Punching apparatus for use in dispensing

Abstract

Provided is a punching apparatus for use in dispensing, having a blood specimen contained therein, and punching a dispensing hole in a plug body of a test tube serving as a specimen container closed by the plug body whose upper end opening is made of a rubber or synthetic resin material, the apparatus comprising a guide rail serving as a transport passage which transports the test tube while the plug body thereof is held at the upper side in a vertical state, an elevating mechanism provided at a punch position P in the middle of the guide rail, and an ultrasonic cutter which is supported by the elevating mechanism, and which is lowered when the test tube reaches the punch position, thereby punching a dispensing hole immediately before penetrating the plug body from a top face thereof.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-043055, filed Feb. 19, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a punching apparatus for use in dispensing, the apparatus carrying out punching used for dispensing in a plug body of a sample container such as a test tube having a specimen such as a blood contained therein. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] A test tube for containing a sample such as blood is made of a transparent glass, and a plug body made of a rubber or a synthetic resin is mounted on an upper end opening of the test tube. In order to carry out sampling or dispensing of the specimen contained in the test tube, the test tube is held in a test tube holder in a vertical state for the purpose of transportation to ea...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] The present invention has been made in order to solve the foregoing problem. It is an object of the present invention to provide to provide a punching apparatus for use in dispensing, the apparatus simplifying equipment configuration, and being capable of efficiently carrying out punching.

[0012] According to the present invention, an ultrasonic cutter punches a dispensing hole immediately before penetrating a plug body of a specimen container. Therefore, equipment can be simplified and punching can be efficiently carried out without washing the ultrasonic cutter every time punching is carried out.

Problems solved by technology

However, there is a problem that a time loss occurs in opening all the plug bodies of a number of test tubes in the middle of transport, and impurities or the like are likely to enter the inside of the test tube during transport when the opened test tube is transported.

Thus, there is the inconvenience that chips of the plug body drop inside of the test tube, and the dropped chips are mixed in the internal blood specimen.

Thus, there is a circumstance that equipment becomes complicated, and the punching process is low in efficiency.

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