JP2574915Y2 - Barcode reader for test tubes - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bar code reader for a test tube containing a biological sample such as blood or urine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a bar code is attached to the outer surface of a test tube to identify its contents and the like. The bar code of the test tube is read by a reading device when the test tube is held on a rack and transported on a base plate of an inspection device. However, if the barcode attached to the test tube has a printing defect such as a missing part, or if the barcode has dust or is wrinkled, the barcode may not be read. was there.

[0003] Therefore, various proposals have been made in order to improve the barcode reading rate of such a test tube. For example, as disclosed in JP-A-57-199958 and JP-A-2-27566, a test tube is rotated at a reading position or in front of the reading position so that the barcode is directed to a reading device, As disclosed in JP-A-138789 and JP-A-4-172251, the same barcode is read twice. However, these require an additional mechanism such as a rotation driving means, and have a problem that the structure is complicated and expensive.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-158893 discloses a test tube in which a bar code is attached to the entire outer periphery of a test tube. In this manner, the test tube is held so as to prevent the rotation of the test tube during the subsequent transportation. However, these methods have a problem that reading is impossible if there is printing failure, dust, dirt, wrinkles, or the like at the irradiation position of the reading light.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a bar code reader capable of completely reading a bar code attached to a test tube with a simple structure. It is intended to do so.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a bar code reader for reading bar codes of test tubes which are linearly or annularly held in a row in a test tube rack. While the rack is being conveyed on the base plate in the direction of the test tube row, the test tube contacts the pressure contact means fixed to the base plate at the reading position, and rotates in the reading direction in the same direction as the conveyance direction. It was made. In addition, the present invention provides a bar code reader that reads a bar code of each test tube held in a line in a straight line or an annular shape on a test tube rack, and a test tube rack is provided with a plurality of rollers that are pressed against each test tube, While the test tube rack is being conveyed on the base plate in the direction of the test tube row, the roller is brought into contact with the pressing means fixed to the base plate at the reading position and rotated, so that the test tube is conveyed on the reading side. It is designed to rotate in the same direction as the direction.

[0007]

When the pressing means contacts the test tube or the roller at the reading position, the test tube rotates on the reading side in the same direction as the transport direction. When viewed from the reading side, the bar code attached to the test tube becomes the test tube. It moves at the speed obtained by adding the rotation speed of the test tube to the transport speed of the rack. For this reason, the reading light of the reading light irradiation device is applied to a wide range of the bar code, so that the bar code is reliably read.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 show a test tube rack 1 for holding a test tube provided with a bar code which is read by the reader according to the present invention. The test tube rack 1 includes a base portion 2 and the base portion. 2 and a holding portion 3 having a C-shaped cross section standing upright. A U-shaped notch 4 is provided at the lower end of the holding unit 3, and a roller 5 is mounted in the notch 4. The axis of the roller 6 is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the test tube 6 held by the holding unit 3, and the outer peripheral surface of the roller 6 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the test tube 6.

In this test tube rack 1, a plurality of test tubes 6 from which biological samples such as blood and urine are collected are held in a straight line. A portion of each test tube 6 protruding from the holding portion 3 is provided with a bar code 7 for identifying a sample number or the like. The test tube rack 1 holding these test tubes 6 is:
The bar code 7 is placed on a base plate of an inspection device (not shown in detail), is conveyed on a predetermined conveyance path, and passes through a reading light irradiation device 8 and a pressure spring 9 as shown in FIG. It is supposed to be.

The reading light irradiating device 8 is installed on one side of the transport path (the same side as the roller 5) and the test tube 6 to be transported.
The bar code 7 is illuminated with reading light to read the displayed content. The pressure contact spring 9 is arranged on the same side as the reading light irradiating device 8 and presses against the roller 5 of the transported test tube rack 1.

When the test tube rack 1 holding the test tube 6 passes through the position of the reading light irradiation device 8 and the pressure contact spring 9 while being conveyed in the direction of arrow A in FIG. Therefore, as the test tube rack 1 is transported in the direction of arrow A, the roller 5 rotates in the direction of arrow B, and at the same time, the test tube 6 pressed against the roller 5 rotates in the direction of arrow C. The rotation direction C of the test tube 6 is the same as the transport direction A of the test tube rack 1 when viewed from the reading light irradiation device 8 side.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the bar code attached to the test tube 6 has a speed obtained by adding the rotation speed of the test tube 6 to the transport speed of the test tube rack 1 as viewed from the reading light irradiation device 8. To move in the direction of arrow C. For this reason, the peripheral surface of the test tube 6 which is irradiated while passing through the irradiation position of the reading light becomes wide, and the first irradiated portion has poor printing,
Even if there is dust or wrinkles, a new peripheral surface appears immediately, so that the barcode can be read reliably.

As in the above embodiment, the reading light irradiation device 8
If the pressure contact spring 9 and the pressure contact spring 9 are on the same side, the roller 5 may be provided on the test tube rack 1. However, if the reading light irradiation device 8 and the pressure contact spring 9 cannot be provided on the same side, as shown in FIG. Then, the pressure contact spring 9 may be brought into direct contact with the test tube 6 without providing a roller. Thereby, from the reading side, the rotation direction C ′ of the test tube 6 becomes the same as the transport direction,
The same effect as the above embodiment can be obtained.

In the test tube rack 1 of the embodiment, the test tubes 6 are held linearly in a line and conveyed linearly. As shown in FIG. The present invention is also applicable to a circular test tube rack 1a that holds the test tube rack 1a in a row. In this case, generally, the reading light irradiation device 8 and the pressure contact spring 9
Is placed outside the test tube rack 1a due to space limitations, the roller 5 is provided on the test tube rack 1a, and the rotation direction C of the test tube 6 on the reading side is changed to the test tube rack 1a.
In the same direction as the transfer direction A.

[0015]

As apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, according to the present invention, the test tube rotates in the same direction as the transport direction on the reading side by the pressure contact means, and moves faster than the transport speed when viewed from the reading side. Because the reading light is applied to a wide area of the barcode, the barcode can be read reliably even if a part of the barcode has printing defects, dust, wrinkles, etc., and the reading rate is improved. Have.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a test tube rack read by a reader according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the test tube rack shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a right side view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line II of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 showing movement of a roller and a test tube.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the movement of a test tube rack without rollers.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... test tube rack, 5 ... roller, 6 ... test tube,
7: bar code, 8: reading light irradiation device, 9: press-contact spring (press-contact means).

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-59-191676 (JP, A) JP-A-50-151550 (JP, A) JP-A-4-63065 (JP, U) JP-A-2-27566 (JP) , U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G06K 7/10 G01N 35/02 G01N 35/04

Claims (2)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A bar code reader for reading bar codes of test tubes held linearly or annularly in a row in a test tube rack, wherein the test tube rack is conveyed on a base plate in a row of test tubes. A bar code reader for a test tube, wherein the test tube comes into contact with a pressing means fixed to the base plate at the reading position to rotate in the same direction as the transport direction on the reading side. 2. A bar code reader for reading bar codes of test tubes held in a line in a straight line or in an annular shape on a test tube rack. While the tube rack is being conveyed on the base plate in the direction of the test tube row, the roller is brought into contact with the pressing means fixed to the base plate at the reading position and rotated, so that the test tube is moved in the conveying direction on the reading side. The barcode reader for a test tube according to claim 1, wherein the barcode reader is rotated in the same direction as the above.