JP6020215B2 - Transport mechanism and transport system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a transport mechanism for transporting a specimen between, for example, an automatic analyzer and another automatic analyzer, and a transport system including the transport mechanism.

  In an automatic analyzer that automatically samples a sample contained in a container and performs analysis of the sample, a plurality of sample containers are held in one rack and placed on a belt conveyor, and the belt conveyor sets a predetermined sampling position. The rack is moved to the sample and the sample is sampled. Therefore, in the automatic analyzer, a belt conveyor is provided in front of the analysis unit, and the rack holding the sample container is configured to move in the short side direction (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  An analysis may be performed by introducing the same specimen into a plurality of types of analyzers. In order to have multiple automatic analyzers lined up and automatically perform sample analysis sequentially with these analyzers, it is necessary to transport the rack holding the sample containers to the predetermined sampling position of each analyzer in order. For this reason, the racks must be transported by the belt conveyor of each analyzer, and the racks must be transferred between the belt conveyors of adjacent analyzers.

JP 2011-185893 A

  In the automatic analyzer, the rack of sample containers may be transported on the belt conveyor in a state where the long side is perpendicular to the transport direction of the belt conveyor. In such a case, if the belt conveyors are brought close to each other and the racks are transferred between the belt conveyors, the racks are disturbed or fall over at the level difference between the belt conveyors and the belt conveyors. It is difficult to deliver the rack only by making it approach.

  If a mechanism for changing the direction of the rack so that the long side of the rack is parallel to the transport direction before the boundary of the belt conveyor is added, the rack can get over the boundary portion of the belt conveyor that is approaching. However, a mechanism for returning the direction of the rack to the original position after the boundary of the belt conveyor is required, which increases the installation space and increases the cost. Due to restrictions such as the device configuration, there may be cases where the belt conveyors of the analyzers cannot be brought close to each other, or a space for adding a large-scale mechanism cannot be secured.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to realize a transport mechanism that transports an object to be transported from a certain position to a target position while maintaining its posture with a small and simple configuration.

  The transport mechanism according to the present invention is a transport mechanism that transports an object to be transported disposed at a transport start position to a transport end position separated from the transport start position by a certain distance in the X direction, which is one direction in the horizontal plane. A handler that extends in the X direction and holds holding objects at two locations on the transport start position side and the transport end position side, and moves in the X direction between the transport start position and the transport end position; A transport object placement unit that is provided between a start position and a transport end position and temporarily places a transport object held by the handler, and a controller that controls the operation of the handler, the transport object at the transport start position Is held by the holding part on the transportation start position side, moved to the transportation object placement part, temporarily placed on the transportation object placement part, and transported by holding the transportation object on the transportation end position side holding part. Move to end position A controller having a transport operation execution means for executing a transport operation in which, it is characterized in that it comprises a.

  A transportation system according to the present invention includes the transportation mechanism of the present invention and a belt conveyor having a terminal portion disposed at a transportation start position of the transportation mechanism.

  The transport mechanism of the present invention has holding parts that extend in the X direction and hold transport objects at two locations on the transport start position side and the transport end position side, and move in the X direction between the transport start position and the transport end position. And a controller for controlling the operation of the handler. The controller holds the transport object at the transport start position by the holding part on the transport start position side and moves it to the transport object placement part for transport. Since there is a transportation operation execution means that temporarily arranges the object in the object placement unit, holds the transportation object by the holding unit on the transportation end position side, and moves the transportation object to the transportation end position, By simply moving between the transport start position and the transport end position, the transport object can be transported while maintaining its posture, and a transport mechanism with a small and simple configuration can be realized.

  Here, when the transport mechanism is disposed between two belt conveyors disposed adjacent to each other, the transport start position is a position in the vicinity of the end portion on one belt conveyor, and the transport is completed. The position is a position near the starting end on the other belt conveyor. In this case, the transport mechanism of the present invention transfers the object to be transported between these belt conveyors only by moving the handler only between the terminal end of one belt conveyor and the start end of the other belt conveyor. be able to. Thereby, the installation space of a transport mechanism only needs to be a space between two belt conveyors, and the installation space of the entire transport system including the belt conveyor is not enlarged.

  The transport system of the present invention is configured to transport the transport object that has reached the end of the belt conveyor to another position by the transport mechanism of the present invention having a small and simple configuration. Expansion of space and increase in cost can be suppressed.

It is a top view which shows one Example of a transport mechanism. It is a side view which shows the Example roughly. It is the disassembled perspective view which looked at the Example from diagonally upward direction. It is the disassembled perspective view which looked at the Example from diagonally downward. It is a conceptual diagram for demonstrating the structure of the stopper of the Example. It is a top view which shows operation | movement of the Example in order. It is a top view which shows the continuation of operation | movement of the Example. It is a block diagram which shows the control system of the Example. It is a flowchart which shows an example of operation | movement of the Example.

  In a preferred embodiment of the transport mechanism according to the present invention, the transport object placement unit is disposed between the transport start position and the transport end position, and the transport target is maintained from its transport position to the transport end position. It is provided on a table having a flat surface that can be slid, and the handler transports an object to be transported from the transport start position to the transport end position while sliding on the table. With this configuration, the handler only needs to hold the transport object so that it slides on the table, so there is no need to lift the transport object, and the handler configuration is simplified and the equipment cost is reduced. Can be achieved. Further, even when a sample, a sample container, or the like is dropped, damage due to the drop can be avoided by arranging the table. Even if a table is provided between the transport start position and the transport end position, a small transport mechanism can be realized by installing a machine that drives the handler in a space under the table.

  The transport mechanism of the present invention further includes a start sensor that detects the presence or absence of a transport object at the transport start position, and the controller takes a detection signal from the start sensor and performs a transport operation when the start sensor detects the transport object. It is preferable to execute. Then, the transport operation can be automatically executed when the specimen object is arranged at the transport start position.

  As a preferred embodiment of the transport mechanism of the present invention, two arm members disposed opposite to each other with a distance at which the handler can sandwich the transport object, and both arm members in the in-plane direction are perpendicular to the X direction. It is equipped with a mechanism that changes the distance between both arm members by moving in the direction, and the holding part engages with the object to be transported when the distance between both arm members shrinks to a predetermined distance inside the arm member What is provided as an engaging part to perform can be mentioned. According to this embodiment, the handler can be realized with a simple configuration in which the arm member is moved in the X direction and the Y direction.

  It is preferable that a groove is provided on a side surface of the transportation object, and a guide rail that is fitted into the groove on a side edge portion of the table to prevent the transportation object from falling is provided. If it does so, the fall of the transportation target object during transportation can be prevented.

  To receive the end sensor that detects that the transport object has reached the transport end position, the transport end signal that the handler has finished the transport operation, and the detection signal that the transport object is detected from the end sensor It may further comprise transport error notification means for notifying a transport error when receiving only the transport end signal. Then, the operator can easily recognize the transportation error.

  In the transport system of the present invention, the control unit controls the operation of the transport mechanism and the belt conveyor, and is configured to stop the belt conveyor when the handler holds the transport object at the transport start position. Is preferably further provided. If the belt conveyor is operating when the transport object is held by the handler of the transport mechanism, it is conceivable that the transport object may be misaligned or toppled. If the belt conveyor is stopped when the handler holds the transport object, the transport object is not displaced or falls, and the handler can reliably hold the transport object.

One embodiment of the transport mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS.
In this embodiment, one direction in the horizontal plane is defined as the X direction, and a direction orthogonal to the X direction in the horizontal plane is defined as the Y direction. The transport mechanism 1 slides a rack in the X direction and transports the rack. The transport mechanism 1 is disposed between two belt conveyors disposed adjacent to each other in the X direction. The object to be transported that has reached is held and transported to the start end of the other belt conveyor (receiving conveyor). In other words, the terminal end of the sending conveyor is the transport start position, and the starting end of the receiving conveyor is the transport end position. The transport object of the transport mechanism 1 is, for example, a rack that holds a plurality of sample containers that store samples to be analyzed by the analyzer.

  A table 2 having a horizontal surface is supported by a base 18. The table 2 is set to a height close to the conveying surface of the belt conveyor disposed at both ends of the transport mechanism 1. One end side (right side in FIG. 1) of the table 2 is the transport start position 3a, and the other end side (left side in FIG. 1) is the transport end position 3b.

  An arm member 4 and an arm member 6 extending in the X direction are disposed opposite to both side edges on the table 2. The arm member 4 and the arm member 6 are driven in the X direction and the Y direction at the side edge of the table 2. The arm member 4 and the arm member 6 move simultaneously in the same direction in the X direction and move in a symmetrical direction around the table 2 with respect to the Y direction. Although not shown in the drawing, the arm member 4 and a mechanism such as a motor for driving the arm member 6 are accommodated in the base 18.

  The arm member 4 is provided with a protrusion 4a at an end portion on the transport start position 3a side and an protrusion 4b on an end portion on the transport end position 3b side as an engaging portion to be engaged with the rack. The protrusion 4a and the protrusion 4b are fitted into a recess (not shown) provided on the side surface of the arm member 4 side of the rack and engaged with the rack. The movement of the arm member 4 in the Y direction is performed between a position where the protrusions 4a and 4b are fitted in the rack recess and a position where the arm member 4 does not contact the rack itself.

  The arm member 6 is provided with a projection 6a at an end portion on the transport start position 3a side and a projection 6b on the transport end position 3b side as an engaging portion to be engaged with the rack. The protrusions 6A and 6b are engaged with the rear rear surface of the rack. The movement of the arm member 6 in the Y direction is performed between a position where the protrusions 6a and 6b engage with the back surface of the rack and a position where the protrusions 6a and 6b do not contact the rack.

The arm members 4 and 6 constitute a handler that holds the rack that is the object to be transported and slides and transports the table 2 from the transport start position 3a to the transport end position 3b. This handler is provided with holding portions at two locations on the transport start position 3a side and the transport end position 3b side. The holding part on the transport start position 3a side is composed of the protrusion 4a of the arm member 4 and the protrusion 6a of the arm member 6, and the holding part on the transport end position 3b side is composed of the protrusion 4b of the arm member 4 and the protrusion 6b of the arm member 6. Is done.
Hereinafter, the arm member 4 and the arm member 6 are collectively referred to as “handlers 4 and 6”, the holding portions on the transportation start position 3a side of the handlers 4 and 6 are referred to as “first holding portions 4a and 6a”, and the transportation end position 3b side The holding parts are referred to as “second holding parts 4b, 6b”.

  The first holding portions 4a and 6a are inserted into the recesses on the side surface of one side of the rack by sandwiching the rack from both sides at the ends of the arm members 4 and 6 on the transport start position 3a side, and opposite to the rack. The rear side rear side is supported by the protrusion 6a. The second holding portions 4b and 6b are configured such that the protrusions 4a are fitted into the recesses on one side of the rack and the rear side opposite the rack by sandwiching the rack from both sides at the ends of the arm members 4 and 6 on the transport start position 3a side The back surface is supported by the protrusion 6a. The handlers 4 and 6 move in the X direction while holding the rack, and slide the rack on the table 2 for transportation. A guide rail 8 is provided at a side edge of the table 2 on the side of the arm member 6 so as to be fitted into a groove provided on a side surface of the rack that slides on the table 2 and prevents the rack from toppling over.

A start sensor 10 that detects the arrival of the rack at the transport start position 3a is provided on the side of the transport start position 3a. An end sensor 12 that detects the arrival of the rack at the transport end position 3b is provided on the side of the transport end position 3b.
A stopper 14 is provided in the vicinity of the transport start position 3a. The structure and operation of the stopper 14 will be described later.

  A circuit board 16 is provided on the side of the base 18. The circuit board 16 serves as a controller for controlling the operations of the handlers 4 and 6. Signals obtained by the start sensor 10 and the end sensor 12 are taken into the circuit board 16, and these signals are used for the start of the rack transport operation by the handlers 4 and 6 and the determination of the presence or absence of the rack transport error. It is connected to the circuit board 16 via wiring. The controller 16 incorporates a transport operation executing means 16a configured so that the handlers 4 and 6 execute a rack transport operation (see FIG. 8).

  2 and 4, illustration of wiring and modules mounted on the circuit board 16 are omitted. In FIG. 3, some of the modules mounted on the circuit board 16 are illustrated, but illustration of wiring is omitted.

The structure and operation of the stopper 14 will be described with reference to FIG.
The stopper 14 is a member refracted at a substantially right angle on the way. The base end portion of the stopper 14 is held by a holding member 26 provided below the end portion on the transport start position 3a side of the table 2, and the distal end portion faces the transport start position 3a side. The tip of the stopper 14 extends over the belt conveyor 32 beyond the end of the roller 40 of the belt conveyor 32 on the transport mechanism side, and the rack 36 is stopped on the belt conveyor 32.

  The holding member 26 holding the base end of the stopper 14 can move in the vertical direction, so that the stopper 14 also moves up and down, and the rack 36 is stopped and released depending on the height of the stopper 14. The stopper 14 stops the rack 36 in a state where the tip end is lifted above the table 2 (the state shown in FIG. 5A), and the tip end is lowered to the same height as the table 2 or below the table 2. The stop of the rack 36 is released in the state (the state of FIG. 5B).

  A fixed shaft 30 extending in the Y direction is attached to the base 18 side, and the holding member 26 and the fixed shaft 30 are connected by a spring 28. The spring 28 connects the holding member 26 and the fixed shaft 30 in a state of extending beyond the natural length so that an elastic force is applied in the direction in which the holding member 26 is raised.

  A sliding portion 42 that horizontally moves in the X direction in conjunction with the handlers 4 and 6 is provided. The sliding part 42 is a shaft or protrusion having a circular cross section. One end of the interlocking member 27 is connected to the side portion of the holding member 26. The interlocking member 27 extends in the transport direction (X direction) of the rack 36 by the handlers 4 and 6, and the upper surface 27 a is always in contact with the sliding member 42. The upper surface 27a of the interlocking member 27 has a straight portion and a smooth slope portion that rises toward the holding member 26 side, and the upper surface 27a of the interlocking member 27 follows the horizontal movement of the sliding portion 42. 26 moves up and down.

  When the holding part (projections 4a, 6a) on the transport start position 3a side of the handler is on the transport end position 3b side with respect to the transport start position 3a, the stopper 14 is lifted above the table 2 (FIG. 5A ) And the stopper 14 is lowered to the same height as the table 2 or below the table 2 when the holding portions (projections 4a and 6a) on the transport start position 3a side of the handler come to the transport start position ( The shape of the upper surface 27a of the interlocking member 27 is adjusted so as to be in the state of FIG.

Next, an example of the transportation operation of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
When the rack 36 holding the sample container 38 reaches the terminal end of the feed-side belt conveyor (feed-side conveyor) 32 that is the transport start position and the start sensor 10 detects the rack 36 (FIG. 6A), the handler 4 , 6 are moved to the feed conveyor 32 side (right side in the figure) (FIG. 6B), and the rack 36 is held by the first holding portions 4a and 4b (FIG. 6C).

  The handlers 4 and 6 move to the receiving conveyor 34 side (left side in the figure) while holding the rack 36 (FIG. 6D), and release the rack 36 at a position on the table 2 (transport object placement portion). (FIG. 7E). With the rack 36 placed on the table 2, only the handlers 4 and 6 move to the feed conveyor 32 side (right side in the figure) (FIG. 7F), and the rack 36 is moved by the second holding portions 4b and 6b. Hold (FIG. 7G). While the rack 36 is held by the second holding portions 4b and 6b, the rack 36 is moved to the receiving conveyor 34 side (left side in the figure), and the rack 36 is placed on the receiving conveyor 34 (FIG. 7H).

In addition, it is also possible to construct | assemble a transport system by interlocking | cooperating said transport mechanism 1, the sending side conveyor 32, and the receiving side conveyor 34. FIG. FIG. 8 schematically shows the configuration of the transportation system.
The transport mechanism 1, the feed-side conveyor 32, and the receiving-side conveyor 34 are controlled by one arithmetic processing unit 50 (control unit). The arithmetic processing unit 50 is realized by, for example, a personal computer, or by a computer of an analyzer provided with the sending conveyor 32 or the receiving conveyor 34.

  The arithmetic processing unit 50 gives control signals to the controllers 16, 52, and 54 that control the operations of the transport mechanism 1, the feeding-side conveyor 32, and the receiving-side conveyor 34 based on information input from the operator. In the transport mechanism 1, the handler driving unit 44 drives the handlers 4 and 6 based on a signal from the controller 16. The controller 16 incorporates a transport operation executing means 16a, and executes the transport operation of the rack 36 when the start sensor 10 detects the rack 36.

  In the feed side conveyor 32, a conveyor belt drive unit 56 made of a motor or the like drives the conveyor belt 33 based on a signal from the controller 52. In the receiving side conveyor 34, a conveyor belt drive unit 58 formed of a motor or the like drives the conveyor belt 35 based on a signal from the controller 54.

  The controller 16 receives the detection signal from the start sensor 10 and the end sensor 12 and the transport end signal from the handler driving unit 44, and these signals are also taken into the arithmetic processing unit 50. The arithmetic processing unit 50 stops the operations of the sending conveyor 32 and the receiving conveyor 34 when receiving the detection signal from the start sensor 10, and moves the receiving conveyor 34 when receiving the detection signal from the end sensor 12. Operate.

The operation of the transportation system in FIG. 8 will be described with reference to FIG.
The rack is transported by the feed conveyor 32 until the start sensor 10 detects the rack. When the start sensor 10 detects the rack, the sending conveyor 32 and the receiving conveyor 34 are stopped, the rack is held by the first holding portions 4a and 6a of the handlers 4 and 6, and the rack is moved to a predetermined position on the table 2. Slide. The rack is transferred from the first holding unit 4a, 6a to the second holding unit 4b, 6b and conveyed onto the receiving conveyor 34.

  When this series of operations is completed, a transport end signal is issued from the handler driving unit 44. When the rack transport is normally executed, the rack is detected by the end sensor 12, and therefore the receiving conveyor 34 is operated in response to the detection signal from the end sensor 12 to continue the transport of the rack. . If the rack is not transported normally due to lighting on the table 2 or the like, the rack is not detected by the end sensor 12 even though a transport end signal is issued from the handler driving unit 44. In such a case, the operator is notified of a transport error, for example, by turning on an error lamp.

  In the example of the operation in FIG. 9, the feed conveyor 32 is stopped when the start sensor 10 detects the rack. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and at least the stopper 14 is provided. It is sufficient that the feed-side conveyor 32 is stopped while being released. If it does so, it can prevent that the position of a rack shifts | deviates and the handlers 4 and 6 cannot hold | maintain a rack because the sending conveyor 32 moves a rack during cancellation | release of the stopper 14. FIG.

1 Transport mechanism 2 Table 3a Transport start position 3b Transport end position 4,6 Arm member (handler)
4a, 4b, 6a, 6b Protrusion (holding part)
8 Guide rail 10 Start sensor 12 End sensor 14 Stopper 16 Circuit board (controller)
18 base 26 holding member 27 interlocking member 27 upper surface of interlocking member 28 spring 30 fixed shaft 32, 34 belt conveyor 33, 35 conveyor belt 36 rack 40 roller 42 sliding part 44 handler driving part 50 arithmetic processing part 52, 54 controller 56, 58 Conveyor belt drive

Claims (8)

A transport mechanism for transporting a transport object arranged at a transport start position to a transport end position separated from the transport start position by a certain distance in the X direction which is one direction in a horizontal plane;
Extending in the X direction, provided with holding parts for holding the transport object at two locations on the transport start position side and the transport end position side, and moving in the X direction between the transport start position and the transport end position A handler to
A transportation object placement unit that is provided between the transportation start position and the transportation end position, and temporarily places the transportation object held by the handler;
A controller for controlling the operation of the handler, wherein the transport object at the transport start position is held by the holding part on the transport start position side and moved to the transport object placement part to move to the transport object placement part A transport operation executing means for temporarily transporting and transporting the transport object disposed in the transport object disposition portion to the transport end position by holding the transport object by the retaining portion on the transport end position side; A transport mechanism comprising: a controller; The transport object placement unit is disposed between the transport start position and the transport end position, and the transport target object can be slid from the transport start position to the transport end position while maintaining its posture. Provided on a table having a flat surface,
The transport mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the handler transports an object to be transported from the transport start position to the transport end position while sliding on the table. Further comprising a start sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a transport object at the transport start position;
The transport mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller takes in a detection signal from the start sensor and executes the transport operation when the start sensor detects a transport object. The handler has two arm members arranged facing each other with a distance capable of sandwiching the object to be transported, and both arms by moving both arm members in the Y direction perpendicular to the X direction in the in-plane direction. A mechanism for changing the distance between the members,
The said holding | maintenance part is provided in the inside of the said arm member as an engaging part engaged with the said transport target object when the distance between both arm members shrinks to the predetermined distance. The transport mechanism according to one item. The transport has been grooves on the side surface of the object provided one of claims 2 to guide rails for preventing a fall of the transport object is fitted into the groove on the side edge of the table is provided with 4 The transport mechanism according to claim 1. An end sensor for detecting that a transport object has reached the transport end position;
A transport end signal indicating that the transport operation by the handler has ended and a detection signal indicating that the transport object has been detected, which is issued from the end sensor, are received, and transport is performed when only the transport end signal is received. The transport mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising transport error notification means for notifying an error. The transport mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A transport system comprising: a belt conveyor having a terminal portion disposed at a transport start position of the transport mechanism.   A control unit that controls operations of the transport mechanism and the belt conveyor, and further includes a control unit configured to stop the belt conveyor when the handler holds the transport object at the transport start position. The transportation system according to claim 7.

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