An automatic test tube feeding and labeling device and method

Abstract

This invention discloses an automatic test tube feeding and labeling device and method, comprising a test tube feeding bin, a test tube dispensing mechanism for sequentially extracting horizontally positioned test tubes from the feeding bin, a test tube carrier conveyor line located on the output side of the dispensing mechanism, a first pushing mechanism for horizontally pushing test tubes from the dispensing mechanism onto the test tube carrier conveyor line, a label printing and supply mechanism, a labeling mechanism, a rolling mechanism, a test tube rotating mechanism for receiving horizontally positioned test tubes and rotating them to an upright position, and a second pushing mechanism for pushing horizontally positioned test tubes from the test tube carrier conveyor line onto the rotating mechanism. This invention significantly reduces the overall area occupied by the test tube feeding and labeling device, achieving automatic labeling of test tubes and automatic feeding of upright test tubes, thus meeting the needs of applications requiring upright test tubes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of automation equipment technology, and in particular relates to an automatic test tube feeding and labeling device and a feeding and labeling method. Background Technology

[0002] In the medical field, test tubes are commonly used to store liquid samples, and each tube is fitted with a cap. To improve testing efficiency, multiple tests need to be performed simultaneously on a single liquid sample in a test tube. Different testing devices require corresponding samples, necessitating the aliquoting of the parent sample into several sub-samples, each labeled – a process called dispensing. The resulting sub-samples are then distributed to different testing devices to achieve simultaneous testing. The equipment used to automate this process is a dispensing machine. This machine requires automatic feeding of empty test tubes, and labels must be affixed to the surface of the test tubes before they are fed into the machine. Therefore, an automatic test tube feeding and labeling mechanism is necessary.

[0003] Existing patent CN108820413B discloses an automatic test tube labeling device, which automatically feeds and labels test tubes, and outputs test tubes in an upright position to meet the needs of subsequent processes. However, this device occupies a large area and does not utilize the miniaturized design of a cupping machine. If directly applied to a cupping machine, it would increase the overall size of the machine and raise manufacturing costs. Furthermore, the device has a small test tube feeding capacity, requiring frequent refilling by operators.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new automatic test tube feeding and labeling device and method to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies, such as small test tube feeding capacity, low efficiency, and large size, by providing an automatic test tube feeding and labeling device with advantages such as fast test tube feeding, high capacity, and small size.

[0006] This invention achieves the above objective through the following technical solution: an automatic test tube feeding and labeling device, comprising:

[0007] A test tube carrier conveyor line has several carriers evenly spaced on its conveyor body, including a horizontal conveying section that conveys test tubes along the X direction, a return conveying section adjacent to the end of the horizontal conveying section and conveying carriers downward in the opposite direction of X, and a feeding conveying section that connects the horizontal conveying section and the return conveying section and conveys test tubes upward in the X direction.

[0008] The test tube supply compartment supplies test tubes in a horizontal position;

[0009] The test tube dispensing mechanism is located on the Y-direction side of the feeding and conveying section. It includes a first turntable that rotates around the Y-axis and has several second receiving slots set at equal angles on its outer circumferential surface. The first turntable picks up test tubes lying in a horizontal state one by one from the test tube feeding bin and rotates them to release them into a discharge trough.

[0010] The first pushing mechanism includes a lever that pushes the test tube in the unloading slot into the carrier along the Y direction;

[0011] The test tube rotating mechanism includes a second turntable that rotates around the Y-axis and rotates a horizontally lying test tube to an upright position. The second turntable is provided with a plurality of third storage slots at equal angles, and the third storage slots extend along the radial direction of the second turntable.

[0012] The second pushing mechanism includes a push rod that pushes the test tubes in the carrier into the third receiving slot along the Y direction;

[0013] The label printing and supply mechanism, the labeling mechanism, and the rolling mechanism are arranged sequentially along the horizontal conveying section.

[0014] Furthermore, the test tube feeding bin and the test tube dispensing mechanism are located in the space below the horizontal conveying section; the test tube rotating mechanism and the second pushing mechanism are arranged near the conveying end of the horizontal conveying section and are respectively located on both sides of the horizontal conveying section in the Y direction; the test tube dispensing mechanism and the first pushing mechanism are arranged near the conveying head of the feeding conveying section and are located on the same side of the feeding conveying section in the Y direction, and the test tube dispensing mechanism is located between the first pushing mechanism and the feeding conveying section.

[0015] Furthermore, the carrier is provided with a first storage groove for carrying test tubes. The first storage groove extends along the Y direction and has an inlet and outlet at one end of the Y side to facilitate the entry and exit of test tubes. At the other end of the Y side, there is a clearance opening to facilitate the passage of the push rod in the second pushing mechanism.

[0016] Furthermore, the test tube feeding chamber includes a mounting base, a test tube chamber tray fixed on the mounting base, a test tube chamber placed at an angle on the test tube chamber tray, and a first sensor for monitoring whether the test tube chamber is properly installed on the test tube chamber tray.

[0017] Furthermore, the perimeter of the test tube container tray is provided with a limiting baffle to restrict the movement of the test tube container; a pair of handles are provided on the test tube container; a first discharge port is provided at the bottom of the inclined lower side of the test tube container tray, and a second discharge port and a baffle plate blocking the second discharge port are provided on the test tube container at the position corresponding to the first discharge port.

[0018] Furthermore, the second storage slot extends through the Y direction and has an open structure in the radial direction of the first turntable.

[0019] Furthermore, the test tube dispensing mechanism includes a first driving component that drives the first turntable to rotate around the Y-axis and a first limiting baffle disposed around the outer periphery of the first turntable; the first limiting baffle surrounds a portion of the outer periphery of the first turntable, the upper part of the outer periphery of the first turntable is an open structure that extends into the interior of the test tube feeding chamber, the lower part of the outer periphery of the first turntable is an open structure, and the unloading slot is opened on the first limiting baffle and is connected to the second receiving slot located below the first turntable.

[0020] Furthermore, the first storage slot is provided with a pair of support rollers for supporting the test tubes; the upper part of the first storage slot is an open structure and has a labeling window that exposes the outer peripheral surface of the test tube; the carrier is provided with an end limiting plate that restricts the position of the open end of the test tube in the first storage slot; the rolling mechanism includes a fourth driving member, a second support plate that moves up and down driven by the fourth driving member, a rolling roller that is rotatably disposed at the bottom end of the second support plate around the Y-axis, and a fifth driving member that is fixed on the second support plate and drives the rolling roller to rotate.

[0021] Furthermore, the test tube rotation mechanism includes a sixth driving member that drives the second turntable to rotate around the X-axis, and the third receiving groove extends from the outer peripheral surface of the second turntable along the radial direction of the second turntable; the third receiving groove is provided with a clamping block to clamp the test tube and prevent it from falling out.

[0022] Another object of the present invention is to provide a test tube feeding and labeling method based on the test tube automatic feeding and labeling device described above, which includes the following steps:

[0023] S1. The test tube dispensing mechanism extracts the horizontally lying test tubes one by one from the test tube feeding bin by rotating the first turntable. The test tubes in the test tube feeding bin fall into the second receiving slot of the first turntable, and then rotate to the bottom and fall into the unloading slot. At the same time, one of the empty carriers on the test tube carrier conveyor line moves into place, and one end of the first receiving slot in the carrier for carrying the test tubes is aligned with the unloading slot.

[0024] S2. The lever in the first pushing mechanism moves along the Y direction to push the test tube in the unloading trough into the carrier;

[0025] S3. The carrier carrying the test tubes is transported to the labeling mechanism below the labeling mechanism via the test tube carrier conveyor line. The labeling mechanism picks up the label from the label printing supply mechanism and affixes it to the surface of the test tube.

[0026] S4. The test tube carrier conveyor line drives the carrier to move the test tubes with labels attached to them to the bottom of the rolling mechanism, and the rolling mechanism completely attaches the labels to the ground.

[0027] S5. The test tube carrier conveyor line drives the carrier to move the labeled test tubes to the position of the test tube rotating mechanism. At this time, a third storage slot on the second turntable is aligned with the first storage slot on the carrier.

[0028] S6. The push rod in the second pushing mechanism moves along the Y direction to push the test tube in the first receiving slot into the third receiving slot;

[0029] S7. The second turntable rotates, turning the horizontal test tube to an upright position, thus enabling labeling of the test tube and feeding in an upright position.

[0030] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of the automatic test tube feeding and labeling device and method of the present invention are: it greatly reduces the overall area occupied by the test tube feeding and labeling device, realizes automatic labeling of test tubes and automatic feeding of test tubes in upright positions, and meets the needs of use scenarios with upright test tubes. Specifically,

[0031] (1) Through the optimization of three-dimensional spatial layout, the equipment footprint is significantly reduced: The test tube carrier conveyor line adopts a closed loop in the vertical space, with the horizontal conveying section located in the upper space and the test tube feeding bin and dispensing mechanism located in the lower space, realizing the vertical reuse of the upper and lower spaces; at the same time, the core functional modules such as label feeding, labeling, and rolling are arranged in sequence along the horizontal conveying section, making full use of the X-direction conveying space and avoiding Y-direction size redundancy. Compared with traditional planar layout equipment, the overall footprint is significantly reduced, making it suitable for space-constrained scenarios such as laboratories and production lines;

[0032] (2) The efficiency of material supply and labeling is improved by connecting the entire process with automation: the test tube dispensing mechanism extracts the test tubes lying down one by one from the test tube feeding bin, and uses the rotation of the first turntable to rotate the test tubes to the bottom and release them into the unloading trough; the first pushing mechanism pushes the test tubes into the first receiving trough of the carrier; the test tube carrier conveyor line then transports them through the labeling unit to complete the automatic labeling; then it is transported to the test tube rotating mechanism, where the second pushing mechanism pushes the test tubes in the carrier into the third receiving trough in the test tube rotating mechanism, and the rotation of the second turntable rotates the horizontally lying test tubes to the upright position, realizing the automatic feeding of the upright test tubes and connecting to the subsequent processes; the entire process is automated, which greatly improves the efficiency of test tube feeding and labeling.

[0033] (3) The accuracy and quality of test tube labeling are improved through the structural optimization design of the carrier: The carrier is provided with a first storage groove for carrying test tubes. One end of the first storage groove is used for the test tube to enter and exit, and the other end forms an end limiting plate for positioning the open end of the test tube. An avoidance opening is provided on the end limiting plate to facilitate the passage of the push rod of the second pushing mechanism. In addition, the carrier is also provided with support rollers to support the test tubes. Through the above structural design of the carrier, the needs for the entry and exit of test tubes are met on the one hand, the needs for positioning the end of the test tubes are met on the other hand, and the rotation needs for labeling the test tubes are also met. The end limiting plate on the carrier, together with the test tube pressing mechanism at the labeling mechanism, improves the accuracy of test tube labeling. The support rollers on the carrier, together with the rolling mechanism, ensure the quality of labeling. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a side view of the structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the vehicle's structure from another angle in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a side view of the vehicle in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the test tube feeding bin, the test tube dispensing mechanism, and the first pushing mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the test tube feeding chamber in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the test tube dispensing mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 8 This is a side view of the test tube dispensing mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second pushing mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the labeling mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the rolling mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the test tube rotation mechanism and the second pushing mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] The numbers in the diagram represent:

[0047] 100-Automatic feeding and labeling equipment for test tubes; 200-Test tubes;

[0048] 1-Test tube feeding hopper, 11-Mounting base, 12-Test tube hopper tray, 121-Limiting baffle, 122-First discharge port, 13-Test tube hopper, 131-Handle, 132-Second discharge port, 133-Baffle, 134-First magnet, 14-First sensor; 2-Test tube dispensing mechanism, 21-First driving component, 22-First turntable, 221-Second receiving slot, 222-Discharge slot, 23-First limiting baffle, 24-Second sensor, 25-Second limiting baffle; 3-Test tube carrier conveyor line, 31-Carrier, 311-Base, 3111-First receiving slot, 3112-Inlet / outlet, 3113-Labeling window, 3114-End limiting plate, 3115-Allowance opening 312-Support roller, 32-Horizontal conveying section, 33-Return conveying section, 34-Feeding conveying section; 4-First pushing mechanism, 41-Second driving component, 42-First support plate, 43-Rotating shaft, 44-Pulley, 45-Pulley block, 46-Limiting block; 5-Label printing supply mechanism; 6-Labeling mechanism, 61-Third driving component, 62-Labeling head; 7-Rolling mechanism, 71-Fourth driving component, 72-Second support plate, 73-Rolling roller; 8-Test tube rotation mechanism, 81-Sixth driving component, 82-Second turntable, 821-Third receiving slot, 822-Clamping block, 83-Third sensor, 84-Fourth sensor; 9-Second pushing mechanism, 91-Seventh driving component, 92-Push rod. Detailed Implementation

[0049] Example 1:

[0050] Please refer to Figures 1-12 This embodiment is an automatic test tube feeding and labeling device 100, which includes a test tube feeding bin 1, a test tube dispensing mechanism 2 for extracting horizontally lying test tubes one by one from the test tube feeding bin 1, a test tube carrier conveyor line 3 set on the output side of the test tube dispensing mechanism 2, a first pushing mechanism 4 for horizontally pushing the test tubes in the test tube dispensing mechanism 2 onto the test tube carrier conveyor line 3, a label printing and supply mechanism 5, a labeling mechanism 6, a rolling mechanism 7, a test tube rotating mechanism 8 for receiving horizontally lying test tubes and rotating them to an upright position, and a second pushing mechanism 9 for pushing horizontally lying test tubes on the test tube carrier conveyor line 3 onto the test tube rotating mechanism 8.

[0051] To minimize the overall footprint of the automatic test tube feeding and labeling equipment, this embodiment fully utilizes the spatial structure and optimizes its spatial layout. First, the test tube carrier conveyor line 3 is a closed loop, with its entire conveying path within a vertical space. The horizontal conveying section of the test tube carrier conveyor line 3 is located in the upper space. Second, the test tube feeding bin 1 and the test tube dispensing mechanism 2 are positioned in the lower space below the horizontal conveying section and connect with the test tube carrier conveyor line 3 therein. Finally, the label printing and supply mechanism 5, labeling mechanism 6, rolling mechanism 7, test tube rotating mechanism 8, and second pushing mechanism 9 are sequentially arranged along the horizontal conveying section of the test tube carrier conveyor line 3 and positioned in the upper space. This layout fully utilizes the conveying space occupied by the test tube carrier conveyor line 3 in the X direction, resulting in a smaller overall size of the equipment in both the X and Y directions, thus reducing the overall footprint. Specifically:

[0052] The test tube carrier conveyor line 3 is provided with several carriers 31 for carrying test tubes at equal intervals, including a horizontal conveying section 32 for conveying test tubes 200 in the X direction, a return conveying section 33 adjacent to the end of the horizontal conveying section 32 and conveying the carriers 31 downwards in the X direction, and a feeding conveying section 34 connecting the horizontal conveying section 32 and the return conveying section 33 and conveying test tubes upwards in the X direction. The test tube rotating mechanism 8 and the second pushing mechanism 9 are located near the end of the horizontal conveying section 32 and are respectively located on both sides of the horizontal conveying section 32 in the Y direction. The test tube dispensing mechanism 2 and the first pushing mechanism 4 are located near the beginning of the feeding conveying section 34 and are located on the same side of the feeding conveying section 34 in the Y direction. The test tube dispensing mechanism 2 is located between the first pushing mechanism 4 and the feeding conveying section 34.

[0053] The carrier 31 includes a base 311, which extends in the Y direction and is mounted on the test tube carrier conveyor line 3. The base 311 has a first receiving groove 3111 for receiving test tubes in a horizontal position. The first receiving groove 3111 extends in the Y direction and has an inlet / outlet 3112 at one end and a clearance opening 3115 at the other end to facilitate the passage of the push rod in the second pushing mechanism 9. A pair of support rollers 312 for supporting the test tubes are mounted on the base 311 within the first receiving groove 3111. The first pushing mechanism 4 and the second pushing mechanism 9 push the test tubes into or out of the first receiving groove 3111 through the inlet / outlet 3112 at both ends of the first receiving groove 3111. The support rollers 312 facilitate subsequent rolling and labeling operations with the rolling mechanism 7. In addition, in order to facilitate the labeling mechanism 6 to affix the label to the surface of the test tube in the carrier 31, the upper part of the first receiving groove 3111 is an open structure and has a labeling window 3113 that exposes the outer peripheral surface of the test tube.

[0054] The test tube dispensing mechanism 2 is located on the side facing the inlet / outlet 3112 of the carrier 31, and the second pushing mechanism 9 is located on the side facing the clearance opening 3115 of the carrier 31.

[0055] The test tube feeding chamber 1 includes a mounting base 11, a test tube chamber tray 12 fixed on the mounting base 11, and a test tube chamber 13 placed at an angle on the test tube chamber tray 12. The test tube chamber 13 can be easily removed from the test tube chamber tray 12, facilitating test tube replenishment by the operator. A limiting baffle 121 is provided around the perimeter of the test tube chamber tray 12 to limit the peripheral position of the test tube chamber 13. A pair of handles 131 are provided on the test tube chamber 13 for easy handling by the operator. A first discharge port 122 is provided at the bottom of the inclined lower side of the test tube chamber tray 12, and a second discharge port 132 and a baffle 133 blocking the second discharge port 132 are provided on the test tube chamber 13 corresponding to the first discharge port 122. When the test tubes in the test tube chamber 13 are used up, the operator uses the handle 131 to remove the test tube chamber 13 from the test tube chamber tray 12, then inserts the baffle 133 into the test tube chamber 13 and blocks the second discharge port 132. The operator then puts a new batch of test tubes into the test tube chamber 13 to replenish the test tubes. After that, the fully loaded test tube chamber 13 is placed on the test tube chamber tray 12, and the baffle 133 is pulled out to feed the test tubes.

[0056] In order to ensure that the baffle plate 133 is in a stable and reliable position on the test tube chamber 13 and is not prone to falling off, in this embodiment, a first magnetic block 134 is provided on the surface of the baffle plate 133 that is in contact with the test tube chamber 13, and the baffle plate 133 is fixed on the test tube chamber 13 by magnetic attraction.

[0057] A first sensor 14 is installed on the base 11 to monitor whether the test tube compartment 13 is installed in place on the test tube compartment tray 12.

[0058] The test tube dispensing mechanism 2 includes a first driving component 21, a first turntable 22 driven by the first driving component 21 to rotate around the Y-axis and having a plurality of second receiving slots 221 arranged at equal angles on its outer peripheral surface, and a first limiting baffle 23 arranged around the outer periphery of the first turntable 22. The second receiving slots 221 extend through the Y-direction and are open in the radial direction of the first turntable 22 to facilitate the entry and exit of test tubes. The first limiting baffle 23 surrounds a portion of the outer peripheral area of ​​the first turntable 22. The upper part of the outer periphery of the first turntable 22 is open and extends into the test tube feeding chamber 1. The lower part of the outer periphery of the first turntable 22 is open. The first limiting baffle 23 has a discharge slot 222 that connects with the second receiving slots 221 located below the first turntable 22. The test tube dispensing mechanism 2 rotates via the first turntable 22, using the second receiving groove 221 located above the first turntable 22 to sort and receive test tubes 200 from the test tube feeding bin 1. Then it rotates 180 degrees to below the first turntable 22. During the rotation, the first limiting baffle 23 limits the test tubes in the second receiving groove 221 to prevent the test tubes from falling out of the second receiving groove 221 during the rotation of the first turntable 22. The test tubes rotate with the second receiving groove 221 to below the first turntable 22 and fall into the unloading groove 222. Then, the first pushing mechanism 4 pushes the test tubes out of the unloading groove 222 along the Y direction to achieve feeding.

[0059] The test tube dispensing mechanism 2 also includes a second sensor 24 for monitoring whether there are test tubes in the unloading trough 222, and a second limiting baffle 25 for preventing the test tubes in the unloading trough 222 from moving in the opposite direction of Y.

[0060] The first pushing mechanism 4 includes a second driving member 41, a first support plate 42 driven by the second driving member 41 to move in the Y direction, a lever 44 rotatably mounted on the first support plate 42 via a rotating shaft 43 about the X axis, and a lever block 45 fixed to the top of the lever 44. A limiting block 46 is provided on the Y-direction side of the first support plate 42 to prevent the lever 44 from rotating further when it rotates counterclockwise to an upright position, but does not restrict the lever 44 from rotating clockwise to a near-horizontal position. In the initial state, the lever 44 is upright. When it is necessary to push the material, the second driving member 41 drives the first support plate 42 to bring the lever 44 closer to the test tube 200. As the second driving member 41 drives the first support plate 42 to continue moving along the Y direction, under the limiting action of the limiting block 46, the lever block 45 at the top of the lever 44 can smoothly push the test tube out along the Y direction. After the test tube is pushed out to the position, the second driving member 41 drives the first support plate 42 to move the lever 44 in the opposite direction along the Y direction to reset. At the same time, the first turntable 22 rotates the next test tube to the position of the unloading slot 222. During the reverse movement and reset process, due to the blocking effect of the circumference of the first turntable 22, the lever 44 rotates clockwise around the rotating shaft 43 to a near-horizontal state to avoid the circumference of the first turntable 22.

[0061] To ensure that the lever 44 can remain stably upright, a second magnetic block (not shown in the figure) is provided on the surfaces of the lever 44 and the limiting block 46 that are in contact with each other, so that the lever 44 can be kept upright by magnetic attraction.

[0062] The labeling mechanism 6 includes a third driving component 61 and a labeling head 62 that is driven by the third driving component 61 to move up and down.

[0063] The rolling mechanism 7 includes a fourth driving member 71, a second support plate 72 driven by the fourth driving member 71 to move up and down, a rolling wheel 73 rotatably disposed at the bottom end of the second support plate 72 about the Y-axis, and a fifth driving member (not shown in the figure) fixed on the second support plate 72 and driving the rolling wheel 73 to rotate. The fourth driving member 71 drives the rolling wheel 73 to press against the surface of the test tube 200 below, and the fifth driving member drives the rolling wheel 73 to rotate, thereby driving the test tube 200 in the carrier 31 to rotate, and thus pasting the label into place along the outer circumference of the test tube.

[0064] To ensure the correct axial position of the test tubes 200 on the carrier 31, so that labels can be effectively affixed when passing the labeling mechanism 6, and to prevent the test tubes 200 from falling off the carrier 31, this embodiment is equipped with limiting baffles 35 in both the horizontal conveying section 32 and the feeding conveying section 34 of the test tube carrier conveyor line 3 to prevent the test tubes 200 from falling off the inlet / outlet 3112 side of the carrier 31. The limiting baffles 35 have notches (not shown in the figure) at the positions of the first pushing mechanism 4 and the second pushing mechanism 9 for the test tubes to pass through. In addition, the carrier 31 is equipped with an end limiting plate 3114 to restrict the position of the open end of the test tube on the first receiving groove 311, and an avoidance opening 3115 is formed on the end limiting plate 3114. By using the limiting baffle 35 in conjunction with the end limiting plate 3114 on the carrier 31, the position of the test tube in the Y direction can be limited, effectively preventing the test tube 200 from axially falling off the carrier 31. In addition, in conjunction with the contour limiting of the first receiving groove 311, the test tube 200 can be limited in the circumferential direction, so that when the test tube 200 passes through the labeling mechanism 6, the effectiveness and reliability of the labeling position can be guaranteed.

[0065] The test tube rotation mechanism 8 is mainly used to rotate test tubes from a horizontally lying position to an upright position, so that a subsequent handling mechanism can transport them to subsequent equipment for use. The test tube rotation mechanism 8 includes a sixth driving member 81 and a second turntable 82 driven by the sixth driving member 81 to rotate around the X-axis. The second turntable 82 has several third storage slots 821 at equal angles for storing test tubes. The third storage slots 821 extend radially from the outer peripheral surface of the second turntable 82. The depth of the third storage slots 821 is less than the length of the test tube, so that when the test tube is placed in the third storage slot 821, its top end protrudes beyond the third storage slot 821, allowing the handling mechanism to grip the test tube. The sixth driving component 81 drives the second turntable 82 to rotate, causing the third receiving slot 821 to rotate from the receiving position to the feeding position with the test tubes. At the receiving position, the second pushing mechanism 9 pushes the test tubes in the carrier 31 into the third receiving slot 821. At the feeding position, the conveying mechanism removes the test tubes from the third receiving slot 821, thus realizing the labeling and feeding of the test tubes.

[0066] The test tube rotation mechanism 8 also includes a third sensor 83 for monitoring whether there is material in the third receiving trough 821 located at the receiving position, and a fourth sensor 84 for monitoring whether there is material in the third receiving trough 821 located at the feeding position.

[0067] The third receiving slot 821 is equipped with clamping blocks 822 to prevent test tubes from falling out. The clamping blocks 822 secure the test tubes, ensuring their stable and reliable position within the third receiving slot 821, thus enabling precise feeding of the test tubes. A pair or a single clamping block 822 can be used, as long as it can clamp the test tubes 200 within the third receiving slot 821. The clamping force can be provided by an elastic element, achieving elastic clamping or compression.

[0068] The second pushing mechanism 9 includes a seventh driving member 91 and a push rod 92 that is driven by the seventh driving member 91 to move in the Y direction. The push rod 92 pushes the test tubes into the third receiving slot 821 at the receiving position.

[0069] This embodiment also provides a feeding and labeling method based on an automatic test tube feeding and labeling device 100, which includes the following steps:

[0070] S1. The test tube dispensing mechanism 2 extracts the horizontally lying test tubes one by one from the test tube feeding bin 1 by rotating the first turntable 22. The test tubes in the test tube feeding bin 1 fall into the second receiving groove 221 of the first turntable 22, and then rotate to the bottom and fall into the unloading groove 222. At the same time, one of the empty carriers 31 on the test tube carrier conveyor line 3 moves into place, and one end of the first receiving groove 3111 in the carrier 31 is aligned with the unloading groove 222.

[0071] S2. The lever 44 in the first pushing mechanism 4 moves along the Y direction and extends into the unloading groove 222 to push the test tube into the first receiving groove 3111 in the carrier 31.

[0072] S3. The carrier 31 carrying the test tubes is transported to the labeling mechanism 6 located above via the test tube carrier conveyor line 3. The labeling mechanism 6 picks up the label from the label printing supply mechanism 5 and affixes it to the surface of the test tubes on the carrier 31.

[0073] S4. The test tube carrier conveyor 3 drives the carrier 31 to move the test tubes with labels to the bottom of the rolling mechanism 7, and the rolling mechanism 7 completely affixes the labels to the ground.

[0074] S5. The test tube carrier conveyor 3 drives the carrier 31 to move the labeled test tubes to the position of the test tube rotating mechanism 8. At this time, a third storage slot 821 on the second turntable 82 is aligned with the first storage slot 3111 on the carrier 31.

[0075] S6. The push rod 92 in the second pushing mechanism 9 moves along the Y direction to push the test tube in the first storage slot 3111 into the third storage slot 821;

[0076] S7. The second turntable 82 rotates, rotating the horizontal test tube 90 degrees to an upright position, thus enabling labeling of the test tube and feeding in an upright position.

[0077] The above descriptions are merely some embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the inventive concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic test tube feeding and labeling device, characterized in that, It includes: A test tube carrier conveyor line has several carriers evenly spaced on its conveyor body, including a horizontal conveying section that conveys test tubes along the X direction, a return conveying section adjacent to the end of the horizontal conveying section and conveying carriers downward in the opposite direction of X, and a feeding conveying section that connects the horizontal conveying section and the return conveying section and conveys test tubes upward in the X direction. The test tube supply compartment supplies test tubes in a horizontal position; The test tube dispensing mechanism is located on the Y-direction side of the feeding and conveying section. It includes a first turntable that rotates around the Y-axis and has several second receiving slots set at equal angles on its outer circumferential surface. The first turntable picks up test tubes lying in a horizontal state one by one from the test tube feeding bin and rotates them to release them into a discharge trough. The first pushing mechanism includes a lever that pushes the test tube in the unloading slot into the carrier along the Y direction; The test tube rotating mechanism includes a second turntable that rotates around the Y-axis and rotates a horizontally lying test tube to an upright position. The second turntable is provided with a plurality of third storage slots at equal angles, and the third storage slots extend along the radial direction of the second turntable. The second pushing mechanism includes a push rod that pushes the test tubes in the carrier into the third receiving slot along the Y direction; The system includes a label printing and supply mechanism, a labeling mechanism, and a rolling mechanism; the label printing and supply mechanism, the labeling mechanism, the rolling mechanism, and the test tube rotating mechanism are arranged sequentially along the horizontal conveying section. The test tube feeding bin and the test tube dispensing mechanism are located in the space below the horizontal conveying section; the test tube rotating mechanism and the second pushing mechanism are located near the conveying end of the horizontal conveying section and are respectively located on both sides of the horizontal conveying section in the Y direction; the test tube dispensing mechanism and the first pushing mechanism are located near the first conveying section of the feeding conveying section and are located on the same side of the feeding conveying section in the Y direction, and the test tube dispensing mechanism is located between the first pushing mechanism and the feeding conveying section; The carrier is provided with a first storage groove for carrying test tubes. The first storage groove extends along the Y direction and has an inlet and outlet at one end of the Y side to facilitate the entry and exit of test tubes. At the other end of the Y side, there is a clearance opening to facilitate the passage of the push rod in the second pushing mechanism. The test tube dispensing mechanism includes a first driving component that drives the first turntable to rotate around the Y-axis and a first limiting baffle that surrounds the outer periphery of the first turntable. The first limiting baffle surrounds a portion of the outer periphery of the first turntable. The upper part of the outer periphery of the first turntable is an open structure that extends into the test tube feeding chamber, and the lower part of the outer periphery of the first turntable is an open structure. The discharge slot is opened on the first limiting baffle and is connected to the second receiving slot located below the first turntable.

2. The automatic test tube feeding and labeling equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The test tube feeding chamber includes a mounting base, a test tube tray fixed on the mounting base, test tubes placed at an angle on the test tube tray, and a first sensor for monitoring whether the test tubes are properly installed on the test tube tray.

3. The automatic test tube feeding and labeling equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The test tube container tray is surrounded by a limiting baffle to restrict movement around the test tube container; the test tube container is equipped with a pair of handles; a first discharge port is provided at the bottom of the inclined lower side of the test tube container tray; a second discharge port is provided on the test tube container corresponding to the position of the first discharge port, and a baffle plate is provided to block the second discharge port.

4. The automatic test tube feeding and labeling equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second storage slot extends through the Y direction and is an open structure in the radial direction of the first turntable.

5. The automatic test tube feeding and labeling equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first storage slot is provided with a pair of support rollers for supporting the test tubes; the upper part of the first storage slot is an open structure and has a labeling window that exposes the outer circumferential surface of the test tube; the carrier is provided with an end limiting plate that restricts the position of the open end of the test tube in the first storage slot; the rolling mechanism includes a fourth driving member, a second support plate that moves up and down driven by the fourth driving member, a rolling roller that is rotatably disposed at the bottom end of the second support plate around the Y-axis, and a fifth driving member that is fixed on the second support plate and drives the rolling roller to rotate.

6. The automatic test tube feeding and labeling equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The test tube rotation mechanism includes a sixth driving member that drives the second turntable to rotate around the X-axis, and the third receiving groove extends from the outer peripheral surface of the second turntable along the radial direction of the second turntable; a clamping block is provided in the third receiving groove to clamp the test tube and prevent it from falling.

7. A test tube feeding and labeling method based on the automatic test tube feeding and labeling device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising the following steps: S1. The test tube dispensing mechanism extracts the horizontally lying test tubes one by one from the test tube feeding bin by rotating the first turntable. The test tubes in the test tube feeding bin fall into the second receiving slot of the first turntable, and then rotate to the bottom and fall into the unloading slot. At the same time, one of the empty carriers on the test tube carrier conveyor line moves into place, and one end of the first receiving slot in the carrier for carrying the test tubes is aligned with the unloading slot. S2. The lever in the first pushing mechanism moves along the Y direction to push the test tube in the unloading trough into the carrier; S3. The carrier carrying the test tubes is transported to the labeling mechanism below the labeling mechanism via the test tube carrier conveyor line. The labeling mechanism picks up the label from the label printing supply mechanism and affixes it to the surface of the test tube. S4. The test tube carrier conveyor line drives the carrier to move the test tubes with labels attached to them to the bottom of the rolling mechanism, and the rolling mechanism completely attaches the labels to the ground. S5. The test tube carrier conveyor line drives the carrier to move the labeled test tubes to the position of the test tube rotating mechanism. At this time, a third storage slot on the second turntable is aligned with the first storage slot on the carrier. S6. The push rod in the second pushing mechanism moves along the Y direction to push the test tube in the first receiving slot into the third receiving slot; S7. The second turntable rotates, turning the horizontal test tube to an upright position, thus enabling labeling of the test tube and feeding in an upright position.

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