JPH0215554Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a storage device with a numbering function.

BACKGROUND ART For testing or inspection, objects stored or transported in containers such as test tubes must be stored and arranged in predetermined positions with numbers and names attached to each container. be. Therefore, conventionally, the number, name, and other necessary information have been manually written on each of these samples, and the samples have been manually distributed and stored at predetermined positions.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, it takes a lot of effort to manually write numbers and names on these stored items and store and arrange them in predetermined positions. However, if these objects are not individually marked or numbered, once they are taken out of the pallet and mixed together, it will be impossible to distinguish them at all. Furthermore, even if a number is written on each object, confusion may arise if the number is entered incorrectly or if the number or the like is placed in the wrong location within the pallet.

This invention solves the above problems by automatically writing numbers on the items to be stored, mechanically distributing them to the pallets, and comparing the printed numbers with the number of items arranged in the pallet to prevent mistakes. It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage device as described above.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration. In other words, there is a printing machine in which a plurality of printing wheels have a carry mechanism and the printed numbers increment each time they are printed on an item to be stored, and a printing machine in which the printed items are arranged and stored along the row and column directions. a pallet for displacing the stored items to a predetermined position and sequentially storing the stored items in each line in the pallet; and a number printed by the printing machine and the number of stored items arranged in the pallet. The invention also includes a check means for verifying the

Function: A printing machine is lowered from above for each item to be stored, which is conveyed by a conveyor or the like, and a number is printed on the item. The printed object is then conveyed to a predetermined position on the pallet by a feeding and distributing mechanism and stored within the pallet. This feeding and distributing operation is carried out sequentially for each column along the row direction. When the storage for one row is completed, the pallet is advanced by one row along the column direction, and the pallet is stored in the next row.

Embodiment The present invention will be described below based on an embodiment shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a storage device for test tubes A containing test blood. According to the embodiment, a conveyor 1 carries test tubes A each containing collected blood.
0, a printing machine 20 that prints on the label C affixed to the lid B of the test tube A, a pallet 30 for arranging and storing the test tubes A, and a printing machine 20 that prints on the label C attached to the lid B of the test tube A;
A feeding and distributing mechanism 40 that moves the pallet 30 to a predetermined position along the row direction (horizontal direction), a pallet drive mechanism 50 that moves the pallet 30 along the vertical direction, and a number printed by the printing machine 20 and an arrangement test within the pallet. and check means for checking the number of tubes.

The conveyor 10 has a plurality of test tube holders 12 mounted at intervals on the upper surface of an endless belt 11 that is driven and rotated.

The printing machine 20 is located above the test tube transfer path, and as shown in the second figure, a printing wheel 21 with a plurality of digits is rotatably arranged on the same axis, and each time the machine prints, a ratchet mechanism changes the number of printed digits. So-called numbering is used in which the number is incremented (the lowest digit is rotated by one character). This numbering has a carry mechanism in which the upper digit rotates by one character when the lower digit rotates once. Below the printing wheel 21 is a winding roll 23.
Carbon tape 22 that is wound and moved by
is installed. Further, a print sensor 61 is provided above each of the print wheels 21 . The print sensor 61 can determine the actual printed number by reading the printed characters facing the print wheel. Including this printing sensor 61, the printing machine 2
0 can be moved up and down by a known means such as a cam mechanism or a link mechanism. The printing machine 20 prints on the label C attached to the lid B of the test tube A when descending.

The pallet 30 consists of a rectangular box that can be moved forward and backward on the pallet moving table 1,
A large number of test tube storage holes 3 forming rows along the horizontal direction (left and right directions in the figure) and columns along the vertical direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1)
1 are arranged. In addition, in the illustration, only 5 test tubes A are stored in one row, but in reality
It can store 10 bottles. Each hole is numbered.

The feeding and distributing mechanism 40 includes a first arm 41 having a first motor 42 built into its base, a second arm 43 connected via a second motor 44 built into the tip of the first arm 41, and further It consists of a clipper 45 fixed to the tip of this second arm. The clipper 45 can be opened and closed in the horizontal direction so as to be able to clamp the test tube A. The first arm 41 and the second arm 43 form a link and swing horizontally relative to each other by the operation of the first motor 42 and the second motor 44. In particular, the first arm 41 is swung so that the clipper 45 moves along the same row, and the displacement angle is set to increase by one column with each oscillation.

The pallet drive mechanism 50 moves the pallet 30 through means such as meshing the pallet 30 with a gear provided on the bottom surface of the pallet 30 via a gear train (not shown) by a drive motor 51 attached to the pallet moving table 1. The platform is moved back and forth on the rails 2.

The checking means 60 includes a comparison mechanism 63 that compares the reading of the print sensor 61 with the reading of a motor rotation angle detection sensor (not shown) attached to the first motor 42, and if the readings of both are and an alarm device 64 that issues an alarm if they do not match.

The operation mode will be explained above.

Test tube A being carried one by one on the conveyor 10
A lid B is attached to which a sample is stored and a blank label C is attached to the top surface. When the test tube A reaches the front end (upper part of FIG. 1) of the conveyor 10 (step 1 in FIG. 3), the clipper 45 advances and clamps the test tube A. When the clipper 45 carries the clamped test tube A directly below the printing wheel 21 of the printing machine 20 by the operation of the first motor 42 and the second motor 44, an elevating mechanism (not shown) is activated and the printing machine 20 is moved. lower it and print a number on label C.
The printed test tube A is transferred to the first and second motors 4 again.
2 and 44, the test tubes are carried onto the test tube storage hole 31 in the first row and first column of the pallet 30, and the clipper 4
5 is opened, and the third
Figure step 2). When the clipper 45 clamps the next test tube A and printing is completed, the first motor 42 operates one more test tube storage hole.
Insert this test tube into the second row of holes. In this way, 10 test tubes are arranged and stored one after another (Step 3 in Figure 3). Therefore, when printing on the 10th test tube, the lowest digit printing wheel rotates once and is carried up to the next higher digit printing wheel. This carry is read by the print sensor 61, and the comparison mechanism 6
3 is stored. Therefore, when the motor rotation angle detection sensor (not shown) reads that the first motor 42 has rotated by a preset angle in order to introduce the test tube A into the hole 31 in the 10th column of the 1st row, This is transmitted to the comparison mechanism 63 and compared with the previous memory (step 4 in Fig. 3). And if both match,
Start the storage work in the second column, including printing (Step 5 in Figure 3). If there is a mismatch, an alarm is issued by the alarm device 64 (Step 6 in Figure 3). The cause of this alarm is mainly due to printing errors due to malfunction of the printing wheel.
Stop the entire device and make corrections.

All of the above operations are performed automatically using various robots.

In addition to the above-mentioned embodiments, the present invention may be used in cases where the lid B is not attached to the test tube A, or where the lid is attached but the label C is not attached. A lid attachment mechanism known in
A label pasting mechanism is added. In addition, in order to regulate the height of the gripping position of the test tube A and to safely drop and insert the test tube into the pallet, a mechanism for vertically moving the clipper 45 is provided by providing a link means etc. that can be displaced in the vertical direction. It is also possible to provide one.

The feeding and distributing mechanism is not limited to a link type using an arm.

The present invention is applicable not only to test tubes but also to all objects of the same shape.

Effects of the invention As described above, the present invention includes a printing machine in which a plurality of printing wheels have a carry mechanism and the printed numbers advance each time they are printed on the stored items, and a printing machine that moves the printed stored items in the row direction. and a pallet for arranging and storing items along the column direction, and a feeding and distributing mechanism for displacing the items to be stored to predetermined positions and sequentially storing the items in each row in the pallet, It has become possible to mechanically write numbers on stored objects and to mechanically distribute these objects to pallets. Furthermore, by using a checking means that compares the numbers printed by the printing machine with the number of items arranged in the pallet, printing errors can be discovered quickly, and correctly printed items can be correctly stored in the pallet. It became.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention;
The figure is an enlarged front view of the main part, and Figure 3 is a flowchart. A...test tube, B...lid, 1...pallet moving table, 10...conveyor, 20...printing machine, 21...
...Printing wheel, 30...Pallet, 31...Test tube storage hole, 40...Feeding and distribution mechanism, 41...First arm,
42...First motor, 43...Second arm, 44
... second motor, 45 ... clipper, 50 ... pallet drive mechanism, 60 ... check means, 61 ...
...Print sensor, 63... Comparison mechanism.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A printing machine in which multiple printing wheels have a carry function and the printed numbers increment each time they are printed on an item to be stored, and a pallet that arranges and stores the printed items in the row and column directions. and a feeding and distributing mechanism configured to displace the stored items to predetermined positions and sequentially store the stored items in each row in the pallet.
A storage device equipped with a numbering function, characterized in that it is equipped with a check means for comparing the numbers printed by the printing machine with the number of items arranged and stored in the pallet.