Dispensing system and dispensing method

Abstract

To provide a dispensing system which makes weighing with high accuracy possible in dispensation of volatile liquid, and a dispensation method.SOLUTION: A dispensing system includes: a weighing part 20 weighing a weighing object mounted on a weighing surface 20S; a discharge part 13 discharging volatile liquid L to a container 3 mounted on the weighing surface 20S; and an exhaust port 33 and an air inlet 34 located below the weighing surface 20S; a cover 30 covering the weighing part 20 and the container 3; an air flow generation part 40 which is located outside the cover 30 and generates an air flow A passing inside the cover 30 from either the exhaust port 33 or the air inlet 34. The air flow A passes below the weighing surface 20S inside the cover 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a dispensing system and a dispensing method using the dispensing system.

Background Art

[0002] In research and development using chemical substances, since harmful substances such as organic solvents may be handled, experiments are conducted using local exhaust facilities to protect researchers and prevent laboratory environmental pollution. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a laboratory bench with a local exhaust device in which a recess is provided in a part of the top plate provided on the laboratory bench, and an exhaust port is provided in the vertical wall of the recess.

[0003] In addition, in experiments that require dispensing of chemical substances, a dispensing system that performs dispensing by electric drive may be used from the viewpoints of protecting researchers and workability. The dispensing system includes, for example, an electric pipette and an electronic balance for weighing the dispensed liquid. When using the dispensing system, in order to prevent ignition of volatile gases due to energization, it is necessary to construct an air flow environment for suppressing the retention of volatile gases.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] On the other hand, when dispensing a liquid by a dispensing system, high-precision weighing may be required depending on its use. In this case, the air flow for suppressing the retention of volatile gases may interfere with the high-precision weighing in the dispensing device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A dispensing system for solving the above problems comprises: a weighing unit for weighing an object placed on a weighing surface; a dispensing unit for dispensing a volatile liquid into a container placed on the weighing surface; a cover that covers the weighing unit and the container, the cover having an opening located below the weighing surface; and an airflow generating unit located outside the cover that generates an airflow that passes through the inside of the cover from the opening, wherein the airflow passes below the weighing surface inside the cover.

[0007] With the above configuration, the opening in the cover is located below the weighing surface, so that the airflow generated by the airflow generator passes mainly below the weighing surface inside the cover. Therefore, the airflow generated by the airflow generator suppresses the accumulation of gases from the volatilized liquid, while also preventing the airflow from adversely affecting the weighing accuracy of the weighing unit. Consequently, high-precision weighing becomes possible.

[0008] In the above dispensing system, it is preferable that the liquid contains one or more components whose vapor density is greater than 1 in its gaseous state. With this configuration, the gas produced when the liquid volatilizes flows downward inside the cover. Therefore, the airflow generated by the airflow generation unit can effectively suppress the accumulation of the gas produced when the liquid volatilizes.

[0009] In the above dispensing system, the airflow generating unit may generate the airflow by blowing air toward the opening. With the above configuration, when the airflow generating unit blows air toward the inlet, the inside of the cover becomes positive pressure. Therefore, for example, the evaporation of the liquid is relatively suppressed compared to when the air inside the cover is sucked in and the inside of the cover becomes negative pressure.

[0010] In the above dispensing system, the airflow generating unit may generate the airflow by drawing in air from inside the cover through the opening. With this configuration, the air inside the cover is actively exhausted, so the gas can be more reliably exhausted to the outside of the cover.

[0011] In the above dispensing system, the cover may include a window located on the upper wall of the cover, and a shutter that can switch between an open state and a closed state of the window. With this configuration, for example, by opening the window before and after weighing, the air inside the cover can be ventilated through the window. Therefore, gas inside the cover with a vapor density less than 1 can be discharged from above.

[0012] In the above dispensing system, the dispensing unit may be configured to move between the inside and outside of the cover through the open window. With this configuration, the dispensing unit can move between the inside and outside of the cover through the window. This allows the dispensing unit to be moved to the outside of the cover after dispensing liquid into a container, for example, thus reducing the time the dispensing unit is exposed to gases released from the volatile liquid. This helps to suppress contamination of the dispensing unit by gases released from the volatile liquid.

[0013] In the above dispensing system, the cover is a first cover, and the dispensing system further comprises a second cover inside the first cover that covers the weighing surface, and the second cover may have a hole on the weighing surface that is sized to allow the container to be placed on it. With the above configuration, by covering the weighing surface with the second cover, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of gas from the volatilized liquid on the weighing surface. This makes it possible to suppress contamination of the weighing section by gas.

[0014] A dispensing method to solve the above problem involves placing a container on a weighing surface provided by a weighing unit located inside a cover, generating an airflow that passes below the weighing surface inside the cover through an opening in the cover located below the weighing surface, discharging a volatile liquid into the container, and weighing the liquid discharged into the container. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, high-precision weighing is possible when dispensing volatile liquids. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the dispensing system of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a side view schematically showing the dispensing system of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a side view schematically showing the configuration of the dispensing system when the height of the weighing surface is smaller than the width of the exhaust port and the width of the air supply port. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the dispensing system of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view schematically showing the dispensing system of the second embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a side view schematically showing the dispensing system of the second embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a side view schematically showing the dispensing system of the second embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the dispensing system of the second embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the dispensing system of the second embodiment. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a perspective view schematically showing the dispensing system of the third embodiment. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the dispensing system of the third embodiment. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a perspective view schematically showing the dispensing system of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a side view schematically showing the dispensing system of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a side view showing a modified example of the dispensing system of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a side view showing a modified example of the dispensing system of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a perspective view schematically showing the dispensing system of the fifth embodiment. [Figure 17]Figure 17 is a schematic side view showing the dispensing system of the fifth embodiment. [Figure 18] Figure 18 is a side view showing examples of modifications to the airflow generation section in each embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] [Dispensing system of the first embodiment] The first embodiment of the dispensing system will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Note that, as an example, each embodiment of the dispensing system is used to dispense volatile liquids in experiments during research and development.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1, the dispensing system 1A of the first embodiment comprises a dispensing device 10, a weighing unit 20, a cover 30, and an airflow generating unit 40. The cover 30 and the airflow generating unit 40 are arranged on the support surface 2S of the support base 2. The dispensing device 10 and the weighing unit 20 are located inside the cover 30. The airflow generating unit 40 is located outside the cover 30.

[0019] In the dispensing system 1A, the container 3 is placed on the weighing unit 20 inside the cover 30. The dispensing device 10 dispenses the volatile liquid L into the container 3. The weighing unit 20 weighs the volatile liquid L dispensed into the container 3. The volatile liquid L dispensed in the dispensing system is, for example, an organic solvent. The volatile liquid L may be composed of a mixture of multiple types of liquids. As an example, the volatile liquid L contains one or more components whose vapor density is greater than 1 in a gaseous state. The volatile liquid L is, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of ethanol, methanol, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, toluene, acetone, ethyl acetate, and butyl acetate.

[0020] The dispensing device 10 comprises a main body 11, a slider 12, and a dispensing unit 13. The main body 11 includes a built-in tank for holding the volatile liquid L. The slider 12 is mounted on the main body 11 so as to be movable in the vertical direction (one-dimensional direction). The dispensing unit 13 is attached to the lower end of the slider 12. The dispensing unit 13 moves vertically relative to the container 3 as the slider 12 moves vertically relative to the main body 11. The motor that drives the slider 12 is an example of a dispensing unit movement mechanism that moves the dispensing unit 13 relative to the container 3, and its operation is controlled by the control device 100. The dispensing unit 13 is an electric pipette, dispenser, or syringe pump. The dispensing unit 13 dispenses the volatile liquid L filled in the built-in tank into the container 3. In the dispensing device 10, the amount of volatile liquid L dispensed is controlled by electrically controlling the operation of the dispensing unit 13.

[0021] The weighing unit 20 is, for example, an electronic balance. The weighing unit 20 has a weighing surface 20S on which the object to be weighed is placed. The weighing unit 20 weighs the object placed on the weighing surface 20S. A container 3 is placed on the weighing surface 20S. The weighing unit 20 weighs the amount of volatile liquid L discharged from the dispensing device 10 by measuring the weight of the container 3 in the state in which the volatile liquid L has been discharged, using the state in which an empty container 3 is placed on the weighing surface 20S as a reference. The container 3 is, for example, a beaker, bottle, or container with an opening at the top. The container 3 may be made of glass, resin, or metal.

[0022] The dispensing device 10 and the weighing unit 20 are connected to, for example, a control device 100. The control device 100 receives the measured values ​​from the weighing unit 20 and controls the operation of each part of the dispensing device 10. The control device 100 comprises, for example, a control unit and a storage unit. The control unit controls the operation of each part of the dispensing device 10. The control unit controls the operation of each part of the dispensing device 10 according to the measured values ​​from the weighing unit 20, for example. The control unit is, for example, a CPU. The storage unit stores, for example, a program for controlling the operation of each part of the dispensing device 10. The storage unit is, for example, an HDD.

[0023] The cover 30, for example, has a hollow rectangular parallelepiped shape. The cover 30 is made of glass, resin, or the like. The cover 30 may be colorless and transparent, colored and transparent, or opaque. The cover 30 has a bottom wall 31. The dispensing device 10 and the weighing unit 20 are arranged on the bottom wall 31. The bottom wall 31 of the cover 30 may be omitted. If the bottom wall 31 is omitted, the cover 30 is arranged to cover the dispensing device 10 and the weighing unit 20 which are placed on the support surface 2S.

[0024] The cover 30 comprises a pair of opposing side walls 32. Of the pair of side walls 32, the side wall 32 on the side of the airflow generating section 40 is the first side wall 32A. The other side wall 32 of the pair is the second side wall 32B. The first side wall 32A has an exhaust port 33 located at its lower end. The second side wall 32B has an air intake port 34 located at its lower end. The exhaust port 33 and the air intake port 34 are aligned in a straight line so that the weighing section 20 is located between them. The cover 30 may also have an opening / closing section in which a part of the wall constituting the cover 30 is configured to be openable and closable. For example, the side wall on the front side of the paper in Figure 1 of the cover 30 may be configured to be openable and closable.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, the exhaust port 33 and the air intake port 34 are openings located below the weighing surface 20S. Therefore, the height H1 from the bottom wall 31 to the weighing surface 20S is greater than the height width W1 at the exhaust port 33 and the height width W2 at the air intake port 34. Note that the widths W1 and W2 may be the same or may be different from each other.

[0026] The volatile liquid L evaporates and changes into gas G under normal temperature and pressure conditions. The gas G fills the container 3 and overflows from it. At this time, since the vapor density of gas G is greater than 1, the gas G that overflows from the container 3 flows downward inside the cover 30.

[0027] The airflow generating unit 40 draws air from inside the cover 30 through the exhaust port 33. As a result, air flows into the inside of the cover 30 through the air intake port 34. This creates an airflow A that passes through the inside of the cover 30. After flowing into the inside of the cover 30 through the air intake port 34, airflow A travels from the air intake port 34 towards the exhaust port 33, mainly in the space below the weighing surface 20S, between the weighing unit 20 and the cover 30. After that, airflow A is discharged to the outside through the exhaust port 33 and then drawn into the airflow generating unit 40. This allows gas G that has flowed downwards inside the cover 30 to be discharged to the outside by airflow A, thus suppressing the accumulation of gas G inside the cover 30. Airflow A has a flow velocity that does not excessively promote volatilization and does not cause gas G to accumulate.

[0028] Here, referring to Figure 3, we will explain the case where the height H1 from the bottom wall 31 to the weighing surface 20S is smaller than the height width W1 at the exhaust port 33 and the height width W2 at the air intake port 34. Even in this case, the gas G generated from the volatile liquid L can be discharged to the outside by the airflow A generated by the airflow generating unit 40. On the other hand, the airflow A passes not only through the space below the weighing surface 20S but also through the space above the weighing surface 20S. If the airflow A passes through the space above the weighing surface 20S, fluctuations in the air on the weighing surface 20S may cause problems such as variations in the measured values ​​by the weighing unit 20 or the inability to measure by the weighing unit 20.

[0029] In this regard, the dispensing system 1A is configured such that the exhaust port 33 and the air intake port 34 are positioned below the weighing surface 20S, so that the airflow A mainly passes below the weighing surface 20S. This suppresses the variation in measurements by the weighing unit 20, thereby improving the accuracy of weighing by the weighing unit 20.

[0030] The dispensing method using the dispensing system 1A begins by placing the container 3 on the weighing surface 20S inside the cover 30. The container 3 is placed, for example, through an opening / closing part provided by the cover 30. Then, an airflow A is generated by the airflow generating unit 40. Note that the airflow A may be generated by the airflow generating unit 40 before the container 3 is placed. Subsequently, the dispensing device 10 drives the slider 12 to bring the dispensing unit 13 closer to the container 3, and while measuring the volatile liquid L in the container 3 with the weighing unit 20, it dispenses the volatile liquid L into the container 3 until the desired amount of volatile liquid L has accumulated in the container 3. For example, the control device 100 drives the dispensing unit 13 so that the volatile liquid L is dispensed from the dispensing unit 13 until the measurement value of the weighing unit 20 reaches the desired amount. After that, the slider 12 is driven to move the dispensing unit 13 away from the container 3. The dispensing of the volatile liquid L is completed by the above procedure. The container 3, into which the volatile liquid L has been dispensed, is removed, for example, through an opening / closing section provided on the cover 30.

[0031] [Effects of the First Embodiment] According to the first embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained. (1-1) The exhaust port 33 and air intake port 34 of the cover 30 are located below the weighing surface 20S, so that the airflow A generated by the airflow generating unit 40 mainly passes below the weighing surface 20S inside the cover 30. Therefore, the airflow A generated by the airflow generating unit 40 suppresses the accumulation of gas G from the volatile liquid L inside the cover 30, while also suppressing the airflow A from adversely affecting the weighing of the weighing unit 20. Thus, high-precision weighing becomes possible.

[0032] (1-2) When the volatile liquid L evaporates, the resulting gas G has a vapor density greater than 1, which makes it easier for the gas G to flow downward inside the cover 30. Therefore, the airflow A generated by the airflow generating unit 40 can effectively suppress the accumulation of gas G.

[0033] [Example of modification of the first embodiment] Furthermore, the first embodiment described above can be implemented with the following modifications. The cover 30 may be equipped with multiple dispensing devices 10 and multiple weighing units 20. In this case, containers 3 may be placed on the weighing surface 20S of each weighing unit 20, and volatile liquid L may be dispensed into each container 3 in parallel.

[0034] The dispensing section 13 may be manually moved to a predetermined position during the preparation stage, rather than being electrically moved relative to the slider 12. Furthermore, the dispensing device 10 does not necessarily have a slider 12. In this case, the dispensing section 13 is fixed in a predetermined position relative to the main body 11.

[0035] As shown in Figure 4, the dispensing system 1A may have a storage tank 4 separate from the dispensing device 10, rather than the main body 11 of the dispensing device 10 having a built-in tank. The storage tank 4 is, for example, a beaker, bottle, or container. The storage tank 4 is located inside the cover 30, for example, but may also be located outside the cover 30. The storage tank 4 holds the volatile liquid L and supplies the volatile liquid L to the dispensing device 10 via the transport pipe 4A. The storage tank 4 is preferably airtight from the viewpoint of preventing the volatile liquid L from volatilizing. The storage tank 4 may be placed on the stage S or on the bottom wall 31.

[0036] [Dispensing system of the second embodiment] The second embodiment of the dispensing system will be described below with reference to Figures 5 to 9. As shown in Figure 5, the dispensing system 1B of the second embodiment includes a dispensing device 50 that is different from the dispensing device 10 of the first embodiment. The operation of the dispensing device 50 is controlled by the control device 100, similar to the dispensing device 10.

[0037] In addition, in the dispensing system 1B, a storage tank 4 is located inside the cover 30. The storage tank 4 is placed, for example, on a stage S located inside the cover 30. The stage S is configured to be, for example, at approximately the same height as the weighing surface 20S. The storage tank 4 has a bottomed cylindrical shape with an opening at the top. The storage tank 4 holds a volatile liquid L. In addition, the dispensing system 1B has the same configuration as the dispensing system 1A of the first embodiment in terms of parts other than those described above.

[0038] The discharge device 50 comprises two support columns 51, a rail section 52, a slider 53, and a discharge section 54. The two support columns 51 are fixed to the support base 2 outside the cover 30. The two support columns 51 extend in the vertical direction. The rail section 52 penetrates the first side wall 32A and the second side wall 32B of the cover 30 and connects the vicinity of the upper ends of the two support columns 51.

[0039] The slider 53 is suspended and supported by the rail section 52. The slider 53 is configured to be movable in both the vertical and horizontal directions relative to the rail section 52, for example, by motor drive. The movement path of the slider 53 when it moves horizontally can be determined by the arrangement of the rail section 52, and may be, for example, one-dimensional or two-dimensional.

[0040] The dispensing section 54 is located at the tip of the slider 53. The dispensing section 54 moves in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional direction as the slider 53 moves relative to the rail section 52. In other words, the rail section 52 and the motor that drives the slider 53 relative to the rail section 52 are an example of a dispensing section movement mechanism. The dispensing section 54 is an electric pipette or dispenser, similar to the dispensing section 13. The dispensing section 54 draws in the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4. The dispensing section 54 dispenses the drawn-in volatile liquid L into the container 3.

[0041] As shown in Figure 6, the dispensing method using the second embodiment of the dispensing system 1B first involves placing an empty container 3 on the weighing surface 20S inside the cover 30. Furthermore, a storage tank 4 is placed on the stage S. The container 3 and storage tank 4 are placed, for example, through an opening and closing part provided in the cover 30. At this time, the volatile liquid L inside the storage tank 4 volatilizes and changes into gas G. The gas G fills the storage tank 4 and overflows from the storage tank 4. At this time, since the vapor density of gas G is greater than 1, the gas G that overflows from the storage tank 4 flows downward inside the cover 30.

[0042] Next, the airflow generator 40 generates an airflow A, which discharges the gas G inside the cover 30 to the outside of the cover 30. Note that the airflow generator 40 may generate the airflow A before installing the container 3 and the storage tank 4. Then, the slider 53 is moved along the rail 52 above the storage tank 4, and then the slider 53 is moved downward until the discharge unit 54 is in contact with the volatile liquid L inside the storage tank 4. After that, the discharge unit 54 draws in the required amount of volatile liquid L, and then the slider 53 is moved upward again.

[0043] As shown in Figure 7, the slider 53 is then moved upward along the rail section 52, and then downward to bring the container 3 closer to the dispensing section 54. The dispensing section 54 then dispenses the aspirated volatile liquid L while measuring the volatile liquid L in the container 3 with the weighing section 20 until the desired amount of volatile liquid L is accumulated in the container 3. Finally, the slider 53 is moved upward again. The dispensing of the volatile liquid L is completed by the above procedure. The container 3, into which the volatile liquid L has been dispensed, is removed, for example, through the opening and closing section of the cover 30.

[0044] [Effects of the second embodiment] According to the second embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained. (2-1) The dispensing system 1B of the second embodiment is equipped with a dispensing unit moving mechanism for moving the dispensing unit 54 in at least two dimensions, vertically and horizontally. This makes it possible to perform an operation in which the dispensing unit 54 draws volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4, and then moves the dispensing unit 54 to dispense the volatile liquid L into the container 3. Furthermore, the dispensing system 1B can also obtain the same effects as those described in (1-1) and (1-2) above.

[0045] [Example of modification of the second embodiment] Furthermore, the second embodiment described above can be implemented with the following modifications. As shown in Figure 8, the entire discharge device 50 may be located inside the cover 30. With this configuration, the rail section 52 does not need to penetrate the cover 30, thus simplifying the structure of the cover 30.

[0046] As shown in Figure 8, the dispensing system 1B of the second embodiment may be equipped with a plurality of weighing units 20. In this case, a container 3 may be installed in each weighing unit 20. With such a configuration, the dispensing unit 54 can dispense the volatile liquid L into the plurality of containers 3 after drawing it from the storage tank 4. Alternatively, the storage tank 4 may be placed outside the cover 30, and a transport tube for dispensing the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4 to the dispensing unit 54 may be provided along the rail section 52 and the slider 53. In this case, the step of the dispensing unit 54 drawing the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4 can be omitted, and the volatile liquid L can be dispensed into the plurality of containers 3.

[0047] The dispensing system 1B of the second embodiment may include a plurality of storage tanks 4. In this case, each storage tank 4 may hold a different type of volatile liquid L. With such a configuration, multiple types of volatile liquid L can be dispensed into a single container 3 in a mixed state. The dispensing system 1B of the second embodiment may also be configured to include a plurality of containers 3 and a plurality of storage tanks 4. In this case, for example, different types of volatile liquid L can be dispensed into each container 3.

[0048] As shown in Figure 9, the dispensing system 1B of the second embodiment may be equipped with a dispensing device 60 having an arm portion 61 instead of the dispensing device 50. A dispensing portion 62 is provided at the tip of the arm portion 61. The arm portion 61 is configured to be movable in three dimensions so that after the dispensing portion 62 has drawn the volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4, the dispensing portion 62 can dispense the volatile liquid L into the container 3. The arm portion 61 is an example of a dispensing portion movement mechanism. The operation of the dispensing device 60 is controlled by the control device 100 in the same way as the dispensing device 50. Even with this configuration, the effects of (2-1) above can be obtained. Furthermore, after the dispensing portion 62 dispenses the volatile liquid L into the container 3, the tip of the dispensing portion 62 can be brought into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the container 3, preventing any volatile liquid L remaining at the tip of the dispensing portion 62 from unexpectedly falling. This makes it possible to further improve weighing accuracy and prevent contamination of the device due to the dropping of volatile liquid L during the movement of the dispensing portion 62.

[0049] [Dispensing system of the third embodiment] The third embodiment of the dispensing system will be described below with reference to Figures 10 and 11. As shown in Figure 10, the dispensing system 1C of the third embodiment includes a dispensing device 10, a weighing unit 20, a cover 30, and an airflow generating unit 40, similar to those of the first embodiment. In the dispensing system 1C, the container 3 and the storage tank 4 are placed on a stage S located inside the cover 30. A description of the configuration similar to that of the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0050] The dispensing system 1C further includes a transport device 70, which is an example of a container transport mechanism for moving the container 3. The transport device 70 comprises an arm portion 71 and a holding portion 72 located at the tip of the arm portion 71. The arm portion 71 is configured to be movable in three dimensions. The holding portion 72 performs the actions of grasping and holding the container 3 and releasing the container 3 by electrical control. The transport device 70 moves the container 3 by driving the arm portion 71 to move the holding portion 72 while the holding portion 72 is holding the container 3, and then releasing the container 3 from the holding portion 72. The holding portion 72 is configured to be able to move the storage tank 4 in the same way as the container 3. The operation of the transport device 70 is controlled by the control device 100.

[0051] The dispensing method using the dispensing system 1C of the third embodiment first involves placing an empty container 3 and a storage tank 4 on the stage S inside the cover 30. The container 3 and storage tank 4 are placed, for example, through an opening / closing section provided by the cover 30. Next, an airflow A is generated by the airflow generating section 40. Note that the airflow A may be generated by the airflow generating section 40 before the container 3 and storage tank 4 are placed. Then, the storage tank 4 is moved to the weighing surface 20S by the conveying device 70, and the discharge device 10 is driven to aspirate the volatile liquid L inside the storage tank 4 with the discharge section 13. After that, the storage tank 4 is moved back onto the stage S by the conveying device 70.

[0052] Next, the empty container 3 is moved to the weighing surface 20S by the conveying device 70, and then the dispensing device 10 is driven to dispense the volatile liquid L into the container 3 from the dispensing section 13. After that, the container 3 containing the volatile liquid L is moved onto the stage S again by the conveying device 70. The dispensing of the volatile liquid L is completed by the above procedure. The container 3 containing the dispensed volatile liquid L is removed, for example, through the opening and closing section of the cover 30. Alternatively, multiple containers 3 may be placed on the stage S in advance, and then the multiple containers 3 may be placed sequentially on the weighing surface 20S for dispensing.

[0053] [Effects of the third embodiment] According to the third embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained. (3-1) The dispensing system 1C of the third embodiment is equipped with a transport device 70, which allows the container 3 and the storage tank 4 to be moved inside the cover 30. Furthermore, the dispensing system 1C can also obtain the same effects as described in (1-1) and (1-2) above.

[0054] [Example of modification of the third embodiment] Furthermore, the third embodiment described above can be implemented with the following modifications. Although the example shows a configuration in which the storage tank 4 is installed inside the cover 30, instead of the storage tank 4, a built-in tank for holding the volatile liquid L may be provided in the main body 11 of the dispensing device 10. In this case, the holding part 72 only needs to be configured to hold at least the container 3.

[0055] As shown in Figure 11, instead of the conveying device 70 which has an arm portion 71 and a holding portion 72, a conveying device 80 that moves the weighing unit 20 and the stage S may be used. The conveying device 80 is an example of a weighing unit moving mechanism that moves the weighing unit 20, and is also an example of a container conveying mechanism that moves the container 3. The conveying device 80 is equipped with rails for moving the weighing unit 20 and the stage S. The rails may extend in one dimension or in two dimensions. The rails are arranged so that the stage S and the weighing unit 20 pass below the discharge portion 13. The conveying device 80 moves the container 3 placed on the weighing unit 20 by moving the weighing unit 20 along the rails. The conveying device 80 moves the storage tank 4 placed on the stage S by moving the stage S along the rails. The operation of the conveying device 80 is controlled by a control device 100. The effects of (3-1) above can also be obtained with this configuration.

[0056] The dispensing system 1C of the third embodiment may include multiple containers 3, similar to the modified example of the second embodiment. In this case, the dispensing unit 13 can draw volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4 and then dispense the volatile liquid L into the multiple containers 3. The dispensing system 1C may also include multiple storage tanks 4. In this case, each storage tank 4 may hold a different type of volatile liquid L. With such a configuration, multiple types of volatile liquid L can be dispensed into a single container 3 in a mixed state. The dispensing system 1C may also be configured to include multiple containers 3 and multiple storage tanks 4. In this case, for example, different types of volatile liquid L can be dispensed into each container 3.

[0057] [Dispensing system of the fourth embodiment] The fourth embodiment of the dispensing system will be described below with reference to Figures 12 to 15. As shown in Figure 12, the dispensing system 1D of the fourth embodiment includes a weighing unit 20, an airflow generating unit 40, and a dispensing device 50, similar to those of the second embodiment. In the dispensing system 1D, the cover 30 includes a window 35 located on the upper wall of the cover 30 and a shutter 36 that closes the window 35. The window 35 is located, for example, directly above the weighing surface 20S. The window 35 is sized to allow the slider 53 and the dispensing unit 54 to pass through. The shutter 36 switches between a state in which the window 35 is open and a state in which the window 35 is closed. The opening and closing of the window 35 by the shutter 36 is, for example, by electric sliding, but it may also be by rotation using a hinge or the like. Because the cover 30 is equipped with a window 35 and a shutter 36, for example, by opening the window 35 before and after weighing, the air inside the cover 30 can be ventilated from the window 35.

[0058] In the dispensing system 1D, the container 3 is placed on the weighing surface 20S of the weighing unit 20 located inside the cover 30. In the dispensing system 1D, the storage tank 4 is placed on the stage S located outside the cover 30. In the dispensing system 1D, the dispensing device 50 is configured so that the dispensing unit 54 can move inside and outside the cover 30 through an open window 35. A description of the configuration similar to that of the second embodiment will be omitted.

[0059] As shown in Figure 13, the dispensing method using the dispensing system 1D of the fourth embodiment first involves placing an empty container 3 on the weighing surface 20S inside the cover 30. The container 3 is placed, for example, through an opening / closing section provided by the cover 30. Next, an airflow A is generated by the airflow generating section 40. Note that the airflow A may be generated by the airflow generating section 40 before the container 3 is placed. Then, the shutter 36 is moved to open the window section 35. In this state, the slider 53 is driven to draw volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4, and then the slider 53 and the discharge section 54 are inserted into the inside of the cover 30 through the window section 35. Subsequently, the volatile liquid L is discharged from the discharge section 54 into the container 3. After that, the slider 53 is driven again to move the slider 53 and the discharge section 54 outside the cover 30 from the window section 35. Finally, the shutter 36 is moved to close the window section 35, completing the dispensing of the volatile liquid L.

[0060] In addition, when the window 35 is open, the measurement accuracy of the weighing unit 20 may decrease due to turbulence in the airflow A. In this case, the discharge unit 54 may be moved from the window 35 to the outside of the cover 30 after discharging the volatile liquid L, and then the window 35 may be closed with the shutter 36 to confirm that the desired volatile liquid L has been dispensed into the container 3. Furthermore, a configuration may be provided to exhaust the gas G generated from the volatile liquid L in the storage tank 4 located outside the cover 30.

[0061] [Effects of the fourth embodiment] According to the fourth embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained. (4-1) The cover 30 is equipped with a window 35 and a shutter 36, which allows for suitable ventilation of the air inside the cover 30 before and after weighing. Furthermore, gases with a vapor density less than 1 present inside the cover 30 can be discharged from above. In addition, the dispensing system 1D can also obtain effects similar to those described in (1-1), (1-2), and (2-1) above.

[0062] (4-2) The discharge section 54 is configured to move between the inside and outside of the cover 30 through the open window section 35, so that after the volatile liquid L is discharged into the container 3, the discharge section 54 can be moved to the outside of the cover 30. This reduces the time that the discharge section 54 is exposed to the gas G from which the volatile liquid L has evaporated. This suppresses contamination of the discharge section 54 by the gas G.

[0063] [Example of modification of the fourth embodiment] Furthermore, the fourth embodiment described above can be implemented with the following modifications. Although the example illustrates a configuration in which the discharge unit 54 draws volatile liquid L from a storage tank 4 located outside the cover 30, a transport tube for transferring volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4 to the discharge unit 54 may be provided along the rail section 52 and the slider 53. In this case, the step of the discharge unit 54 drawing volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4 can be omitted.

[0064] As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the cover 30 may be provided with multiple windows 35 and multiple shutters 36. For example, in the example in Figure 14, the stage S and the storage tank 4 are placed inside the cover 30, and a window 35 and shutters 36 are also provided on the top of the storage tank 4. In this configuration, the discharge unit 54 is moved inside the cover 30 from the window 35 located on the top of the storage tank 4, thereby drawing in the volatile liquid L held by the storage tank 4. Then, the discharge unit 54 is moved inside the cover 30 from the window 35 located on the top of the container 3, thereby discharging the volatile liquid L into the container 3. For example, in the example in Figure 15, a discharge device 60 equipped with an arm 61 and a discharge unit 62 is used instead of the discharge device 50. Even with this configuration, the same effects as in (4-1) and (4-2) can be obtained.

[0065] In the dispensing system 1D, instead of the dispensing device 50, a dispensing device 10 located inside the cover 30 may be used. In this case, the dispensing device 10 does not have a configuration in which the dispensing part 13 moves in and out of the cover 30 through the window part 35. Even with such a configuration, the effects of (4-1) above can be obtained.

[0066] The dispensing system 1D of the fourth embodiment may include multiple containers 3, similar to the modified example of the second embodiment. In this case, the dispensing unit 54 can draw volatile liquid L from the storage tank 4 and then dispense the volatile liquid L into the multiple containers 3. The dispensing system 1D may also include multiple storage tanks 4. In this case, each storage tank 4 may hold a different type of volatile liquid L. With such a configuration, multiple types of volatile liquid L can be dispensed into a single container 3 in a mixed state. The dispensing system 1D may also be configured to include multiple containers 3 and multiple storage tanks 4. In this case, for example, different types of volatile liquid L can be dispensed into each container 3.

[0067] [Dispensing system of the fifth embodiment] The fifth embodiment of the dispensing system will be described below with reference to Figures 16 and 17. As shown in Figure 16, the dispensing system 1E of the fifth embodiment includes a dispensing device 10, a weighing unit 20, a cover 30, and an airflow generating unit 40, similar to those of the first embodiment. The cover 30 is an example of a first cover that covers both the dispensing device 10 and the weighing unit 20. The dispensing system 1E further includes an inner cover 90. The inner cover 90 is an example of a second cover that covers the weighing unit 20 inside the cover 30.

[0068] The inner cover 90 comprises a side wall 91 that covers the side of the weighing section 20 and an upper wall 92 that covers the weighing surface 20S. The upper wall 92 is positioned above the weighing surface 20S and below the opening located at the top of the container 3, and is spaced apart from the weighing surface 20S. The upper wall 92 has a hole 92A, which is a through-hole sized to allow the container 3 to be placed on the weighing surface 20S. The container 3 is placed on the weighing surface 20S through the hole 92A. The weighing surface 20S is covered by the upper wall 92, leaving a gap where the container 3 is placed.

[0069] As shown in Figure 17, when the specific gravity of the gas G that volatilizes from the volatile liquid L is high, the gas G overflowing from the container 3 flows towards the weighing surface 20S located below. At this time, by covering the weighing surface 20S with the inner cover 90, the accumulation of gas G on the weighing surface 20S can be suppressed. This prevents the weighing unit 20 from being contaminated by gas G. Furthermore, it prevents splashes, droplets, or other foreign matter such as dust from the volatile liquid L from adhering to the weighing surface 20S. In addition, adverse effects on weighing, such as variations in the measurement results of the weighing unit 20 caused by the accumulation of gas G on the weighing surface 20S, can be suppressed. Moreover, by covering the weighing unit 20 from the sides and above with the inner cover 90, variations in measurement values ​​due to air fluctuations generated by airflow A inside the cover 30 are less likely to occur.

[0070] [Effects of the Fifth Embodiment] According to the fifth embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained. (5-1) By covering the weighing surface 20S with the inner cover 90, contamination of the weighing section 20 by gas G can be suppressed. Furthermore, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of splashes or droplets of volatile liquid L, or other foreign matter such as dust, to the weighing surface 20S. In addition, adverse effects on the weighing of the weighing section 20 due to air fluctuations caused by gas G and airflow A can be suppressed. Furthermore, the dispensing system 1E can also obtain effects similar to those described in (1-1) and (1-2) above.

[0071] [Example of modification of the fifth embodiment] Furthermore, the fifth embodiment described above can be implemented with the following modifications. In the fifth embodiment, in addition to the configuration of the dispensing system 1A of the first embodiment, a configuration further comprising an inner cover 90 is illustrated, but the configuration of the inner cover 90 is also applicable to the second to fourth embodiments. Furthermore, a cover member may be provided to cover electronic equipment placed inside the cover 30. In this case, the cover member may have a configuration similar to that of the hole 92A, but from the viewpoint of preventing gas G from entering the inside of the cover member, it is preferable that the hole 92A is provided at a position higher than the weighing surface 20S.

[0072] The inner cover 90 may have multiple support parts that support the upper wall 92 instead of the side wall 91. In this case, the space between the multiple support parts becomes a space through which the airflow A can pass. Even with this configuration, the accumulation of gas G on the weighing surface 20S can be suppressed by covering the weighing surface 20S with the upper wall 92.

[0073] [Examples of modifications to the 1st to 5th embodiments] The first to fifth embodiments described above can be implemented with the following modifications. As shown in Figure 18, the airflow generating unit 40 may generate airflow A by blowing air from inside the cover 30. In this case, of the pair of side walls 32 provided by the cover 30, the first side wall 32A on the side of the airflow generating unit 40 is provided with an air intake port 34 through which airflow A flows out of the cover 30. The second side wall 32B is provided with an exhaust port 33 that takes airflow A into the interior of the cover 30. The airflow generating unit 40 generates airflow A that passes through the interior of the cover 30 by blowing air toward the air intake port 34. Therefore, airflow A flows inside the cover 30 from the air intake port 34 toward the exhaust port 33. Thus, the airflow generating unit 40 only needs to be configured to generate airflow A inside the cover 30 from either the exhaust port 33 or the air intake port 34. Even with such a configuration, the same effects as (1-1) and (1-2) above can be obtained. Furthermore, the airflow generating unit 40 blows air toward the air intake port 34, creating positive pressure inside the cover 30. Therefore, the volatilization of the volatile liquid L is relatively suppressed compared to, for example, when the air inside the cover 30 is sucked in and the inside of the cover 30 becomes negative pressure. In addition, when airflow A is generated by sucking in the air inside the cover 30, the configuration actively exhausts the air inside the cover 30, making it easier to control the flow path of airflow A. Therefore, gas G can be exhausted to the outside of the cover 30 more reliably.

[0074] The volatile liquid L may consist of components whose vapor density is 1 or less in the gas G state. In this case, for example, the inside of the cover 30 may be filled with a gas with a lower specific gravity than gas G so that gas G flows downwards. If the volatile liquid L has a vapor density greater than 1 in the gas G state, dispensing can be simplified because it is not necessary to fill the inside of the cover 30 with a gas with a lower specific gravity than gas G.

[0075] The cover 30 does not necessarily have to have separate exhaust ports 33 and air inlets 34; the exhaust port 33 and air inlet 34 may be a single continuous opening. For example, an opening connecting the exhaust port 33 and air inlet 34 may be provided in one side wall connecting the first side wall 32A and the second side wall 32B. In other words, the cover 30 can generate an airflow A that passes through the inside of the cover 30 from below the weighing surface 20S, and within the cover 30, the airflow A only needs to pass below the weighing surface 20S.

[0076] The size and shape of the cover 30 are not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped and may be any shape. For example, the cover 30 may be a hollow cylinder or a dome shape such as a hemisphere.

[0077] [Examples] Examples and comparative examples are described below. Note that the following examples are merely illustrative examples for illustrating the effects of the above embodiments and do not limit the present invention.

[0078] [Example 1] In Example 1, a precision electronic balance (product name: MS304S, manufactured by Mettler-Toledo Co., Ltd.) was placed on a support stand 2 as the weighing unit 20. The height H1 from the support surface 2S to the weighing surface 20S was 80 mm. A beaker was placed on the weighing surface 20S as the container 3. An acrylic plate cover 30 was then installed to cover the front, back, left, right, and top of the weighing unit 20 and the container 3. The external dimensions of the cover 30 were 400 × 400 × 400 (mm). The width W1 of the exhaust port 33 and the width W2 of the air intake port 34 of the cover 30 were both 30 mm. The airflow generating unit 40 was positioned on the exhaust port 33 side, similar to the configuration shown in Figure 1. The airflow generating unit 40 used a mechanism to draw in air from inside the cover 30 so that the wind speed was 0.9 m / sec. In this state, dry ice (vapor specific gravity: 1.6 g / cm³) was placed in the beaker. 3 After adding the ), water was poured in to generate white gas. The presence or absence of white gas retention at this time and the magnitude of the fluctuation in the measurement value of the weighing unit 20 were evaluated.

[0079] Regarding the fluctuation range of the measurement value in the weighing unit 20, a fluctuation range of less than 0.005g was judged as small fluctuation range (○), and a fluctuation range of 0.005g or more was judged as large fluctuation range (×). Regarding the presence or absence of white gas retention, a "○" was judged if the gas generated from the dry ice was ventilated from around the weighing unit 20 and container 3. Conversely, a "×" was judged if the gas generated from the dry ice was retained around the weighing unit 20 and container 3.

[0080] [Comparative Example 1] In Comparative Example 1, the width W1 of the exhaust port 33 and the width W2 of the air intake port 34 of the cover 30 were both set to 80 mm, the same as the height H1 from the support surface 2S to the weighing surface 20S. All other conditions were the same as in Example 1, and the same evaluation was performed as in Example 1.

[0081] [Comparative Example 2] In Comparative Example 2, the cover 30 was omitted, and the airflow generating unit 40 directly drew in the air surrounding the weighing unit 20 and the container 3. All other conditions were the same as in Example 1, and the same evaluation was performed as in Example 1.

[0082] [Comparative Example 3] In Comparative Example 3, the cover 30 was not provided with an exhaust port 33 and an air intake port 34, and a sealed space was formed by the cover 30. Although an airflow generating unit 40 was placed outside the cover 30, the suction by the airflow generating unit 40 did not act on the gas inside the cover 30. All other conditions were the same as in Example 1, and the same evaluation as in Example 1 was performed.

[0083] [Comparative Example 4] In Comparative Example 4, the width W1 of the exhaust port 33 and the width W2 of the air intake port 34 of the cover 30 were both set to 90 mm, which is greater than the height H1 from the support surface 2S to the weighing surface 20S. All other conditions were the same as in Example 1, and the same evaluation as in Example 1 was performed.

[0084] [Comparative Example 5] In Comparative Example 5, the airflow generating unit 40 was not included. All other conditions were kept the same as in Example 1, and the same evaluation was performed as in Example 1. The evaluation results for Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 are shown in Table 1.

[0085] [Table 1]

[0086] As shown in Table 1, in Example 1, no white gas accumulation occurred because the white gas was discharged from the exhaust port 33 (○). In addition, the fluctuation range of the measurement value of the weighing unit 20 was approximately 0.002 g (○).

[0087] In contrast, in Comparative Example 1, the white gas was discharged from the exhaust port 33, so no white gas accumulation occurred (○), but the fluctuation range of the measurement value in the weighing unit 20 was about 0.008 g (×).

[0088] In Comparative Example 2, the white gas was diffused from around the container 3 and weighing unit 20 by airflow A, preventing any accumulation of the white gas (○). However, in the case of diffusion, the diffused gas G may adversely affect surrounding electronic equipment. In this respect, ventilation by straightening the airflow using the cover 30 can suppress the diffusion of gas G. Also, the fluctuation range of the measurement value in the weighing unit 20 was approximately 0.008 g (×).

[0089] In Comparative Example 3, the interior of the cover 30 was a sealed space, resulting in the accumulation of white gas (×). Also, the fluctuation range of the measurement value of the weighing unit 20 was approximately 0.001 g (○). In Comparative Example 4, no white gas accumulation occurred because the white gas was discharged from the exhaust port 33 (○), but the fluctuation range of the measurement value in the weighing unit 20 was approximately 0.120 g (×).

[0090] In Comparative Example 5, since there was no mechanism to actively generate airflow A inside the cover 30, white gas stagnation occurred (×). Also, the fluctuation range of the measurement value of the weighing unit 20 was approximately 0.002 g (○).

[0091] Based on the above, in Comparative Examples 1 to 5, either stagnation occurred or the fluctuation range of the weighed value increased. Therefore, it was confirmed that dispensing using a cover 30 equipped with an exhaust port 33 and an air intake port 34 below the weighing surface 20S allows for safe and highly accurate weighing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] A...Air current G... Gas L...Volatile liquid S... Stage 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E… Dispensing System 3…Container 4…Storage tanks 10,50,60…Discharge device 13,54,62...Discharge part 20...Weighing section 20S…Weighing surface 30...cover 32... Side view 33... Exhaust vent 34...Air supply port 35... Window section 36...Shutter 40...Airflow generation section 70, 80… Transport equipment 90...Inner cover 100...Control device

Claims

1. A weighing unit that weighs the object to be weighed placed on the weighing surface, A dispensing unit for dispensing a volatile liquid into a container placed on the weighing surface, A cover that covers the weighing section and the container, the cover having an opening located below the weighing surface, It comprises an airflow generating unit located outside the cover and generating an airflow that passes through the opening into the inside of the cover, The airflow passes inside the cover below the weighing surface. Dispensing system.

2. The aforementioned liquid contains one or more components whose vapor density is greater than 1 in its gaseous state. The dispensing system according to claim 1.

3. The airflow generating unit generates the airflow by blowing air toward the opening. The dispensing system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The airflow generating unit generates the airflow by drawing in air from inside the cover through the opening. The dispensing system according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The cover includes a window located on the upper wall of the cover, and a shutter that can switch between a state in which the window is open and a state in which the window is closed. The dispensing system according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The discharge section is configured to be movable between the inside and outside of the cover through the open window section. The dispensing system according to claim 5.

7. The aforementioned cover is a first cover, The dispensing system further comprises a second cover inside the first cover that covers the weighing surface, The second cover has a hole on the weighing surface that is large enough to allow the container to be placed on it. The dispensing system according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The container is placed on the weighing surface of the weighing unit located inside the cover. An opening in the cover, located below the weighing surface, generates an airflow inside the cover that passes below the weighing surface. A volatile liquid is dispensed into the aforementioned container. The liquid dispensed into the container is weighed. Dispensing method.

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