Automatic analysis device, container storage device, and method for opening and closing container storage device

Abstract

A storage device for storing a container in which a liquid to be used in an automatic analysis device is stored, the storage device being provided with: a storage container capable of storing a plurality of containers; a cover member that covers an opening horizontally provided on the upper surface of the storage cabinet; and an opening and closing mechanism that opens and closes the opening by moving the lid member, the opening and closing mechanism moving the lid member in the vertical direction while maintaining a posture parallel to the opening when the lid member is closer to the opening than a preset reference distance, and moving the lid member in the vertical direction while maintaining a posture parallel to the opening when the lid member is farther from the opening than the reference distance. The opening / closing mechanism rotates the cover member about a horizontally disposed rotating shaft and withdraws from above the opening portion. As a result, it is possible to provide a maintenance-free, highly airtight, and long-life automatic analysis device, a container storage device, and a method for opening and closing the same.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic analyzing device, a container storage device and an opening and closing method thereof. Background Art

[0002] To improve convenience, analytical reagents and quality control specimens used in medical analyzers are stored in a vault within the analyzer. These reagents are then moved from the vault to the analysis unit for use during analysis or quality control of the corresponding items. Within the vault of such analyzers, a shutter mechanism is installed in the opening for access from the outside, to ensure cooling performance and prevent condensation.

[0003] As a prior art for a storage device for containers in an analysis device, for example, the technology described in Patent Document 1 is known. Patent Document 1 discloses a cryopreservation device comprising a gas-phase cryopreservation container, wherein a plurality of vertically elongated boxes are arranged side by side, and liquefied gas is used as a cooling material and refrigerant to store biological samples in sample containers held in multiple layers in the boxes in a frozen state within the gas-phase atmosphere. The cryopreservation device automatically performs the storage and unloading operations of the sample containers relative to the cryopreservation container, wherein the cryopreservation container has a vacuum-insulated double structure, an opening formed on the upper surface, and an opening and closing cover for opening and closing the opening. The cryopreservation container comprises: a cylindrical container body, the bottom of which stores the liquefied gas; and a turntable, which supports the boxes so as to be rotatable about a vertical rotation axis. The cryopreservation device comprises: The cam is adapted to move the container towards and from the container body, wherein the cam is adapted to move the container body towards and from the container body, and ...

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-013957 Summary of the Invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0008] In order to store analytical reagents and precision management specimens stably for a long time, the safe depository for storing analytical reagents and precision management specimens requires high airtightness, and in order to easily implement the input and removal of analytical reagents and precision management specimens into and out of the safe depository, it is also necessary to ensure access to the inside of the safe depository. Therefore, a gate mechanism for taking into account both the airtightness and accessibility of the safe depository is provided at the opening for access between the safe depository and the outside. In such a gate mechanism, in order to ensure the airtightness of the safe depository when the gate mechanism is closed, a sealing component is used between the opening and the gate mechanism. The surface of the sealing component wears due to the opening and closing action of the gate mechanism, etc. If the wear increases, the airtightness of the safe depository deteriorates. Therefore, in order to maintain high airtightness for a long time under maintenance-free conditions, it is preferred that the structure does not rub against the sealing component when the gate mechanism is opened and closed.

[0009] In the above-mentioned prior art, an opening and closing lid is provided that is opened and closed by a lid opening and closing device. However, a sealing member is used in the lid or lid contact portion of the cryopreservation container. If the height of the rotating shaft for opening and closing the lid is different from the contact surface of the sealing member, the sealing member may be crushed, or the return movement from crushing may generate a component of movement in a direction other than perpendicular to the sealing member, causing wear of the sealing member.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a maintenance-free, highly airtight, and long-life automatic analyzer, a container storage device, and an opening and closing method thereof.

[0011] Solutions to Problems

[0012] The present application includes multiple means for solving the above-mentioned problems. One example is a storage device for storing containers containing liquids used in automatic analysis devices, wherein the storage device includes: a storage room that can store multiple containers; a cover member that covers an opening horizontally provided on the upper surface of the storage room; and an opening and closing mechanism that opens and closes the opening by moving the cover member. When the cover member is closer to the opening than a predetermined reference distance, the opening and closing mechanism moves the cover member in a vertical direction while maintaining a posture parallel to the opening. When the cover member is farther from the opening than the reference distance, the opening and closing mechanism rotates the cover member around a horizontally provided rotation axis and retracts it from above the opening.

[0013] Effects of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, a maintenance-free, highly airtight, and long-life container storage device and an automatic analyzer can be provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 It is a plan view schematically showing the overall structure of the automatic analyzer.

[0016] Figure 2 The figure shows the structure and operation of the shutter mechanism of the first embodiment, and is a diagram showing the shutter mechanism in a closed state (closed state). Figure 1 The longitudinal section view along line AA.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the structure and operation of the shutter mechanism of the first embodiment, showing the shutter mechanism in the state of opening and closing operation. Figure 1 The longitudinal section view along line AA.

[0018] Figure 4 The figure shows the structure and operation of the shutter mechanism of the first embodiment, and is a diagram showing the state in which the shutter mechanism is opened (open state). Figure 1 The longitudinal section view along line AA.

[0019] Figure 5 It is a diagram showing the opening and closing operation of the shutter mechanism.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the structure and operation of the shutter mechanism of the second embodiment, and is a diagram showing the shutter mechanism in a closed state (closed state). Figure 1 The longitudinal section view along line AA.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the structure and operation of the shutter mechanism of the second embodiment, showing the shutter mechanism in the state of opening and closing operation. Figure 1 The longitudinal section view along line AA.

[0022] Figure 8 The figure shows the structure and operation of the shutter mechanism of the second embodiment, and is a diagram showing the state in which the shutter mechanism is opened (open state). Figure 1 The longitudinal section view along line AA.

[0023] Figure 9 The figure shows the structure and operation of the shutter mechanism of the third embodiment, and is a diagram showing the shutter mechanism in a closed state (closed state). Figure 1 The longitudinal section view along line AA.

[0024] Figure 10 This is a diagram showing the structure and operation of the shutter mechanism of the third embodiment, showing the shutter mechanism in the state of opening and closing operation. Figure 1 The longitudinal section view along line AA.

[0025] Figure 11 The figure shows the structure and operation of the shutter mechanism of the third embodiment, and is a diagram showing the shutter mechanism in the open state (open state). Figure 1 The longitudinal section view along line AA. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, in this embodiment, a specimen storage and transport device that performs storage and transport of precision-controlled specimens and the like is illustrated as an example of a container storage device. However, the present invention is also applicable to automated analyzers having a storage facility for storing specimens and reagents.

[0027] <First embodiment>

[0028] Reference Figures 1 to 5 A first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0029] Figure 1 It is a plan view schematically showing the overall structure of the automatic analyzer according to this embodiment.

[0030] exist Figure 1 In the embodiment, the automatic analyzer 100 includes: a specimen storage and transport device 1 as a specimen storage device, which includes a storage chamber 8 for storing liquids used in the automatic analyzer 100, such as quality control specimens, specimens to be analyzed, reagents for analysis, and detergents for maintenance; and one or more analysis units 2 for processing these liquids. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the automatic analyzer 100 is configured by connecting the specimen storage and transport device 1 to a single analysis unit 2. Furthermore, the embodiment illustrates a case where the quality control specimen is handled as a liquid stored in the specimen storage and transport device 1.

[0031] The specimen storage and transportation device 1 is roughly composed of a bracket transportation mechanism 5, a storage warehouse 8 (specimen storage mechanism), and a specimen container transportation mechanism 6. The bracket transportation mechanism 5 transports a sample rack 4 that can carry multiple cylindrical specimen containers 3 for storage precision management, etc. The storage warehouse 8 (specimen storage mechanism) stores the specimen containers 3, and the specimen container transportation mechanism 6 transports the specimen containers 3 between the sample rack 4 of the bracket transportation mechanism 5 and the storage warehouse 8.

[0032] The analysis unit 2, the specimen input unit (not shown), etc. are connected to the bracket transport mechanism 5, so that the sample rack 4 carrying the specimen container 3 moves back and forth between them, thereby carrying the precision management specimen into and out of the automatic analysis device 100, and transporting the precision management specimen between the specimen storage and transport device 1 for storing the precision management specimen and the analysis unit 2 for measuring the precision management specimen.

[0033] It should be noted that in Figure 1 In the example, a rack transport mechanism 5 is shown in which the sample rack 4 is placed on a conveyor belt for transport. However, a structure in which the sample rack 4 is moved by a grabbing action or a lifting action may also be used. In addition, instead of using the sample rack 4, a transport tray that rotates to move the sample container 3 may be used as a transport mechanism for quality control samples.

[0034] The specimen container transport mechanism 6 has a function of gripping the specimen container 3 , and moves along the specimen container transport mechanism base 7 while gripping the specimen container 3 , thereby transporting the specimen container 3 between the sample rack 4 of the carrier transport mechanism 5 and the storage 8 .

[0035] The storage vault 8 has an opening 101a on a portion of the upper surface of the cover (the storage vault upper surface 101) for accessing the interior when loading and unloading the specimen containers 3. A shutter mechanism 9 is provided in the opening 101a. The opening 101a of the storage vault 8 is horizontally disposed, facing vertically upward. The shutter mechanism 9 includes a lid member 102 that covers and blocks the opening 101a to maintain the storage vault 8 sealed, and an opening and closing mechanism that opens and closes the opening 101a by moving the lid member 102.

[0036] The specimen container 3 placed on the sample rack 4 is removed from the sample rack 4 by the specimen container transport mechanism 6 and introduced from the specimen introduction portion into the specimen storage and transport device 1 via the carrier transport mechanism 5. The specimen container 3 is then transported to the storage 8. After the opening 101a is opened by the shutter mechanism 9, the specimen container 3 is carried into the storage 8 through the opening 101a. After the specimen container 3 is carried into the storage 8, the opening 101a is closed by the shutter mechanism 9.

[0037] When a specimen container 3 is transported from the specimen storage and transport device 1 to the analysis unit 2, after the opening 101a of the storage 8 is opened by the shutter mechanism 9, the specimen container 3 is unloaded from the storage 8 by the specimen container transport mechanism 6, transported to the rack transport mechanism 5, placed on the sample rack 4, and then transported to the analysis unit 2. After the specimen container 3 is transported into the storage 8, the opening 101a is closed by the shutter mechanism 9.

[0038] Note that, when a plurality of sample containers 3 are continuously carried in or out of the storage 8 , the opening 101 a may be kept open by the shutter mechanism 9 until a series of operations are completed.

[0039] Here, the shutter mechanism 9 of the storage room 8 will be described in detail.

[0040] Figures 2 to 4 This is a diagram showing the structure and operation of the gate mechanism. Figure 1The longitudinal section view along line AA. Figure 2 Shows the state after the gate mechanism is closed (closed state), Figure 3 Shows the status of opening and closing action, Figure 4 The state in which the shutter mechanism is opened (open state) is shown.

[0041] like Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the gate mechanism 9 has the function of sealing an opening 101a horizontally provided on the upper surface 101 of the storage vault constituting the upper surface of the storage vault 8, and comprises: a cover member 102 covering the opening 101a; and parallel links 103a, 103b, a driving link 104a, a driven link 104b, a driving part 105, a base 106, a force-applying part 107, a parallel link stopper 108, a driving link stopper 109, a sealing member 110, a first support shaft 111a, 111b and a second support shaft 112a, 112b constituting an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the opening 101a by moving the cover member 102.

[0042] The cover member 102 is formed so as to be fitted into the opening portion 101a from above in a posture parallel to the opening portion 101a of the upper surface 101 of the storage vault and to have an upward horizontal surface 101b formed by surrounding the opening portion 101a on the inner periphery of the opening portion 101a and a downward horizontal surface 102b formed by surrounding the cover member 102 on the outer periphery of the cover member 102 come into contact with each other, thereby covering and closing the opening portion 101a.

[0043] A sealing member 110 is arranged on the horizontal surface 101b of the opening 101a so as to surround the opening 101a. When the cover member 102 is fitted into the opening 101a, the sealing member is elastically flattened by the downward horizontal surface 102b of the outer periphery of the cover member 102 and the upward horizontal surface 101b of the outer periphery of the opening 101a, thereby eliminating the gap between the cover member 102 and the opening 101a and further improving the airtightness of the storage vault 8. Here, regardless of whether the sealing member 110 is arranged on the horizontal surface 101b of the opening 101a or the horizontal surface 102b of the cover member 102, the same effect can be obtained. It should be noted that, as the sealing member 110, for example, a sponge-like member that is flattened when the gate mechanism 9 is closed to improve the airtightness is used.

[0044] In this manner, by configuring the opening 101a to fit into the cover member 102, the cover member 102 itself can function as a heat insulator, thereby saving space. It should be noted that the cover member 102 need not fit into the opening 101a, as long as it can cover and seal the opening 101a of the storage top surface 101 in a manner parallel to the opening 101a.

[0045] The pair of first support shafts 111a and 111b are horizontal and parallel to each other, and are arranged so that when the cover member 102 is parallel to the opening 101a (see FIG. Figure 2 、 Figure 3 Here, the first support shaft 111a is the upper support shaft, and the first support shaft 111b is the lower support shaft.

[0046] The pair of parallel links 103a, 103b are rotatably supported at one end on a pair of first support shafts 111a, 111b, and are arranged parallel to each other and formed to have equal lengths.

[0047] The base 106 is rotatably supported by a retraction support shaft 112 arranged parallel to a pair of first support shafts 111a and 111b. Note that in this embodiment, the retraction support shaft 112 is shared with the lower second support shaft 112b of the pair of second support shafts 112a and 112b. A biasing member 107 is provided on the base 106 to bias the base 106 toward the opening 101a (in other words, toward the storage top surface 101) in the direction of rotation. The biasing force of the biasing member 107 causes the base 106 to rotate and remain in a position pressed against the storage top surface 101 (hereinafter referred to as the closed position).

[0048] A pair of second support shafts 112a and 112b are horizontal, mutually parallel support shafts that rotatably support the other ends of the pair of parallel links 103a and 103b, respectively. These support shafts are arranged vertically side by side on the base 106 when the base 106 is rotated toward the opening 101a (in the closed position). Here, the second support shaft 112a is the upper support shaft, and the second support shaft 112b is the lower support shaft. Furthermore, a parallel link stopper 108 is provided on the base 106 to limit relative movement of the parallel link 103a relative to the base 106 from a predetermined position toward the opening direction (opposite to the opening 101a).

[0049] A driving link 104a, which transmits the driving force from the driving unit 105, and a driven link 104b, which transmits the driving force transmitted by the driving link to the cover member 102 via parallel links 103a and 103b, form a linkage mechanism that converts the power generated by the driving unit 105 into the opening and closing movement of the cover member 102. In the linkage mechanism, one end of the driving link 104a is connected to the drive shaft of the driving unit 105 (e.g., a driving motor), and the other end of the driving link 104a is rotatably connected to one end of the driven link 104b. The other end of the driven link 104b is rotatably connected to one of the parallel links 103b. Furthermore, a driving link stopper 109 is provided below the driving link 104a to restrict downward rotation of the driving link 104a when the junction between the driving link 104a and the driven link 104b is located below a line connecting the two ends of the linkage mechanism.

[0050] The operation of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

[0051] Figure 5 : is a diagram showing the opening and closing action of the gate mechanism. Figure 5 , the case where the shutter mechanism 9 operates between a state where the opening 101 a is closed (closed state) and a state where the opening 101 a is opened (open state) is illustrated.

[0052] First, the shutter mechanism 9 is switched from the closed state ( Figure 5 :S100) changes to the open state ( Figure 5 :S140) action is explained.

[0053] In the closed state ( Figure 5 :S100) below, as Figure 2 As shown, the cover member 102 of the shutter mechanism 9 is engaged with the opening 101a. In this state, the drive link 104a is in contact with the drive link stopper 109, maintaining the base 106 in contact with the storage top surface 101. A certain gap exists between the parallel link stopper 108 of the base 106 and the parallel link 103a. At this time, the parallel link 103b remains pressed downward by the linkage mechanism (drive link 104a and driven link 104b), so the cover member 102 is pressed toward the opening 101a (vertically downward).

[0054] When switching from the closed state ( Figure 2) When the driving force generated by the driving unit 105 is transmitted to the parallel link 103b via the link mechanism (driving link 104a, driven link 104b), the base 106 is maintained in contact with the upper surface 101 of the storage room by the force of the force-applying member 107. On the other hand, the movement of the parallel links 103a and 103b is not transmitted to the base 106. Therefore, the parallel links 103a and 103b rotate upward around the second support shafts 112a and 112b of the base 106 while maintaining parallelism with each other, and the cover member 102 moves vertically upward while maintaining a posture parallel to the opening 101a ( Figure 5 :S110).

[0055] When the cover member 102 is further moved vertically upward, the distance between the cover member 102 and the opening 101a reaches a predetermined reference distance ( Figure 5 :S120), then Figure 3 As shown, parallel link 103a contacts parallel link stopper 108 of base 106 from below. It should be noted that the gap (reference distance) between parallel link 103a and parallel link stopper 108 only needs to be larger than the distance (e.g., 3 mm) required for horizontal surface 102b of cover member 102 to completely separate from sealing member 110 of horizontal surface 101b of opening 101a when parallel link 103a contacts parallel link stopper 108. Specifically, for example, when the sealing member 110, which has a height of 6 mm (when released), is compressed to 3 mm by the cover member 102 and the opening 101 a in the closed state, and the distance between the first support shafts 111 a, 111 b and the second support shafts 112 a, 112 b of the parallel links 103 a, 103 b is 90 mm, the vertical upward movement distance of the cover member 102 when it separates from the sealing member 110 is 3 mm. Therefore, the horizontal movement distance of the cover member 102 during this period is 0.05 mm. In other words, it can be assumed that when the cover member 102 and the sealing member 110 separate, there is no horizontal movement of the cover member 102 relative to the sealing member 110 that could cause wear.

[0056] When the parallel links 103a and 103b are further rotated upward by the driving force of the driving portion 105 via the link mechanism (driving link 104a and driven link 104b) while the parallel links 103a and 103b are in contact with each other, the driving force of the driving portion 105 is transmitted to the base 106 via the parallel link stopper 108, and the base 106, the parallel links 103a and 103b, and the cover member 102 are rotated upward integrally around the second support shaft 112b (the retreat support shaft 112). Figure 5 :S130), Figure 4The cover member 102 shown in FIG. 1 is retracted from above the opening 101a to open the opening 101a ( FIG. 1B ). Figure 5 :S140).

[0057] During the rotational movement between states S120 and S140, the force of the force-applying member 107 acts in a direction that presses the base 106 against the parallel link 103a. Therefore, the parallel link 103a and the parallel link stopper 108 do not separate during the rotational movement, and the parallel links 103a and 103b do not have any degree of freedom relative to the base 106. This allows the shutter mechanism 9 to perform stable rotational movement. Furthermore, when the opening movement is complete, the shutter mechanism 9 structure, such as the cover member 102, is not visible on the projection of the opening 101a on the storage top surface 101, allowing the specimen container 3 to be easily placed in and removed from the storage 8 from above the opening 101a.

[0058] Next, the shutter mechanism 9 is switched from the open state ( Figure 5 :S140) changes to the closed state ( Figure 5 :S100) is explained. In this case, it becomes the same as from the closed state ( Figure 5 :S100) changes to the open state ( Figure 5 :The opposite action of the situation in S140).

[0059] That is, the force of the force applying member 107 acts in a direction to press the parallel link stopper 108 against the parallel link 103a through the base 106 until it reaches the vicinity of the storage room. Therefore, the shutter mechanism 9 performs a rotational movement around the second support shaft 112b while the parallel link 103a and the parallel link stopper 108 are in contact with each other, while maintaining their relative positional relationship. Figure 5 :S140, S130). Afterwards, when the storage upper surface 101 and the base 106 come into contact near the storage 8 ( Figure 5 :S120), the position of the base 106 is maintained and the parallel link 103a is separated from the parallel link stopper 108, whereby the cover member 102 moves downward in the vertical direction by the parallel links 103a and 103b ( Figure 5 :S110), the cover member 102 is fitted into the opening portion 101a from the vertical upper direction, and the parallel link 103b is maintained in a state of being pressed downward by the link mechanism (driving link 104a, driven link 104b), and the cover member 102 is pressed toward the side of the opening portion 101a (vertical downward direction) ( Figure 5 :S100).

[0060] Thus, in the transition to the closed state ( Figure 5:S100) transition, even in the process of flattening the sealing member 110 to increase the sealing force, no horizontal force is applied to the sealing member 110, thereby suppressing the occurrence of wear. In addition, the cover member 102 moves to a position where the driving link 104a contacts the driving link stopper 109. The position of the driving link stopper 109 is preferably configured so that the common axis of the driving link 104a and the driven link 104b is located below the straight line formed by connecting the axes of the other ends of the driving link 104a and the driven link 104b. Thus, the driving link 104a and the driven link 104b stop in a state where the cover member 102 is pushed downward via the parallel link 103a, which can further improve the sealing performance of the storage vault 8.

[0061] The effects of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

[0062] Typically, a shutter mechanism is installed at the opening that allows access to the outside of the vault, ensuring both airtightness and accessibility. To ensure the vault's airtightness when the shutter mechanism is closed, a sealing member is used between the opening and the shutter mechanism. This sealing member is typically a sponge-like component that flattens when the shutter mechanism is closed, improving airtightness. However, such a component can wear on its surface due to friction, deteriorating its sealing performance. Specifically, the surface wears due to the opening and closing of the shutter mechanism, and as wear increases, the vault's airtightness deteriorates.

[0063] In contrast, in the present embodiment, a storage device (specimen storage and transportation device 1) for storing containers containing liquids used in the automatic analysis device 100 includes: a storage room 8, which can store multiple containers; a cover member 102, which covers an opening 101a horizontally arranged on the upper surface of the storage room 8; and an opening and closing mechanism, which opens and closes the opening 101a by moving the cover member 102. The opening and closing mechanism is configured to move the cover member 102 in a vertical direction while maintaining a posture parallel to the opening 101a when the cover member 102 is closer to the opening 101a than a predetermined reference distance, and to rotate the cover member 102 around a horizontally arranged rotation axis and retreat from above the opening 101a when the cover member 102 is farther from the opening than the reference distance. Therefore, the friction of the sealing member 110 when the gate mechanism 9 is opened and closed can be suppressed, and maintenance-free, high airtightness and long life can be achieved.

[0064] In addition, the gate mechanism 9 is a system with multiple degrees of freedom of upward movement and rotational movement, but is constructed so that the actions under these multiple degrees of freedom do not occur simultaneously, that is, the parts that can move are switched according to the rotational position of the mechanism, so that the action can be properly controlled and stable action can be performed.

[0065] <Second embodiment>

[0066] Reference Figures 6 to 8 A second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0067] This embodiment shows a case where the support shaft for rotating the base 106 relative to the storage upper surface 101 in the first embodiment is provided separately from the second support shaft 112b.

[0068] In this embodiment, the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described. In the drawings used in this embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those in the first embodiment, and description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0069] Figures 6 to 8 This is a diagram showing the structure and operation of the gate mechanism of this embodiment. Figure 1 The longitudinal section view along line AA. Figure 6 Shows the state after the gate mechanism is closed (closed state), Figure 7 Shows the status of opening and closing action, Figure 8 The state in which the shutter mechanism is opened (open state) is shown.

[0070] like Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the gate mechanism 9 has the function of sealing the opening 101a horizontally provided on the upper surface 101 of the storage vault constituting the upper surface of the storage vault 8, and comprises: a cover member 102 covering the opening 101a; and parallel links 103a, 103b, a driving link 104a, a driven link 104b, a driving part 105, a base 106A, a force-applying part 107, a parallel link stopper 108, a driving link stopper 109, a sealing member 110, first support shafts 111a, 111b, second support shafts 112a, 112b and a retracting support shaft 112 constituting an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the opening 101a by moving the cover member 102.

[0071] The base 106 is rotatably supported by a retraction support shaft 112 arranged parallel to a pair of first support shafts 111a and 111b. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the retraction support shaft 112 is different from the lower second support shaft 112b of the pair of second support shafts 112a and 112b. A biasing member 107 is provided on the base 106A to bias the base 106A toward the opening 101a (in other words, toward the storage top surface 101) in the direction of rotation. The base 106A is rotated by the force of the biasing member 107 and is maintained in a position pressed against the storage top surface 101 (hereinafter referred to as the closed position).

[0072] The other structures are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0073] The operation of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

[0074] In the closed state ( Figure 6 ) under the cover member 102 of the shutter mechanism 9 is engaged with the opening portion 101a.

[0075] When switching from the closed state ( Figure 6 ) When the driving force generated by the driving part 105 is transmitted to the parallel link 103b via the connecting rod mechanism (driving link 104a, driven link 104b), the parallel links 103a, 103b rotate upward around the second support shaft 112a, 112b of the base 106A while maintaining parallelism with each other, and the cover part 102 moves vertically upward while maintaining a posture parallel to the opening part 101a.

[0076] When the cover member 102 moves further vertically upward and the distance between the cover member 102 and the opening 101a reaches a predetermined reference distance ( Figure 7 ), the parallel link 103a contacts the parallel link stopper 108 of the base 106 from below.

[0077] When the parallel links 103a and 103b are further rotated upward by the driving force of the driving unit 105 through the link mechanism (driving link 104a and driven link 104b), the driving force of the driving unit 105 is transmitted to the base 106A through the parallel link stopper 108, overcoming the force of the force applying member 107 set to be lower than the driving force of the driving unit 105. The base 106A, the parallel links 103a and 103b, and the cover member 102 are rotated upward as a whole, and the cover member 102 retreats from above the opening 101a, thereby entering the open state (open state) in which the opening 101a is opened. Figure 8 ).

[0078] Regarding the shutter mechanism 9 from the open state ( Figure 8 ) changes to the closed state ( Figure 6 ) action, becomes the same as from the closed state ( Figure 6 ) changes to the open state ( Figure 8 ) is the opposite action of the situation.

[0079] In the present embodiment configured as described above, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0080] In addition, in this embodiment, while having the same functions as the first embodiment, there is no restriction that the second support shaft 112b that axially supports the parallel link 103b and the retreat support shaft 112 that causes the cover part 102 to retreat upward while rotating are set to the same position. Therefore, the rotation axis of the parallel links 103a, 103b and the cover part 102 can be freely set, which can alleviate design constraints.

[0081] <Third embodiment>

[0082] Reference Figures 9 to 11 A third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0083] This embodiment shows a case where the cover member 102 near the storage 8 in the first embodiment is moved by a structure such as an independent drive unit 114 instead of the structures such as the parallel links 103 a and 103 b .

[0084] In this embodiment, the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described. In the drawings used in this embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those in the first embodiment, and description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0085] Figures 9 to 11 This is a diagram showing the structure and operation of the gate mechanism of this embodiment. Figure 1 The longitudinal section view along line AA. Figure 9 Shows the state after the gate mechanism is closed (closed state), Figure 10 Shows the status of opening and closing action, Figure 11 The state in which the shutter mechanism is opened (open state) is shown.

[0086] like Figures 9 to 11 As shown, the gate mechanism 9 has the function of sealing the opening 101a horizontally arranged on the upper surface 101 of the safe deposit box constituting the upper surface of the safe deposit box 8, and comprises: a cover part 102 covering the opening 101a; and a base 106B, an independent drive part 114, a direct-acting guide 115 and a cover holding part 116 constituting an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the opening 101a by moving the cover part 102.

[0087] The base 106B is rotatably supported on the retraction support shaft 112. A biasing member 107 is provided on the base 106B for biasing the base 106B toward the opening 101a (in other words, toward the storage top surface 101) in the direction of rotation. The base 106B is rotated by the biasing force of the biasing member 107 and is held in a position pressed against the storage top surface 101 (hereinafter referred to as a closed position).

[0088] In addition, the base 106B is provided with an independent drive unit 114, a direct-acting guide 115, and a cover holding unit 116. The direct-acting guide 115 guides the movement direction of the cover holding unit 116 and is arranged in a manner along the vertical direction when the base 106B is in a closed position. The cover member 102 is fixed to the cover holding unit 116. When the base 106 is in a closed position, the driving force from the independent drive unit 114 causes the cover holding unit to move in the vertical up and down direction along the direct-acting guide 115, thereby causing the cover member 102 to move in the vertical up and down direction. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the case where the independent drive unit 114 uses a motor is illustrated, but it is not limited to this. For example, a direct-acting solenoid can also be used as the independent drive unit 114 and the direct-acting guide 115.

[0089] A driving link 104a, which transmits the driving force from the driving unit 105, and a driven link 104b, which transmits the driving force transmitted by the driving link to the cover member 102 via the base 106B, constitute a linkage mechanism that converts the power generated by the driving unit 105 into the opening and closing movement of the cover member 102. In the linkage mechanism, one end of the driving link 104a is connected to the drive shaft of the driving unit 105 (e.g., a driving motor), and the other end of the driving link 104a is rotatably connected to one end of the driven link 104b, which is rotatably connected to the base 106B. Furthermore, a driving link stopper 109 is provided below the driving link 104a to limit downward rotation of the driving link 104a when the junction between the driving link 104a and the driven link 104b is located below a straight line connecting the two ends of the linkage mechanism.

[0090] The other structures are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0091] The operation of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

[0092] In the closed state ( Figure 9 ) under the cover member 102 of the shutter mechanism 9 is engaged with the opening portion 101a.

[0093] When switching from the closed state ( Figure 9 ) When the driving force generated by the independent driving unit 114 is transmitted to the cover holding unit 116, the cover member 102 moves vertically upward while maintaining a posture parallel to the opening portion 101a.

[0094] The cover member 102 is further moved vertically upward by the driving force of the independent driving unit 114, and the distance between the cover member 102 and the opening 101a reaches a predetermined reference distance ( Figure 10 ).

[0095] When the distance between the cover member 102 and the opening 101a reaches a predetermined reference distance, the driving force of the driving portion 105 via the link mechanism (driving link 104a, driven link 104b) overcomes the force of the force applying member 107 set to be lower than the driving force of the driving portion 105, and the base 106B, the base 106B, the independent driving portion 114, the linear guide 115, the cover holding portion 116 and the cover member 102 rotate upward as a whole, and the cover member 102 retreats from above the opening 101a to enter the open state (open state) in which the opening 101a is opened. Figure 11 ).

[0096] Regarding the shutter mechanism 9 from the open state ( Figure 11 ) changes to the closed state ( Figure 9 ) action, becomes the same as from the closed state ( Figure 9 ) changes to the open state ( Figure 11 ) is the opposite action of the situation.

[0097] In the present embodiment configured as described above, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0098] <Note>

[0099] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and includes various modifications and combinations within the scope of the present invention. In addition, the present invention is not limited to all the structures described in the above-described embodiments and also includes structures in which parts of the structures are deleted. In addition, part or all of the above-described structures and functions can be implemented, for example, by designing using integrated circuits. In addition, the above-described structures and functions can also be implemented by software by having a processor interpret and execute programs that implement the respective functions.

[0100] Explanation of symbols

[0101] 1 - Sample storage and transport device, 2 - Analysis unit, 3 - Sample container, 4 - Sample rack, 5 - Tray transport mechanism, 6 - Sample container transport mechanism, 7 - Sample container transport mechanism base, 8 - Storage, 9 - Gate mechanism, 100 - Automatic analyzer, 101 - Storage top surface, 101a - Opening, 101b - Horizontal surface, 102 - Cover member, 102b - Horizontal surface, 103a, 103b - Parallel links, 104 a—driving link, 104b—driven link, 105—driving part, 106, 106A, 106B—base, 107—force-applying component, 108—parallel link stopper, 109—driving link stopper, 110—sealing component, 111a, 111b—first support shaft, 112—retraction support shaft, 112a, 112b—second support shaft, 114—independent driving part, 115—linear guide, 116—cover holding part.

Claims

1. A container storage device for storing a container containing a liquid used in an automatic analyzer, the container storage device comprising: a storage vault capable of storing a plurality of the containers; a cover member that covers an opening provided horizontally on the upper surface of the storage; and an opening and closing mechanism that opens and closes the opening by moving the cover member, When the cover member is closer to the opening than a preset reference distance, the opening and closing mechanism moves the cover member in the vertical direction while maintaining a posture parallel to the opening. When the cover member is more than the reference distance away from the opening, the opening and closing mechanism rotates the cover member about a horizontally provided rotation axis to retract the cover member from above the opening.

2. The container storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that The opening and closing mechanism comprises: a pair of first support shafts, which are horizontal and parallel to each other and are provided on the cover member so as to be vertically juxtaposed when the cover member is parallel to the opening; a pair of parallel connecting rods, each of which has one end rotatably supported on the pair of first support shafts, and is arranged parallel to each other and has equal length; a base portion rotatably supported on a retraction support shaft provided parallel to the pair of first support shafts; a force applying member for applying force to the base portion in a direction toward the opening portion; as well as A pair of second support shafts are a pair of support shafts that support the other ends of the pair of parallel links so as to be rotatable and horizontal and parallel to each other, and are arranged on the base in a manner of being arranged in parallel up and down when the base is rotated toward the opening.

3. The container storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lower support shaft of the pair of second support shafts is shared by the retraction support shaft.

4. The container storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The base includes a stopper that restricts rotation of the parallel link relative to the base when the cover member exceeds the reference distance and moves away from the opening. When the cover member moves in a direction away from the opening beyond the reference distance, the base rotates integrally with the cover member and the parallel link via the second support shaft.

5. The container storage device according to claim 1, wherein: The opening and closing mechanism includes a link mechanism having a drive link for transmitting a driving force from a drive unit and a driven link for transmitting the driving force transmitted via the drive link to the cover member. When the opening is closed by the cover member, a connection portion between the drive link and the driven link is located below a straight line connecting both ends of the link mechanism.

6. An automatic analysis device, characterized in that have: The container storage device according to claim 1; a container conveying mechanism for conveying the container containing the liquid from the storage of the container storage device through the opening; a tray conveying mechanism that conveys the tray carrying the container; and An analysis unit uses the liquid contained in the container transported by the carriage transport mechanism.

7. A method for opening and closing a container storage device, the container storage device comprising: a storage chamber capable of storing a plurality of containers containing liquids used in an automatic analyzer; a cover member covering an opening provided horizontally on an upper surface of the storage chamber; and an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the opening by moving the cover member, the method comprising: a first step: When the cover member is closer to the opening than a preset reference distance, moving the cover member in a vertical direction while maintaining a posture parallel to the opening; and When the cover member is more than the reference distance away from the opening, the cover member is rotated about a horizontally provided rotation axis and retracted from above the opening.

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