Transfer device

Abstract

The application relates to a transfer device. The device comprises a first movement mechanism, a second movement mechanism, a third movement mechanism and a clamping jaw. The first movement mechanism comprises a first guide rail and a first driving assembly, and the first driving assembly is arranged on the first guide rail. The second movement mechanism comprises a second guide rail, a support base and a second driving assembly, the first driving assembly drives the second guide rail to slide along a first direction on the first guide rail, and the second driving assembly is arranged on the second guide rail and drives the support base to slide along a second direction on the second guide rail. The third movement mechanism comprises a driven guide rail and a third driving assembly, the third driving assembly comprises a transmission unit and a driver, the driver is arranged at one end of the second guide rail close to the first guide rail, and the driver drives the driven guide rail to slide along a third direction on the support base through the transmission unit. The clamping jaw is connected with the third movement mechanism. Thus, the bending of the second guide rail caused by the driver with large weight can be avoided, and the shaking of the second guide rail can be avoided, so that the movement precision of the transfer device is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a transfer device. Background Technology

[0002] Analytical instruments are categorized by their level of automation into manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic instruments. Manual and semi-automatic instruments typically involve manual workpiece transfer, which is cumbersome and inefficient. Fully automatic instruments replacing manual operation represent a major trend in technological development. The transfer mechanism of a fully automatic instrument can drive the grippers to achieve three degrees of freedom in linear motion. However, with traditional transfer mechanisms, the grippers are prone to vibration during movement, affecting the motion accuracy of the grippers and the entire transfer device. Summary of the Invention

[0003] One of the technical problems addressed by this application is how to improve the motion accuracy of the transfer device.

[0004] A transfer device, comprising:

[0005] The first motion mechanism includes a first guide rail and a first drive component, wherein the first drive component is disposed on the first guide rail;

[0006] The second motion mechanism includes a second guide rail, a support base, and a second drive assembly. The first drive assembly drives the second guide rail to slide along a first direction on the first guide rail, and the second drive assembly is disposed on the second guide rail and drives the support base to slide along a second direction on the second guide rail.

[0007] The third motion mechanism includes an active guide rail and a third drive assembly. The third drive assembly includes a transmission unit and a driver. The driver is disposed at one end of the second guide rail near the first guide rail. The driver drives the active guide rail to slide along a third direction on the support base via the transmission unit.

[0008] The gripper is connected to the third motion mechanism.

[0009] In one embodiment, the transmission unit includes a transmission belt with a horizontal extension and a vertical extension. The horizontal extension extends along the second direction and is connected to the driver. The end of the horizontal extension away from the driver is fixedly connected to the second guide rail. The vertical extension extends along the third direction.

[0010] In one embodiment, the transmission unit further includes a drive wheel, a first guide rail wheel, a second guide rail wheel, and a support guide wheel. The drive wheel is connected to the driver. The horizontal extension is sleeved on the drive wheel. The first guide rail wheel and the second guide rail wheel are both rotatably connected to the drive rail and are spaced apart along the third direction. The first guide rail wheel is further away from the gripper than the second guide rail wheel. The vertical extension is sleeved on the first guide rail wheel and the second guide rail wheel. The connection between the horizontal extension and the vertical extension is sleeved on the support guide wheel.

[0011] In one embodiment, there are multiple supporting guide wheels that are rotatably connected to the support base. The supporting guide wheels are located between the first guide rail guide wheel and the second guide rail guide wheel along the third direction. All the supporting guide wheels are arranged in two rows along the second direction and in two columns along the third direction.

[0012] In one embodiment, the transmission belt has an open-loop structure, with both ends of the transmission belt located in the horizontal extension and fixedly connected to the second guide rail.

[0013] In one embodiment, the third motion mechanism further includes a driven guide rail and a transmission unit, the transmission unit being connected to the driven guide rail and driving the driven guide rail to slide along the third direction on the active guide rail, and the gripper being disposed on the driven guide rail.

[0014] In one embodiment, the transmission unit includes a transmission belt, a third guide wheel, and a fourth guide wheel. The third and fourth guide wheels are rotatably connected to the active guide rail and are spaced apart along the third direction. The third guide wheel is away from the gripper relative to the fourth guide wheel. The transmission belt is sleeved on the third and fourth guide wheels. The support base and the driven guide rail are fixedly connected to the transmission belt.

[0015] In one embodiment, the conveyor belt is a closed-loop structure, with one side of the conveyor belt connected to the support base and the other side connected to the driven guide rail.

[0016] In one embodiment, at least one of the following schemes is also included:

[0017] The first guide wheel and the third guide wheel are coaxially arranged and can rotate relative to each other; or, the first guide wheel and the third guide wheel are spaced apart along the third direction.

[0018] The second guide wheel and the fourth guide wheel are coaxially arranged and can rotate relative to each other, or the second guide wheel and the fourth guide wheel are spaced apart along the third direction.

[0019] In one embodiment, at least one of the following schemes is also included:

[0020] The first guide wheel and the third guide wheel are coaxially arranged and can rotate relative to each other; or, the first guide wheel and the third guide wheel are spaced apart along the third direction.

[0021] The second guide wheel and the fourth guide wheel are coaxially arranged and can rotate relative to each other, or the second guide wheel and the fourth guide wheel are spaced apart along the third direction.

[0022] In one embodiment, the gripper includes two opposing clamping members, each clamping member having a first arcuate surface for contacting a workpiece and two second arcuate surfaces, the first arcuate surface being connected between the two second arcuate surfaces, the diameter of the first arcuate surface being smaller than the diameter of the second arcuate surfaces.

[0023] In one embodiment, the clamping member includes a connecting portion and a clamping portion, the clamping portion protruding from the connecting portion, the distance between the two connecting portions being greater than the distance between the two clamping portions, and both the first arc surface and the second arc surface being disposed on the clamping portion.

[0024] In one embodiment, a sensor is also included, wherein a groove is formed in the first arc surface, and the sensor is disposed in the groove.

[0025] In one embodiment, the second motion mechanism, the third motion mechanism, and the gripper together form a transfer assembly, and there are multiple transfer assemblies. The second guide rails of the multiple transfer assemblies are all slidably connected to the first guide rail along the first direction.

[0026] One technical effect of one embodiment of this application is that, since the third driver is set on the end of the second guide rail close to the first guide rail, the relatively heavy third driver is eliminated from being set on the support base. This prevents the third driver from generating a bending moment on the second guide rail. Even when the support base travels a long distance on the second guide rail and is located near the end of the second guide rail away from the first guide rail, the weight of both the active guide rail and the support base is relatively small, making it difficult to generate a large bending moment on the second guide rail. This avoids the second guide rail from vibrating due to bending deformation, avoids the active guide rail from vibrating along with the second guide rail, and avoids the gripper from vibrating along with the active guide rail. This improves the motion accuracy of the gripper and the entire transfer device. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a transfer device provided in one embodiment.

[0028] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a partial three-dimensional structure of the transfer device, including a transfer assembly.

[0029] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure from another perspective.

[0030] Figure 4 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a partial three-dimensional structure of the transfer device, including the second motion mechanism and the third motion mechanism.

[0031] Figure 5 for Figure 4 The first example of a decomposed structure diagram.

[0032] Figure 6 for Figure 4 The second example of the decomposed structure diagram.

[0033] Figure 7 for Figure 4 The third example of the decomposed structure diagram.

[0034] Figure 8 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the gripper in the transfer device shown.

[0035] Figure 9 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a transfer device provided for another embodiment.

[0036] Reference numerals: Transfer device 10, Transfer assembly 11, First motion mechanism 100, First guide rail 110, First drive assembly 120, First driver 121, First synchronous belt 122, Second motion mechanism 200, Second guide rail 210, Support base 230, Second drive assembly 220, Second driver 221, Second synchronous belt 222, Tensioner 240, Third motion mechanism 300, Active guide rail 310, Third drive assembly 320, Transmission unit 330, Transmission belt 331, Horizontal extension 331 1. Vertical extension 3312, drive wheel 332, first guide rail guide wheel 333, second guide rail guide wheel 334, support guide wheel 335, third driver 340, driven guide rail 350, transmission unit 360, transmission belt 361, third guide rail guide wheel 363, fourth guide rail guide wheel 364, fixing member 362, slide 370, rotary drive assembly 380, gripper 400, clamping member 401, connecting part 410, clamping part 420, first arc surface 421, second arc surface 422, groove 423. Detailed Implementation

[0037] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0038] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0039] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0040] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0041] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0042] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0043] See Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 A transfer device 10 provided in one embodiment of this application can be used to transfer workpieces such as sample tubes or sample holders. The transfer device 10 includes a first motion mechanism 100, a second motion mechanism 200, a third motion mechanism 300, and a gripper 400. The second motion mechanism 200 is disposed on the first motion mechanism 100, the third motion mechanism 300 is disposed on the second motion mechanism 200, and the gripper 400 is disposed on the third motion mechanism 300.

[0044] The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are each denoted as a different direction. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are set at an angle to each other, for example, at a 90° angle to each other, so that the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other. It can be understood that the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are the extension directions of the three coordinate axes in the spatial rectangular coordinate system. The first direction can be understood as the X-axis direction, the second direction can be understood as the Y-axis direction, and the third direction can be understood as the Z-axis direction.

[0045] See Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the first motion mechanism 100 includes a first guide rail 110 and a first drive assembly 120. The first guide rail 110 extends along a first direction (X-axis direction). The first drive assembly 120 is disposed on the first guide rail 110. The first drive assembly 120 includes a first driver 121 and a first synchronous belt 122. The first driver 121 can be a motor. The first driver 121 is fixed on the first guide rail 110 and is used to drive the first synchronous belt 122 to move.

[0046] See Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the second motion mechanism 200 includes a second guide rail 210, a second drive assembly 220, and a support base 230. The second guide rail 210 extends along a second direction (Y-axis direction) and is slidably disposed on the first guide rail 110 along a first direction, enabling the second guide rail 210 to perform reciprocating linear motion along the first direction on the first guide rail 110. One side of the first synchronous belt 122 of the first drive assembly 120 is connected to the second guide rail 210. When the first driver 121 drives the first synchronous belt 122 to move, the first synchronous belt 122 drives the second guide rail 210 to perform reciprocating linear motion along the first direction on the first guide rail 110.

[0047] The second drive assembly 220 is disposed on the second guide rail 210. The second drive assembly 220 includes a second driver 221 and a second synchronous belt 222. The second driver 221 can be a motor and is fixed to the second guide rail 210, for example, fixed to one end of the second guide rail 210 near the first guide rail 110. The second driver 221 drives the second synchronous belt 222 to move, and one side of the second synchronous belt 222 is fixedly connected to the support base 230. The support base 230 is slidably disposed on the second guide rail 210, so that the support base 230 can reciprocate linearly along the second direction on the second guide rail 210. When the second driver 221 drives the second synchronous belt 222 to move, the second synchronous belt 222 will drive the support base 230 to reciprocate linearly along the second direction on the second guide rail 210.

[0048] See Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the third motion mechanism 300 includes an active guide rail 310 and a third drive assembly 320. The third drive assembly 320 includes a transmission unit 330 and a driver, referred to as the third driver 340. The third driver 340 can also be a motor. The third driver 340 is disposed at one end of the second guide rail 210 near the first guide rail 110. The active guide rail 310 extends along a third direction (Z-axis direction) and is slidably connected to the support base 230 along the third direction. The third driver 340 can drive the active guide rail 310 to perform reciprocating linear motion on the support base 230 along the third direction through the transmission unit 330.

[0049] See Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the transmission unit 330 includes a transmission belt 331, which includes a horizontal extension 3311 and a vertical extension 3312. The horizontal extension 3311 extends along a second direction and is connected to the third driver 340, while the vertical extension 3312 extends along a third direction. The end of the horizontal extension 3311 away from the driver is fixedly connected to the second guide rail 210. This arrangement of the transmission belt 331 allows the third driver 340 to drive the active guide rail 310 to reciprocate linearly along a third direction on the support 230 via the transmission belt 331.

[0050] See Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7In some embodiments, the transmission unit 330 further includes a drive wheel 332, a first guide rail guide wheel 333, a second guide rail guide wheel 334, and a support guide wheel 335. The drive wheel 332 is connected to a third driver 340, allowing the third driver 340 to drive the drive wheel 332 to rotate. Both the first guide rail guide wheel 333 and the second guide rail guide wheel 334 are rotatably connected to the drive guide rail 310. The first guide rail guide wheel 333 and the second guide rail guide wheel 334 are spaced apart along a third direction, with the first guide rail guide wheel 333 positioned further away from the gripper 400 than the second guide rail guide wheel 334, placing the first guide rail guide wheel 333 above the second guide rail guide wheel 334. There may be multiple support guide wheels 335, for example, four, positioned along a third direction between the first guide rail guide wheel 333 and the second guide rail guide wheel 334. The support guide wheels 335 can be arranged in a matrix to form two rows and two columns. Both rows of the support guide wheels 335 are arranged along a second direction, and both columns are arranged along a third direction. The two rows of support guide wheels 335 are referred to as the first row and the second row, and the two columns are referred to as the first column and the second column, respectively. The first row is located above the second row, making it further away from the gripper 400 relative to the second row, and the first column is further away from the third driver 340 relative to the second column.

[0051] See Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 The second motion mechanism 200 also includes a tensioning member 240, which protrudes from the end of the second guide rail 210 away from the third driver 340. The transmission belt 331 is fixedly connected to the tensioning member 240. The transmission belt 331 can be an open-loop structure, so that the transmission belt 331 has two fixed ends. During the installation process of the transmission belt 331, firstly, one fixed end of the transmission belt 331 is fixed to the tensioning member 240. Then, the transmission belt 331 sequentially passes through the support guide wheel 335 away from the third driver 340 in the first row, the first guide rail guide wheel 333, the support guide wheel 335 near the third driver 340 in the first row, the drive wheel 332, the support guide wheel 335 near the third driver 340 in the second row, the second guide rail guide wheel 334, and the support guide wheel 335 away from the third driver 340 in the second row, and the other fixed end of the transmission belt 331 is fixed to the tensioning member 240. In other embodiments, when the two fixed ends of the transmission belt 331 connected to the tensioner 240 are connected to each other, the transmission belt 331 can also form a closed loop structure.

[0052] See Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 After the drive belt 331 is installed, it will form a horizontal extension 3311 and a vertical extension 3312. The horizontal extension 3311 extends along a second direction, and the vertical extension 3312 extends along a third direction. The horizontal extension 3311 can be divided into two sections. One section of the horizontal extension 3311, located near the third driver 340, is fitted onto the drive pulley 332, such that this section is positioned between the drive pulley 332 and the second row of the support guide pulleys 335. The other section of the horizontal extension 3311, located away from the third driver 340, is fixed to the tensioner 240, such that this section is positioned between the tensioner 240 and the first row of the support guide pulleys 335. The vertical extension 3312 can also be divided into two sections. One section of the vertical extension 3312, located near the first guide wheel 333, is fitted onto the first guide wheel 333, such that this section is positioned between the first guide wheel 333 and the first row of the support guide wheels 335. The other section of the vertical extension 3312, located near the second guide wheel 334, is fitted onto the second guide wheel 334, such that this section is positioned between the second guide wheel 334 and the second row of the support guide wheels 335. Clearly, the connection between the horizontal extension 3311 and the vertical extension 3312 is fitted onto the support guide wheel 335.

[0053] See Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 During the operation of the second actuator 221 and the cessation of the third actuator 340, the active guide rail 310 will reciprocate linearly relative to the second guide rail 210 in the second direction, following the support base 230. The active guide rail 310 cannot generate linear motion relative to the support base 230 in the third direction. At this time, the lengths of the two segments of the vertical extension 3312 remain constant. When the length of the segment of the horizontal extension 3311 farther from the third actuator 340 gradually increases, and the length of the segment of the horizontal extension 3311 closer to the third actuator 340 gradually decreases, the active guide rail 310 will slide closer to the third actuator 340, following the support base 230. When the length of the segment of the horizontal extension 3311 farther from the third actuator 340 gradually decreases, and the length of the segment of the horizontal extension 3311 closer to the third actuator 340 gradually increases, the active guide rail 310 will slide closer to the third actuator 340, following the support base 230.

[0054] See Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7During the operation of the third actuator 340 and the cessation of the second actuator 221, the lengths of the two segments of the horizontal extension 3311 remain constant. Since the horizontal extension 3311 is fixed to the tensioner 240, when the third actuator 340 drives the length of the segment of the vertical extension 3312 near the first guide wheel 333 to gradually decrease, the length of the segment of the vertical extension 3312 near the second guide wheel 334 will inevitably gradually increase. This causes the third actuator 340 to drive the active guide rail 310 to move downwards along a third direction on the support 230 via the transmission belt 331. Conversely, when the third actuator 340 drives the length of the segment of the vertical extension 3312 near the first guide wheel 333 to gradually increase, the length of the segment of the vertical extension 3312 near the second guide wheel 334 will inevitably gradually decrease. This causes the third actuator 340 to drive the active guide rail 310 to move upwards along a third direction on the support 230 via the transmission belt 331. Therefore, the third drive component 320 can drive the active guide rail 310 to reciprocate linearly up and down along the third direction seat on the support seat 230.

[0055] If the third actuator 340 is fixed to the support base 230 to drive the active guide rail 310 to slide up and down relative to the support base 230, when the stroke of the support base 230 is long, for example, when the support base 230 moves along the second direction to the end of the second guide rail 210 away from the first guide rail 110, the third actuator 340, due to its large weight and inevitable vibration during operation, will generate a large bending moment on the second guide rail 210 from the active guide rail 310, the support base 230, and the third actuator 340. This will cause the second guide rail 210 to vibrate due to bending deformation, which in turn will cause the active guide rail 310 to vibrate as well. Since the gripper 400 is connected to the active guide rail 310, it will also vibrate along with the active guide rail 310, thus affecting the motion accuracy of the gripper 400 and the entire transfer device 10. When the gripper 400 vibrates, it will be unable to accurately grip the workpiece at the designated position.

[0056] See Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7Regarding the transfer device 10 in the above embodiment, since the third driver 340 is directly mounted on the end of the second guide rail 210 close to the first guide rail 110, the relatively heavy third driver 340 is not mounted on the support base 230. This prevents the third driver 340 from generating a bending moment on the second guide rail 210. Even when the stroke of the support base 230 is long, for example when the support base 230 moves along the second direction to the end of the second guide rail 210 away from the first guide rail 110, the weight of both the active guide rail 310 and the support base 230 is relatively small, making it difficult to generate a large bending moment on the second guide rail 210. This avoids the second guide rail 210 from vibrating due to bending deformation, avoids the active guide rail 310 from vibrating along with the second guide rail 210, and avoids the gripper 400 from vibrating along with the active guide rail 310. This improves the movement accuracy of the gripper 400 and the entire transfer device 10. Obviously, when the gripper 400 eliminates jitter, it will ensure that the gripper 400 accurately grips the workpiece at the designated position.

[0057] See Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the third motion mechanism 300 further includes a driven guide rail 350, a transmission unit 360, and a slide 370. The driven guide rail 350 extends in a third direction, and the slide 370 protrudes from the active guide rail 310. The driven guide rail 350 and the slide 370 are slidably connected in a third direction, thereby allowing the driven guide rail 350 to be slidably connected to the active guide rail 310 in a third direction via the slide 370. The transmission unit 360 is connected to the driven guide rail 350 and is used to drive the driven guide rail 350 to slide in a third direction on the slide 370, that is, the transmission unit 360 drives the driven guide rail 350 to perform vertical linear motion relative to the active guide rail 310 in a third direction. The gripper 400 is directly connected to the driven guide rail 350.

[0058] See Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the transmission unit 360 includes a transmission belt 361, a fixing member 362, a third guide rail guide wheel 363, and a fourth guide rail guide wheel 364. The third guide rail guide wheel 363 and the fourth guide rail guide wheel 364 are both rotatably connected to the active guide rail 310, and the third guide rail guide wheel 363 and the fourth guide rail guide wheel 364 are spaced apart along a third direction. Both the third guide rail guide wheel 363 and the fourth guide rail guide wheel 364 can be spaced apart from the driven guide rail 350 along a first direction. Of course, in the first direction, the third guide rail guide wheel 363 and the fourth guide rail guide wheel 364 can be closer to the driven guide rail 350 relative to the first guide rail guide wheel 333 and the second tension 334.

[0059] The third guide wheel 363 is positioned away from the gripper 400 relative to the fourth guide wheel 364, thus placing the third guide wheel 363 above the fourth guide wheel 364. The conveyor belt 361 is fitted onto the third guide wheel 363 and the fourth guide wheel 364. A fixing member 362 protrudes from the support base 230, and the conveyor belt 361 is fixedly connected to the fixing member 362, thus fixing the conveyor belt 361 to the support base 230, and vice versa. For example, the conveyor belt 361 can be a closed-loop structure, with one side (e.g., the tight side) connected to the support base 230, and the other side (e.g., the loose side) connected to the driven guide rail 350; or, both the driven guide rail 350 and the fixing member 362 are connected to the same side of the conveyor belt 361. For example, the conveyor belt 361 can have two ends, making the conveyor belt 361 an open-loop structure. After the conveyor belt 361 is fitted onto the third guide rail guide wheel 363 and the fourth guide rail guide wheel 364, both ends of the conveyor belt 361 are fixed to the fastener 362.

[0060] In some embodiments, the first guide rail guide wheel 333 and the third guide rail guide wheel 363 are coaxially arranged and can rotate relative to each other. For example, when the first guide rail guide wheel 333 is rotatably connected to the active guide rail 310, the third guide rail guide wheel 363 can be rotatably connected to the first guide rail guide wheel 333 through a bearing post, so that the rotation of the first guide rail guide wheel 333 and the third guide rail guide wheel 363 is independent of each other, that is, the rotation of either the first guide rail guide wheel 333 or the third guide rail guide wheel 363 will not drive the other to rotate synchronously. Of course, the first guide rail guide wheel 333 and the third guide rail guide wheel 363 can also be spaced apart along a third direction.

[0061] In some embodiments, the second guide rail guide wheel 334 and the fourth guide rail guide wheel 364 are coaxially arranged and can rotate relative to each other. For example, when the second guide rail guide wheel 334 is rotatably connected to the active guide rail 310, the fourth guide rail guide wheel 364 can be rotatably connected to the second guide rail guide wheel 334 through a bearing post, so that the rotation of the second guide rail guide wheel 334 and the fourth guide rail guide wheel 364 is independent of each other, that is, the rotation of either the second guide rail guide wheel 334 or the fourth guide rail guide wheel 364 will not drive the other to rotate synchronously. Of course, the second guide rail guide wheel 334 and the fourth guide rail guide wheel 364 can also be spaced apart along a third direction, for example, the fourth guide rail guide wheel 364 is located below the second guide rail guide wheel 334.

[0062] See Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7As the third drive 340 drives the active guide rail 310 to slide upward relative to the support base 230 along a third direction via the transmission belt 331, the entire transmission belt 361 will move upward relative to the support base 230 and the fixing member 362 along with the active guide rail 310. Since one side of the transmission belt 361 is fixedly connected to the support base 230 via the fixing member 362, the length of the section of the transmission belt 361 below the fixing member 362 will decrease, while the length of the section of the transmission belt 361 above the fixing member 362 will increase. This causes the transmission belt 361 to drive the driven guide rail 350 to move upward relative to the active guide rail 310 along a third direction.

[0063] As the third actuator 340 drives the active guide rail 310 to slide downward relative to the support base 230 along a third direction via the transmission belt 331, the entire transmission belt 361 will follow the active guide rail 310 and move downward relative to the support base 230 and the fixing member 362. Since one side of the transmission belt 361 is fixedly connected to the support base 230 via the fixing member 362, the length of the section of the transmission belt 361 below the fixing member 362 will increase, and the length of the section of the transmission belt 361 above the fixing member 362 will decrease. This causes the transmission belt 361 to drive the driven guide rail 350 to move downward relative to the active guide rail 310 along a third direction.

[0064] Since the gripper 400 is fixed to the driven guide rail 350, when the third actuator 340 drives the driving guide rail 310 to slide upward, the driving guide rail 310 slides upward relative to the support base 230 for a first stroke. Simultaneously, the driven guide rail 350 also slides upward relative to the driving guide rail 310 for a second stroke. Therefore, the actual upward sliding distance of the gripper 400 relative to the support base 230 is the sum of the first and second strokes. Clearly, the actual upward sliding distance of the gripper 400 relative to the support base 230 will be greater than the upward sliding distance of the driving guide rail 310 relative to the support base 230.

[0065] Since the gripper 400 is fixed to the driven guide rail 350, when the third actuator 340 drives the driving guide rail 310 to slide downward, the driving guide rail 310 slides downward relative to the support base 230 for a first stroke. Simultaneously, the driven guide rail 350 also slides downward relative to the driving guide rail 310 for a second stroke. Therefore, the actual downward sliding distance of the gripper 400 relative to the support base 230 is the sum of the first and second strokes. Clearly, the actual downward sliding distance of the gripper 400 relative to the support base 230 will be greater than the downward sliding distance of the driving guide rail 310 relative to the support base 230.

[0066] Therefore, through the arrangement of the driven guide rail 350 and the transmission unit 360, while the active guide rail 310 slides upward for the first stroke, the driven guide rail 350 will also slide upward relative to the active guide rail 310 for the second stroke; while the active guide rail 310 slides downward for the first stroke, the driven guide rail 350 will also slide downward relative to the active guide rail 310 for the second stroke. This ensures that the distance the gripper 400 slides upward and downward relative to the support base 230 is the sum of the first stroke and the second stroke.

[0067] If the gripper 400 is directly slidably connected to the active guide rail 310, a long vertical sliding distance of the gripper 400 will increase the length of the active guide rail 310 in the third direction. This results in an excessively long active guide rail 310 occupying a large space, which is detrimental to the compact design of the transfer device 10. Furthermore, the vertical movement speed of the gripper 400 is equal to the vertical sliding speed of the active guide rail 310.

[0068] See Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 Regarding the transfer device 10 in the above embodiment, when the transfer device 10 is working, the distance that the gripper 400 slides up and down relative to the support 230 is actually greater than the distance that the active guide rail 310 slides up and down relative to the support 230 through the setting of the transmission unit 360 and the driven guide rail 350. Therefore, the driven guide rail 350, in conjunction with the active guide rail 310, can generate extended stroke motion for the gripper 400. That is, the dynamic stroke of the driven guide rail 350 compensates for the static length of the active guide rail 310. In this way, while ensuring that the gripper 400 has a large stroke in the third direction, the length of the active guide rail 310 in the third direction can be reduced.

[0069] Before the transfer device 10 is about to finish its work and become idle, the active guide rail 310 can be moved upward relative to the support 230, and then the driven guide rail 350 can also be moved upward relative to the active guide rail 310, thereby increasing the overlap length between the active guide rail 310 and the driven guide rail 350, so as to reduce the total length occupied by the driven guide rail 350 and the active guide rail 310 in the third direction, and ensure that the transfer device 10 is more compact in structure.

[0070] Furthermore, within the same time period, the distance that the gripper 400 slides up and down relative to the support 230 is actually greater than the distance that the active guide rail 310 slides up and down relative to the support 230. This also makes the movement speed of the gripper 400 greater than the movement speed of the active guide rail 310. Therefore, the driven guide rail 350, in conjunction with the active guide rail 310, can also generate a speed-increasing movement for the gripper 400, enabling the gripper 400 to quickly reach the designated position to grasp the workpiece, thereby improving the working efficiency of the transfer device 10.

[0071] See Figure 8 In some embodiments, the gripper 400 includes two clamping members 401, which are arranged at a distance from each other, such that the workpiece is clamped between the two clamping members 401. Each clamping member 401 has a first arc surface 421 and a second arc surface 422. There is one first arc surface 421 and two second arc surfaces 422. One end of the first arc surface 421 is connected to one of the second arc surfaces 422, and the other end of the first arc surface 421 is connected to the other second arc surface 422, such that the first arc surface 421 is connected between the two second arc surfaces 422. That is, the first arc surface 421 is centrally located, while the two second arc surfaces 422 are located on opposite sides of the first arc surface 421. The diameter of the first arc surface 421 may be smaller than the diameter of the second arc surface 422.

[0072] By configuring the first arc surface 421 and the second arc surface 422, when the gripper 400 grasps workpieces such as sample tubes with different diameters, the workpieces can be automatically aligned as the first arc surface 421 and the second arc surface 422 move, ensuring that the central axis of the sample tube always extends along the third direction, thereby effectively avoiding collisions caused by tilting of the sample tube. This ensures that the workpieces such as sample tubes are smoothly placed in the designated position, thus improving the accuracy of the transfer device 10 in transferring workpieces.

[0073] In some embodiments, the clamping member 401 includes a connecting portion 410 and a clamping portion 420. In the third direction, the length of the connecting portion 410 may be greater than the length of the clamping portion 420, and the clamping portion 420 protrudes from the connecting portion 410. For example, the connecting portion 410 can be used to connect with the active guide rail 310 or the driven guide rail 350 through an intermediate component, and the clamping portion 420 is used to clamp the workpiece. The first arc surface 421 and the second arc surface 422 are both provided on the clamping portion 420. This can reasonably reduce the contact area between the clamping member 401 and the workpiece, which is beneficial for the smooth removal and placement of the workpiece from the gripper 400.

[0074] In some embodiments, the transfer device 10 may further include a sensor, wherein a groove 423 is recessed on the first arc surface 421, and the sensor is disposed in the groove 423. By providing a sensor, it is possible to accurately detect whether a workpiece is being held on the gripper 400.

[0075] See Figure 9In some embodiments, the transfer device 10 may not have a driven guide rail 350. The third motion mechanism 300 may include a rotary drive assembly 380, which is mounted on the driving guide rail 310. The gripper 400 is connected to the rotary drive assembly 380, which drives the gripper 400 to rotate about a third-direction extending axis. The rotary drive assembly 380 may include a belt drive assembly, etc. In other embodiments, in addition to providing a driven guide rail 350, the rotary drive assembly 380 may also be mounted on the driven guide rail 350.

[0076] See Figure 1 In some embodiments, the second motion mechanism 200, the third motion mechanism 300, and the gripper 400 together form a transfer assembly 11. There are multiple transfer assemblies 11, and the second guide rails 210 of each of the multiple transfer assemblies 11 are slidably connected to the first guide rail 110 along a first direction. For example, there can be two transfer assemblies 11. By setting multiple transfer assemblies 11, the number of grippers 400 on the transfer device 10 can be multiple, increasing the number of workpieces that the transfer device 10 can grasp at one time, ultimately improving the working efficiency of the transfer device 10.

[0077] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0078] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A transfer device, characterized in that, include: The first motion mechanism includes a first guide rail and a first drive component, wherein the first drive component is disposed on the first guide rail; The second motion mechanism includes a second guide rail, a support base, and a second drive assembly. One end of the second guide rail is slidably disposed on the first guide rail, and the other end of the second guide rail is a free end. The first drive assembly drives the second guide rail to slide along the first guide rail in a first direction. The second drive assembly is disposed on the second guide rail and drives the support base to slide along the second guide rail in a second direction. The third motion mechanism includes an active guide rail and a third drive assembly. The third drive assembly includes a transmission unit and a driver. The driver is disposed at one end of the second guide rail near the first guide rail. The driver drives the active guide rail to slide along a third direction on the support base through the transmission unit. and The gripper is connected to the third motion mechanism; The transmission unit includes a transmission belt, which includes a horizontal extension and a vertical extension. The horizontal extension extends along the second direction and is connected to the driver. The end of the horizontal extension away from the driver is fixedly connected to the second guide rail. The vertical extension extends along the third direction. The transmission unit further includes a drive wheel, a first guide rail guide wheel, and a second guide rail guide wheel. The drive wheel is connected to the driver. The horizontal extension is sleeved on the drive wheel. The first guide rail guide wheel and the second guide rail guide wheel are rotatably connected to the drive rail and are spaced apart along the third direction. The first guide rail guide wheel is further away from the gripper than the second guide rail guide wheel. The vertical extension is sleeved on the first guide rail guide wheel and the second guide rail guide wheel. The third motion mechanism further includes a driven guide rail and a transmission unit. The transmission unit is connected to the driven guide rail and drives the driven guide rail to slide along the third direction on the active guide rail. The gripper is disposed on the driven guide rail. The transmission unit includes a transmission belt, a third guide rail guide wheel, and a fourth guide rail guide wheel. The third guide rail guide wheel and the fourth guide rail guide wheel are rotatably connected to the active guide rail and are spaced apart along the third direction. The third guide rail guide wheel is away from the gripper relative to the fourth guide rail guide wheel. The transmission belt is sleeved on the third guide rail guide wheel and the fourth guide rail guide wheel. The support base and the driven guide rail are both fixedly connected to the transmission belt. The first guide wheel and the third guide wheel are coaxially arranged and can rotate relative to each other.

2. The transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission unit also includes a support guide wheel, and the connection between the horizontal extension and the vertical extension is sleeved on the support guide wheel.

3. The transfer device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The number of the supporting guide wheels is multiple and they are rotatably connected to the support base. The supporting guide wheels are located between the first guide rail guide wheel and the second guide rail guide wheel along the third direction. All the supporting guide wheels are arranged in two rows along the second direction and in two columns along the third direction.

4. The transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission belt has an open-loop structure, and both ends of the transmission belt are located in the horizontal extension and are fixedly connected to the second guide rail.

5. The transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveyor belt has a closed-loop structure, with one side connected to the support base and the other side connected to the driven guide rail.

6. The transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The third motion mechanism also includes a rotary drive assembly, which is disposed on the active guide rail and is used to drive the gripper to rotate about the third-direction extending axis.

7. The transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gripper includes two opposing clamping members, each having a first arc surface for contacting the workpiece and two second arc surfaces. The first arc surface is connected between the two second arc surfaces, and the diameter of the first arc surface is smaller than the diameter of the second arc surfaces.

8. The transfer device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The clamping member includes a connecting part and a clamping part. The clamping part protrudes from the connecting part, and the distance between the two connecting parts is greater than the distance between the two clamping parts. The first arc surface and the second arc surface are both disposed on the clamping part.

9. The transfer device according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a sensor, wherein a groove is formed in the first arc surface, and the sensor is disposed in the groove.

10. The transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second motion mechanism, the third motion mechanism, and the gripper together form a transfer assembly. There are multiple transfer assemblies, and the second guide rails of the multiple transfer assemblies are all slidably connected to the first guide rail along the first direction.

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