JPH068319U - Sample transport mechanism in analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] An analysis that allows a large number of samples to be loaded in a small space, is structurally simple and inexpensive, and allows sample transfer to be performed easily with relatively simple positioning control. A sample transfer mechanism in an apparatus is provided. [Structure] A notch opening 7 that is open to the front is provided at each sample mounting portion of a sample table 2 on which a plurality of samples 5 are mounted in parallel, and the sample 5 is provided on both left and right sides of the notch opening 7. A sample insertion part 8 for positioning and mounting the sample is provided on the sample table 2, and the sample transfer tool 3 that moves vertically and horizontally and back and forth can pass the cutout opening 7 up and down. A mounting portion 3a and a pair of retaining arms 3b that are inserted on the left and right sides of the sample 5 above the sample mounting portion 3a are provided, and the sample 5 is moved back and forth in front of and behind the sample mounting portion 3a. A slip-off prevention part is provided to receive and prevent it.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a sample transport mechanism used in an analyzer such as a fluorescent X-ray analyzer or an emission spectroscopic analyzer.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Conventionally, in this type of sample transport mechanism, a plurality of samples are positioned and placed side by side in a horizontal direction at a predetermined pitch on a sample table set at a predetermined position, and are vertically, horizontally, and The pneumatically driven or motor-driven chuck mechanism provided on the transport tool that can be moved in the front-rear direction picks up the samples one by one and transports them to the delivery area, where they are sent to the receiving transport tool on the analyzer side. Was configured to deliver.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 In the above-mentioned conventional mechanism, since the chuck mechanism is used for the carrier, the following problems have occurred. That is, since the above-mentioned chuck mechanism is used to open and close a pair of left and right gripping jaws by driving a motor or the like to grasp and operate the outer peripheral surface of the sample, a grasping jaw is provided between each parallel sample. A large space was required to move in and out and open and close. As a result, the parallel pitch of each sample became large, and the sample table became long on the left and right, resulting in an increase in the size of the entire mechanism. In particular, when gripping a short columnar sample with a pair of left and right gripping claws, there was a possibility that the gripping claws would slip on the circumferential surface and cause a chucking error. In addition, since the sample supported by such a chuck mechanism does not move with respect to the chuck mechanism itself, the position of both transport tools must be adjusted when transferring the sample to the receiving transport tool on the analyzer side. If it is not accurate, it will be difficult to deliver, and extremely accurate positioning control will be required, and the chuck mechanism itself will be expensive, and the equipment cost will be high overall.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and a large number of samples can be loaded in a small space, structurally simple and inexpensive to carry out, and sample transfer is also compared. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sample transport mechanism in an analyzer that can be easily performed with simple positioning control.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the sample transport mechanism of the present invention is provided with a notch opening opening to the front at each sample mounting portion of the sample table, and the sample is provided on both left and right sides of the notch opening. The sample holder is provided on the sample table for positioning and mounting the sample, and the sample carrier is capable of vertically passing through the notch opening, and the sample carrier is provided above the sample carrier. It is equipped with a pair of anti-slip arms that are inserted on both the left and right sides of the, and an anti-slip part that receives and blocks the forward and backward movement of the sample is provided in front of and behind the sample mounting part.

[0006]

[Action]

 The sample taking-out operation with the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 6A, first, the sample transport tool is moved to a position in front of the sample mounting site on the sample table where the sample is to be taken out. In this case, set the height of the sample carrier so that the sample mounting part and the retaining arm of the sample carrier are located under and above the sample table, respectively. Next, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the sample transporting tool is horizontally moved forward and inserted above and below the sample table. In this case, the forward position of the sample transport tool is set so that the retaining portions at the front and rear of the sample transport tool are positioned at the front and rear of the sample. Next, as shown in FIG. 6 (c), the sample transport tool is moved upward, whereby the target sample is placed on the sample mounting section of the sample transport tool and is removed from the sample insertion section on the sample table. Can be lifted and lifted. Next, as shown in FIG. 6 (d), after the sample transporting tool is horizontally retracted, it is appropriately moved up and down and left and right to be transported to the delivery area. During this sample transfer, the sample on the sample mounting part is prevented from moving back and forth and left and right by the front and rear detent portions and the left and right detent arms. There is no. Moreover, since the sample is only placed and some forward / backward movement and left / right movement on the sample placement part are allowed, when handing it over to the receiving carrier on the analyzer side in the delivery area, Even if there is some misalignment between the carriers, the sample can move to fit the receiving carrier.

[0007]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In the figure, 1 is a housing of this sample transport mechanism, 2 is a sample stand having an L-shaped side view, which is mounted on one wall surface of the housing in a plurality of upper and lower stages, 3 is a sample transport tool, and 4 is this sample transport tool 3 in front and back , A left and right, and an up and down moving device.

The sample table 2 is for placing a large number of short columnar samples 5 in parallel on the left and right at a predetermined pitch, and each sample table 2 is horizontally inserted into and removed from the left and right guide rails 6 provided in the housing 1. It is supported freely. As shown in FIG. 4, a rectangular notch opening 7 that is open to the front is formed at each sample mounting portion of the sample table 2, and the sample 5 is provided on both left and right sides of the notch opening 7. A partial circular sample insertion portion 8 is formed for positioning and inserting the lower end of the sample. In this embodiment, the sample base 2 is bored to form the concave sample insertion portion 8. However, the sample base 2 is not bored, and a partially circular guide member is provided upright. You may comprise an engaging part.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the sample transporting tool 3 includes a sample mounting portion 3 a having a size capable of vertically passing through the cutout opening 7 of the sample table 2 and an outer diameter of the sample 5. The pair of left and right retaining arms 3b having a slightly larger inner width are provided, and the front retaining portion 3c is formed at the front end of the sample placing portion 3a by bending, and the sample retaining portion 3a is also bent. The base is provided with a rear retaining portion 3d which is a separate member, and the distance between the retaining portions 3c and 3d is set to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the sample 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the driving device 4 of the sample transporting tool 3 includes a movable base 11 for vertical movement which is screwed up and down by a pair of left and right screw shafts 10 which are rotationally driven by a motor 9. On the up-and-down movable table 11, a left-and-right movable table 14 is screwed left and right by a screw shaft 13 which is rotationally driven by a motor 12, and a motor 15 is rotated on the left-and-right movable table 14. A movable base 17 for forward and backward movement is screwed forward and backward by a driven screw shaft 16, and the sample carrier 3 is connected to the tip of a support arm 18 extending from the movable base 17 for forward and backward movement.

The sample transport mechanism is configured as described above, and its operation will be described below with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6A, first, the sample transporting tool 3 is moved to a position in front of the sample placing portion on the sample table 2 where the sample is to be taken out. In this case, the height of the sample transport tool 3 is set so that the sample mounting portion 3a and the retaining arm 3b of the sample transport tool 3 are located below and above the sample table, respectively.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, the sample transporting tool 3 is horizontally moved forward and inserted above and below the sample table 2. In this case, the forward position of the sample transport tool 3 is set so that the retaining portions 3c and 3d on the front and rear sides of the sample transport tool 3 are positioned on the front and rear sides of the sample 5.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6C, the sample transport tool 3 is moved upward, whereby the target sample 5 is placed on the sample placing portion 3 a of the sample transport tool 3. The sample is taken out from the sample insertion portion 8 on the sample table 2 and lifted.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6D, after the sample transporting tool 3 is horizontally retracted, the sample transporting tool 3 is appropriately moved up and down and left and right to be transported to the delivery area A. During this sample transfer, the sample 5 on the sample mounting part 3a is prevented from moving forward or backward and left or right by the front and rear stopper portions 3c and 3d and the left and right stopper arms 3b. There is no danger of falling out.

In the delivery area A, the sample is delivered to a receiving carrier on the analyzer side, not shown, and the sample 5 is carried into the analyzer. At the time of handing over the sample, since the sample 3 on the sample carrier 3 is merely placed and some forward and backward movement and left and right movement on the sample placing portion 3a are allowed, the delivery area A When the transporting tool for receiving on the analyzer side holds the sample 5, the sample 5 can move so as to fit in with the transporting tool for receiving even if there is some displacement between the transporting tools.

Then, when the analysis processing in the analyzer is completed, it is returned to the area A by the transporting tool for receiving and returned to the waiting sample transporting tool 3, and the sample transporting tool 3 takes out the previous take-out operation. It is returned to the original sample mounting site in the reverse procedure. With the above, one operation is completed, and thereafter, each sample 5 is sequentially subjected to the analysis process and returned.

[Other Embodiments] As shown in FIG. 7 or 8, the rear detachment preventing portion 3d of the sample transporting tool 3 may be formed by bending or cutting a plate material. The shape of the sample insertion portion 3a of the sample table 2 and the shape of the sample transporting tool 3 may be arbitrarily set according to the shape of the sample 5. For example, for the spherical sample 5, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the sample insertion portions 8 cut out in the shape of partial arcs are formed on the left and right sides of the cutout opening portion 7, and The sample mounting portion 3a is recessed in the shape of a partial arc to form the front and rear retaining portions 3e.

[0019]

[Effect of device]

 As is clear from the above explanation, the following effects can be obtained according to this invention. (1) Since the sample on the sample table is placed on the sample transport tool so as to be picked up, there is no occurrence of chucking error as seen in the conventional chuck mechanism. (2) Since a sample transport tool that does not require an actuator for driving the chuck mechanism, such as a pneumatic or motor-driven chuck mechanism, is used, the structure is simple and the cost can be reduced. (3) Since the sample transfer tool is only slightly larger than the sample, it is sufficiently small compared to the chuck mechanism type sample transfer tool. The space between the sample stands can be reduced, and as a result, the sample placement and storage space can be reduced to downsize the entire sample transport mechanism, or a large number of samples can be placed and stored with the same size as the conventional one. It becomes possible. (4) Since the sample placed on the sample transport tool is not fixed, the sample transport tool and the receiving transport tool are strictly positioned when delivering to the receiving transport tool on the analyzer side in the delivery area. Even if the alignment is not controlled, the sample can be easily delivered with some flexibility.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an outline of a sample transport mechanism in an analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the outline of a sample transport mechanism in an analyzer.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a drive device of the sample transport tool.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a sample table and a sample transport tool.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a sample table and a sample transport tool.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a sample taking-out operation.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the sample transport tool.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing still another embodiment of the sample transport tool.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the sample table and the sample transport tool.

FIG. 10 is a side view showing another embodiment of the sample table and the sample transport tool.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 sample stand 3 sample carrier 3a sample placing part 3b retaining arm 3c, 3d retaining part 4 driving device 5 sample 7 notch opening 8 sample insertion part A delivery area

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A sample table for mounting and supporting a plurality of samples in parallel in a left-right direction at a predetermined pitch, and a sample carrier which is movable in a vertical direction, a left-right direction, and a front-back direction by a driving device in a front portion of the sample table. A sample transport mechanism in an analyzer that is configured to take out samples supported by a sample table one by one with a sample transport tool and transport them to a delivery area for a receiving transport tool on the analyzer side. A notch opening that is open to the front is provided at each sample mounting part of the table, and a sample insertion part that positions and inserts the sample on the left and right sides of this notch opening is provided on the sample table. In the sample transporting tool, a sample mounting portion capable of passing vertically through the cutout opening portion, and a pair of retaining arms that are inserted on the left and right sides of the sample above the sample mounting portion, Sample holder A sample transport mechanism in an analyzer, which is provided in front and in the back of the sample with a retaining portion for receiving and blocking the movement of the sample in the front and rear.