JP2018004600A - Transport device, dispensation device, transport method and dispensation method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a transport device, a dispensation device, a transport method and a dispensation method in which a configuration can be simplified and reduced in size.SOLUTION: A transport device A1 comprises: a transport part 2 for moving and rotating along a peripheral direction, a first container 100 having an attribute recording area 101 having a pair of boundaries Zs, Ze separated in the peripheral direction; a detection part 4 for detecting the pair of boundaries Zs, Ze; and a control part 1 for controlling the transport part 2. The transport part 2 can rotate the first container 100 in a rotation possible area of less than 360°, the detection part 4 detects at least one of the pair of boundaries Zs, Ze of the attribute recording area 101 of the first container 100 which is rotated in a held state by the transport part 2, and the control part 1 determines a transport condition of the transport part 2, based on a detection result of the detection part 4, and controls the transport part 2 based on the transport condition.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a transport device, a dispensing device, a transport method, and a dispensing method.

  Prior art document 1 shows an example of a conventional automatic analyzer equipped with a mechanism for dispensing a sample contained in a sample container into a reaction container. The dispensing mechanism has a dispensing probe and a reaction container rotating mechanism. The dispensing probe is for dispensing the sample from the sample container to the reaction container. In this dispensing, it is shown that a label on which identification information read from the sample container is printed as a barcode is attached to the reaction container. Identification information is read from the label of the reaction vessel rotated by the reaction vessel rotating mechanism using a barcode reader. The reaction vessel rotation mechanism can rotate the reaction vessel 360 °.

  Since it is unknown in which range the label is provided in the sample container, in order to reliably read the label, it is strongly recommended to rotate the reaction container at an angle of 360 ° or more by the reaction container rotating mechanism. It is done. Such a reaction vessel rotating mechanism is premised on being constructed as a dedicated mechanism, separately from the transfer mechanism for transferring the reaction vessel along a desired path. Such a configuration complicates and enlarges the equipment configuration of the automatic analyzer.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3738097

  The present invention has been conceived under the circumstances described above, and provides a conveying device, a dispensing device, a conveying method, and a dispensing method capable of simplifying and downsizing the device configuration. Let it be an issue.

  The transport apparatus provided by the first aspect of the present invention moves a first container having an attribute recording area having a pair of boundaries spaced in the circumferential direction and rotates the first container along the circumferential direction. And a detection unit that detects the pair of boundaries, and a control unit that controls the transport unit, wherein the transport unit is capable of rotating the first container in a rotatable region of less than 360 °, The detection unit detects at least one of the pair of boundaries of the attribute recording area of the first container that is rotated while being held by the transport unit, and the control unit detects the detection result of the detection unit. Therefore, the transport condition of the transport unit is determined, and the transport unit is controlled based on the transport condition.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control unit determines the transport condition based on a detection order of the pair of boundaries and a detection position of the pair of boundaries detected by the detection unit. decide.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control unit sets the first container with respect to a reference orientation so that the attribute recording area faces a preset orientation based on a detection result of the detection unit. The transport unit is controlled to release the first container at the release position after being rotated by one angle.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control unit rotates the conveyance unit by a preset adjustment angle before holding the first container by the conveyance unit.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the attribute recording area occupies a range exceeding 180 ° in the circumferential direction.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment angle is set based on a plurality of detection results of the boundary by the detection unit.

  The dispensing apparatus provided by the second aspect of the present invention includes the attribute recording for the transport apparatus provided by the first aspect of the present invention and the first container held in the transport unit. An attribute recording unit that assigns an area; and a dispensing unit that dispenses the liquid to be analyzed stored in the second container into the first container released from the transport unit.

  The transport method provided by the third aspect of the present invention includes a holding step of holding the first container having the attribute recording area by a transport unit capable of moving and rotating in a rotatable area of less than 360 °, Based on a detection step of detecting at least one of a pair of boundaries that are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the attribute recording area provided in the first container held by the transfer unit, and based on a detection result of the detection step, the transfer A condition determining step for determining a transport condition of the section, and a transport step for transporting the first container based on the transport condition.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the condition determination step, based on the detection order of the pair of boundaries and the detection position of the pair of boundaries detected in the detection step, the transport condition To decide.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the condition determination step determines a first angle arranged so that the attribute recording area faces a preset orientation based on a detection result of the detection step, In the carrying step, the first container is released at a release position after the first container is rotated by the first angle with respect to a reference orientation.

  In preferable embodiment of this invention, the rotation process which rotates the said conveyance part only by the preset adjustment angle is included before the said holding process.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the attribute recording area occupies a range exceeding 180 ° in the circumferential direction.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment angle is set based on a plurality of detection results of the boundary.

  The dispensing method provided by the fourth aspect of the present invention includes the transport method provided by the third aspect of the present invention, and an attribute recording step for providing the attribute recording area to the first container. And a dispensing step of dispensing the liquid to be analyzed stored in the second container to the first container released from the transport unit.

  According to an aspect of the present invention, the transport unit is configured to perform the transport according to a transport condition determined based on a detection result obtained by detecting the pair of boundaries that are both ends of the attribute recording area provided in the first container. Transport one container. Thereby, a said 1st container can be conveyed to a desired position in the process after the said conveyance process. For this reason, it is not necessary to provide a mechanism for rotating the first container as a mechanism for executing a process after the transport process. Moreover, since the said rotation area is less than 360 degrees, the said conveyance part is comparatively easy to set a drive mechanism, a wiring route, etc., for example. Therefore, simplification and miniaturization of the equipment configuration of the transport device and the dispensing device can be achieved.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It is a system configuration figure showing an example of a conveyance device and an analysis device concerning the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows a conveyance part and a 1st container. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the preliminary condition determination process which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the detection process in a detection part. It is a flowchart which shows the 1st preliminary condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the time of the start of the 1st preliminary condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the time of completion | finish of the 1st preliminary condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the time of the start of the 1st preliminary condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the time of completion | finish of the 1st preliminary condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the time of the start of the 1st preliminary condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the time of completion | finish of the 1st preliminary condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the time of the start of the 1st preliminary condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the time of completion | finish of the 1st preliminary condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the time of the start of the 1st preliminary condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the time of completion | finish of the 1st preliminary condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the 2nd preliminary condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the conveyance method and analysis method which concern on this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the main condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the time of the start of the main condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the end of the main condition determination process of the conveyance method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the time of the start of the main condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the end of the main condition determination process of the conveyance method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the time of the start of the main condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the end of the main condition determination process of the conveyance method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the time of the start of the main condition determination process of the conveying method which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example at the end of the main condition determination process of the conveyance method which concerns on this invention.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a transport device and a dispensing device according to the present invention. The transport apparatus A1 of the present embodiment includes a control unit 1, a transport unit 2, an attribute recording unit 3, a detection unit 4, a second container transport unit 201, a second container reading unit 202, and a rack transport unit 401. The dispensing device B1 is a device that includes the transport device A1, and further includes a dispensing unit 6. In the illustrated system configuration, an analyzer C1 that performs an analysis process using the first container 100 dispensed in the dispenser B1 is provided. The analysis device C1 includes a control unit 5, an attribute reading unit 7, and an analysis unit 8. Dispensing device B1 and analyzer C1 are connected by rack transport unit 401.

  Note that, unlike the system configuration of the present embodiment, the transport device, the dispensing device, and the analysis device may be configured as separate devices, or any one of the transport device, the dispensing device, and the analysis device. Alternatively, all of the transport device, the dispensing device, and the analysis device may be configured as one device.

  The transport device A1 has a configuration capable of moving and rotating the first container 100, and the type of the first container 100, the purpose of transport, and the like are not particularly limited. In the present embodiment, the transport device A1 is used to transport the first container 100 into which the analysis target liquid 300 is dispensed from the second container 200 in the dispensing device B1.

  As long as the dispensing device B1 is configured to dispense a predetermined liquid exemplified by the analysis target liquid 300 into the first container 100, the specific mechanism and application thereof are not particularly limited. In the present embodiment, the main function of the dispensing device B1 is a function of dispensing the liquid to be analyzed 300, which is a biological sample such as urine, into the first container 100.

  The control unit 1 controls the operation of each component of the transport device A1, and includes, for example, a CPU, a memory, an interface, and the like. Moreover, the control part 1 performs the calculation process of a conveyance condition in the conveyance of the 1st container 100 by the conveyance part 2, and a specific process in the condition determination process mentioned later. The conveyance conditions include, for example, the rotation direction and rotation angle of the conveyance unit 2.

  The transport unit 2 moves and rotates the first container 100 while holding the first container 100. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the transport unit 2 and the first container 100. The specific mechanism of the transport unit 2 is not particularly limited as long as the first container 100 can be held. In the illustrated example, the transport unit 2 has a pair of holding arms 21. The pair of holding arms 21 can be freely approached and separated by a driving source (not shown) (motor, air cylinder, etc.). In addition, the transport unit 2 holds the first container 100 in a state where the first container 100 is held by the pair of holding arms 21 by a drive mechanism (a combination of a motor, a cylinder, a link mechanism, or the like) or a robot arm (not shown). It is possible to move. Further, the transport unit 2 is rotatable in a state where the first container 100 is held by a pair of holding arms 21 by a driving source (motor or the like) not shown. The transport unit 2 can rotate in a rotatable region of less than 360 °, in other words, has a non-rotatable orientation exceeding 0 °.

  The first container 100 is for dispensing the analysis target liquid 300 in the dispensing device B1, and the specific configuration thereof is not particularly limited. In the illustrated example, the first container 100 is a cylindrical container generally called a Spitz tube and having a wedge-shaped tip. An attribute recording area 101 is set in the first container 100. The attribute recording area 101 is an area in which attribute information related to the analysis target liquid 300 is recorded. The attribute recording area 101 has a pair of boundaries Zs and Ze. The pair of boundaries Zs and Ze are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, and partition the attribute recording area 101 and other areas. The specific configuration of the attribute recording area 101 is not particularly limited, and in the present embodiment, a description will be given by taking as an example a case in which the setting is performed by attaching a paper printed with a barcode or a label made of synthetic resin. Unlike this, the attribute recording area 101 may be set by a technique such as printing. The attribute information includes, for example, subject identification information and measurement items.

  In the present embodiment, the plurality of first containers 100 are supplied to the transport device A1 in a state where they are accommodated in the rack 400. The rack 400 is transported by the rack transport unit 401. The first container 100 may be configured such that one by one is supplied to the transfer device A1 alone. The first container 100 is received by the transport unit 2 from the rack 400 that has arrived at the transport apparatus A1. In the illustrated example, the first container 100 near the center of the rack 400 is received by the transport unit 2. And after the 1st container 100 is once separated from the conveyance part 2 in the attribute recording part 3, the 1st container 100 is hold | maintained by the conveyance part 2 again. This position is the receiving position Pi in the illustrated example. Further, the first container 100 held at the receiving position Pi by the transport unit 2 is released again to the rack 400 through a predetermined process. In the illustrated example, the first container 100 is accommodated in the position originally accommodated in the rack 400. This position is the release position Po. In the present invention, after the transport unit 2 receives the first container 100 at the receiving position Pi, the transport unit 2 keeps the first container until the transport unit 2 releases the first container 100 at the release position Po. It is intended to maintain 100 hold. It should be noted that various routes can be set up from the time when the transport unit 2 receives the first container 100 at the receiving position Pi until it is released at the release position Po after a predetermined process. For example, unlike the present embodiment, after the transport unit 2 receives the first container 100 in the rack 400, the first container 100 is maintained by the transport unit 2 in the path including the attribute recording unit 3. In this case, the receiving position Pi and the releasing position Po can both be the same position of the rack 400.

  The second container transport unit 201 is a mechanism that transports the second container 200. The second container 200 placed at a predetermined position of the second container transport unit 201 is transported by the second container transport unit 201 to a dispensing position that enables dispensing by the dispensing device B1. The 2nd container reading part 202 reads the attribute information recorded on the barcode etc. of the label of the 2nd container 200 conveyed to the dispensing position. As the 2nd container reading part 202, an imaging sensor etc. are used suitably, for example. In the present embodiment, the attribute information read by the second container reading unit 202 is transmitted to the control unit 1.

  The attribute recording unit 3 sets the attribute recording area 101 in the first container 100 based on the attribute information read by the second container transport unit 201. The specific configuration of the attribute recording unit 3 is not particularly limited, and when the attribute recording area 101 includes a label on which the above-described barcode is printed, the attribute information is printed on the function of attaching the label to the first container 100 or the label. Has functions etc. In the present embodiment, the first container 100 transported from the rack 400 by the transport unit 2 is temporarily released in the attribute recording unit 3, and the attribute recording area 101 is set for the first container 100. The first container 100 in which the setting of the attribute recording area 101 is completed is held again by the transport unit 2 and transported. The position where this holding is performed is the illustrated receiving position Pi.

  The detection unit 4 detects the boundaries Zs and Ze set in the first container 100. Means for detecting the boundaries Zs and Ze are not particularly limited, and various means capable of detecting the boundaries Zs and Ze separated from each other in the circumferential direction can be employed. In this embodiment, the detection part 4 has a reflective optical sensor, for example, and demonstrates the case where the boundary Zs and Ze are detected with the strength of the reflected light by the 1st container 100, for example. In this embodiment, the detection unit 4 detects the boundaries Zs and Ze while the transport unit 2 holds the first container 100 in which the attribute recording area 101 is set in the attribute recording unit 3. .

  After the detection of the boundaries Zs and Ze in the detection unit 4 is finished, the first container 100 is released at the release position Po. In this way, the first time by the transport unit 2 from when the transport unit 2 receives the first container 100 at the receiving position Pi until it is released at the release position Po via the attribute recording unit 3 and the detection unit 4. The holding of the container 100 is always maintained.

  The first container 100 released at the release position Po is dispensed by the dispensing unit 6. Prior to this dispensing, the rack 400 may be moved to a predetermined position by the rack transport unit 401, or dispensing may be performed while maintaining the position of the rack 400 when the first container 100 is released at the release position Po. Also good.

  The dispensing unit 6 dispenses a part of the analysis target liquid 300 stored in the second container 200 into the first container 100. The second container 200 is not particularly limited as long as it can store the analysis target liquid 300 corresponding to the amount dispensed into the first container 100, and a specific example is a paper cup. The dispensing unit 6 has a nozzle 61. The nozzle 61 is connected to a suction source (not shown), and functions to suck a part of the analysis target liquid 300 in the second container 200 and discharge the analysis target liquid 300 to the first container 100. The nozzle 61 is movable by a drive mechanism (not shown).

  After the dispensing, the plurality of first containers 100 are transported to the analyzer C1 by the rack transport unit 401 while being accommodated in the rack 400. In addition, about the some 1st container 100 accommodated in the one rack 400, after performing the process using the attribute recording part 3, the detection part 4, and the dispensing part 6, it may be conveyed to the analyzer C1. Although it is preferable, the configuration may be such that each first container 100 is transported to the analyzer C1.

  The control unit 5 controls the operation of each component of the analyzer C1, and includes, for example, a CPU, a memory, an interface, and the like. In addition, it is not limited to the structure in which the control part 1 and the control part 5 were provided separately, The structure provided with the control part by which the control part 1 and the control part 5 were integrated may be sufficient. Further, the rack transport unit 401 may be controlled by either or both of the control unit 1 and the control unit 5.

  The attribute reading unit 7 reads attribute information recorded in the attribute recording area 101 set in the first container 100. The attribute information can be read by the attribute reading unit 7 either before or after the analysis by the analysis unit 8. Alternatively, the attribute reading unit 7 may be incorporated in the analysis unit 8 so that the attribute information is read in parallel with the analysis processing by the analysis unit 8. As the attribute reading unit 7 that reads the attribute information recorded in the attribute recording area 101, for example, an image sensor or the like is appropriately used. Note that the attribute reading unit 7 may be configured to read the attribute recording area 101 set in the first container 100 disposed in the vicinity of the rack transport unit and accommodated in the rack.

  The analysis unit 8 is for performing a predetermined analysis on the analysis target liquid 300 dispensed in the first container 100. In the present embodiment, the analysis unit 8 analyzes chemical quantities of specific components included in the analysis target liquid 300, for example, the analysis target liquid 300 that is a biological sample such as urine.

  Next, an example of a conveying method and a dispensing method using the conveying device A1 and the dispensing device B1 will be described below.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the preliminary condition determination step of the present embodiment. The illustrated steps are executed in the order of an attribute recording step, a holding step, a detecting step, and a preliminary condition determining step. The said process is a process for performing more appropriately the conveyance process and dispensing process which concern on this invention mentioned later.

[Attribute recording process]
The first container 100 is moved from the rack 400 shown in FIG. Next, the attribute recording area 101 is set by appropriately performing the process of printing the attribute information on the label and the process of attaching the label to the first container 100 once released from the transport unit 2. The setting of the attribute recording area 101 by the attribute recording unit 3 is performed every time by the substantially same mechanism and by substantially the same procedure. For this reason, the orientation in which the attribute recording area 101 is set in the circumferential direction of the first container 100 often shows a certain tendency, but some variation occurs.

[Holding process]
Next, the first container 100 is held and received by the transport unit 2 in the attribute recording unit 3 (receiving position Pi).

[Detection process]
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view in a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the first container 100 and including the attribute recording area 101. In the present embodiment, for example, the first container 100 has a cylindrical shape made of transparent glass or resin. The attribute recording area 101 is a label made of paper or resin on which attribute information is printed, and is shown as a black belt portion in FIG. The boundaries Zs and Ze are stepped portions corresponding to the thickness of the label. The reference point Md is an orientation that serves as a reference in the rotation operation of the transport unit 2. The following description will be made assuming that the sensor 41 of the detection unit 4 is disposed at the reference point Md. That is, a portion of the first container 100 that is located at the reference point Md is a detection target by the sensor 41 of the detection unit 4. The non-rotatable region Um is a region generated when the transport unit 2 has a rotatable region of less than 360 °. For example, the conveyance unit 2 can rotate 0 ° to 315 °. Although there is no restriction | limiting in a rotation possible area | region, it is suitable that it is 180 degrees or more. When the first container 100 is rotated counterclockwise to the limit by the transport unit 2 from the state shown in FIG. 4, the non-rotatable region Um is a region that cannot reach the reference point Md. Therefore, the portion of the first container 100 located in the non-rotatable region Um in the state shown in the figure is a portion that cannot be detected by the detection unit 4. The detection center point Ct is the center orientation of the region detectable by the detection unit 4.

  In the present embodiment, the area where the attribute recording area 101 is provided exceeds 180 °. On the other hand, the area where the attribute recording area 101 is not provided is less than 180 ° and smaller than the attribute recording area 101. Based on this, an area where the attribute recording area 101 is not provided is defined as a first area Z1, and an area where the attribute recording area 101 is provided is defined as a second area Z2.

  In the detection step, it is possible to detect a portion of the first container 100 other than the non-rotatable region Um. In the following description, for convenience of understanding, the detection unit 4 is disposed at the reference point Md, and a state where the first container 100 is rotated clockwise to the rotation limit by the transport unit 2 is set as a detection start state. An example in which detection is performed while the first container 100 is rotated counterclockwise by the unit 2 will be described. For example, in the case where the state shown in FIG. 4 is the detection start state, when detection is performed while the first container 100 is rotated counterclockwise by the transport unit 2, first, the second area Z2 (attribute recording area 101) Is detected, then the boundary Zs is detected, then the first area Z1 is detected, then Ze is detected, and the second area Z2 (attribute recording area 101) is detected again. Note that the detection unit 4 only needs to be able to detect the positions of the boundaries Zs and Ze with respect to the first region Z1 and the second region Z2. For example, from the step state when moving from the second region Z2 to the first region Z1. The boundary Zs may be detected, or the boundary Ze may be detected from a step state when moving from the first region Z1 to the second region Z2. In this case, a function capable of independently detecting the first region Z1 and the second region Z2 is not essential.

[Preliminary condition determination process]
The preliminary condition determining step is a step that is performed in a preliminary manner in order to perform the main condition determining step, which is essential for performing the conveyance step described later, with higher accuracy or more efficiency. The preliminary condition determination process described below is not necessarily performed every time the normal transport process is performed, but is preferably performed before the normal transport process is performed. For example, it is performed as necessary when the condition of the attribute recording unit 3 is changed, when a new type of first container 100 is used, or when the size of the attribute recording area 101 is changed. That's fine. The preliminary condition determining step of the present embodiment includes a first preliminary condition determining step and a second preliminary condition determining step.

[First preliminary condition determination process]
The first preliminary condition determining step detects a tendency that the attribute recording area 101 is set to a specific orientation area in the transport process and setting of the attribute recording area 101 by the attribute recording unit 3, and in the main condition determining step, The second angle Pr is calculated so that the boundaries Zs and Ze are located in a region detectable by the detection unit 4. The second angle Pr is an example of a transport condition, and when performing the main condition determination process for performing the transport process, when the attribute recording area 101 is held by the transport unit 2 at the receiving position Pi (a holding process described later). The angle at which the transport unit 2 is rotated in advance (rotation process described later). Further, in the present embodiment, the second angle Pr is determined so that the first region Z1 occupying a relatively small azimuth can be present in the rotatable region. Preferably, the second angle Pr is determined by performing the holding, attribute recording, and transporting processes of the first container 100 a plurality of times, and calculating an average value of the angles that require rotation. In calculating the second angle Pr, the control unit 1 considers that the rotatable region of the transport unit 2 is less than 360 °, and the second angle Pr of the direction and size of the transport unit 2 is rotatable. Is calculated. The second angle Pr shown in the subsequent figures indicates the second angle Pr calculated in consideration of such factors.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the first preliminary condition determination step. First, boundary detection is performed (step S101). This detection is performed by the detection process described above. It is determined whether both ends of the boundaries Zs and Ze are detected by this detection step (step S102). Thereafter, it is determined whether the boundaries Zs and Ze are detected, for example, whether the boundary Zs is detected before the boundary Ze (step S103).

  For example, assume that the detection start state when the first container 100 held by the transport unit 2 has moved to the detection unit 4 is shown in FIG. In this case, the detection order by the detection unit 4 is the second region Z2, the boundary Zs, the first region Z1, the boundary Ze, and the second region Z2. That is, both ends are detected (step S102: Yes), and the boundary Ze is detected after the boundary Zs is detected (step S103: Yes).

  Next, case division is performed for the positions of the boundary Zs and the boundary Ze (step S104). The control unit 1 stores in advance a proper start point Ms and a proper end point Me. The proper start point Ms and the proper end point Me are defined as directions in which the boundaries Zs and Ze are preferably located between them when the main condition determining step is performed, and margin widths are added to both ends of the non-rotatable region. It is a point. This exhibits the effect of providing a margin for the boundaries Zs and Ze being located in the rotatable region. In the case of FIG. 4, when the reference point Md is 0 °, the boundary Zs> the appropriate start point Ms and the boundary Ze <the appropriate end point Me. That is, the first region Z1 is also located between the proper start point Ms and the proper end point Me. In this case, the rotation adjustment by the second angle Pr is unnecessary, and the first preliminary condition determination step is completed (step S105).

  Next, it is assumed that the detection start state when the first container 100 held by the transport unit 2 moves to the detection unit 4 is FIG. In this case, step S103 is Yes, and the case classification according to step S104 is boundary Zs ≦ proper start point Ms. In this case, the control unit 1 calculates the second angle Pr so that the boundary Zs can be positioned between the proper start point Ms and the proper end point Me. Specifically, the center direction of the first region Z1 is calculated from the detection positions of the boundaries Zs and Ze, and the difference between this direction and the detection center point Ct is calculated. Alternatively, when the first region Z1 is positioned around the detection center point Ct, the control unit 1 holds the orientation in which the boundary Zs should be located as the target start point Ds, and the boundary Zs and the target start point Ds Is the second angle Pr (step S106). In the main condition determining step, the control unit 1 is held in a state where the transport unit 2 is previously rotated counterclockwise by the second angle Pr. Then, the conveyance unit 2 is rotated clockwise by the second angle Pr before the main condition determination step. Thereby, when the second angle Pr is not taken into consideration, the attribute recording area 101 held in the state shown in FIG. 6 is in a state in which the boundary Zs and the target start point Ds substantially coincide as shown in FIG. Will be held at.

  Next, it is assumed that the detection start state when the first container 100 held by the transport unit 2 moves to the detection unit 4 is FIG. In this case, step S103 is Yes, and the case classification according to step S104 is boundary Ze ≧ proper end point Me. In this case, the difference between the center direction of the first region Z1 and the detection center point Ct is calculated and set as the second angle Pr. Alternatively, when the first region Z1 is positioned around the detection center point Ct, the control unit 1 holds the orientation where the boundary Ze should be located as the target end point De, and the boundary Ze and the target end point De Is the second angle Pr (step S107). By holding the first container 100 by the transport unit 2 using the second angle Pr, as shown in FIG. 9, the main condition for the attribute recording area 101 in a state where the boundary Ze and the target end point De are substantially coincided with each other. A determination step can be performed.

  Next, it is assumed that the detection start state when the first container 100 held by the transport unit 2 moves to the detection unit 4 is FIG. In this case, the detection order by the detection unit 4 is the first region Z1, the boundary Ze, the second region Z2, the boundary Zs, and the first region Z1. That is, the boundary Zs is detected after the boundary Ze is detected (step S103: No). In this case, the control unit 1 calculates the difference between the boundary Ze and the target end point De and sets it as the second angle Pr. However, the second angle Pr is calculated so that the first region Z1 is located between the proper start point Ms and the proper end point Me. (Step S107). By holding the first container 100 by the transport unit 2 using the second angle Pr, as shown in FIG. 11, the main condition for the attribute recording area 101 in a state where the boundary Ze and the target end point De are substantially coincided with each other. A determination step can be performed.

  Next, it is assumed that the detection start state when the first container 100 held by the transport unit 2 moves to the detection unit 4 is FIG. In this case, the detection order by the detection unit 4 is the second region Z2, the boundary Zs, and the first region Z1. That is, both ends are not detected (step S102: No), and only one end is detected (step S108: Yes). Since the detected boundary is the boundary Zs (step S109: Yes), the control unit 1 executes step S110. That is, the difference between the boundary Zs and the target start point Ds is calculated, and this is set as the second angle Pr. By holding the first container 100 by the transport unit 2 using the second angle Pr, as shown in FIG. 13, the main condition for the attribute recording area 101 in a state where the boundary Zs and the target start point Ds substantially match. A determination step can be performed.

Next, it is assumed that the detection start state when the first container 100 held by the transport unit 2 moves to the detection unit 4 is FIG. In this case, the detection order by the detection unit 4 is the second region Z2, the boundary Zs, and the first region Z1. That is, both ends are not detected (step S102: No), and only one end is detected (step S108: Yes). Since the detected boundary is the boundary Ze (step S109: No), the control unit 1 executes step S111. That is, the difference between the boundary Ze and the target end point De is calculated, and this is set as the second angle Pr. By holding the first container 100 by the transport unit 2 using the second angle Pr, as shown in FIG. 15, the main condition for the attribute recording area 101 in a state where the boundary Ze and the target end point De are substantially coincided with each other. A determination step can be performed.

  After executing Steps S106, 107, 110, and 111, the control unit 1 makes a determination based on the number of retries (Step S112). When the number of retries is 0, the number of retries is increased by 1 (step S113), and step S101 is executed. When Steps S106, 107, 110, and 111 are appropriately executed, Step S105 is executed as a result of the subsequent processing, and the first preliminary condition determination step is completed. If for some reason, Steps S106, 107, 110, and 111 are not properly executed, the number of retries is 1 (Step S112: No), and therefore the control unit 1 recognizes that the first preliminary condition determination step is incomplete. (Step S114).

  When neither the boundary Zs nor Ze is detected (step S108: No), the control unit 1 recognizes that the first preliminary condition determination process is incomplete (step S114).

  When the above first preliminary condition determination process is normally completed (step S105), the control unit 1 stores the obtained second angle Pr.

[Second preliminary condition determination step]
FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the second preliminary condition determination step. In the second preliminary condition determining step, after completing the first preliminary condition determining step, an average value of the range Lz that is the range occupied by the first region Z1 and the second angle Pr is obtained.

  First, the detection unit 4 detects the boundaries Zs and Ze (step S201). Since the first preliminary condition determination step is completed prior to this detection, the boundaries Zs and Ze are detected with a high probability. Next, the range Lz is calculated by calculating the difference between the boundary Zs and the boundary Ze (step S202). Further, by calculating the difference between the boundary Zs and the target start point Ds or the difference between the boundary Ze and the target end point De, the error of the second angle Pr obtained in the first preliminary condition determination step is calculated. This error means an error between the second angle Pr already obtained in the first preliminary condition determination step and the second angle Pr to be applied to the attribute recording area 101 of the first container 100 used for the detection. To do. Therefore, the second angle Pr to be applied to the attribute recording area 101 of the first container 100 is obtained by this error and the already obtained second angle Pr. The control unit 1 stores the range Lz obtained in step S202 and the second angle Pr obtained in step S203.

  Next, it is determined whether the number of measurements has reached the upper limit number (step S204). If the number of measurements has not reached the upper limit number (step S204: No), the number of measurements is increased by 1 (step S205), and the above-described steps S201 and subsequent steps are executed. When the number of times of measurement reaches the upper limit number (step S204: Yes), the control unit 1 uses the range Lz and the second angle Pr stored for the upper limit number of times to average the range Lz and the second angle Pr. Are calculated and stored (step S206). Thus, the second preliminary condition determination process is completed (step S207).

  FIG. 17 shows an example of a transport method and a dispensing method according to the present invention. The dispensing method and the conveying method of this embodiment include an attribute recording process, a rotating process, a holding process, a detecting process, a main condition determining process, a conveying process, and a dispensing process. Note that the attribute recording process, the holding process, and the detecting process are the same processes as described above. The conveyance process shown in FIG. 17 corresponds to a normal conveyance process.

[Rotation process]
This step is a step of rotating the transport unit 2 counterclockwise in advance by the second angle Pr obtained by the preliminary condition determination prior to the holding step. In the holding step, the first container 100 is held by the transport unit 2 in a state of being rotated counterclockwise by the second angle Pr in the rotating step. And it is intended to achieve an appropriate state, for example, the state shown in FIG. 7, FIG. 9, FIG. 11, FIG. 13 and FIG. 15 by rotating the transport unit 2 clockwise by the second angle Pr. Yes.

[Main condition determination process]
In the main condition determining step, when the first container 100 in which the attribute recording area 101 is set is processed by the dispensing device B1 (analyzer C1), the attribute reading unit 7 in the subsequent stage can more reliably read the attribute information. This is a step of determining the first angle Ps, which is an example of the conveyance condition, so that it can be performed. For example, when the attribute reading unit 7 illustrated in FIG. 1 is an imaging sensor or the like, the first container 100 is imaged from a specific direction. This means that in the reading position of the attribute reading unit 7 in FIG. 4, if there is no mechanism for rotating the first container 100, the orientation read by the attribute reading unit 7 is fixed at a specific orientation. The reading center point Cs by the attribute reading unit 7 is located in the front of the attribute reading unit 7 when the center direction of the first region Z1 is matched with the reading center point Cs. It is set as the bearing. The first angle Ps determined in the main condition determining step causes the first region Z1 to be positioned at the reading center point Cs when the first container 100 held by the transport unit 2 in the holding step is released at the release position Po. Therefore, the rotation angle of the transport unit 2 is necessary.

  FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an example of the main condition determining step. The control unit 1 performs a detection process on the first container 100 that has undergone the holding process and the attribute recording process (step S301). However, in this holding step, the transport unit 2 is rotated in advance by the second angle Pr obtained by the first preliminary condition determining step or the second angle Pr averaged by the second preliminary condition determining step. In this state, the first container 100 is held.

  For example, assume that the detection start state when the first container 100 held by the transport unit 2 has moved to the detection unit 4 is shown in FIG. In this case, the detection order by the detection unit 4 is the second region Z2, the boundary Zs, the first region Z1, the boundary Ze, and the second region Z2. That is, both ends are detected (step S302: Yes), and the boundary Ze is detected after the boundary Zs is detected (step S303: Yes). In this case, the control unit 1 calculates a first angle Ps that is a rotation angle for making the first region center point Cz of the first region Z1 coincide with the reading center point Cs (step S306). The fact that the first container 100 is held in the state shown in FIG. 19 indicates that the second angle Pr obtained by the preliminary condition determining step and the range of the attribute recording area 101 actually set in the first container 100 Means a good correspondence. In the transport process, when the transport unit 2 is rotated by the first angle Ps while the first container 100 is held and then the first container 100 is released at the release position Po, as shown in FIG. The first container 100 can be accommodated in the rack 400 in a state where the center point Cs and the first region center point Cz coincide with each other. In calculating the first angle Ps, the control unit 1 takes into account that the rotatable region of the transport unit 2 is less than 360 °, and the first angle Ps in the direction and size of the transport unit 2 is rotatable. Is calculated. The first angle Ps shown in the subsequent figures indicates the first angle Ps calculated in consideration of such factors.

  Next, it is assumed that the detection start state when the first container 100 held by the transport unit 2 moves to the detection unit 4 is FIG. In this case, the detection order by the detection unit 4 is the first region Z1, the boundary Ze, the second region Z2, the boundary Zs, and the first region Z1. That is, both ends are detected (step S302: Yes), and the boundary Zs is detected after the boundary Ze is detected (step S303: No). In this case, for example, after calculating the central orientation of the second region Z2, the control unit 1 specifies the orientation corresponding to the orientation opposite to the central orientation by 180 ° as the first region central point Cz of the first region Z1. Then, a first angle Ps that is a rotation angle for making the first region center point Cz of the first region Z1 coincide with the reading center point Cs is calculated (step S307). The fact that the first container 100 is held in the state shown in FIG. 21 indicates that the second angle Pr obtained by the preliminary condition determining step and the range of the attribute recording area 101 actually set in the first container 100 This means that there is a significant discrepancy due to unforeseen causes. In the transporting process, when the first container 100 is released at the release position Po after the transport unit 2 is rotated by the first angle Ps while the first container 100 is held, as shown in FIG. The first container 100 can be accommodated in the rack 400 in a state where the center point Cs and the first region center point Cz coincide with each other.

  Next, it is assumed that the detection start state when the first container 100 held by the transport unit 2 moves to the detection unit 4 is FIG. In this case, the detection order by the detection unit 4 is the second region Z2, the boundary Zs, and the first region Z1. That is, both ends are not detected (step S302: No), one end is detected (step S304: Yes), and the boundary Zs is detected (step S305: Yes). In this case, the control unit 1 specifies, as the first region center point Cz, an azimuth obtained by adding a half angle of the range Lz of the first region Z1 obtained by the second preliminary condition determination step to the position of the boundary Zs. . Then, a first angle Ps that is a rotation angle for making the first region center point Cz of the first region Z1 coincide with the reading center point Cs is calculated (step S308). The fact that the first container 100 is held in the state shown in FIG. 23 indicates that the second angle Pr obtained by the preliminary condition determining step and the range of the attribute recording area 101 actually set in the first container 100 This means that there is a significant discrepancy due to unforeseen causes. In the transporting process, when the first container 100 is released at the release position Po after the transport unit 2 is rotated by the first angle Ps while holding the first container 100, as shown in FIG. The first container 100 can be accommodated in the rack 400 in a state where the center point Cs and the first region center point Cz coincide with each other.

  Next, it is assumed that the detection start state when the first container 100 held by the transport unit 2 moves to the detection unit 4 is FIG. In this case, the detection order by the detection unit 4 is the first region Z1, the boundary Ze, and the second region Z2. That is, both ends are not detected (step S302: No), one end is detected (step S304: Yes), and the boundary Ze is detected (step S305: No). In this case, the control unit 1 specifies the azimuth obtained by subtracting the half angle of the range Lz of the first region Z1 obtained by the second preliminary condition determination step from the position of the boundary Ze as the first region center point Cz. . Then, a first angle Ps that is a rotation angle for making the first region center point Cz of the first region Z1 coincide with the reading center point Cs is calculated (step S309). Note that the fact that the first container 100 is held in the state shown in FIG. 25 indicates that the second angle Pr obtained by the preliminary condition determining step and the range of the attribute recording area 101 actually set in the first container 100 This means that there is a significant discrepancy due to unforeseen causes. For this reason, in the illustrated example, in step S309, the angle required to make the first region center point Cz coincide with the reading center point Cs exceeds the rotatable angle of the transport unit 2. In this case, the maximum angle at which the transport unit 2 can rotate is set as the first angle Ps. In the transporting process, when the first container 100 is released at the release position Po after the transport unit 2 is rotated by the first angle Ps while holding the first container 100, as shown in FIG. The first container 100 can be accommodated in the rack 400 in a state where the center point Cs and the first region center point Cz are close to each other. When Steps S306 to 309 are executed, the control unit 1 completes the main condition determination step (Step S310).

  On the other hand, when step S304 is No, that is, when both the boundary Zs and the boundary Ze are not detected, or when a part corresponding to three or more boundaries is detected, the control unit 1 It is determined that one angle Ps cannot be calculated appropriately, and the main condition determination step is not completed (step S311).

  After the main condition determination process is completed, the control unit 1 executes the transport process. In the transport process, the control unit 1 rotates the transport unit 2 according to the transport condition of rotating the transport unit 2 in a state where the first container 100 is held by the first angle Ps, and then rotates the transport unit 2 at the release position Po. The container 100 is released. As a result, the first container 100 received by the transport unit 2 from the rack 400 is accommodated in the rack 400 again. When the holding process, the attribute recording process, the detecting process, the main detecting process, and the conveying process are completed for all the first containers 100 accommodated in the rack 400 or a predetermined number of first containers 100, the control unit 1 401 transports the rack 400 to the analyzer C1. Thereafter, the dispensing process by the dispensing unit 6 and the attribute reading by the attribute reading unit 7 are performed. In the first container 100, the attribute recording area 101 is located in front of the attribute reading unit 7 because the first area center point Cz coincides with the reading center point Cs. For this reason, attribute reading by the attribute reading unit 7 is appropriately performed. Then, a predetermined analysis process is performed by the analysis unit 8 for the analysis target liquid 300 dispensed in the first container 100. By the above, the conveyance method by conveyance apparatus A1 and the dispensing method by dispensing apparatus B1 are completed. When the reading position by the attribute reading unit 7 at the subsequent stage of the transport device A1 is changed, it is possible to change the setting of the position information of the reading center point Cs so as to be adapted thereto. The position information of the reading center point Cs may be stored again in the control unit 1, or a suitable one may be selected from the position information of the reading center point Cs stored in the control unit 1 from the beginning.

  Next, the operation of the transport device A1, the dispensing device B1, and the transport method and the dispensing method using these will be described.

  According to the present embodiment, the transport unit 2 performs the first container according to the transport condition determined based on the detection result of detecting the boundary Zs and the boundary Ze that are both ends of the attribute recording area 101 provided in the first container 100. 100 is transported. Thereby, the 1st container 100 is released in the state shown, for example in FIG. This state is a state in which the attribute recording area 101 is located in front of the attribute reading unit 7, and therefore it is not necessary to provide a mechanism for rotating the first container 100 when reading by the attribute reading unit 7. In addition, the transport unit 2 has a transport mechanism for moving the first container 100 from the rack 400 to the attribute recording unit 3 and a mechanism for rotating the first container 100 to detect the attribute recording area 101, and a rotatable area is provided. Since it is less than 360 °, it is relatively easy to set a drive mechanism, a wiring route, and the like. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a mechanism for rotating the first container 100 different from the mechanism for holding and transporting the first container 100, and the device configurations of the transport device A1 and the dispensing device B1 can be simplified and miniaturized. Can be planned.

  By performing the preliminary condition determining process, the detection process for the main condition determining process can be performed more reliably. By performing the first preliminary condition determination step, in the holding step prior to the main condition determination step, the first container 100 is held in a state where the transport unit 2 is rotated in advance by the second angle Pr. Thereby, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the detection step and the main condition determination step can be performed in a state where the boundary Zs and the boundary Ze are located between the appropriate start point Ms and the proper end point Me. This is suitable for reliably completing the main condition determining step.

  By executing the second preliminary condition determining step, even when the detection process for the main condition determining step is executed, even if the state shown in FIGS. 23 and 25 is obtained, the second preliminary condition determining step is obtained. By utilizing the range Lz, the first angle Ps can be calculated appropriately. This is advantageous in that the transport method and the dispensing method can be completed even when the position of the attribute recording area 101 is shifted due to an unexpected situation in the attribute recording process in the attribute recording unit 3. Instead of the configuration using the range Lz obtained by the second preliminary condition determination step, the range Lz, the outer peripheral length of the first container 100, the diameter, and the like are stored in the control unit 1 as known values, and the preliminary condition The determination step may be omitted. In this case, it is possible to perform an appropriate conveyance process by detecting at least one end of the attribute recording area 101.

  As illustrated in FIG. 7, by selecting a region occupying a relatively small range as the first region Z1, the first region Z1 can be positioned between the proper start point Ms and the proper end point Me. Relatively easy.

  The transport apparatus, the dispensing apparatus, the transport method, and the dispensing method according to the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments. The specific configuration of the transport device, the dispensing device, the transport method, and the dispensing method according to the present invention can be varied in design in various ways.

A1: transport device B1: dispensing device C1: analysis device 1: control unit 2: transport unit 3: attribute recording unit 4: detection unit 5: control unit 6: dispensing unit 7: attribute reading unit 8: analysis unit 21: Holding arm 41: Sensor 61: Nozzle 100: First container 101: Attribute recording area 107: Step 110: Step 111: Step 200: Second container 201: Second container transport unit 202: Second container reading unit 300: Analysis target Liquid 400: Rack 401: Rack transport unit Cs: Reading center point Ct: Detection center point Cz: First region center point De: Target end point Ds: Target start point Lz: Range Md: Reference point Me: Proper end point Ms: Proper start point Pi: receiving position Po: release position Ps: first angle Pr: second angle Um: non-rotatable area Z1: first area Z2: second areas Ze, Zs: boundary

Claims (14)

A transport unit that moves and rotates a first container having an attribute recording area having a pair of boundaries spaced apart in the circumferential direction; and
A detection unit for detecting the pair of boundaries;
A control unit for controlling the transport unit,
The transport unit is capable of rotating the first container in a rotatable region of less than 360 °;
The detection unit detects at least one of the pair of boundaries of the attribute recording area of the first container rotated in a state held by the transport unit;
The said control part is a conveying apparatus which determines the conveyance conditions of the said conveyance part based on the detection result of the said detection part, and controls the said conveyance part based on the said conveyance conditions.   2. The transport according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines the transport condition based on a detection order of the pair of boundaries and a detection position of the pair of boundaries of the attribute recording area detected by the detection unit. apparatus.   Based on the detection result of the detection unit, the control unit rotates the first container by a first angle with respect to a reference direction so that the attribute recording area faces a preset direction, and then at the release position. The transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport unit is controlled to release the first container.   The said control part is a conveying apparatus in any one of Claim 1 thru | or 3 which rotates the said conveying part only by the preset adjustment angle, before hold | maintaining a said 1st container by the said conveying part.   The conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attribute recording area occupies a range exceeding 180 ° in the circumferential direction.   The transport apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the adjustment angle is set based on a plurality of detection results of the boundary by the detection unit. The transport apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
An attribute recording unit that gives the attribute recording area to the first container held in the transport unit;
A dispensing unit for dispensing the liquid to be analyzed stored in the second container to the first container released from the transport unit;
A dispensing device comprising: A holding step of holding the first container having the attribute recording area by a transport unit capable of moving and rotating in a rotatable area of less than 360 °;
A detection step of detecting at least one of a pair of boundaries that are separated from each other in the circumferential direction of the attribute recording area provided in the first container held by the transport unit;
Based on the detection result of the detection step, a condition determination step for determining a transport condition of the transport unit;
A transporting step of transporting the first container based on the transporting condition.   9. The transport condition according to claim 8, wherein in the condition determination step, the transport condition is determined based on a detection order of the pair of boundaries and a detection position of the pair of boundaries in the attribute recording area detected in the detection step. Transport method. The condition determining step determines a first angle arranged so that the attribute recording area faces a preset azimuth based on a detection result of the detection step,
The transport method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein, in the transport step, the first container is released at a release position after the first container is rotated by the first angle with respect to a reference orientation.   The conveyance method according to claim 8, further comprising a rotation step of rotating the conveyance portion by a preset adjustment angle before the holding step.   The conveyance method according to claim 8, wherein a range occupied in the circumferential direction in the attribute recording area exceeds 180 °.   The conveyance method according to claim 11, wherein the adjustment angle is set based on a plurality of detection results of the boundary. The transport method according to any one of claims 8 to 13,
An attribute recording step for providing the attribute recording area to the first container;
A dispensing step of dispensing the liquid to be analyzed stored in the second container to the first container released from the transport unit;
A dispensing method.

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