JP6020216B2 - Transport mechanism - 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.

  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 disposed on the terminal end side of the belt conveyor, the terminal end side of the belt conveyor is set as a transport start position, and the transport object transported to the transport start position is one direction in the horizontal plane. The transport mechanism transports to a transport end position that is a certain distance away in the X direction, and is disposed between the transport start position and the transport end position, and the transport object is maintained from the transport start position while maintaining its posture. A table having a flat surface that can be slid to the transport end position, and a holding part that extends in the X direction and holds the object to be transported in two places on the transport start position side and the transport end position side. A handler that moves in the X direction between end positions and a controller that controls the operation of the handler, holding the transport object at the transport start position on the table by holding the transport object at the transport start position side A controller having transport operation executing means for performing a transport operation of sliding and releasing the transport object on the table, holding the transport object at the transport end position side and sliding the transport object to the transport end position; A locked state that is located near the end of the transport start position and stops the transport object on the belt conveyor at the transport start position, and an unlocked state that enables the transport object on the belt conveyor to move to the table side. And a stopper driving mechanism that switches the stopper to either the locked state or the unlocked state.

  The transport mechanism of the present invention transports a table having a plane on which a transport object can be slid between a transport start position and a transport end position, and extends in the X direction to two locations on the transport start position side and the transport end position side. A holding unit that holds an object, and includes a handler that moves in the X direction between a transport start position and a transport end position, and a controller that controls the operation of the handler. Hold the object with the holding part on the transportation start position side, slide it onto the table, release the object to be transported on the table, hold the transportation object with the holding part on the transportation end position side, and slide it to the transportation end position Since the transportation operation execution means for executing the transportation operation is provided, the posture of the transportation object is maintained only by moving the handler between the transportation start position and the transportation end position. Or it can be transported, it is possible to realize a transport mechanism of compact and simple construction.

  By the way, if the transport object is moving while the handler is trying to hold the transport object, it is difficult for the handler to accurately hold the transport object. However, the belt conveyor must operate as needed at the time of introduction of racks (transport objects) to the analysis unit and discharge of racks from the analysis units, and the transport objects reach the transport start position. It is difficult to stop the operation of the belt conveyor until it is held by the handler because it causes problems such as lowering the analysis efficiency of the analysis unit. Therefore, the transport mechanism of the present invention is between a locked state in which the transport object on the belt conveyor is stopped at the transport start position and an unlocked state in which the transport object on the belt conveyor is allowed to move to the table side. A stopper that can be switched and a stopper drive mechanism that switches the stopper to either the locked state or the unlocked state are provided. This makes it possible to stop the transportation object at the transportation start position without stopping the belt conveyor.

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 the transport mechanism of the present invention, the stopper drive mechanism moves the stopper up and down, and the stopper is locked when its upper part is above the plane of the table, and unlocked when it is below the plane. It is preferable to be in a state. If it does so, a stopper and a stopper drive mechanism can be made into a simple structure, and the installation space can be made small.

  In the transport mechanism of the present invention, the stopper driving mechanism locks the stopper when the holding portion on the transport start position side of the handler is away from the transport start position, and the holding portion on the transport start position side of the handler It is preferable that the stopper is moved up and down in conjunction with the movement of the handler in the X direction so that the stopper is unlocked when the transport start position is reached. Then, the stopper will be automatically released only when the handler moves to the transport start position to hold the transport object, and it will be transported at the transport start position until just before the handler holds the transport object. The object can be stopped.

  In a preferred embodiment of the stopper driving mechanism, a moving part that moves horizontally in the X direction in conjunction with the movement of the handler in the X direction below the table, and a lower part of the table that extends in the X direction for transportation. The stopper is held at the end on the start position side, the end on the transport start position side is biased upward, and the upper surface of the interlock member has an interlocking member on which the moving part slides. An inclined portion for moving the stopper up and down according to the horizontal movement of the moving part is provided. Thereby, the structure of a stopper drive mechanism can be simplified.

  Further, when the transportation start position is on the table side with respect to the end portion of the belt conveyor, there is a problem that the transportation object is inclined and falls at the R portion of the pulley of the belt conveyor. Therefore, it is only necessary to make the end of the table continuous with the horizontal surface of the belt conveyor. However, since the object to be transported can obtain a propulsive force only from the belt conveyor side, the object to be transported has a predetermined position (transport It becomes difficult to reach the start position), and the stop position of the transportation object becomes unstable.

  In order to solve the above problem, the transport start position is set to a position near the end of the belt conveyor on the belt conveyor, and the upper portion of the stopper protrudes from the table side to the transport start position on the belt conveyor so that the object to be transported is belted. It is preferable to stop on the conveyor. If it does so, since a transportation object will stop correctly at the transportation start position on a belt conveyor, a transportation object will be held certainly by a handler.

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 pulley 40 of the belt conveyor 32 on the transport mechanism side, and stops the rack 36 on the belt conveyor 32.

  The holding member 26 holding the base end of the stopper 14 can move in the vertical direction, whereby the stopper 14 also moves up and down, and the rack 36 is stopped and released depending on the height of the stopper 14. When the stopper 14 is lifted upward from the table 2, the rack 36 is stopped (the state shown in FIG. 5A), and when the tip is lowered to a height below the table 2, the rack 36 is stopped. It is a lock release state (state of FIG. 5 (B)) which cancels | releases a stop of.

  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. The holding member 26 is held at the end of the interlocking member 27 extending in the X direction on the transport start position 3a side. The holding member 26 is urged upward by a spring 28, whereby the end of the interlocking member 27 on the transport start position 3 a side is also urged upward. Although illustration is omitted, the end of the interlocking member 27 on the transport end position 3b side is fixed by a shaft fixed to the base 18 side, and the interlocking member 27 rotates around the shaft. Thus, the end on the transport start position 3a side can be moved up and down.

  A moving part 42 that moves horizontally in the X direction in conjunction with the handlers 4 and 6 is provided. The moving part 42 is a shaft or protrusion having a circular cross section. The moving part 42 slides on the upper surface 27 a of the interlocking member 27. 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 holding member 26 moves up and down as the moving portion 42 moves horizontally. The shape of the upper surface 27a of the interlocking member 27 is such that the stopper 14 is lifted above the table 2 when the holding portion (projections 4a, 6a) on the transport start position 3a side of the handler is located away from the transport start position 3a. When the holding portion (protrusions 4a, 6a) on the transport start position 3a side of the handler comes to the transport start position, the stopper 14 is at the same height as the table 2 or the table 2 It is designed to be in a state where it descends downward (the state of FIG. 5B).

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, 6a (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 on the table 2 (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 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 handlers 4 and 6 move to the feed conveyor 32 side, and when the first holding portions 4a and 6a reach the position where the rack 32 is held (transport start position 3a), the stopper 14 The lock is released. At this time, the sending conveyor 32 and the receiving conveyor 34 are stopped, the rack is held by the first holding portions 4 a and 6 a of the handlers 4 and 6, and the rack is slid to a predetermined position on the table 2. 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.

  Note that the control of the operation of the feed conveyor 34 when the handlers 4 and 6 transport the rack 32 to the table 2 side has reached the position where the first holding portions 4a and 6a of the handlers 4 and 6 hold the rack 32. The operation may be performed based on a signal issued from the handler driving unit 44 that drives the handlers 4 and 6 so that the operation of the feed-side conveyor 34 sometimes stops, or the stopper 14 is in the unlocked state. A sensor for detecting the state of the stopper 14 (locked state or unlocked state) is provided so that the operation of the feed-side conveyor 34 stops when it becomes, and the operation is performed based on a signal emitted from the sensor. Also good. In short, it is sufficient that the feed conveyor 32 is stopped at least while the stopper 14 is 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)
16a Transport operation executing means 18 Base 26 Holding member 27 Interlocking member 27 Interlocking member upper surface 28 Spring 30 Fixed shaft 32, 34 Belt conveyor 33, 35 Conveyor belt 36 Rack 40 Pulley 42 Moving unit 44 Handler driving unit 50 Arithmetic processing unit 52, 54 Controller 56, 58 Conveyor belt drive

Claims (5)

Located at the end of the belt conveyor, the end of the belt conveyor is set as the transport start position, and the transport object transported to the transport start position is a certain distance in the X direction that is one direction in the horizontal plane. A transport mechanism for transporting to a remote transport end position,
A table that is arranged between the transport start position and the transport end position, and has a plane that can be slid from the transport start position to the transport end position while maintaining the posture of the transport object;
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 controller for controlling the operation of the handler, wherein the transport object at the transport start position is held by a holding unit on the transport start position side and slid onto the table to release the transport object on the table; A controller having a transport operation executing means for performing a transport operation of holding the transport object by a holding portion on the transport end position side and sliding it to the transport end position;
It is arranged near the end of the table on the transport start position side, and locks the transport object on the belt conveyor at the transport start position, and the transport object on the belt conveyor to the table side. A stopper that can be switched between an unlocked state that allows movement;
A transport mechanism comprising: a stopper drive mechanism that switches the stopper between the locked state and the unlocked state. The stopper driving mechanism moves the stopper up and down,
The transport mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the stopper is in the locked state when an upper portion thereof is above the plane of the table, and is in the unlocked state when the stopper is at a height below the plane. .   The stopper driving mechanism sets the stopper in the locked state when the holding portion on the transport start position side of the handler is away from the transport start position, and the holding portion on the transport start position side of the handler The transport mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the stopper is moved up and down in conjunction with the movement of the handler in the X direction so that the stopper is in the unlocked state when the transport start position is reached. . The stopper driving mechanism is disposed below the table and moves horizontally in the X direction in conjunction with the movement of the handler in the X direction. The stopper driving mechanism is disposed below the table and extends in the X direction. Holding the stopper at the end portion on the transport start position side, the end portion on the transport start position side is biased upward, and an interlocking member on which the moving portion slides,
The transport mechanism according to claim 3, wherein an inclined portion for moving the stopper up and down in accordance with a horizontal movement of the moving portion is provided on the upper surface of the interlocking member. The transport start position is a position in the vicinity of the terminal end of the belt conveyor on the belt conveyor,
The transport mechanism according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein an upper portion of the stopper projects from the table side to the transport start position on the belt conveyor.

Images