KR20190124166A - Holder transport apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a holder retransfer device which comprises: a transfer member having an upward path and a downward path extending upward and downward, and disposed along an elevating circulation path; an elevator provided with the transfer member, and having a plurality of support plates which support a holder holding a sample container in a standing state.

Description

Holder transport device {HOLDER TRANSPORT APPARATUS}

The present invention relates to a holder conveying apparatus for elevating a sample holder holding a specimen container.

In the conveying apparatus which conveys the sample container which can accommodate a sample, such as blood, the holder conveyance apparatus which conveys the holder which hold | maintains a sample container in the standing state is known (for example, Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2004-) 212064).

The holder conveying apparatus includes, for example, a pair of guide rails provided along a predetermined conveying path, and a belt conveyor provided between the pair of guide rails and conveyed in a predetermined direction. For example, when a some conveyance line is provided, a some conveyance line is arranged in a horizontal surface.

In the holder conveying apparatus mentioned above, since the installation space of the number of conveying lines is required, it is necessary to ensure a large space according to the number of conveying lines.

A holder conveying apparatus of one embodiment includes a conveying member disposed along an elevating circulation path circulating with an up and down path that extends up and down, and a holder mounted to the conveying member and holding a specimen container in a standing state. The elevator apparatus provided with the some support plate is provided.

Advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means and combinations particularly pointed out below.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The perspective view of the holder conveyance apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention.
2 is a cross-sectional view of a conveying line of the holder conveying apparatus according to the embodiment;
3 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the holder conveying apparatus according to the embodiment.
4 is a perspective view showing a part of the holder conveying apparatus according to the embodiment;
5 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of a holder conveying apparatus according to the embodiment;
6 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the holder conveying apparatus according to the embodiment;
7 is an explanatory diagram of a holder conveyance device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
8 is an explanatory diagram of the holder conveying apparatus;
9 is an explanatory diagram of a holder conveyance device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
10 is an explanatory diagram of the holder conveying apparatus;
11 is an explanatory diagram of the holder conveying apparatus;
12 is an explanatory diagram of the holder conveying apparatus;
13 is an explanatory diagram of the holder conveying apparatus;
14 is an explanatory diagram of a holder conveyance apparatus according to another embodiment.
15 is an explanatory diagram of a holder conveyance device according to the embodiment;

[First Embodiment]

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the holder conveyance apparatus 1 and the holder conveyance method which concern on one Embodiment of this invention are demonstrated with reference to FIGS. 1 is a perspective view of a holder conveying apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the conveyor line of the holder conveying apparatus 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the holder conveying apparatus 1. 4 is a perspective view showing a part of the holder conveying apparatus 1, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of the holder conveying apparatus 1. Arrows x, y, z in the figure represent three directions orthogonal to each other.

The holder conveying apparatus 1 is provided with a pair of elevator apparatuses 10, the conveyor apparatus 20 provided between this pair of elevator apparatuses 10, and the control part 50. As shown in FIG.

The left and right pair of elevator apparatuses 10 face each other with the conveyor apparatus 20 interposed therebetween, and are arranged at a predetermined interval from each other. The pair of elevator devices 10 includes a housing 11 constituting the outer periphery, a plurality of conveying rollers provided along a predetermined elevating circulation path A1 (elevating path), and an elevating chain 13 as a conveying member placed over the plurality of conveying rollers. ), A lift mechanism portion having a plurality of support plates 14 (support portions) arranged on the lift chain 13, and a lift drive device 15 that drives the belt conveyance roller 24 to rotate, and the conveyor device 20. A moving device 16 for moving the holder 30 is provided. In addition, the pair of elevator apparatus 10 is comprised similarly except the point set in the opposite direction of the front and back of the support plate 14.

The housing 11 is provided with the frame 11a comprised by the rectangular parallelepiped shape in the Z direction of a perpendicular direction, for example, and the four corner parts 11b formed in the bottom part of the frame 11a. . The frame 11a has openings on the surface facing the conveyor apparatus 20 and on both surfaces on the opposite side thereof. The support plate 14 protrudes from this opening.

The lift drive device 15 rotates the plurality of transport rollers to rotate the lift chains 13 placed over the outside of the plurality of transport rollers in a predetermined direction.

The elevating circulation path A1 has an upward path A11 and a downward path A12 extending vertically, and these upward paths A11 and the downward path A12 are connected at upper and lower ends, and have a vertically long loop shape. It consists of.

The lifting chain 13 is provided with a pair of chain belts 13a and 13b, and a pair of chain belts 13a and 13b are laid along the elevation circulation path A1, and are comprised in loop shape. For example, each chain belt 13a, 13b is a belt of the chain structure by which the some link plate was connected in the conveyance direction. The lifting chain 13 is provided with a plurality of support plates 14 at predetermined intervals.

The plurality of support plates 14 are fixed to the lifting chain 13 by the bracket 13d. The support plate 14 is placed on the outer circumferential side of the loop of the elevating chain 13 and is supported. The support plate 14 has a plate member 14a having a mounting surface 14c orthogonal to the circulation path, and a guide wall 14b (guide member) placed in the outer periphery of the surface which is one main surface of the plate member 14a. And a retaining portion 14d having a pair of claw pieces 14e protruding inward from the guide wall 14b.

The guide wall 14b is formed in a U-shape when viewed from the plane opening toward the conveyor line side, and has an inner wall 14f inclined in a tapered shape so that the opening side is widened. One surface of the plate member 14a has a supporting surface orthogonal to the path of the elevating circulation path A1.

The holder 30 is mounted on the mounting surface 14c, which is one main surface of the plate member 14a, by the guide wall 14b and the holding part 14d. Support in standing position. The plurality of support plates 14 are mounted in a direction in which the mounting surface 14c on the front side is upward in the conveying path on the conveyor apparatus 20 side.

The holding part 14d has a pair of claw pieces 14e and 14e projecting inwardly from the inner wall 14f of the guide wall 14b, and elastically deforms so that the space between the pair of claw pieces 14e and 14e is expanded and contracted. It is possible.

In this embodiment, as for the elevator apparatus 10 of one side, the downward path A12 is arrange | positioned at the conveyor apparatus 20 side, and the upward path A11 is arrange | positioned at the opposite side to the conveyor apparatus 20, and a conveyor It becomes a lowering apparatus which lowers the holder 30 received from the apparatus 20. As shown in FIG. As for the elevator apparatus 10 of the other side, the upward path A11 is arrange | positioned at the conveyor apparatus 20 side, and the downward path A12 is arrange | positioned at the opposite side to the conveyor apparatus 20, and received from the conveyor apparatus 20. It becomes a raising device which raises the holder 30.

In each elevator apparatus 10, the moving apparatus 16 is provided in the upper and lower two places which a conveyor line opposes, respectively. The moving device 16 includes a holder arm 16a for moving the holder 30 between the support plate 14 and the conveyor line, and an arm drive device 16b for operating the holder arm 16a at a predetermined timing. It is provided. The moving device 16 moves, for example, the holder 30 arranged on the conveyor belt 23 onto the support plate 14 by rotating or moving the holder arm 16a, or The holder 30 on the support plate 14 is moved onto the conveyor belt 23.

For example, the moving device 16 of the upper part of the elevator apparatus 10 on the right side of a figure is a holder by moving the holder arm 16a at predetermined timing under the control of the control part 50, for example. The operation of slidingly moving the 30 is repeated, and the plurality of holders 30 are sequentially moved from the conveyor belt 23 onto the support plate 14. The moving device 16 of the lower part of one elevator apparatus 10 repeats the operation which slides the holder 30 at a predetermined timing under the control of the control part 50, for example, and the several holder 30 is carried out. Is sequentially moved from the support plate 14 onto the conveyor belt 23.

On the other hand, for example, the moving device 16 of the upper part of the elevator apparatus 10 on the left side of the drawing moves the holder arm 16a at a predetermined timing under the control of the control unit 50, for example. ) Is repeated to move the plurality of holders 30 on the conveyor belt 23 sequentially from the support plate 14. The moving device 16 of the lower part of the other elevator apparatus 10 repeats the operation which slides the holder 30 at a predetermined timing under the control of the control part 50, for example, and the several holder 30 is carried out. Is sequentially moved from the conveyor belt 23 onto the support plate 14.

The conveyor apparatus 20 is equipped with the conveyance line 21A, 21B of several steps which conveys the holder 30 which hold | maintains the sample container 40 in a standing state along a predetermined conveyance path up and down. For example, in this embodiment, the conveyor apparatus 20 has the conveyance lines 21A and 21B of two steps of upper and lower sides.

Each conveying line 21A, 21B includes a pair of guide rails 22 provided along a conveying path extending horizontally in the X direction, a loop-shaped conveyor belt 23 disposed between the pair of guide rails 22, and Conveyance drive for conveying the conveyor belt 23 by rotationally driving at least a portion of the plurality of belt conveying rollers 24 and the plurality of belt conveying rollers 24 arranged on the teeth side of the conveyor belt 23. The apparatus 25 is comprised and comprised.

The some belt conveyance roller 24 is equipped with the drive roller and the support roller which have the axis | shaft along a Y direction, and are arrange | positioned along the predetermined conveyance path | route. The drive roller is connected to the lift drive device 15, and the drive roller rotates by the transfer drive device 25 to transfer the conveyor belt 23 placed over the outside of the plurality of belt transfer rollers. .

The upper and lower pair of conveying lines 21A and 21B are disposed along the X direction, and the lower conveying line 21B has a conveying path from one side to the other, and the upper conveying line 21A faces the one from the other. It has a conveyance path.

The holder 30 is provided with the cylindrical holding cylinder part 31 which has a bottom part, and the some holding pin 32 extended above the holding cylinder part 31. As shown in FIG. The holding cylinder part 31 has the step 31a annularly on the outer peripheral surface. The holder 30 is guided to the guide rail 22 by engaging the step 31a with the inner wall of the guide rail 22. The retaining pin 32 is a metal pin member, for example, and is bent so that a part may protrude radially inward of the holder 30. The retaining pin 32 is elastically deformable. The holder 30 hold | maintains the sample container 40 by pressurizing the outer peripheral surface of the sample container 40 inserted in the holding cylinder part 31 by the bending part of several holding pin 32. As shown in FIG. The holder 30 holding the specimen container 40 is coupled between the pair of guide rails 22 and supported in a standing state, and is conveyed along the movement of the conveyor belt 23.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the sample container 40 is a blood collection tube formed in the shape of a tube made of, for example, transparent glass, and has a cylindrical shape having a cylindrical space for receiving a sample such as serum therein. And has an upper opening. The whole opening 41 is provided in the upper opening. For example, a label 42 is adhered to the outer circumferential side of the sample container 40. On the label 42, a bar code as an information display unit indicating various information such as identification information of a specimen is displayed.

The control part 50 is equipped with the processor which controls the operation | movement of each part based on various data and a calculation / decision result. The control part 50 performs conveyance by operating a conveyance mechanism specifically, at a predetermined timing.

Next, the holder conveyance method using the holder conveyance apparatus 1 which concerns on this embodiment is demonstrated with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. Here, as an example, the holder 30 on the upper conveying line 21A is lowered to the elevator apparatus 10, moved to the lower conveying line 21B, and ascended to the other elevator apparatus 10. The order is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The holder conveyance method which concerns on this embodiment is the 1st movement process ST1 which moves the holder 30 on the support plate 14 of a descending line from the conveyor line above by the moving apparatus 16, and a descending line. Lowering step (ST2) for lowering the holder (30) by means of, and second moving step (ST3) for moving the holder (30) from the support plate (14) of the lowering line to the lower conveyor line by the moving device (16). ) And the support plate 14 of the lifting line from the lower conveyor line to the supporting plate 14 of the rising line by the lower conveying step ST4 and the moving device 16 which convey the holder 30 toward the rising line by the lower conveyor line. 3rd moving process ST5 which moves 30, the raising process ST6 which raises the holder 30 by a rising line, and the holder 30 from the support plate 14 of a rising line to an upper conveyor line. Fourth moving step (ST7) for moving the and The phase conveyance process ST8 which conveys the holder 30 toward a descending line by the conveyor line of a room is provided.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, as a movement process (ST1, ST3, ST5, ST7) between the conveyor line and the support plate 14, the control part 50 drives a moving arm, and the retraction position ( The holder 30 is extruded or pulled to a predetermined target position by entering the position where the holder 30 stands by from (iii) and moving the moving arm in the X direction. At this time, since the surface facing the conveyor line and the upper surface of the support plate 14 are opened, the holder 30 moves to the predetermined position on the mounting surface 14c through this opening. At this time, the outer periphery of the holder 30 is held between the guide wall 14b and the pair of claw pieces 14e of the elastically deformable retaining portion 14d.

As the upper conveyance process ST8 and the lower conveyance process ST4, the control part 50 conveys the conveyor belt 23 by rotating the lifting drive apparatus 15, and moves the holder 30 to a conveyance direction. Let's do it.

As the lowering step ST2 and the raising step ST6, the control unit 50 transfers the lifting chain 13 by driving the driving roller of the elevator apparatus 10. At this time, the supporting plate 14 of the descending line and the rising line is lowered or raised in the upward state. On the other hand, on the opposite side of the descending line and the rising line of the circulation lifting path, that is, the side away from the conveyor line, the supporting plate 14 is raised or lowered in a state in which the back surface of the supporting plate 14 faces upward.

In the holder conveyance apparatus 1 comprised as mentioned above, the some conveyance lines 21A and 21B can be arranged up and down by providing the elevator apparatus 10 which raises and lowers the holder 30 in a standing state, Therefore, space saving can be achieved. In other words, the upper and lower spaces can be used effectively, rather than the side roads and the return roads arranged side by side, whereby the installation space can be reduced. Moreover, in each elevator apparatus 10, it is possible to raise and lower the holder 30 sequentially with the simple structure which only provides the support plate 14 orthogonal to the loop-shaped lifting chain 13. As shown in FIG. In addition, the guide wall 14b is simply mounted on the support plate 14 by sliding the holder 30 onto the support plate 14 having the guide wall 14b with one tapered shape. By holding, stable lifting operation can be realized with a simple configuration.

In addition, this invention is not limited to each said embodiment as it is, In an implementation step, a component can be modified and actualized in the range which does not deviate from the summary.

For example, in the said embodiment, although the conveyance lines 21A and 21B illustrated the two-stage structure arrange | positioned up and down by making a line and a return one line at a time, it is not limited to this. For example, two or more lines may be used as the return path, the return path, or both, or the plurality of conveying lines 21A and 21B may be arranged horizontally, and the conveying lines may be arranged three or more stages above and below.

In addition, although the structure in which the carry-in position and the carry-out position become the same height was illustrated in the said 1st Embodiment, while setting a loop-shaped conveyance path | route and making rise and fall the same distance, it is not limited to this. The movement path can be arbitrarily set, and for example, may be set to a path for moving to a carry-out position away from a predetermined carry-in position. For example, you may make it the structure where the height of a carry-in position and a carry-out position differs by making a path | route whose distance of rise or fall differ, or performing only one of a raise or fall operation.

In addition, although the structure by which one conveyor apparatus 20 is provided between a pair of elevator apparatus 10 in the said 1st Embodiment was illustrated, it is not limited to this, The some conveyor apparatus 20 arrange | positions continuously By doing so, one path may be configured. Moreover, the holder conveyance apparatus may be the structure further provided with the processing apparatus which performs various processes to the sample container 40 which moves on 21 A of conveyance lines, or the sample in the sample container 40. FIG.

In addition, in the said 1st Embodiment, although the example which divided and comprised the elevator apparatus 10 and the conveyor apparatus 20 as a separate apparatus was shown, it is not limited to this, For example, the elevator apparatus 10 and a conveyor apparatus are shown. The configuration in which the 20 is fixed to a common mount may be used.

For example, in the said 1st Embodiment, although the example of the elevating circulation path A1 and the conveyance path | route was shown in 1 column, it is not limited to this, It is provided with several elevating circulation path A1 and the conveyance path in parallel, The structure conveyed by heat may be sufficient.

In addition, in the said 1st Embodiment, although the mechanism which moves along the loop shaped circulation path A1 by the lifting chain 13 as a lifting mechanism 13 is not limited to this. For example, the support plate 14 may be reciprocated in a predetermined hoistway using a hoisting drive mechanism such as a cylinder.

In addition, although the said embodiment showed the example which mounts and moves one sample container 40 one by one support plate 14, and moves up and down, it is not limited to this, The structure which collects and mounts in the support plate 14 by several pieces is carried out. It may be.

FIG. 7: is a top view which shows the structure of the conveyance line 21A of the upper end of the holder conveyance apparatus 1B which concerns on other embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a structure of the conveyance line 21B of the lower end of the holder conveyance apparatus 1B. It is a top view which shows. For example, as another embodiment, the holder conveyance apparatus 1B shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 is equipped with the some processing apparatus provided with the conveyor apparatus 20. As shown in FIG. The holder conveying apparatus 1B is an opening device 110 as a processing device having a conveyor device 20, a conveyor device 20, and a plurality of pairs of elevator devices 10 arranged at both ends. Analysis apparatus 120A, 120B, 120C, and 120D are arrange | positioned side by side. As an example, the power supply device 110 and the four analysis devices 120A, 120B, 120C, and 120D are alternately arranged on one side and the other side of the upper transfer line 21A.

The holder conveyance apparatus 1B is further equipped with the carrying-in apparatus 130 which carries in the sample container 40 to the elevator apparatus 10, and the carrying-out apparatus 140 which carries out a sample container from an elevator apparatus.

Each conveyor apparatus 20 is comprised with the conveyance lines 21A, 21B of the upper and lower two stages similarly to the holder conveyance apparatus 1 which concerns on 1st Embodiment.

The opener device 110 includes a opener including a conveyor device 20 and a opener head 112 as a processing head for carrying out a opener process on a sample container or a specimen flowing on the above transfer line 21A. The opening part separates the whole 41 from the sample container 40 by holding the whole 41 mounted in the sample container, and moving upwards, for example.

The plurality of analyzers 120A, 120B, 120C, and 120D are arranged side by side so that the transfer lines 21A, 21B are continuous. Each analysis device 120 includes a conveyor device 20, a guide device 122, and an analysis processing device 123.

The conveyor apparatus 20 of the analysis apparatus 120A, 120B, 120C, 120D is equipped with 21 A of conveyance lines, and the sub line 121 provided in parallel with 21 A of conveyance lines. The analysis apparatus 120A, 120B, 120C, and 120D may be the same apparatus, for example, may be another kind of analysis apparatus from which an inspection item differs.

The guide apparatus 122 is equipped with the rotation blade which guides the sample container on 21 A of conveyance lines to the sub line 121. As shown in FIG.

The analysis processing apparatus 123 is provided with the preparative nozzle 124 as a processing head which collects the sample in the sample container 40 arrange | positioned on the conveyance line 21A or the sub line 121, and the preparative nozzle 124 Analyze the sample collected by For example, the analysis apparatus 120A and the analysis processing apparatus 123 of the analysis apparatus 120C are provided in the side of the one side of the conveyance line 21A, and the analysis processing apparatus 123 of the analysis apparatus 12B, 120D. ) Is provided on the side of the other side of the transfer line 21A. In addition, the preparative nozzle 124 of the analysis apparatus 120A and the analysis apparatus 120C is arrange | positioned on the conveyance line 21A, and the preparative nozzle 124 of the analysis apparatus 120B, 120D is on the sub line 121. FIG. Is placed on. That is, the adjacent analyzers 120A-140D are arrange | positioned in the line different from a preparative position, and the analysis processing apparatus 123 is also alternately arrange | positioned.

The carrying-in apparatus 130 is equipped with the transfer head as a processing head, and is the sample container 40 from the rack 150 which hold | maintains a plurality of sample containers to the holder 30 waiting by the elevator apparatus 10. Transfer the).

21 A of conveyance lines and the conveyance line 21B of the some conveyer apparatus 20 provided in the carrying-in apparatus 130, the opener apparatus 110, the some analysis apparatus 120, and the carrying out apparatus 140, respectively. Are arranged continuously, and comprise the predetermined conveyance path | route.

The opening device 110 is disposed downstream of the conveying line 21A of the loading device 130. The opener device 110 includes an opener head 112 as a processing head, holds the side of the specimen container and the entirety of the specimen container 41 carried in the conveying line 21A, and holds the entirety 41 upward. The opening process which separates from a sample container by carrying out is performed.

The analysis processing device 123 is disposed on the downstream side in the conveying line 21A of the power opening device 110. It has a preparative nozzle 124 as a processing head which collects the sample in the sample container which flows through 21 A of conveyance lines in the open state, and analyzes the predetermined | prescribed item with respect to the sample collected with the preparative nozzle 124. As shown in FIG.

The control unit specifies the sample container 40 to be analyzed of each analysis device 120A to 120D based on information such as a label of the sample container 40, and when passing through each analysis device 120A to 120D, The sample container 40 to be inspected by the analysis devices 120A to 120D is guided to the line immediately below the aliquot nozzle 124 of the analysis device 120A to 120D, and the sample container 40 other than the object is The guide apparatus 122 and the analysis processing apparatus 123 are controlled to pass through the other line.

The analysis apparatus 120A-120D collects a sample from the sample container 40 which reached the target line under the preparative nozzle 124 by the preparative nozzle 124, and prescribes a predetermined test | inspection item by the analysis processing apparatus 123. Run your analysis.

The carrying out device 140 transfers the sample container 40 held by the holder 30 of the elevator apparatus 10 to the rack 150, for example.

Also in this embodiment, the effect similar to the said 1st Embodiment is exhibited.

In addition, in this embodiment, the sub line 121 can be set in parallel with one side or the other side of 21 A of conveyance lines, and a processing apparatus can be arrange | positioned at both sides of 21 A of conveyance lines. Therefore, for example, compared with the structure in which the return path and the return path are parallel in the same plane, the degree of freedom of arrangement of the processing apparatus is high, so that the transport path can be shortened and downsized.

9-13 is explanatory drawing of the holder conveyance apparatus 1C which concerns on other embodiment. FIG. 9: is a perspective view of 1 C of holder conveyance apparatuses, FIG. 10 is a top conveyance line 21A, and FIG. 11 is a top view which shows the lower conveyance line 21B, respectively. 12 and 13 are perspective views showing a part of the configuration of the elevator apparatuses 210A and 210B provided at both ends of the conveyance path, and show only one of the four hoistways A and the conveyance lines 21A and 21B.

As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the holder conveying apparatus 1C has four paths each of the hoistway A and the upper and lower conveying lines 21A and 21B, and holders are provided on the supporting plates 214 (supporting portions). It is the structure by which several 30 are mounted. Each elevator apparatus 210A, 210B mounts the lifting mechanism 212 and the conveyor apparatus 20 on a common mount stand. The lifting mechanism 212 is configured to reciprocate the support plate 214 along the lifting shaft 213 extending in the vertical direction. Since the structure and operation | movement other than this are the same as that of the holder conveyance apparatus 1 and 1B which concerns on the said embodiment, detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

The holder conveying apparatus 1C is provided with a pair of elevator apparatuses 210A and 210B having the conveyor apparatus 20 integrally, and a bulk loader as a processing apparatus between the pair of elevator apparatuses 210A and 210B. ) 180, the opener device 110, and the carrying out device 130 are arranged side by side such that the transport paths are continuous.

As shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, the elevator apparatuses 210A and 210B include a mount 211, a plurality of lifting mechanisms 212, a plurality of conveyor apparatuses 20, and a plurality of movements provided on the mount 211. Device 216 is provided. In the present embodiment, the elevator device 210A on one side is a lowering device for lowering the holder 30. The elevator device 210B on the other side becomes a lifting device for raising the holder 30.

Each lifting mechanism 212 includes a lifting shaft 213 provided along a predetermined lifting path A, a supporting plate 214 supported by the lifting shaft 213, and a lifting drive device 215.

Each support plate 214 is fixed to the lifting shaft 213 by a bracket. The support plate 214, like the support plate 14, has a plate member 14a having a mounting surface 14c orthogonal to the hoistway, and a guide wall placed on the outer periphery of the surface which is one main surface of the plate member 14a. 14b and the holding part 14d which protrudes inward from the guide wall 14b. In the present embodiment, each support plate 214 holds a plurality of holders 30. The guide wall 14b is opened toward the end of the adjacent conveyor apparatus 20, receives the holder 30 moving by the rotation of the holder arm 16a of the moving apparatus 216, and simultaneously holds the holding portion 14d. See you by).

The holder 30 is supported by the guide wall 14b and the holding part 14d by mounting the holder 30 on the mounting surface 14c which is one main surface of the plate member 14a. Support in standing position. The plurality of support plates 214 are mounted in a direction in which the mounting surface 14c on the front side is upward in the transport path on the conveyor apparatus 20 side. In the support plate 214 of this embodiment, three holders 30 are mounted and supported in a parallel direction along the conveyance paths 21A and 21B.

The moving device 216 includes a holder arm 16a and an arm drive device 16b for operating the holder arm 16a at a predetermined timing. The arm drive device 16b includes a rotation shaft that supports the holder arm 16a so as to be rotatable, and a movement shaft that supports the rotation shaft so as to be movable in a predetermined direction. The moving device 216 moves the holder 30 between the supporting plate 214 and the conveying lines 21A and 21B.

The holder arm 16a is rotatably connected to the rotation shaft 16b which is movable in a conveyance direction, and can be rotated and moved in a conveyance direction at a predetermined timing. The holder arm 16a can be switched to a state in which the holder arm is retracted from the conveyance path by rotation, for example, and a state where the tip end has penetrated into the conveyance path, and the pivot shaft 16b is conveyed along the movable shaft 16c. By moving to the direction, the holder arm 16a moves along a conveyance path | route. In the standby state, the holder arm 16a retracts to a position deviating from the path through which the holder 30 passes, enters into the conveying path at a predetermined timing, and moves in the conveying direction in that state so that the holder arm 16a is in the conveying path. The holder 30 is pressed in the conveyance direction. For example, in 210 A of one elevator apparatuses shown in FIG. 12, the moving device 216 arrange | positioned at the edge part of 21 A of conveyance paths carries the holder 30 which flows by 21 A of upper conveyance paths. After pressing, it moves to the support plate 214 arrange | positioned opposingly, and after carrying out the support plate 214 descending, the conveyance path | route arrange | positioned opposingly on the support plate 214 by the moving apparatus 216 arrange | positioned at the lower end. The holder 30 is moved onto 21B. For example, in the other elevator apparatus 210B shown in FIG. 13, the holder by which the movement apparatus 216 arrange | positioned at the edge part of the lower conveyance path 21B flows by the lower conveyance path 21B. After moving the 30 onto the opposingly disposed support plates 214 and raising the support plates 214, the opposing arrangements are arranged on the support plates 214 by the moving device 216 disposed at the upper end. The holder 30 is moved on the conveying path 21A.

As shown in FIGS. 9-11, the pair of elevator apparatuses 210A, 210B and the processing apparatuses 180, 110, 130 are arrange | positioned continuously by the conveyance lines 21A, 21B of the conveyor apparatus 20. As shown to FIG. It arrange | positions so that the clearance gap of the conveyance lines 21A and 21B between adjacent processing apparatus may become smaller than the holder 30. As shown in FIG.

Each of the processing apparatuses 210A, 210B, 180, 110, 130 including the elevator apparatuses 210A, 210B is provided with four conveyor apparatuses 20 at the upper and lower ends, respectively. Four pairs of guide rails and four conveyance belts are provided at upper and lower ends, respectively.

Each processing apparatus respectively comprises a conveyor apparatus 20 and a processing head arranged at a processing position immediately above the conveying line 21A on the conveyor apparatus 20 or configured to be movable in an area including the processing position. Equipped.

The bulk loader 180 serves as a processing head for dividing the stand 181, the plurality of conveyor devices 20 provided on the stand 181, and the specimen container 40 in the standing state on the transport path 21A. And a dividing head 182.

The opening device 110 includes a stand 111, a plurality of conveyor devices 20 provided on the stand 111, and a plurality of processing heads provided on the stand 111 and disposed on the image conveying line 21A. The opening head 112 is provided.

The carrying out device 130 is movable in a moving area including the mount 131, the plurality of conveyor devices 20 provided on the mount 131, and the image conveying line 21A on the mount 131. A transfer head 134 as a processing head is provided.

The structure other than that is the same as that of the holder conveyance apparatus 1, 1A which concerns on said each embodiment.

Also in this embodiment, the effect similar to the holder conveyance apparatus 1 and 1A which concerns on said each embodiment is exhibited. Moreover, by arranging a plurality of hoistway and conveyance paths respectively, a large number of sample processing can be performed at high speed.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of processing units having a common conveyor apparatus 20 are arranged so that the processing apparatus can be increased or decreased, and the apparatus layout is changed according to the processing contents and the space conditions. can do.

For example, as another embodiment, the holder conveyance apparatus 1D shown to FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 is the structure which added several analysis apparatus 120A-120D to the holder conveyance apparatus 1C. FIG. 14 is a plan view showing the upper conveying line 21A and FIG. 15 showing the lower conveying line 21B. The analysis apparatus 120A, 120B, 120C, 120D is equipped with the analysis processing apparatus 123 and the fractionation nozzle 124 as a process head which can move in the moving area containing the image conveyance line 21A phase. Also in this embodiment, the effect similar to each said embodiment is exhibited.

In each said embodiment, although the conveyance mechanism of the upper and lower stages was illustrated, it is not limited to this. For example, the stop position may be set to three or more positions, and the structure may be provided with three or more steps of conveyance mechanisms.

In addition, in each said embodiment, although the conveyor apparatus 20 of several processing apparatus was comprised separately, the example which arrange | positioned side by side so that conveyance lines 21A and 21B of adjacent processing apparatuses was shown, It is limited to this. no. For example, you may comprise the conveying apparatus which covers several processing units integrally, and may provide the processing head extended on a conveyance path | route from the processing apparatus arrange | positioned at the side of the said conveying apparatus.

In addition, each component illustrated in the above embodiments may be deleted, or the shape, structure, material, etc. of each component may be changed. Various inventions can be formed by appropriate combination of the some component disclosed by the said embodiment.

Additional advantages and modifications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

1, 1B: holder conveying device 10: elevator device
11 housing 11a frame
11b: parts 13: lifting chain
14 support plate 14a plate member
14b: guide wall 14c: mounting surface
15 lifting device 16: moving device
16a: Holder Arm 16b: Arm Drive
20: conveyor apparatus 21A: conveying line
22: guide rail 23: conveyor belt
24: belt conveying roller 25: conveying drive device
30: holder 31: pussy tube
31a: step 32: pussy pin
40: sample container 41: the whole
42: label 50: control unit
A1: lift circuit A11: lift path
A12: descent

Claims (8)

And a conveying member disposed along an elevating circulation path circulating with an up and down path extending up and down; With elevator device
Holder conveying device. The method according to claim 1,
A plurality of said elevator apparatuses,
It is provided with the conveyor apparatus provided with the conveyance line provided in multiple rows up and down between the said elevator apparatuses.
Holder conveying device. The method according to claim 2,
The support plate includes a plate member placed on an outer circumferential side of the elevating circulation path, and a guide wall on which a side adjacent to the transfer line is opened.
Holder conveying device. An elevator apparatus supporting the holder holding the specimen container in a standing state and having a support portion moving along a predetermined hoistway;
A plurality of conveyance mechanisms are arranged in a plurality of places in the direction of the hoistway, and are disposed adjacent to the support part in the hoistway of the elevator apparatus and convey the holder along a conveyance line that intersects the hoistway.
Holder conveying device. The method according to claim 2,
An end of the conveying line and a hoistway of the elevator apparatus are disposed adjacent to each other,
And a moving device for moving the holder between the supporting plate and the conveying line.
Holder conveying device. The method according to claim 2,
Further provided with a processing apparatus which performs a process to the said sample container which flows through the said conveyance line
Holder conveying device. The method according to claim 2,
A plurality of the hoistway and the transfer line are provided in parallel in a direction intersecting with the direction of the hoistway and the direction of the transfer line.
Holder conveying device. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The said conveyance mechanism has the guide rail arrange | positioned along the said conveyance line in the side of the said holder, and the conveyance member which moves in the conveyance direction, supporting the bottom part of the said holder,
The support portion includes a support plate for supporting the bottom of the holder, a guide member disposed on the side of the holder,
Between the said support plate of the said support part arrange | positioned at a predetermined stop position, and the edge part of the conveyance path | route of the said conveyance mechanism, it is narrower than the length of the direction of the conveyance path | route of the said holder.
Holder conveying device.

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