Counting device, test tube rack conveying device and analyzer

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model discloses a counting device, a test tube rack conveying device and an analyzer, the counting device comprises a technical assembly and a positioning assembly, and the counting assembly is used for determining the number of test tubes. The positioning assembly comprises a fixedly arranged base and a positioning piece movably arranged on the base; the test tube rack is provided with limiting positions, a separation position is arranged between every two adjacent limiting positions, the limiting positions correspond to the positions where the test tubes are placed in the movement direction of the test tube rack, and when the test tube rack moves relative to the positioning assembly, the positioning piece is switched to the limiting positions from the separation positions so as to trigger the counting assembly. Counting is more accurate, and the phenomenon of counting errors is not prone to occurring.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of analyzers, in particular to a counting device, a test tube rack conveying device and an analyzer. Background Art

[0002] A sample analyzer is a device used to analyze patient samples, such as a blood sample analyzer. The sample analyzer usually transports the collected patient samples to the sampling position of the sample analyzer through a sample rack to achieve sampling. The sampled samples will be used for corresponding detection tests to finally obtain analysis results. The sample analyzer is usually equipped with a counting device to count the injected samples. When counting the samples, a limiter is usually used to make the position of the sample rack more stable for accurate counting.

[0003] However, the counting device and the limiting member in the related art work independently. If the position of the test tube rack deviates, resulting in inaccurate position of the test tube rack defined by the limiting member, the counting device will also have errors in counting. As a result, the counting device in the related art will still have inaccurate counting. Utility Model Content

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to propose a counting device, a test tube rack conveying device and an analyzer that are accurate and space-saving in order to address the above problems.

[0005] The present invention provides a counting device for counting the number of test tubes stored on a moving test tube rack, comprising:

[0006] A counting assembly for determining the number of test tubes;

[0007] and a positioning assembly, comprising a fixedly arranged base and a positioning member movably arranged on the base;

[0008] The test tube rack is provided with a limiting position, and a disengagement position is provided between two adjacent limiting positions. The limiting position corresponds to the position where the test tube is placed along the movement direction of the test tube rack. When the test tube rack moves relative to the positioning assembly, the positioning member switches from the disengagement position to the limiting position to trigger the counting assembly.

[0009] In some embodiments, the counting component includes a counting optical coupler and an optical coupler baffle, the optical coupler baffle is connected to the positioning member, one end of the positioning member can be changed between abutting against the disengaged position and abutting against the restricted position, and the positioning member has a first stroke when changing from the disengaged position to the restricted position under the action of a driving force, and a second stroke when changing from the restricted position to the disengaged position;

[0010] When the positioning member moves along the first stroke, it can drive the optical coupling baffle to move to block the counting optical coupling to achieve counting. When the positioning member moves along the second stroke, it can drive the optical coupling baffle to separate from the counting optical coupling.

[0011] In some embodiments, the base has a mounting portion, the mounting portion is provided with a through hole, the mounting portion has a connecting groove on the side wall in the through hole along the direction of the first stroke or the second stroke, the positioning member has a connecting end, the connecting end is connected to a connecting shaft, and the connecting shaft is plugged and adapted to fit in the connecting groove; or

[0012] The base is provided with a mounting portion, the mounting portion is provided with a through hole, the positioning member is penetrated through the through hole, the positioning member has a connecting end, and the connecting end is rotatably connected to the mounting portion through a connecting shaft.

[0013] In some embodiments, an elastic member is further provided between the positioning member and the base. In a free state, under the action of the elastic member, the positioning member triggers the counting component to achieve counting.

[0014] In some embodiments, the elastic member is a compression spring, one end of the compression spring is connected to the positioning member, and the other end is connected to the base; or

[0015] The elastic member is a torsion spring, which is sleeved outside the connecting shaft, one end of the torsion spring is connected to the positioning member, and the other end is connected to the base.

[0016] In some embodiments, one end of the connecting end is fixedly connected to the counting assembly, and the other end is fixedly connected to a fixed end, a fixed shaft is connected to the fixed end, a positioning wheel is rotatably connected to the fixed shaft, the positioning wheel can abut against the disengagement position or the limit position, and the rotating shaft of the positioning wheel is perpendicular to the moving direction of the test tube rack.

[0017] In some embodiments, the disengagement position is a groove provided on the test tube rack corresponding to the position of each test tube, the groove is provided as a curved surface, and the groove is arranged along the moving direction of the test tube rack.

[0018] In some embodiments, a convex strip is provided on one end of the base facing the test tube rack, and the convex strip can abut against the test tube rack.

[0019] An embodiment of the utility model also provides a test tube rack conveying device, including a fixed seat, a conveying structure and the counting device described above, the fixed seat is provided with a loading position and an unloading position, the counting device is located between the loading position and the unloading position, the test tube rack can be loaded from the loading position, transported through the conveying structure, and transported to the unloading position for unloading after being counted by the counting device.

[0020] An embodiment of the utility model also provides an analyzer, including a main body and the above-mentioned test tube rack conveying device, wherein the main body has a sampling structure and an analysis structure, wherein the sampling structure can sample the reagent conveyed by the test tube rack conveying device, and the analysis structure can analyze the reagent taken by the sampling structure.

[0021] The following beneficial effects are achieved by using the embodiments of the present invention:

[0022] According to the counting device, test tube rack conveying device and analyzer in the above-mentioned embodiments, by setting a counting component and a positioning component, when the end of the positioning member abuts against the limiting position, it can play a certain limiting role on the test tube rack, so that the position of the test tube rack is not easy to shift. When the end of the positioning member abuts against the limiting position on the test tube rack, the positioning member can cooperate with the counting component to realize counting, and when the end of the positioning member abuts against the disengagement position on the test tube rack, the positioning member can disengage from the counting component to end the counting. Such a setting can realize the linkage between the positioning member and the counting component, and the counting function can be realized every time the positioning member moves to the limiting position. Compared with the counting and limiting positions in the prior art, such a linkage setting can make the counting more accurate and less prone to counting errors. In addition, the number of parts between the entire counting component and the positioning component of the present application is relatively reduced, and the assembly is relatively simple, and the space occupied is small. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the utility model. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0024] in:

[0025] Figure 1 An exploded view of a counting device provided according to the utility model is shown;

[0026] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a counting device provided according to the utility model is shown;

[0027] Figure 3 Another cross-sectional view of the counting device provided according to the utility model is shown;

[0028] Figure 4 The schematic diagram of the structure of the base provided according to the utility model is shown.

[0029] Description of main component symbols:

[0030] 1. Counting assembly; 11. Counting bracket; 12. Counting optical coupler; 13. Optical coupler baffle; 2. Positioning assembly; 21. Base; 211. Mounting portion; 2111. Perforation; 2112. Connecting groove; 212. Raised strip; 22. Elastic member; 23. Positioning member; 231. Connecting end; 232. Fixed end; 233. Positioning wheel; 234. Fixed shaft; 235. Connecting shaft; 3. Test tube rack; 31. Rack body; 311. Disengagement position; 312. Limit position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] In order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be described more comprehensively with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings provide preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, the purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the understanding of the disclosure of the present invention more thorough and comprehensive.

[0032] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a central element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a central element at the same time. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art in the technical field of the present invention. The terms used herein in the specification of the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items.

[0034] On the one hand, the utility model provides a counting device, which can be applied to an analyzer to count the number of test tubes stored on a moving test tube rack 3.

[0035] In one embodiment, see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The counting device includes a counting component 1 and a positioning component 2. The counting component 1 is mainly used to determine the number of test tubes.

[0036] The positioning assembly 2 includes a fixed base 21 and a positioning member 23 movably disposed on the base 21 .

[0037] When the test tube rack 3 is transported, the test tube rack 3 can move in one direction. The test tube rack 3 mainly includes a rack body 31 and a test tube position (not shown in the figure) for accommodating the test tube, which is arranged on the rack body 31. A limiting position 312 is arranged on the rack body 31 corresponding to each position for placing the test tube along its moving direction, and a disengagement position 311 is arranged between two adjacent limiting positions 312. In a free state, one end of the positioning member 23 can abut against the disengagement position 311 or the limiting position 312. More specifically, when the test tube rack 3 moves, the positioning member 23 does not move in the moving direction of the test tube rack 3. At this time, one end of the positioning member 23 can be changed between abutting against the disengagement position 311 and abutting against the limiting position 312. That is, as the test tube rack 3 moves, the end of the positioning member 23 can be changed between "disengagement position 311-limiting position 312", and the disengagement position 311 and the limiting position 312 are located at different positions of the test tube rack 3.

[0038] The positioning member 23 can interact with the counting component 1 when changing between the "disengagement position 311-limiting position 312". When the positioning member 23 switches from the disengagement position 311 to the limiting position 312, the counting component 1 is triggered to count the test tubes. Therefore, each time the positioning member 23 switches once, the test tubes in the test tube rack can be counted once.

[0039] By setting the counting component 1 and the positioning component 2, when the end of the positioning member 23 abuts against the limiting position 312, it can play a certain limiting role on the test tube rack 3, so that the position of the test tube rack 3 is not easy to be offset. When the end of the positioning member 23 abuts against the limiting position 312 on the test tube rack 3, the positioning member 23 can cooperate with the counting component 1 to realize counting, and when the end of the positioning member 23 abuts against the disengagement position 311 on the test tube rack 3, the positioning member 23 can be separated from the counting component 1 to end the counting. Such a setting can realize the linkage between the positioning member 23 and the counting component 1, and each time the positioning member 23 moves to the limiting position 312, a counting function can be realized. Compared with the counting and limiting settings in the prior art, such a linkage setting can make the counting more accurate and less prone to counting errors. In addition, the number of parts between the entire counting component 1 and the positioning component 2 of the present application is relatively reduced, and the assembly is relatively simple, and the space occupied is small.

[0040] In one embodiment, the counting component 1 includes a counting optical coupler 12 and an optical coupler baffle 13, the optical coupler baffle 13 is connected to the positioning member 23, and when the positioning member 23 is in the limiting position 312, the signal emitted when the optical coupler baffle 13 blocks and disengages from the counting optical coupler 12 is used as a counting reference standard, and the signal obtained each time it is blocked is used as a counting signal to count one test tube; when the positioning member 23 is in the disengagement position 311, the optical coupler baffle 13 disengages from the counting optical coupler 12 to end the counting.

[0041] In addition, the counting component 1 also includes a counting bracket 11, which is fixedly connected in the analyzer and is used to fix the position of the counting optical coupler 12. As for the specific position of the counting bracket 11 in the analyzer, please refer to the setting and installation position and method of the counting component 1 in the prior art, which will not be elaborated here.

[0042] When the test tube rack 3 moves, the positioning member 23 has a first stroke when changing from the disengaged position 311 to the restricted position 312 under the action of the driving force, and a second stroke when changing from the restricted position 312 to the disengaged position 311 .

[0043] When the positioning member 23 moves along the first stroke, it can drive the optical coupling baffle 13 to move to block the counting optical coupling 12 to achieve counting. When the positioning member 23 moves along the second stroke, it can drive the optical coupling baffle 13 to disengage from the counting optical coupling 12.

[0044] By connecting the positioning member 23 and the optical coupling baffle 13 as described above, the optical coupling baffle 13 and the positioning member 23 can move simultaneously, so that the positioning member 23 can realize counting when it moves along the first stroke, and can end counting when it moves along the second stroke. This linkage setting can ensure both the limit and the accuracy of counting.

[0045] In one embodiment, see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The base 21 has a mounting portion 211, and the positioning member 23 has a connecting end 231, which is rotatably connected to the mounting portion 211 via a connecting shaft 235. It should be noted that the rotating shaft of the connecting end 231 is preferably parallel to the moving direction of the test tube rack 3. The optical coupling baffle 13 is fixedly connected to the positioning member 23, and the counting optical coupler 12 is arranged on the rotation path of the optical coupling baffle 13 when the positioning member 23 rotates, so that the optical coupling baffle 13 can cover the counting optical coupler 12 during the rotation process.

[0046] It is worth mentioning that an elastic member 22 is further provided between the positioning member 23 and the base 21. The elastic member 22 is preferably provided on the rotation path of the connection end 231. The specific location of the arrangement is not limited. It is only necessary to achieve that in a free state, under the action of the elastic member 22, the positioning member 23 stays at the position where the optical coupling baffle 13 blocks the counting optical coupling 12. By providing the elastic member 22, the elastic force of the elastic member 22 enables the end of the positioning member 23 to abut against the limiting position 312, thereby forcing the optical coupling baffle 13 to block the counting optical coupling 12.

[0047] It should be noted that please combine Figure 4 The base 21 is also provided with a convex strip 212 at one end facing the test tube rack 3, and the convex strip 212 can abut against the test tube rack 3. By abutting the convex strip 212 with the test tube, the position of the test tube rack 3 can be made more stable, and the phenomenon of position displacement is not easy to occur.

[0048] In a specific embodiment, a through hole 2111 is passed through the mounting portion 211, one end of the connecting end 231 is located in the through hole 2111, a hole is opened on the side wall of the mounting portion 211 in the through hole 2111, and the connecting shaft 235 is connected to the hole. At this time, the elastic member 22 can be set between the top end of the connecting end 231 and the mounting portion 211.

[0049] In a specific embodiment, the elastic member 22 is a compression spring, one end of which is connected to the connecting end 231 of the positioning member 23 , and the other end of which is connected to the mounting portion 211 .

[0050] Alternatively, the elastic member 22 is a torsion spring, which is sleeved outside the connecting shaft 235 , with one end of the torsion spring connected to the connecting end 231 of the positioning member 23 , and the other end connected to the mounting portion 211 .

[0051] Either the torsion spring or the compression spring can provide a force for the positioning member 23 , and the force can be used as a driving force for driving the positioning member 23 to move in the first stroke.

[0052] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 In addition to setting the positioning member 23 to drive the optical coupling baffle 13 to move by rotation, the positioning member 23 can also be set to drive the optical coupling baffle 13 to move by translation. Specifically, in one embodiment, the base 21 has a mounting portion 211, the mounting portion 211 is provided with a through hole 2111, and the positioning member 23 has a connecting end 231, one end of the connecting end 231 is located in the through hole 2111. The mounting portion 211 is provided with a connecting groove 2112 on the side wall in the through hole 2111 along the direction of the first stroke or the second stroke, and the connecting end 231 is connected to a connecting shaft 235, and the connecting shaft 235 is plugged and adapted in the connecting groove 2112, so that the entire positioning member 23 can move along the opening path of the connecting groove 2112.

[0053] An elastic member 22 is also provided between the positioning member 23 and the base 21. In the free state, under the action of the elastic member 22, the positioning member 23 stays at the position where the optical coupling shield 13 blocks the counting optical coupling 12. The elastic member 22 is preferably a compression spring, and the elastic member 22 is preferably provided between the top of the connecting end 231 and the mounting portion 211. The compression spring is at a normal length under normal conditions. When the end of the positioning member 23 is changed from the limiting position 312 to the disengaging position 311, the compression spring can be squeezed, forming a tendency to drive the positioning member 23 to move along the first stroke.

[0054] It should be noted that, in one embodiment, the disengagement position 311 is a groove arranged on the test tube rack 3 corresponding to the position of each test tube, the groove is arranged as a curved surface, and the groove is arranged along the moving direction of the test tube rack 3, the axis of the groove is perpendicular to the moving direction of the test tube rack 3, and the disengagement position 311 is formed by the surface of the test tube rack 3. In this way, the surface of the test tube rack 3 located between two adjacent grooves forms a disengagement position 311, and because the groove is formed by a concave treatment on the surface of the test tube rack 3, a concave-convex structure is formed between the limiting position 312 and the disengagement position 311.

[0055] If the end of the positioning member 23 first abuts against the groove, as the test tube rack 3 moves, the end of the positioning member 23 moves from a relatively low position (inside the groove) to a relatively high position (surface of the test tube rack 3). During the movement, the groove wall of the groove can apply a driving force to the end of the positioning member 23, driving it to move along the second stroke, so that it drives the optical coupling baffle 13 to disengage from the counting optical coupling 12. When the positioning member 23 moves along the second stroke, it can squeeze the elastic member 22, so that the elastic member 22 has an elastic force; when the test tube rack 3 continues to move and the end of the positioning member 23 moves from the disengagement position 311 to another groove, the elastic force of the elastic member 22 is released, driving the end of the positioning member 23 to move from the disengagement position 311 to the limit position 312, and so on to achieve counting.

[0056] In a specific embodiment, one end of the connecting end 231 is fixedly connected to the optical coupling baffle 13, and the other end is fixedly connected to the fixing end 232, and the connecting end 231 is used to connect the end of the fixing end 232 close to the end connected to the mounting portion 211. The fixing end 232 is connected to a fixing shaft 234, and a positioning wheel 233 is rotatably connected to the fixing shaft 234. The positioning wheel 233 can abut against the disengagement position 311 or the restriction position 312, and the rotating shaft of the positioning wheel 233 is perpendicular to the moving direction of the test tube rack 3. When the test tube rack 3 moves, the positioning wheel 233 rolls on the test tube rack 3. By setting the positioning wheel 233 to roll in contact with the test tube rack 3, the friction between the positioning wheel 233 and the test tube rack 3 can be reduced.

[0057] On the one hand, an embodiment of the utility model also provides a test tube rack conveying device, including a fixed seat, a conveying structure and the above-mentioned counting device, the fixed seat has a loading position and an unloading position, the counting device is located between the loading position and the unloading position, the test tube rack can be loaded from the loading position, transported through the transmission structure, and transported to the unloading position for unloading after being counted by the counting device.

[0058] The embodiment of the utility model also provides an analyzer, including a main body and the above-mentioned test tube rack conveying device, wherein the main body has a sampling structure and an analysis structure, wherein the sampling structure can sample the reagent conveyed by the test tube rack conveying device, and the analysis structure can analyze the reagent taken by the sampling structure.

[0059] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0060] The above-mentioned embodiments only express several implementation methods of the utility model, and the description is relatively specific and detailed, but it cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this field, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the utility model, which all belong to the protection scope of the utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of the utility model patent shall be based on the attached claims.

Claims

1. A counting device for counting the number of test tubes stored on a moving test tube rack, characterized in that: include: A counting assembly for determining the number of test tubes; and a positioning assembly, comprising a fixedly arranged base and a positioning member movably arranged on the base; The test tube rack is provided with a limiting position, and a disengagement position is provided between two adjacent limiting positions. The limiting position corresponds to the position where the test tube is placed along the movement direction of the test tube rack. When the test tube rack moves relative to the positioning assembly, the positioning member switches from the disengagement position to the limiting position to trigger the counting assembly.

2. The counting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The counting assembly comprises a counting optical coupler and an optical coupler baffle, wherein the optical coupler baffle is connected to the positioning member, one end of the positioning member can be switched between abutting against the disengagement position and abutting against the restriction position, and the positioning member has a first stroke when changing from the disengagement position to the restriction position under the action of a driving force, and a second stroke when changing from the restriction position to the disengagement position; When the positioning member moves along the first stroke, it can drive the optical coupling baffle to move to block the counting optical coupling to achieve counting. When the positioning member moves along the second stroke, it can drive the optical coupling baffle to separate from the counting optical coupling.

3. The counting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The base has a mounting portion, the mounting portion is provided with a through hole, the mounting portion has a connecting groove on the side wall in the through hole along the direction of the first stroke or the second stroke, the positioning member has a connecting end, the connecting end is connected to a connecting shaft, and the connecting shaft is plugged and adapted to fit in the connecting groove; or The base is provided with a mounting portion, the mounting portion is provided with a through hole, the positioning member is penetrated through the through hole, the positioning member has a connecting end, and the connecting end is rotatably connected to the mounting portion through a connecting shaft.

4. The counting device according to claim 3, characterized in that: An elastic member is further provided between the positioning member and the base. In a free state, under the action of the elastic member, the positioning member triggers the counting assembly to achieve counting.

5. The counting device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The elastic member is a compression spring, one end of which is connected to the positioning member, and the other end of which is connected to the base; or The elastic member is a torsion spring, which is sleeved outside the connecting shaft, one end of the torsion spring is connected to the positioning member, and the other end is connected to the base.

6. The counting device according to claim 3, characterized in that: One end of the connecting end is fixedly connected to the counting assembly, and the other end is fixedly connected to a fixed end, the fixed end is connected to a fixed shaft, and a positioning wheel is rotatably connected to the fixed shaft. The positioning wheel can abut against the disengagement position or the restriction position, and the rotating shaft of the positioning wheel is perpendicular to the moving direction of the test tube rack.

7. The counting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The disengagement position is a groove arranged on the test tube rack corresponding to the position of each test tube, the groove is arranged as a curved surface, and the groove is arranged along the moving direction of the test tube rack.

8. The counting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A convex strip is also provided on one end of the base facing the test tube rack, and the convex strip can abut against the test tube rack.

9. A test tube rack conveying device, characterized in that: It comprises a fixed seat, a conveying structure and a counting device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, the fixed seat is provided with a loading position and an unloading position, the counting device is located between the loading position and the unloading position, the test tube rack can be loaded from the loading position, transported through the conveying structure, and transported to the unloading position for unloading after being counted by the counting device.

10. An analyzer, characterized in that: It comprises a main body and a test tube rack conveying device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the main body has a sampling structure and an analysis structure, wherein the sampling structure can sample the reagent conveyed by the test tube rack conveying device, and the analysis structure can analyze the reagent taken by the sampling structure.

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