in the remove section, the removing means uses the contact with the structure provided in the remove section and uses the movement force accompanying the transportation of the nozzle. The nozzle device is converted to a removing force for removing the nozzle tip. A movable part comprising a nozzle base and a nozzle composed of a nozzle tip attached to the nozzle base;
A transport mechanism for transporting the movable part;
Removing means for removing the nozzle tip from the nozzle base in the remove section;
Including
The removing means includes
A pedestal provided in the remove section;
The mechanism provided in the movable part, wherein when the nozzle is lowered to the remove position in the remove section, the driven end part that is bounced up against the pedestal and the descending movement by the upward movement of the driven end part A conversion mechanism having an end;
A nozzle device comprising: The apparatus of claim 2.
The nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein the conversion mechanism includes a seesaw member having a rotating shaft and a member having the driven end as one end and the drive end as the other end. The apparatus of claim 3.
The conversion mechanism includes a pressing portion that can slide in a vertical direction relative to the nozzle base,
A nozzle device, wherein a seesaw motion of the seesaw member is converted to a slide motion of the pressing portion. The apparatus of claim 3.
The nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein the seesaw member includes a pulley provided at the driven end and abutting against an upper surface of the pedestal. The apparatus of claim 3.
A force sensor for detecting a pressing force applied to the upper surface of the pedestal;
A nozzle device comprising: a control unit that determines error processing based on a detection signal of the force sensor and position information of a movable unit that is transported by the transport mechanism. A movable part comprising a nozzle base and a nozzle composed of a nozzle tip attached to the nozzle base;
A transport mechanism for transporting the movable part;
Removing means for removing the nozzle tip from the nozzle base in the remove section;
Including
The removing means includes
A contact portion provided on the movable portion;
A conversion mechanism having a driven end that swings against the abutment when the nozzle moves downward or horizontally, and a drive end that receives the swinging motion of the driven end and moves downward. ,
A nozzle device comprising: The apparatus of claim 7.
The nozzle mechanism includes a swing member that is a member having the driven end as one end and the drive end as the other end and having a rotation shaft. A movable part comprising a nozzle base and a nozzle composed of a nozzle tip attached to the nozzle base;
A transport mechanism for transporting the movable part;
Removing means for removing the nozzle tip from the nozzle base in the remove section;
Including
The removing means includes
A pedestal provided in the remove section;
A member provided in connection with the nozzle base, and a protruding member that restricts a downward movement by striking the pedestal when the nozzle is lowered to a removal position in the remove section;
A push-down unit that continues to move downward relatively leaving the protruding member and the nozzle base restricted in the downward movement, and converts the conveying force of the movable part into a pressing force to the nozzle tip,
A nozzle device comprising: The apparatus of claim 9.
A nozzle device comprising: an elastic member that biases the nozzle base downward with respect to the pressing portion.

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