A feeding system with a cap removal function

Abstract

The application relates to a feeding system with a cap removing function, which comprises a rack, the rack comprising a base, the base being provided with a pushing assembly and a feeding assembly; a test tube rack used for placing test tubes, the test tube rack being provided with a plurality of and uniformly arranged above the base, the pushing assembly being used for pushing the test tube rack to a working area of the feeding assembly; a sensor used for detecting whether the test tube has a tube cap and outputting a signal; a cap removing device mounted on the base, the cap removing device comprising a clamping mechanism and a cap removing mechanism, when the cap removing device receives the signal that the sensor outputs that the test tube has a tube cap, the clamping mechanism is used for clamping the test tube with the tube cap to be capped, and the cap removing mechanism is used for capping the test tube. The application has the effects of integrating the code scanning and cap removing operations on the test tube and preventing invalid operations on the test tube, thereby improving the efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of test tube opening equipment, and in particular to a feeding system with a cap removal function. Background Technology

[0002] In many fields such as biomedicine and chemical experiments, test tube handling is a fundamental and crucial workflow. For example, large-scale sample testing and drug development involve the use and processing of numerous test tubes. An efficient and accurate test tube feeding system can significantly improve overall work efficiency, reduce labor costs, and thus accelerate research and production, playing a vital role in promoting the rapid development of related fields.

[0003] However, existing large-scale fully automated production line systems are typically expensive and complex, making them unsuitable for laboratories of all sizes. They usually employ mechanical or pneumatic grippers to hold the test tubes in place, and a specialized decapping head removes the caps through rotation or lifting. However, when handling mixed batches of samples (i.e., containing both capped and uncapped tubes), they lack the ability to intelligently identify and selectively handle these components, resulting in low efficiency. Therefore, there is an urgent need in the field for a more compact, cost-effective, and streamlined feeding system. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a feeding system with a cap removal function.

[0005] The feeding system with cap removal function provided in this application adopts the following technical solution: A feeding system with cap removal function includes: A frame, the frame including a base, the base being equipped with a pushing assembly and a feeding assembly; A test tube rack is provided for placing test tubes. Multiple test tube racks are provided and evenly arranged above the base. The pushing component is used to push the test tube rack to the working area of ​​the feeding component. A sensor, used to detect whether the test tube has a cap and output a signal; A cap removal device is mounted on the base. The cap removal device includes a clamping mechanism and a cap removal mechanism. When the cap removal device receives a signal from the sensor that the tube has a cap, the clamping mechanism clamps the test tube with the cap to be removed, and the cap removal mechanism removes the cap from the test tube.

[0006] By adopting the above technical solution, the pushing component can push the test tube rack containing test tubes to the working area of ​​the feeding component. The sensor can detect whether the test tube has a cap and output a signal. When a cap is detected, the clamping mechanism of the cap removal device clamps the test tube, and the cap removal mechanism removes the cap from the test tube, thus realizing the cap removal function in the feeding process.

[0007] Preferably, a storage tray is mounted on the base, the test tube rack is located inside the storage tray, and the pushing assembly includes a first guide rail, a first movable seat, a pusher block, a first pulley group, and a first motor fixedly mounted on the base. The first movable seat is slidably connected to the first guide rail. Two pushers are provided and are arranged parallel to each other on the first movable seat at intervals. The first pulley group and the first motor are located below the base. The first motor drives the first pulley group to drive the first movable seat to slide along the guide rail. A pushing groove is opened at the bottom of the storage tray, and the first movable seat drives the pusher block to move in the pushing groove.

[0008] By adopting the above technical solution, a loading tray is installed on the machine frame base and the test tube rack is placed in it. The first motor of the pushing component drives the first pulley group to make the first moving seat slide along the first guide rail, which drives the push block to move in the push groove at the bottom of the loading tray. This can stably push the test tube rack that is evenly arranged above the base to the working area of ​​the feeding component, thus realizing the orderly transportation of the test tube rack.

[0009] Preferably, the feeding assembly includes a second guide rail, a second movable seat, a push rod, a second pulley set, and a second motor, all fixedly installed on the base. The second movable seat is slidably connected to the second guide rail. The push rod is fixedly installed on the second movable seat. The second pulley set and the second motor are located below the base. The second motor drives the second pulley set to move the second movable seat along the guide rail. The second movable seat drives the push rod to move the test tube rack toward the sensor.

[0010] By adopting the above technical solution, the second motor drives the second pulley group to slide the second moving seat along the second guide rail, so that the push rod fixed on the second moving seat pushes the test tube rack to move towards the sensor, realizing the automatic feeding of the test tube rack from the working area of ​​the pusher component to the sensor, thereby improving the automation level and working efficiency of the feeding system.

[0011] Preferably, the clamping mechanism includes a pneumatic gripper and a clamping block. Two clamping blocks are provided, both fixedly mounted on the pneumatic gripper. The opposing surfaces of the clamping blocks are provided with limiting grooves that cooperate with the test tube.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, a pushing component and a feeding component are installed on the base of the frame. Multiple test tube racks evenly arranged above the base hold test tubes. The pushing component pushes the test tube racks to the working area of ​​the feeding component. The sensor detects whether the test tube has a cap and outputs a signal. The cap removal device starts when it receives the signal that there is a cap. Furthermore, two clamping blocks are installed using pneumatic grippers, and the surface of the clamping blocks has limiting grooves that match the test tubes. This can effectively and stably clamp the test tubes with caps to be removed, which facilitates the subsequent cap removal operation of the cap removal mechanism.

[0013] Preferably, the cap removal mechanism includes a mounting base, a clamping arm, a rotary drive assembly, and a vertical lifting assembly. The mounting base is fixedly mounted on the base. The rotary drive assembly and the vertical lifting assembly are both mounted on the mounting base. The clamping arm is used to clamp the cap of the test tube from above. The rotary drive assembly is connected to the clamping arm. The vertical lifting assembly is connected to the clamping arm and is used to drive the clamping arm to move vertically closer to or away from the test tube.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, the frame base is equipped with a pushing component, a feeding component, and a cap removal device. The pushing component can push the test tube rack containing the test tubes to the working area of ​​the feeding component. The sensor detects whether the test tube has a cap, and the cap removal device can remove the cap when it detects that there is a cap. At the same time, the cap removal mechanism consists of a mounting base, a clamping arm, a rotary drive component, and a vertical lifting component. The vertical lifting component can drive the clamping arm to move closer to or away from the test tube in the vertical direction, which facilitates clamping the test tube cap from above. In conjunction with the rotary drive component, the cap removal operation is completed on the test tube, realizing the automatic cap removal function and improving the automation level and working efficiency of the feeding system.

[0015] Preferably, the vertical lifting assembly includes a third motor, a threaded rod connected to the output shaft of the third motor, a bushing sleeved on the threaded rod, a connecting block fixedly connected to the bushing sleeve, and a connecting rod, wherein both ends of the connecting rod are fixedly connected to the connecting block and the clamping arm, respectively.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, in a feeding system with a cap removal function, a pushing assembly, a feeding assembly, and a cap removal device are installed on the frame base. The pushing assembly pushes the test tube rack in the placement tray to the working area of ​​the feeding assembly. Sensors detect whether the test tubes have caps, and the cap removal device removes the caps from the test tubes based on the signal. The third motor of the vertical lifting assembly drives the threaded rod to rotate, causing the bushing to move the connecting block and connecting rod, realizing the vertical movement of the clamping arm towards or away from the test tubes, facilitating the cap removal mechanism to remove the caps from the test tubes.

[0017] Preferably, the rotary drive assembly includes a fourth motor, a first pulley connected to the fourth motor, and a second pulley sleeved on the connecting rod, wherein the first pulley and the second pulley are connected by a drive belt.

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, the first pulley is driven to rotate by the fourth motor, and the second pulley sleeved on the connecting rod is driven to rotate by the transmission belt, thereby causing the connecting rod and the clamping arm connected thereto to rotate, realizing the rotation operation of the test tube cap, and cooperating with other components of the cap removal mechanism to complete the cap removal work of the test tube.

[0019] Preferably, it also includes a scanning mechanism, which includes a U-shaped frame fixedly installed on the frame, a scanner, a rotating assembly, and a clamping assembly. The scanner, the rotating assembly, and the clamping assembly are all installed on the U-shaped frame. The rotating assembly includes a fifth motor, a third pulley driven by the fifth motor, and a fourth pulley driven by the third pulley. The fourth pulley is coaxially connected to a rotating wheel.

[0020] By adopting the above technical solution, a barcode scanning mechanism is added to the feeding system with cap removal function. The barcode scanner, rotating component and clamping component are fixed by a U-shaped frame. The fifth motor drives the rotating wheel to rotate through the third and fourth pulleys, which can perform barcode scanning operation on the test tubes and realize the acquisition and identification of test tube information.

[0021] Preferably, the clamping assembly includes a sixth motor, a fifth pulley driven by the sixth motor, a sixth pulley driven by the fifth pulley, and two rollers. The sixth pulley is driven by a lead screw, which is connected to a third movable seat. The two rollers are spaced apart and connected to the third movable seat.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, the feeding system with cap removal function realizes the functions of test tube feeding, cap removal and barcode scanning. The sixth motor drives the fifth and sixth pulleys to drive the screw to rotate and drive the third moving seat to move, thereby adjusting the position of the two rollers, which can stably clamp the test tube and facilitate the barcode scanning mechanism to perform barcode scanning operation on the test tube.

[0023] Preferably, the storage tray includes an inner tray, and a feeding area and a receiving area are formed between the inner tray frame and the storage tray frame along the length of the storage tray. A fixing groove is provided at one end of the test tube rack. The inner tray frame near the feeding area and the storage tray frame located in the receiving area and away from the inner tray are both in an "L" shape structure that cooperates with the fixing groove.

[0024] By adopting the above technical solution, a feeding area and a receiving area are formed between the inner plate frame and the storage plate frame along the length of the storage plate, which facilitates the feeding and receiving of materials. At the same time, by using the "L"-shaped frame structure to cooperate with the test tube rack fixing groove, the test tube rack can be stably placed and positioned in the corresponding area, ensuring the stability and accuracy of the feeding system operation.

[0025] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: 1. By setting up independent pusher and feeder components, the batch transport of test tube racks and the precise feeding of individual test tubes are separated, which significantly improves the positioning accuracy of the feeding process and the operational stability of the entire system. 2. The sensor detects whether the test tube has a cap. The cap removal device removes the cap from the test tubes based on the detection signal, avoiding invalid operations on uncapped test tubes, improving the reliability and stability of the operation, directly reducing the unnecessary wear and energy consumption of the equipment, and extending the service life of the equipment. 3. This feeding system can reduce labor costs, improve overall work efficiency, and meet the requirements of modern experiments and production for high efficiency and precision. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a feeding system with a cap removal function provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a feeding system (without test tube rack) with cap removal function provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A structural diagram from another perspective; Figure 4 yes Figure 1 An enlarged schematic diagram of part A in the middle; Figure 5 yes Figure 1 Enlarged schematic diagram of part B; Figure 6 yes Figure 2 An enlarged schematic diagram of section C; Figure 7 yes Figure 3 An enlarged schematic diagram of section D; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the cap removal device.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Frame; 11. Base; 12. Pushing assembly; 121. First guide rail; 122. First movable seat; 123. Push block; 124. First pulley group; 125. First motor; 13. Feeding assembly; 131. Second guide rail; 132. Second movable seat; 133. Push rod; 134. Second pulley group; 135. Second motor; 14. Placing tray; 141. Push groove; 142. Inner tray; 143. Feeding area; 144. Receiving area; 2. Test tube rack; 21. Test tube; 22. Fixing groove; 3. Sensor; 4. Cap removal device; 41. Clamping mechanism; 411. Pneumatic gripper; 412. Clamping block; 4121. Limiting groove; 42. Cap removal mechanism; 421. Installation 422. Seat; 423. Clamping arm; 423. Rotary drive assembly; 4231. Fourth motor; 4232. First pulley; 4233. Second pulley; 424. Vertical lifting assembly; 4241. Third motor; 4242. Threaded rod; 4243. Bushing; 4244. Connecting block; 4245. Connecting rod; 5. Scanning mechanism; 51. U-shaped frame; 52. Scanner; 53. Rotating assembly; 531. Fifth motor; 532. Third pulley; 533. Fourth pulley; 534. Rotating wheel; 54. Clamping assembly; 541. Sixth motor; 542. Fifth pulley; 543. Sixth pulley; 544. Roller; 545. Lead screw; 546. Third moving seat; 6. Waste collection trough; 7. Control console. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The described embodiments are only possible technical implementations of this utility model, but are not limited thereto. Other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art in conjunction with the embodiments of this utility model without creative effort are also within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0029] In modern high-throughput laboratories for biomedicine, clinical diagnostics, and drug screening, automated sample pretreatment is a crucial step in ensuring testing efficiency and data quality. With the dramatic increase in the number of samples tested, automated systems play a vital role in processing large volumes of samples, reducing human error, and improving overall workflow efficiency. An automated system typically needs to process samples from different departments, projects, and even institutions. These samples may arrive at the laboratory in varying pretreatment states. Some samples may have already been opened and processed at their point of origin, while others are brand new, unprocessed samples. When these diverse samples are integrated into the same processing batch, a mixture of capped and uncapped samples naturally results in a situation where samples from different sources are mixed.

[0030] In the entire automated pretreatment process, the automatic removal of caps from test tubes (or "opening the cap") is a core step, a prerequisite for subsequent operations such as sample separation, transfer, analysis, or barcode scanning. Currently, various automated cap removal technologies exist on the market. These systems typically use mechanical or pneumatic grippers to hold the test tube, and then a specially designed cap removal head removes the cap through rotation or lifting. Their mechanical structure and level of automation have reached a high level, enabling compatibility with test tubes and caps of different sizes and types.

[0031] However, existing technologies typically employ a preset, mandatory operating mode: once a test tube is detected being transported to the capping station, the system assumes the tube is capped and indiscriminately activates the capping robotic arm to perform the capping action. Although some systems use sensors to probe the top of the test tube for precise positioning of the capping head, they lack a crucial pre-judgment mechanism: first verifying whether the cap is actually present, and then conditionally deciding whether to perform the capping operation based on the verification result.

[0032] This "forced assumption"-based operating mode leads to a series of significant technical problems in practical applications. First, it performs numerous unnecessary operations, such as repeatedly removing caps from already opened test tubes. In high-throughput environments where every second counts, this not only wastes valuable equipment time but also consumes unnecessary energy, directly reducing the system's effective output. Second, it introduces additional points of failure into the system, reducing operational reliability. When the decapping head attempts to grab a non-existent cap, it is highly susceptible to mechanical collisions, positioning errors, or program malfunctions, causing equipment downtime and requiring manual intervention—contradicting the "unattended" goal of automation. Third, this unnecessary operation increases the risk of sample contamination, as the decapping head may introduce dust or aerosols into an already opened sample. Fourth, frequent and ineffective mechanical movements accelerate the physical wear of key components such as the cap removal gripper and motor, shorten the equipment life, and increase maintenance costs and downtime. This application mainly adopts a feeding system design with cap removal function, which achieves the effect of improving the efficiency and accuracy of feeding and cap removal operations of test tube 21. The following is a further detailed description of this application.

[0033] refer to Figures 1-3 The present application provides a feeding system with a cap removal function, including a frame 1, a test tube rack 2, a sensor 3, and a cap removal device 4.

[0034] The frame 1 has a base 11 equipped with a pusher assembly 12 and a feed assembly 13. Multiple test tube racks 2, evenly arranged above the base 11, are used to hold test tubes 21. The pusher assembly 12 can push the test tube racks 2 to the working area of ​​the feed assembly 13. The sensor 3 detects whether the test tubes 21 have caps and outputs a signal. The cap removal device 4 is installed on the base 11. When the sensor 3 outputs a signal that there are caps, the clamping mechanism 41 of the cap removal device 4 clamps the test tubes 21 with caps to be removed, and the cap removal mechanism 42 removes the caps from the test tubes 21. This realizes the automated operation of feeding and removing caps from the test tubes 21, improves work efficiency and accuracy, and avoids the errors and inefficiencies of manual operation.

[0035] refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 Specifically, the frame 1 includes a base 11, which is the supporting foundation of the entire system. It is generally made of high-strength metal materials, such as stainless steel, which has good stability and durability.

[0036] The base 11 is equipped with a pusher assembly 12 and a feeder assembly 13. The pusher assembly 12 and the feeder assembly 13 work together to transport the test tube rack 2.

[0037] The feeding assembly 12 includes a first guide rail 121, a first movable seat 122, a pusher block 123, a first pulley assembly 124, and a first motor 125, all fixedly mounted on the base 11. The first guide rail 121 is typically a linear guide rail. The first movable seat 122 is a block structure slidably connected to the first guide rail 121; it can be made of aluminum alloy, which is lightweight and has sufficient strength. Two pushers 123 are provided and spaced parallel to each other on the first movable seat 122. The pushers 123 can be rectangular blocks made of steel, possessing a certain degree of hardness. The first pulley assembly 124 and the first motor 125 are located below the base 11. The first pulley assembly 124 consists of a driving pulley, a driven pulley, and a transmission belt. The driving pulley is connected to the output shaft of the first motor 125. The first motor 125 drives the driving pulley to rotate, which in turn drives the driven pulley to rotate via the transmission belt, thereby causing the first movable seat 122 to slide along the guide rail. The first motor 125 can be a stepper motor, capable of precisely controlling the rotation angle and speed.

[0038] A storage tray 14 is mounted on the base 11, and the test tube rack 2 is located inside the storage tray 14. A push groove 141 is provided at the bottom of the storage tray 14. The first moving seat 122 drives the push block 123 to move within the push groove 141, and the push block 123 pushes the test tube rack 2 forward through the push groove 141. The width and depth of the push groove 141 are adapted to the push block 123 to ensure that the push block 123 can move smoothly within it.

[0039] refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 7 Specifically, the feeding assembly 13 includes a second guide rail 131, a second movable seat 132, a push rod 133, a second pulley group 134, and a second motor 135, all fixedly mounted on the base 11. The second guide rail 131, similar to the first guide rail 121, is also a high-precision linear guide rail, providing guidance for the movement of the second movable seat 132. The second movable seat 132 is connected to the second guide rail 131 and can slide on it. The push rod 133 is fixedly mounted on the first movable seat 122. The push rod 133 can be a rectangular rod made of carbon steel, possessing high strength. The second pulley assembly 134 and the second motor 135 are located below the base 11. The structure of the second pulley assembly 134 is the same as that of the first pulley assembly 124, consisting of a driving pulley, a driven pulley, and a transmission belt. The second motor 135 drives the second pulley assembly 134 to move the second movable seat 132 along the guide rail. The second movable seat 132 drives the push rod 133 to push the test tube rack 2 towards the sensor 3, thereby loading the test tube rack 2. The second motor 135 can also be a stepper motor for precise control of the loading position.

[0040] That is, the pushing component 12 pushes a fully loaded test tube rack 2 from the loading area 143 to the inspection position. The motor of the loading component 13 is a stepper motor. The loading component 13 pushes the test tube rack 2 step by step at the inspection position, so that it passes through the working area of ​​the sensor 3 and the cap removal device 4 row by row or one by one, so that it is aligned with the center of the sensor 3 and the cap removal device 4.

[0041] Specifically, sensor 3 is a "high-precision laser displacement sensor" that shines vertically downwards onto the top of the test tube. By accurately measuring the distance from the sensor to the reflective surface, the "high position" when the tube cap is present and the "low position" when the tube cap is absent can be clearly distinguished, thus making a reliable judgment. When test tube 21 passes by, it is used to sense whether there is a test tube cap on the test tube 21 on the test tube rack 2. If a test tube cap is detected, it is removed by the cap removal device 4. If no test tube cap is detected, test tube 21 enters the barcode scanner 52 for scanning. The installation position of the sensor must be precisely adjusted to ensure that it can accurately detect the status of the test tube cap 21.

[0042] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 8Specifically, the cap removal device 4 includes a clamping mechanism 41 and a cap removal mechanism 42. The clamping mechanism 41 includes a pneumatic gripper 411 and a clamping block 412. The pneumatic gripper 411 is generally driven by a double-acting cylinder, which can achieve rapid opening and closing actions. Two clamping blocks 412 are provided, both fixedly mounted on the pneumatic gripper 411. The pneumatic gripper 411 is a mature technology known to those skilled in the art. The opposing surfaces of the clamping blocks 412 are provided with limiting grooves 4121 that fit the test tube 21. The shape of the limiting grooves 4121 is generally designed as an arc according to the outer diameter of the test tube 21, which can better fit the test tube 21 and ensure the stability of clamping.

[0043] refer to Figure 8 The cap removal mechanism 42 includes a mounting base 421, a clamping arm 422, a rotary drive assembly 423, and a vertical lifting assembly 424. The mounting base 421 is fixedly mounted on the base 11, supporting the entire cap removal mechanism 42. The mounting base 421 can be a plate-like structure made of cast iron. The clamping arm 422 is used to clamp the cap of the test tube 21 from above. It can be a pneumatic gripper commonly used by those skilled in the art, and its front end is usually designed to fit the shape of the cap, such as a fork or ring, to accurately grasp the cap. The rotary drive assembly 423 is connected to the clamping arm 422 and drives the clamping arm 422 to rotate. The vertical lifting assembly 424 is connected to the clamping arm 422 and drives the clamping arm 422 to move vertically towards or away from the test tube 21. The vertical lifting assembly 424 includes a third motor 4241, a threaded rod 4242 connected to the output shaft of the third motor 4241, a bushing 4243 sleeved on the threaded rod 4242, a connecting block 4244 fixedly connected to the bushing 4243, and a connecting rod 4245. The third motor 4241 can be a servo motor, capable of precisely controlling speed and torque. The threaded rod 4242 is connected to the output shaft of the third motor 4241. When the third motor 4241 rotates, the threaded rod 4242 rotates accordingly, and the bushing 4243 moves linearly on the threaded rod 4242. The bushing 4243 drives the connecting rod 4245 through the connecting block 4244, thereby driving the clamping arm 422 to move vertically.

[0044] The rotary drive assembly 423 includes a fourth motor 4231, a first pulley 4232 connected to the fourth motor 4231, and a second pulley 4233 sleeved on the connecting rod 4245. The first pulley 4232 and the second pulley 4233 are connected by a transmission belt. The rotation of the fourth motor 4231 drives the first pulley 4232 to rotate, which in turn drives the second pulley 4233 to rotate via the transmission belt, thereby causing the connecting rod 4245 and the clamping arm 422 to rotate. A waste collection tank 6 is provided near the center of the tray 14. Its function is to collect the test tube caps that fall off during the cap removal process. The rotary drive assembly 423 can drive the clamping arm 422 to be positioned above the waste collection tank 6 to discard the removed caps or to be positioned above the clamping mechanism 41 to remove the caps from the test tubes 21 to be capped.

[0045] refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 Specifically, it also includes a scanning mechanism 5, which comprises a U-shaped frame 51 fixedly mounted on the frame 1, a barcode scanner 52, a rotating assembly 53, and a clamping assembly 54. The U-shaped frame 51 is welded from steel and provides mounting support for the other components of the scanning mechanism 5. The barcode scanner 52 is generally a laser barcode scanner, which can quickly and accurately read the QR code information on the test tube 21. The rotating assembly 53 includes a fifth motor 531, a third pulley 532 driven by the fifth motor 531, and a fourth pulley 533 driven by the third pulley 532. The fourth pulley 533 is coaxially connected to a rotating wheel 534. The rotation of the fifth motor 531 drives the third pulley 532 to rotate, which in turn drives the fourth pulley 533 and the rotating wheel 534 to rotate via a transmission belt. The rotating wheel 534 can drive the test tube 21 to rotate, facilitating omnidirectional scanning by the barcode scanner 52.

[0046] The clamping assembly 54 includes a sixth motor 541, a fifth pulley 542 driven by the sixth motor 541, a sixth pulley 543 driven by the fifth pulley 542, and two rollers 544. A lead screw 545 is driven by the sixth pulley 543, and a third movable seat 546 is connected to the lead screw 545. The two rollers 544 are spaced apart and connected to the third movable seat 546. The rotation of the sixth motor 541 drives the fifth pulley 542 to rotate, which in turn drives the sixth pulley 543 to rotate via a transmission belt. The sixth pulley 543 drives the lead screw 545 to rotate, which in turn moves the third movable seat 546, thereby adjusting the distance between the two rollers 544 and clamping the test tube 21.

[0047] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 5Specifically, the storage tray 14 includes an inner tray 142. A loading area 143 and a receiving area 144 are formed along the length of the storage tray 14 between the frame of the inner tray 142 and the frame of the storage tray 14. A fixing groove 22 is provided at one end of the test tube rack 2. The frame of the inner tray 142 near the loading area 143 and the frame of the storage tray 14 located in the receiving area 144 and away from the inner tray 142 both have an "L"-shaped structure that mates with the fixing groove 22. This structural design allows the test tube rack 2 to be accurately fixed in the loading area 143 and the receiving area 144, ensuring operational stability. The receiving area 144 is equipped with the same pushing component 12 and pushing groove 141 structure as the loading area 143, for placing and collecting the test tube rack 2 after the cap removal and barcode scanning operations have been completed.

[0048] All components of this system are controlled by the control console 7, which is fixedly installed on the base 11. The control console 7 integrates a PLC system. After the cap removal device 4 completes its operation, its built-in sensor or motor encoder will return a completion signal to the PLC. Only after the PLC receives the signal will it instruct the feeding component 13 to proceed to the next step.

[0049] The control logic of this embodiment is as follows: After the cap removal and barcode scanning operations are completed on the test tubes 21 on the test tube rack 2, the first motor 125 of the pushing assembly 12 drives the push block 123 to move the test tube rack 2 located in the feeding area 143 toward the feeding assembly 13. The second motor 135 drives the push rod 133 to move the test tube rack 2 toward the cap removal device 4. At this time, the sensor 3 senses whether the test tube 21 has a cap. If not, the push rod 133 continues to work to move the next test tube 21 into the sensor 3 area. If the test tube 21 has a cap, the pneumatic gripper 411 works to clamp the test tube 21 to be capped. At this time, the fourth motor 4231 drives the clamping arm 422 to rotate so that the clamping arm 422 is directly above the test tube 21 to be capped. The third motor 4241 drives the clamping arm 422 to move downward, and the clamping arm 422 clamps the test tube 21 to remove the cap. After the cap is removed, the fourth motor 4231 drives the clamping arm 422 to rotate so that the clamping arm 422 is above the waste collection tank 6. The clamping arm 422 is released so that the cap falls into the waste collection tank 6. When the test tube 21 without the cap enters the working area of ​​the barcode scanner 52, the sixth motor 541 of the clamping assembly 54 drives the roller 544 to move toward the rotating wheel 534 to clamp and stabilize the test tube 21. The fifth motor 531 drives the rotating wheel 534 to rotate, thereby driving the test tube 21 to rotate axially. The barcode scanner 52 performs a barcode scanning operation on the test tube 21. After the barcode scanning operation is completed, the feeding assembly 13 continues to work.

[0050] To ensure system stability and unattended operation capability, the console 7 and its PLC system in this application also integrate key exception handling logic: a. Cap Removal Failure Handling: After the cap removal mechanism 42 completes the "lifting" action, sensor 3 will perform a secondary inspection of the test tube. If the signal indicates that the cap is still present, the PLC will determine that "cap removal failed." At this time, the system can execute a retry procedure. If the retry still fails, the PLC will record the error information of the test tube rack and tube position, skip all subsequent operations on the test tube (such as barcode scanning), and send it along with the test tube rack to a specific error channel in the receiving area 144, or issue an alarm on the operation interface to prompt manual intervention.

[0051] b. Clamping / Scanning Failure Handling: When the clamping mechanism 41 or the clamping component 54 of the scanning mechanism 5 performs the clamping action, the current of its drive motor (such as the sixth motor 541) or the encoder feedback is monitored in real time. If the preset clamping torque or position is not reached within the specified time (possibly due to test tube position deviation or missing), the PLC determines it as "clamping failure". Similarly, if the barcode scanner 52 still cannot read the barcode after the test tube has rotated one revolution (driven by the rotating component 53), it is determined as "scanning failure". For both types of failures, the system will also record the error information and skip the faulty tube to ensure the continuity of batch sample processing.

[0052] The implementation principle of a feeding system with a cap removal function in this application embodiment is as follows: This feeding system with a cap removal function automates a series of operations, including feeding, detection, barcode scanning, and cap removal of test tubes 21, through the coordinated work of its components. The pushing component 12 and the feeding component 13 accurately transport the test tube rack 2 to the corresponding positions. The sensor 3 accurately detects the cap condition. The cap removal device 4 removes the caps from the test tubes 21 according to the detection signal. The barcode scanning mechanism 5 can scan and identify the test tubes 21.

[0053] The embodiments described in this specific implementation are preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A feeding system with a cap removal function, characterized in that, include: The frame (1) includes a base (11), which is equipped with a pushing assembly (12) and a feeding assembly (13); Test tube rack (2), the test tube rack (2) is used to place test tubes (21), the test tube rack (2) is provided in multiple and evenly arranged above the base (11), the pusher assembly (12) is used to push the test tube rack (2) to the working area of ​​the feeding assembly (13); Sensor (3), the sensor (3) is used to detect whether the test tube (21) has a cap and output a signal; A cap removal device (4) is mounted on the base (11). The cap removal device (4) includes a clamping mechanism (41) and a cap removal mechanism (42). When the cap removal device (4) receives a signal from the sensor (3) that there is a cap, the clamping mechanism (41) is used to clamp the test tube (21) with the cap to be removed, and the cap removal mechanism (42) is used to remove the cap from the test tube (21).

2. The feeding system with cap removal function according to claim 1, characterized in that: A storage tray (14) is installed on the base (11), and the test tube rack (2) is located inside the storage tray (14). The pushing assembly (12) includes a first guide rail (121), a first movable seat (122), a pusher block (123), a first pulley group (124), and a first motor (125) fixedly installed on the base (11). The first movable seat (122) is slidably connected to the first guide rail (121), and the pusher block (123) is provided with two parallel... The first movable seat (122) is arranged parallel to each other at intervals. The first pulley group (124) and the first motor (125) are located below the base (11). The first motor (125) drives the first pulley group (124) to drive the first movable seat (122) to slide along the guide rail. The bottom of the storage tray (14) is provided with a push groove (141). The first movable seat (122) drives the push block (123) to move in the push groove (141).

3. A feeding system with a cap removal function according to claim 2, characterized in that: The feeding assembly (13) includes a second guide rail (131), a second movable seat (132), a push rod (133), a second pulley group (134), and a second motor (135) fixedly installed on the base (11). The second movable seat (132) is slidably connected to the second guide rail (131). The push rod (133) is fixedly installed on the second movable seat (132). The second pulley group (134) and the second motor (135) are located below the base (11). The second motor (135) drives the second pulley group (134) to drive the second movable seat (132) to slide along the guide rail. The second movable seat (132) drives the push rod (133) to push the test tube rack (2) toward the sensor (3).

4. A feeding system with a cap removal function according to claim 3, characterized in that: The clamping mechanism (41) includes a pneumatic gripper (411) and a clamping block (412). The clamping block (412) has two clamping blocks, both of which are fixedly mounted on the pneumatic gripper (411). The surfaces of the clamping blocks (412) facing each other are provided with limiting grooves (4121) that cooperate with the test tube (21).

5. A feeding system with a cap removal function according to claim 4, characterized in that: The cap removal mechanism (42) includes a mounting base (421), a clamping arm (422), a rotary drive assembly (423), and a vertical lifting assembly (424). The mounting base (421) is fixedly mounted on the base (11). The rotary drive assembly (423) and the vertical lifting assembly (424) are both mounted on the mounting base (421). The clamping arm (422) is used to clamp the cap of the test tube (21) from above. The rotary drive assembly (423) is connected to the clamping arm (422). The vertical lifting assembly (424) is connected to the clamping arm (422) and is used to drive the clamping arm (422) to move vertically closer to or away from the test tube (21).

6. A feeding system with a cap removal function according to claim 5, characterized in that: The vertical lifting assembly (424) includes a third motor (4241), a threaded rod (4242) connected to the output shaft of the third motor (4241), a bushing (4243) sleeved on the threaded rod (4242), a connecting block (4244) fixedly connected to the bushing (4243), and a connecting rod (4245). The two ends of the connecting rod (4245) are fixedly connected to the connecting block (4244) and the clamping arm (422), respectively.

7. A feeding system with a cap removal function according to claim 6, characterized in that: The rotary drive assembly (423) includes a fourth motor (4231), a first pulley (4232) that is drivenly connected to the fourth motor (4231), and a second pulley (4233) that is sleeved on the connecting rod (4245). The first pulley (4232) and the second pulley (4233) are drivenly connected by a transmission belt.

8. A feeding system with a cap removal function according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a barcode scanning mechanism (5), which includes a U-shaped frame (51) fixedly installed on the frame (1), a barcode scanner (52), a rotating assembly (53) and a clamping assembly (54). The barcode scanner (52), the rotating assembly (53) and the clamping assembly (54) are all installed on the U-shaped frame (51). The rotating assembly (53) includes a fifth motor (531), a third pulley (532) that is driven by the fifth motor (531) and a fourth pulley (533) that is driven by the third pulley (532). The fourth pulley (533) is coaxially connected to the rotating wheel (534).

9. A feeding system with a cap removal function according to claim 8, characterized in that: The clamping assembly (54) includes a sixth motor (541), a fifth pulley (542) driven by the sixth motor (541), a sixth pulley (543) driven by the fifth pulley (542), and two rollers (544). The sixth pulley (543) is driven by a lead screw (545), and the lead screw (545) is connected to a third movable seat (546). The two rollers (544) are spaced apart and connected to the third movable seat (546).

10. A feeding system with a cap removal function according to claim 2, characterized in that: The storage tray (14) includes an inner tray (142). The inner tray (142) and the storage tray (14) form a feeding area (143) and a receiving area (144) along the length of the storage tray (14). The test tube rack (2) has a fixing groove (22) at one end. The inner tray (142) near the feeding area (143) and the storage tray (14) in the receiving area (144) and away from the inner tray (142) are both in an "L" shape that matches the fixing groove (22).

Images