JP2865666B2 - Sample container identification device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a sample container identification device used for an automatic analyzer. [Related Art] A sample disk provided in a conventional automatic analyzer is a disk-shaped upper holding member provided with a large number of loading holes along a circumference for inserting a sample container such as a test tube. And a lower holding member for receiving the bottom of the arranged sample containers. A barcode label for specimen identification is attached to the outer wall of the sample container, and the sample container is inserted into the container loading hole of the sample disk. When a sample container with a small outer diameter is used, it is conceivable to fit a cylindrical adapter into the container loading hole of the sample disk and then insert the small-diameter sample container into the adapter. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] When identifying a small number of samples using a barcode label with a small amount of information, if the label is attached in the middle of the length of the sample container, it is arranged outside the sample disk. The bar code can be read by the bar code reader.
However, if a long barcode label with a large amount of information is to be affixed to many sample containers, such a barcode label will be present near the upper end of the sample container,
When the sample container is mounted on the sample disk, the barcode label is shielded by the outer skirt portion of the sample disk, and the code cannot be read from the outside. Further, when a sample adapter having a diameter smaller than that of a normal sample container is used, when a cylindrical adapter is provided on the sample disk, the middle of the long barcode label is shielded by the adapter, so that an external code cannot be read. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a sample container identification device that can reliably read an identification code even when using a small-diameter sample container having a long identification code label attached to an outer wall. [Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a rotatable upper container holding portion having a plurality of sample container insertion portions, and a rotatable upper container holding portion which is rotated together with the upper container holding portion to hold the bottom of each sample container. A sample disk having a lower container holding portion is provided, and a rotation preventing member is provided on the lower container holding portion for contacting the mounted sample container to prevent rotation of the sample container. In the sample container identification device configured to be identified by the identification code reading device in a state where the sample container with the code label is mounted on the sample disk, the upper container holding portion of the sample disk is provided with the sample container insertion portion. A gap is formed that can read the identification code on the inserted sample container,
The sample disk includes a container inclination preventing member having a gap formed therein for reading an identification code on the sample container. The identification code reader includes an open area between the upper container holding portion and the lower container holding portion of the sample disk. The identification code is arranged to be read through a gap between the container holding portion and a gap between the container inclination preventing members. [Operation] Since the gap is formed outward in the upper container holding portion of the sample disk, the identification code on the outer wall of the sample container can be read from the outside. The container inclination preventing member provided on the sample disk is also formed so that the identification code on the outer wall of the sample container can be read from the outside. Since the reading area of the identification code reading device extends over the open area between the upper container holding section and the lower container holding section, the gap between the upper container holding section and the gap between the container inclination preventing members, the identification code label is provided. Is extended to near the upper end of the sample container, the identification code of the long label on the outer wall of the sample container is read by the identification code reader without being shielded by the upper container holding portion and the container inclination preventing member. Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. The sample disk shown in FIG. 1 has a sample disk main body 10 having a disk-shaped portion (upper container holding portion) having a number of sample container insertion holes 14 and a lower container holding portion attached to the main body leg 13. And a container rotation preventing device 30 attached to the bottom plate 20. A barcode label 2 attached to the outer wall of the test tube 200 as a sample container in the longitudinal direction
10 is extended to the vicinity of the upper end of the test tube as shown in the figure, and the identification code of the sample is read from a bar code reader 300 as an example of an identification code reader placed outside the sample disk body 10. Disk body 10
The notch 11 is provided in the sample container insertion hole 14 provided above from the sample disk outer peripheral skirt portion. Since the notch 11 is formed in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 3, it functions as a gap for reading the identification code. When the sample disk on which the test tube is mounted is set in the automatic analyzer, the sample disk rotates around the center of the sample disk. Barcode reader 30 placed in automatic analyzer
0 is a bar code label 210 attached to the outer wall of the test tube 200.
The barcode information is read, and the sample information is recognized. Subsequently, the sample disk body 10 and the bottom plate 20 rotate integrally, and when the test tube that has recognized the sample information comes to the dispensing device 400, the rotation stops, and the dispensing device dispenses the sample. The anti-rotation device 30 attached to the bottom plate 20 causes the test tube 200 to rotate with respect to the bottom plate due to vibration or other reasons,
The direction of the barcode label 210 is also prevented from changing. The anti-rotation device 30 is desirably made of an elastic material such as rubber so that the contacting test tube 200 is not damaged. However, if the test tube has sufficient strength and frictional force against the test tube is sufficient. The material is not limited to the elastic body, and may be any material. Next, a description will be given with reference to FIG. If the diameter of the test tube 200 is different and smaller than the sample container insertion hole 14, an adapter provided with a notch 41 in the vertical direction so that the barcode label 210 attached to the outer wall of the test tube 200 can be read from the outside. By using 40, the diameter of the hole 14 on the sample disk is adjusted, the test tube 200 is prevented from tilting in the vertical direction, and the barcode label 510 comes to a focal length at which the barcode reader 300 can read. To do. An adapter 40 as an example of a container inclination preventing member is provided with a positioning projection 42, while a positioning groove 12 is provided at a corresponding position on the sample disk main body 10, and these are fitted to each other to cause vibration and other causes. The adapter 40 attached to the sample disk body 10
Rotates to prevent the notches 11 and 41 from closing.
The notch 41 of the adapter 40 functions as a gap for reading the identification code. If the test tube 200 is long,
Attach the height adjustment auxiliary leg 50 to the leg 13 of the
By attaching 20, the upper end of the barcode label 210 affixed to the test tube 200 is adjusted so that it is near the upper surface position of the disk-shaped part of the sample disk body, and the barcode can be read by the barcode reader 300 Always be within range. As shown in FIG. 3, the notch 11 of the sample disk main body 10 is provided from the top to the bottom, and the bar code reader 300 can read the code exposed through the notch 11 and the notch 41 in a readable range. Are arranged as follows. The barcode label 210 is attached in the longitudinal direction of the test tube 200 so that the barcode reader 210 can read the barcode label. The barcode label 210 does not need to be attached to the outer wall of the test tube 200, but may be directly printed or engraved on the test tube. A column code, OCR, OMR, and other codes may be used as long as the information of specimen identification is included. The test tube 200 may be a sample cup, a blood collection tube, or any other container as long as the container holds a specimen. [Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, the reading area by the identification code reader placed outside the sample disk can be extended to the upper container holding area and the container inclination preventing member area of the sample disk, and the information amount can be reduced. Even if a long identification code label having a large number of identification codes is attached to the outside of the sample container, the identification code can be reliably read.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a sample container identifying apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 (A) is a partially sectional front view.
FIG. 1B is a top view. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sample disk shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view near the sample container insertion hole of the upper holding unit. 10 …… Sample disk body, 11,41 …… Notch, 14…
... sample container insertion hole, 20 ... bottom plate, 30 ... container rotation prevention tool, 40 ... adapter, 200 ... test tube, 210 ... barcode label, 300 ... barcode reader.

   ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page    (72) Inventor Hidenori Asai               882 Ma, Katsuta-shi, Ibaraki Pref.               Inside the Naka Factory                (56) References Japanese Utility Model Application No. Sho 60-119324 (Japanese Utility Model Application               28171) and the specification attached to the application               Microfilm of the contents of the drawing               (JP, U)                 Japanese Utility Model Application No. 60-15872               62261) and the specification attached to the application               Microfilm of the contents of the drawing               (JP, U)                 Japanese Utility Model Application No. 59-82397 (Japanese Utility Model Application Showa 60-               193437) and the specification attached to the application               Microfilm of the contents of the drawing               (JP, U)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A sample disk is provided which includes a rotatable upper container holding portion having a plurality of sample container insertion portions and a lower container holding portion which is rotated together with the upper container holding portion and holds the bottom of each sample container. The lower container holding portion is provided with a rotation preventing member for preventing rotation of the mounted sample container, and reads the identification code in a state where the sample container with the identification code label attached to the outer wall is mounted on the sample disk. A sample container identification device configured to be identified by an apparatus, comprising: (a) a container inclination preventing member for preventing the sample container mounted on the sample disk from tilting, A container inclination preventing member provided with a gap capable of reading the identification code of the identification code label; and (b) the upper container holding portion inserted into the sample container insertion portion. A gap is formed for reading the identification code of the identification code label on the sample container. (C) The identification code reading device includes an open area between the upper container holding portion and the lower container holding portion; A sample container identification device, which is arranged to read the identification code of the identification code label through a gap between a container holding portion and a gap between the container inclination preventing members.