Article arrangement mechanism and blood collection tube sorting device

Abstract

The present invention provides an article arrangement mechanism that arranges articles in random postures at high speed without being easily clogged. The present disclosure is an article arrangement mechanism that arranges articles having a first diameter portion having a predetermined diameter and a second diameter portion having a smaller diameter than the first diameter portion, the article arrangement mechanism including: an article holding portion that supports the first diameter portion and has a groove for holding the article in a predetermined posture in which the second diameter portion is inserted; a groove feeding portion into which a plurality of articles in a loose state are fed so that the postures of the articles are changed and the articles are fed to the groove; and a push-out conveying portion that changes the postures of the articles that are not in the predetermined posture by pressing the articles fed from the groove feeding portion to the article holding portion, and pushes out the articles held in the groove to the outside of the groove feeding portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an article arrangement mechanism and a blood collection tube sorting device. Background Technology

[0002] Traditionally, blood is collected from blood collection tubes in hospitals and other facilities. The collected blood collection tubes are then categorized according to the type of examination. In recent years, a device has been developed to automate the categorization of blood collection tubes. From the viewpoint of reducing human workload, it is preferable that the blood collection tubes be inserted directly into the device in a random (scattered) manner. In a device that processes randomly oriented items, the items are initially arranged in a predetermined orientation and posture.

[0003] As a technique for arranging randomly oriented objects into a predetermined orientation and posture, there is, for example, the technique described in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes a suction tube assembly machine capable of automatically placing suction tube tips into a tip holder. Furthermore, Patent Document 1 describes a "bucket conveyor 3 that is installed in the machine body to store multiple suction tube tips A in an aggregated state, and is positioned and erected with its lower end at the bottom of the storage container and its upper end above the storage container. A funnel-shaped hopper 4 with a slit-like opening of a width below a fitting portion formed below the head of the suction tube tip is disposed on the upper discharge side of the bucket conveyor hopper, and a conveying track 5 consisting of a pair of vibrating tracks is installed below the opening of the hopper hopper 5. Suction tube tips A are supplied to the tip holder B from the end side of the conveying direction of the conveying track." (See the abstract of Patent Document 1).

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-19182 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] However, when multiple suction tube heads (articles) are inserted into the slit-shaped opening as in Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that the small-diameter portion below the fitting part of the head may not be inserted and become blocked. If the rotation of the bucket conveyor is reduced to avoid simultaneous insertion of articles, the processing speed will decrease.

[0009] Therefore, this disclosure provides an item arrangement mechanism that can arrange items in random postures at high speed without causing blockage.

[0010] Solution for solving the problem

[0011] To address the aforementioned issues, this disclosure provides an article arranging mechanism that arranges articles having a first diameter and a second diameter, the first diameter having a predetermined diameter and the second diameter having a smaller diameter than the first diameter. The mechanism comprises: an article holding section that supports the first diameter and has a groove for holding the article in a predetermined posture in which the second diameter is embedded; a groove insertion section into which a plurality of scattered articles are inserted, causing a change in the posture of the articles to be inserted into the groove; and an ejection conveying section that, by pressing the articles inserted from the groove insertion section into the article holding section, causes a change in the posture of articles not in the predetermined posture, and ejects the articles held in the groove from the groove insertion section.

[0012] Further features relating to this disclosure will become clear from the description and drawings herein. Furthermore, the manner of this disclosure is achieved and implemented through elements and combinations of elements, as well as the detailed description thereafter and the appended claims. The description in this specification is merely exemplary and does not limit the claims or application of this disclosure in any way.

[0013] Invention Effects

[0014] According to the article arrangement mechanism disclosed herein, articles in random positions can be arranged quickly and without causing blockages. Other issues, structures, and effects beyond those described above will become clear through the following description of embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the article arrangement mechanism of the first embodiment.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a top view showing the item arrangement mechanism of the first embodiment.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a side sectional view near the slot input part of the item arrangement mechanism.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a side view of the blood collection tubes, which represent the objects arranged in the arrangement mechanism.

[0019] Figure 5 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the anti-dumping part.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a bottom view of the anti-relief section.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the item arrangement mechanism 1, in which blood collection tubes are embedded in a groove and pushed out to prevent them from being pushed out.

[0022] Figure 8This is a 3D diagram showing a situation where a reversed blood collection tube cannot pass through the ejection prevention section.

[0023] Figure 9 This is a perspective view showing a situation where a horizontally positioned blood collection tube is mounted on a blood collection tube embedded in a groove, and the tube cannot pass through the ejection prevention section.

[0024] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 A bottom view in a certain state.

[0025] Figure 11 This is a three-dimensional view of the item arrangement mechanism 1, which shows the arrangement of the blood collection tubes being transported on the trough.

[0026] Figure 12 It is a three-dimensional diagram showing an arrangement of items in which two blood collection tubes are inserted into a tank at approximately perpendicular distance and close to the ground.

[0027] Figure 13 This is a side cross-sectional view near the trough insertion section, showing the condition of the blood collection tube placed on the roller in a direction perpendicular to the trough.

[0028] Figure 14 This is a front cross-sectional view of the slot insertion section, showing a situation where other blood collection tubes are mounted on a blood collection tube, and the upper blood collection tube is not embedded in the slot.

[0029] Figure 15 This is a front cross-sectional view of the slot insertion section, showing a situation where other blood collection tubes are mounted on a blood collection tube, and the upper blood collection tube is not embedded in the slot.

[0030] Figure 16 It is the control sequence of the drive direction of the conveyor section, roller conveyor, and belt conveyor. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Hereinafter, embodiments of the article arrangement mechanism of this disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, common components are labeled with the same reference numerals in each drawing.

[0032] [First Implementation Method]

[0033] <Example of an item arrangement mechanism>

[0034] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the article arrangement mechanism 1 of the first embodiment. (Example) Figure 1As shown, the item arrangement mechanism 1 includes an item input section 2, an item holding section 3, a slot input section 4, an ejection conveying section 5, and an ejection prevention section 6. Items such as blood collection tubes 7A are randomly inserted into the item input section 2. The item input section 2 conveys the blood collection tubes 7A to the slot input section 4. The slot input section 4 changes the posture of the blood collection tubes 7A and inserts them into the item holding section 3. The ejection conveying section 5 conveys the blood collection tubes 7A held in the item holding section 3 by pressing them. The blood collection tubes 7A held in the item holding section 3 are arranged in an equal posture. The ejection prevention section 6 is fixed to the item holding section 3. The ejection prevention section 6 allows the blood collection tubes 7A held in the item holding section 3 in a suitable predetermined posture to pass through. The item arrangement mechanism 1 is connected to a control device 100. The control device 100 controls the drive of various actuators of the item arrangement mechanism 1.

[0035] The material input section 2 includes a belt conveyor 21, a conveyor actuator 22, conveyor gears 23 and 24, a conveyor connecting synchronous belt pulley 25, a torque limiter 26, a conveyor drive shaft 27, a conveyor driven shaft 28, and conveyor sidewalls 29A and 29B.

[0036] The item holding part 3 includes an outer groove plate 31 and an inner groove plate 32. The outer groove plate 31 and the inner groove plate 32 are fixedly connected to a base (not shown). A groove 33 is formed between the outer groove plate 31 and the inner groove plate 32 with a constant interval. The groove 33 is formed in a generally U-shape. The blood collection tube 7A has a structure in which the diameter of the upper part (cap) is larger than the diameter of the lower part (container part). The width of the groove 33 is smaller than the diameter of the upper part of the blood collection tube 7A and larger than the diameter of the lower part of the blood collection tube 7A. Thus, the bottom surface of the upper part of the blood collection tube 7A is supported by the outer groove plate 31 and the inner groove plate 32, and the lower part of the blood collection tube 7A is embedded in the groove 33. Furthermore, in this invention, "groove" refers only to the gap between the outer groove plate 31 and the inner groove plate 32, and the groove 33 becomes the transport path of the blood collection tube 7A. Alternatively, a path with a bottom can also be formed, in which case the depth of the path with the bottom is formed to be greater than the length of the container part of the blood collection tube 7A.

[0037] The trough feeding section 4 includes rollers 41A, 41B, 41C, and side walls 45 and 46. The trough 33 extends below the rollers 41A, 41B, and 41C and is substantially parallel to the axial direction of the rollers 41A, 41B, and 41C.

[0038] The conveyor actuator 22, conveyor sidewalls 29A, 29B, and sidewalls 45, 46 are fixedly connected to a base (not shown). The conveyor drive shaft 27 is rotatably connected to sidewalls 45, 46, and the conveyor driven shaft 28 is rotatably connected to the base. The belt conveyor 21 is wound around the conveyor drive shaft 27 and the conveyor driven shaft 28. The conveyor gear 23 is connected to the output shaft of the conveyor actuator 22 and meshes with the conveyor gear 24. The conveyor gear 24 and the conveyor drive shaft 27 are fixedly connected and rotate synchronously. Therefore, driven by the conveyor actuator 22, the conveyor drive shaft 27 rotates, and the belt conveyor 21 is driven. The conveyor actuator 22 is a servo-controlled DC motor, but is not limited to this; for example, it could be a stepper motor.

[0039] The conveyor connecting synchronous pulley 25 is rotatably connected to the conveyor drive shaft 27, and the torque limiter 26 is fixedly connected to the conveyor drive shaft 27. The torque limiter 26 is connected to the conveyor connecting synchronous pulley 25, but if the predetermined torque is exceeded, it will idle, thus preventing the transmission of excessive torque.

[0040] The delivery and conveying unit 5 includes an elastic section 51, a chain 52, and sprockets 53A and 53B. Sprockets 53A and 53B are rotatably connected to a base (not shown). The chain 52 is wound around the sprocket 53A. Multiple elastic sections 51 are provided and fixedly connected to the chain 52 at intervals. A drive actuator (not shown) is connected to the sprocket 53A, causing the elastic sections 51 to move via the chain 52. At this time, the elastic sections 51 move by passing over the upper side of the groove 33. The elastic section 51 is an elastic body that deforms under force, thus preventing excessive force from being applied to items such as the blood collection tube 7A. For example, a thin polyacetal resin sheet with a thickness of 0.5 mm can be used as the elastic section 51. However, it is not limited to this; other elastic materials can also be used. Alternatively, the elastic section 51 can also be a structure that deforms under force via an iron plate and a spring-loaded hinge.

[0041] Figure 2 This is a top view of the item arrangement mechanism 1. (Example) Figure 2As shown, the trough input section 4 includes rollers 41A, 41B, 41C, roller shafts 42A, 42B, 42C, roller connecting gears 43A, 43B, and roller connecting timing pulleys 44A, 44B, 44C. Roller shafts 42A, 42B, and 42C are rotatably connected to side walls 45 and 46. Rollers 41A, roller shafts 42A, roller connecting gears 43A, and roller connecting timing pulleys 44A are fixedly connected. Rollers 41B, roller shafts 42B, roller connecting gears 43B, and roller connecting timing pulleys 44B are fixedly connected. Rollers 41C, roller shafts 42C, and roller connecting timing pulleys 44C are fixedly connected. Roller connecting gears 43A and 43B mesh, and roller connecting timing pulleys 44B and 44C are connected by a timing belt (not shown). Roller connecting timing pulleys 44A and conveyor connecting timing pulleys 25 are connected by a timing belt (not shown).

[0042] With this structure, rollers 41A, 41B, and 41C rotate synchronously. The belt conveyor 21 also rotates synchronously without exceeding the predetermined torque of the torque limiter 26. At this time, the belt conveyor 21 and roller 41A rotate in the same direction, while rollers 41B and 41C rotate in the opposite direction. The torque limiter 26 limits the maximum torque transmitted to rollers 41A, 41B, and 41C. If a torque exceeding the predetermined value is applied to any of rollers 41A, 41B, and 41C, the torque limiter 26 and the conveyor-connected synchronous pulley 25 idle, the belt conveyor 21 continues to rotate, but rollers 41A, 41B, and 41C stop. Furthermore, an example is shown where one actuator is used to move the belt conveyor 21 and rollers 41A, 41B, and 41C, but this is not a limitation; two or more actuators can also be used for driving.

[0043] Figure 3 This is a side sectional view near the slot input section 4 of the item arrangement mechanism 1. (Example) Figure 3 As shown, an elastic portion 51 is disposed on the upper side of the groove 33, and rollers 41A, 41B, and 41C are disposed above the elastic portion 51. However, this structure is not limited to this. For example, the elastic portion 51 may be disposed on the lower side of the groove 33, or it may be disposed on both the upper and lower sides of the groove 33.

[0044] The number of rollers in the trough feeding section 4 is not limited to three. One roller can be installed on each side of the trough 33 (i.e., above the outer side plate 31 and above the inner side plate 32). Alternatively, a belt conveyor 21 can be used instead of rollers 41A. In this case, the end of the belt conveyor 21 is positioned at... Figure 3 The position of roller 41A is set in a certain way. By adopting this structure, the number of parts is reduced and the construction becomes simpler.

[0045] <About the objects arranged in the organization>

[0046] Figure 4 This is a side view of blood collection tubes 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D, which are the objects of arrangement in the article arrangement mechanism 1. Blood collection tube 7A has a cap 7A1 (first diameter portion) and a container portion 7A2 (second diameter portion). Both the cap 7A1 and the container portion 7A2 are cylindrical, but the diameter of the cap 7A1 is larger than the diameter of the container portion 7A2. For example, the diameter of the cap 7A1 is 16 mm, and the diameter of the container portion 7A2 is 12.5 mm. The width of the groove 33 is narrower than the diameter of the cap 7A1 but wider than the diameter of the container portion 7A2. When blood collection tubes 7A of this size are used as the objects of arrangement, the width of the groove 33 is designed, for example, to be 13.5 mm. Therefore, as... Figure 1 As shown, the container part 7A2 is embedded in the groove 33, and the cover 7A1 is hooked on the outer side plate 31 and the inner side plate 32 of the groove, thereby holding the blood collection tube 7A. At this time, the center of gravity of the blood collection tube 7A is close to the container part 7A2, and the posture of the blood collection tube 7A is maintained by gravity with the container part 7A2 on the lower side and the cover 7A1 on the upper side.

[0047] The item arrangement mechanism 1 is not limited to blood collection tube 7A, but can also handle various types of blood collection tubes. For example... Figure 4 As shown, there are various types of blood collection tubes, such as blood collection tubes 7B, 7C, and 7D. Blood collection tubes 7B, 7C, and 7D are identical to blood collection tube 7A, each comprising a cover 7B1, 7C1, 7D1, and a container portion 7B2, 7C2, 7D2, respectively. While their lengths differ along the longitudinal direction, the diameters of the covers 7B1, 7C1, and 7D1 are equal to the diameter of the cover 7A1. Similarly, the diameters of the container portions 7B2, 7C2, and 7D2 are equal to the diameter of the container portion 7A2. Therefore, blood collection tubes 7B, 7C, and 7D can also be mounted in the groove 33 in the same manner as blood collection tube 7A.

[0048] When a blood collection tube has a container section with a diameter different from that of the container section 7A2 (larger than the width of the groove 33), it is impossible to process it using the same groove 33. Therefore, by designing the width of the groove 33 according to the type of blood collection tubes to be arranged, it is possible to process blood collection tubes of various diameters. In the first embodiment, the blood collection tube is typically referred to as blood collection tube 7A. However, unless otherwise specified, the technology of this embodiment can also be applied to other blood collection tubes 7B, 7C, and 7D.

[0049] Furthermore, the case of processing blood collection tubes 7A was described as the object to be arranged by the article arrangement mechanism 1, but it is not limited to this. Any article with a shape similar to a blood collection tube, having a large diameter and a small diameter, with the small diameter embedded in the groove 33 and standing upright, can be processed in the same way. Examples of articles that can be arranged include test tubes, pipette tips, dispensing tips, sample cups, and measuring containers. The various dimensions of the article arrangement mechanism 1 are designed according to the articles to be processed. For example, the width of the groove 33 is designed to be slightly larger than the small diameter of the article being processed.

[0050] However, when arranging various items with significantly different diameters using a single item arrangement mechanism, it's impossible to use only one type of slot. In such cases, the item arrangement mechanism can be equipped with multiple slots of varying widths, and a mechanism can be established to differentiate between item types. Furthermore, by configuring the mechanism to transport items to the appropriate slots according to their type, it's possible to process items of various diameters using a single item arrangement mechanism. For items that cannot be arranged using slots, or items that are not part of the intended arrangement, it can be combined with other methods such as using robotic arms and grippers for arrangement or rejection.

[0051] <Example of the structure of the ejection prevention section>

[0052] Figure 5 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the prevention unit 6. Figure 6 This is a bottom view of the anti-relief unit 6. (Example) Figure 5 As shown in Figure 6, the ejection prevention part 6 includes a side wall 61, an upper wall 62, a side shaft 63, a detection sensor 64, an inner side wall 65, and a hole 66. The side wall 61 and the inner side wall 65 form a continuous wall with a curve. The side wall 61 and the inner side wall 65 are located on the outer side plate 31 of the groove. The side shaft 63 protrudes downward from the upper wall 62 and is located above the inner side plate 32 of the groove. The side shaft 63 has a bearing (not shown) and is configured to be rotatable.

[0053] The detection sensor 64 is, for example, a transmissive photoelectric sensor. The detection sensor 64 emits light downwards. The light from the detection sensor 64 shines through the hole 66 into the interior of the ejection prevention part 6, and downwards into the groove 33. A photoelectric sensor light-receiving part (not shown) is provided below the groove 33 to detect the light emitted by the detection sensor 64. Thus, the presence or absence of a blood collection tube within the ejection prevention part 6 can be detected. The control device 100 receives the detection signal from the detection sensor 64 and controls the drive of the article arranging mechanism 1 based on the detection signal.

[0054] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the article arrangement mechanism 1, in which the blood collection tube 7A is embedded in the groove 33 and pushed out by the anti-extraction part 6. (Example) Figure 7As shown, the ejection prevention part 6 is fixed to the upper surface of the outer side plate 31 of the groove 33 with a slight gap between the groove 33 and the side wall 61, allowing the bottom surface of the cover 7A1 to overlap. Therefore, when the blood collection tube 7A is held in the groove 33 in a properly predetermined posture (with the container portion positioned below the groove 33 and upright), the blood collection tube 7A passes through without contacting the ejection prevention part 6. Thus, the blood collection tube 7A can pass through without problems. The groove 33 has a partially curved groove 331. The elastic part 51 also passes along the curved groove 331, so the blood collection tube 7A can also pass through the curved groove 331. In this way, the ejection prevention part 6 can only pass through blood collection tubes 7A embedded in the groove 33. Several examples of blood collection tubes 7A not embedded in the groove 33 that cannot pass through the ejection prevention part 6 will be described below.

[0055] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional diagram showing a situation where the reversed blood collection tube 7A cannot pass through the ejection prevention section 6. (Example) Figure 8 As shown, when the blood collection tube 7A is in the reverse direction, it is blocked by the upper wall 62 and therefore cannot pass through the push-out prevention part 6. Similarly, the blood collection tube 7A cannot pass through when tilted.

[0056] Figure 9 This is a perspective view showing a situation where a blood collection tube 7C embedded in the groove 33 is supported by a transversely positioned blood collection tube 7A, preventing it from passing through the ejection prevention part 6. (See diagram below.) Figure 9 As shown, a blood collection tube 7A is placed on a blood collection tube 7C with a lower height than the cover 7C1. When the blood collection tube 7A is not embedded in the groove 33, it cannot be blocked by the upper wall 62 and will be pushed into the interior of the push-out prevention part 6.

[0057] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 A bottom view in a certain state. For example... Figure 10 As shown, the blood collection tube 7A is blocked by the lateral axis 63 and the inner wall 65 and cannot be bent, thus preventing it from being pushed out through the anti-extraction part 6.

[0058] Furthermore, an example of a path where the groove 33 is an arc with constant curvature, such as the curved groove 331, has been described, but it is not limited to this. For example, even if the groove 33 is an S-shaped path, it is still impossible for a transverse blood collection tube 7A to pass through. However, if it is an arc with constant curvature, such as the curved groove 331, it is easy to make the elastic part 51 move along the curved groove 331 as in the first embodiment.

[0059] Figure 9 as well as Figure 10 The lateral entry of the blood collection tube shown can be detected by the detection sensor 64. Upon detection of lateral intrusion, the control device 100 can return the blood collection tube 7A to the inlet of the slot insertion section 4 by driving the ejection conveyor 5 in the reverse direction. The specific control process will be described later.

[0060] like Figure 9 As shown, the inner sidewall of the ejection prevention part 6 is a structure composed of a sidewall 61, a side shaft 63, and an inner sidewall 65. Alternatively, a structure can be adopted in which a sidewall along the shape of the curved groove 331 is simply installed on the inner side plate 32 and the outer side plate 31 of the groove. With such a structure, it is also possible to prevent the transverse passage of the blood collection tube 7A. However, in this case, there is a possibility that the blood collection tube 7A may be stuck between the inner and outer sidewalls, and may be difficult or impossible to detach due to friction. On the other hand, in the ejection prevention part 6 of the first embodiment, although the sidewall 61 has a straight inlet portion, it bends sharply inward from the middle to become the inner sidewall 65. The intruding blood collection tube 7A comes into contact with the inner sidewall 65. Since the sidewall 61 bends inward, it is difficult to generate the aforementioned clamping or frictional force. Furthermore, the ejection prevention part 6 of the first embodiment has a side shaft 63 on the inner side, but the side shaft 63 has a bearing, and the rotational friction is very small. Therefore, as Figure 10 As shown, when the blood collection tube 7A enters laterally and is pushed back by the delivery section 5, almost no frictional force is generated to hinder its movement.

[0061] <The process of arranging items>

[0062] Next, the process of arranging items in random positions by the item arrangement mechanism 1 will be explained. First, as... Figure 1 As shown, blood collection tubes are inserted into the item input section 2 in a random posture. The insertion of blood collection tubes into the item input section 2 can be performed by an operator or by a conveying mechanism (not shown) such as a belt conveyor. The inserted blood collection tubes are placed on the belt conveyor 21 and transported to the trough input section 4. As a simple example, such as... Figure 1 As shown, assume that the length direction of the blood collection tubes 7A placed on the belt conveyor 21 is roughly parallel to and aligned with the trough 33, and that they are spaced apart from other blood collection tubes 7A by a certain degree. At this time, the blood collection tubes 7A are inserted one by one into the trough insertion section 4, and the blood collection tubes 7A stand upright in the trough 33 with their caps 7A1 facing upwards. Then, the elastic part 51 of the push-out conveyor 5, which circulates on the trough 33, presses down on the caps 7A1 of the upright blood collection tubes 7A, and the blood collection tubes 7A are pushed out of the trough insertion section 4 by the push-out prevention part 6.

[0063] Figure 11 A perspective view of the item arrangement mechanism 1 showing the arrangement of the transported blood collection tubes 7A on the groove 33. (See diagram below.) Figure 11 As shown, an item arrangement section 8 is provided downstream of the tank 33. The ejection conveyor 5 continues to push the blood collection tubes 7A ejected from the tank insertion section 4 to the item arrangement section 8. Subsequently, similarly, other blood collection tubes 7A are repeatedly loaded onto the tank 33 and conveyed by the ejection conveyor 5. Figure 11As shown, the blood collection tubes 7A are pushed out sequentially into the depth of the groove 33 by the push-out conveying unit 5 and are accumulated in an equal posture.

[0064] Blood collection tubes 7A arranged in an equal posture are sorted in the item arrangement section 8. For example, a gripper 9 (sorting mechanism) that moves along an orthogonal three-axis worktable can hold the cap 7A1, identify the type using a camera, and move it to the position corresponding to the type. However, the sorting method is not limited to this. A multi-axis robotic arm can also be used instead of an orthogonal three-axis worktable.

[0065] An example of pressing blood collection tubes 7A into the article arrangement section 8 via the push-out conveyor 5 has been described, but this is not a limitation. For example, other conveying mechanisms may be provided in the article arrangement section 8. The blood collection tubes 7A, which arrive at the article arrangement section 8 in an upright position, may also be conveyed to the next process via such other conveying mechanisms. In the next process, the blood collection tubes 7A are held by clamps and sorted, for example, in the same manner as described above.

[0066] Furthermore, an example of sorting the blood collection tubes 7A after their arrangement has been described, but other operations such as analysis can also be performed. Thus, various processing methods can be considered for the processing after the tubes are pushed out from the slot input 4. In summary, by aligning the randomly positioned blood collection tubes 7A in a uniform position on the slot 33, subsequent processing can be performed through a simple mechanism and control.

[0067] Figure 12 This is a perspective view of an item arrangement mechanism 1 showing two blood collection tubes 71 and 72 inserted approximately perpendicularly to the groove 33 and close to the ground. The shape and dimensions of blood collection tubes 71 and 72 are the same as those of blood collection tube 7A. (As shown...) Figure 12 As shown, when multiple blood collection tubes are randomly fed into the belt conveyor 21, the item arrangement mechanism 1 can also arrange the blood collection tubes on the trough 33 as described above.

[0068] Figure 13 This is a side cross-sectional view near the groove insertion section 4, showing the condition of the blood collection tube 71 placed on the roller 41B when inserted in a direction perpendicular to the groove 33. (See attached image.) Figure 12 As shown, when the blood collection tube 71 is inserted into the tank insertion section 4 approximately perpendicular to the tank 33, as... Figure 13 As shown, the blood collection tube 71 may be placed on the roller 41B. At this time, if the roller 41B rotates inward, the blood collection tube 7A falls off the roller 41B and is embedded in the groove 33.

[0069] Figure 14 This is a front cross-sectional view of the slot insertion section 4, showing the situation where the blood collection tube 72 is mounted on the blood collection tube 71 and the upper blood collection tube 72 is not embedded in the slot 33. (See image below.) Figure 12As shown, if blood collection tubes 71 and 72 are close together and flow from the belt conveyor 21, they will be fed into the tank input section 4 almost simultaneously. In this case, as Figure 14 As shown, in the blood collection tube 71 embedded in the groove 33, the blood collection tube 72 may be in a state where it is not embedded in the groove 33 and is resting. However, since the elastic part 51 circulates above the groove 33, the elastic part 51 presses the blood collection tube 71 and the blood collection tube 72, causing a change in their position and posture. For example, in Figure 14 In this condition, the blood collection tube 72 is pressed to the right by the elastic part 51, climbs up the blood collection tube 72 and moves to the right, rotates and tilts to the right, and is embedded in the groove 33. Then, the blood collection tubes 71 and 72 are pushed out of the groove input part 4 and transported to the next process.

[0070] Thus, the blood collection tube 7A may not immediately embed into the slot 33. However, the elastic part 51 presses the blood collection tube 7A, causing a change in its posture. As a result, the blood collection tube 7A embeds into the slot 33, and is sequentially transported from the embedded blood collection tube 7A to the outside of the slot insertion part 4. In most cases, by repeatedly performing this action, the blood collection tube can be embedded into the slot 33 in a gradually upright posture and transported. In addition, blood collection tubes 7A that are not embedded in the slot 33 are blocked by the push-out prevention part 6 and cannot pass through, remaining in the slot insertion part 4 before being embedded in the slot 33.

[0071] Furthermore, when multiple blood collection tubes 7A are blocked in the trough insertion section 4, there is a high probability that the blood collection tubes 7A not embedded in the trough 33 will come into contact with any of the belt conveyors 21, rollers 41A, 41B, and 41C. As the belt conveyors 21 and rollers 41A, 41B, and 41C rotate, the position and orientation of the blood collection tubes 7A also change, promoting their embedding into the trough 33.

[0072] Figure 15 This is a front cross-sectional view of the slot insertion section 4 showing the situation where the blood collection tube 72 is resting on the blood collection tube 71 and the upper blood collection tube 72 is not embedded in the slot 33. The blood collection tube 72 is placed on the blood collection tube 71, but the cover 721 is tilted in the direction of travel. Furthermore, the cover 721 is blocked by the upper wall 62. Therefore, even if the blood collection tube 71 is pressed by the elastic part 51, it is blocked by the blood collection tube 72, and the position of the blood collection tubes 71 and 72 will not change further. In this situation of blockage, even if the elastic part 51 is pressed in the direction of travel, it is difficult to embed the upper blood collection tube 72 into the slot 33.

[0073] At this time, by reversing the circulation direction of the ejection conveyor 5, the blockage can be eliminated. When the circulation direction of the ejection conveyor 5 is reversed, in Figure 15The elastic section 51 flows from right to left. As a result, the blood collection tube 72 moves to the left, and the tube 72 rotates to the left, allowing it to fit into the groove 33. Then, by restoring the circulation direction of the ejection conveyor 5, the blood collection tubes 71 and 72 are conveyed to the next process.

[0074] Other scenarios could also be considered where the position and orientation of the blood collection tube remain unchanged as the delivery unit 5 travels in the same direction. Such a scenario is considered to be on the side of the blood collection tube closest to the direction of travel of the delivery unit 5. Figure 14 as well as Figure 15 It is generated when the right side is in the direction of travel ( ), at which point the side opposite to the direction of travel ( ) Figure 14 as well as Figure 15 (Left side) Leaves space. Therefore, if the circulation direction of the push-out delivery unit 5 is reversed, the blood collection tube has room to move into the empty space, and its position and posture change slightly, allowing it to be inserted into the groove 33. It is believed that even if it cannot be inserted into the groove 33 in one go, it can be inserted into the groove 33 by repeatedly changing the circulation direction of the push-out delivery unit 5.

[0075] Similarly, by reversing the rotation direction of the belt conveyor 21 and rollers 41A, 41B, and 41C (changing from the inside to the outside relative to the groove 33), the positions and postures are prevented from becoming identical, facilitating the embedding of the blood collection tubes into the groove 33. Furthermore, with the belt conveyor 21 and rollers 41A, 41B, and 41C reversed, the blood collection tubes accumulated in the groove 33 are subjected to an upward force, i.e., a force that separates the blood collection tubes from each other. Therefore, in conjunction with the pressing action of the elastic part 51, the position and posture of the blood collection tubes can be easily changed.

[0076] The reversal of the conveyor section 5, belt conveyor 21, and rollers 41A, 41B, and 41C occurs when the detection sensor 64 reacts, and periodically when it does not react. When the blood collection tube 7A is inserted into the groove and passes through, the detection sensor 64 only enters the detection state for a very short time. However, as... Figure 15 As shown, when the blood collection tube is blocked in the ejection prevention section 6, the detection sensor 64 enters a long-term detection state. For example, if the detection sensor 64 enters the detection state for 0.5 seconds, it begins to reverse. In order to deal with the blockage state that the detection sensor 64 cannot detect, it reverses at constant intervals even if the detection sensor 64 does not react.

[0077] Furthermore, while the method of using a photoelectric sensor in the ejection prevention section 6 has been described as the detection sensor 64, it is not limited to this. For example, blockages can also be detected by measuring from above the slot insertion section 4 using a photoelectric sensor or an RGB camera. This allows for the detection of more diverse blockage states and immediate response to blockages. Additionally, the structure in which the detection sensor 64 is installed in the ejection prevention section 6 has been shown, but the detection sensor 64 can also be installed in the slot insertion section 4, for example. That is, the detection sensor 64 can be positioned anywhere as long as it can detect the state of the blood collection tube 7A ejected from the slot insertion section 4.

[0078] Figure 16 This describes the control sequence of the control device 100 over the drive directions of the ejector conveyor 5, rollers 41A, 41B, 41C, and belt conveyor 21. In step S11, if no blockage is detected by the detection sensor 64, the control device 100 rotates the drive direction forward (first control mode). In step S12, the control device 100 determines whether a blockage has been detected or whether 5 seconds have elapsed. If 5 seconds have elapsed (yes in step S12), the control device 100 moves to step S13 and reverses the drive direction (second control mode). However, if a blockage is detected in step S12, the control device moves to step S13 without waiting for 5 seconds and reverses the drive direction. Then, the control device 100 determines whether 1 second has elapsed since the drive direction was reversed. If 1 second has elapsed (yes in step S14), the control device 100 returns to step S11 and rotates the drive direction forward again. The control device 100 repeats the above control process.

[0079] During periods when blockage occurs and frequent reversal control is performed, the belt conveyor 21 (feeding amount adjustment mechanism) also reverses, thus stopping or reducing the feeding of blood collection tubes into the tank feeding section 4. Therefore, the blockage in the tank feeding section 4 does not worsen. Furthermore, an example of the drive linkage between the belt conveyor 21 and rollers 41A, 41B, and 41C has been described, but it is not limited to this, and it can also be set as an independent drive. In this case, in order to prevent the blockage in the tank feeding section 4 from worsening, the control device 100 (feeding amount adjustment mechanism) stops the belt conveyor 21 when it detects the occurrence of blockage in the tank feeding section 4, thereby also stopping the feeding of blood collection tubes into the tank feeding section 4.

[0080] <Summary of the First Implementation>

[0081] As described above, the article arrangement mechanism 1 of this embodiment is an article arrangement mechanism for arranging blood collection tubes (articles) having a cover (first diameter portion) and a container portion (second diameter portion). It includes: an article holding portion 3, which supports the cover and has a groove 33 for holding the blood collection tubes in an upright posture (predetermined posture) in which the container portion is inserted; a groove insertion portion 4, which inserts a plurality of blood collection tubes, changes the posture of the blood collection tubes, and inserts them into the groove 33; and an ejection and conveying portion 5, which, by pressing the blood collection tubes inserted from the groove insertion portion 4 into the article holding portion 3, changes the posture of the blood collection tubes not inserted into the groove 33 in an upright posture, and ejects the blood collection tubes held in the groove 33 out of the groove insertion portion 4.

[0082] In this way, the item arrangement mechanism 1 of this embodiment transports items by changing their posture to a predetermined posture, thus preventing blockages and enabling high-speed item arrangement. Furthermore, since items can be fed into the item arrangement mechanism in random postures, the labor required of the operator can be minimized.

[0083] [Variation Example]

[0084] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, but includes various modifications. For example, the embodiments described above are detailed embodiments for the purpose of easily understanding and illustrating this disclosure, and may not necessarily possess all the structures described. Furthermore, a portion of one embodiment can be replaced with the structure of another embodiment. Additionally, the structure of another embodiment can be added to the structure of one embodiment. Furthermore, regarding a portion of the structure of each embodiment, a portion of the structure of another embodiment can be added, deleted, or replaced.

[0085] Symbol Explanation

[0086] 1—Item arrangement mechanism; 2—Item input section; 21—Belt conveyor; 22—Actuator for conveyor; 23, 24—Gears for conveyor; 25—Synchronous pulley for conveyor connection; 26—Torque limiter; 27—Conveyor drive shaft; 28—Conveyor driven shaft; 29A, 29B—Conveyor sidewall; 31—Outer side plate of trough; 32—Inner side plate of trough; 33—Trough; 331—Bent trough; 4—Trough input section; 41A, 41B, 41C—Rollers; 42A, 42B, 4 2C—Roller shaft; 43A, 43B—Roller connecting gears; 44A, 44B, 44C—Roller connecting synchronous belt pulleys; 45, 46—Side walls; 5—Ejection conveyor section; 51—Elastic section; 52—Chain; 53A, 53B—Sprockets; 6—Ejection prevention section; 61—Side wall; 62—Upper wall; 63—Side shaft; 64—Detection sensor; 65—Inner side wall; 66—Hole; 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D—Collection tubes; 7A1—Cover; 7A2—Container section; 8—Item arrangement section.

Claims

1. An article arranging mechanism for arranging articles having a first diameter and a second diameter, the first diameter having a predetermined diameter, and the second diameter having a smaller diameter than the first diameter. The article arrangement mechanism is characterized by having: An article holding part supports the first diameter portion and has a groove for holding the article in a predetermined posture in which the second diameter portion is inserted; The trough feeding section is used to feed multiple loosely arranged items, causing the items to change their posture and be fed into the trough. as well as The delivery unit pushes out the article held in the slot out of the slot by pressing the article that has been inserted from the slot input section into the article holding section, thereby changing the posture of the article that is not in the predetermined posture.

2. The article arrangement mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ejection conveyor has an elastic portion that presses against the article and deforms by the force exerted on the article.

3. The article arrangement mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a push-out prevention part that prevents articles that are not embedded in the slot from passing through the article pushed out from the slot insertion part.

4. The article arrangement mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ejection conveyor has: a first control mode in which the ejection conveyor is driven in a direction that pushes the item out of the slot; and a second control mode in which the ejection conveyor is driven in a direction opposite to the first control mode.

5. The article arrangement mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a detection sensor that detects the state of the item pushed out from the slot. The ejection and conveying unit switches between the first control mode and the second control mode based on the state of the item obtained by the detection sensor.

6. The article arrangement mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also has: A detection sensor acquires the state of the article ejected from the slot; and An input adjustment mechanism adjusts the input amount of the item into the trough based on the state of the item obtained by the detection sensor.

7. The article arrangement mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The ejection prevention part has an upper wall part and a side wall part. The article, held in the predetermined posture in the groove, passes through the upper wall and the side wall in a non-contact manner. The article that is not held in the slot in the predetermined posture comes into contact with the upper wall or the side wall, thereby preventing it from being pushed out by the ejection prevention part.

8. The article arrangement mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, The sidewall portion includes: The sidewall of a shape along a portion of one side of the groove; and A shaft, which is disposed on the opposite side of the sidewall across the groove, and is configured to be rotatable about the shaft.

9. The article arrangement mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The trough feeding section includes multiple rollers disposed on both sides of the trough. The rotation of the multiple rollers changes the posture of the item while simultaneously feeding it into the trough.

10. The article arrangement mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a belt conveyor that transports the items to the trough input section. The trough feeding section includes a roller disposed on one side of the trough. The belt conveyor and the roller are arranged on both sides of the trough. By rotating the belt conveyor and the roller, the posture of the item is changed while the item is fed into the trough.

11. A blood collection tube sorting device, characterized in that, have: The blood collection tube insertion section is used to insert loosely arranged blood collection tubes. Blood collection tube arrangement mechanism, which arranges the blood collection tubes; and A sorting mechanism is configured to sort the blood collection tubes arranged by the blood collection tube arrangement mechanism. The blood collection tube arrangement mechanism is the article arrangement mechanism as described in claim 1.

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