Material transfer equipment and blood sample automatic transfer system

Abstract

The utility model discloses material handover equipment and an automatic blood sample handover system, and relates to the technical field of material conveying handover, the material handover equipment comprises an elevator and a handover device, the elevator is provided with a lifting mechanism and at least two ladder ways, and the at least two ladder ways are arranged on the side face of the elevator at intervals in the vertical direction; the handover device is arranged in the elevator, the lifting mechanism is used for driving the handover device to ascend and descend, the handover device comprises a rack, a handover conveying table arranged on the rack and a temporary storage conveying table, the rack is in driving connection with the lifting mechanism, the handover conveying table is used for inputting materials into the temporary storage conveying table, and the temporary storage conveying table is used for conveying the materials outwards; the temporary storage conveying tables are distributed at intervals in the vertical direction, and the handover conveying table is arranged on the rack in a lifting mode so as to be in butt joint with one of the temporary storage conveying tables. According to the technical scheme provided by the utility model, automatic cross-floor conveying of samples can be realized, so that the sample conveying efficiency and convenience are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of material conveying and transfer technology, and in particular to a material transfer device and an automatic blood sample transfer system. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of material handling, such as automated sample transfer systems, departments located on the same floor can use these systems to automatically transfer and exchange samples. However, when the sample receiving room and the laboratory are not on the same floor, existing automated sample transfer systems cannot facilitate cross-floor transport, requiring manual intervention—that is, staff must carry samples for cross-floor transfer. If staff are unable to travel to the sample receiving room or the laboratory floor to complete the transfer, it will delay the transfer process. Therefore, how to achieve automated cross-floor sample transport is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0003] The main purpose of this invention is to propose a material transfer device and an automatic blood sample transfer system, which aims to realize the automatic cross-floor transfer of samples, thereby improving the efficiency and convenience of sample transfer.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the material transfer device proposed in this utility model includes:

[0005] An elevator, equipped with a lifting mechanism and at least two ladder entrances, wherein the at least two ladder entrances are spaced apart along the side of the elevator in a vertical direction; and

[0006] A transfer device is provided inside the elevator. The lifting mechanism is used to drive the transfer device to move up and down. The transfer device includes a frame, a transfer conveyor and a temporary storage conveyor provided on the frame. The frame is driven and connected to the lifting mechanism. The transfer conveyor is used to input materials into the temporary storage conveyor. The temporary storage conveyor is used to transport materials to the outside.

[0007] The temporary storage transfer station is distributed at intervals along the vertical direction, and the handover transfer station is mounted on the frame in a lifting and lowering manner to selectively connect with one of the multiple temporary storage transfer stations.

[0008] In one embodiment, the temporary storage conveyor includes multiple temporary storage conveyor lines distributed along the left-right direction, and the handover conveyor includes multiple handover conveyor lines distributed along the left-right direction, with the handover conveyor lines and the temporary storage conveyor lines arranged in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0009] In one embodiment, the material transfer equipment further includes a counting device electrically connected to the transfer conveyor, the counting device being used to count the materials on the transfer conveyor.

[0010] In one embodiment, the counting device is an image acquisition and recognition device, which includes a processor, a camera electrically connected to the processor, a transfer platform electrically connected to the processor, and a receiving position corresponding to the intermediate temporary transfer platform. The camera is located at the upper end of the frame and is used to photograph the transfer platform at the receiving position. The processor is used to process the image information captured by the camera to achieve counting.

[0011] In one embodiment, the material transfer device further includes a blocking mechanism, which includes a blocking member movably disposed on the frame and has a blocking state and a releasing state. In the blocking state, the blocking member extends at least partially into the feed inlet of the temporary storage conveyor to prevent material on the transfer conveyor from entering the temporary storage conveyor. In the releasing state, the blocking member leaves the feed inlet of the temporary storage conveyor to allow material to enter and exit the temporary storage conveyor. When the transfer conveyor docks with the temporary storage conveyor, the blocking member switches to the releasing state.

[0012] In one embodiment, the blocking member has a blocking part and a driven part connected to each other. The blocking part is used to extend into the feed port of the temporary storage conveyor. The transfer conveyor can push against the driven part during the process of rising and falling to be in contact with the temporary storage conveyor, so as to cause the blocking part to switch from the blocking state to the releasing state.

[0013] In one embodiment, the blocking mechanism further includes an elastic reset member, which connects the blocking member and the frame. When the driven part is not pushed by the transfer conveyor, the blocking member can remain in the blocking state under the action of the elastic reset member.

[0014] In one embodiment, the blocking member is rotatably connected to the frame, the blocking portion and the driven portion are located on the same side of the rotation axis, and the elastic reset member is located on the other side of the rotation axis.

[0015] In one embodiment, the blocking member is rotatably connected to the frame, the blocking part and the driven part are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the rotation axis, and the elastic reset member is disposed close to the driven part.

[0016] In one embodiment, three temporary storage and transfer stations are spaced apart in the vertical direction, and at least two blocking mechanisms are provided, one of which is set for the uppermost temporary storage and transfer station, and the other is set for the lowermost temporary storage and transfer station.

[0017] In one embodiment, both ends of the transfer conveyor are provided with a first detection sensor for sensing materials.

[0018] In one embodiment, a second detection sensor for sensing materials is provided at both ends of the temporary storage conveyor.

[0019] In one embodiment, both the transfer conveyor and the temporary storage conveyor are capable of conveying materials in both forward and reverse directions.

[0020] This utility model also proposes an automatic blood sample transfer system, including the aforementioned material transfer equipment.

[0021] This utility model's technical solution, by setting up an elevator, enables the transfer device to receive the sample (i.e., material) at the corresponding stairwell on a certain floor, and then, under the action of the lifting mechanism, ascend or descend to another floor, where the sample is transferred at the stairwell on the other floor. Thus, the automatic transfer of samples across floors can be achieved without human intervention, thereby improving the efficiency and convenience of sample transfer.

[0022] Secondly, the receiving conveyor itself also has a lifting function. When it receives materials, it can be raised or lowered to dock with temporary conveyors at different heights and transport the materials to the temporary conveyors. In this way, while meeting the material receiving requirements of multiple temporary conveyors, the number of handover conveyors can be reduced and the structure of the handover device can be simplified. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the material transfer equipment provided by this utility model;

[0025] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the handover device;

[0026] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Another schematic diagram of the transfer device shown;

[0027] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Front view of the handover device shown;

[0028] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Sectional view at point DD;

[0029] Figure 6 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a transfer conveyor line after the test tube rack has been placed;

[0030] Figure 7 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a temporary storage conveyor line after a test tube rack has been placed;

[0031] Figure 8 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle;

[0032] Figure 9 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a section at point B in the middle;

[0033] Figure 10 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a section at point C;

[0034] Figure 11 for Figure 9 The diagram shows the structure of the barrier component.

[0035] Figure 12 for Figure 11 Side view of the barrier shown;

[0036] Figure 13 for Figure 8 The diagram shows the structure of the barrier component.

[0037] Figure 14 for Figure 13 Side view of the barrier shown;

[0038] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram showing the handover device installed inside the car.

[0039] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0040] 100. Elevator; 101. Elevator entrance;

[0041] 200. Transfer device; 201. Frame; 202. Camera; 203. First detection sensor; 204. Second detection sensor; 210. Transfer conveyor; 211. Transfer conveyor line; 212. Press block; 220. Temporary storage conveyor; 221. Temporary storage conveyor line; 230. Stopping mechanism; 231. Blocking component; 232. Blocking part; 233. Driven part; 234. Elastic reset component; 240. Automatic transfer door; 241. Material passage opening;

[0042] 300. Car; 301. Automatic car door;

[0043] 401. Identity verification system; 402. User interface;

[0044] 501. Test tube rack; 502. Test tube.

[0045] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this utility model will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0047] It should be noted that if the embodiments of this utility model involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0048] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this utility model involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0049] In the field of material handling, such as automated sample transfer systems, departments located on the same floor can use these systems to automatically transfer and exchange samples. However, when the sample receiving room and the laboratory are not on the same floor, existing automated sample transfer systems cannot facilitate cross-floor transport, requiring manual intervention—that is, staff must carry samples for cross-floor transfer. If staff are unable to travel to the sample receiving room or the laboratory floor to complete the transfer, it will delay the transfer process. Therefore, how to achieve automated cross-floor sample transport is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art.

[0050] In view of this, the present invention proposes a material transfer device that can be applied to an automatic sample transfer system, and enables the automatic sample transfer system using the modified material transfer device to realize the automatic cross-floor transfer of samples, thereby improving the efficiency and convenience of sample transfer.

[0051] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of the material transfer device of this utility model, the material transfer device includes a lift 100 and a transfer device 200. The lift 100 is provided with at least two stair openings 101, which are spaced apart along the side of the lift 100 in a vertical direction. It can be understood that each floor corresponds to one stair opening 101, and the number of stair openings 101 is determined according to the number of floors. The transfer device 200 is located inside the lift 100, which also has a lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism drives the transfer device 200 to rise and fall, allowing the transfer device 200 to rise and fall to different stair openings 101 corresponding to different floors. The transfer device 200 is used to transport materials. The lifting mechanism of the lift 100 can adopt an existing elevator lifting drive structure, such as a lifting cable, or a drive structure composed of a motor, synchronous pulley, and synchronous belt drive.

[0052] The present invention provides a solution by setting up an elevator 100 so that the transfer device 200 can receive the sample (i.e., material) at the corresponding stairwell 101 on a certain floor and then move up or down to another floor by the action of the lifting mechanism. The sample is then transferred at the stairwell 101 on the other floor, thus achieving automatic cross-floor transfer of the sample without human intervention, thereby improving the efficiency and convenience of sample transfer.

[0053] It is understood that the material transfer equipment of this utility model is not limited to the application in the automatic sample transfer system, but can also be applied in other material transfer scenarios, such as the transfer of processed workpieces in the production workshop. In this case, the material being transferred is the workpiece, which can also play the role of transferring workpieces across floors and improve the efficiency and convenience of workpiece transfer.

[0054] Please see Figures 2 to 4 Furthermore, the transfer device 200 includes a frame 201, a transfer conveyor 210 disposed on the frame 201, and a temporary storage conveyor 220. The frame 201 is driven and connected to the lifting mechanism. The transfer conveyor 210 is used to input materials into the temporary storage conveyor 220, and the temporary storage conveyor 220 is used to transport materials to the outside. That is, both the transfer conveyor 210 and the temporary storage conveyor 220 can store and transport materials. The transfer conveyor 210 is located closer to the elevator entrance 101 so that users can place materials on the transfer conveyor 210 and then transport the materials to the temporary storage conveyor 220 for storage. When the temporary storage conveyor 220 has stored a sufficient amount of materials, the pneumatic lifting mechanism drives the transfer device 200 to rise and fall as a whole, and arrive at the elevator entrance 101 of another floor. Then, the materials on the temporary storage conveyor 220 are transported out of the elevator 100 so that the staff on that floor can take away the materials, thereby completing the cross-floor transfer and handover of materials.

[0055] To improve handover efficiency, the temporary storage conveyor 220 in this embodiment is optionally provided with multiple layers, and the multiple layers of temporary storage conveyor 220 are distributed at intervals in the vertical direction. This allows for cross-floor conveying after the multiple layers of temporary storage conveyor 220 are filled at once, thereby meeting the handover needs of large quantities of materials, reducing the number of vertical movements of the handover device 200, and improving handover efficiency.

[0056] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 4 To simplify the structure of the transfer device 200 and reduce its manufacturing cost, optionally, multiple temporary storage conveyor stations 220 are spaced apart in the vertical direction, and a transfer conveyor station 210 is vertically mounted on the frame 201 to selectively dock with one of the multiple temporary storage conveyor stations 220. That is, the transfer conveyor station 210 itself also has a lifting function; when it receives material, it can be raised or lowered successively to dock with temporary storage conveyor stations 220 at different heights and transport the material to the temporary storage conveyor stations 220. In this way, while satisfying the material receiving requirements of multiple temporary storage conveyor stations 220, the number of transfer conveyor stations 210 can be reduced, and the structure of the transfer device 200 can be simplified. Of course, in other embodiments, the number of transfer conveyor stations 210 and temporary storage conveyor stations 220 can also correspond one-to-one.

[0057] Optionally, both the transfer conveyor 210 and the temporary storage conveyor 220 can transport materials in both forward and reverse directions. Specifically, when the transfer conveyor 210 inputs material towards the temporary storage conveyor 220, it is defined as forward conveying; when the temporary storage conveyor 220 outputs material outward, it is also defined as forward conveying. Therefore, when the temporary storage conveyor 220 inputs material towards the transfer conveyor 210, it is defined as reverse conveying. In this way, if an abnormality is found in the material on the temporary storage conveyor 220, such as an error in the number of sample tubes, the abnormal material can be reversed and transported back to the transfer conveyor 210, thereby improving the ease of use of the transfer device 200. Of course, in other embodiments, the reverse conveying function of the transfer conveyor 210 and the temporary storage conveyor 220 may not be provided.

[0058] Please see Figure 2 Optionally, the temporary storage conveyor 220 includes multiple temporary storage conveyor lines 221 distributed along the left-right direction, and the transfer conveyor 210 includes multiple transfer conveyor lines 211 distributed along the left-right direction. The transfer conveyor lines 211 and the temporary storage conveyor lines 221 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. That is, the multiple temporary storage conveyor lines 221 are arranged in a multi-layer, multi-column manner to further increase the amount of material that the transfer device 200 can hold at one time, thereby meeting the transfer of large quantities of materials, reducing the number of vertical movements of the transfer device 200, and further improving the transfer efficiency.

[0059] Specifically, in Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the temporary storage conveyor line 221 has three rows and three columns, totaling nine lines. That is, there are three columns distributed along the left and right directions at the same height, and each column has three rows distributed along the top and bottom directions. Of course, in other embodiments, it can also be two rows and three columns, three rows and two columns, or four rows and five columns, etc., and this application does not make specific limitations on this.

[0060] Specifically, the transfer device 200 has a row of transfer conveyors 210, and this row of transfer conveyors 210 can be connected to any row of temporary storage conveyors 220 during lifting and lowering, and each transfer conveyor line 211 is connected to one temporary storage conveyor line 221. Thus, the transfer conveyors 210 only need to have lifting and lowering functions, without the need for additional left and right lateral movement functions, which helps reduce the operating logic and failure rate of the transfer device 200. Of course, in other embodiments, the transfer conveyor 210 may have only one transfer conveyor line 211, and the transfer conveyor line 211 may also be movable on the frame 201 in the left and right direction.

[0061] Please see Figure 6 and Figure 7Optionally, in this embodiment, both the temporary storage conveyor line 221 and the transfer conveyor line 211 adopt a conveyor belt structure, for example, composed of a motor and a flat belt drive mechanism. This results in a simple and easy-to-implement structure. Further, each temporary storage conveyor line 221 and transfer conveyor line 211 is driven by a separate drive mechanism, ensuring that the conveying operations of each temporary storage conveyor line 221 and transfer conveyor line 211 do not interfere with each other. Of course, in other embodiments, the temporary storage conveyor line 221 and transfer conveyor line 211 can also adopt a conveyor roller structure.

[0062] Furthermore, the material transfer equipment also includes a counting device electrically connected to the transfer conveyor 210, which is used to count the materials on the transfer conveyor 210. Specifically, when the quantity of materials on the transfer conveyor 210 meets a preset condition, for example, when the test tube rack 501 on the transfer conveyor 210 is full of sample tubes, the transfer conveyor 210 is controlled to input the materials into the temporary storage conveyor 220; wherein, in this embodiment, the temporary storage conveyor 220 can accommodate two test tube racks 501 (see [reference]). Figure 7 If the current temporary storage conveyor 220 is already full of two test tube racks 501, the transfer conveyor 210 needs to be raised or lowered first so that it can connect with a temporary storage conveyor 220 that has an idle area (i.e., no test tube rack 501 or only one test tube rack 501). In this way, by counting the materials on the transfer conveyor 210 using a counting device and controlling its raising and lowering based on the counting results, the transfer conveyor 210 can be automated, thus improving the ease of use of the equipment. Furthermore, when each temporary storage conveyor line 221 is full of test tube racks 501, the transfer conveyor line 211 can also be used to load test tube racks 501, allowing the material transfer equipment to transport more samples at once.

[0063] There are multiple ways for the counting device to achieve the counting function. It can use photoelectric sensors to count by signal changes, or it can use image acquisition and recognition devices to count by image acquisition and recognition. For materials using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags, an RFID identification device can also be set on the transfer conveyor 210 to achieve the counting function.

[0064] In this embodiment, optionally, the counting device includes an image acquisition and recognition device, which is used to acquire images of the materials on the transfer conveyor 210 and process the image information acquired by the image acquisition and recognition device to achieve counting. Thus, using image recognition to achieve the counting function results in a simple structure and is easy to implement.

[0065] Specifically, in an embodiment where the equipment is used for sample transfer and three temporary storage transfer stations 220 are distributed vertically, when the transfer transfer station 210 stops at a middle height position to dock with the middle temporary storage transfer station 220, the transfer transfer station 210 is in the receiving position. This allows staff to place or retrieve materials on the transfer transfer station 210 in a more comfortable posture, improving the ergonomics and ease of use of the equipment. Based on this, the transfer transfer station 210 will default to stopping at the receiving position. Of course, in other embodiments, the receiving position can also be defined as the position where the transfer transfer station 210 docks with the uppermost temporary storage transfer station 220.

[0066] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 4 Optionally, the image acquisition and recognition device includes a processor, a camera 202 electrically connected to the processor, and a transfer platform 210 electrically connected to the processor. The transfer platform 210 has a receiving position corresponding to the intermediate temporary transfer platform 220. The camera 202 is located at the upper end of the frame 201 and is used to capture images of the transfer platform 210 at the receiving position. The processor is used to process the image information captured by the camera 202 to achieve counting. Specifically, since the transfer platform 210 will stop at the receiving position by default, the camera 202 can be set to focus precisely on the material on the transfer platform 210 at the receiving position. For example, when the material is a sample tube, the top of the sample tube on the test tube rack 501 can be positioned at the optimal distance for the camera 202 to take a picture, thereby improving the image quality and accuracy captured by the camera 202. The processor can be the main control terminal of the device or a component integrated into the camera 202; this application does not specifically limit this.

[0067] Optionally, multiple cameras 202 are provided along the left and right directions, and are set one-to-one with multiple transfer conveyor lines 211. The field of view of each camera 202 can cover all sample tubes of each test tube rack 501 on its corresponding transfer conveyor line 211.

[0068] Specifically, taking the test tube rack 501 storing blood samples as an example, in this embodiment, the transfer platform 210 is docked at the receiving position by default, that is, at the position aligned with the intermediate temporary storage platform 220. When the transfer platform 210 is filled with the test tube rack 501, the camera 202 takes a picture of the test tube rack 501 for image recognition. After detecting that the test tube rack 501 is filled with test tubes 502 containing blood samples as required, the transfer platform 210 and the intermediate temporary storage platform 220 work together to send the test tube rack 501 into the intermediate temporary storage platform 220. Similarly, the second test tube rack 501 is also directly sent into the intermediate temporary storage platform 220 so that the intermediate temporary storage platform 220 is filled with two test tube racks 501. After the third test tube rack 501 is photographed by camera 202 at the receiving position, the transfer conveyor 210 rises to align with the upper conveyor. The transfer conveyor 210 and the upper temporary storage conveyor 220 work together to deliver the test tube rack 501 into the upper temporary storage conveyor 220, and then the transfer conveyor 210 returns to the receiving position. Similarly, after the fourth test tube rack 501 is photographed by camera 202 at the receiving position, it is also received into the upper temporary storage conveyor 220, so that the upper temporary storage conveyor 220 is filled with two test tube racks 501. This process continues, and after the fifth and sixth test tube racks 501 are photographed by camera 202 at the receiving position, they are successively received into the lower temporary storage conveyor 220, so that the lower temporary storage conveyor 220 is filled with two test tube racks 501.

[0069] Of course, in other embodiments, the test tube rack 501 can also be stored in the upper, middle and lower three-layer temporary storage and transfer station 220 in other orders, and this application does not make specific limitations on this.

[0070] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 8 and Figure 9Furthermore, both ends of the transfer conveyor 210 are equipped with first detection sensors 203 for sensing materials, and both ends of the temporary storage conveyor 220 are equipped with second detection sensors 204 for sensing materials. The first detection sensors 203 detect the entry and exit of materials on the transfer conveyor 210, and the second detection sensors 204 detect the entry and exit of materials on the temporary storage conveyor 220. Thus, when there is material on the transfer conveyor 210 and the transfer conveyor 210 and the temporary storage conveyor 220 are docked, the transfer conveyor 210 and the temporary storage conveyor 220 are controlled to operate synchronously to transfer the material on the transfer conveyor 210 to the temporary storage conveyor 220; when there is material on the temporary storage conveyor 220 and an output command is received, the temporary storage conveyor 220 is controlled to operate to output the material on it to complete the transfer. Of course, in other embodiments, only the second detection sensor 204 or the second detection sensor 204 may be provided, or neither the second detection sensor 204 nor the second detection sensor 204 may be provided.

[0071] Optionally, both the first detection sensor 203 and the second detection sensor 204 are photoelectric sensors. Of course, in other embodiments, they can also be Hall effect sensors, tactile switches, etc.

[0072] Please see Figure 3 , Figures 8 to 10 Furthermore, the material transfer equipment also includes a blocking mechanism 230, which includes a blocking member 231. The blocking member 231 is movably mounted on the frame 201 and has a blocking state and a releasing state. In the blocking state, the blocking member 231 extends at least partially into the feed inlet of the temporary storage conveyor 220 to prevent material on the transfer conveyor 210 from entering the temporary storage conveyor 220. In the releasing state, the blocking member 231 leaves the feed inlet of the temporary storage conveyor 220, allowing material to enter and exit the temporary storage conveyor 220. When the transfer conveyor 210 docks with the temporary storage conveyor 220, the blocking member 231 switches to the releasing state. Specifically, before the transfer conveyor 210 completes docking with the temporary storage conveyor 220, the blocking member 231 is in the blocking state, so the material on the temporary storage conveyor 220 cannot be detached from the feed inlet, and the material on the transfer conveyor 210 cannot be transferred toward the temporary storage conveyor 220. This ensures that materials on the transfer conveyor 210 and the temporary storage conveyor 220 can only pass through the inlet after they are accurately connected. This prevents materials from accidentally falling off the transfer conveyor 210 or the temporary storage conveyor 220 due to malfunction or misoperation, which could lead to damage or loss. In particular, it ensures the safety of samples when the equipment is transporting them.

[0073] It is understood that the structure of the blocking element 231 can take many forms; for example, please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 8or Figure 9 In some embodiments, the blocking member 231 has a connected blocking portion 232 and a driven portion 233. The blocking portion 232 extends into the feed inlet of the temporary storage conveyor 220. During the process of the transfer conveyor 210 rising and falling to engage with the temporary storage conveyor 220, it can push against the driven portion 233 to cause the blocking portion 232 to switch from a blocking state to a releasing state. That is, the displacement of the transfer conveyor 210 is used to apply a driving force to the blocking member 231, so that the blocking member 231 can automatically switch to the releasing state, and the blocking member 231 completes the state switch precisely when the transfer conveyor 210 completes the docking, allowing material to pass through the feed inlet. Thus, there is no need to set up an additional drive structure such as a motor to drive the blocking member 231 to switch states, thereby simplifying the structure of the equipment and reducing its manufacturing cost. Of course, in other embodiments, a drive structure can be added to drive the connected blocking member 231, so that the blocking member 231 can switch between the blocking state and the releasing state.

[0074] It should be noted that the feed inlet of the temporary storage conveyor 220 does not specifically mean that the inlet / outlet can only allow materials to flow into the temporary storage conveyor 220 from the outside, but not allow materials to flow out of the temporary storage conveyor 220 through the inlet / outlet. For example, when both the transfer conveyor 210 and the temporary storage conveyor 220 can transport materials in both directions, the materials can flow out of the temporary storage conveyor 220 through the inlet / outlet to the transfer conveyor 210. In this embodiment, the transfer conveyor 210 is located on one side of the temporary storage conveyor 220, and the feed inlet of the temporary storage conveyor 220 refers to the inlet / outlet on the end of the temporary storage conveyor 220 closest to the transfer conveyor 210.

[0075] Please see Figure 8 or Figure 9 Furthermore, the blocking mechanism 230 also includes an elastic reset member 234, which connects the blocking member 231 and the frame 201. When the driven part 233 is not pushed by the transfer platform 210, the blocking member 231 can remain in the blocking state under the action of the elastic reset member 234. Thus, when the transfer platform 210 leaves the docking position and removes its pushing force on the blocking member 231, the blocking member 231 can switch to the blocking state under the elastic force of the elastic reset member 234, thereby further simplifying the structure of the equipment and reducing its manufacturing cost. Of course, in other embodiments, the elastic reset member 234 may not be provided.

[0076] In an embodiment where the blocking member 231 has a driven part 233 for the transfer conveyor 210 to push against, optionally, three temporary storage conveyors 220 are distributed at intervals along the vertical direction, and at least two blocking mechanisms 230 are provided. One blocking mechanism 230 is provided corresponding to the uppermost temporary storage conveyor 220, and the other blocking mechanism 230 is provided corresponding to the lowermost temporary storage conveyor 220. In this way, since there is no corresponding blocking mechanism 230 provided for the intermediate buffer transfer platform, when the transfer conveyor 210 passes through the intermediate buffer transfer platform, it will not be obstructed by the blocking mechanism 230, thus ensuring the normal raising and lowering of the transfer conveyor 210. Of course, in other embodiments, the number of blocking mechanisms 230 and temporary storage conveyor 220 may be the same and they may be set in a one-to-one correspondence. That is, the intermediate temporary storage conveyor 220 may also be provided with blocking mechanisms 230, and at least the blocking mechanism 230 located in the middle may be provided with a clearance function so that when the transfer conveyor 210 needs to continue to move from the docking position, the blocking member 231 of the blocking mechanism 230 can clear the transfer conveyor 210.

[0077] It is understood that the structure of the blocking element 231 can take many forms; for example, please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 8 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 In one embodiment, the blocking member 231 is rotatably connected to the frame 201, the blocking part 232 and the driven part 233 are located on the same side of the rotation axis, and the elastic reset member 234 is located on the other side of the rotation axis; of course, please refer to Figure 9 , Figure 10 , Figure 13 and Figure 14 In another embodiment, the blocking member 231 may be rotatably connected to the frame 201, the blocking part 232 and the driven part 233 may be respectively provided on opposite sides of the rotation axis, and the elastic reset member 234 may be provided close to the driven part 233. Optionally, the elastic reset member 234 may be a tension spring.

[0078] In other embodiments, the driven part 233 and the blocking part 232 of the blocking member 231 may also be separately arranged. The driven part 233 and the blocking part 232 are engaged by a guide slope so that the displacement of the driven part 233 in the vertical direction can be converted into the displacement of the blocking part 232 in the horizontal direction, thereby allowing the blocking part 232 to move laterally into or out of the feed port.

[0079] Please see Figure 4Optionally, in this embodiment, the barrier 231 corresponding to the lowest temporary storage transfer station 220 is of the first form described above, that is, the barrier part 232 and the driven part 233 are located on the same side of the rotation axis, and the elastic reset member 234 is located on the other side of the rotation axis; the barrier 231 corresponding to the highest buffer transfer station is of the second form described above, that is, the barrier 231 is rotatably connected to the frame 201, the barrier part 232 and the driven part 233 are respectively provided on opposite sides of the rotation axis, and the elastic reset member 234 is provided close to the driven part 233.

[0080] It should be noted that, Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 8 , Figure 9 , Figure 10 , Figure 13 and Figure 14 All the blocking components 231 shown are in the blocking state. Figure 11 and Figure 12 All the blocking components 231 shown are in the release state.

[0081] Please see Figure 9 , Figure 10 and Figure 13 Specifically, optionally, the barrier 231 corresponding to the uppermost temporary storage conveyor 220 is provided on the side of the temporary storage conveyor 220 and is roughly in the form of a straight plate. One end of the straight plate is provided with a roughly columnar driven part 233, and the other end serves as a barrier part 232. The transfer conveyor 210 is provided with a pressure block 212 on the side corresponding to the barrier 231. When the pressure block 212 abuts against the driven part 233, the other end of the straight plate (i.e., the barrier part 232) can swing downward so that the barrier part 232 can be dislodged from the feed port.

[0082] Please see Figure 8 and Figure 11 The barrier 231 corresponding to the bottom temporary storage conveyor 220 is provided in front of the temporary storage conveyor 220 and is generally in the form of an L-shaped plate. The L-shaped plate has intersecting short side arms and long side arms. The axis of rotation is located at the end of the short side arm. The driven part 233 is located at the end of the long side arm and is generally columnar. The intersection area of ​​the long side arm and the short side arm serves as the barrier 232. When the lower side of the mounting frame of the transfer conveyor 210 abuts against the driven part 233, the long side arm of the L-shaped plate can swing downward and the intersection area of ​​the long side arm and the short side arm can be dislodged from the feed port.

[0083] Please see Figure 3Furthermore, the transfer device 200 also includes an automatic transfer door 240 that is vertically mounted on the frame 201. The automatic transfer door 240 is located at the discharge port of the temporary storage conveyor 220 and has at least one material passage 241. When the automatic transfer door 240 is open, the material passage 241 is aligned with the temporary storage conveyor 220 to allow material to flow out from the discharge port of the temporary storage conveyor 220. When the automatic transfer door 240 is closed, the material passage 241 is offset from the temporary storage conveyor 220 in the height direction to prevent material from flowing out from the discharge port of the temporary storage conveyor 220. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the discharge port of the temporary storage conveyor 220 refers to the inlet and outlet located at the end away from the transfer conveyor 210.

[0084] Specifically, when materials need to be removed from the material transfer equipment, the automatic transfer door 240 rises or falls to align with the material passage 241 and the temporary storage conveyor 220, allowing the materials to pass through the material passage 241. Thus, when the automatic transfer door 240 is closed, it prevents materials from accidentally flowing out of the temporary storage conveyor 220, thus preventing materials from falling or tipping over, and ensuring the safety of material transportation.

[0085] Please see Figure 15 Furthermore, the material transfer equipment also includes a car 300 located within the elevator 100, and a transfer device 200 located within the car 300. The car 300 is driven by the lifting mechanism to move up and down within the elevator 100. An automatic door for the car 300 is provided on the side where it connects with the elevator entrance 101. The stopping position of the car 300 can be designed to allow each temporary storage conveyor 220 to stop at a height convenient for personnel to operate, thereby improving the user experience.

[0086] It is understandable that the number of layers of the temporary storage conveyor 220 can be determined based on the size of the material and the height of the car 300, the width of the temporary storage conveyor 220 and the number of temporary storage conveyor lines 221 can be determined based on the width of the car 300, and the length of the temporary storage conveyor line 221 can be determined based on the depth of the car 300.

[0087] Please see Figure 1 Furthermore, the elevator 100 is equipped with an automatic elevator door at the elevator entrance 101. An identity recognition system 401 (including but not limited to facial recognition, fingerprint recognition, or iris recognition) and an operating interface 402 are located on the outside of the elevator entrance 101. Through the identity recognition system 401 and the operating interface 402, the automatic opening and closing of the elevator door and the raising and lowering of the transfer device 200 to the designated floor can be achieved. Staff members complete identity verification through the identity recognition system 401 at the elevator entrance 101, which activates the operating interface 402, controlling the automatic opening or closing of the elevator door, the automatic door of the car 300, and the automatic transfer door 240.

[0088] Taking blood banks as an example, their testing or waiting-for-test laboratories are often located on the second floor or above. After collecting blood, staff need to hand over the blood samples to the testing or waiting-for-test department. By applying the material transfer equipment of this invention, staff do not need to go upstairs themselves. They only need to load the sample into the equipment at the stairwell 101 on the first floor, and the sample will be automatically delivered to the stairwell 101 on the floor where the laboratory is located. The following will briefly explain the operation process of the equipment, taking the transportation of samples as an example.

[0089] First, the sample delivery staff clicks on the operation interface 402 to bring the elevator car 300 to the first floor entrance 101. They then complete the identity verification through the identity recognition system 401 set at the entrance 101 to obtain operation permissions, and the operation interface 402 is opened. The elevator automatic door, the elevator car 300 automatic door, and the handover automatic door 240 open automatically.

[0090] Then, the sample delivery personnel place the test tube racks 501 one by one onto the receiving conveyor 210, so that the test tube racks 501 are successively stored in the temporary storage conveyor 220, until the temporary storage conveyor 220 and the receiving conveyor 210 are full of test tube racks 501. At this time, the automatic transfer door 240 is positioned so that its feed opening 241 is staggered from the temporary storage conveyor 220 to prevent the test tube racks 501 from accidentally flowing out of the feed opening 241 and tipping over.

[0091] Next, the sample delivery personnel issued instructions through the operation interface 402 to make the elevator automatic door, the car 300 automatic door, and the handover automatic door 240 automatically close, and to make the car 300 rise to the designated floor.

[0092] Furthermore, when the elevator car 300 stops at the designated floor, the automatic elevator doors, the automatic doors of the car 300, and the automatic transfer door 240 automatically open; the sample receiving personnel then successively retrieve the test tube rack 501 from the car 300. At this time, the automatic transfer door 240 descends to the position where its material passage 241 aligns with the temporary storage conveyor 220, so that the test tube rack 501 can pass through the material passage 241.

[0093] This utility model also proposes an automatic blood sample transfer system, which includes a material transfer device. The specific structure of the material transfer device is as described in the above embodiments. Since this automatic blood sample transfer system adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0094] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present utility model and does not limit the patent scope of the present utility model. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the technical concept of the present utility model and the contents of the present utility model specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A material-handling apparatus characterized by, The application relates to a material transfer equipment, which comprises an elevator (100) provided with a lifting mechanism and at least two elevator doors (101), the at least two elevator doors (101) are arranged on the sides of the elevator (100) in the up-down direction; and a transfer device (200) arranged in the elevator (100), the lifting mechanism is used for driving the transfer device (200) to lift, the transfer device (200) comprises a rack (201), a transfer conveying table (210) and a temporary storage conveying table (220) arranged on the rack (201), the rack (201) is drivingly connected to the lifting mechanism, the transfer conveying table (210) is used for inputting materials to the temporary storage conveying table (220), and the temporary storage conveying table (220) is used for conveying materials to the outside. The temporary storage conveying table (220) is arranged in the up-down direction and is spaced apart, the transfer conveying table (210) is arranged on the rack (201) and can be lifted to be in butt joint with the temporary storage conveying table (220). The temporary storage conveying table (220) comprises a plurality of temporary storage conveying lines (221) arranged in the left-right direction, the transfer conveying table (210) comprises a plurality of transfer conveying lines (211) arranged in the left-right direction, and the transfer conveying lines (211) and the temporary storage conveying lines (221) are arranged in one-to-one correspondence. The material transfer equipment further comprises a counting device electrically connected to the transfer conveying table (210), and the counting device is used for counting the materials on the transfer conveying table (210).

2. The material handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The counting device is an image acquisition and recognition device, the image acquisition and recognition device comprises a processor, a camera (202) electrically connected to the processor, the transfer conveying table (210) is electrically connected to the processor, the transfer conveying table (210) has a collection position corresponding to the temporary storage conveying table (220), the camera (202) is arranged at the upper end of the rack (201) and is used for shooting the transfer conveying table (210) in the collection position, and the processor is used for processing image information shot by the camera (202) to realize counting.

3. The material handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The material transfer equipment further comprises a stopping mechanism (230), the stopping mechanism (230) comprises a blocking piece (231), the blocking piece (231) is movably arranged on the rack (201) and has a blocking state and a release state, in the blocking state, the blocking piece (231) at least partially extends into the feeding port of the temporary storage conveying table (220) to prevent the materials on the transfer conveying table (210) from entering the temporary storage conveying table (220), in the release state, the blocking piece (231) is away from the feeding port of the temporary storage conveying table (220) to enable the materials to enter and exit the temporary storage conveying table (220), and when the transfer conveying table (210) is in butt joint with the temporary storage conveying table (220), the blocking piece (231) is switched to the release state.

4. The material-handling apparatus of claim 3, wherein, ​ 5. The material handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein, ​ 6. The material-handling apparatus of claim 5, wherein, The blocking member (231) is provided with a blocking portion (232) and a driven portion (233) connected with each other, the blocking portion (232) is used for extending into the feeding port of the temporary conveying table (220), and the transfer conveying table (210) can push the driven portion (233) during lifting to the position opposite to the temporary conveying table (220), so as to make the blocking portion (232) switch from the blocking state to the release state.

7. The material-handling apparatus of claim 6, wherein, The blocking mechanism (230) further comprises an elastic reset member (234) connected with the blocking member (231) and the rack (201), and when the driven portion (233) is not pushed by the transfer conveying table (210), the blocking member (231) can be kept in the blocking state under the action of the elastic reset member (234).

8. The material-handling apparatus of claim 7, wherein, The blocking member (231) is rotationally connected with the rack (201), the blocking portion (232) and the driven portion (233) are located on the same side of the rotation axis, and the elastic reset member (234) is located on the other side of the rotation axis. Alternatively, the blocking member (231) is rotationally connected with the rack (201), the blocking portion (232) and the driven portion (233) are respectively arranged on the opposite sides of the rotation axis, and the elastic reset member (234) is arranged close to the driven portion (233).

9. The material handling apparatus of claim 1 wherein, Both ends of the transfer conveying table (210) are provided with first detection sensors (203) for sensing materials; And / or, both ends of the temporary conveying table (220) are provided with second detection sensors (204) for sensing materials; And / or, the transfer conveying table (210) and the temporary conveying table (220) can convey materials in the forward and reverse directions.

10. An automated blood sample handoff system, comprising: The material transfer equipment comprises the material transfer equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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