Conveying device

Abstract

The objective is to provide a conveying device that enables smooth movement of objects in the forward and backward directions using magnetic force, and preferably, to provide a conveying device that can miniaturize a substantially sealed space while maintaining a substantially sealed state during passage through that space. [Solution] The device comprises a floor plate 2, a transport unit 3 that moves in the front-rear direction below the floor plate 2, and a movable plate 4 that moves in the front-rear direction on the floor plate 2 in conjunction with the movement of the transport unit 3. The transport unit 3 includes a suction support member 5 that extends in the left-right direction and lower suction members 6 provided at the left and right ends of the suction support member 5, respectively. The movable plate 4 includes upper suction members 7 provided at positions opposite to the lower suction members 6, and convex portions 8 provided on the lower surface of the movable plate 4, on the front and rear of each of the upper suction members 7.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device that utilizes magnetic force, and preferably relates to a conveying device that can pass through a substantially sealed space while maintaining a substantially sealed state within the space.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, samples such as cell suspensions dispersed in a fixing solution such as cell Carnoy's solution obtained from peripheral blood or bone marrow fluid may be dropped onto a slide glass for subsequent inspections. In this case, in order to obtain chromosomes in a state suitable for inspection, it is desirable that the dropping be performed within a sealed or substantially sealed space where the temperature and humidity are controlled. Therefore, it has been performed within a chamber having a sealed or substantially sealed space. From the perspective of efficiency, etc., a plurality of slide glass holders for holding a plurality of slide glasses are installed in the chamber at the same time, and the plurality of slide glass holders in the chamber are rotated for each dropping. However, there has been a problem that the chamber has to be enlarged in order to rotate a plurality of slide glass holders in the chamber.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an analytical sample conveying device including a sample stage, a lid that can be fitted to the sample stage to form a sealed space for holding a sample, lid lifting means for moving the lid in the vertical direction, sample stage slide means for horizontally moving the sample stage, locking means for locking the horizontal movement of the sample stage directly below the lid, and an airtight material for blocking the sealed space from the outside air when the sample stage and the lid are fitted together.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses an analytical sample conveying device in a sealed space, but the vertical movement of the lid is performed using a magnet, and it does not move in the front-rear direction using a magnet.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-086250 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a conveying device that enables smooth movement of an object in the forward and backward direction using magnetic force, and more preferably, to provide a conveying device that can reduce the size of a substantially sealed space while maintaining a substantially sealed state within that space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A first embodiment of the present invention provides a conveying device 1 comprising a floor plate 2, a conveying unit 3 that moves in the front-rear direction below the floor plate 2, and a movable plate 4 that moves in the front-rear direction on the floor plate 2 in conjunction with the movement of the conveying unit 3, wherein the conveying unit 3 comprises a suction support member 5 that extends in the left-right direction and lower suction members 6 provided at the left and right ends of the suction support member 5, and the movable plate 4 comprises upper suction members 7 provided at positions opposite to the lower suction members 6, and convex portions 8 provided on the lower surface of the movable plate 4, on the front and rear of each of the upper suction members 7.

[0008] A conveying device according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that a chamber 9 is provided on the floor plate 2 and on the movement path of the movable plate 4, the inside of the chamber 9 is a substantially sealed space with controlled temperature and humidity, and the chamber 9 is provided with a first entrance / exit 10 and a second entrance / exit 11 of the movable plate 4.

[0009] A third aspect of the present invention is a transport device characterized in that the moving plate 4 is equipped with a slide glass holder 12 capable of holding a plurality of slide glasses, the chamber 9 is equipped with a ceiling portion 13, and the ceiling portion 13 is equipped with the same number of dripping holes 14 as the plurality of slide glasses. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the magnetic force of either or both of the lower suction member and the upper suction member allows the moving plate to move in the front-rear direction as the transport unit moves in the front-rear direction, and by interposing a convex portion to reduce the frictional resistance between the moving plate and the floor plate, the front-rear movement of the moving plate can be made smooth.

[0011] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the movable plate can be moved in the front-rear direction by the magnetic force of either or both of the lower suction member and the upper suction member. Since the transport section can be provided in the floor plate of the part where the chamber is provided without leaving a gap, the movable plate can pass through the chamber while maintaining a substantially sealed state inside the chamber.

[0012] According to a third aspect of the present invention, since the slide glass holder of the movable plate holds multiple slide glasses and moves back and forth, there is no need to rotate the multiple slide glasses within the chamber, making it possible to miniaturize the chamber, i.e., the substantially sealed space. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing an overall example of the conveying device of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an enlarged front view showing a part of an example of the conveying device of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a partially perspective view showing a part of an example of the conveying device of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a plan view showing an example of the movable plate of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a bottom view showing an example of the movable plate of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a plan view showing an example of a state in which a slide glass holder is provided on the movable plate of the present invention and the slide glass holder holds the slide glass. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the conveying device 1 of the present invention comprises a floor plate 2, a conveying unit 3 that moves in the front-rear direction below the floor plate 2, and a movable plate 4 that moves in the front-rear direction on the floor plate 2 in conjunction with the movement of the conveying unit 3. The conveying unit 3 comprises a suction support member 5 that extends in the left-right direction and lower suction members 6 provided at the left and right ends of the suction support member 5, respectively. The movable plate 4 comprises upper suction members 7 provided at positions opposite to the lower suction members 6, and convex portions 8 provided on the lower surface of the movable plate 4, on the front and rear of each of the upper suction members 7.

[0015] The floor plate 2 is the floor that forms the transport path of the transport device 1. The floor plate 2 is not particularly limited as long as it has a certain strength and is made of a non-magnetic material, but for example, it is a plate-like object made of resin or the like. Preferably, the floor plate 2 has a thickness of 3 mm to 10 mm. By setting the thickness of the floor plate 2 within this preferred range, the magnetic force of either or both of the lower suction member 6 and the upper suction member 7 makes it possible to move the moving plate 4 more smoothly in the front-rear direction.

[0016] A transport unit 3 is provided below the floor plate 2, and the transport unit 3 moves in the front-rear direction below the floor plate 2. In the present invention, the front-rear direction is the direction that appears in the left-right direction in Figure 1, and movement in the front-rear direction means movement in the forward direction, that is, movement from the first lifting shelf 15 toward the second lifting shelf 16, and movement in the backward direction, that is, movement from the second lifting shelf 16 toward the first lifting shelf 15.

[0017] The transport unit 3 is, for example, mounted on a transport guide 17 and moves in the front-rear direction along the transport guide 17. The transport mechanism of the transport unit 3 is provided within the housing 18 and is composed of appropriate driving means such as a motor. The transport unit 3 can be moved between a position approximately below the first lifting shelf 15 and a position approximately below the second lifting shelf 16.

[0018] The conveying unit 3 includes a suction support member 5 extending in the left - right direction. In the present invention, the left - right direction is the direction appearing on the front side and the back side in FIG. 1, and means the direction orthogonal to the front - back direction of the present invention. The suction support member 5 is, for example, a slender plate - shaped metal member in an L - shape when viewed from the front, although it is not limited thereto.

[0019] The suction support member 5 includes lower suction members 6 at both left and right ends. The lower suction member 6 can be directly supported by the suction support member 5. However, for example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower suction member 6 can also be provided on the suction support member 5 via any suction holding member 19 provided at the left and right ends of the suction support member 5. Although only one lower suction member 6 appears in FIGS. 1 - 3 due to the nature of the drawing, actually another one is provided on the back side of the drawing, and a total of two are provided.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 4 - 6, the moving plate 4 is a substantially flat - plate - shaped member, which can be made of, for example, resin although it is not limited thereto. The flat - plate portion of the moving plate 4 (the flat - plate - shaped portion where the upper suction member 7, the convex portion 8, the slide - glass holder 12, etc. do not exist) preferably has a thickness of 5 mm to 15 mm. As shown in FIG. 3, the moving plate 4 has a width substantially the same as that of the floor plate 2.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the moving plate 4 includes upper suction members 7 at positions facing the lower suction members 6 respectively. The conveying device 1 moves the moving plate 4 as the lower suction member 6 and the upper suction member 7 attract each other or either the lower suction member 6 or the upper suction member 7 attracts the other along with the movement of the conveying unit 3. Therefore, for example, when using magnets as the lower suction member 6 and the upper suction member 7, if the upper side of the lower suction member 6 is the N - pole and the lower side is the S - pole, the upper suction member 7 is also configured such that the upper side is the N - pole and the lower side is the S - pole. If the upper side of the lower suction member 6 is the S - pole and the lower side is the N - pole, the upper suction member 7 is also configured such that the upper side is the S - pole and the lower side is the N - pole.

[0022] The transport device 1 moves the transport plate 4 as the transport unit 3 moves, by the magnetic force of either the lower suction member 6 or the upper suction member 7, or by the magnetic force of either one or both of them, causing either the lower suction member 6 or the upper suction member 7 to attract the other, or by causing the lower suction member 6 and the upper suction member 7 to attract each other. Therefore, in the present invention, the lower suction member 6 and the upper suction member 7 can be a combination in which one of them is an electromagnet or other type of magnet and the other is made of iron, or a combination in which both are electromagnets or other type of magnets, and they just need to be materials that have the property of causing either the lower suction member 6 or the upper suction member 7 to attract the other, or causing the lower suction member 6 and the upper suction member 7 to attract each other, by the magnetic force of either one or both of them.

[0023] In the present invention, neodymium magnets can preferably be used as the lower suction member 6 and the upper suction member 7. In the present invention, since the lower suction member 6 and the upper suction member 7 are attracted to each other via the floor plate 2 and moved back and forth, a certain strength of attraction is required, so it is desirable to use neodymium magnets that can withstand this strength as the lower suction member 6 and the upper suction member 7.

[0024] As shown in Figure 5, the movable plate 4 has convex portions 8 provided on the lower surface of the movable plate 4, on the front and rear of each of the upper suction members 7. The convex portions 8 are projections that protrude downwards to a height of about 1 to 5 mm, and can be shaped like, for example, a pin with a rounded tip or a hemisphere, or rollers, ball casters, etc. can be used as convex portions 8. If the convex portions 8 are not provided, the frictional resistance between the movable plate 4 and the floor plate 2 is too great, making it difficult for the movable plate 4 to move smoothly, but by providing the convex portions 8, the movable plate 4 can move smoothly.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conveying device 1, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, includes a chamber 9 on a floor plate 2 and along the movement path of a movable plate 4. The chamber 9 has a substantially sealed space inside, formed by the front, rear, left, and right side walls 20, the ceiling 13, and the floor plate 2. The temperature and humidity of the substantially sealed space inside the chamber 9 are controlled and managed. For example, air with controlled temperature and humidity is introduced into the chamber 9 through a front hole 21 provided in the front side wall 20, and the air inside the chamber 9 is exhausted through a side hole 22 provided in either the left side or right side wall 20, or both, thereby controlling and adjusting the temperature and humidity of the air inside the chamber 9.

[0026] Here, in order to make the movable plate 4 movable in the front-rear direction by the magnetic force of either or both of the lower suction member 6 and the upper suction member 7, the transport section 3 can be provided on the floor plate 2 in the part where the chamber 9 is provided without leaving a gap to connect the movable plate and the transport section. As a result, the movable plate 4 can pass through the chamber 9 while maintaining a substantially sealed state inside the chamber 9.

[0027] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the chamber 9 is provided with a first inlet 10 and a second inlet 11 for the movable plate 4 to pass through the chamber 9. In Figures 2 and 3, the first inlet 10 is located at the lower end of the rear side wall 20 of the chamber 9, and the second inlet 11 is located at the lower end of the front side wall 20 of the chamber 9.

[0028] The first entrance / exit 10 and the second entrance / exit 11 are configured to open when the movable plate 4 moves, by being pushed by the front or rear of the movable plate 4, or in a preferred configuration described later, by the slide glass holder 12. Therefore, the first entrance / exit 10 and the second entrance / exit 11 are normally closed as shown in Figures 2 and 3, but when the movable plate 4 enters the chamber 9, the front of the movable plate 4, or in a preferred configuration described later, the slide glass holder 12, pushes the first entrance / exit 10 from the outside of the chamber 9, pushing the first entrance / exit 10 inward, and the movable plate 4 enters the chamber 9. When the movable plate 4 moves from inside the chamber 9 to outside the chamber 9, the front of the movable plate 4, or in a preferred configuration described later, the slide glass holder 12, pushes the second entrance / exit 11 from the inside of the chamber 9, pushing the second entrance / exit 11 outward, and the movable plate 4 moves out of the chamber 9. The above explanation describes the case when the movable plate 4 moves forward, that is, from the first lifting shelf 15 towards the second lifting shelf 16. When the movable plate 4 moves backward, that is, from the second lifting shelf 16 towards the first lifting shelf 15, the operation is the reverse of the above.

[0029] As described above, coupled with the fact that the chamber 9 is equipped with a first inlet / outlet 10 and a second inlet / outlet 11, the movable plate 4 can pass through the chamber 9 while maintaining a nearly sealed state inside the chamber 9.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 6, the movable plate 4 is equipped with a slide glass holder 12 capable of holding a plurality of slide glass. In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the movable plate 4 is equipped with two slide glass holders 12, each capable of holding four slide glass.

[0031] If the movable plate 4 is equipped with a slide glass holder 12, the movable plate 4 may be equipped with a connecting member 23 for holding the slide glass holder 12, and the connecting member 23 provided on the movable plate 4 can hold the slide glass holder 12.

[0032] Thus, since the slide glass holder 12 of the movable plate 4 holds multiple slide glasses and moves back and forth, there is no need to rotate multiple slide glasses within the chamber, making it possible to miniaturize the chamber 9, that is, the substantially sealed space.

[0033] The chamber 9 is equipped with a ceiling portion 13, and the ceiling portion 13 is provided with the same number of drip holes 14 as the number of slides held by the slide glass holder 12. Specifically, the drip holes 14 are provided in the part of the ceiling portion 13 that corresponds to directly above the center position of the slide when the movable plate 4 is in the position inside the chamber 9 (the position shown in Figures 2 and 3). In Figure 3, eight slides are held in the slide glass holder 12, so eight drip holes 14 are also provided.

[0034] From the drop hole 14, an appropriate sample (not shown) is dropped onto the glass slide. As described above, the chamber 9 remains nearly airtight even when the movable plate 4 holding the glass slide passes through it, making it possible to control and adjust the temperature and humidity inside the chamber 9 to an appropriate state according to the properties of the sample.

[0035] Furthermore, while it is conceivable that acetic acid or the like may be used as a sample, if a gap is provided in the floor plate to connect the moving plate and the transport unit, the acetic acid or the like may travel through the gap and come into contact with the transport unit, potentially leading to a malfunction of the transport unit. However, in the present invention, there is no need to connect the moving plate 4 and the transport unit 3, and no gap is provided in the floor plate 2, thus preventing malfunctions of the transport unit 3 and other components caused by samples such as acetic acid.

[0036] The operation of a preferred embodiment of the conveying device 1 of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figure 1. The starting point of the transport unit 3 and the movable plate 4 is approximately below the first lifting shelf 15. Each shelf of the first lifting shelf 15 is fitted with a movable plate 4, each equipped with two slide glass holders 12 that hold multiple slide glasses. The first movable plate 4, placed on the lowest shelf of the first lifting shelf 15, is attracted to the transport unit 3 via the floor plate 2 by the magnetic force of either or both of its upper suction member 7 and the lower suction member 6 of the transport unit 3. The transport mechanism of the transport unit 3 (not shown) is activated, and the transport unit 3 moves forward along the transport guide 17, i.e., towards the second lifting shelf 16, and the movable plate 4, which is attracted to the transport unit 3, also moves accordingly. When the movable plate 4 passes through the first entrance / exit 10 and the transport unit 3 and the movable plate 4 enter the chamber 9, the sample is dropped from the dropping hole 14 onto the slide glasses held in the slide glass holders 12. When the movable plate 4 passes through the second entrance / exit 11, the transport unit 3 and the movable plate 4 continue to move forward, reaching a position approximately below the second lifting shelf 16, which is the endpoint. At this point, as the shelf of the second lifting shelf 16 rises, the movable plate 4, which was attached to the transport unit 3, is lifted to the lowest shelf of the second lifting shelf 16 and rises away from the transport unit 3. The transport unit 3, now separated from the movable plate 4, moves backward, that is, towards the first lifting shelf 15, and returns to the starting point via the second entrance / exit 11 and the first entrance / exit 10. As the first lifting shelf 15 descends, the transport unit 3 attaches the second movable plate 4, which has reached the lowest shelf, via the floor plate 2, and thereafter repeats the same operation as the first movable plate 4. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0037] 1. Conveying device 2 floorboards 3. Conveying section 4. Mobile plate 5. Suction support member 6 Lower suction member 7 Upper suction member 8. Convex part 9 chambers 10 First entrance / exit 11 Second entrance 12 Slide glass holder 13 Ceiling 14 Dripping hole 15 First Lifting Shelf 16. Second lifting shelf 17 Conveyor Guide 18 Housing 19 Suction holding member 20 side wall 21 Front hole 22 Lateral hole 23 Connecting member

Claims

1. Floorboard 2 and A transport unit 3 moves in the front-rear direction below the floor plate 2, The system includes a movable plate 4 that moves in the front-rear direction on the floor plate 2 as the transport unit 3 moves, The transport unit 3, A suction support member 5 extending in the left-right direction, The suction support member 5 is equipped with lower suction members 6 provided at the left and right ends, respectively. The aforementioned movable plate 4 An upper suction member 7 is provided at a position opposite to the lower suction member 6, The conveying device 1 is characterized by having convex portions 8 provided on the lower surface of the movable plate 4, on the front and rear of each of the upper suction members 7.

2. The floor plate 2 is provided with a chamber 9 on the movement path of the movable plate 4, The interior of the chamber 9 is a substantially sealed space where temperature and humidity are controlled. The conveying device 1 according to claim 1, characterized in that the chamber 9 is provided with a first entrance / exit portion 10 and a second entrance / exit portion 11 of the movable plate 4.

3. The movable plate 4 includes a slide glass holder 12 capable of holding multiple slide glasses, The chamber 9 is equipped with a ceiling portion 13. The transport device 1 according to claim 2, characterized in that the ceiling portion 13 is provided with the same number of dripping holes 14 as the plurality of slide glasses.

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