JP3025114B2 - Apparatus and method for opening sampling tube - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for opening a sampling tube, which can automatically open a sampling tube used for a clinical test or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a clinical test, a test liquid such as blood is usually placed in a collection tube. The sampling tube containing the liquid to be tested is usually closed with a stopper such as a rubber stopper until various treatments and analyzes are performed to prevent contamination and leakage. Therefore, it is necessary to pull out the stopper from the collection tube prior to the inspection. Conventionally, various opening devices have been proposed as devices for removing the stopper of the collection tube (for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-38704, JP-A-1-26
No. 3558 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-128949).

[0003]

However, the conventional opening apparatus has a problem that the opening operation cannot be automatically performed when the sample collection tubes having different heights are mixed. In other words, 75 mm and 100 m
m is generally used, but the conventional opening device is a 75-mm-high sampling tube or 100-m
Only one of the mm-height collection tubes could be automatically opened.

Therefore, when the conventional opening device is used, before the opening operation is performed, the height of the sampling tube is manually selected in advance, and only the sampling tube having the same height is supplied to the opening device. I had to.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a device for opening a sampling tube which can automatically perform the opening operation even when a plurality of types of sampling tubes are mixed. It is to provide a method.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a rack on which at least one sample pipe is supported and a height of the sample pipe supported by the rack are determined. Height determining means for outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the height of the sampling pipe; storage means provided from the height determining means for storing an electrical signal corresponding to the height of the collecting pipe; and the rack Opening means for opening the collection tube supported by the container, and at least one of the opening means and the collection tube can be moved up and down. The height positioning means for positioning the height and an electric signal corresponding to the height of the sampling pipe stored in the storage means are compared with the normal height of the closed sampling pipe, and are supported by the rack. When the height of the sampling tube is normal, the height positioning operation is performed according to the height of the sampling tube. The command signal and outputs the in height positioning means that, and the cap removal means and a control unit for outputting a command signal for causing the unplugging operation is unplugging device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the opening apparatus of the first aspect, a plurality of sample tubes are supported on a rack, and the opening means and the height positioning means are provided. A plurality of liquid collection tubes are arranged in accordance with the number of liquid collection tubes, and the control device outputs an electric signal corresponding to the height of the plurality of collection tubes stored in the storage means to a height of the collection tube having a normal height. In comparison with the normal value of the height, a command signal for performing the height positioning operation and a command signal for performing the opening operation are respectively given to the height positioning means and the opening means only for the sample pipe having a normal height. This is a device for opening the sampling tube that outputs.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the opening apparatus of the first aspect, a plurality of liquid collection tubes are supported on the rack, and the opening means and the height positioning means are provided. A plurality of the collection tubes are arranged according to the number of the collection tubes, and the control device outputs an electric signal corresponding to the height of the plurality of collection tubes stored in the storage means to the height of the closed collection tube. Compared with the normal value of the height, when the height of all the sample tubes is normal, the opening means and height positioning means, respectively,
It is configured to output a command signal for performing a height positioning operation and an opening operation.

Further, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a rack on which at least one sample pipe is supported and a height of the sample pipe supported by the rack are determined, and the height is determined according to the height. Height judging means for outputting an electric signal which has been received, storage means for storing an electric signal corresponding to the height given from the height judging means, and for opening a sample pipe supported by the rack. An opening means, and a height positioning means configured to move the opening means and / or the collection tube up and down, and to position a height of the opening means with respect to the collection tube; The electrical signal corresponding to the height of the collection tube stored in the storage means is compared with the normal height of the closed collection tube, and the height of the collection tube supported by the rack is normal. In some cases, the height of the opening means with respect to the collection tube is determined in accordance with the height of the collection tube. Positioned by means, then,
A method for opening a sampling tube, characterized in that an opening operation is performed by opening means.

[0010]

According to the opening apparatus and the opening method of the first and fourth aspects, the height of the sampling pipe in the rack supporting at least one of the sampling pipes is determined by the height determining means. . The result of this determination is stored in the storage means, and based on the stored electrical signal corresponding to the height of the liquid collection tube,
The height positioning means and the opening means are operated. That is, when the height of the collection tube is normal, the height of the opening device with respect to the collection tube is determined by the height positioning means, and thereafter the opening device is operated to open the collection tube. Is performed.

Therefore, even in the case where sample tubes having different heights such as 75 mm or 100 mm are mixed, the height of the opening means with respect to the sample tube is determined in accordance with the height of the sample tube and the plug is opened. Is performed, the sampling tubes of different heights can be automatically opened.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when a plurality of sample pipes are supported by the rack, the opening operation is performed only for a sample pipe having a normal height among the plurality of sample pipes. Is performed. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the sample collection tube having an abnormal height from being damaged due to the operation of the opening device.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when a plurality of sample tubes are supported by the rack, the opening operation is performed only when all the sample tubes are at a normal height. Therefore, even if there is at least one sample collection tube having an abnormal height, damage to the sample collection tube due to the opening operation can be prevented.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings to clarify the present invention. FIG.
1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an opening device of the present invention.
The stopper device of the present embodiment has a rack 6 on which liquid collection tubes 1 to 5 are supported. The rack 6 is formed with a plurality of holes corresponding to the outer diameter of the sample tubes for leaning the sample tubes 1 to 5, and the sample tubes 1 to 5 are respectively inserted into the respective holes, and the rack 6 is supported. ing.

The rack 6 is configured to be sequentially conveyed in the directions indicated by arrows A to C by a rack moving device 7 composed of, for example, a belt conveyor. In the middle of the rack moving device 7, a height determination sensor 8 as height determination means for determining the height of the liquid sampling tubes 1 to 5 supported on the rack 6 is provided upright. The height determination sensor 8 has photosensors a to d fixed at a height position described later.

Downstream of the height judging sensor 8, an opening part 10 is provided.
Is provided. The opening unit 10 includes an opening device and a height positioning device, which will be described later. In the opening device of the present embodiment, when the rack 6 is moved by the rack moving device 7, the height of the sample collection tubes 1 to 5 is determined by the height determination sensor 8, and the electric power according to the height is determined. The signal is stored in the storage device 11. Then, the opening device and the height positioning device in the opening portion 10 are operated by the control device described later based on the electric signal corresponding to the height of the liquid collection tubes 1 to 5 stored in the storage device 11. The sampling tubes 1 to 5 are opened.

Next, the sampling pipe 1 in the height determination sensor 8
The height determination operations No. to No. 5 will be described with reference to FIG. The height determination sensor 8 has a structure in which the photo sensors a to d are fixed at predetermined height positions. In this embodiment, 7
It is assumed that a 5 mm long sampling tube and a 100 mm long sampling tube are opened. The photosensor a is arranged so that the beam is irradiated above the upper end of the closed 100 mm sampling tube 13. The photosensor b is fixed at a height at which the beam reaches a portion of the plug 13a of the closed 100 mm long sampling tube 13 exposed above the sampling tube 13. Further, the photosensor c is fixed at a height above the upper end of the closed 75 mm long sampling tube 15 and below which the beam reaches below the upper end of the unsealed 100 mm long sampling tube. ing. Further, the photosensor d is connected to the collection tube 15 at the stopper 15a of the closed collection tube 15 having a length of 75 mm.
The height is selected so that the beam reaches the part exposed above. In FIG. 2, 1
2 is an extraordinary height sampling tube longer than 100 mm.
Denotes a 100 mm long sampling tube that is not sealed, and 16 denotes a 75 mm-high sampling tube that is not sealed.

As is clear from FIG. 2, the photosensors a to
Any beam emitted from d passes. Therefore,
As shown in Table 1, the outputs of the photo sensors a to d are all turned off. In Table 1, the photo sensor a
出力 d indicates the output is in the off state, and × indicates the output is in the on state.

In the case of the sampling tube 15, that is, in the case of a closed 75 mm long sampling tube, the output of the photosensor d is turned on and the outputs of the other photosensors a to c are turned off. Become. Similarly, in the sampling tubes 12, 13, and 14, as shown in Table 1, the photosensors a to d are respectively provided.
The output determines the height. When there is no sampling tube, the outputs of the photosensors a to d are all turned off, as in the case where the 75 mm long sampling tube is not plugged.

[0020]

[Table 1]

As described above, in this embodiment, the height determination sensor 8 outputs an electric signal corresponding to the height of the liquid collection tube. Next, an opening device and a height positioning device built in the opening portion 10 shown in FIG. 1 will be described.
The opening device itself can be configured by appropriately using a conventionally known opening device, an example of which is shown in FIG.

The opening device 18 is provided with
9, a rotating shaft 20 is rotatably supported.
The rotating shaft 20 is connected to a motor 21 via a belt 22, and is configured to be able to be rotated by driving the motor 21. On the other hand, a thread is formed on a part of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 20, and an opening head holder 23 having a rack that meshes with the thread is mounted. The opening head holder 23 is configured to be able to move laterally in the drawing of FIG. 3 with the rotation of the rotation shaft 20.

An air cylinder connected to a compressed air supply device 24 is built in the opening head holder 23, and an opening head 25 is attached to the air cylinder. The opening head 25 is configured to be able to change its height from the state shown in the figure to the state shown by the imaginary line by driving the air cylinder. That is, the air cylinder for changing the height of the plug opening head 25 constitutes the height positioning means in the present invention.

On the other hand, the opening head 25, the rotating shaft 20, the belt 22, and the motor 21 are connected to the opening head 25.
Together, they constitute the opening means in the present invention. In addition,
As for the height positioning device which moves up and down the opening device, FIG.
However, the invention is not limited thereto, and a known opening device may be configured to be moved up and down by an air cylinder or any other driving source.

Further, in the present embodiment, the height of the opening device side can be changed by the height positioning device, but the height of the sampling tube or both the opening device and the sampling tube can be changed. The height positioning device may be configured so that the height can be changed. In the opening apparatus shown in FIG. 3, the height of the opening head 25 is adjusted to the side of the stopper provided on the sampling tube, and the opening head 25 is opened.
Is moved along its length direction, that is, in the front-back direction, whereby the stopper can be pressed from the side and opened.

Preferably, as shown in FIG. 4, the plug opening head 25 is provided with a plug 2 attached to the sampling tube 26 from obliquely below.
By adjusting the moving direction of the plug opening head 25 so as to be pressed against the side surface of the plug 7, the plug 27 can be more smoothly removed from the liquid collection tube 26.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of the opening device of this embodiment. In the opening device of this embodiment, the CPU 31 as a control device is provided with the rack moving device 7, the height determination sensor 8, the storage device 11, the opening device 18 built in the opening unit 10 and the The height positioning device 18A (in FIG. 5, since the height positioning device is also integrally formed, the height positioning device is denoted by reference numeral 18A in FIG. 5). Yes,
The CPU 31 controls these devices to perform an opening operation.

One control example of the plug opening device of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, in step S1, the rack moving device 7 is operated in accordance with the command signal of the CPU 31, and the rack 6 is moved before the height determination sensor 8. Next, in step S2, the CPU 3
In accordance with the instruction 1, the height determination sensor 8 collects the sampling tubes 1 to
5 are determined, and the result is stored in the storage device 11.

In step S3, the rack moving device 7 is driven again according to a command from the CPU 31, and the plug opening unit 10 is opened.
Is moved to the rack 6. Next, in step S4, the electrical signal corresponding to the height of the sampling pipes 1 to 5 stored in the storage device 11 and the height of the normal sampling pipe are determined by CP.
A comparison is made in U31, and it is determined whether or not the heights of the sampling tubes are all normal. As shown in Table 1, this determination is based on the fact that the electrical signal corresponding to the height of the sampling pipe based on the output signals of the photosensors a to d is the height of the normal sampling pipe stored in advance (that is, , 75 mm long sampling tube with stopper and 100
(height of the stoppered tube).

If the heights of all the sampling tubes 1 to 5 are normal, the CPU 31 drives the height positioning device 18a in step S5, and
Position the height relative to ~ 5. Next, in step S <b> 6, the stoppers of the sampling tubes 1 to 6 are removed by the stopper 18. After the opening is completed, in step S7, the CPU 3
The rack moving device 7 is driven again according to the instruction of 1, and the rack 6 is ejected from the opening unit 10.

In opening the stoppers of the sampling tubes 1 to 5, the opening device 18 and the height positioning device 18A
Five sets may be arranged according to the number of sampling tubes 1 to 5,
Alternatively, only one set of the opening device and the height positioning device may be arranged. When only one set of the opening device 18 and the height positioning device 18A are arranged, the positioning and opening of the sampling tubes 1 to 5 are sequentially performed in steps S5 and S6 according to the instruction of the CPU 31. Will be

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S4 that the heights of all the liquid collection tubes 1 to 5 are not normal, the process proceeds to step S4.
At 8, the CPU 31 determines whether the heights of all the liquid collection tubes are abnormal. And all the sampling tubes 1
If the heights of Nos. To 5 are abnormal, the rack 6 is discharged from the plug opening section 10 in accordance with a command from the CPU 31 in step S7.

If it is determined in step S8 that at least one of the sample tubes has a normal height, the height positioning device 18A operates in step S9 only for the sample tube having a normal height in accordance with a command from the CPU 31. It is driven and the height of the stopper device 18 is positioned. And step S
The opening device positioned at 10 is driven according to the command signal of the CPU 31 to perform the opening operation. Thereafter, in step S7, the rack moving device 7 is driven according to the instruction of the CPU 31, and the rack 6 is ejected.

Next, another example of the control example of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the control example shown in FIG. 6, in step S4, it is determined whether or not all the heights of the sampling pipes are normal. If at least one of the sampling pipes has an abnormal height, the control after step S8 is performed. As shown in FIG. 7, when at least one of the racks is abnormal, the height positioning device 18A and the plug opening device 18 are not driven, and the rack is moved in step S7 in accordance with the instruction of the CPU 31. 6 may be discharged from the opening station 10. That is, in the control example shown in FIG. 7, when the height of at least one sample pipe is abnormal, the opening of all the sample pipes 1 to 5 supported by the rack 6 is stopped. , The rack 6 is discharged from the opening station 10.

Next, another control example of the opening device of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The control example shown in FIG. 8 is a control example in the case where only one sample pipe is supported on the rack 6. First, the rack moving device 7 is driven according to a command signal from the CPU 31, and the rack 6 is moved to the side of the height determination sensor 8. Next, in step S12, the CP
The height determination sensor 8 is operated in accordance with the instruction from U31, the height of one liquid sampling tube supported by the rack 6 is determined, and the output signals of the photo sensors a to d are stored in the storage device 11.

Next, in step S13, the CPU 3
The rack moving device 7 is driven again according to the instruction of 1 and the rack 6 is moved to the plug opening unit 10. Next, step S1
In 4, the CPU 31 determines whether or not the height of the liquid collection tube is normal. This determination is made by comparing the electric signal corresponding to the height of the liquid sampling tube stored in the storage device 11 with the normal height of the test tube set in advance. If the height of the sampling tube is normal, in step S15, C
In accordance with a command from the PU 31, the height positioning device 18A is driven in accordance with the height of the liquid collection tube, and the height of the stopper device with respect to the liquid collection tube is positioned.

Next, in step S16, the opening device 1
8 removes the plug from the collection tube. Finally, in step S17, the rack moving device 7 is driven again according to a command from the CPU 31, and the rack 6 is discharged from the plug opening unit 10. If the height of the liquid collection tube is abnormal in step S14, the rack 6 is similarly discharged from the opening station in step S17.

[0038]

As described above, in the plug opening apparatus and the plug opening method according to the first and fourth aspects of the present invention, sample collection tubes of different heights are mixed in the rack or the sample is not plugged. Even when the tubes are mixed, it is possible to automatically open the sampling tube. Therefore, in the conventional opening device, when supplying the sampling tube to the opening device, a complicated operation of manually selecting the sampling tube was forced, but according to the present invention, such a complicated operation is required. It is possible to omit the operation of selecting the sampling tube.

In each of the second and third aspects of the present invention,
When multiple collection tubes are supported by the rack,
Since only normal sampling tubes can be selected and opened, it is possible to perform the opening operation more efficiently when a plurality of heights of sampling tubes are mixed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an opening device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a relationship between a height determination sensor and a liquid sampling tube.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of an opening device and a height positioning device.

FIG. 4 is a side view for explaining an opening operation by the opening device.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of the opening device of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a control example of the opening device of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another control example of the opening device of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing still another control example of the opening device of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-5: Sample tube 6 ... Rack 8 ... Height determination sensor 10 ... Opening unit 11 ... Storage device 31 ... CPU as control device

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A rack on which at least one sample tube is supported, and a height judging device for judging a height of the sample tube supported by the rack and outputting an electric signal according to the height. Means, storage means for storing an electrical signal according to the height of the sample pipe given from the height determination means, opening means for opening the sample pipe supported by the rack, A height positioning unit configured to move at least one of the opening unit and the collection tube up and down, and a height of the opening unit with respect to the collection tube, and stored in the storage unit. Compare the electrical signal according to the height of the collection tube with the normal height of the closed collection tube, and when the height of the collection tube supported by the rack is normal, the height of the collection tube A command signal for positioning the height of the opening means with respect to the sampling tube according to the height positioning Output to stage, cap removal device of solution sampling piece tube, characterized in that it comprises a control device for outputting a command signal for causing the unplugging operation with the cap removal means. 2. A plurality of sample tubes are supported by the rack, a plurality of the opening means and a plurality of height positioning devices are arranged in accordance with the number of sample tubes, and the control device operates normally. 2. The sampling device according to claim 1, wherein a command signal for positioning the height and a command signal for performing the opening operation are output to the height positioning unit and the opening unit, respectively, only for the liquid collection tubes having different heights. Liquid pipe opening device. 3. A plurality of sample pipes are supported by the rack, and a plurality of the opening means and height positioning means are arranged according to the number of sample pipes, and the rack is supported by the rack. Only when all the heights of the plurality of sampling tubes are normal, the control device outputs a height positioning command signal and a command signal for performing the opening operation to the plurality of height positioning means and the opening means, respectively. The apparatus for opening a sampling tube according to claim 1. 4. A rack on which at least one sample tube is supported, and a height judging device for judging a height of the sample tube supported by the rack, and outputting an electric signal according to the height. Means, storage means for storing an electrical signal according to the height of the sample pipe given from the height determination means, opening means for opening the sample pipe supported by the rack, Height positioning means for moving the opening means and / or the rack up and down to position the height of the opening means with respect to the collection tube; and preparing the height of the collection tube stored in the storage means. The corresponding electric signal is compared with the normal height of the collection tube, the height of the opening means relative to the collection tube is determined by the height positioning means based on the comparison result, and then the height is measured by the opening means. A method for opening a liquid collection tube, which comprises opening a liquid tube.