JPH10239321A - Method and apparatus for sorting container - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically sort containers for every inspection at high speed which is complicate and takes time, by dropping the containers from a rack to a lower pack line and sending the dropped containers forward in one direction along the pack line. SOLUTION: A rack transfer mechanism 5 sends racks 3 from a feed position (a) to a sort position (b). After a sorting operation, the rack transfer mechanism intermittently sends emptied racks to an empty rack collection position (c). When the rack 3 reaches the sort position (b), for instance, a robot arm or the like of a bottom plate-pulling device acts to clamp a bottom plate 3c and pulls out the bottom plate 3c to a rack bottom plate-collecting part. A container- pressing mechanism 7 presses down containers 2 held and erected in the rack 3, releases an engagement state of the containers 2 by an elastic holding body and drops the containers 2 to a predetermined sample pack line 8. The pack line 8 of samples to be sorted for every inspection sends the pressed containers 2 forward for every inspection.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a container distributing method and apparatus capable of automatically distributing sample containers at high speed for each test.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a major test center tests a huge number of samples a day, but the work of sorting patient samples by test is complicated by the complexity of the work.
In the past, the current situation is to rely exclusively on manual labor.

[0003] However, at present, this sorting work by inspection requires the most time and labor in a series of inspection work.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and has as its object to automatically perform this labor-intensive and time-consuming sorting work by inspection without manual operation. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for sorting containers that can be sorted accurately at high speed.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, in a container sorting method according to the present invention, a rack in which a standing position of a container is determined for each inspection and a bottom is open is provided. At each test position, the containers having the same or different diameters, each containing the corresponding specimen, are erected, and the rack is set at the sorting position. It is configured to be dropped on the lower sorting line for sorting specimens by test below, and to be filled in one direction along the sorting line for sorting specimens by test with the forward filling means by the forward filling means. Is what you do.

In the present invention, the container holding hole of the rack in which the container stands upright is formed so as to penetrate more than the diameter of the container and the rubber stopper. Therefore, if there is no bottom plate or elastic member, the container holding hole is formed. Is configured to fall downward as it is.

In the present invention, the rack is
It consists of one rack that stands and holds the same person's specimen in series corresponding to each test, or, for example, 10 horizontal holes x 1 vertical
It has a plurality of rows, such as 0 holes, and the columns of these rows are samples of the same person, and the rows are used as specimens for different examinations. Are arranged so as to be arranged in parallel with the rows.

In the present invention, the rack is formed so that a bottom portion is opened in advance, or the bottom plate is configured to be detached and attached at the distribution position, and the containers are arranged in each container holding hole of the rack. It is configured to be held by the provided holding body. In the case of using sample containers having the same diameter for each test, the container holding holes of the rack are slightly larger than the diameter of the container, and the container falls under its own weight. There is no need for a holding body.

According to the present invention, as another method for achieving the above object, a corresponding sample is stored in each inspection position of a rack in which a standing position of a container is determined for each inspection. After standing and holding the container, the rack is set at the distribution position, and then, after the container is gripped from above the rack and the container is pulled out of the rack, the empty rack is moved from the distribution position, Next, the container is transferred to a test-sorted specimen pre-filling line, and the transferred container is configured to be packed in one direction along the test-sorted sample pre-filling line by the filling means. It is characterized by having done.

Further, according to the present invention, the container distributing apparatus for realizing the first method is characterized in that the standing position of the container is determined for each sample of the same test and the bottom is opened. A rack, a container containing a sample which is held upright at each position for each test, and a resilient member for holding the container in a suspended state in each container holding hole of the rack, and a distributing position for the rack. Means for transporting the container to the distribution position, means for lowering the container from the top of the rack that has reached the distribution position, and pushing the container downward under the rack, and means for front-loading the extruded container for each inspection. And a test sample sorting line arranged below the rack.

In the present invention, a mechanism for detaching and attaching a bottom plate of the rack is provided at the distribution position of the rack. For example, in the case of a rack from which the bottom plate is pulled out, a mechanism for attaching and detaching the bottom plate is arranged at the distribution position of the rack.

Further, in the present invention, it is desirable that the sorting line for pre-sorted specimens for each test is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the rack is transported.

Further, the elastic body according to the present invention is formed by a plurality of leaf springs arranged in each container holding hole of the rack, thereby holding the container in a suspended state in each container holding hole. can do.

[0014] Alternatively, a first elastic member having a plurality of short elastic pieces engaged with a step formed in each container holding hole of the rack, A second elastic member having a plurality of long elastic pieces, wherein the first elastic member has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the container, and has a substantially C-shaped planar shape. And a plurality of the short elastic pieces extending at required intervals along the circumferential direction of the base, and the lower end of each elastic piece is gently reduced in the diameter-reducing direction. A base formed by drawing an arc, forming the second elastic body to have the same size as the base of the first elastic body, and forming a planar shape of substantially C-shape; And a plurality of long elastic pieces extending at required intervals along the circumferential direction of the base portion. A plurality of concave grooves are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the base of the second elastic body, and a plurality of short elastic pieces of the first elastic body are formed in the concave grooves. May be fitted and positioned.

Further, according to the present invention, a container sorting device for realizing the second method includes a rack in which a standing position of the container is determined for each sample of the same test, and a test for each rack. A container containing a specimen to be held upright at another position,
Means for transferring the rack to the distribution position, means for pulling out and holding the container above the rack, means for transferring the container to the sorting sample pre-filling line for each test, and transferring the transferred container for each test. The apparatus is characterized by comprising a front-filling means for front-loading, and the sorting specimen front-filling line for each test, in which the container is packed in one direction by the front-filling means.

In addition, according to the present invention, in addition to the above-described configurations, the containers collected in the sorting line for pre-sorted specimens for each test are manually or automatically transferred to the sample racks for each destination. Is desirable. When this is automatically performed, a container holder having the same configuration as the above-mentioned elastic body is slidably disposed along the line on the sorting front line for each test sample,
A container for each destination, which is set so as not to fall out and is packed forward, is arranged with a sample rack for each destination under a sorting sample front-filling line for each test similarly to the structure of the sorting position, and the container is pressed down. If the destination-specific container is dropped onto the test-specific sample rack by the means, the destination-specific container can be automatically transferred to the test-specific sample rack without missing teeth.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in the container high-speed automatic sorting apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the standing position of the container 2 is determined for each inspection, and the bottom 3a (see FIG. 3). ), A rack 3 having a container holding hole 3b opened,
And a rack transfer device 5 for transferring the rack 3 to the distribution position b, and a rack transfer device 5 for transferring the rack 3 to the distribution position b.
A bottom plate extracting device 6 for extracting the bottom plate 3c of the rack 3 with
A container pressing device 7 that descends from the upper part of the rack 3 that has reached the distribution position b and pushes the container 2 downwardly of the rack 3; A destination-specific sample rack 9 arranged below the position b, a destination-specific sample rack 9 for transferring the containers 2 collected in the test-specific sorting sample prefill line 8 by destination, and And a control device (not shown) for organically interlocking each component.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the container 2 is press-fitted with a rubber stopper 2b into an upper portion of an opening of a container body 2a having a substantially U-shaped cross section, and a patient sample is sealed in a required amount. It is configured.

The rack 3 has a container holding hole 3b.
However, it is formed so as to penetrate more than the diameter of the container 2, and therefore, without the bottom plate 3 c or the elastic body 4, the container 2 is directly dropped downward.

Further, in this embodiment, the rack 3 is provided with container holding holes 3c of 10 rows × 10 columns, and is configured to hold up to 10 samples (samples for 10 patients). I have. Of course, the number of containers held in the rack 3 is not limited to this embodiment,
The number of rows and the number of columns can be appropriately selected as long as the number of rows is equal to or more than one row of rack bodies capable of holding and standing at least a plurality of containers 2.

That is, a sample of the same patient is erected and held vertically in the rack 3, and the container 2 containing the sample is erected and held in the container holding hole 3b corresponding to the examination request item of the patient. For example, in this embodiment, the container holding hole 3b of the rack 3, for convenience of explanation, the 3b ₁ A for testing, 3b ₂
For B inspection, 3b ₃ for C inspection, 3b ₄ for D inspection, 3
b ₅ a for E test, 3b ₆ to F for inspection, for the 3b ₇ G test, 3b ₈ a H inspection, 3b ₉ the I inspection, the 3b ₁₀ J
Each container holding hole for the test is used, and the test requests for the specimens erected in the first row from the left in FIG.
Assuming that the test is the test, the H test, and the J test, the container 2 in which the sample is stored is the container holding hole 3b ₁ and the container holding hole 3b.
_2, the container holding hole 3b _5, is held in a container holding hole 3b ₈ and the container holding hole 3b _10. In the same procedure, the samples in the second and subsequent rows are also erected at predetermined positions in correspondence with the test request.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the elastic member 4 has a first elastic member 4A having four short elastic pieces 4a and a second elastic member having four long elastic pieces 4c. And a holding body 4B.

The first elastic member 4A has a base portion 4b having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the container 2 (rubber stopper 2b) and having a substantially C-shaped planar shape. And the four short elastic pieces 4a extending at required intervals along the circumferential direction of the base 4b. The lower end of each elastic piece 4a has a circular arc gently in the diameter-reducing direction. Is formed.

On the other hand, the second elastic body 4B is formed to have the same size as the base 4b of the first elastic body 4A and a base 4d having a substantially C-shaped planar shape. And four long elastic pieces 4c extending at required intervals along the circumferential direction of the base 4d, and the lower end of each elastic piece 4c draws a gentle arc in the diameter reducing direction. It is formed. Further, four concave grooves 4e are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the base 4d.
Are formed, and the four short elastic pieces 4a of the first elastic body 4A are fitted and positioned in the concave grooves 4e.

Then, the base 4b of the first elastic body 4A
As shown in FIG. 3, the base 4d of the second elastic body 4B and the base 4d of the second elastic body 4B are assembled integrally, and the outer peripheral lower edge of the base 4d of the second elastic body 4B is It is configured to be locked to the step 3e of the holding hole 3b.

By configuring the elastic member 4 in this manner, the four short elastic pieces 4a of the first elastic member 4A elastically support the upper part of the container 2 and the second elastic member 4A. Since the four long elastic pieces 4c of the body 4B elastically hold the intermediate portion of the container 2, the container 2 is held upright in the container holding hole 3b of the rack 3 in a suspended state. Of course, in the present invention, instead of the first and second elastic members 4A and 4B, this may be formed by a plurality of leaf springs.

The rack transfer device 5 moves the rack 3 in FIG.
Is sent from the input position a to the distribution position b, and after the predetermined distribution work is completed, the empty rack is intermittently transported to the empty rack collection position c. The rack 3 can be moved along the guide rail by a known piston pressing mechanism or the like, or can be configured to be guided by a known belt transfer mechanism.

When the rack 3 arrives at the distribution position b, for example, a robot arm or the like operates to clamp the bottom plate 3c when the rack 3 arrives at the distribution position b, and then a mechanism for pulling the bottom plate 3c to the rack bottom plate collecting section. In the process of transferring the rack 3, various known mechanisms such as a stopper mechanism that restricts movement of only the bottom plate at a predetermined position can be appropriately applied.

As shown in FIG. 3, the container pressing device 7 comprises a base member 7a and a plurality of pressing rods 7b projecting from the lower surface of the base member 7a. Moves the rack 3 to the distribution position b,
After confirming that the bottom plate 3c has been pulled out at the position b, the bottom plate 3c is lowered by an elevation drive (not shown), and the container 2 held upright on the rack 3 is pushed down, so that the container 2 Is released, and the container 2 is dropped onto the predetermined test-sorted sample pre-filling line 8.

The test sample sorting line 8 is located below the sorting position b where the extruded containers 2 are sorted and sorted by test, and is orthogonal to the intermittent transfer direction of the rack 3. Are arranged in 10 rows. Of course, the number of rows of the line 8 is not limited to the present embodiment, and is formed corresponding to the number of container holding holes of the rack 3.

In addition, the sorting sample prefilling line 8 for each test
As described above, the extruded container 2 only needs to be configured to be pre-packed for each inspection. For example, the operator may manually pre-pack the extruded container 2, but when this is performed automatically, Although not particularly shown, for example, a container holder having the same configuration as the above-mentioned elastic body 4 is slidably disposed along the line 8 on each test-sorted specimen front-filling line 8,
After the containers 2 are sent out by destination so as to prevent the tooth from being clogged, the sample rack 9 for each test has no tooth omission by means having the same configuration as that of the container pressing device 7 disposed at the sorting position b. It can be configured to be transferred in a state.

The sample rack 9 for each test is for transferring the containers 2 collected in the sorting line 8 for sample sorting for each test for each destination. In this embodiment, it is possible to hold 100 containers 2. Although not shown, ten types of racks 9 can be prepared, and the destination-specific containers 2 allocated to these racks 9 are configured to be held upright in a state where there is no missing tooth and transferred to a dedicated inspection device. I have. Of course, the transfer of the container 2 to the test-specific sample rack 9 can also be performed manually.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the container 2 is dropped at the distribution position b to the test-specific sorting specimen pre-filling line 8 below and pre-packed is described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this.After the container holding the sample is held at each test position of the rack where the standing position of the container is determined for each test, Is set at the distribution position, and then, after grasping the container from above the rack and pulling out the container from the rack, the empty rack is moved from the distribution position,
Next, the container is transferred to a test-sorted specimen pre-filling line, and the transferred container is configured to be packed in one direction along the test-sorted sample pre-filling line by the filling means. May be. In this case, as a mechanism for pulling out the container from the rack, a known robot arm mechanism or a known clamp mechanism can be appropriately applied.

[0035]

As described above, according to the method and the apparatus for sorting containers according to the present invention, it is possible to automatically and extremely laborious and time-consuming sorting work by inspection without manual operation. In addition, sorting can be performed accurately at high speed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a container sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a container and a resilient member of the sorting device.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a container, a resilient body, and a rack of the distribution device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 High-speed automatic sorting device of container 2 Container 3 Rack 3a Bottom of rack 3b Container holding hole 3c Bottom plate 4 Resilient body 5 Rack transfer device 6 Bottom plate pull-out device 7 Container pushing device 8 Sorting sample prefilling line by inspection 9 By inspection Sample rack

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A standing position of a container is determined for each inspection,
And, after standing and holding the container containing the corresponding sample at each test position of the rack with the open bottom, the rack is set to the sorting position, and then the container is moved from the rack by the container pressing means. It is configured to be dropped on the lower sorting line for sorting specimens by test below, and to be filled in one direction along the sorting line for sorting specimens by test with the forward filling means by the forward filling means. Container sorting method. 2. The container sorting method according to claim 1, wherein the rack has a hole for holding the container larger than a diameter of the container. 3. The container sorting method according to claim 1, wherein the rack stands and holds a sample of the same person in series corresponding to each test. 4. The rack according to claim 1, wherein the rack has a plurality of rows, rows of which are used for samples of the same test, and columns of which are used for samples of the same person. 3. The container sorting method according to claim 1, wherein the containers are arranged in parallel with the rows. 5. The rack according to claim 1, wherein a bottom portion of the rack is opened in advance, and the containers are held by elastic members provided in respective container holding holes of the rack. The method for sorting containers according to claim 4. 6. The container sorting method according to claim 1, wherein the bottom plate of the rack is removed at the sorting position. 7. After setting up and holding a container accommodating a corresponding sample at each test position of a rack in which a container setting position is determined for each test, the rack is set at a distribution position; Next, after the container is grasped from above the rack and the container is pulled out of the rack, the empty rack is moved from the sorting position, and then the container is transferred to the test-specific sorting sample prefilling line. A method for sorting containers, wherein the transferred containers are packed in one direction along the test sample sorting line by the sorting method. 8. A rack in which an erect position of a container is determined for each sample of the same test and the bottom is opened, a container accommodating a sample standing and held at each test position of the rack, and A resilient member for holding the container in a suspended state in each container holding hole of the rack, a means for transferring the rack to a distribution position, and a descent from the upper portion of the rack that has reached the distribution position to move the container to the rack. A means for pushing the container downward, a filling means for filling the extruded container for each test, and a test sample sorting line disposed below the rack. Container distributing device comprising: 9. The container sorting device according to claim 8, wherein a mechanism for attaching and detaching a bottom plate of the rack is provided at a sorting position of the rack. 10. The container shaker according to claim 8, wherein the test-specific sorting sample prefilling line is arranged in a direction orthogonal to a rack transfer direction. Minute device. 11. The rack according to claim 8, wherein the elastic member is formed of a plurality of leaf springs disposed in each container holding hole of the rack. Container sorting device. 12. The elastic body includes a first elastic body having a plurality of short elastic pieces engaged with a step formed in each container holding hole of the rack, and a plurality of long elastic bodies. And a second elastic member having an elastic piece. The first elastic member has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the container, and has a substantially C-shaped planar shape. A base portion, and the plurality of short elastic pieces extending at required intervals along the circumferential direction of the base portion.The lower end portion of each elastic piece gently forms an arc in the diameter reducing direction. It is drawn and formed, and the second
Is formed in the same size as the base of the first elastic body and has a substantially C-shaped planar shape, and at a predetermined interval along the circumferential direction of the base. And a plurality of long elastic pieces extending to the lower end of each of the elastic pieces is formed in a gentle arc in the diameter-reducing direction, and the base of the second elastic body is formed. A plurality of grooves are formed in the inner peripheral surface of the first elastic member, and the plurality of short elastic pieces of the first elastic body are fitted and positioned in the grooves. A container sorting device according to any one of claims 8 to 10. 13. A rack in which a standing position of a container is determined for each sample of the same test, a container in which a sample standing and held at each position of the rack is stored, and the rack is transferred to a distribution position. Means for pulling out and holding the container above the rack, means for transferring the container to the sorting sample prefilling line for each test, and stuffing for stuffing the transferred container for each test. And a sorting front-loading line for each test specimen, which stores the container in one direction by the front-filling means. 14. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the containers collected in the test-specific sorting sample prefilling line are transferred to a destination-specific sample rack. Distributing method and its device.