JP4134374B2 - Syringe holding device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to an improvement of a syringe holding device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a holding device that holds a plurality of horizontal rows of syringes and stores them in a box or takes out the syringes stored in a box is known. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, such a conventional holding device has a plurality of recesses 5A formed at predetermined intervals on a horizontal straight line, and holds the syringe 4 by suspending the syringes 4 in these recesses 5A. A support member 5 and a holding means 6 provided on the upper side of the support member 5 so as to be movable up and down and pressing the syringe 4 held by the support member 5 from the upper side to prevent the syringe from dropping out of the recess. I have.
In such a conventional apparatus, the syringe stored in the box is taken out as follows. That is, the flange portion 5A of the support member 5 is engaged with the main body portion 4a of the horizontal row of syringes in the box to support the collar portion 4c, and thereafter the clamping means 6 is lowered to clamp the collar portion. In the state, the entire holding device is raised and moved to the outside position. In this way, the horizontal row of syringes stored in the box are sequentially held by the holding device and extracted.
On the other hand, when inserting a syringe in a box, it processes as follows. That is, first, the syringe 4 for one horizontal row is hung in the recess 5A of the support member 5, and then the collar portion of the syringe is clamped by the clamping means 6 to prevent the syringe 4 from falling off. In this state, the whole holding device 1 is moved to the upper position of the box, and then the whole holding device is lowered, and the syringe for one horizontal row held by the holding device is inserted into the insertion hole for one horizontal row of the box. The holding state of the syringe by the holding device is released. In this way, syringes for each horizontal row are inserted and stored in a large number of insertion holes on the box side.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, the syringe held | maintained by a holding | maintenance apparatus had dispersion | variation in the thickness of a collar part, and also the bottom surface of the collar part was not formed orthogonally with respect to the axial center of a syringe.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, when the syringe 4 for one horizontal row is held by the holding device to be housed in the box, the axial centers of the syringes are not aligned on the horizontal straight line, or the front-rear direction of the holding device In this case, the holding position of each syringe 4 may vary. In such a state, it was difficult to smoothly insert all the syringes held by the holding device into the insertion holes for one horizontal row on the box side.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In view of such circumstances, the present invention is provided in a recess formed at a predetermined position, a support member that suspends and holds a syringe having a collar portion at the upper end, and is provided so as to be movable up and down on the upper side of the support member. In a syringe holding device provided with clamping means for pressing the syringe held on the support member from above and preventing the syringe from falling off the recess,
The concave portion of the support member is formed in a semicircular shape, and the inner peripheral end surface thereof is formed in a tapered shape whose diameter is reduced on the lower side, and the holding means is disposed at an upper position of the concave portion of the support member and the lower side is reduced in diameter. A centering member having a conical shape, and an axis of the centering member is disposed at a position rearward of the support member with respect to a virtual center position of the arc in the semicircular recess of the support member, The centering member is engaged with the inner periphery of the upper end opening of the syringe held by the support member from above, so that the position of the syringe held by the support member is aligned.
[0005]
[Action]
According to such a structure, each syringe hold | maintained at the support member can align the position. Thus, when the syringe is housed in the box by the holding device, the syringe held in the holding device is placed in the box even if the thickness of the collar portion of the syringe held in the holding device or the orientation of the bottom surface of the collar portion varies. It can be smoothly inserted into the insertion hole on the side.
Therefore, the syringe can be smoothly accommodated in the box even if the thickness of the collar portion of the syringe varies.
[0006]
【Example】
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the illustrated embodiments. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a holding device that detachably holds a syringe 4. The holding device 1 is attached to the tip of the arm 2 of the robot, and is moved to a required position by the arm 2 to store the syringe 4 in the box 3, while taking out the syringe 4 stored in the box 3. Can be done.
As shown in a simplified exploded perspective view in FIG. 2, the holding device 1 includes a support member 5 that holds and holds the syringes 4 for one horizontal row, and a clamp that is provided on the upper side of the support member 5 so as to be movable up and down. Means 6 are provided. With this holding device 1, the syringes 4 stored in the box 3 can be sequentially taken out in a horizontal row, and the syringes 4 in a horizontal row can be sequentially stored in the box 3.
[0007]
As shown in FIG. 3, the syringe 4 held by the holding device 1 includes a small-diameter portion 4b to which an injection needle is attached at one end (lower end) of a cylindrical main body portion 4a, and the other end ( A collar portion 4c is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the upper end).
As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the stopper 7 is attached to the small-diameter portion 4b serving as the lower end, the main body portion 4a is filled with the chemical solution 8, and then the inner plug 11 is fitted into the main body portion 4a. The syringe 4 in such a state is stored in the box 3 by the holding device 1 or taken out from the box 3.
As shown in FIG. 1, the box 3 is open on the upper side and includes a tray 12 that holds the syringe 4 in an upright state. A large number of insertion holes 12a are formed in the tray 12 at predetermined intervals in a plurality of rows. The insertion hole 12a is composed of a bottomed tapered hole whose diameter is reduced on the lower side. A total of 18 insertion holes 12a are formed in one horizontal row. As will be described later, the syringe 4 is inserted into the insertion hole 12 a for one horizontal row of the box 3 for every 18 syringes 4 for one horizontal row held by the holding device 1. Further, every 18 syringes 4 held in the insertion holes 12 a for one horizontal row by the holding device 1 are taken out from the tray 12 of the box 3.
[0008]
As shown in FIG. 1, the holding device 1 includes a plate-like member 13 connected vertically downward to the tip of the arm 2 of the robot, and the support member 5 is placed horizontally at the lower end of the plate-like member 13. It is linked to. The arm 2 is configured to move the entire holding device 1 to a required position while keeping the support member 5 horizontal.
As shown in FIG. 4, the support member 5 is formed of an elongated plate-like member, and a semicircular recess 5 </ b> A is formed on the front surface thereof at a predetermined pitch p in the longitudinal direction. In the present embodiment, 18 concave portions 5 </ b> A are formed in the longitudinal direction of the support member 5. By engaging the outer peripheral surface of the main body portion 4a of the syringe 4 with each concave portion 5A of the support member 5 and supporting the collar portion 4c on the upper surface of the support member 5, a total of 18 syringes 4 in a horizontal row. Can be suspended and held on the support member 5.
Further, the bottom side of the front surface of the support member 5 where the recess 5A is formed is greatly chamfered over the entire length direction (see FIGS. 1 and 6). By chamfering the bottom portion of the front surface in this way, the thickness of the front end portion 5B is reduced, and when the recess 5A is engaged with the syringe 4 in the box 3, the front end portion 5B becomes a syringe. The four collar portions 4c can be easily lifted from the lower side.
[0009]
Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the end surface of each recess 5 </ b> A of the support member 5 is formed in a tapered surface whose diameter is increased on the upper side. As a result, the central portion in the circumferential direction of the lower edge 5a of the recess 5A is located on the front side of that of the upper edge 5b (FIGS. 6 and 7).
As will be described in detail later, by making the recess 5A a tapered surface having a small diameter on the lower side, the syringe 4 can be hung without any trouble even if there is a manufacturing error in the thickness of the collar portion 4c of the syringe 4. The shaft center can be held in the same direction.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the clamping means 6 includes a pair of upper and lower air cylinders 14 attached to the plate-like member 13 so as to face vertically downward, and a lower end portion of a piston of the air cylinder 14. The plate-like members 15 and 16 are provided, and a plurality of centering members 17 sandwiched between them and projecting the lower end portion downward from the plate-like member 16 are provided.
The plate member 15 on the upper side is connected to the piston of the air cylinder 14 so that the center in the longitudinal direction is horizontal.
[0010]
Further, the size of the lower plate-like member 16 is set to the same size as that of the upper plate-like member 15, but the pitch p is provided with the recess 5 </ b> A of the support member 5 in the longitudinal direction of the plate-like member 16. 18 through holes 16a are formed at the same pitch. The centering member 17 has a lower diameter portion as a small diameter portion, and a lower end continuous from the small diameter portion is formed in a conical shape whose diameter is reduced on the lower side. A circular rubber is integrally attached to the upper end portion of the centering member 17, and the small diameter portion of the centering member 17 is fitted into the through hole 16a of the plate-like member from above, and the small diameter portion An adjacent upper end surface of the step is brought into contact with the upper surface of the plate-like member 16. Thereby, the conical part 17a used as the lower end part of the centering member 17 has protruded below the bottom face of the plate-like member 16 on the lower side.
Then, the upper surface (rubber) of the centering member 17 fitted in the through hole 16a in this way is superposed on the bottom surface of the upper plate-like member from the lower side, and a plurality of upper and lower plate-like members 15, 16 in that state are overlapped. The connection bolts 18 are connected. As a result, the plate-like members 15 and 16 and the centering member 17 are integrally connected, and the conical portion 17a serving as the lower end of each centering member 17 projects downward from the plate-like member 16 on the lower side. It has become. These centering members 17 are supported at positions above the recess 5A of the support member 5.
[0011]
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the positional relationship between the centering member 17 and the recess 5A is set as follows. That is, the axial center C1 of each centering member 17 is slightly positioned to the rear end side (right side in FIG. 7) rather than the position of the virtual center C2 of the recess 5A of the support member 5 on the lower side thereof. The centering members 17 are arranged so as to be shifted.
When the air cylinder 14 is raised and lowered by a required amount, both plate-like members 15 and 16 and the centering member 17 are raised and lowered by a required amount. In a state where the plate-like members 15 and 16 and the centering member 17 are positioned at the rising end position shown by the solid line in FIG. The shaped members 15, 16 and the centering member 17 are lowered by a required amount. Thereby, the conical part 17a in the centering member 17 engages with the upper end inner peripheral part of the main body part 4a of the syringe 4 from the upper side (see FIG. 6).
As a result, the 18 syringes 4 held in the recesses 5 </ b> A of the support member 5 are aligned by the centering member 17 so that the axial centers thereof are simultaneously directed in the same direction. Further, by engaging the conical portion 17 a of the centering member 17 with the inner peripheral portion of the upper end of each syringe 4 from the upper side, the collar portion 4 c of the syringe 4 is connected to the centering member 17 (conical portion 17 a) and the upper surface of the support member 5. So that the syringe 4 does not fall out of the recess 5A.
[0012]
As described above, in this embodiment, from the state in which the syringe 4 is suspended from the concave portion 5A of the support member 5, the lower end portion of the centering member 17 is engaged with the syringe 4 so that the collar portion 4c of each syringe 4 is engaged. Since they are sandwiched, the syringes 4 for one horizontal row held in all the recesses 5A of the support member 5 are aligned so that the axes are oriented in the same direction and are positioned on a horizontal straight line.
This point will be described in more detail. As shown in FIGS. 8 to 9, the syringe 4 currently in use forms a collar portion 4c as follows. First, one end of the main body 4a of the syringe 4 supported so that the axis is horizontal is heated (FIG. 8), and then the heated portion is pressed against the flat surface of the contact member 21 supported in the vertical direction. (FIG. 9). Thereby, the diameter of the part press-contacted to the contact member 21 is expanded, and the collar part 4c is formed.
Thus, since the collar part 4c of the syringe 4 is formed, as for the collar part 4c of the syringe 4 after manufacture, the upper surface 4c 'is exactly orthogonal to the axial center of the syringe 4 (main body part 4a). . On the other hand, the lower surface 4c '' of the collar portion 4c is not necessarily perpendicular to the axis of the syringe 4 (main body portion 4a). In addition, the thickness of the collar portion 4c also varies.
[0013]
As described above, the syringe 4 having a dimensional error in the thickness of the collar portion 4c and the lower surface 4c '' of the collar portion 4c not orthogonal to the axial center is the conventional one shown in FIGS. When held by the holding device 1, the syringe 4 for one horizontal row may not be aligned on the horizontal straight line. That is, as shown in FIGS. 10 to 11, in the conventional holding device 1, the recess 5 </ b> A provided in the lower support member 5 is simply cut out in a semicircular shape and does not have a tapered surface. The syringe 4 is engaged with such a recess 5A, and the collar 4c is pressed and clamped from above by the plate-like member of the clamping means 6.
When such a conventional holding device 1 holds the syringes 4 for one horizontal row with variations in the thickness of the collar portion 4c and the orientation of the lower surface of the collar portion, as shown in FIG. There were occasional variations that did not align on the horizontal line. In this state, if one side of the syringe 4 held by the holding device 1 is to be inserted into the insertion hole for one horizontal row of the box 3, all the syringes 4 are smoothly inserted into the insertion holes for one horizontal row of the box 3. Can not be inserted into. That is, in the conventional apparatus, all the syringes held by the holding device 1 may not be smoothly accommodated in the box 3 due to variations in the thickness of the collar portion 4c.
[0014]
On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the clamping means 6 includes a centering member 17 and the concave portion 5A of the support member 5 has a tapered surface, so that the thickness of the collar portion 4c of the syringe 4 and the bottom surface thereof are reduced. Even if there is a deviation in the direction of 4c ″, the axial centers of all the syringes 4 for one horizontal row held in the holding device 1 can be aligned in the same direction.
That is, as shown in FIG. 6, when the syringe 4 supported by the recess 5A is thin on the left side of the collar portion 4c, the syringe 4 is centered at the upper end of the inner peripheral portion of the main body portion 4a. When the conical portion 17a of the member 17 is engaged, the entire syringe 4 tends to be inclined in the arrow direction. On the contrary, when the thickness of the collar portion 4c of the syringe 4 is thinner on the right side than on the left side, the main body portion 4a of the syringe 4 is inclined in the direction opposite to that in FIG. To do.
[0015]
Here, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the axial center C <b> 1 of the centering member 17 is located on the rear end side (right side in FIG. 7) with respect to the position of the virtual center C <b> 2 of the recess 5 </ b> A of the support member 5. ) Is slightly shifted, so that the variation in the thickness of the collar portion 4a as described above can be absorbed, and the axial centers of the syringes 4 for one horizontal row can be aligned in the same direction.
That is, as shown in FIG. 7, when the conical portion 17a of the centering member 17 is engaged with the upper end opening of the inner peripheral portion of the syringe 4 from the upper side, the outer peripheral surface of the main body portion 4a of the syringe 4 is the lower edge of the recess 5A. It will be press-contacted to the part 5a. Since the main body portion 4a of the syringe 4 has the smallest manufacturing error as compared with the other portions of the syringe 4, the conical portion 17a of the centering member 17 is held by engaging the inner peripheral upper end opening of the syringe 4. All the syringes 4 held in the device 1 are slightly inclined in the direction in which the lower end portion is shifted to the front side (left side) of the support member 5 with respect to the collar portion 4c. Located in. That is, the axes of all the syringes 4 are aligned in the same direction.
Thereby, the syringe 4 for one horizontal line can be hold | maintained with the holding | maintenance apparatus 1, and the ringe 4 can be smoothly inserted in the through-hole 16a for one horizontal line of the tray 12 in the box 3. FIG.
As described above, in this embodiment, even if the thickness of the collar portion 4c of the syringe 4 and the orientation of the lower surface of the collar portion vary, the holding device 1 holds the syringe 4 for each horizontal row and smoothly moves the box 3 It can be stored inside.
[0016]
(Description of operation)
The operation when the syringe 4 is stored in the box 3 by the holding device 1 configured as described above will be described.
First, as shown in FIG. 1, the syringe 4 is supported by all the concave portions 5 </ b> A of the lower support member 5 in a state where the holding means 6 of the holding device 1 is in the raised position.
Thereafter, the centering member 17 is lowered by the air cylinder 14, and the conical portion 17 a of the centering member 17 is engaged with the inner peripheral portion of the upper end of the main body portion 4 a of the syringe 4. As a result, even if the thickness of the collar portion 4c of each syringe 4 and the orientation of the lower surface of the collar portion 4c vary, the 18 syringes 4 held by the holding device 1 have the same axis in the same direction. The directions are aligned (FIG. 7).
Thereafter, the entire holding device 1 is moved by the arm 2 to a position immediately above the insertion hole 12 a for one horizontal row above the box 3.
Next, since the entire holding device 1 is lowered by the arm 2 by a required amount, the stopper 7 serving as the lower end portion of the syringe 4 for one horizontal row held by the holding device 1 is slightly inserted into the insertion hole 12a ( (See FIG. 12).
In this state, the air cylinder 14 raises the centering member 17 by a predetermined amount to separate the conical portion 17a of the centering member 17 from the upper end of the inner peripheral portion of the syringe 4 (FIG. 12).
[0017]
Thereafter, the entire holding device 1 is further lowered by the required amount by the arm 2, so that the substantially entire area of the main body portion 4a of the syringe 4 is smoothly inserted into the insertion hole 12a. Thereafter, the entire holding device 1 is retracted to the right side in FIG. 12 by the arm 2, so that the recess 5 </ b> A of the support member 5 is completely separated from the syringe 4. As a result, 18 syringes 4 are inserted into the horizontal rows of insertion holes 12a (see FIG. 1). Thereafter, by repeating the above-described operation, the syringes 4 for one horizontal row held in the holding device 1 are sequentially inserted into the insertion holes 12 a for one horizontal row of the box 3.
In this embodiment, when the syringe 4 for one horizontal row is held in the holding device 1, the direction of the syringe 4 can be aligned so that the axis of the syringe is in the same direction. Even if there is variation, the holding device 1 can smoothly insert the syringe 4 into the insertion hole 12a in the box 3.
Moreover, since the centering member 17 is separated from the syringe 4 after the lower end portion of the syringe 4 is slightly inserted into the insertion hole 12a and then the entire holding device 1 is lowered, the lower end portion (plug 7) of the syringe 4 is Even if the syringe 4 is in contact with a part of the insertion hole 12a for some reason, the syringe 4 can be raised with respect to the recess 5A, so that the syringe 4 can be prevented from being damaged.
[0018]
Next, when taking out with the holding device 1 from the box 3 which accommodated the syringe 4 in the insertion hole 12a, it processes by the reverse operation process at the time of the accommodation mentioned above.
That is, as shown in FIG. 13, in the state where the centering member 17 is raised to the rising end position, the holding device 1 is positioned at a position near the upper side of the syringe 4 for one horizontal row in the box 3.
Thereafter, the holding device 1 is moved by a required amount in the horizontal direction, and the concave portion 5 </ b> A of the support member 5 is engaged with the syringe 4 for one horizontal row in the box 3. As shown in FIG. 13, in this embodiment, when the holding device 1 is moved in the horizontal direction, the front end portion 5B of the support member 5 is slightly inclined so as to be lower than the rear side. Since the bottom portion of the front surface of the support member 5 is chamfered, the concave portion 5A smoothly engages with the outer peripheral portion of the syringe 4 and is reliably inserted into the lower side of the collar portion 4c.
Thereafter, the holding device 1 is slightly raised while the support member 5 of the holding device 1 is returned to the horizontal position. Thereby, the collar part 4c will be supported by the upper surface around the recessed part 5A, and will be in the state hung in the insertion hole 12a.
Thereafter, the centering member 17 is lowered by the air cylinder 14, and the conical portion 17a engages with the upper end of the inner peripheral portion of the main body portion 4a of the syringe 4 from above (FIG. 7).
Thereafter, since the holding device 1 is raised by a required amount, the syringe 4 is completely extracted from the insertion hole 12a. Next, the holding device 1 is moved in the horizontal direction to raise the centering member 17 at a discharge position (not shown) and then release the holding state of the syringe 4. Hereinafter, the holding device 1 is configured to extract the syringe 4 in the box 3 in the manner described above for each horizontal row.
[0019]
As described above, in this embodiment, even when there is a variation in the thickness of the collar portion 4c and the orientation of the lower surface of the collar portion 4c, the syringe 4 for one horizontal row is inserted into the insertion hole 12a in the box 3 smoothly and sequentially. be able to. Moreover, the syringe 4 for one horizontal line can be smoothly taken out from the box 3 sequentially.
Furthermore, the holding device 1 of the present embodiment lowers the centering member 17 by the air cylinder 14 directed vertically downward, and sandwiches the collar portion 4c by the conical portion 17a of the centering member 17 and the upper surface of the support member. Compared to the prior art shown in FIGS. 10 to 11, the collar portion 4c can be clamped with a stronger pressing force.
Further, in this embodiment, the configuration of the clamping means 6 can be simplified as compared with the clamping means in the conventional apparatus shown in FIGS.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, there is an effect that the syringe can be smoothly accommodated in the box even if the thickness of the collar portion of the syringe varies.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a simplified exploded perspective view of the main part of the holding device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a syringe. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the essential part of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the syringe is held by the apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a process of forming a collar part of a syringe. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a process of molding a collar part of a syringe. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a conventional technique. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional apparatus. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a state when a syringe is housed in a box by the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. Sectional view shown [Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Holding device 3 Box 4 Syringe 4a Body part 4c Collar part 5 Support member 5A Recessed part 6 Clamping means 17 Centering member

Claims (2)

A support member that suspends and holds a syringe having a flange at the upper end in a recess formed in a predetermined position, and is provided on the upper side of the support member so as to be movable up and down, and holds the syringe held on the support member from above. A holding device for a syringe provided with clamping means for preventing the syringe from falling out of the recess,
The concave portion of the support member is formed in a semicircular shape, and the inner peripheral end surface thereof is formed in a tapered shape whose diameter is reduced on the lower side, and the holding means is disposed at an upper position of the concave portion of the support member and the lower side is reduced in diameter. A centering member having a conical shape, and an axis of the centering member is disposed at a position rearward of the support member with respect to a virtual center position of the arc in the semicircular recess of the support member, A syringe holding device, wherein a centering member is engaged with an inner peripheral portion of an upper end opening of a syringe held by the support member from above to align the position of the syringe held by the support member. The syringe holding device according to claim 1, wherein a bottom portion of the front surface of the support member in which the concave portion is formed is chamfered over the entire length direction.

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