JP4453733B2 - Test tube preparation device with integrated tray unit - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention performs pre-preparation work of a test tube in a blood collection process in a pre-process of a blood sampling test, and selects different types of test tubes according to a blood collection instruction from a doctor, and includes a patient ID and the above-mentioned The present invention relates to a test tube preparation device that can be attached to a tray for each patient by attaching a label on which patient information such as blood collection instruction contents is printed.

In blood testing departments at hospitals, clinics, and other medical institutions, blood collection workers (nurses, etc.) collect blood from patients, store the collected specimens in test tubes, and transfer them to the laboratory. . In blood tests, many types of test tubes are prepared according to the blood test items, and usually, a plurality of types of tests are performed on one patient at the same time. Therefore, a plurality of types of test tubes are prepared automatically by a test tube preparation device for one patient. In addition, it is natural to handle a large number of patients in the blood collection chamber, and a label printed with a barcode such as an order number is attached to each test tube prepared by the test tube preparation device.
The test tubes are prepared by preparing one tray for each patient, storing the selected plurality of labeled test tubes in one tray, and transporting them to the blood collection chamber.
As techniques for automating such blood collection work and supporting the blood collection work, there are techniques described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2.

As shown in the side view of FIG. 5 and the plan view of FIG. 6, the technique described in Patent Document 1 has a plurality of test tube storage portions 2 arranged vertically on the lower side of the test tube preparation device 1. The label attaching unit 3 is disposed on the upper side. The operation of the apparatus 1 is based on blood collection order information from a doctor, and takes out a type of test tube necessary for blood collection of the patient from the corresponding test tube storage unit 2 and uses the label attaching unit 3 to relate to blood collection of the patient. The information is printed on a label, and the printed label is attached to a test tube taken out. Then, the test tube after labeling is transferred to the test tube collecting device 4 by the discharging means, and the test tube after labeling is stored in the tray 5 for each patient by the test tube collecting device 4.
In addition, this patent document 1 describes that a plurality of test tube preparation devices 1 can be provided, and FIG. 6 illustrates a case where two test tube preparation devices are provided.

On the other hand, in the technique described in Patent Document 2, two test tube preparation devices described in Patent Document 1 are provided as a set for the configuration of the main body portion of the test tube preparation device. And in the technique described in this patent document 2, the test tube collection | recovery apparatus for collect | recovering the test tubes after label sticking is provided in the both sides of the test tube preparation apparatus. In FIG. 2 of Patent Document 2, a bagging and collecting device is arranged on the right side of the test tube preparation device, and a tray type collecting device is arranged on the left side of the test tube preparation device.
JP-A-8-198226 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-59339

However, the test tube collection part of Patent Document 1 is provided on the side surface side of the apparatus main body. Accordingly, there is a layout in which a test tube collection device is provided alongside the test tube preparation device main body, and there is a problem that the overall size becomes considerably large.
Moreover, in the invention described in Patent Document 2, test tube collection devices are arranged on both the left and right sides of the test tube preparation device, and each has substantially the same lateral width. Approximately three times as much space as the tube preparation device was required.

  In the inventions of Patent Documents 1 and 2, the blood collection operator receives the patient's test tubes stored in the tray from the test tube preparation device together with the trays, prepares them on the blood collection table, and affixes them to the test tubes in the tray. The patient information of the label and the patient information of the blood collection patient called to the blood collection table are collated, and blood is collected only when they match.

If there are multiple blood sampling tables in such a situation, each blood sampling operator turns back while sitting in a chair, extends his arm, and takes out the tray containing the blood collection tubes. ing. Therefore, as much as possible, it is important to be able to take out the tray prepared by the blood collection tube preparation device within a range where a plurality of blood collection workers can reach.
However, in the inventions of Patent Documents 1 and 2, in any case, a device for collecting a test tube in a tray is provided on one side surface of the test tube preparation device main body. Since the blood collection operator located on the table does not reach even if the arm is extended, there is a drawback in that it is necessary to stand up from the chair, go to the vicinity of the test tube collecting device, and receive the tray, which is complicated.

  The present invention is an improvement and removal in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems. The test tube preparation device is divided into three regions, an upper part, an intermediate part, and a lower part. A tray unit integrated test that allows multiple blood collection workers to receive the tray while sitting in a chair by arranging a labeling unit and arranging a tray unit that collects the test tube in the middle. It is intended to provide a pipe preparation device.

Therefore, the means of claim 1 adopted by the present invention to solve the above problems is to select and take out a type of test tube necessary for patient examination, and attach a label on which patient information is printed. In the test tube preparation device that prepares the test tube after it is attached and attached to the tray for each patient, the main body of the device is divided into three regions: an upper region, an intermediate region, and a lower region. , A test tube housing part containing a plurality of the same type of test tubes arranged in the lower side region of the apparatus main body, a horizontal transfer means for transporting a test tube cut out from the test tube housing part in the horizontal direction, and a device The patient information etc. are printed on the label placed in the upper area of the main body, and the label sticking unit for sticking the printed label on the outer peripheral surface of the test tube, and after the label sticking placed in the intermediate side area of the apparatus main body Collect the test tubes for each patient. And b units, vertically over between the labeling unit disposed in the upper region of the horizontal transport means and the apparatus main body of the test tube disposed in the lower region of the apparatus main body In the rear side of the device body A test tube delivery means for supplying the test tube discharged from the vertical transport means in the upper region of the apparatus main body to the labeling unit ; The labeling unit is behind the front end of the test tube housing, and the tray unit is a test tube receiving position for collecting the test tube after labeling, and a tray extracting position for taking out the tray after collecting the test tube. has the door, the tray ejection position is on the front side of the tube receiving position, the test tube was cut out from the test tube accommodating unit subjected to vertical transfer means is transferred to the rear side by the horizontal transfer means It is transported to the upper side region by the vertical transfer means, dropped and supplied to the label attaching unit via the test tube delivery means in the upper side region, and the label is attached. The test tube after label attachment is taken from the upper side region. A tray unit-integrated test tube preparation apparatus, wherein the tray unit is dropped and supplied to a tray at a test tube receiving position in an intermediate side region .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the tray unit has a tray carry-out conveyor for carrying the tray from the test tube receiving position to the tray take-out position, and the tray carry-out conveyor is disposed in the front-rear direction of the apparatus main body. The tray unit-integrated test tube preparation device according to claim 1.

  In the invention of claim 1, the main body of the test tube preparation device is divided into upper, middle and lower regions. A test tube storage unit is disposed in the lower region, a label pasting unit is disposed in the upper region, and a tray unit for placing and collecting the test tubes in the tray is disposed in the intermediate region.

When the blood collection test is accepted, blood collection instruction information about the patient, such as a doctor, is transmitted to the test tube preparation device through the host computer. In the test tube preparation device, based on the blood collection instruction information, a type of test tube necessary for patient examination is selected and taken out from the test tube storage unit. The removed test tube is transferred to the vertical transfer means by the horizontal transfer means.
The vertical transfer means conveys the selected test tube to the upper part in a horizontal state and delivers it to the labeling unit. The label attaching unit prints information on the patient, information on blood collection, and the like on the label based on blood collection instruction information from the host computer, and sticks the printed label on the outer peripheral surface of the selected test tube.

The test tube after the label is attached is dropped and supplied from the upper side to the intermediate part side and is accommodated in the tray of the tray unit arranged in the intermediate part. Storage in each tray is performed for each patient. Therefore, the blood collection operator only needs to take out the tray prepared in the tray unit of the test tube preparation device according to the progress of his / her blood collection operation, and the tray unit is provided in the intermediate portion of the test tube preparation device. The height position is also low, and the blood collection operator can grasp the tray only by turning back and stretching while sitting on the chair, and it is very convenient because it does not need to stand up. In addition, in that case, as shown in the side view of FIG. 1, the tray removal position is on the front side of the test tube receiving position , so that the tray removal position is on the front side of the apparatus main body, which is a tray for blood collection workers. There is an advantage that it becomes easy to take out.

In the invention of claim 2 of the present invention, the arrangement direction of the tray carry-out conveyor for conveying the tray from the test tube receiving position to the tray take-out position is limited. The arrangement direction is set to be the front-rear direction of the apparatus main body. By limiting to the front-rear direction, as shown in the side view of FIG. 1, there is an advantage that the tray removal position is on the front side of the apparatus main body and the blood collection operator can easily remove the tray.

  The configuration of the present invention will be described below based on the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings. 1 to 4 show a tray unit-integrated test tube preparation apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a side view showing the entire apparatus 10, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged side view in which an intermediate portion of the apparatus is enlarged, and FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged side view in which the lower side of the apparatus is enlarged.

  As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, the tray unit integrated type test tube preparation device 10 of this embodiment is configured so that the apparatus main body 11 is divided into a lower side region, an upper side region, and an intermediate portion side region therebetween. It is divided. In the lower region, a plurality (four in the embodiment of the drawings) of test tube storage portions 12 that store a large number of the same type of test tubes S are provided. These test tube storage portions 12 are formed in a hopper shape in which the distance between a pair of opposing side surfaces is gradually narrowed, and a cut-out roller 13 for the test tube S that is rotationally driven is provided on the bottom side opening surface. ing. On the outer peripheral surface of the cutting roller 13, a recess (not shown) is formed so that a single test tube can be fitted in a horizontal state. Below the cutting roller 13, horizontal transfer means 14 extending in the left-right direction in FIGS. 1 and 4 is disposed. The horizontal transfer means 14 includes a belt 14A, a pulley 14B, and a drive motor 14C.

  On the back side of the horizontal transfer means 14, vertical transfer means 15 for transferring the test tube S from the lower side to the upper side of the apparatus main body 11 while maintaining the horizontal state is provided. The vertical transfer means 15 includes a mini-conveyor 16 that is continuous at a position substantially lower than or slightly lower than the horizontal transfer means 14 at a lower position, and a belt 15A and a pulley 15B that move the mini-conveyor 16 up and down. Have. When the horizontal transfer means 14 is driven, the mini-conveyor 16 drives the test tube S in the direction of transporting the test tube S from the right side to the left side in FIGS. 1 and 4. When it comes into contact with the stopper plate, this is detected by a position detection device (not shown) such as a limit switch or an optical sensor, and the drive of the mini conveyor 16 is stopped.

  In the upper region, patient information from the host computer and information related to blood collection are printed on a label on the test tube S cut out from the test tube storage unit 12, and the printed label is pasted on the outer peripheral surface of the test tube S. A label attaching unit 17 to be worn and a test tube delivery means 18 for receiving the test tube S from the vertical transfer means 15 and delivering it to the label attaching unit 17 are arranged. The label sticking unit 17 includes a label supply roll 17A, a mount winding roller 17B, and a printer 19 that prints patient information and information related to blood collection on the label. The label is fed out from the label supply roll 17A and guided to the lower side of the printer 19, and the path is sharply changed on the exit side of the printer 19, so that the label is peeled off from the mount and goes straight, and the label will be described later. It is supplied to the sticking roller 23 side. The mount is wound around the winding roller 17B.

The test tube delivery means 18 has a curved passage 20 that changes the posture of the test tube pushed out from the mini-conveyor 16 at the upper stop position of the vertical transfer means 15 from a horizontal state to an obliquely upright state. The posture changing belt 21 changes the posture of the test tube S to a posture in which the tip of the test tube S is placed in a horizontal state in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface. Is arranged. Further, a slider 22 is provided in the lateral direction of the posture changing belt 21 so as to cut out the test tube S on the belt 21 across the posture changing belt 21 and to drop and supply it to the label attaching position. A pressing roller 23, a fixed support roller 24, and a movable support roller 25, which are rotationally driven, are disposed at the label attaching position. When the test tube S is not supplied, the movable support roller 25 is diagonally lower left in FIG. Back in the direction and waiting. When the test tube S is cut out by the slider 22 and dropped and supplied, the movable support roller 25 returns to move obliquely upward, and supports the test tube T while rotating the test tube T with the three rollers 23 to 25. . A guide plate (slope) 26 for guiding the test tube S to the tray T is provided below the retracted position of the movable roller 25.

A tray unit 27 for collecting the test tube S after label sticking is provided in the intermediate portion side region. The tray unit 27 has a total of three conveyors 28 (a drawing showing only the carry-out conveyor) 28, which is a U-shaped combination of a carry-in conveyor, a connection conveyor, and a carry-out conveyor. When the test tube S after the labeling for one patient is dropped and supplied to the tray T at the position, it is intermittently driven by one tray.
In addition, a printer 30 with a manually attached label is disposed on the back side of the guide plate 26 in the vicinity of the tray T at the blood collection tube receiving position in the intermediate region. The manual pasting printer 30 is used for manually pasting a blood collection operator later on a test tube for a special test that is not prepared by the test tube preparation apparatus 10.

  Next, an operation mode of the tray unit-integrated test tube preparation apparatus configured as described above will be described. When a blood collection patient accepts blood collection at a blood collection room window or the like, information on the blood collection of the patient from the host computer based on information identifying the patient such as the ID of the patient and an examination ticket number is sent to the center of the test tube preparation device. An arithmetic unit (CPU) acquires and starts control of each part. In the control, first, the test tube housing portion 12 in which the type of test tube S necessary for the examination of the patient is stored is selected, and the cutting roller 13 is driven to rotate. When the cutting roller 13 is rotating, the test tube S in the housing portion falls and fits into a groove formed in the outer peripheral surface of the cutting roller 13. When the groove is directed downward, The test tube S falls on the conveyor 14A of the lower horizontal transfer means 14 and is conveyed toward the vertical transfer means 15 side.

  In the vertical transfer means 15, the mini conveyor 16 stands by at the lowermost position, and the mini conveyor 16 is driven to transport the test tube S to the left in FIGS. 1 and 4. Thereby, the test tube S carried out from the horizontal transfer means 14 is continuously transferred onto the mini conveyor 16. When the head of the test tube S comes into contact with a stopper provided on the left end side of the mini conveyor 16, a position detection device such as a limit switch or an optical sensor detects this, stops the driving of the mini conveyor 16, and moves vertically. The means 15 is raised. Thereby, the mini conveyor 16 is conveyed to the upper part of the apparatus main body 11 with the attitude | position as it is. Then, the mini conveyor 16 drives the test tube S to the right in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 at the most elevated position, and discharges the test tube S toward the delivery device 18.

In the delivery device 18, when the test tube S passes through the curved passage 20, the posture of the test tube S rises obliquely from the horizontal state, and the bottom side of the test tube S comes into contact with the posture change conveyor 21. The posture changing conveyor 21 is driven toward the back side of the paper surface in a direction orthogonal to the paper surface. Therefore, in the posture changing conveyor 21, the posture of the test tube S is changed to a horizontal state in a direction orthogonal to the paper surface. Subsequently, the test tube S on the posture changing conveyor 21 is moved from the conveyor 21 to the right in FIGS. 1 and 2 by the slider 22 disposed so as to be able to cross the posture changing conveyor 21. Cut out and dropped by its own weight. The dropped test tube S is received by the movable support roller 25 and the guide / stopper plate 29. When the movable support roller 25 returns obliquely upward, the test tube S is sandwiched between the two support rollers 24 and 25 and the pressing roller 23 as shown in FIG. It rotates in the counterclockwise direction (circumferential direction) in FIG.

On the other hand, in the label pasting unit 17, the printer 19 obtains information on the patient and information on blood collection from the CPU and prints it on the label. The printed label is folded at an acute angle on the exit side of the printer 19 so that the label is peeled off from the mount. The peeled label goes straight as it is and reaches between the outer peripheral surface of the test tube S supported by the three rollers 23 to 25 and rotating in the circumferential direction and the pressing roller 23. It is pressed to the outer peripheral surface and stuck to this.
After label sticking, the movable support roller 25 is moved obliquely downward to the left and retracted to a position near the upper portion of the guide plate 26. As a result, the test tube S becomes free, falls onto the guide plate 26, falls along the guide plate 26, and is accommodated in the tray T that stands by below the guide plate 26.

  Thereafter, the above operation is repeated to prepare for all the test tubes S of the one patient by attaching labels. When preparation of all the number of test tubes S is completed, each conveyor of the tray unit 27 is driven, and the tray T is carried out to the take-out position. On the other hand, an empty tray T is supplied to the test tube receiving position below the guide plate 26. The removal of the tray T prepared with the test tube S and the supply of the empty tray T may be performed manually by a blood collection operator or automatically.

  Thus, in the test tube preparation device in which the test tube with the label attached is stored in one tray for each patient, the tray unit for collecting the test tube after label attachment is provided in the intermediate region of the device main body. Even if there are multiple blood collection workers, the blood collection workers on both sides of the test tube preparation device can sit on the chair and turn back to reach the tray unit in the middle area. The tray T in which the test tube S after a certain label is attached can be taken out without difficulty, and the operation is extremely easy and the burden can be reduced. Further, there is no problem such as interoperability between workers, and further, the space between the test tube preparation device and the blood sampling work table can be reduced in terms of space, which is advantageous.

It is a side view which shows the whole tray unit integrated type test tube preparation apparatus concerning one embodiment of this invention. It is the partial expanded side view which expanded the upper part side of the test tube preparation apparatus of a tray unit integrated type which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is the partial expanded side view which expanded the intermediate part side of the tray unit integrated type test tube preparation apparatus which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is the partial expanded side view which expanded the lower part side of the tray unit integrated type test tube preparation apparatus which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic side view which shows the conventional test tube preparation apparatus. It is a schematic plan view which closes the conventional test tube preparation apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Tray unit integrated test tube preparation apparatus, 11 ... Apparatus main body, 12 ... Test tube accommodating part, 13 ... Cutting roller, 14 ... Horizontal transfer apparatus, 15 ... Vertical transfer apparatus, 16 ... Mini conveyor, 17 ... Label Sticking unit, 18 ... delivery device, 19 ... printer, 20 ... posture changing passage, 21 ... posture changing conveyor, 22 ... slider, 23 ... pressing roller, 24 ... fixed support roller, 25 ... movable support roller, 26 ... guide plate (Slope), 27 ... Tray unit, 28 ... Tray

Claims (2)

Select a test tube of the type required for patient examination, attach a label printed with patient information, etc., and store the prepared test tube in a tray for each patient. In the preparation apparatus, the apparatus main body is divided into three areas, an upper side area, an intermediate side area, and a lower side area, and a test tube containing a plurality of the same type of test tubes arranged in the lower side area of the apparatus main body. The container, the horizontal transfer means for horizontally transferring the test tube cut out from the test tube container, the patient information and the like are printed on the label arranged in the upper side region of the apparatus main body, and the printed label is A labeling unit that is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the test tube, a tray unit that collects the test tube after labeling disposed in an intermediate region of the device main body for each patient, and a device located on the rear side of the device main body. In the lower side area of the main body A vertical transfer means of tubes arranged vertically over between the labeling unit disposed in the upper region of the horizontal transport means and the apparatus main body of the location test tube, the upper region of the apparatus main body Test tube delivery means for dropping and feeding the test tube discharged from the vertical transfer means to the labeling unit, the labeling unit is located behind the front end of the test tube housing portion, and the tray unit is It has a test tube receiving position for collecting the test tube after labeling and a tray taking position for taking out the tray after collecting the test tube, and the tray taking position is in front of the test tube receiving position, The test tube cut out from the test tube container is transferred to the rear side by the horizontal transfer means, transferred to the vertical transfer means, transferred to the upper side area by the vertical transfer means, and tested in the upper side area. Is dropped and supplied to the labeling unit via a tube transfer unit label is attached, it test tube after the label sticking is dropped and supplied from the upper region to the tray at the test tube receiving position of the intermediate portion side region A test tube preparation device integrated with a tray unit.   2. The tray unit integrated type according to claim 1, wherein the tray unit has a tray carry-out conveyor that conveys a tray from a test tube receiving position to a tray take-out position, and the tray carry-out conveyor is disposed in the front-rear direction of the apparatus main body. Test tube preparation device.

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