JP2023182918A - Dispensing system and dispensation method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a dispensing system which makes weighing with high accuracy possible in dispensation of volatile liquid, and a dispensation method.SOLUTION: A dispensing system includes: a weighing part 20 weighing a weighing object mounted on a weighing surface 20S; a discharge part 13 discharging volatile liquid L to a container 3 mounted on the weighing surface 20S; and an exhaust port 33 and an air inlet 34 located below the weighing surface 20S; a cover 30 covering the weighing part 20 and the container 3; an air flow generation part 40 which is located outside the cover 30 and generates an air flow A passing inside the cover 30 from either the exhaust port 33 or the air inlet 34. The air flow A passes below the weighing surface 20S inside the cover 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a dispensing system and a dispensing method using the dispensing system.

Research and development using chemicals involves handling substances that are harmful to the human body, such as organic solvents, so experiments are conducted using local exhaust equipment to protect researchers and prevent contamination of the laboratory environment. For example, Patent Document 1 describes an experimental table equipped with a local exhaust system in which a part of the top plate of the experimental table is provided with a recessed part and an exhaust port is provided in the vertical wall of the recessed part.

Furthermore, in experiments that require the dispensing of chemicals, a dispensing system that performs dispensing using electrical drive may be used to protect researchers and improve workability. The dispensing system includes, for example, an electric pipette and an electronic balance that weighs the dispensed liquid. When using a dispensing system, it is necessary to create an airflow environment to suppress retention of volatile gas in order to prevent volatile gas from igniting due to energization.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-142529

On the other hand, when dispensing a liquid using a dispensing system, highly accurate weighing may be required depending on the application. In this case, there is a possibility that the airflow for suppressing retention of volatile gas may interfere with highly accurate weighing in the dispensing device.

A dispensing system for solving the above problems includes a weighing section that weighs a weighing object placed on a weighing surface, and a discharge section that discharges a volatile liquid into a container placed on the weighing surface. , a cover that covers the weighing section and the container, the cover having an opening located below the weighing surface; and a cover located outside the cover that allows airflow to pass through the inside of the cover from the opening. an airflow generating section for generating airflow, the airflow passing below the weighing surface inside the cover.

According to the above configuration, the opening of the cover is located below the weighing surface, so that the airflow generated by the airflow generation section mainly passes below the weighing surface inside the cover. Therefore, the airflow generated by the airflow generator can suppress the retention of the gas that has been volatilized from the liquid, while also preventing the airflow from having an adverse effect on the weighing capacity of the weighing unit. Therefore, highly accurate weighing becomes possible.

In the above-mentioned dispensing system, it is preferable that the liquid contains one or more types of components having a vapor specific gravity greater than 1 in a gaseous state. According to the above configuration, gas in which the liquid is volatilized easily flows downward inside the cover. Therefore, the airflow generated by the airflow generator can suitably suppress the retention of the gas that has been volatilized from the liquid.

In the above dispensing system, the airflow generating section may generate the airflow by blowing air toward the opening. According to the above configuration, when the airflow generator blows air toward the inlet, the inside of the cover becomes positive pressure. Therefore, volatilization of the liquid is relatively suppressed compared to, for example, when the air inside the cover is sucked and the inside of the cover becomes negative pressure.

In the above dispensing system, the airflow generating section may generate the airflow by sucking air inside the cover from the opening. According to the above configuration, since the air inside the cover is actively exhausted, the gas can be more reliably exhausted to the outside of the cover.

In the dispensing system, the cover includes a window located on an upper wall of the cover, and a shutter that can switch between a state in which the window is open and a state in which the window is closed. Good too. According to the above configuration, for example, by opening the window before and after weighing, the air inside the cover can be ventilated through the window. Therefore, the gas inside the cover whose steam specific gravity is less than 1 can be discharged from above.

In the above-mentioned dispensing system, the discharge section may be configured to be movable in and out of the cover through the open window section. According to the above configuration, the discharge part can move inside and outside the cover through the window part. Accordingly, for example, after discharging the liquid into the container, the discharging section can be moved to the outside of the cover, so that the time during which the discharging section is exposed to the gas resulting from volatilization of the liquid can be shortened. Thereby, it is possible to suppress contamination of the discharge section due to gas produced by volatilization of the liquid.

In the dispensing system, the cover is a first cover, and the dispensing system further includes a second cover that covers the weighing surface inside the first cover, and the second cover is The weighing surface may include a hole large enough to allow the container to be placed thereon. According to the above configuration, by covering the weighing surface with the second cover, it is possible to suppress the gas from which the liquid has evaporated from remaining on the weighing surface. Thereby, contamination of the weighing section by gas can be suppressed.

A dispensing method for solving the above problem includes installing a container on a weighing surface of a weighing section located inside a cover, and opening an opening of the cover that is located below the weighing surface. Then, an air current passing below the weighing surface is generated inside the cover, a volatile liquid is discharged into the container, and the liquid discharged into the container is weighed.

According to the present invention, highly accurate weighing is possible in dispensing a volatile liquid.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the dispensing system of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing the dispensing system of the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing the configuration of the dispensing system when the height of the weighing surface is smaller than the width of the exhaust port and the width of the air supply port. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a modification of the dispensing system of the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing the dispensing system of the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a side view schematically showing the dispensing system of the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a side view schematically showing the dispensing system of the second embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a modification of the dispensing system of the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a modification of the dispensing system of the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically showing the dispensing system of the third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a modification of the dispensing system of the third embodiment. FIG. 12 is a perspective view schematically showing the dispensing system of the fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a side view schematically showing the dispensing system of the fourth embodiment. FIG. 14 is a side view showing a modification of the dispensing system of the fourth embodiment. FIG. 15 is a side view showing a modification of the dispensing system of the fourth embodiment. FIG. 16 is a perspective view schematically showing the dispensing system of the fifth embodiment. FIG. 17 is a side view schematically showing the dispensing system of the fifth embodiment. FIG. 18 is a side view showing a modification example of the airflow generating section in each embodiment.

[Dispensing system of first embodiment]
A first embodiment of the dispensing system will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. Note that the dispensing system of each embodiment is used, for example, to dispense a volatile liquid in an experiment in research and development.

As shown in FIG. 1, the dispensing system 1A of the first embodiment includes a discharge device 10, a weighing section 20, a cover 30, and an airflow generation section 40. The cover 30 and the airflow generator 40 are arranged on the support surface 2S provided on the support stand 2. The discharge device 10 and the weighing section 20 are located inside the cover 30. The airflow generator 40 is located outside the cover 30.

In the dispensing system 1A, the container 3 is placed on the weighing section 20 inside the cover 30. The discharge device 10 discharges the volatile liquid L into the container 3. The weighing section 20 weighs the volatile liquid L discharged into the container 3. The volatile liquid L dispensed in the dispensing system is, for example, an organic solvent. Note that the volatile liquid L may be composed of a mixture of multiple types of liquids. For example, the volatile liquid L includes one or more types of components whose vapor specific gravity is greater than 1 in a gaseous state. The volatile liquid L is, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of ethanol, methanol, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, toluene, acetone, ethyl acetate, and butyl acetate. .

The discharge device 10 includes a main body 11 , a slider 12 , and a discharge section 13 . The main body 11 includes a built-in tank for holding volatile liquid L. The slider 12 is attached to the main body 11 so as to be movable in the vertical direction (one-dimensional direction). The discharge part 13 is attached to the lower end of the slider 12. The discharge section 13 moves vertically relative to the container 3 as the slider 12 moves vertically relative to the main body 11 . The motor that drives the slider 12 is an example of a discharge section moving mechanism that moves the discharge section 13 relative to the container 3, and its operation is controlled by the control device 100. The discharge unit 13 is an electric pipette, dispenser, or syringe pump. The discharge unit 13 discharges the volatile liquid L filled in the built-in tank into the container 3. In the discharge device 10, the discharge amount of the volatile liquid L is controlled by electrically controlling the operation of the discharge section 13.

The weighing section 20 is, for example, an electronic balance. The weighing section 20 includes a weighing surface 20S on which an object to be weighed is placed. The weighing section 20 weighs the object to be weighed placed on the weighing surface 20S. The container 3 is placed on the weighing surface 20S. The weighing unit 20 measures the weight of the container 3 with the volatile liquid L discharged from the discharge device 10 based on the state in which the empty container 3 is placed on the weighing surface 20S. Weigh the discharge amount of L. The container 3 is, for example, a beaker, a bottle, or a bottle having an opening at the top. The container 3 may be made of glass, resin, or metal.

The discharge device 10 and the weighing section 20 are connected to a control device 100, for example. The control device 100 receives the measured value of the weighing section 20 and controls the operation of each section of the discharging device 10. The control device 100 includes, for example, a control section and a storage section. The control section controls the operation of each section of the ejection device 10. The control section controls the operation of each section of the discharge device 10, for example, according to the measured value of the weighing section 20. The control unit is, for example, a CPU. The storage unit stores, for example, a program for controlling the operation of each part of the ejection device 10. The storage unit is, for example, an HDD.

The cover 30 has a hollow rectangular parallelepiped shape, for example. The cover 30 is made of glass, resin, or the like. The cover 30 may be colorless and transparent, colored and transparent, or opaque. Cover 30 has a bottom wall 31 . The discharge device 10 and the weighing section 20 are arranged on the bottom wall 31 . Note that the bottom wall 31 of the cover 30 may be omitted. When the bottom wall 31 is omitted, the cover 30 is arranged to cover the discharge device 10 and the weighing section 20 arranged on the support surface 2S.

The cover 30 includes a pair of opposing side walls 32 . Of the pair of side walls 32, the side wall 32 on the airflow generating section 40 side is the first side wall 32A. The other side wall 32 of the pair of side walls 32 is the second side wall 32B. The first side wall 32A includes an exhaust port 33 located at the lower end. The second side wall 32B includes an air supply port 34 located at the lower end. The exhaust port 33 and the air supply port 34 are arranged in a straight line so that the weighing section 20 is located between them. Further, the cover 30 may include an opening/closing part in which a part of the wall constituting the cover 30 is configured to be openable and closable. For example, the cover 30 may be configured so that the side wall on the near side of the paper in FIG. 1 can be opened and closed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the exhaust port 33 and the air supply port 34 are openings located below the weighing surface 20S. Therefore, the height H1 from the bottom wall 31 to the weighing surface 20S is larger than the width W1 in the height direction at the exhaust port 33 and the width W2 in the height direction at the air supply port 34. Note that the width W1 and the width W2 may be the same or different from each other.

The volatile liquid L evaporates and changes into gas G in an environment of normal temperature and normal pressure. Gas G fills the container 3 and overflows from the container 3. At this time, since the vapor specific gravity of the gas G is greater than 1, the gas G overflowing from the container 3 flows downward inside the cover 30.

The airflow generator 40 sucks air inside the cover 30 from the exhaust port 33. Then, air flows into the cover 30 from the air supply port 34. This generates an airflow A that passes through the inside of the cover 30. After flowing into the cover 30 from the air supply port 34, the airflow A flows from the air supply port 34 toward the exhaust port 33, mainly in the space below the weighing surface 20S, and between the weighing section 20 and the cover 30. Proceed through the space between. Thereafter, the airflow A is exhausted to the outside through the exhaust port 33 and then sucked into the airflow generation section 40 . Thereby, the gas G flowing downward inside the cover 30 can be discharged to the outside by the airflow A, so that it is possible to suppress the gas G from staying inside the cover 30. The airflow A has a flow rate that does not excessively promote volatilization and does not cause the gas G to stagnate.

Here, with reference to FIG. 3, the height H1 from the bottom wall 31 to the weighing surface 20S is larger than the width W1 in the height direction at the exhaust port 33 and the width W2 in the height direction at the air supply port 34. The case where it is small will be explained. Even in this case, the gas G generated from the volatile liquid L can be discharged to the outside by the airflow A generated by the airflow generation section 40. On the other hand, the airflow A passes not only through the space below the weighing surface 20S but also through the space above the weighing surface 20S. When the airflow A passes through the space above the weighing surface 20S, fluctuations in the air on the weighing surface 20S may cause problems such as variations in the measured values by the weighing section 20 or the inability to perform measurements using the weighing section 20. be.

In this regard, in the dispensing system 1A, the airflow A mainly passes below the weighing surface 20S by arranging the exhaust port 33 and the air supply port 34 below the weighing surface 20S. Thereby, variations in the values measured by the weighing section 20 can be suppressed, so that the accuracy of weighing by the weighing section 20 can be improved.

In the dispensing method using the dispensing system 1A, first, the container 3 is placed on the weighing surface 20S inside the cover 30. The container 3 is installed, for example, through an opening/closing part provided in the cover 30. Then, the airflow A is generated by the airflow generation section 40. Note that the airflow A may be generated by the airflow generation section 40 before the container 3 is installed. Thereafter, the dispensing device 10 drives the slider 12 to bring the discharging section 13 close to the container 3, and measures the volatile liquid L in the container 3 with the weighing section 20, so that a desired amount of the volatile liquid L is measured. The volatile liquid L is discharged into the container 3 until it accumulates in the container 3. For example, the control device 100 drives the discharge unit 13 so that the volatile liquid L is discharged from the discharge unit 13 until the measured value of the weighing unit 20 reaches a desired amount. Thereafter, the slider 12 is driven to move the discharge part 13 away from the container 3. The above procedure completes the dispensing of the volatile liquid L. The container 3 into which the volatile liquid L has been dispensed is taken out, for example, through an opening/closing part provided in the cover 30.

[Effects of the first embodiment]
According to the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1-1) Since the exhaust port 33 and the air supply port 34 of the cover 30 are located below the weighing surface 20S, the airflow A generated by the airflow generating section 40 is mainly directed to the weighing surface inside the cover 30. It passes below 20S. Therefore, the airflow A generated by the airflow generator 40 suppresses the retention of the gas G in which the volatile liquid L has been volatilized inside the cover 30, and also suppresses the airflow A from having an adverse effect on the weighing amount of the weighing unit 20. can. Therefore, highly accurate weighing becomes possible.

(1-2) Since the vapor specific gravity is greater than 1 in the state of the gas G obtained by volatilizing the volatile liquid L, the gas G tends to flow downward inside the cover 30. Therefore, the airflow A generated by the airflow generator 40 can suitably suppress the retention of the gas G.

[Example of modification of the first embodiment]
Note that the first embodiment described above can be modified and implemented as follows.
- A plurality of discharge devices 10 and a plurality of weighing sections 20 may be provided inside the cover 30. In this case, the containers 3 may be installed on the weighing surface 20S of each weighing section 20, and the volatile liquid L may be dispensed into each container 3 in parallel.

- The discharge part 13 may not be moved electrically with respect to the slider 12, but may be manually moved to a predetermined position in advance in the preparation stage. Further, the ejection device 10 does not need to include the slider 12. In this case, the discharge part 13 is fixed at a predetermined position with respect to the main body part 11.

- As shown in FIG. 4, the dispensing system 1A may include a storage tank 4 separately from the dispensing device 10, instead of the main body 11 of the dispensing device 10 having a built-in tank. The storage tank 4 is, for example, a beaker, a jar or a bottle. As an example, the storage tank 4 is located inside the cover 30, but may be located outside the cover 30. The storage tank 4 holds the volatile liquid L and supplies the volatile liquid L to the discharge device 10 via the transport pipe 4A. From the viewpoint of preventing the volatile liquid L from volatilizing, the storage tank 4 is preferably configured to be airtight. The storage tank 4 may be placed on the stage S or on the bottom wall 31.

[Dispensing system of second embodiment]
A second embodiment of the dispensing system will be described below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9.
As shown in FIG. 5, the dispensing system 1B of the second embodiment includes a discharge device 50 that is different from the discharge device 10 of the first embodiment. The operation of the discharge device 50 is controlled by the control device 100 similarly to the discharge device 10.

Furthermore, in the dispensing system 1B, the storage tank 4 is arranged inside the cover 30. The storage tank 4 is placed on a stage S placed inside the cover 30, for example. The stage S is configured, for example, to have the same height as the weighing surface 20S. The storage tank 4 has a bottomed cylindrical shape with an opening at the top. Storage tank 4 holds volatile liquid L. Note that the dispensing system 1B has the same configuration as the dispensing system 1A of the first embodiment with respect to parts other than the above.

The discharge device 50 includes two pillars 51, a rail section 52, a slider 53, and a discharge section 54. The two pillars 51 are fixed to the support base 2 outside the cover 30. The two pillars 51 extend in the vertical direction. The rail portion 52 passes through the first side wall 32A and the second side wall 32B of the cover 30, and connects the two support columns 51 near their upper ends.

The slider 53 is suspended and supported by the rail portion 52. The slider 53 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction with respect to the rail portion 52, for example, by driving a motor. The movement path when the slider 53 moves horizontally may be determined by the arrangement of the rail portions 52, and may be, for example, a one-dimensional direction or a two-dimensional direction.

The discharge part 54 is provided at the tip of the slider 53. The discharge section 54 moves in a two-dimensional direction or a three-dimensional direction by movement of the slider 53 with respect to the rail section 52. In other words, the rail portion 52 and the motor that drives the slider 53 with respect to the rail portion 52 are an example of a discharge portion moving mechanism. The discharge section 54, like the discharge section 13, is an electric pipette or dispenser. The discharge part 54 sucks the volatile liquid L in the storage tank 4. The discharge unit 54 discharges the sucked volatile liquid L into the container 3.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the dispensing method using the dispensing system 1B of the second embodiment, first, an empty container 3 is placed on the weighing surface 20S inside the cover 30. Furthermore, a storage tank 4 is installed on the stage S. The container 3 and the storage tank 4 are installed, for example, through an opening/closing part provided in the cover 30. At this time, the volatile liquid L inside the storage tank 4 evaporates and changes into gas G. Gas G fills the storage tank 4 and overflows from the storage tank 4. At this time, since the vapor specific gravity of the gas G is greater than 1, the gas G overflowing from the storage tank 4 flows downward inside the cover 30.

Next, the gas G inside the cover 30 is discharged to the outside of the cover 30 by generating the air flow A by the air flow generating section 40 . Note that the airflow A may be generated by the airflow generator 40 before the container 3 and the storage tank 4 are installed. After moving the slider 53 above the storage tank 4 along the rail portion 52, the slider 53 is moved downward to a position where the discharge portion 54 contacts the volatile liquid L in the storage tank 4. Thereafter, after a required amount of volatile liquid L is sucked by the discharge section 54, the slider 53 is moved upward again.

As shown in FIG. 7, the slider 53 is then moved above the container 3 along the rail section 52, and then the slider 53 is moved downward to bring the container 3 and the discharge section 54 closer together. Thereafter, the discharge section 54 discharges the sucked volatile liquid L while measuring the volatile liquid L in the container 3 using the weighing section 20 until a desired amount of volatile liquid L is accumulated in the container 3. Finally, the slider 53 is moved upward again. The above procedure completes the dispensing of the volatile liquid L. The container 3 into which the volatile liquid L has been dispensed is taken out, for example, through an opening/closing part provided in the cover 30.

[Effects of second embodiment]
According to the second embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(2-1) The dispensing system 1B of the second embodiment includes a discharge section moving mechanism for moving the discharge section 54 in at least two-dimensional directions, such as the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. This makes it possible to perform an operation such as sucking the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4 by the discharge part 54 and then moving the discharge part 54 to discharge the volatile liquid L into the container 3. Further, in the dispensing system 1B, effects similar to the above (1-1) and (1-2) can be obtained.

[Example of modification of second embodiment]
Note that the second embodiment described above can be modified and implemented as follows.
- As shown in FIG. 8, the entire discharge device 50 may be located inside the cover 30. With such a configuration, the rail portion 52 does not need to penetrate the cover 30, so the configuration of the cover 30 can be simplified.

- As shown in FIG. 8, the dispensing system 1B of the second embodiment may include a plurality of weighing units 20. In this case, a container 3 may be installed in each weighing section 20. With such a configuration, after the discharge part 54 sucks the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4, the volatile liquid L can be dispensed into the plurality of containers 3. Moreover, after arranging the storage tank 4 outside the cover 30, a transport tube for discharging the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4 to the discharge section 54 may be provided along the rail section 52 and the slider 53. In this case, the process of the discharge unit 54 sucking the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4 can be omitted, and the volatile liquid L can be further dispensed into the plurality of containers 3.

- The dispensing system 1B of the second embodiment may include a plurality of storage tanks 4. In this case, each storage tank 4 may hold a different type of volatile liquid L. With such a configuration, a plurality of types of volatile liquids L can be mixed and dispensed into one container 3. Note that the dispensing system 1B of the second embodiment may include a plurality of containers 3 and a plurality of storage tanks 4. In this case, for example, different types of volatile liquids L can be dispensed into each container 3.

- As shown in FIG. 9, the dispensing system 1B of the second embodiment may include a discharging device 60 having an arm portion 61 instead of the discharging device 50. A discharge section 62 is provided at the tip of the arm section 61 . The arm part 61 is configured to be movable in three dimensions so that the discharge part 62 can discharge the volatile liquid L into the container 3 after the discharge part 62 sucks the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4 . The arm 61 is an example of a discharge section moving mechanism. The operation of the discharge device 60 is controlled by the control device 100 similarly to the discharge device 50. Even with such a configuration, the above effect (2-1) can be obtained. Further, after the discharge part 62 discharges the volatile liquid L into the container 3, by bringing the tip of the discharge part 62 into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the container 3, the volatile liquid L remaining at the tip of the discharge part 62 can be removed. This can prevent unexpected falls. Thereby, it is possible to further improve the weighing accuracy and prevent contamination within the apparatus due to falling of the volatile liquid L during movement of the discharge section 62.

[Dispensing system of third embodiment]
A third embodiment of the dispensing system will be described below with reference to FIGS. 10 to 11.
As shown in FIG. 10, the dispensing system 1C of the third embodiment includes the same discharge device 10, weighing section 20, cover 30, and airflow generating section 40 as in the first embodiment. In the dispensing system 1C, a container 3 and a storage tank 4 are installed on a stage S located inside a cover 30. Note that a description of the configuration similar to that of the first embodiment will be omitted.

The dispensing system 1C further includes a transport device 70 that is an example of a container transport mechanism that moves the containers 3. The transport device 70 includes an arm section 71 and a holding section 72 located at the tip of the arm section 71. The arm portion 71 is configured to be movable in three dimensions. The holding unit 72 performs an operation of grasping and holding the container 3 and an operation of releasing the holding of the container 3 through electrical control. The conveying device 70 moves the holding part 72 by driving the arm part 71 with the holding part 72 holding the container 3, and then the holding part 72 releases the holding of the container 3, thereby moving the container 3. move it. Note that, like the container 3, the holding part 72 is configured to be movable in the storage tank 4. The operation of the transport device 70 is controlled by a control device 100.

In the dispensing method using the dispensing system 1C of the third embodiment, first, the empty container 3 and the storage tank 4 are installed on the stage S inside the cover 30. The container 3 and the storage tank 4 are installed, for example, through an opening/closing part provided in the cover 30. Next, the airflow generation section 40 generates the airflow A. Note that the airflow A may be generated by the airflow generator 40 before the container 3 and the storage tank 4 are installed. After the storage tank 4 is moved to the weighing surface 20S by the transport device 70, the discharge device 10 is driven and the volatile liquid L in the storage tank 4 is sucked by the discharge unit 13. Thereafter, the storage tank 4 is moved onto the stage S again by the transport device 70.

Subsequently, after the empty container 3 is moved to the weighing surface 20S by the transport device 70, the discharge device 10 is driven to discharge the volatile liquid L from the discharge section 13 into the container 3. Thereafter, the container 3 containing the volatile liquid L is moved onto the stage S by the transport device 70 again. The above procedure completes the dispensing of the volatile liquid L. The container 3 into which the volatile liquid L has been dispensed is taken out, for example, through an opening/closing part provided in the cover 30. Note that a plurality of containers 3 may be placed on the stage S in advance, and then the plurality of containers 3 may be sequentially placed on the weighing surface 20S to perform dispensing.

[Effects of third embodiment]
According to the third embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(3-1) Since the dispensing system 1C of the third embodiment includes the transport device 70, the container 3 and the storage tank 4 can be moved inside the cover 30. Further, in the dispensing system 1C, effects similar to the above (1-1) and (1-2) can be obtained.

[Example of modification of third embodiment]
Note that the third embodiment described above can be modified and implemented as follows.
- Although the configuration in which the storage tank 4 is installed inside the cover 30 has been illustrated, a built-in tank that holds the volatile liquid L may be provided in the main body 11 of the discharge device 10 instead of the storage tank 4. In this case, the holding portion 72 may have any configuration as long as it can hold at least the container 3.

- As shown in FIG. 11, a transport device 80 that moves the weighing section 20 and the stage S may be used instead of the transport device 70 that includes the arm section 71 and the holding section 72. The transport device 80 is an example of a weighing section moving mechanism that moves the weighing section 20 and an example of a container transporting mechanism that moves the container 3. The transport device 80 includes a rail for moving the weighing section 20 and the stage S. The rail may extend in one dimension or in two dimensions. The rail is arranged so that the stage S and the weighing section 20 can pass below the discharge section 13. The transport device 80 moves the container 3 placed on the weighing section 20 by moving the weighing section 20 along the rail. The transport device 80 moves the storage tank 4 placed on the stage S by moving the stage S along the rails. The operation of the transport device 80 is controlled by a control device 100. Even with such a configuration, the effect (3-1) above can be obtained.

- The dispensing system 1C of the third embodiment may include a plurality of containers 3 similarly to the modification of the second embodiment. In this case, after the discharge unit 13 sucks the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4, the volatile liquid L can be dispensed into the plurality of containers 3. Further, the dispensing system 1C may include a plurality of storage tanks 4. In this case, each storage tank 4 may hold a different type of volatile liquid L. With such a configuration, a plurality of types of volatile liquids L can be mixed and dispensed into one container 3. Note that the dispensing system 1C may include a plurality of containers 3 and a plurality of storage tanks 4. In this case, for example, different types of volatile liquids L can be dispensed into each container 3.

[Dispensing system of fourth embodiment]
A fourth embodiment of the dispensing system will be described below with reference to FIGS. 12 to 15.
As shown in FIG. 12, the dispensing system 1D of the fourth embodiment includes a weighing section 20, an airflow generating section 40, and a discharge device 50 similar to those of the second embodiment. In the dispensing system 1D, the cover 30 includes a window 35 located on the upper wall of the cover 30 and a shutter 36 that closes the window 35. The window portion 35 is located, for example, directly above the weighing surface 20S. The window portion 35 has a size that allows the slider 53 and the discharge portion 54 to be inserted therethrough. The shutter 36 switches between a state in which the window portion 35 is open and a state in which the window portion 35 is closed. The opening and closing of the window portion 35 by the shutter 36 is, for example, an electric slide, but may also be a rotation using a hinge or the like. Since the cover 30 includes the window 35 and the shutter 36, the air inside the cover 30 can be ventilated through the window 35 by opening the window 35 before and after weighing, for example.

In the dispensing system 1D, the container 3 is installed on the weighing surface 20S of the weighing section 20 located inside the cover 30. In the dispensing system 1D, the storage tank 4 is installed on the stage S located outside the cover 30. In the dispensing system 1D, the discharge device 50 is configured such that the discharge section 54 can move inside and outside the cover 30 through the window section 35 in an open state. Note that a description of the configuration similar to that of the second embodiment will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 13, in the dispensing method using the dispensing system 1D of the fourth embodiment, first, an empty container 3 is placed on the weighing surface 20S inside the cover 30. The container 3 is installed, for example, through an opening/closing part provided in the cover 30. Next, the airflow generation section 40 generates the airflow A. Note that the airflow A may be generated by the airflow generation section 40 before the container 3 is installed. Then, the shutter 36 is moved to open the window portion 35. In this state, after the slider 53 is driven to suck the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4, the slider 53 and the discharge part 54 are inserted into the cover 30 through the window part 35. Subsequently, the volatile liquid L is discharged from the discharge section 54 into the container 3. Thereafter, the slider 53 is driven again to move the slider 53 and the discharge part 54 from the window part 35 to the outside of the cover 30. Finally, the shutter 36 is moved to close the window 35, thereby completing the dispensing of the volatile liquid L.

Note that when the window section 35 is open, the measurement accuracy of the weighing section 20 may be reduced due to turbulence in the airflow A. In this case, after discharging the volatile liquid L, the discharge section 54 is moved from the window section 35 to the outside of the cover 30, and then the desired volatile liquid L is poured into the container 3 with the window section 35 closed by the shutter 36. You may also confirm that it has been dispensed. Further, a configuration may be provided for exhausting the gas G generated from the volatile liquid L in the storage tank 4 located outside the cover 30.

[Effects of the fourth embodiment]
According to the fourth embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.
(4-1) Since the cover 30 includes the window portion 35 and the shutter 36, the air inside the cover 30 can be appropriately ventilated before and after weighing. Then, gas having a vapor specific gravity smaller than 1 that exists within the cover 30 can be discharged from above. Further, in the dispensing system 1D, effects similar to the above (1-1), (1-2), and (2-1) can be obtained.

(4-2) The discharge part 54 is configured to be movable inside and outside the cover 30 through the open window part 35, so that after discharging the volatile liquid L into the container 3, the discharge part 54 can be moved. It can be moved to the outside of the cover 30. Thereby, the time during which the discharge portion 54 is exposed to the gas G in which the volatile liquid L is volatilized can be shortened. Thereby, contamination of the discharge part 54 by the gas G can be suppressed.

[Example of modification of the fourth embodiment]
Note that the fourth embodiment described above can be modified and implemented as follows.
- Although the configuration has been illustrated in which the discharge part 54 sucks the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4 located outside the cover 30, the transport tube for discharging the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4 to the discharge part 54 is connected to the rail part 52. It may also be provided along the slider 53. In this case, the step of the discharge part 54 sucking the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4 can be omitted.

- As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the cover 30 may include a plurality of windows 35 and a plurality of shutters 36. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 14, the stage S and the storage tank 4 are arranged inside the cover 30, and a window 35 and a shutter 36 are also provided above the storage tank 4. In the case of such a configuration, by moving the discharge part 54 into the cover 30 from the window part 35 located at the upper part of the storage tank 4, the volatile liquid L held by the storage tank 4 is sucked by the discharge part 54. . Then, by moving the discharge part 54 into the cover 30 from the window part 35 located at the upper part of the container 3, the volatile liquid L is discharged into the container 3 by the discharge part 54. For example, in the example of FIG. 15, a discharge device 60 including an arm portion 61 and a discharge portion 62 is used instead of the discharge device 50. Even with such a configuration, effects similar to (4-1) and (4-2) can be obtained.

- In the dispensing system 1D, the ejection device 10 disposed inside the cover 30 may be used instead of the ejection device 50. In this case, the discharge device 10 does not have a configuration in which the discharge section 13 moves in and out of the cover 30 through the window section 35. Even with such a configuration, the effect (4-1) above can be obtained.

- The dispensing system 1D of the fourth embodiment may include a plurality of containers 3 similarly to the modification of the second embodiment. In this case, after the discharge unit 54 sucks the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4, the volatile liquid L can be dispensed into the plurality of containers 3. Further, the dispensing system 1D may include a plurality of storage tanks 4. In this case, each storage tank 4 may hold a different type of volatile liquid L. With such a configuration, a plurality of types of volatile liquids L can be mixed and dispensed into one container 3. Note that the dispensing system 1D may include a plurality of containers 3 and a plurality of storage tanks 4. In this case, for example, different types of volatile liquids L can be dispensed into each container 3.

[Dispensing system of the fifth embodiment]
A fifth embodiment of the dispensing system will be described below with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17.
As shown in FIG. 16, the dispensing system 1E of the fifth embodiment includes the same discharge device 10, weighing section 20, cover 30, and airflow generating section 40 as in the first embodiment. The cover 30 is an example of a first cover that covers both the discharge device 10 and the weighing section 20. The dispensing system 1E further includes an inner cover 90. The inner cover 90 is an example of a second cover that covers the weighing section 20 inside the cover 30.

The inner cover 90 includes a side wall 91 that covers the side surface of the weighing section 20, and an upper wall 92 that covers the weighing surface 20S. The upper wall 92 is located above the weighing surface 20S and below the opening located at the top of the container 3, and is spaced apart from the weighing surface 20S. The upper wall 92 includes a hole 92A that is a through hole large enough to allow the container 3 to be placed on the weighing surface 20S. The container 3 is placed on the weighing surface 20S through the hole 92A. The weighing surface 20S is covered by an upper wall 92 leaving a portion where the container 3 is placed.

As shown in FIG. 17, when the specific gravity of the gas G obtained by volatilizing the volatile liquid L is large, the gas G overflowing from the container 3 flows toward the weighing surface 20S located below. At this time, by covering the weighing surface 20S with the inner cover 90, retention of the gas G on the weighing surface 20S can be suppressed. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the weighing section 20 from being contaminated by the gas G. Furthermore, it is possible to suppress splashes and droplets of the volatile liquid L or other foreign substances such as dust from adhering to the weighing surface 20S. In addition, it is possible to suppress adverse effects on weighing, such as variations in measurement results of the weighing section 20 caused by gas G remaining on the weighing surface 20S. In addition, by covering the weighing section 20 from the side and above with the inner cover 90, variations in measured values due to air fluctuations caused by the airflow A inside the cover 30 are less likely to occur.

[Effects of the fifth embodiment]
According to the fifth embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(5-1) By covering the weighing surface 20S with the inner cover 90, the weighing section 20 can be prevented from being contaminated by the gas G. Furthermore, it is possible to suppress splashes and droplets of the volatile liquid L or other foreign substances such as dust from adhering to the weighing surface 20S. Further, it is possible to suppress the adverse effect on the weighing capacity of the weighing section 20 due to air fluctuations caused by the gas G and the airflow A. Further, in the dispensing system 1E, effects similar to the above (1-1) and (1-2) can be obtained.

[Example of modification of fifth embodiment]
Note that the fifth embodiment described above can be modified and implemented as follows.
- In the fifth embodiment, in addition to the configuration of the dispensing system 1A of the first embodiment, the configuration further includes an inner cover 90, but in the second to fourth embodiments, the configuration of the inner cover 90 is also the same. Applicable. Furthermore, a cover member for covering the electronic device disposed inside the cover 30 may also be provided. In this case, the cover member may have the same configuration as the hole 92A, but the hole 92A is provided at a higher position than the weighing surface 20S from the viewpoint of preventing gas G from entering the inside of the cover member. It is preferable that

- The inner cover 90 may include a plurality of support parts that support the upper wall 92 instead of the side wall 91. In this case, a space is provided between the plurality of support parts through which the airflow A can pass. Even with such a configuration, by covering the weighing surface 20S with the upper wall 92, retention of the gas G on the weighing surface 20S can be suppressed.

[Example of modification of the first to fifth embodiments]
The first to fifth embodiments described above can be modified and implemented as follows.
- As shown in FIG. 18, the airflow generating section 40 may generate the airflow A by feeding air inside the cover 30. In this case, of the pair of side walls 32 of the cover 30 , the first side wall 32</b>A on the side of the airflow generating section 40 includes an air supply port 34 through which the airflow A flows out from the cover 30 . Further, the second side wall 32B includes an exhaust port 33 that takes in the airflow A into the inside of the cover 30. The airflow generator 40 generates an airflow A that passes through the inside of the cover 30 by blowing air toward the air supply port 34 . Therefore, the airflow A flows from the air supply port 34 toward the exhaust port 33 inside the cover 30 . In this way, the airflow generating section 40 may have any configuration as long as it generates the airflow A inside the cover 30 from either the exhaust port 33 or the air supply port 34. Even with such a configuration, the same effects as in (1-1) and (1-2) above can be obtained. Furthermore, the airflow generating section 40 blows air toward the air supply port 34, thereby creating a positive pressure inside the cover 30. Therefore, volatilization of the volatile liquid L is relatively suppressed compared to, for example, when the air inside the cover 30 is sucked and the inside of the cover 30 becomes a negative pressure. Note that when the airflow A is generated by suctioning the air inside the cover 30, the flow path of the airflow A can be easily controlled because the air inside the cover 30 is actively exhausted. Therefore, the gas G can be exhausted to the outside of the cover 30 more reliably.

- The volatile liquid L may be composed of a component whose vapor specific gravity is 1 or less in the state of the gas G. In this case, for example, the inside of the cover 30 may be filled with a gas having a lower specific gravity than the gas G, so that the gas G flows downward. Note that if the volatile liquid L is in the state of gas G and has a vapor specific gravity greater than 1, the dispensing process is simplified as there is no need to fill the inside of the cover 30 with a gas having a specific gravity smaller than that of gas G. can be converted into

- The cover 30 does not need to be provided with the exhaust port 33 and the air supply port 34 separately, and the exhaust port 33 and the air supply port 34 may be one continuous opening. For example, an opening connecting the exhaust port 33 and the air supply port 34 may be provided in one side wall connecting the first side wall 32A and the second side wall 32B. That is, the cover 30 can generate the airflow A that passes through the inside of the cover 30 from below the weighing surface 20S, and if the airflow A passes below the weighing surface 20S inside the cover 30, good.

- The size and shape of the cover 30 are not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped shape, but may be any shape. For example, the cover 30 may have a hollow cylindrical shape or a dome shape such as a hemispherical shape.

[Example]
Examples and comparative examples will be described below. Note that the following examples are examples for explaining the effects of the above embodiments, and do not limit the present invention.

[Example 1]
In Example 1, a precision electronic balance (product name: MS304S, manufactured by METTLER TOLEDO Co., Ltd.) was installed as the weighing section 20 on the support stand 2. The height H1 from the support surface 2S to the weighing surface 20S was 80 mm. Further, a beaker was placed as a container 3 on the weighing surface 20S. Then, a cover 30 made of an acrylic plate was installed to cover the front, left, right, and upper portions of the weighing section 20 and the container 3. The outer dimensions of the cover 30 were 400 x 400 x 400 (mm). Further, the width W1 of the exhaust port 33 of the cover 30 and the width W2 of the air supply port 34 were both 30 mm. The airflow generating section 40 was arranged on the exhaust port 33 side similarly to the configuration shown in FIG. The airflow generator 40 used a mechanism that sucked the air inside the cover 30 so that the wind speed was 0.9 m/Sec. In this state, dry ice (vapor specific gravity: 1.6 g/cm ³ ) was placed in the beaker, and then water was poured to generate white gas. At this time, the presence or absence of retention of white gas and the magnitude of the fluctuation of the measured value of the weighing section 20 were evaluated.

Regarding the amplitude of the measured value of the weighing unit 20, when the amplitude was less than 0.005 g, the amplitude was judged to be small (◯), and when it was 0.005 g or more, the amplitude was judged to be large (×). Regarding the presence or absence of white gas retention, the case where the gas generated from the dry ice was ventilated from around the weighing section 20 and the container 3 was judged as "○". Moreover, the case where the gas generated from the dry ice remained around the weighing part 20 and the container 3 was determined as "x".

[Comparative example 1]
In Comparative Example 1, the width W1 of the exhaust port 33 and the width W2 of the air supply port 34 of the cover 30 were both 80 mm, the same as the height H1 from the support surface 2S to the weighing surface 20S. The same evaluation as in Example 1 was performed with the other conditions being the same as in Example 1.

[Comparative example 2]
In Comparative Example 2, air around the weighing section 20 and the container 3 was directly sucked by the airflow generating section 40 without providing the cover 30. The same evaluation as in Example 1 was performed with the other conditions being the same as in Example 1.

[Comparative example 3]
In Comparative Example 3, the cover 30 constituted a closed space without providing the exhaust port 33 and the air supply port 34 in the cover 30. Although the airflow generation section 40 is disposed outside the cover 30, the suction by the airflow generation section 40 does not act on the gas inside the cover 30. The same evaluation as in Example 1 was performed with the other conditions being the same as in Example 1.

[Comparative example 4]
In Comparative Example 4, the width W1 of the exhaust port 33 and the width W2 of the air supply port 34 of the cover 30 were both set to 90 mm, which was larger than the height H1 from the support surface 2S to the weighing surface 20S. The same evaluation as in Example 1 was performed with the other conditions being the same as in Example 1.

[Comparative example 5]
In Comparative Example 5, the airflow generating section 40 was not provided. The same evaluation as in Example 1 was performed with the other conditions being the same as in Example 1. Table 1 shows the evaluation results of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5.

As shown in Table 1, in Example 1, white gas was discharged from the exhaust port 33, so that no retention of white gas occurred (◯). Further, the fluctuation width of the measured value of the weighing section 20 was about 0.002 g (◯).

On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1, the white gas was discharged from the exhaust port 33, so no retention of white gas occurred (○), but the amplitude of the measurement value of the weighing section 20 was 0. It was about .008g (×).

In Comparative Example 2, the white gas was diffused from around the container 3 and the weighing section 20 by the air flow A, and no retention of white gas occurred (◯). However, in the case of diffusion, the diffused gas G may have an adverse effect on surrounding electronic equipment. In this regard, diffusion of the gas G can be suppressed by ventilation through rectification using the cover 30. Further, the fluctuation width of the measured value of the weighing section 20 was about 0.008 g (x).

In Comparative Example 3, since the inside of the cover 30 was a closed space, retention of white gas occurred (x). Further, the fluctuation width of the measured value of the weighing section 20 was about 0.001 g (◯).
In Comparative Example 4, the white gas was discharged from the exhaust port 33, so that no retention of white gas occurred (○), but the amplitude of the measurement value of the weighing section 20 was about 0.120 g. It was (×).

In Comparative Example 5, since there was no mechanism for actively generating airflow A inside the cover 30, retention of white gas occurred (×). Further, the fluctuation width of the measured value of the weighing section 20 was about 0.002 g (◯).

From the above, in Comparative Examples 1 to 5, either stagnation occurred or the amplitude of the weighing value increased. Therefore, it was confirmed that safe and highly accurate weighing can be performed by dispensing using the cover 30 having the exhaust port 33 and the air supply port 34 below the weighing surface 20S.

A... Air flow G... Gas L... Volatile liquid S... Stage 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E... Dispensing system 3... Container 4... Storage tank 10, 50, 60... Discharge device 13, 54, 62... Discharge section 20...Weighing part 20S...Weighing surface 30...Cover 32...Side surface 33...Exhaust port 34...Air supply port 35...Window part 36...Shutter 40...Airflow generation part 70, 80...Transport device 90...Inner cover 100...Control device

Claims (8)

a weighing section that weighs a weighing object placed on a weighing surface;
a discharge unit that discharges a volatile liquid into a container placed on the weighing surface;
a cover that covers the weighing section and the container, the cover having an opening located below the weighing surface;
an airflow generating section located outside the cover and generating an airflow passing through the inside of the cover from the opening,
The dispensing system, wherein the airflow passes below the weighing surface inside the cover. The dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein the liquid includes one or more types of components having a vapor specific gravity greater than 1 in a gaseous state. The dispensing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the airflow generator generates the airflow by blowing air toward the opening. The dispensing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the airflow generating section generates the airflow by sucking air inside the cover from the opening. 3. The cover includes a window located on an upper wall of the cover, and a shutter capable of switching between a state in which the window is open and a state in which the window is closed. dispensing system. The dispensing system according to claim 5, wherein the discharge section is configured to be movable in and out of the cover through the window section in an open state. The cover is a first cover,
The dispensing system further includes a second cover that covers the weighing surface inside the first cover,
The dispensing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second cover includes a hole large enough to allow the container to be placed on the weighing surface. Place the container on the weighing surface of the weighing section located inside the cover,
Generating an airflow that passes below the weighing surface inside the cover from the opening provided in the cover and located below the weighing surface,
Discharging a volatile liquid into the container,
A dispensing method comprising weighing the liquid discharged into the container.

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