Liquid preparation method based on soft floating function

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a liquid preparation method based on a soft floating function, which is a method for carrying a suction device by a liquid preparation device and driving the suction device to suck liquid in each device at a liquid preparation station to prepare liquid. The device has a preset inclination relative to the vertical direction when at the liquid preparation station. The liquid preparation device includes a carrying mechanism and a base with a suction device clamping mechanism. The base is arranged on the carrying mechanism and is configured to move under the control of the carrying mechanism. The method includes clamping the suction device by the suction device clamping mechanism and moving the suction device to a first point of the liquid preparation station. The carrying mechanism starts the soft floating function to flexibly connect the base and the carrying mechanism. When the suction device moves to the first point of the liquid preparation station, it abuts against the inner wall of the device with the preset inclination and moves along the inner wall to the second point. According to the liquid preparation method of the present disclosure, the problems caused by deviations in the liquid preparation process can be reduced by regulating the liquid preparation mechanism itself.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to the field of automated production, and specifically to a liquid preparation method based on soft floating function. Background Technology

[0002] With technological advancements, automated production technology has become increasingly mature and is widely used across various industries to replace manual labor in production operations. For example, with population growth and rising health demands, the traditional pharmaceutical industry can no longer meet supply gaps. Therefore, the pharmaceutical industry can increase production capacity by adopting automated production technology to meet market demand.

[0003] In pharmaceutical production, a device that dispenses drugs (especially liquids) according to component ratios can be called an automated dispensing system. The types of automated dispensing systems vary depending on the operational needs. One type generally operates by using multiple drive motors on a robotic arm to grip and dispense different liquid medications from a dispensing device along a pre-defined route. During dispensing, the medication under the dispensing device is not fixed; it only moves to the bottom when being dispensed. This can easily lead to movement, causing the medication to shift or the bottle to tilt. Furthermore, to ensure thorough dispensing and reduce waste, the medication is usually tilted at a certain angle to allow the dispensing device to fully dispense the medication. If the robotic arm continues to dispense medication along the pre-defined route, deviations or tilt angles could damage the medication, the bottle, the dispensing device, or the robotic arm itself, potentially severely impacting the efficiency of automated dispensing.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to detect and adjust the position of the medicine or the dispensing device during the dispensing process of an automated dispensing device, that is, to introduce a detection link to form a closed-loop control, thereby improving the accuracy of dispensing. Existing technologies usually use sensor detection, such as setting a pressure sensor at the end of the dispensing device to detect whether the dispensing device is in contact with the medicine bottle, and then making adjustments based on the detection results. However, this method requires processing various complex sensor data, and this sensor data has a certain lag, which is not conducive to the fast and stable operation of the dispensing system. At the same time, adding sensors and other structures will also make the dispensing device more complex, which is not conducive to cost reduction. Therefore, it is particularly important to propose a simple dispensing method that does not require additional sensors. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure was made in view of the above-mentioned state of the prior art, and its purpose is to provide a liquid preparation method based on soft floating function, which can reduce the problems caused by deviations in the liquid preparation process through the self-regulation of the liquid preparation mechanism.

[0006] Therefore, this disclosure provides a liquid dispensing method based on a soft floating function. This method utilizes a liquid dispensing device to transport a suction device and drive it to aspirate liquid from various instruments at a dispensing station for liquid dispensing. The instruments at the dispensing station have a preset tilt relative to the vertical direction. The dispensing device includes a transport mechanism and a base with a suction device clamping mechanism. The base is disposed on the transport mechanism and configured to move under the control of the transport mechanism. The liquid dispensing method includes: clamping the suction device with the suction device clamping mechanism and moving the suction device towards a first point at the dispensing station via the liquid dispensing device; activating a soft floating function in the transport mechanism to flexibly connect the base and the transport mechanism; and when the suction device moves towards the first point, it abuts against the inner wall of the instrument with the preset tilt and moves along the inner wall to a second point.

[0007] In this disclosure, the suction device is held by a suction device clamping mechanism, which facilitates stable transport of the suction device by the liquid dispensing device and facilitates stable suction of liquid from the device during liquid dispensing. The liquid dispensing device moves the suction device to the first point of the liquid dispensing station, which facilitates matching or aligning the suction device with the device, thereby facilitating liquid dispensing in various devices. The soft floating function is activated by the transport mechanism to flexibly connect the base and the transport mechanism, which allows the base to follow the movement under external force within a certain range, thereby facilitating the subsequent movement of the suction device to the second point. When the suction device moves to the first point, it moves to the second point by abutting against and along the inner wall of the device with a preset inclination. In other words, the suction device can move along the inner wall of the device. The suction device can move from the first point to the second point through the flexible connection between the base and the transport mechanism. Therefore, the liquid preparation method disclosed herein can reduce the problem of damage to the aspirator or equipment caused by deviation or tilt during the liquid preparation process by adjusting the liquid preparation device itself without the need for additional sensing components. In other words, it can reduce the occurrence of undesirable situations such as damage to the aspirator and equipment, thereby improving the safety of the overall liquid preparation process. At the same time, it can also reduce the problem of increased costs caused by adding sensing components.

[0008] Additionally, according to the solution preparation method disclosed herein, optionally, a calibration step is included before moving the aspirator to the first point. In this calibration step, the aspirator is moved to a base point located above the first point. In this case, the base point can serve as the initial point, i.e., a reference point or teaching point, for moving the aspirator to the first point, thereby enabling more accurate movement of the aspirator towards the first point.

[0009] Additionally, according to the solution preparation method disclosed herein, optionally, the calibration step includes: moving the aspirator to a calibration area; acquiring image information of the aspirator and obtaining position information of the aspirator based on the image information, and feeding back the position information to the transport mechanism to position the aspirator at the base point. In this case, the aspirator can be calibrated to facilitate alignment between the aspirator and the instrument, for example, the route for the aspirator to move to the first point can be planned based on the calibration coordinates of the aspirator, thereby enabling more accurate alignment between the aspirator and the instrument.

[0010] Additionally, according to the solution preparation method disclosed herein, optionally, the solution preparation device includes a first camera and a second camera with mutually perpendicular optical axes. The first camera and the second camera cooperate to form the calibration area, with the aspirator positioned within the calibration area. In this case, the calibration area can be an area formed at the intersection of the output optical axes of the first camera and the second camera, which can be simultaneously captured by both cameras. The first camera and the second camera can acquire image position information of the aspirator, which can then be converted into calibration coordinate values. This allows for the planning of the aspirator's path towards the first point based on the calibration coordinate values, resulting in more precise alignment between the aspirator and the instrument.

[0011] Alternatively, according to the solution preparation method disclosed herein, the aspirator can be clamped by the aspirator clamping mechanism and moved vertically from the base point to the first point. In this case, the distance the aspirator moves to the first point can be reduced.

[0012] Additionally, according to the liquid preparation method disclosed herein, optionally, the base is rotatably connected to the transport mechanism. The soft floating function is achieved by adjusting the rotational force of the base relative to the transport mechanism, and the rotational force is adjusted by current compensation. In this case, the rotatable connection between the base and the transport mechanism allows adjustment of the orientation of the aspirator clamped in the aspirator clamping mechanism, thereby enabling the aspirator to move towards the first point. Furthermore, adjusting the rotational force of the base relative to the transport mechanism by current compensation enables the soft floating function, that is, it allows the connection between the base and the transport mechanism to have a certain degree of flexibility, thereby facilitating the movement of the aspirator clamped in the base along the inner wall of the instrument under the reaction force of the inner wall of the instrument.

[0013] Additionally, according to the liquid preparation method disclosed herein, optionally, the reaction force of the aspirator contacting the inner wall is greater than the rotational force. In this case, the aspirator clamped in the base can move along the inner wall of the apparatus under the reaction force of the inner wall of the apparatus.

[0014] Furthermore, according to the liquid preparation method disclosed herein, optionally, the base drives the aspirator to reciprocate in a first direction so that the aspirator partially enters the apparatus. The base has a first current value when driving the aspirator to reciprocate in the first direction without obstruction, and a second current value when driving the aspirator to reciprocate in the first direction with obstruction. In this case, the base can drive the aspirator to reciprocate in the first direction so that the aspirator partially enters the apparatus, enabling the aspirator to aspirate liquid within the apparatus, thereby completing liquid preparation in each apparatus. Additionally, obtaining the current values ​​of the base under both conditions facilitates subsequent detection of the base's operating status based on these two current values.

[0015] Additionally, according to the liquid preparation method disclosed herein, optionally, the liquid preparation device further includes a pipetting mechanism. This pipetting mechanism is disposed on the base and configured to drive the pipette to draw the liquid from the apparatus when the pipette is in the liquid preparation position. The pipetting mechanism has a third current value when driving the pipette to draw air from the apparatus, and a fourth current value when driving the pipette to draw liquid from the apparatus. In this case, the pipetting mechanism can drive the pipette to perform the aspiration action, thereby completing the liquid aspiration stage of the liquid preparation process. Furthermore, obtaining the current values ​​of the pipetting mechanism in both cases facilitates subsequent detection of the operating status of the pipetting mechanism based on these two current values.

[0016] Additionally, according to the solution preparation method disclosed herein, optionally, when the aspirator moves to the first point of the solution preparation station, a detection step is further included. The detection step includes: obtaining a first comparison threshold based on the first current value and the second current value; obtaining a second comparison threshold based on the third current value and the fourth current value; obtaining a first detection result based on the first comparison threshold and the first working current value; obtaining a second detection result based on the second comparison threshold and the second working current value; determining the relative position of the aspirator and the apparatus based on the first detection result and the second detection result, wherein the first working current is the working current when the base is operated to drive the aspirator to reciprocate in a first direction, and the second working current is the working current when the pipetting mechanism is operated to drive the aspirator to perform a suction action in the apparatus.

[0017] In the detection step, the first operating current value is compared with the first comparison threshold to determine whether the base is in normal operating condition (i.e., whether the operation is obstructed). This allows it to be determined whether the pipette clamped on the base is touching the instrument. The second operating current value is compared with the second comparison threshold to determine the operation of the pipetting mechanism (i.e., whether the pipette picks up liquid after the pipetting mechanism is driven). This allows it to be determined whether the pipette is touching the liquid and can pick up the liquid, i.e., the pipette is partially located inside the instrument and can pick up the liquid.

[0018] According to this disclosure, a solution preparation method based on soft floating function can be provided, which can reduce problems caused by deviations in the solution preparation process through the self-regulation of the solution preparation mechanism. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of the solution preparation method involved in the example of this disclosure.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the solution preparation method involved in the example of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating the abstract process of the action and position change of the aspirator in the solution preparation method involved in this disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 4 A schematic diagram is shown of the suction device abutting against the inner wall of the apparatus as it moves toward the first point, according to an example of this disclosure.

[0023] Figure 5 A schematic diagram is shown illustrating the movement of the aspirator, as described in this disclosure, from the first point to the second point, following the movement of the inner wall of the apparatus.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the liquid preparation device involved in the example of this disclosure.

[0025] Figure 7 A flowchart of a second embodiment of the liquid preparation method according to the examples of this disclosure is shown.

[0026] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the calibration steps involved in the example of this disclosure.

[0027] Figure 9 A schematic diagram illustrating the structure and cooperation relationship of the first and second cameras involved in this disclosure example is shown.

[0028] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a third embodiment of the liquid preparation method according to the examples of this disclosure.

[0029] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating the detection steps involved in the examples of this disclosure.

[0030] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the first positional relationship between the aspirator and the apparatus in the detection steps involved in the example of this disclosure.

[0031] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the second positional relationship between the aspirator and the apparatus in the detection step involved in the example of this disclosure.

[0032] Figure 14 This is a flowchart illustrating a fourth embodiment of the liquid preparation method according to the examples of this disclosure.

[0033] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0034] 10… Dispensing device, 11… Transport mechanism, 12… Base, 13… Aspirator, 14… Apparatus, 15… Aspirator clamping mechanism, 16… Pipetting mechanism, 17… First camera, 18… Second camera, 19… Housing, 191… Opening, H… Calibration area, a… Base point, f… First point, b… First point, c… Second point. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments filled in by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0036] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this disclosure are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or apparatuses. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for the same components, and repeated descriptions are omitted. Additionally, the accompanying drawings are merely schematic diagrams, and the scale of the dimensions of the components or the shape of the components may differ from the actual figures.

[0037] In automated medication dispensing processes, shaking can easily cause the medicine bottle to shift or tilt. Furthermore, to reduce waste, the bottle is often tilted at an angle to ensure the dispensing device can fully absorb the medication. If the robotic arm continues dispensing along a pre-defined route, deviations or tilt angles can damage the medication, bottle, dispensing device, or the robotic arm itself, potentially severely impacting the efficiency of automated dispensing. Existing technologies typically use sensor detection, which requires processing various complex sensor data, and this data has a certain hysteresis, hindering the rapid and stable operation of the dispensing system. Adding sensors and other structures also complicates the dispensing device, making cost reduction difficult. Therefore, this disclosure provides a dispensing method based on a soft-floating function, which can reduce problems caused by deviations in the dispensing process by adjusting the dispensing device itself.

[0038] The solution preparation method involved in this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of the solution preparation method involved in the example of this disclosure. Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the solution preparation method involved in the example of this disclosure. Figure 3 This illustration shows an abstract process diagram of the movement and position change of the aspirator 13 in the liquid preparation method involved in this disclosure example. Figure 4 A schematic diagram is shown of the suction device 13 abutting against the inner wall of the apparatus 14 as it moves toward the first point, according to an example of this disclosure. Figure 5 A schematic diagram is shown of the aspirator 13 moving to the first position and then moving along the inner wall of the device 14 to the second position as described in this disclosure example.

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, the liquid preparation method disclosed herein involves using a liquid preparation device 10 to transport and drive the aspirator 13 to aspirate liquids from various instruments 14 at a liquid preparation station for liquid preparation. In some examples, the liquid preparation method disclosed herein may also be referred to as a "drug preparation method," "automatic liquid preparation method," "automatic liquid preparation process," "automatic drug preparation process," or "automatic pharmaceutical manufacturing method or process," etc.

[0040] In some examples, there can be multiple solution preparation stations. In some examples, the solution preparation stations may include a first solution preparation station for placing the device 14 and a second solution preparation station for placing the liquid. In some examples, the solution preparation device 10 can clamp the aspirator 13 and move the aspirator 13 between the first solution preparation station and the second solution preparation station. In this case, by clamping the aspirator 13 and moving it between the first and second solution preparation stations by the solution preparation device 10, and by subsequently controlling the aspirator 13 to perform aspiration actions at either the first or second solution preparation station, for example, multiple liquids from the second solution preparation station can be drawn up by the aspirator 13 and injected into a device 14 at the first solution preparation station, thereby completing the automated solution preparation process and improving the efficiency of pharmaceutical manufacturing.

[0041] In some examples, such as Figure 1 As shown, the device 14 can have a preset tilt relative to the vertical direction when in the liquid preparation station. In this case, it is convenient to make the aspirator 13 abut against the lowest point of the inner wall of the device 14 during the subsequent liquid preparation process, which can help the aspirator 13 to fully aspirate the liquid and reduce the waste of the medicine.

[0042] In some examples, such as Figure 1 As shown, the liquid dispensing device 10 may include a handling mechanism 11 and a base 12. In some examples, the handling mechanism 11 may be an automated robotic arm that can be used to move the base 12.

[0043] In some examples, the base 12 is disposed on the conveying mechanism 11 and configured to move under the control of the conveying mechanism 11. In some examples, such as Figure 1 As shown, the base 12 may have a suction device clamping mechanism 15 for clamping the suction device 13. In this case, by clamping the suction device 13 with the suction device clamping mechanism 15, the liquid dispensing device 10 can stably transport the suction device 13 and stably dispense the liquid from the device 14 during liquid dispensing.

[0044] In some examples, such as Figure 1 As shown, the liquid preparation device 10 may also include a pipetting mechanism 16, which can be used to drive the aspirator 13 to perform aspiration.

[0045] like Figure 2 As shown, the liquid preparation method involved in this disclosure may include: clamping the aspirator 13 and moving the aspirator 13 to the first point (step S100), activating the soft floating function (step S200), causing the aspirator 13 to abut against the inner wall of the device 14 and move along the inner wall to the second point (step S300).

[0046] Specifically, step S100 may involve using the suction clamping mechanism 15 to clamp the suction device 13 and using the liquid dispensing device 10 to move the suction device 13 to the first point of the liquid dispensing station. Step S200 may involve the transport mechanism 11 activating the soft floating function to make the base 12 and the transport mechanism 11 flexibly connected. Step S300 may involve the suction device 13 moving to the first point and contacting the inner wall of the device 14 with a preset inclination and moving along the inner wall to the second point.

[0047] In step S100, as Figure 3 As shown, the aspirator 13 can be moved to the first point of the liquid preparation station via the liquid preparation device 10 (i.e., Figure 3 (a to b). In this case, it is easy to match or align the aspirator 13 with the apparatus 14, and thus it is easy to complete the dispensing in each apparatus 14 by driving the aspirator 13.

[0048] In some examples, the first point can be the lowest point or near the lowest point of the inner wall of the instrument 14 when the instrument 14 is ideally positioned at the first dispensing station and tilted at a preset angle (i.e., without positional offset or tilt deviation) (see [reference]). Figure 4 and Figure 5 ).

[0049] In some examples, moving the aspirator 13 toward the first point of the dispensing station can mean bringing the aspirator 13 to the first point, for example, with the tip of the aspirator 13 touching the first point. In this case, by bringing the tip of the aspirator 13 to the lowest point of the inner wall of the device 14, the aspirator 13 can fully aspirate the liquid, reducing waste of the medicine.

[0050] In step S200, the soft floating function is activated by the conveying mechanism 11 to flexibly connect the base 12 and the conveying mechanism 11. In this case, the base 12 can follow the external force within a certain range, which facilitates the subsequent movement of the suction device 13 to the second position.

[0051] In some examples, soft floating functionality can refer to the fact that the handling mechanism 11 exhibits good flexibility when interacting with the external environment or users through physical forces, in order to reduce the generation of excessive collision forces that could harm users, workpieces, or even the handling mechanism 11 itself.

[0052] In some examples, the flexible connection between the base 12 and the conveying mechanism 11 can mean that when the conveying mechanism 11 is running and controlling the movement of the base 12, if there is an external force, the base 12 can adapt to the external force and make corresponding movements or actions, such as rotating at a certain angle or shrinking a certain distance.

[0053] In step S300, as Figure 3As shown, when the aspirator 13 moves to the first point, it reaches the second point by abutting against and moving along the inner wall of the device 14, which has a preset inclination. In other words, the aspirator 13 can move along the inner wall of the device 14. Alternatively, the aspirator 13 can change its movement from the first point to the second point through the flexible connection between the base 12 and the conveying mechanism 11 (see [reference]). Figure 3 (from a to f to c).

[0054] In some examples, the second point may refer to the lowest point or near the lowest point of the inner wall of the actual appliance 14 (i.e., appliance 14 is tilted at a preset angle but its position is offset, or its position is not offset but it is not tilted at the preset angle) (see Figure 5 In some examples, ideally, the first point can be equivalent to the second point.

[0055] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the liquid preparation device 10 involved in the example of this disclosure.

[0056] In some examples, the base 12 can be rotatably connected to the conveying mechanism 11. In some examples, a soft floating function can be achieved by adjusting the rotational force of the base 12 relative to the conveying mechanism 11. In some examples, the rotational force can be adjusted by current compensation. In this case, the rotatable connection between the base 12 and the conveying mechanism 11 allows adjustment of the orientation of the suction device 13 clamped in the suction device clamping mechanism 15, thereby enabling the suction device 13 to move towards the first point. Furthermore, adjusting the rotational force of the base 12 relative to the conveying mechanism 11 by current compensation enables a soft floating function, that is, it allows the connection between the base 12 and the conveying mechanism 11 to have a certain degree of flexibility, thereby facilitating the movement of the suction device 13 clamped in the base 12 along the inner wall of the device 14 under the reaction force of the inner wall of the device 14.

[0057] In some examples, the base 12 can be rotatably connected to the conveying mechanism 11 via a rotating shaft. The axis of the rotating shaft can be orthogonal to the length direction of the suction device 13 clamped on the suction device clamping mechanism 15 (see [reference]). Figure 6 (The line CA schematically represents the axial direction of the rotation axis). This allows the base 12 to rotate in the left-right direction (e.g., in the G1-G2 direction in the figure). In some examples, the base 12 can also be connected to the conveying mechanism 11 via a telescopic rod. The axis of the telescopic rod can be orthogonal to the length direction of the suction device 13 clamped on the suction device clamping mechanism 15 and can extend and retract in a direction consistent with its axial direction. This allows the base 12 to rotate in the front-back direction (e.g., in the G3-G4 direction in the figure).

[0058] In some examples, the reaction force of the suction device 13 in contact with the inner wall can be greater than the rotational force. In this case, the suction device 13 clamped in the base 12 can move along the inner wall of the appliance 14 under the reaction force of the inner wall of the appliance 14.

[0059] In some examples, the conveying mechanism 11 may have multiple relatively rotatable joints. In some examples, the rotational force between the multiple joints can be adjusted to achieve a soft floating function. In this case, the conveying mechanism 11 itself can also have flexible control, thereby improving the ability of the suction device 13 clamped to the base 12 to move along the inner wall of the device 14 under the reaction force of the inner wall of the device 14.

[0060] In this disclosure, specifically, the suction device 13 is clamped to the base 12 by the suction device clamping mechanism 15. The base 12 is moved by the transport mechanism 11 so that the suction device 13 moves in the appliance 14 and performs suction. When the suction device 13 on the base 12 moves to the first position and comes into contact with the inner wall of the actual appliance 14 (i.e., the appliance 14 is tilted at a preset tilt angle but the position is off, or the position is not off but it is not tilted at the preset tilt angle), the soft floating function of the transport mechanism 11 is activated. The base 12 or the suction device 13 on the base 12 can follow the inner wall of the appliance 14 to a new position, i.e., the second position, under the reaction force of the inner wall.

[0061] In summary, this disclosure can solve the problem of damage to the aspirator 13 or instrument 14 caused by deviation or tilt during the liquid preparation process by adjusting the liquid preparation device 10 itself without adding a sensor component. In other words, it can suppress undesirable situations such as damage to the instrument 14 by the aspirator 13, thereby improving the safety of the overall liquid preparation process. At the same time, it can also reduce the problem of increased costs caused by adding a sensor component.

[0062] Figure 7 A flowchart of a second embodiment of the liquid preparation method according to the examples of this disclosure is shown. Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the calibration steps involved in the example of this disclosure. Figure 9 A schematic diagram showing the structure and cooperation relationship of the first camera 17 and the second camera 18 involved in the example of this disclosure is shown.

[0063] Furthermore, in this disclosure, such as Figure 7 As shown, a calibration step may be included before the aspirator 13 is moved to the first point, that is, the calibration step S000 may be before step S100.

[0064] In some examples, during the calibration step, the aspirator 13 can be moved to a base point. In some examples, the base point can be located above the first point. In this case, the base point can serve as the initial point, i.e., a reference point or teaching point, for the aspirator 13 to move toward the first point, thereby enabling the aspirator 13 to move more accurately toward the first point.

[0065] In some examples, the suction device 13 can be clamped by the suction device clamping mechanism 15 and moved vertically from the base point to the first point. In this case, the path length of the suction device 13 to the first point can be reduced. In some examples, the clamping operation of the suction device clamping mechanism 15 on the suction device 13 can be performed outside the dispensing station; for example, the clamping operation of the suction device clamping mechanism 15 on the suction device 13 can be performed at a clamping station where a large number of suction devices 13 are placed.

[0066] In some examples, such as Figure 8 As shown, the calibration steps may include: moving the aspirator 13 to the calibration area H (step S001); acquiring image information of the aspirator 13 (step S002); and feeding back the image information to the conveying mechanism 11 to position the aspirator 13 at the base point of the dispensing station (step S003). In this case, the aspirator 13 can be calibrated to facilitate alignment between the aspirator 13 and the instrument 14. For example, the route for the aspirator 13 to move to the first point can be planned based on the calibration coordinates of the aspirator 13, thereby achieving precise alignment between the aspirator 13 and the instrument 14.

[0067] In some examples, in step S002, image information of the suction device 13 can be acquired, and the position information of the suction device 13 can be obtained based on the image information of the suction device 13. In some examples, the acquired position information of the suction device 13 can be fed back to the conveying mechanism to position the suction device at the base point.

[0068] In some examples, the base point can be located in the calibration region H.

[0069] In some examples, such as Figure 9 As shown, the liquid dispensing device 10 may include a first camera 17 and a second camera 18 with their optical axes perpendicular to each other. In some examples, the first camera 17 and the second camera 18 may be set independently of the liquid dispensing device 10.

[0070] In some examples, such as Figure 9 As shown, the first camera 17 and the second camera 18 can cooperate to form a calibration region H. In some examples, the calibration region H can be an area formed at the intersection of the output optical axis of the first camera 17 and the output optical axis of the second camera 18, which can be simultaneously captured by the first camera 17 and the second camera 18 (wherein, Figure 9In diagram A1, the optical output axis of the first camera 17 is shown, and in diagram A2, the optical output axis of the second camera 18 is shown.

[0071] In some examples, such as Figure 9 As shown, the solution preparation device 10 may further include a housing 19 that houses the first camera 17 and the second camera 18. In some examples, the first camera 17, the second camera 18, and the calibration area H may be located within the housing space of the housing 19, and the housing 19 has an opening 191 on its surface opposite to the calibration area H for the aspirator 13 to enter. When it is necessary to move the needle tip to the calibration area H, it can enter the calibration area H through the opening 191 on the housing 19. In this case, the housing 19 can reduce the influence of external factors on the calibration area H (e.g., stray light, reflected light, etc.), thereby improving calibration accuracy. Furthermore, the housing 19 can also protect the optical components (e.g., provide dust and water protection).

[0072] In some examples, the aspirator 13 can be positioned within the calibration area H at the solution preparation station, for example, by driving the aspirator 13 to a base point located within the calibration area H. In this case, the image position information of the aspirator 13 can be acquired by the first camera 17 and the second camera 18, which can then be converted into calibration coordinate values. Based on these calibration coordinate values, the route for the aspirator 13 to move towards the first point can be planned to achieve precise alignment between the aspirator 13 and the instrument 14.

[0073] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a third embodiment of the liquid preparation method according to the examples of this disclosure. Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating the detection steps involved in the examples of this disclosure. Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the first positional relationship between the aspirator 13 and the apparatus 14 in the detection steps involved in the example of this disclosure. Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the second positional relationship between the aspirator 13 and the apparatus 14 in the detection steps involved in the example of this disclosure.

[0074] Additionally, in this disclosure, the base 12 can drive the aspirator 13 to reciprocate in a first direction so that the aspirator 13 partially enters the device 14 (see [reference]). Figure 6 (F1F2 direction).

[0075] In some examples, the base 12 can have a first current value when driving the aspirator 13 to reciprocate in a first direction without obstruction. In some examples, the base 12 can have a second current value when driving the aspirator 13 to reciprocate in the first direction with obstruction. In this case, the base 12 can drive the aspirator 13 to reciprocate in the first direction so that the aspirator 13 partially enters the appliance 14, enabling the aspirator 13 to aspirate liquid in the appliance 14, thereby completing the liquid dispensing in each appliance 14; in addition, by obtaining the current values ​​of the base 12 in both cases, it is convenient to subsequently detect the operating status of the base 12 based on these two current values.

[0076] In this disclosure, as mentioned above, the dispensing apparatus 10 may also include a pipetting mechanism 16. In some examples, the pipetting mechanism 16 may be disposed on the base 12 and configured to drive the pipette 13 to draw liquid from the appliance 14 when the pipette 13 is in the dispensing position.

[0077] In some examples, the pipetting mechanism 16 can have a third current value when driving the pipette 13 to draw air from the instrument 14. In some examples, the pipetting mechanism 16 can have a fourth current value when driving the pipette 13 to draw liquid from the instrument 14. In this case, the pipetting mechanism 16 can drive the pipette 13 to perform the aspiration action, thereby completing the liquid aspiration step of the liquid preparation process; in addition, by acquiring the current values ​​of the pipetting mechanism 16 in both cases, it is convenient to subsequently detect the operating status of the pipetting mechanism 16 based on these two current values.

[0078] Since the change in current of the drive mechanism (such as base 12 and pipetting mechanism 16) corresponds to the change in load, by detecting the working current of the drive mechanism, the actual load situation can be determined, thereby enabling the detection of the position of the aspirator 13. This method is simple and can solve the problems of high cost or complex data processing in the prior art.

[0079] Therefore, in some examples, such as Figure 10 As shown, when the aspirator 13 moves to the first point of the liquid preparation station, a detection step S120 may also be included, that is, the detection step S120 may be performed after step S100 and before step S200. In some examples, the detection step may be used to detect the relative position of the aspirator 13 and the apparatus 14.

[0080] In other examples, the detection step S120 can be after step S200 and before step S300. In other words, the soft floating function of the conveying mechanism 11 can be activated before the suction device 13 comes into contact with the inner wall of the appliance 14, that is, before the detection step S120.

[0081] In some examples, such as Figure 11 As shown, the detection step S120 may include: obtaining a first comparison threshold based on a first current value and a second current value (step S121), obtaining a second comparison threshold based on a third current value and a fourth current value (step S122), obtaining a first detection result based on the first comparison threshold and a first operating current value (step S123), obtaining a second detection result based on the second comparison threshold and the second operating current value (step S124), and determining the relative position of the aspirator 13 and the device 14 based on the first detection result and the second detection result (step S125).

[0082] In some examples, the first operating current can be the operating current that drives the aspirator 13 to reciprocate in a first direction when the operating base 12 is activated. In some examples, the second operating current can be the operating current that drives the aspirator 13 to perform a suction action in the apparatus 14 when the operating pipetting mechanism 16 is activated. In this case, the operating state of the base 12 can be known through the first operating current, and the operating state of the pipetting mechanism 16 can be known through the second operating current, thereby allowing the relative position of the aspirator 13 and the apparatus 14 to be determined based on the operating states of the base 12 and the pipetting mechanism 16.

[0083] In detection step S120, the first operating current value is compared with the first comparison threshold to determine whether the base 12 is in a normal operating state (i.e., whether the operation is obstructed). This allows it to be determined whether the aspirator 13 clamped on the base 12 touches the device 14. The second operating current value is compared with the second comparison threshold to determine the operation of the pipetting mechanism 16 (i.e. whether the aspirator 13 picks up liquid after being driven by the pipetting mechanism 16). This allows it to be determined whether the aspirator 13 touches the liquid and can pick up the liquid, i.e., the aspirator 13 is partially located inside the device 14 and can pick up the liquid.

[0084] In the solution preparation method disclosed herein, by adding a detection step S120 before step S200 or step S300, the specific position of the aspirator 13 (particularly the portion of the aspirator 13 entering the instrument 14, such as the needle tip) relative to the instrument 14 can be automatically detected, for example, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 12 The infuser 13 is located at the bottle opening of the apparatus 14 (at which point the base 12 is obstructed from operating), see [reference]. Figure 13 The pipette 13 is located outside the apparatus 14 (at this time, the base 12 operates unimpeded but the pipetting mechanism 16 draws in air), or see [reference needed]. Figure 3 and Figure 4The aspirator 13 is correctly positioned inside the vessel 14 (at this time, the base 12 operates without obstruction and the pipetting mechanism 16 has drawn up the liquid), and then the soft floating function of the transport mechanism 11 is activated. This can improve the suppression of undesirable situations such as damage to the aspirator 13 or damage to the vessel 14 by the aspirator 13 without the need for external sensing components, thereby improving the safety of the overall liquid preparation process. At the same time, under the adjustment of the soft floating function, the aspirator 13 can reach the lowest point or near the lowest point (i.e., the second point) inside the tilted vessel 14 regardless of whether there is any offset or deviation in the vessel 14, thereby ensuring sufficient liquid aspiration.

[0085] Figure 14 This is a flowchart illustrating a fourth embodiment of the liquid preparation method according to the examples of this disclosure.

[0086] In some examples, such as Figure 14 As shown, the solution preparation method disclosed herein may include a calibration step (step S000), clamping the aspirator 13 and moving the aspirator 13 towards a first position (step S100), a detection step (step S120), activating the soft floating function (step S200), and bringing the aspirator 13 into contact with the inner wall of the apparatus 14 and moving it along the inner wall to a second position (step S300). In this case, the calibration step S000 can calibrate whether the aspirator 13 is located at the base position, step S100 moves the aspirator 13 towards the first position, step S120 detects the relative position of the aspirator 13 and the apparatus 14, and steps S200 and S300 activate the soft floating function to move the aspirator 13 along the inner wall of the apparatus 14. This provides a solution preparation method based on the soft floating function, which can solve the deviation or cost problems in the solution preparation process by adjusting the solution preparation device 10 itself.

[0087] In some examples, the calibration step (step S000) and the detection step (step S120) may be the same as the steps mentioned above.

[0088] In summary, this disclosure provides a solution preparation method based on soft floating function, which can reduce problems caused by deviations in the solution preparation process by adjusting the solution preparation device 10 itself.

[0089] While the present disclosure has been specifically described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples, it is to be understood that the foregoing description does not limit the present disclosure in any way. Those skilled in the art can make modifications and alterations to the present disclosure as needed without departing from its essential spirit and scope, and all such modifications and alterations shall fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A liquid dispensing method based on soft floating function, comprising using a liquid dispensing device to transport a suction device and drive the suction device to aspirate liquid from various instruments at a liquid dispensing station for liquid dispensing, wherein the instruments have a preset tilt angle relative to the vertical direction at the liquid dispensing station, the liquid dispensing device comprising a transport mechanism and a base having a suction device clamping mechanism, the base being disposed on the transport mechanism and configured to move under the control of the transport mechanism, characterized in that... The aspirator is held by the aspirator clamping mechanism and moved to the first point of the liquid dispensing station by the liquid dispensing device. The transport mechanism activates the soft floating function to flexibly connect the base and the transport mechanism. When the aspirator moves to the first point, it abuts against the inner wall of the device with the preset inclination and moves along the inner wall to the second point, which is the lowest point of the inner wall of the device.

2. The solution preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before moving the aspirator to the first point, a calibration step is included, in which the aspirator is moved to a base point located above the first point.

3. The solution preparation method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The calibration steps include: Move the aspirator to the calibration area; The image information of the suction device is acquired and the position information of the suction device is obtained based on the image information. The position information is then fed back to the conveying mechanism so that the suction device is located at the base point.

4. The solution preparation method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The solution preparation device includes a first camera and a second camera with mutually perpendicular optical axes. The first camera and the second camera cooperate to form the calibration area, so that the aspirator is located in the calibration area.

5. The solution preparation method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The suction device is held in place by the suction device clamping mechanism and moved vertically from the base point to the first point.

6. The solution preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base is rotatably connected to the conveying mechanism. The soft floating function is achieved by adjusting the rotational force of the base relative to the conveying mechanism. The rotational force is adjusted by current compensation.

7. The solution preparation method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The reaction force between the suction device and the inner wall is greater than the rotational force.

8. The solution preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base drives the suction device to reciprocate in a first direction so that the suction device partially enters the device. The base has a first current value when it drives the suction device to reciprocate in the first direction without obstruction, and a second current value when it drives the suction device to reciprocate in the first direction with obstruction.

9. The solution preparation method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The liquid dispensing device further includes a pipetting mechanism, which is disposed on the base and configured to drive the aspirator to draw the liquid from the device when the aspirator is in the liquid dispensing position. The pipetting mechanism has a third current value when it drives the aspirator to draw air from the device, and a fourth current value when it drives the aspirator to draw liquid from the device.

10. The solution preparation method according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the aspirator is moved toward the first point of the liquid preparation station, a detection step is further included. The detection step includes: obtaining a first comparison threshold based on the first current value and the second current value; obtaining a second comparison threshold based on the third current value and the fourth current value; obtaining a first detection result based on the first comparison threshold and the first working current value; obtaining a second detection result based on the second comparison threshold and the second working current value; and determining the relative position of the aspirator and the instrument based on the first detection result and the second detection result. The first working current is the working current when the base is operated to drive the aspirator to reciprocate in a first direction, and the second working current is the working current when the pipetting mechanism is operated to drive the aspirator to perform a suction action in the instrument.

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