JP2022191130A - Needle separation transport device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a needle separation transport device for automatically and continuously separating, a needle from many needles one by one, and automatically and continuously changing postures of these needles.SOLUTION: A needle separation transport device comprises: a needle box; a movement plate; a movement plate drive mechanism; and a needle standing mechanism. The needle box accommodates a plurality of straight needles. The movement plate comprises, a top face on which at least one needle reception groove is formed, an inclined top corner, and a side face, and accommodates the needle one by one on the respective needle reception grooves on the top face, from the needle box. The top corner and the side face, have a needle reception groove extending continuoously from the needle reception grooves. The needle standing mechanism presses the needle so that, the needles stand along the needle reception grooves on the side face of the movement plate, from a state in which the needles are supported to the needle reception grooves on the top face of the movement plate, through a state in which, the needles are supported to the needle reception grooves on the top corner of the movement plate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a needle separating and conveying device.

Conventionally, lamination of spheroids is performed for regenerative medicine or drug discovery. In spheroid stacking, the spheroids are fixed around the needle. For example, a three-dimensional cell stacking technique has been developed in which spheroids S are supplied to a needle array having a large number of needles N as shown in FIG. 1 using a three-dimensional printer to create a three-dimensional tissue as shown in FIG. To provide an array of needles, a large number of needles N must be picked up and fixed in place.

Therefore, it is conceivable to apply the technique described in Patent Document 1. In the technique described in Patent Document 1, a wheel having a large number of recesses on its outer peripheral surface is rotated and a needle is fitted into each recess.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,441

However, the technique described in Patent Literature 1 cannot change the posture of the needle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a needle separating and conveying device that automatically and continuously separates needles one by one from a large number of needles and automatically and continuously changes the postures of the needles. .

According to one aspect of the present invention, the needle box has a needle box containing a plurality of straight needles, an upper surface having at least one needle receiving groove, an inclined upper corner, and a side surface contiguous with the upper corner, A needle receiving groove extending continuously from the needle receiving groove is formed in the upper corner and the side surface, and a moving plate receives one needle from the needle box in each needle receiving groove on the upper surface, and the moving plate moves. and a moving plate drive mechanism arranged near the moving plate so that the needle moves from a state where the needle is supported in the needle receiving groove on the upper surface of the moving plate to the needle receiving groove on the upper corner of the moving plate. and a needle stand mechanism that pushes the needles so that they rise along the needle receiving grooves on the side surface of the moving plate after passing through the supported state.

In this aspect of the invention, the moving plate receives the needles from the needle box into the needle receiving groove one by one and conveys them to the needle stand mechanism. The needle stand mechanism presses the needle and raises the needle along the side surface of the moving plate. Therefore, the needles can be automatically and continuously separated from a large number of needles one by one, and the postures of the needles can be automatically and continuously changed.

1 is a perspective view showing an array of needles used in one field in which the needle separating and conveying device according to the embodiment of the present invention is used; FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing spheroids fixed to the array of needles of FIG. 1; BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a perspective view which shows a part of needle separation conveyance apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a plan view of a needle separating/conveying device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a needle box of a needle separating/conveying device according to a first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the needle box of FIG. 5 and its vicinity, showing a state in which one needle is received in the needle receiving groove of the rotary plate; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the needle box of FIG. 5 and its vicinity, showing a state in which one needle received in the needle receiving groove of the rotary plate is conveyed; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the needle box of FIG. 5 and its vicinity, showing an undesirable state in which excess needles are about to get stuck between the rotary plate and the needle box; It is a side sectional view showing a part of needle separation conveying device concerning a 1st embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the entire needle stand mechanism of the needle separating and conveying device according to the first embodiment; It is an enlarged side view showing a part of the needle stand mechanism. FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view showing a part of the needle stand mechanism of the needle separating and conveying device according to the first embodiment, showing a state in which the needle standing mechanism tilts the needles supported by the rotary plate; FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view showing a part of the needle stand mechanism of the needle separating and conveying device according to the first embodiment, showing a state in which the needle standing mechanism erects the needles supported by the rotary plate; FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system of the staple separating and conveying device according to the first embodiment; 4 is a time chart showing the operation of the control system of the staple separating and conveying device according to the first embodiment; It is a block diagram of the control system of the staple separating and conveying device according to the modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a control system of a staple separating and conveying device according to still another modification of the first embodiment; It is a perspective view showing a needle separating and conveying device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of the needle separation conveyance apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a front view of the needle separating and conveying device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a needle box assembly of the needle separating and conveying device according to the second embodiment; 22 is an exploded perspective view of the needle box assembly of FIG. 21; FIG. FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view showing the needle box assembly of FIG. 21 and its vicinity, showing a state in which one needle is received in the needle receiving groove of the linear motion plate; FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a needle box assembly and its vicinity according to a modification, showing a state in which one needle is received in a needle receiving groove of a direct-acting plate; FIG. 11 is an enlarged exploded perspective view showing a part of the needle stand mechanism of the needle separating and conveying device according to the second embodiment; It is a perspective view of the lever of the needle stand mechanism. It is a front view of the upper part of a needle stand mechanism. It is a perspective view of a direct-acting plate concerning a 2nd embodiment. FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view of the linear motion plate of FIG. 28 taken along line XXIX-XXIX; It is an exploded perspective view of a needle separating and conveying device according to a second embodiment. It is a block diagram of the control system of the staple separating and conveying device according to the second embodiment. It is a flow chart of the operation of the needle separating and conveying device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the needle separating and conveying device according to the second embodiment when supplying needles to the linear motion plate; FIG. 34 is a plan view of the needle separating and conveying device according to the second embodiment at the time of FIG. 33; FIG. 34 is a front view of the needle separating and conveying device according to the second embodiment at the time of FIG. 33; FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the needle separating and conveying device according to the second embodiment when the needles are conveyed to the needle stand mechanism; FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the needle separating and conveying device according to the second embodiment, showing a state in which the needle stand mechanism tilts the needles supported by the direct-acting plate; FIG. 38 is a front view of the needle separating and conveying device according to the second embodiment at the time of FIG. 37;

A plurality of embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and some features may be exaggerated or omitted.

First Embodiment As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a needle separating and conveying device 1 according to the first embodiment includes a stage 2, a rotary plate (moving plate) 10, a needle box 20, a rotary plate driving mechanism (moving plate driving mechanism), and a rotary plate driving mechanism (moving plate driving mechanism). ) 30 and a needle stand mechanism 40 .

Although not shown, the entire needle separating and transporting apparatus 1 is located in a clean, airtight chamber and protected from dust and contaminants. Humidity in the chamber may be normal humidity.

The stage 2 is a table made of a rigid material, such as metal, with a horizontal upper surface.

A needle box 20 stores a plurality of straight needles.

The rotating plate 10 is a rotatable disc made of a rigid material such as metal or hard resin, and is horizontally supported on the stage 2 . The rotating plate 10 has a top surface 11 , an upper corner 12 and an outer peripheral surface (side surface) 13 contiguous with the upper corner 12 . The upper surface 11 is arranged horizontally. The outer peripheral surface 13 is a cylindrical surface and perpendicular to the upper surface 11 . The upper corners 12 are beveled with a smaller height towards the outside. In this embodiment, the upper corner 12 has an arcuate cross-sectional shape when cut along a plane containing the central axis of the rotating plate 10 .

The upper surface 11 is formed with a plurality of radially extending needle receiving grooves 11a. The needle receiving grooves 11a are arranged around the central axis of the rotary plate 10 at equal angular intervals. The upper corner 12 and the outer peripheral surface 13 are also formed with needle receiving grooves 12a and 13a extending continuously from the needle receiving groove 11a. The number of needle receiving grooves 11a, 12a, 13a is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

The rotary plate 10 is arranged below the needle box 20, and each needle receiving groove 11a of the upper surface 11 receives one needle from the needle box 20. As shown in FIG. Therefore, each of the needle receiving grooves 11a, 12a, 13a is designed to have dimensions capable of accommodating only one needle, ie, width and depth slightly larger than the diameter of one needle.

The rotating plate drive mechanism 30 rotates the rotating plate 10 . The rotary plate drive mechanism 30 has a step motor 31, a drive pulley 32, a timing belt 33 and a driven pulley 34 (see FIG. 9) in this embodiment. The step motor 31 is fixed to the stage 2 with bolts. The drive pulley 32 is fixed to the rotating shaft of the step motor 31 and the driven pulley 34 is fixed to the rotating plate 10 . Timing belt 33 is wound around pulleys 32 and 34 .

Further, the rotary plate drive mechanism 30 further includes a tension pulley 35 that contacts the timing belt 33 and applies appropriate tension to the timing belt 33 . A tension pulley 35 is fixed to the stage 2 . However, in order to adjust the tension, the tension pulley 35 can be loosened and moved along the groove 36 formed in the stage 2 .

The rotating plate drive mechanism 30 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, and may be a motor that directly rotates the rotating plate 10, a gear mechanism, or other mechanisms.

In order to fit the elongated straight needle into the needle receiving groove 11a, it is desirable that the rotary plate drive mechanism 30 has a high rotation stop accuracy. For example, for a needle with a diameter of 170 μm, it is preferable that the needle receiving groove 11a of the rotary plate 10 can be stopped within an error of 20 μm from the desired position. For example, the stepper motor 31 of the rotary plate drive mechanism 30 has a high accuracy of 50,000 steps per revolution of the rotary plate 10 .

The rotary plate drive mechanism 30 rotates the rotary plate 10 in the direction indicated by the arrow RD, and conveys the needle received in the needle receiving groove 11 a from the needle box 20 to the needle stand mechanism 40 .

The needle stand mechanism 40 is arranged around the rotary plate 10 . In the needle stand mechanism 40, the needle is supported in the needle receiving groove 11a on the upper surface 11 of the rotary plate 10, then supported in the needle receiving groove 12a in the upper corner 12 of the rotary plate 10, and then moves to the needle receiving groove 12a on the upper corner 12 of the rotary plate 10. The end of the needle is pressed so that it rises along the needle receiving groove 13 a of the outer peripheral surface 13 .

A disk 21 made of a rigid material such as metal or hard resin is arranged on the rotating plate 10 . The disc 21 is arranged coaxially with the rotating plate 10 and is rotatable around the axis of the rotating plate 10 . However, the disk 21 does not rotate in normal use. The lower surface of disk 21 including extension 22 does not contact upper surface 11 of rotating plate 10 .

An extension 22 extends radially outward from the disc 21 . A needle box 20 is provided on the extension 22 . Therefore, the needle box 20 is made of the same material as the disk 21 and arranged on the rotating plate 10 .

The outer end of the extension 22 containing the needle box 20 rests on a rectangular base 23 . The table 23 is fixed to the stage 2 by bolts (not shown). The height of the platform 23 is substantially equal to the height of the upper surface 11 of the rotating plate 10. - 特許庁

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the needle box 20 has an elongated cuboid storage space 24 . The longitudinal direction of the storage space 24 extends in the longitudinal direction of the extension 22 , that is, in the radial direction of the rotating plate 10 and the disk 21 . A large number of needles 50 are stored in the storage space 24 .

A storage space 24 extends through the needle box 20 . Therefore, the upper part of the needle box 20 is open, and a large number of needles 50 can be easily supplied to the storage space 24 from above. The lower part of the needle box 20 is also open, and a plurality of needles 50 are placed on the upper surface 11 of the rotating plate 10 and the base 23 . Therefore, the needles 50 can be easily supplied from the upper needle box 20 to the lower rotary plate 10 .

The storage space 24 has a simple rectangular parallelepiped shape, but may have a tapered shape in which the cross-sectional area becomes narrower toward the bottom. In any case, the longitudinal direction of the storage space 24 extends in the longitudinal direction of the extension 22, ie in the radial direction of the rotor plate 10 and the disk 21.

A static eliminator 26 is arranged in the storage space 24 to remove static electricity from the needle 50 in the storage space 24 . A large number of needles 50 are stored in the storage space 24, and the needles 50 are charged by static electricity generated by rubbing against each other. Since the needle 50 is very light, it may be difficult to enter the needle receiving groove 11a of the rotary plate 10 when it is charged. Since static electricity is removed from the needles 50 by the static eliminator 26 , it becomes easy to pass the needles 50 one by one from the many needles 50 to the needle receiving grooves 11 a of the rotary plate 10 .

The neutralization device 26 is preferably operated continuously during use of the needle separating and conveying device 1 . The static eliminator 26 is, for example, an ionizer. Preferably, the ionizer does not generate air currents.

The needle separating/conveying device 1 further has a pressing mechanism that presses the needles 50 in the storage space 24 of the needle box 20 from above. This pressing mechanism presses the needles 50 in the needle box 20 from above when one of the needle receiving grooves 11a on the upper surface 11 of the rotary plate 10 is directly below the needle box 20, thereby removing the plurality of needles 50 in the needle box 20. One of the needles 50 is made easy to enter the needle receiving groove 11a of the upper surface 11 of the rotary plate 10.例文帳に追加

The pressing mechanism may be, for example, a linear actuator with a solenoid or a hydraulic piston, but this embodiment uses a hammer 60 . The hammer 60 has an L-shape and has an elongated rod 61 and a head 62 formed at one end of the rod 61 . The other end of the rod 61 is attached to a fixture 63 made of a rigid material, such as metal, and is attached to the rotary shaft of a stepper motor 65 by a fixture 64 made of a rigid material, such as metal. Fixed. A head 62 of hammer 60 projects downward from the tip of rod 61 and extends into storage space 24 of needle box 20 . The step motor 65 is fixed to the stage 2 with bolts (not shown).

When the hammer 60 is driven, the rotating plate driving mechanism 30 stops rotating the rotating plate 10 . Specifically, just before one of the needle receiving grooves 11a on the upper surface 11 of the rotating plate 10 reaches directly below the needle box 20, the rotating plate drive mechanism 30 decelerates the rotation of the rotating plate 10, so that one of the needle receiving grooves 11a When one reaches directly below the needle box 20, the rotating plate driving mechanism 30 stops rotating the rotating plate 10. As shown in FIG. Then, the rotating plate driving mechanism 30 gives the rotating plate 10 rotational angular vibration. That is, as indicated by the arrow V in FIG. 5, the rotating plate 10 repeats forward and reverse rotation within a small angular range. As a result, the stack 52 of the needles 50 in the needle box 20 is vibrated, and the direction of the needles 50 in the needle box 20 is easily aligned in the radial direction of the rotary plate 10 . Because the stack 52 of the needles 50 is in contact with the top surface 11 of the rotating plate 10, when the rotating plate 10 vibrates, the stack 52 of the needles 50 also vibrates.

Stepper motor 65 then swings hammer 60 as shown by arrow A in FIG. Preferably, the hammer 60 hits the stack 52 of needles 50 repeatedly. In this way, by intermittently pressing the needles 50 in the storage space 24 of the needle box 20 from above, one needle 50 out of the plurality of needles 50 in the needle box 20 is pushed into the needle receiver on the upper surface 11 of the rotary plate 10 . It becomes easier to enter the groove 11a. Therefore, even if the needle 50 has a rough surface, it is possible to separate one needle from the stack 52 of needles 50 and pass it to the rotating plate 10 . 6 shows a state in which one needle 50 is received in the needle receiving groove 11a of the rotary plate 10. FIG.

Thereafter, the rotating plate driving mechanism 30 resumes rotating the rotating plate 10 in the direction of the arrow RD. As shown in FIG. 7, the needle 50 received in the needle receiving groove 11a passes under the needle box 20 as the rotary plate 10 rotates, moves away from the needle box 20, and is transported to the needle stand mechanism 40. be.

FIG. 8 shows an undesirable state where excess needles 50 are about to get stuck between the needle box 20 and the rotating plate 10 directly below it. The needle separating/conveying device 1 further has a stop mechanism that stops the rotary plate driving mechanism 30 when the needles 50 are about to get stuck between the needle box 20 and the rotary plate 10 . Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent a state in which excess needles are completely jammed between the rotating plate 10 and the needle box 20 .

Specifically, the disk 21 with the needle box 20 does not rotate under normal use conditions, but when the needles 50 are about to get stuck between the needle box 20 and the rotating plate 10, the disk 21 with the needle box 20 will not rotate. Rotate with 10. The stop mechanism has a switch 67 or sensor that stops the rotary plate drive mechanism 30 when the position of the needle box 20 changes beyond a certain range.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the switch 67 is arranged downstream of the needle box 20 in the normal direction of rotation of the rotary plate 10 (the direction of the arrow RD) and fixed to the base 23. ing. 7, when the needle 50 passes smoothly under the needle box 20, the disc 21 with the needle box 20 does not rotate and the needle box 20 does not contact the switch 67. FIG.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, when an extra needle 50 is about to get stuck between the needle box 20 and the rotary plate 10, the needle box 20 moves downstream as the rotary plate 10 rotates and contacts the switch 67. As shown in FIG. Then, the rotating plate driving mechanism 30 immediately stops rotating the rotating plate 10 . In this way, when the extra needles 50 are about to get stuck between the needle box 20 and the rotary plate 10, the rotary plate 10 can be quickly stopped, and the extra needles are completely removed between the rotary plate 10 and the needle box 20. clogging can be prevented. Therefore, damage to other needles 50 and discs 21 can be prevented.

In the illustrated embodiment, the switch 67 is a mechanical switch, but the stopping mechanism may have a proximity switch or proximity sensor instead of a mechanical switch. Further, instead of the switch or sensor that reacts when the needle box 20 approaches or touches the needle box 20, a switch or sensor that reacts when the distance from the needle box 20 becomes greater than a predetermined value is provided on the upstream side of the needle box 20 in the normal rotation direction of the rotary plate 10. may be placed.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the stopper pin 68 is fixed to the base 23 by bolts (not shown). When an extra needle 50 is jammed between the needle box 20 and the rotary plate 10 and the rotation of the rotary plate 10 is stopped, a person who monitors the needle separating/conveying device 1 moves the disc 21 to the normal position of the rotary plate 10. By rotating in a direction opposite to the rotating direction, the needle 50 that is about to get stuck between the needle box 20 and the rotating plate 10 is returned to the needle box 20.例文帳に追加The stopper pin 68 restricts the movement of the extension part 22 so as not to rotate the disk 21 too much in the opposite direction.

As shown in FIG. 9, the rotating plate 10 and the disc 21 are attached to the stage 2 so that the rotating plate 10 can rotate independently of the disc 21 having the needle box 20 .

A vertically extending core 70 is inserted into a through hole formed in the stage 2 . A radial bearing 71 is arranged around the core 70 and is inserted into a through hole formed in the center of the rotating plate 10 . Therefore, the rotating plate 10 is rotatable with respect to the core 70 with the core 70 as the center.

The core 70 is further inserted into a through hole formed in the center of the disc 21 , and the disc 21 is also rotatable with respect to the core 70 with the core 70 as the center. A thrust bearing 72 and a washer 73 are arranged above the disc 21 , and the core 70 is inserted into the thrust bearing 72 and the washer 73 . A male thread is formed at the upper end of the core 70, and a nut 74 is attached to the male thread.

A thrust bearing 75 is arranged between the stage 2 and the rotating plate 10 , and a thrust bearing 76 is also arranged between the rotating plate 10 and the disk 21 . That is, the rotating plate 10 does not come into surface contact with the stage 2 and the disk 21 does not come into surface contact with the rotating plate 10 either. Therefore, the rotating plate driving mechanism 30 can rotate the rotating plate 10 with a small driving torque. Further, when the needle 50 is about to get stuck between the needle box 20 and the rotating plate 10, the disk 21 is easily rotated following the disk 21.例文帳に追加

Also, this assembly can be easily disassembled for sterilization if desired. By removing the nut 74 from the core 70 , the rotating plate 10 and the disk 21 can be easily removed from the stage 2 . The step motor 65 can also be removed from the stage 2 by loosening bolts (not shown). The step motor 31 that drives the rotating plate 10 can also be removed from the stage 2 by loosening bolts (not shown). In this embodiment, the rotation of the step motor 31 is transmitted to the rotating plate 10 by the timing belt 33, but the rotating shaft of the step motor 31 is connected to the rotating plate 10 so that the step motor 31 directly rotates the rotating plate 10. You may let In this case, disassembly can be easier. Sterilization can be performed using high temperature (eg, about 120 degrees Celsius) or ultraviolet sterilization.

The needle 50 received in the needle receiving groove 11a of the rotary plate 10 is transported to the needle stand mechanism 40 as the rotary plate 10 rotates. Immediately before the needle 50 reaches the needle stand mechanism 40, the rotary plate driving mechanism 30 decelerates the rotation of the rotary plate 10, and when the needle 50 reaches the needle stand mechanism 40, the rotary plate driving mechanism 30 rotates the rotary plate 10. to stop.

As shown in FIG. 10, the needle stand mechanism 40 has a support portion 41, a lever 42, a roller 43, a guide 44, a step motor 45, a connector 46, a coupling 47, and a rotation/linear motion conversion mechanism 48.

The support portion 41 is made of a rigid material such as metal or hard resin, and includes a long rod portion 41a extending in the vertical direction, a head portion 41b formed at the upper end of the rod portion 41a, and a head portion. It has an arm portion 41c extending from 41b toward the rotating plate 10 . The arm portion 41 c extends substantially along the radial direction of the rotary plate 10 .

The lever 42 is rotatably supported by the head portion 41b, and the roller 43 is rotatably supported by the lever 42. As shown in FIG. The lever 42 extends along the radial direction of the rotary plate 10 .

The support portion 41 can move up and down along a vertically provided guide 44 . A lower end of the guide 44 is fixed to a connector 46 , and the connector 46 is fixed to the step motor 45 . A rotation shaft of the step motor 45 is connected to a rotation/linear motion conversion mechanism 48 via a coupling 47 . The rotary/linear motion conversion mechanism 48 converts the rotary motion of the rotary shaft of the step motor 45 into vertical linear motion. The rotation/linear motion conversion mechanism 48 has, for example, a ball screw mechanism. A rod portion 41 a of the support portion 41 is attached to a rotation/linear motion conversion mechanism 48 . Therefore, by rotating the step motor 45, the support portion 41 is lowered along the guide 44 from the illustrated state, for example, as indicated by the arrow Dw. By rotating the step motor 45 in the opposite direction, the support portion 41 is lifted along the guide 44 . Instead of this mechanism, a linear motor or a rack and pinion type linear actuator may be used to move the support portion 41 up and down.

FIG. 11 shows an enlarged view of part of the needle stand mechanism 40. As shown in FIG. One end of the lever 42 is attached to the head portion 41 b of the support portion 41 with a bolt 80 . A split pin 81 is attached to the bolt 80 to prevent loosening. A cylindrical roller 43 is rotatably attached to the other end of the lever 42 by a bolt 82 . A split pin 83 is attached to the bolt 82 to prevent loosening.

A torsion spring 85 is wound around the bolt 80 . A plurality of pins 86 are fixed to the head portion 41 b of the support portion 41 . Pins 86 are equiangularly spaced on an arc about bolt 80 . One end 85 a of the torsion spring 85 is sandwiched between any pins 86 . The other end (not shown) of the torsion spring 85 is in contact with the lever 42 and applies a counterclockwise spring force to the lever 42 in the figure.

While the step motor 45 is driven and the support portion 41 is lowered, as shown in FIG. The needle 50 is tilted so as to be supported in the needle receiving groove 12a of the upper corner 12 of the rotating plate 10 while rotating clockwise in the drawing along the direction. 13, the roller 43 moves the needle 50 into the needle receiving groove 13a of the outer peripheral surface 13 of the rotary plate 10 while rotating clockwise in the drawing along the direction of the arrow RO. raise along. In this manner, the posture of the needle 50 can be easily and accurately changed from the horizontal state along the upper surface 11 of the rotary plate 10 to the vertical posture along the outer peripheral surface 13 of the rotary plate 10 .

Although the top corners 12 of the rotating plate 10 may be linearly angled, in this embodiment the top corners 12 of the rotating plate 10 are angled to have an arcuate cross-sectional shape. The roller 43 moves along the arc of the upper corner 12 while continuously contacting the arcuate upper corner 12 . The needle 50 thus remains extended tangential to the upper corner 12 and tangential to the roller 43 . Therefore, the needle stand mechanism 40 can smoothly change the posture of the needle 50 .

Needle stand mechanism 40 has a torsion spring 85 that provides a spring force to lever 42 for roller 43 to push needle 50 . Therefore, when the needle 50 is erected, the spring force of the torsion spring 85 keeps the roller 43 in contact with the needle 50 while rotating, and the posture of the needle 50 can be changed while pressing the needle 50 against the rotary plate 10. .

The needle stand mechanism 40 further has a mechanism for adjusting the spring force of the torsion spring 85 . Specifically, the spring force of the torsion spring 85 is adjusted according to which two of the pins 86 arranged around the torsion spring 85 the end 85a of the torsion spring 85 is inserted. can be adjusted. The operation of moving the end portion 85a of the torsion spring 85 can be performed manually.

The force applied to the needle 50 by the roller 43 is preferably large enough to prevent the needle 50 from falling while the posture of the needle 50 is being changed, and small enough to prevent plastic deformation and/or breakage of the needle 50 . By adjusting the spring force of the torsion spring 85 , the spring force can be adjusted according to the thickness, bending strength and/or fragility of the needle 50 .

The rotating plate drive mechanism 30 stops the rotating plate 10 at an angular position where the needle 50 fitted in the needle receiving groove 11a is aligned with the lever 42 and the roller 43 in order to ensure that the needle stand mechanism 40 operates normally. The stroke of the support portion 41 that moves up and down is designed to enable the posture of the needle 50 to be changed with high precision.

When the needle 50 reaches the vertical posture shown in FIG. 13, the needle stand mechanism 40 holds that posture for a certain period of time. This needle separating and transporting device 1 is provided for a device (not shown) for manufacturing a needle array (see FIG. 1) for three-dimensional cell stacking technology, and is vertically erected by a needle stand mechanism 40. The needles 50 are picked up from between the needle stand mechanism 40 and the rotating plate 10 by a clamping device (not shown) and transported to an apparatus for manufacturing an array of needles. The needle 50 used is a solid needle for three-dimensional cell stacking techniques.

After a certain period of time has passed, the step motor 45 is driven to raise the support portion 41 . Then, the roller 43 moves away from the rotating plate 10, and the lever 42 rotates counterclockwise in the figure by the spring force of the torsion spring 85. As shown in FIG. The lever 42 comes into contact with a stopper 88 provided on the lever 42 of the support portion 41 and stops. In this manner, the lever 42 and roller 43 are returned to the initial state shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the rotary plate 10 receives the needles 50 one by one from the needle box 20 into the needle receiving groove 11 a and conveys them to the needle stand mechanism 40 . The needle stand mechanism 40 presses the needle to raise the needle 50 along the outer peripheral surface 13 of the rotary plate 10 . Therefore, the needles 50 can be automatically and continuously separated one by one from the pile 52 of many needles 50, and the attitudes of the needles 50 can be automatically and continuously changed. Since the rotary plate 10 can convey a plurality of needles 50 from the needle box 20 to the needle stand mechanism 40 with the plurality of needle receiving grooves 11a while rotating, the needles 50 can be efficiently conveyed.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of the control system of the needle separating and conveying device 1 according to the embodiment. In FIG. 14, a main control device 90 is, for example, a CPU, operates according to a computer program stored in a storage device 91, and controls the rotating plate drive mechanism 30, the hammer (pressing mechanism) 60, and the needle stand of the needle separating/conveying device 1. It controls the operation of mechanism 40 . Specifically, the main controller 90 controls the operation of the step motor 31 for the rotary plate 10 , the step motor 65 for the hammer 60 , and the step motor 45 for the needle stand mechanism 40 .

The storage device 91 stores computer programs to which the main control device 90 conforms. The storage device 91 is, for example, a ROM, hard disk, or SSD.

A switch 67 is connected to the main controller 90 to react when the needles 50 are about to get stuck between the rotary plate 10 and the needle box 20 . When the needle 50 is about to get stuck between the needle box 20 and the rotary plate 10, the switch 67 stops the stepping motor 31 and at the same time sends an error signal to the main controller 90. Upon receiving the abnormal signal, the main controller 90 deactivates the step motors 45 and 65 so that they do not operate.

FIG. 15 is a time chart showing the operation of the control system of the needle separating and conveying device 1 according to the embodiment.

In one control cycle, the rotating plate driving mechanism 30 once accelerates the rotating plate 10 and then rotates it at a steady speed.

Immediately before one of the needle receiving grooves 11a on the upper surface 11 of the rotating plate 10 reaches directly below the needle box 20, the rotating plate driving mechanism 30 decelerates the rotation of the rotating plate 10, and one of the needle receiving grooves 11a is positioned directly below the needle box 20. , the rotating plate driving mechanism 30 stops rotating the rotating plate 10 .

The rotating plate drive mechanism 30 imparts rotational angular vibration to the rotating plate 10 to orient the needles 50 in the needle box 20 in the radial direction of the rotating plate 10 .

After this, the step motor 65 of the hammer 60 repeatedly rocks the hammer 60 , and the hammer 60 repeatedly hits the stack 52 of the needles 50 in the needle box 20 . As a result, one needle from the stack 52 of needles 50 in the needle box 20 is received by the needle receiving groove 11 a of the rotary plate 10 .

After that, in the next control cycle, the rotating plate driving mechanism 30 once accelerates the rotating plate 10 and then rotates it at a steady speed. As a result, the needle 50 received in the needle receiving groove 11 a passes under the needle box 20 as the rotary plate 10 rotates, moves away from the needle box 20 , and is transported to the needle stand mechanism 40 . Then, another needle receiving groove 11 a approaches the needle box 20 .

When the hammer 60 repeatedly swings, the step motor 45 of the needle stand mechanism 40 lowers the support portion 41 from the normal position to the needle stand position. As a result, in the needle stand mechanism 40, the needle 50 that has already reached the needle stand mechanism 40 is raised to a vertical posture. The needle stand position lasts for a predetermined period of time, during which the clamping device picks up the needle 50 from between the needle stand mechanism 40 and the rotary plate 10 . After a predetermined time has passed, the step motor 45 raises the support portion 41 from the needle stand position to the normal position.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of the control system of the staple separating and conveying device according to the modified example of the first embodiment.

In the above embodiment, the switch 67 detects that the needle 50 is about to get stuck between the rotary plate 10 and the needle box 20 . However, in this modification, instead of the switch 67, the stop mechanism has a torque meter (resistance force meter) 92 for measuring the torque (movement resistance force) of the rotating plate 10. FIG. When the torque measured by the torque meter 92 exceeds a threshold, the main controller 90 that constitutes the stopping mechanism stops the rotating plate driving mechanism 30 and puts the step motors 45 and 65 into a non-operating state so as not to operate. . In this case, the switch 67 for detecting the movement of the needle box 20 can be omitted, and the needle box 20 can be stationary. However, in addition to the torque meter 92, the switch 67 may be provided.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram of the control system of the staple separating and conveying device according to still another modification of the first embodiment. In this modification, instead of the torque meter 92, the stopping mechanism has an angle meter (displacement meter) 94 that measures the rotation angle (displacement) of the rotor plate 10. FIG. The goniometer 94 may be a rotary encoder counter. When the rotation angle measured by the goniometer 94 within a certain period of time is less than the threshold value, the main controller 90 that constitutes the stopping mechanism stops the rotating plate driving mechanism 30 and the step motors 45 and 65 do not operate. deactivated. In this case, the switch 67 for detecting the movement of the needle box 20 can be omitted, and the needle box 20 can be stationary. However, in addition to the goniometer 94, the switch 67 may be provided.

Second Embodiment As shown in FIGS. 18 to 20, a needle separating and conveying device 101 according to a second embodiment includes a stage 102, a linear motion plate (moving plate) 110, a needle box 120, a linear motion plate driving mechanism (moving plate). drive mechanism) 130 and a needle stand mechanism 140.

18 to 20 show the needle stand mechanism 140 erecting the needle 50 supported by the linear motion plate 110. FIG.

Although not shown, the entire needle separating and transporting apparatus 101 is located in a clean, airtight chamber and protected from dust and contaminants. Humidity in the chamber may be normal humidity.

The stage 102 is a table made of a rigid material, such as metal, with a horizontal top surface.

A needle box 120 stores a plurality of straight needles.

The linear motion plate 110 is a substantially rectangular plate made of a rigid material such as metal or hard resin, and supported by the stage 102 so as to be horizontally movable. Translation plate 110 has top surface 111 , top corners 112 and side surfaces 113 . The upper surface 111 is arranged horizontally. The side surface 113 is one side surface of the linear motion plate 119, continues to the upper corner 112, is perpendicular to the upper surface 11, and is a vertical surface. The upper corners 112 are sloped to have a smaller height towards the outside. In this embodiment, the upper corner 112 has an arcuate cross-sectional shape when cut along a plane containing the central axis of the linear motion plate 110 .

The upper surface 111 is formed with a needle receiving groove 111a extending perpendicularly to the linear motion direction LD of the linear motion plate 110. As shown in FIG. The upper corner 112 and the side surface 113 are also formed with needle receiving grooves 112a and 113a extending continuously from the needle receiving groove 111a.

Linear motion plate 110 is arranged below needle box 120 , and needle receiving groove 111 a on top surface 111 receives needles from needle box 120 one by one. Therefore, the needle receiving groove 111a is designed to have dimensions that can accommodate only one needle 50, that is, to have a width and depth that are slightly larger than the diameter of one needle 50. As shown in FIG.

The linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 reciprocates the linear motion plate 110 in the linear motion direction LD. The linear motion plate drive mechanism 130 is, in this embodiment, a linear actuator with a rack and pinion that converts step motor rotation into linear motion. However, the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 may be a linear motor or a ball screw mechanism that converts rotation of a step motor into linear motion.

As shown in FIG. 20 , the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 has a fixed portion 131 and a movable portion 132 . The fixed part 131 is fixed to the stage 102 . The movable portion 132 can reciprocate in the linear motion direction LD with respect to the fixed portion 131 . A bed 133 made of a rigid material such as metal or hard resin is fixed to the movable portion 132 , and the linear motion plate 110 is fixed to the bed 133 .

It is desirable that the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 has a high stopping accuracy in order to fit the elongated straight needle into the needle receiving groove 111a. For example, for a needle with a diameter of 170 μm, it is preferable that the needle receiving groove 111a of the linear motion plate 110 can be stopped within an error of 20 μm from the desired position.

The linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 moves the linear motion plate 110 in the linear motion direction LD to convey the needle received in the needle receiving groove 111 a from the needle box 120 to the needle stand mechanism 140 .

The needle stand mechanism 140 is arranged near the linear motion plate 110 . In needle stand mechanism 140, needle 50 moves from a state in which needle 50 is supported in needle receiving groove 111a on upper surface 111 of linear motion plate 110 to a state in which needle receiving groove 112a in upper corner 112 of linear motion plate 110 supports the needle 50, and then moves straight. The end of the needle 50 is pressed so that it rises along the needle receiving groove 113 a of the side surface 113 of the moving plate 110 .

A needle box 120 arranged above the linear motion plate 110 extends parallel to the needle receiving groove 111 a of the linear motion plate 110 . The needle box 120 has a triangular contoured base 120d which is secured to a triangular contoured spacer or shim 121 and rigidly secured to a block 122 by a screw 123 . Block 122 is fixed to stage 102 .

21-23 show needle box assembly 120A with needle box 120. As shown in FIG. Needle box assembly 120A has elongated member 120b, wall member 120c, shim 121, screw 123, and needle stopper 124. As shown in FIG. The components of needle box assembly 120A are made of rigid materials such as metal or hard plastic.

The elongated member 120b and the wall member 120c constitute the needle box 120. As shown in FIG. The elongated member 120b has an elongated side wall 120bA with a rectangular cross section, two end walls 120bB, 120bC extending laterally from opposite ends of the side wall 120bA, and the base 120d described above. End walls 120bB and 120bC are integrally joined to side wall 120bA, and base 120d is integrally joined to end wall 120bB and side wall 120bA.

The wall member 120c has an elongated side wall 120cA and an elongated bottom wall 120cB. Side wall 120cA is integrally joined to bottom wall 120c. A side wall 120cA of the wall member 120c is fixed with a plurality of screws 125 to the end walls 120bB and 120bC of the long member 120b.

In this manner, needle box 120 is constructed having storage space 126 (see FIGS. 21 and 23) defined by side wall 120bA of elongated member 120b, end walls 120bB and 120bC, and wall member 120c. After the needle box 120 is fixed to the block 122 , the longitudinal direction of the elongated rectangular parallelepiped storage space 126 extends parallel to the needle receiving groove 111 a of the linear motion plate 110 . A large number of needles 50 are stored in the storage space 126 .

Shim 121 is fixed to base 120 d of needle box 120 with a plurality of screws 127 . The shim 121 is formed with through holes 121a into which the heads of the screws 127 are fitted, and the base 120d is formed with female threads 120dA into which the screw portions of the screws 127 are respectively fastened.

The screw 123 has a handle head 123a, a stem 123b, and a male threaded portion 123c coaxially arranged. The stem 123 b is inserted into the through hole 120 dB of the base 120 d of the needle box 120 and the through hole 121 b of the shim 121 . A spacer or collar 120dC surrounding the through hole 120dB projects from the upper surface of the base 120d of the needle box 120. As shown in FIG.

When the stem 123b of the screw 123 is inserted into the through hole 120dB and the through hole 121b, the male threaded portion 123c protrudes from the lower surface of the shim 121. As shown in FIG. The male threaded portion 123 c is screwed to a female thread (not shown) formed on the block 122 . The collar 120dC prevents the handle head 123a from contacting the upper surface of the base 120d of the needle box 120. As shown in FIG.

Thus, needle box 120 is firmly fixed to block 122 by screw 123 . As shown in FIG. 23, the lower surface of needle box 120 (the lower surface of long member 120b and the lower surface of bottom wall 120cB of wall member 120c) faces upper surface 111 of direct-acting plate 110. A slight gap C is provided between them. Since the needle box 120 does not come into contact with the direct-acting plate 110 in this way, the needle box 120 does not move when the direct-acting plate 110 moves in the direct-acting direction LD.

Gap C is, for example, 20 μm to 40 μm, which is smaller than the diameter of needle 50 (eg, 170 μm). Therefore, needles 50 other than the needles 50 accommodated in the needle receiving grooves 111a are less likely to be caught (clogged) in the gap C.

A gap C between the bottom surface of the needle box 120 and the top surface 111 of the direct-acting plate 110 can be adjusted by a screw 127 . Specifically, when the screw 127 is tightened, the gap between the shim 121 and the base 120d of the needle box 120 is reduced, and as a result the gap C is reduced. Conversely, when the screw 127 is loosened, the gap between the shim 121 and the base 120d of the needle box 120 increases, and as a result the gap C increases. Since the mechanism for adjusting the gap C between the needle box 120 and the linear motion plate 110 is provided in this manner, the gap C can be adjusted, and the needle 50 other than the needle 50 accommodated in the needle receiving groove 111a can be adjusted. The risk of the needle 50 being caught in the gap C can be reduced.

As shown in FIG. 23, the bottom wall 120cB of the needle box 120 has a first end 120cB1 and a second end 120cB2. The first end portion 120cB1 and the second end portion 120cB2 extend parallel to the needle receiving groove 111a of the upper surface 111 of the linear motion plate 110. As shown in FIG. First end 120cB1 is proximate sidewall 120bA and second end 120cB2 is integrally joined to sidewall 120cA.

A linear needle outlet 128 is formed through the bottom wall 120cB at the first end 120cB1. The width of needle outlet 128 is determined to allow at least one needle 50 to pass therethrough. As shown in FIG. 19, the needle outlet 128 extends parallel to the needle receiving groove 111a of the upper surface 111 of the linear motion plate 110. As shown in FIG.

The top surface of the bottom wall 120cB is inclined such that the second end 120cB2 is higher and the first end 120cB1 is lower. Therefore, the needles 50 stored in the storage space 126 of the needle box 120 move by the action of gravity on the bottom wall 120cB toward the first end 120cB1, pass through the needle outlet 128, and pass through the linear motion plate 110. falls on the upper surface 111 of the . One needle 50 is accommodated in a needle receiving groove 111a formed in the upper surface 111. As shown in FIG.

Since the upper surface of the bottom wall 120cB is inclined, each needle 50 is aligned parallel to the needle receiving groove 111a of the upper surface 111 of the linear motion plate 110 while moving on the bottom wall 120cB. Therefore, one needle 50 is easily received in the needle receiving groove 111a. In addition, crossing over of one needle 50 by another needle 50 is prevented or reduced, thereby reducing the risk of needles 50 other than the needle 50 accommodated in the needle receiving groove 111a being caught in the gap C. be able to.

In the example shown in FIG. 23, the top surface of the bottom wall 120cB has two planes, and each plane is inclined so that the second end 120cB2 side is higher and the first end 120cB1 side is lower. However, as shown in FIG. 24, the upper surface of the bottom wall 120cB may be a curved surface with an arc-shaped cross section. In this case, the radius of curvature of the arc is preferably less than 15 mm.

As shown in FIGS. 22-24, the needle stopper 124 has a ceiling plate 124a, side plates 124b and two side plates 124c. The ceiling plate 124a has an elongated rectangular shape. The side plate 124b also has a long rectangular shape, and extends downward from one widthwise end of the ceiling plate 124a perpendicularly to the ceiling plate 124a. The two side plates 124c are formed at both longitudinal ends of the needle stopper 124 and extend downward from the other end of the ceiling plate 124a parallel to the side plates 124b.

As shown in FIG. 21, needle stopper 124 is placed on elongated member 120b of needle box 120, and as shown in FIG. 22, ceiling plate 124a overlaps side wall 120bA of elongated member 120b. Side wall 120bA of needle box 120 is sandwiched between two side plates 124c and one side plate 124b of needle stopper 124, as shown in phantom lines in FIGS. Side plate 124b of needle stopper 124 is sandwiched between end wall 120bB and end wall 120bC of needle box 120. As shown in FIG. Therefore, when the needle stopper 124 is placed on the long member 120b of the needle box 120, the needle stopper 124 is restricted from moving with respect to the needle box 120. As shown in FIG.

As shown by the phantom lines in FIGS. 23 and 24, when the needle stopper 124 is placed on the elongated member 120b of the needle box 120, the lower end of the side plate 124b closes the needle outlet 128. As shown in FIG. On the other hand, the upper portion of the storage space 126 of the needle box 120 is open so that a large number of needles 50 can be easily supplied to the storage space 126 from above. After a number of needles 50 are stored in storage space 126, needle box assembly 120A is fixed to block 122 by screws 123. As shown in FIG.

23 and 24, needle stopper 124 is removed from needle box 120 by moving needle stopper 124 upward. Then, the needle outlet 128 is opened, and at least one of the needles 50 inside the storage space 126 passes through the needle outlet 128 and is placed on the upper surface 111 of the linear motion plate 110 . Therefore, the needles 50 can be easily supplied from the upper needle box 120 to the lower direct-acting plate 110 .

Although not shown, a static eliminator may be arranged in the storage space 126 to eliminate static electricity from the needles 50 in the storage space 126 (similar to the static eliminator 26 of FIG. 5 relating to the first embodiment). A large number of needles 50 are stored in the storage space 126, and the needles 50 are charged by static electricity generated by rubbing against each other. Since the needle 50 is very light, it may be difficult to enter the needle receiving groove 111a of the linear motion plate 110 when it is charged. By removing the static electricity from the needles 50 with the static eliminator, it becomes easier to pass one needle 50 out of many needles 50 to the needle receiving groove 111 a of the direct-acting plate 110 .

However, in this embodiment, since the upper surface of the bottom wall 120cB of the needle box 120 is inclined, each needle 50 is moved on the bottom wall 120cB, and the needle receiving groove 111a of the upper surface 111 of the direct-acting plate 110 and the needle receiving groove 111a of the linear motion plate 110 move. One needle 50 out of many needles 50 aligned in parallel is easily received in the needle receiving groove 111 a of the linear motion plate 110 . Further, there is little possibility that the needle 50 other than the needle 50 housed in the needle receiving groove 111a will be caught in the gap C. Therefore, in this embodiment, the static eliminator can be omitted.

As in the first embodiment, the needle separating and transporting device 101 may further have a pressing mechanism that presses the needles 50 in the storage space 126 of the needle box 120 from above (for example, the hammer 60 in the first embodiment). . This pressing mechanism presses the needles 50 in the needle box 120 from above when one of the needle receiving grooves 111a on the upper surface 111 of the linear motion plate 110 is directly below the needle box 120, thereby pulling the needles 50 in the needle box 120 apart. One of the needles 50 is made easy to enter the needle receiving groove 111a of the upper surface 111 of the linear motion plate 110.例文帳に追加

However, in this embodiment, since the upper surface of the bottom wall 120cB of the needle box 120 is inclined, each needle 50 is moved on the bottom wall 120cB, and the needle receiving groove 111a of the upper surface 111 of the direct-acting plate 110 and the needle receiving groove 111a of the linear motion plate 110 move. One needle 50 out of many needles 50 aligned in parallel is easily received in the needle receiving groove 111 a of the linear motion plate 110 . Further, there is little possibility that the needle 50 other than the needle 50 housed in the needle receiving groove 111a will be caught in the gap C. Therefore, in this embodiment, the pressing mechanism can be omitted.

The needle 50 received in the needle receiving groove 111a of the linear motion plate 110 is conveyed to the needle stand mechanism 140 as the linear motion plate 110 moves. Immediately before the needle 50 reaches the needle stand mechanism 140, the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 decelerates the movement of the linear motion plate 110, and when the needle 50 reaches the needle stand mechanism 140, the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 linearly moves. Stop moving the plate 110 .

As shown in FIGS. 18 to 20, 25 and 27, needle stand mechanism 140 has support portion 141, lever 142 and roller 143. As shown in FIGS. The needle stand mechanism 140 can be moved up and down by a needle stand driving mechanism 144 .

As shown in FIGS. 18 to 20, the support portion 141 has a long horizontal rod portion 141a extending horizontally and a vertical rod portion 141b fixed to one end of the horizontal rod portion 141a and extending along the vertical direction. The horizontal rod portion 141a and the vertical rod portion 141b are made of a rigid material such as metal or hard resin.

A lever 142 is rotatably supported on the upper end of the vertical rod portion 141b, and the roller 143 is rotatably supported by the lever 142. As shown in FIG. The lever 142 is rotatable in a vertical plane parallel to the vertical plane including the stylus receiving groove 111 a of the direct acting plate 110 .

The needle stand drive mechanism 144 reciprocates the support portion 141 up and down. Needle stand drive mechanism 144, in this embodiment, is a linear actuator with a rack and pinion that converts stepper motor rotation to linear motion. However, the needle stand driving mechanism 144 may be a linear motor, or may be a ball screw mechanism that converts rotation of a step motor into linear motion.

The needle stand drive mechanism 144 has a fixed portion 145 and a movable portion 146 . The fixed part 145 is fixed to the stage 102 . The movable portion 146 can reciprocate up and down with respect to the fixed portion 145 . A horizontal rod portion 141 a of the support portion 141 is fixed to the movable portion 146 by a screw 149 .

As shown in FIG. 25, the upper end of the vertical rod portion 141b is branched to have two branches 141c, each branch 141c having a through hole 141d. A fixed piece 141e made of, for example, metal or hard resin is arranged between the two branches 141c. The fixed piece 141e is fixed to the vertical rod portion 141b. A vertically extending hole 141f is formed in the fixed piece 141e.

One end portion 142a of the lever 142 is attached to the upper end of the vertical rod portion 141b by a pin shaft 147, and the lever 142 is rotatable around the pin shaft 147. As shown in FIG. Specifically, the pin shaft 147 has a head portion 147a and a stem 147b coaxially arranged with each other, and a circumferential groove 147c is formed in the stem 147b. The stem 147b is inserted into the through hole 141d of the two branches 141c at the upper end of the vertical rod portion 141b and the through hole 142c of the end portion 142a of the lever 142, and the C-shaped washer 148 for locking the pin shaft 147 is inserted into the circumferential groove 147c. installed.

A cylindrical roller 143 is rotatably attached to the other end 142 b of the lever 142 by a bolt 150 . Specifically, the bolt 150 has a head portion 150a, a stem 150b, and a male thread portion 150c coaxially arranged. The stem 150b is inserted into the roller 43 and the cylindrical spacer 152, and the male threaded portion 150c is screwed into the screw hole 142d of the end portion 142b of the lever 142. As shown in FIG.

A torsion spring 154 is wound around the pin shaft 147 (the stem 147b of the pin shaft 147 is inserted into the torsion spring 154). One end portion 154 a of the torsion spring 154 is inserted into a hole 141 f of a fixed piece 141 e fixed to the upper portion of the support portion 141 .

As shown in FIG. 26, one side of the lever 142 is formed with a linear groove 155 in which the other end 154b of the torsion spring 154 is fitted and a circular groove 156 in which the coil portion of the torsion spring 154 is fitted. Therefore, the end portion 154b and the coil portion of the torsion spring 154 are embedded in the lever 42. As shown in FIG.

Therefore, the end portion 154b of the torsion spring 154 is embedded in the lever 142 and maintains the lever 142 at the initial angle (initial posture) shown in FIGS. 27 and 35 unless an external force is applied to the lever 142. As will be described later, when the roller 143 is brought into contact with the needle 50 on the linear motion plate 110, the torsion spring 154 applies spring force to the lever 142 counterclockwise in the drawing.

FIG. 27 is a front view of the upper portion of the assembled needle stand mechanism 140. FIG. In the state of FIG. 27, the support portion 141 is at its upper limit of movement, and the roller 143 is above the linear motion plate 110 and is not in contact with the needle 50 on the linear motion plate 110 .

As shown in FIG. 28, as described above, translation plate 110 has top surface 111, top corners 112 and side surfaces 113, and top surface 111, top corners 112 and side surfaces 113 are formed by needle receiving grooves 111a, 112a and 113a, respectively. have The linear motion plate 110 further has an inclined surface 114 and a lower vertical surface 115 below the side surface 113 . Needle receiving groove 113 a extends from side surface 113 to inclined surface 114 and lower vertical surface 115 .

The depth of needle receiving groove 11 a is slightly larger than the diameter of needle 50 , and the depth of needle receiving groove 112 a is slightly smaller than the diameter of needle 50 . On the side surface 113, the depth of the needle receiving groove 113a is the same as the depth of the needle receiving groove 112a. The needle receiving groove 113a is formed vertically, the depth of the needle receiving groove 113a gradually increases on the inclined surface 114, and the depth of the needle receiving groove 113a on the lower vertical surface 115 is slightly larger than the diameter of the needle 50. .

29 is a cross-sectional view of the linear motion plate 110 of FIG. 28 taken along line XXIX-XXIX, showing the positional relationship between the roller 143 of the needle stand mechanism 140 and the needle 50. FIG. When the support portion 141 is at its upper movement limit, the roller 143 is at the position 143a in FIG. can't

When the support portion 141 is lowered by the needle stand driving mechanism 144, the roller 143 is lowered to the position 143b and comes into contact with the needle 50 supported in the needle receiving groove 111a of the upper surface 111 of the direct-acting plate 110. The needle 50 is tilted to a position 50b supported by the needle receiving groove 112a of the upper corner 112 of the linear motion plate 110 while rotating clockwise in the figure along the direction. When the support portion 141 further descends, the roller 143 descends to the position 143c and rotates clockwise in the figure along the direction of the arrow RO, moving the needle 50 into the needle receiving groove 113a of the side surface 113 of the linear motion plate 110. and deploy to position 50c. In this manner, the posture of needle 50 can be easily and accurately changed from the horizontal state along upper surface 111 of direct-acting plate 110 to the upright posture along side surface 113 of direct-acting plate 110 .

Since the depth of needle receiving groove 112a is slightly smaller than the diameter of needle 50 and the depth of needle receiving groove 113a on side surface 113 is slightly smaller than the diameter of needle 50, roller 143 contacts needle 50 while rotating. Subsequently, the needle 50 can be kept pressed against the direct-acting plate 110 .

Further, when the support portion 141 descends and the roller 143 descends to the position 143 d, the roller 143 contacts the inclined surface 114 of the linear motion plate 110 . Since the depth of the needle receiving groove 113 a gradually increases on the inclined surface 114 , the roller 143 is separated from the needle 50 . Immediately before the roller 143 leaves the needle 50 , a clamping device (not shown) picks up the needle 50 from between the roller 143 and the linear motion plate 110 .

This needle separating and transporting device 101 is provided for a device (not shown) that manufactures a needle array (see FIG. 1) for three-dimensional cell stacking technology, and is vertically erected by a needle standing mechanism 140. The needles 50 are picked up from between the needle stand mechanism 140 and the direct-acting plate 110 by a clamp device (not shown) and transported to an apparatus for manufacturing an array of needles. The needle 50 used is a solid needle for three-dimensional cell stacking techniques.

The top corner 112 of the translation plate 110 may be linearly slanted, but in this embodiment the top corner 112 of the translation plate 110 is slanted to have an arcuate cross-sectional shape. Roller 143 moves along the arc of upper corner 112 while continuously contacting arcuate upper corner 112 . Thus, the needle 50 remains extended tangential to the upper corner 112 and tangential to the roller 143 . Therefore, the needle stand mechanism 140 can smoothly change the posture of the needle 50 .

Needle stand mechanism 140 has a torsion spring 154 that provides a spring force to lever 142 for roller 143 to push needle 50 . Therefore, when the needle 50 is erected, the spring force of the torsion spring 154 keeps the roller 143 in contact with the needle 50 while rotating, and changes the posture of the needle 50 while pressing the needle 50 against the direct-acting plate 110 . can.

The force applied to the needle 50 by the roller 143 is preferably large enough to prevent the needle 50 from falling while the posture of the needle 50 is being changed, and small enough to prevent plastic deformation and/or breakage of the needle 50 . Therefore, the appropriate spring force of torsion spring 154 may vary depending on needle 50 thickness, bending strength and/or brittleness.

Although not shown, the needle stand mechanism 140 may further have a mechanism for adjusting the spring force of the torsion spring 154 . Specifically, a plurality of linear grooves corresponding to the linear grooves 155 (see FIG. 26) in which the ends 154b (see FIGS. 25 and 27) of the torsion spring 154 are fitted may be formed in the lever 142. The spring force of the torsion spring 154 can be adjusted according to which straight groove of the plurality of straight grooves arranged around the torsion spring 154 the end portion 154b of the torsion spring 154 is arranged. The operation of moving the end portion 154b of the torsion spring 154 can be performed manually.

However, in this embodiment, a straight groove 155 is formed at an appropriate position of the end portion 154b of the torsion spring 154 where the torsion spring 154 exerts an appropriate spring force. Therefore, a mechanism for adjusting the spring force can be omitted.

Linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 stops linear motion plate 110 at an angular position where needle 50 fitted in needle receiving groove 111 a is aligned with roller 143 in order to ensure normal operation of needle stand mechanism 140 . The stroke of the support portion 141 vertically moved by the needle stand driving mechanism 144 is designed to enable the posture of the needle 50 to be changed with high accuracy.

As shown in Figure 30, this assembly can be easily disassembled for sterilization if desired. Sterilization can be performed using high temperature (eg, about 120 degrees Celsius) or ultraviolet sterilization. The needle box assembly 120A can be easily removed from the stage 102 by removing the screw 123 from the block 122. FIG. As shown in FIG. 22, the needle box assembly 120A can be disassembled.

Needle stand mechanism 140 can be easily removed from needle stand drive mechanism 144 by removing screw 149 from movable portion 146 of needle stand drive mechanism 144 . As shown in FIG. 25, the needle stand mechanism 140 can be disassembled.

The translation plate 110 is fixed to the bed 133 with screws (not shown) and can be removed from the bed 133 . The bed 133 is also fixed to the movable portion 132 of the linear motion plate drive mechanism 130 with screws (not shown) and can be removed from the movable portion 132 .

Block 122 , linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 , and needle stand driving mechanism 144 are fixed to stage 102 with screws (not shown) and can be removed from stage 102 .

FIG. 31 is a block diagram of the control system of the needle separating/conveying device 101 according to the embodiment. In FIG. 31, a main control device 160 is, for example, a CPU, operates according to a computer program stored in a storage device 161, and operates a linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 for a linear motion plate 110 of the needle separating/conveying device 101 and a needle It controls the operation of the needle stand drive mechanism 144 for the stand mechanism 140 .

The storage device 161 stores computer programs to which the main control device 160 conforms. The storage device 161 is, for example, a ROM, hard disk, or SSD.

The control system of the needle separating/conveying device 101 also has a resistance force meter 162 that measures the movement resistance force of the linear motion plate 110 . The resistance force meter 162 may be, for example, a torque meter that measures the torque of the step motor of the linear motion plate drive mechanism 130 . If the linear motion plate drive mechanism 130 is a linear motor, the resistance force meter 162 may be a wattmeter, voltmeter, or ammeter that measures the drive power, drive voltage, or drive current of the linear motor.

The movement of the linear motion plate 110 measured by the resistance force meter 162 when the linear motion plate 110 moves toward the needle stand mechanism 140 from the position where the needle receiving groove 111a of the upper surface 111 is directly below the needle exit 128 of the needle box 20. When the resistance exceeds the threshold, the main controller 160 controls the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 so that the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 vibrates the linear motion plate 110 .

FIG. 32 is a flow chart showing the operation of the needle separating/conveying device 101 according to the embodiment. The operation of the needle separating/conveying device 101 will be described below.

First, in step S11, the main controller 160 controls the linear motion plate drive mechanism 130 to horizontally move the linear motion plate 110 to the needle box 120 as shown in FIGS. Specifically, the linear motion plate drive mechanism 130 moves the linear motion plate 110 to a position where the needle receiving groove 111 a of the upper surface 111 of the linear motion plate 110 is directly below the needle exit 128 of the needle box 20 . At this time, as shown in FIG. be.

As shown in FIG. 23 or 24, when needle receiving groove 111a is located directly below needle exit 128 of needle box 20, one of needles 50 passing through needle exit 128 is received in needle receiving groove 111a.

In step S12, the main controller 160 controls the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 to horizontally move the linear motion plate 110 slightly (for example, 1 mm) toward the needle stand position. The needle stand position is a position where the needle receiving groove 111 a is aligned with the roller 143 of the needle stand mechanism 140 .

In step S13, the main controller 160 compares the movement resistance force of the linear motion plate 110 measured by the resistance force meter 162 with a threshold value. The threshold may be fixed or variable depending on temperature.

If the movement resistance force of the linear motion plate 110 is larger than the threshold, the determination in step S13 becomes affirmative, and the operation proceeds to step S14.

In step S14, the main controller 160 controls the linear motion plate drive mechanism 130 to vibrate the linear motion plate 110 in the horizontal direction. That is, the linear motion plate 110 is reciprocated several times in the linear motion direction LD in a short section (for example, 0.1 mm). If the movement resistance force of the linear motion plate 110 is greater than the threshold value, the gap C (see FIGS. 23 and 24) between the linear motion plate 110 and the needle box 120 has a needle other than the needle 50 in the needle receiving groove 111a. 50 can be considered to be clogged. By vibrating the direct-acting plate 110 in step S14, the needle 50 that is about to get stuck in the gap C between the direct-acting plate 110 and the needle box 120 can be released from the gap C. FIG.

After step S14, the operation returns to S11.

If the determination in step S13 is negative, that is, if the movement resistance force of linear motion plate 110 is equal to or less than the threshold, the operation proceeds to step S15.

In step S15, the main controller 160 controls the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 to move the linear motion plate 110 to the needle stand position. That is, the needle 50 received in the needle receiving groove 111 a is aligned with the roller 143 of the needle stand mechanism 140 . At this time, the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 once accelerates the linear motion plate 110 and then moves it at a steady speed. Immediately before needle receiving groove 111a of upper surface 111 of linear motion plate 110 reaches the needle stand position, linear motion plate drive mechanism 130 decelerates the movement of linear motion plate 110, and needle receiving groove 111a reaches the needle stand position. , the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 stops the movement of the linear motion plate 110 .

FIG. 36 shows a state in which the needle 50 has been conveyed to the needle stand mechanism 140 immediately after step S15. At this time, the plan view is the same as FIG. 19 except for the positions of the lever 142 and the roller 143 . At this time, the front view is the same as in FIG. 35 (the needle stand mechanism 140 is not moved). Roller 143 is at position 143a in FIG. 29 and needle 50 is at position 50a in FIG.

In step S16, main controller 160 controls needle stand driving mechanism 144 to lower needle stand mechanism 140. As shown in FIG. During the descent, needle 50 is tilted as shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 29, when the support portion 141 descends, the roller 143 descends to the position 143b, contacts the needle 50 supported by the needle receiving groove 111a of the upper surface 111 of the linear motion plate 110, and rotates. , the needle 50 is tilted to a position 50b supported by the needle receiving groove 112a of the upper corner 112 of the translation plate 110; At this time, the plan view is the same as FIG. 19 except for the positions of the lever 142 and the roller 143 .

When the support portion 141 is further lowered, as shown in FIG. 29, the roller 143 descends to the position 143c and rotates to raise the needle 50 along the needle receiving groove 113a of the side surface 113 of the linear motion plate 110. , at position 50c. Thus, the needle 50 is erected vertically as shown in FIGS. 18-20.

In step S17, main controller 160 controls needle stand drive mechanism 144 to further lower needle stand mechanism 140. As shown in FIG. When support portion 141 descends and roller 143 descends to position 143d shown in FIG. Immediately before the roller 143 leaves the needle 50 , a clamping device (not shown) picks up the needle 50 from between the roller 143 and the linear motion plate 110 .

In step S18, the main controller 160 controls the needle stand driving mechanism 144 to raise the needle stand mechanism 140 to the upper movement limit and return the lever 142 to the initial angle (see FIG. 35). As a result, the roller 143 is separated above the linear motion plate 110 . Although there is no needle 50 in the needle receiving groove 111a, the needle separating/conveying device 101 is in the same state as immediately after step S15.

After that, the operation returns to step S11, and the main controller 160 controls the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 to horizontally move the linear motion plate 110 to the needle box 120 as shown in FIGS. At this time, the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 once accelerates the linear motion plate 110 and then moves it at a steady speed. Immediately before the needle receiving groove 111a of the upper surface 111 of the linear motion plate 110 reaches directly below the needle box 120, the linear motion plate drive mechanism 130 decelerates the movement of the linear motion plate 110 so that the needle receiving groove 111a is positioned directly below the needle box 120. Upon arrival, the linear motion plate drive mechanism 130 stops moving the linear motion plate 110 .

In this embodiment, the linear motion plate 110 receives the needles 50 one by one from the needle box 120 into the needle receiving groove 111 a and conveys them to the needle stand mechanism 140 . The needle stand mechanism 140 presses the needle and raises the needle 50 along the side surface 113 of the direct-acting plate 110 . Therefore, the needles 50 can be automatically and continuously separated from a large number of needles 50 one by one, and the postures of the needles 50 can be automatically and continuously changed. Since the linear motion plate drive mechanism 130 reciprocates the linear motion plate 110 , the needles 50 can be conveyed one after another from the needle box 120 to the needle stand mechanism 140 . In this embodiment, since the linear motion plate 110 is used instead of the rotary plate 10, the size of the needle separating/conveying device 101 can be reduced.

In the first embodiment, a stop mechanism is provided to stop the rotary plate drive mechanism 30 when needles are about to get stuck between the needle box 20 and the rotary plate 10 (the main controller 90 detects the movement of the needle box 20). a switch 67, a torque meter (resistance force meter) 92 for measuring the torque (movement resistance force) of the rotor plate 10, and an angle meter (displacement meter) 94 for measuring the rotation angle (displacement) of the rotor plate 10). Also in this embodiment, a stop mechanism may be provided to stop the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 when needles are about to get stuck between the needle box 120 and the linear motion plate 110 . For example, by making the needle box 120 movable and providing a sensor or switch for detecting the movement of the needle box 120, the main controller 160 (stopping mechanism) stops the linear motion plate driving mechanism 130 in response to the detection of the sensor or switch. You may Additionally or alternatively, the main controller 160 may stop the linear motion plate drive mechanism 130 when the movement resistance force of the linear motion plate 110 measured by the resistance force meter 162 exceeds a threshold value. Additionally or alternatively, a displacement meter is provided to measure the displacement of the linear motion plate 110, and when the displacement of the linear motion plate 110 within a certain period of time is less than a threshold value, the main controller 160 controls the linear motion plate drive. Mechanism 130 may be stopped.

However, in this embodiment, the top surface of the bottom wall 120cB of the needle box 120 is inclined (see FIGS. 23 and 24) to prevent or prevent one needle 50 from crossing over another needle 50. Therefore, the possibility that the needle 50 other than the needle 50 accommodated in the needle receiving groove 111a is caught in the gap C can be reduced. Further, since a mechanism for adjusting the gap C between the needle box 120 and the linear motion plate 110 is provided, the gap C can be adjusted, and the needles 50 other than the needles 50 housed in the needle receiving groove 111a can be adjusted. is pinched by the gap C can be reduced. Furthermore, in the operation of the needle separating/conveying device 101 (FIG. 32), if the movement resistance force of the linear motion plate 110 measured by the resistance force meter 162 is greater than the threshold, in step S14, the main controller 160 controls the linear motion plate Drive mechanism 130 is controlled to horizontally vibrate direct-acting plate 110 in an attempt to release needle 50 from gap C between direct-acting plate 110 and needle box 120 . If the moving resistance force of the moving plate 110 is greater than the threshold, step S14 is executed.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the possibility that the needle 50 other than the needle 50 housed in the needle receiving groove 111a is caught in the gap C is minimized. Therefore, the stop mechanism described above can be omitted.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. One thing will be understood. Such changes, alterations and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiments, the needle stand mechanism 40 or 140 uses the outer peripheral surface 13 of the rotary plate 10 or the side surface 113 of the direct-acting plate 110 to raise the needle 50 in a vertical position. However, the target orientation of needle 50 does not necessarily have to be vertical. For example, the outer peripheral surface 13 of the rotating plate 10 may be a truncated cone-shaped inclined surface, the side surface 113 of the linear motion plate 110 may also be an inclined surface, and the target posture of the needle 50 may be an inclined posture. .

In the above embodiments, the needle separation and transport device 1 and 101 are used for the device for manufacturing an array of needles N (see FIG. 1) for the three-dimensional cell stacking technique, but the needle separation and transport device 1 or 101 may be used for other purposes.

In the above embodiment, needle 50 is a solid needle, but it could also be a hollow tubular needle.

The needle separating and transporting device 1 or 101 may be equipped with a camera for monitoring the process in closed loop control.

The functions executed by the main controller 90 or 160 may be executed by hardware instead of the CPU, or by programmable logic devices such as FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) and DSPs (Digital Signal Processors). may

In the first embodiment, the needle box 20 may be modified like the needle box 120 in the second embodiment so as to have a bottom wall with an inclined upper surface and a needle outlet at one end. In this case, each needle 50 is aligned in parallel with the needle receiving groove 11a on the upper surface 11 of the rotary plate 10 while moving on the bottom wall, and one needle 50 out of many needles 50 is aligned with the needle receiving groove 11a of the rotary plate 10. It is readily received in groove 11a. In addition, since the crossing of one needle 50 by another needle 50 is prevented or reduced, the needles 50 other than the needle 50 housed in the needle receiving groove 11a are placed between the needle box 20 and the rotary plate 10. It is possible to reduce the risk of being caught in the gap. In this case, the static eliminator 26 for aligning the needle 50 in the direction of the needle receiving groove 11a and/or the pressing mechanism (for example, the hammer 60) may be omitted.

In the first embodiment, the needle stand mechanism 40 has a mechanism (plurality of pins 86 ) for adjusting the spring force of the torsion spring 85 . However, if an appropriate position of the end portion 85a of the torsion spring 85 for the torsion spring 85 to exert an appropriate spring force is known, the end portion 85a of the torsion spring 85 is arranged at that position and the spring force is adjusted. You may omit the mechanism for

In the first embodiment, the longitudinal section of the rotary plate 10 may be the same as the longitudinal section of the linear motion plate 110 shown in FIG.

In the first embodiment, a stop mechanism is provided to stop the rotary plate drive mechanism 30 when needles are about to get stuck between the needle box 20 and the rotary plate 10 (the main controller 90 detects the movement of the needle box 20). a switch 67, a torque meter (resistance force meter) 92 for measuring the torque (movement resistance force) of the rotor plate 10, and an angle meter (displacement meter) 94 for measuring the rotation angle (displacement) of the rotor plate 10). However, like the needle box 120 of the second embodiment, the needle box 20 may be modified to have a bottom wall with an inclined upper surface and a needle outlet at one end. Also, the gap between the lower surface of the needle box 20 and the upper surface of the rotating plate 10 may be adjusted. Further, when the rotary plate 10 rotates toward the needle stand mechanism 40 from the position where the needle receiving groove 11a on the upper surface 11 of the rotary plate 10 is directly below the needle box 20, the torque of the linear motion plate 110 measured by the torque meter 92 is is greater than the threshold value, the main controller 90 controls the rotary plate drive mechanism 30 to vibrate the rotary plate 10 in the horizontal direction so that the needles 50 that are about to get stuck in the gap between the rotary plate 10 and the needle box 20 are removed from the gap. can be released from These improvements minimize the risk of needles 50 other than the needle 50 housed in needle receiving groove 11a being caught in the gap. Therefore, the stop mechanism described above may be omitted.

1 needle separating and conveying device 2 stage 10 rotating plate (moving plate)
11 upper surface 12 upper corner 13 outer peripheral surface (side surface)
11a, 12a, 13a Needle receiving groove 20 Needle box 26 Static elimination device 30 Rotating plate driving mechanism (moving plate driving mechanism)
40 Needle stand mechanism 50 Needle 52 Accumulation of needle 50 60 Hammer (pressing mechanism)
67 switch (stopping mechanism)
68 stopper pin 41 support portion 42 lever 43 roller 85 torsion spring 86 pin (mechanism for adjusting spring force)
90 Main control device (stop mechanism)
92 torque meter (stopping mechanism, resistance force meter)
94 angle meter (stopping mechanism, displacement meter)
101 needle separating and conveying device 102 stage 110 linear motion plate (moving plate)
111 upper surface 112 upper corner 113 side surfaces 111a, 112a, 113a needle receiving groove 120 needle box 120A needle box assembly 120cB bottom wall 120cB1 first end 120cB2 second end 128 needle outlet 130 linear motion plate drive mechanism (moving plate drive mechanism)
140 needle stand mechanism 141 support portion 142 lever 143 roller 144 needle stand drive mechanism 154 torsion spring 160 main control device (stopping mechanism)
162 resistance meter

Claims (19)

a needle box containing a plurality of straight needles;
The needle receiving groove has an upper surface in which at least one needle receiving groove is formed, an inclined upper corner, and a side surface connected to the upper corner, and a needle receiving groove extending continuously from the needle receiving groove is formed in the upper corner and the side surface. a moving plate for receiving needles from the needle box one by one in the needle receiving groove on the upper surface;
a moving plate driving mechanism for moving the moving plate;
The needle is placed near the moving plate, and the needle is supported in the needle receiving groove on the upper surface of the moving plate, through the state of being supported by the needle receiving groove on the upper corner of the moving plate, and a needle stand mechanism for pushing the needles so as to stand up along the needle receiving grooves on the side surface of the moving plate. The moving plate is a rotating plate, the side surface is the outer peripheral surface of the rotating plate, the upper surface of the rotating plate is formed with a plurality of needle receiving grooves extending radially, and the upper corner and the outer peripheral surface are formed with the upper surface. a needle receiving groove extending continuously from the needle receiving groove of
2. The staple separating and conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving plate driving mechanism is a rotating plate driving mechanism that rotates the rotating plate. The moving plate is a linear motion plate, and the upper surface of the linear motion plate is formed with a needle receiving groove extending perpendicularly to the linear motion direction of the linear motion plate. a needle receiving groove extending continuously from the receiving groove is formed;
2. The staple separating and conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the moving plate driving mechanism is a linear moving plate driving mechanism for reciprocating the linear moving plate. 3. The needle box is arranged above the moving plate, and the needle box is open at the bottom so that at least one needle rests on the upper surface of the moving plate. 4. The needle separating and conveying device according to any one of 1 to 3. the needle box having a bottom wall facing the upper surface of the moving plate, the bottom wall having a first end and a second end;
the first end is formed with a needle outlet penetrating the bottom wall for the needle to pass through;
5. The needle separating and conveying device according to claim 4, wherein the upper surface of the bottom wall is inclined so that the second end is high and the first end is low. 6. The needle separating and conveying apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a stopping mechanism for stopping said moving plate driving mechanism when needles are about to jam between said needle box and said moving plate. When needles are about to jam between the needle box and the moving plate, the needle box moves together with the moving plate, and the stopping mechanism stops the moving plate driving mechanism when the position of the needle box changes beyond a certain range. 7. The needle separating and conveying device according to claim 6, characterized in that it has a switch or sensor. 8. The stopping mechanism has a resistance meter for measuring the movement resistance of the moving plate, and stops the moving plate driving mechanism when the movement resistance exceeds a threshold value. The needle separating and conveying device according to . 8. The stopping mechanism has a displacement gauge for measuring the displacement of the moving plate, and stops the moving plate drive mechanism when the displacement within a certain period of time is less than a threshold value. The needle separating and conveying device according to . 10. A pressing mechanism for pressing the needles in the needle box from above when the needle receiving groove on the top surface of the moving plate is located directly below the needle box. The needle separating and conveying device according to . 11. The needle according to claim 10, wherein the pressing mechanism intermittently presses the needle in the needle box from above when the needle receiving groove on the upper surface of the moving plate is directly below the needle box. Separation transfer device. The needle separating and conveying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a static eliminator for removing static electricity from the needles in the needle box. When the needle receiving groove on the upper surface of the moving plate is directly below the needle box, the moving plate driving mechanism vibrates the moving plate to vibrate the needles in the needle box, thereby 13. The needle separating and conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the direction of the needles is easily aligned with the needle receiving groove on the upper surface of the moving plate. Having a resistance force meter for measuring the movement resistance force of the moving plate,
When the moving plate moves toward the needle stand mechanism from a position where the needle receiving groove on the upper surface of the moving plate is directly below the needle box, when the movement resistance exceeds a threshold value, the moving plate driving mechanism 14. The needle separating and conveying device according to claim 13, wherein vibration is applied to said moving plate. The needle separating and conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising a mechanism for adjusting a gap between the needle box and the moving plate. The needle stand mechanism has a support that moves up and down, a lever that is rotatably supported by the support, and a roller that is rotatably supported by the lever,
While the support portion is descending, the roller contacts the needle supported in the needle receiving groove on the upper surface of the moving plate, and supports the needle in the needle receiving groove on the upper corner of the moving plate. 16. The needle separating and conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the needles are tilted so as to be aligned with each other, and the needles are raised along the needle receiving grooves on the side surfaces of the moving plate. 17. The needle separating and conveying apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the needle stand mechanism further has a spring that applies a spring force to the lever so that the roller pushes the needles. 18. The needle separating and conveying device according to claim 17, wherein the needle stand mechanism further has a mechanism for adjusting the spring force. 19. The needle separating and conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the upper corner of the moving plate is inclined to have an arcuate cross-sectional shape.

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