A sampling needle collection device and its usage method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a sample adding needle collection device and a method for using the same. The sample adding needle collection device comprises a sample adding needle receiving plate. A plurality of needle dropping holes are arranged on the sample adding needle receiving plate. A needle dropping channel is connected below the needle dropping holes. The needle dropping channel comprises a hose and an integrated guide. The integrated guide comprises an upper guide port, a lower guide port and a guide channel. One end of the hose is connected to the needle dropping hole, and the other end is connected to the upper guide port. The diameter of the upper guide port is larger than that of the lower guide port. A needle receiving flipping mechanism is arranged below the needle dropping channel. The needle receiving flipping mechanism has the freedom of up and down movement, the freedom of horizontal movement and the freedom of longitudinal 180° flipping. The center distance between two adjacent lower guide ports is N times (N is a natural number greater than 1) the center distance between two adjacent pinhole positions in the same row of pinhole positions. The sample adding needle collection device and a method for using the same disclosed by the present invention can realize staggered needle dropping, and the mutual interference is low compared with the simultaneous needle dropping at adjacent pinhole positions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of collection and sub-packaging of medical consumables, and particularly to a sampling needle collection device and a method for using the same. Background Art

[0002] The disposable sampling needle is a commonly used consumable in clinical inspection medical equipment. Its structure is relatively slender and is usually injection-molded from plastic materials through a mold. Currently, most of the packaging forms of disposable sampling needles sold on the market are in bags, and the sampling needles are in a disordered state. Before use, the instrument operator needs to first load the loose disposable sampling needles into the needle box and then put the needle box into the inspection equipment for clinical experiments. This has a high labor intensity, low efficiency, high cost, and may cause contamination during the work process. In addition, in response to the above situation, some automated collection devices have emerged. By designing the hole arrangement of the collection device to be the same as that of the needle plate holder, the sampling needles are filled onto the entire needle plate holder at one time. When the diameter of the sampling needle is relatively large, the center distance of the needle dropping holes of the collection device is small, which is likely to cause insufficient strength of the collection device or difficult processing technology, and all the needle positions are placed with needles at the same time, resulting in a large mutual interference. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention aims to overcome the deficiencies existing in the prior art and provides a sampling needle collection device and a method for using the same.

[0004] The present invention is realized through the following technical solutions:

[0005] A sampling needle collection device includes a machine platform and a control system. It is characterized in that: it further includes a sampling needle receiving plate, and a plurality of needle dropping holes are provided on the sampling needle receiving plate. The layout and size of the needle dropping holes match those of the injection mold cavities. A needle dropping channel is connected below the needle dropping holes, and a needle receiving and flipping mechanism is provided below the needle dropping channel. The needle receiving and flipping mechanism has a longitudinal 180° flipping freedom.

[0006] Furthermore, a needle plate holder positioning plate is provided below the needle receiving and flipping mechanism. A driving mechanism is installed on the needle plate holder positioning plate. The needle plate holder positioning plate can move back and forth under the drive of the driving mechanism. The needle plate holder positioning plate is used to place the needle plate holder, and a plurality of rows and columns of needle holes for placing sampling needles are evenly provided on the needle plate holder.

[0007] After the disposable sampling needle is injection-molded by an injection mold, the injection machine manipulator takes out the disposable sampling needle from the mold. According to the common sense of injection molding, the state of the disposable sampling needle when demolding from the mold is with the tip facing outward. Therefore, the state of the disposable sampling needle when taken out by the injection machine manipulator is with the tip facing inward. The sampling needle receiving plate is used to receive the sampling needle taken out by the injection machine manipulator. At this time, the sampling needle passes through the needle dropping hole with the needle tip facing upward and slides down along the needle dropping channel. Then, the needle receiving and flipping mechanism catches the sampling needle. At this time, the state of the sampling needle is with the needle tip facing outward. Subsequently, the needle receiving and flipping mechanism flips downward by 180 degrees and distributes the sampling needle into the needle plate holder in the state of the needle tip facing downward.

[0008] Further, a positioning card slot is provided on the needle plate holder positioning plate, and the shape and size of the positioning card slot match the shape and size of the needle plate holder. The purpose is to enable the needle plate holder to be placed stably on the needle plate holder positioning plate and prevent the needle plate holder from shaking and affecting the accuracy of the needle dropping position.

[0009] Further, the needle dropping channel includes a hose and an integrated guide. The integrated guide includes an upper guide port, a lower guide port, and a guide channel. One end of the hose is connected to the needle dropping hole, and the other end is connected to the upper guide port of the integrated guide. The guide channel is designed with a variable diameter, and the diameter of the upper guide port is larger than the diameter of the lower guide port.

[0010] Further, the center distance between two adjacent lower guide ports of the integrated guide is N times (N is a natural number greater than 1) the center distance between two adjacent needle holes in the same row of needle holes on the needle plate holder.

[0011] Further, the needle receiving and flipping mechanism includes a needle receiving plate and a vacuum suction head fixed on the needle receiving plate. The vacuum suction head is externally connected to a vacuum negative pressure device, and the vacuum negative pressure device is used to provide suction force for the vacuum suction head to suck the sampling needle. The layout of the vacuum suction heads matches the layout of the lower guide ports on the integrated guide.

[0012] The disposable sampling needle slides into the integrated guide through the hose. At this time, the state of the sampling needle is with the needle tip facing upward. Since the integrated guide is designed with a variable diameter, the upper guide port is large and the lower guide port is small, and the center distance between two adjacent lower guide ports is an integer multiple of the center distance between two adjacent needle holes in the same row of needle holes on the needle plate holder. Therefore, the sampling needle slides down along the integrated guide and slides out through the lower guide port, and the sampling needles are arranged in an integer multiple of the center distance between two adjacent needle holes in the same row of needle holes on the needle plate holder. Since the layout of the vacuum suction heads matches the layout of the lower guide ports on the integrated guide, the sampling needles received by the needle receiving and flipping mechanism are also arranged in an integer multiple of the center distance between the needle holes. Subsequently, the needle receiving and flipping mechanism distributes the sampling needles into the needle plate holder and arranges them in a staggered form.

[0013] Further, since the above-mentioned integrated guide is of variable diameter design, the center distance between two adjacent lower guide ports is an integer multiple of the center distance between two adjacent pin holes in the same row of pin hole positions on the pin board rack. Therefore, each time the needle receiving and flipping mechanism distributes the sampling needles to the pin board rack in a staggered form. To ensure that each pin hole position on the pin board rack is filled with sampling needles, the needle receiving and flipping mechanism also has a horizontal movement degree of freedom to place the sampling needles into the next group of pin hole positions until each column of pin hole positions on the pin board rack is filled.

[0014] Further, the needle receiving and flipping mechanism also has an up-and-down movement degree of freedom. When it is necessary to receive the sampling needles from the needle dropping channel, the needle receiving and flipping mechanism can move upward to approach and fit against the lower guide port of the integrated guide. In addition, since the sampling needles are relatively slender, during the flipping process after the needle receiving and flipping mechanism receives the sampling needles, it can move up and down to adjust so that the needle receiving and flipping mechanism can flip smoothly to avoid jamming and damaging the sampling needles.

[0015] Further, the usage method of the sampling needle collection device includes:

[0016] Install and fix the sampling needle collection device under the injection molding machine manipulator, and adjust the position of the sampling needle receiving plate.

[0017] Place the pin board rack into the positioning card slot on the pin board rack positioning plate.

[0018] Set the position area where the vacuum suction head on the needle receiving and flipping mechanism is located as the needle receiving working position.

[0019] The needle receiving and flipping mechanism flips upward until the vacuum suction head turns upward and aligns with the lower guide port of the integrated guide, and then moves upward to stick to the lower guide port.

[0020] The sampling needle receiving plate receives the sampling needles taken out by the injection molding machine manipulator.

[0021] The sampling needles pass through the needle dropping holes on the sampling needle receiving plate and slide down along the hose, passing through the upper guide port, the guide channel and the lower guide port of the integrated guide in sequence.

[0022] The vacuum suction head of the needle receiving and flipping mechanism sucks the sampling needles, and the needle receiving and flipping mechanism flips downward by 180 degrees and then moves downward until the sampling needles are aligned with the pin hole positions on the pin board rack.

[0023] The vacuum suction head of the needle receiving and flipping mechanism releases the sampling needles, and the sampling needles fall into the pin board rack and hang on the pin board rack.

[0024] Further, when the center distance between two adjacent lower guide ports of the integrated guide is N times (N is a natural number greater than 1) the center distance between two adjacent pin hole positions in the same row of pin hole positions on the pin board rack, it also includes:

[0025] 1. Set the pin holes in the range area corresponding to the needle - inserting working position as the groups to be loaded;

[0026] 2. Under the action of the driving mechanism, the positioning plate of the needle plate holder drives the pin holes of each group to be loaded on the needle plate holder to move forward by a distance equal to the pitch between two adjacent rows of pin holes on the needle plate holder one by one;

[0027] 3. After the vacuum chuck of the needle - receiving turning mechanism holds the sampling needle, it selectively moves horizontally by a set distance and places it into the pin hole of the next group to be loaded. The set distance is equal to (N - 1) times the center - to - center distance between two adjacent pin holes in the same row of pin holes on the needle plate holder;

[0028] 4. Under the action of the driving mechanism, the positioning plate of the needle plate holder drives the needle plate holder full of sampling needles to continue moving forward, and at the same time moves the next empty needle plate holder to the needle - receiving working position of the needle - receiving turning mechanism according to the above steps 1, 2, and 3 until all the needle plate holders are loaded with sampling needles, and the needle plate holder full of sampling needles is taken away by the staff.

[0029] Combined with the structural characteristics of the present invention, compared with the prior art, a sampling needle collection device and its use method provided by the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0030] 1. The sampling needle collection device provided by the present invention automatically completes the process of loading sampling needles without manual intervention, with high speed, and solves the problems of low efficiency and low safety factor of manual operation;

[0031] 2. In the sampling needle collection device provided by the present invention, the integrated guide is connected to the sampling needle receiving plate through a hose. The center - to - center distance between two adjacent lower guide ports of the integrated guide is N times the center - to - center distance between two adjacent pin holes in the same row of pin holes on the needle plate holder (N is a natural number greater than 1). The sampling needles are automatically arranged in an integer multiple of the center - to - center distance between two adjacent pin holes in the same row of pin holes on the needle plate holder. The layout of the vacuum chucks of the needle - receiving turning mechanism matches the layout of the guide channels of the integrated guide, and finally realizes staggered needle placement, with lower mutual interference compared to the simultaneous needle dropping at adjacent pin holes. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0033] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the sampling needle collection device described in the present invention.

[0034] Figure 2Schematic structural diagram of the integrated guide of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 3 Schematic structural diagram of the needle plate holder of the present invention.

[0036] Wherein, 1 - machine table, 2 - sampling needle receiving plate, 201 - needle dropping hole, 3 - needle plate holder positioning plate, 301 - positioning card slot, 4 - needle plate holder, 401 - needle hole position, 5 - hose, 6 - integrated guide, 601 - upper guide port, 602 - lower guide port, 603 - guide channel, 7 - needle receiving plate, 8 - vacuum suction head. Detailed implementation manners

[0037] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the following will further describe the implementation manners of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0038] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement conditions between components in a specific posture. If this specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0039] As Figure 1 shown, a sampling needle collection device includes a machine table 1 and a control system (not shown in the figure), and further includes a sampling needle receiving plate 2. A plurality of needle dropping holes 201 are provided on the sampling needle receiving plate 2. The layout and size of the needle dropping holes 201 match those of the injection mold cavities. A needle dropping channel is connected below the needle dropping holes 201. The needle dropping channel includes a hose 5 and an integrated guide 6. The integrated guide 6 includes an upper guide port 601, a lower guide port 602 and a guide channel 603. One end of the hose 5 is connected to the needle dropping hole 201, and the other end is connected to the upper guide port 601 of the integrated guide 6. A needle receiving flipping mechanism is provided below the needle dropping channel. The needle receiving flipping mechanism has degrees of freedom of horizontal movement, up and down movement and longitudinal 180° flipping. The needle receiving flipping mechanism includes a needle receiving plate 7 and a vacuum suction head 8 fixed on the needle receiving plate 7. The vacuum suction head 8 is externally connected to a vacuum negative pressure device (not shown in the figure).

[0040] As Figure 1 and Figure 3As shown in the figure, a needle plate holder positioning plate 3 is provided below the needle inserting and flipping mechanism. A driving mechanism (not shown in the figure) is installed on the needle plate holder positioning plate. The needle plate holder positioning plate can move back and forth under the drive of the driving mechanism. The needle plate holder positioning plate 3 is used to place the needle plate holder 4. A positioning card slot 301 is opened on the needle plate holder positioning plate 3. The shape and size of the positioning card slot 301 match the shape and size of the needle plate holder 4, so that the needle plate holder 4 can be stably placed on the needle plate holder positioning plate 3. A needle hole position 401 for placing the sampling needle is provided on the needle plate holder 4.

[0041] As shown in 1 and Figure 2 As shown in the figure, in an embodiment, the guiding channel 603 has a variable diameter design. The diameter of the upper guiding port 601 is larger than the diameter of the lower guiding port 602. The center distance between two adjacent lower guiding ports is N times the center distance between two adjacent needle holes in the same row of needle hole positions 401 on the needle plate holder 4 (N is a natural number greater than 1). The layout of the vacuum suction heads 8 matches the layout of the lower guiding ports 602 on the integrated guide 6, that is, the positions of the vacuum suction heads correspond to the respective channels of the integrated guide. When the needle inserting and flipping mechanism moves upward, each vacuum suction head can be correspondingly attached to the lower guiding port on the integrated guide.

[0042] In another embodiment, the sampling needle collection device includes 4 integrated guides 6. Each integrated guide includes 4 guiding channels 603. Every two integrated guides are arranged oppositely to form a guide group. The interval distance between the two integrated guides in the same guide group is equal to the pitch between two adjacent rows of needle hole positions on the needle plate holder 4. The center distance between two adjacent lower guiding ports 602 of the integrated guide 6 is equal to 2 times the center distance between two adjacent needle holes in the same row of needle hole positions 401 on the needle plate holder. The needle hole positions of the needle plate holder 4 are in the specification of 8 (columns) × 12 (rows). The numbering of the needle hole positions is as Figure 3 shown in the figure. Each row is numbered from A to L in sequence from front to back, and each column is numbered from 1 to 8. The corresponding needle hole positions are then counted as 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8A, 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7B, 8B, and so on. The A row is the first row to enter the needle inserting working position on the needle inserting and flipping mechanism. It should be noted that the position area where the vacuum suction heads on the needle inserting and flipping mechanism are located is set as the needle inserting working position.

[0043] The working principle and method of the sampling needle collection device of the present invention are as follows:

[0044] Install and fix the sampling needle collection device under the manipulator of the injection molding machine, adjust the position of the sampling needle receiving plate, and place the needle plate holder 4 into the positioning slot 301 on the needle plate holder positioning plate 3. The needle receiving and flipping mechanism flips upward until the vacuum suction head 8 turns upward and aligns with the lower guiding port 602 of the integrated guide, and then moves upward to stick to the lower guiding port. After the disposable sampling needle is injection-molded through the injection mold, the manipulator of the injection molding machine takes out the disposable sampling needle from the mold. According to the common sense of injection molding, the state of the disposable sampling needle when demolded from the mold is with the tip facing outward. Therefore, the state of the disposable sampling needle when taken out by the manipulator of the injection molding machine is with the tip facing inward. The sampling needle receiving plate 2 receives the sampling needle taken out by the manipulator of the injection molding machine. At this time, the sampling needle passes through the needle dropping holes 201, the upper guiding port 601 of the integrated guide 6, the guiding channel 603, and the lower guiding port 602 one by one with the needle tip facing upward. At this time, the state of the sampling needle is with the needle tip facing upward. Then, the vacuum suction head 8 on the needle receiving and flipping mechanism sucks the sampling needle under the action of the vacuum negative pressure device. At this time, the state of the sampling needle is with the needle tip facing outward. Then, the needle receiving plate 7 of the needle receiving and flipping mechanism flips downward by 180 degrees, and the needle receiving and flipping mechanism moves downward until the sampling needle on it aligns with the needle hole position 401 of the needle plate holder 4, and releases the sampling needle in the state of the needle tip facing downward and distributes it into the needle hole position.

[0045] In this embodiment, the number of sampling needles passing through each integrated guide is 4, that is, each guide group can pass 8 sampling needles. Since the distance between two integrated guides in the same guide group is equal to the distance between adjacent rows of needle hole positions on the needle plate holder 4, the center distance between two adjacent lower guiding ports 602 of the integrated guide 6 is equal to twice the center distance between adjacent two needle hole positions in the same row of needle hole positions 401 on the needle plate holder, and the layout of the vacuum suction heads 8 of the needle receiving and flipping mechanism matches the layout of the lower guiding ports on the integrated guide 6. Therefore, when the needle receiving and flipping mechanism first distributes the sampling needles to the needle plate holder 4, the needle hole positions in rows A and B enter the needle receiving working position, and the needle hole positions 1A, 3A, 5A, 7A and 1B, 3B, 5B, 7B on the needle plate holder are allocated sampling needles, realizing staggered needle dropping. Subsequently, after the vacuum suction head of the needle receiving and flipping mechanism sucks the sampling needles of the second group, it moves horizontally to the right by a distance equal to the center distance between adjacent two needle hole positions in the same row of needle hole positions 401 on one needle plate holder, then releases the sampling needles, and distributes them into the needle hole positions 2A, 4A, 6A, 8A and 2B, 4B, 6B, 8B. After two times of needle dropping, the needle hole positions in rows A and B are already filled with sampling needles.

[0046] Then, after the vacuum suction head of the needle connecting and flipping mechanism sucks the sampling needles of the third group, the needle plate holder positioning plate 3 moves horizontally forward by the distance between the centers of two adjacent needle holes in the same row of needle holes 401 on one needle plate holder under the action of the driving mechanism. Then, the vacuum suction head 8 of the needle connecting and flipping mechanism releases the sampling needles and distributes the sampling needles into the needle holes of 1C, 3C, 5C, 7C and 1D, 3D, 5D, 7D. And so on, until the needle holes in each row and each column of the needle plate holder are filled with sampling needles. When one needle plate holder is loaded with sampling needles, the needle plate holder positioning plate 3 drives the needle plate holder full of sampling needles to continue moving forward under the action of the driving mechanism, and at the same time moves the A row and the B row of the next empty needle plate holder to the needle connecting working position of the needle connecting and flipping mechanism. And so on, until all the needle plate holders are loaded with sampling needles, and the needle plate holders full of sampling needles are taken away by the staff.

[0047] As Figure 1 shown, in this embodiment, it includes two guide groups. Therefore, two needle plate holders can be dropped with needles simultaneously each time.

[0048] The applicant declares that the above-described embodiments only represent the basic principles, main features and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited by the above embodiments. What is described in the above embodiments and the specification is only the principle of the present invention. For those ordinary skilled in the art in this industry, without departing from the concept and scope of the present invention, various changes and improvements can still be made, and these changes and improvements all fall within the scope of the present invention claimed.

[0049] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. All embodiments that adopt a structure and method similar to that of the present invention to achieve the purpose of the present invention are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sampling needle collection device, comprising a machine platform and a control system, Characterized in that: It further includes a sampling needle receiving plate, on which several needle dropping holes are provided. The layout and size of the needle dropping holes match those of the injection mold cavities. A needle dropping channel is connected below the needle dropping holes, and a needle receiving and flipping mechanism is arranged below the needle dropping channel. The needle receiving and flipping mechanism has a longitudinal 180° flipping freedom; Below the needle receiving and flipping mechanism, there is a needle plate rack positioning plate for placing the needle plate rack. On the needle plate rack, several rows and columns of needle holes for placing sampling needles are evenly arranged; The needle dropping channel includes a hose and an integrated guide. The integrated guide includes an upper guide port, a lower guide port and a guide channel. One end of the hose is connected to the needle dropping hole, and the other end is connected to the upper guide port of the integrated guide. The guide channel is designed with a variable diameter, and the diameter of the upper guide port is larger than that of the lower guide port; The center distance between two adjacent lower guide ports of the integrated guide is N times the center distance between two adjacent needle holes in the same row of needle holes on the needle plate rack, where N is a natural number greater than 1.

2. A sampling needle collection device according to claim 1, Characterized in that: A driving mechanism is installed on the needle plate rack positioning plate, and the needle plate rack positioning plate can move back and forth under the drive of the driving mechanism.

3. A sampling needle collection device according to claim 1, Characterized in that: A positioning card slot is opened on the needle plate rack positioning plate, and the shape and size of the positioning card slot match those of the needle plate rack.

4. A sampling needle collection device according to claim 1, Characterized in that: The needle receiving and flipping mechanism includes a needle receiving plate and a vacuum suction head fixed on the needle receiving plate. The vacuum suction head is externally connected to a vacuum negative pressure device, and the layout of the vacuum suction head matches the layout of the lower guide ports on the integrated guide.

5. A sampling needle collection device according to any one of claims 1-4, Characterized in that: The needle receiving and flipping mechanism also has a horizontal movement freedom.

6. A sampling needle collection device according to any one of claims 1-4, Characterized in that: The needle receiving and flipping mechanism also has an up and down movement freedom.

7. A method for using the sampling needle collection device according to claim 1 Includes: Install and fix the sampling needle collection device below the injection molding machine manipulator, and adjust the position of the sampling needle receiving plate; Place the needle plate rack into the positioning card slot on the needle plate rack positioning plate; Set the position area where the vacuum suction head on the needle receiving and flipping mechanism is located as the needle receiving working position; The needle receiving and flipping mechanism flips upwards until the vacuum suction head turns upwards and aligns with the lower guide port of the integrated guide, and moves upwards to stick to the lower guide port; The sampling needle receiving plate receives the sampling needles taken out by the injection molding machine manipulator; The sampling needles pass through the needle dropping holes on the sampling needle receiving plate, and slide down along the hose and sequentially pass through the upper guide port, the guide channel and the lower guide port of the integrated guide; The vacuum chuck of the needle picking and flipping mechanism sucks the pipetting needle, and the needle picking and flipping mechanism flips downward by 180 degrees and moves downward until the pipetting needle aligns with the needle hole position on the needle plate holder. The vacuum chuck of the needle picking and flipping mechanism releases the pipetting needle, and the pipetting needle falls into the needle plate holder and hangs on the needle plate holder.

8. The usage method of a pipetting needle collection device according to claim 7 further includes: (1) Setting the needle hole positions within a range area adapted to the needle picking working position as the groups to be loaded; (2) Under the action of the driving mechanism, the needle plate holder positioning plate drives each group of needle hole positions to be loaded on the needle plate holder to move forward by a distance equal to the distance between adjacent two rows of needle hole positions on the needle plate holder; (3) After sucking the pipetting needle, the vacuum chuck of the needle picking and flipping mechanism selectively moves horizontally by a set distance and places it into the needle hole position of the next group to be loaded, and the set distance is equal to N - 1 times the center distance between adjacent two needle hole positions in the same row of needle hole positions on the needle plate holder; (4) Under the action of the driving mechanism, the needle plate holder positioning plate drives the needle plate holder full of pipetting needles to continue moving forward, and at the same time moves the next empty needle plate holder to the needle picking working position of the needle picking and flipping mechanism according to the above steps (1), (2) and (3) until all the needle plate holders are loaded with pipetting needles. Among them, the needle plate holder full of pipetting needles is taken away by the staff.

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