Circulation device and sample analyzer

Abstract

To provide a circulation device, a circulation method and a sample analysis device.SOLUTION: A circulation device comprises a mounting frame, a carry-in mechanism provided at the mounting frame, a carry-out mechanism, a collection mechanism and a transportation mechanism. The carry-in mechanism is used for supplying a placement box in which a reaction container is stored. The carry-out mechanism is used for carrying out the placement box in which the reaction container from the carry-in mechanism is stored. The collection mechanism is used for collecting the placement box from which the reaction container from the carry-out mechanism is unloaded. The transportation mechanism includes a transportation assembly corresponding to the carry-in mechanism, the carry-out mechanism and the collection mechanism simultaneously. The transportation assembly is used for carrying in the placement box in which the reaction container is stored from the carry-in mechanism to the carry-out mechanism and used also for transporting the placement box from which the reaction container is unloaded from the carry-out mechanism to the collection mechanism. Thus, a structure of the circulation device can be made compact.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of medical devices, and particularly to a circulation device and a sample analysis device equipped with the same.

Background Art

[0002] The circulation device is usually used to convey a mounting box on which a reaction vessel is placed to a carry-out mechanism, and a manipulator takes out the reaction vessel on the mounting box. After all the reaction vessels on the mounting box are taken out, the empty mounting box is conveyed to a recovery mechanism of the circulation device for reuse of the mounting box. However, in the conventional circulation device, since the path along which the mounting box moves to the carry-out mechanism and the path along which the mounting box moves from the carry-out mechanism to the recovery mechanism are complex, the entire circulation device becomes enlarged, which affects the compactness of the structure of the circulation device.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] One of the technical problems to be solved by the present invention is how to structurally make the circulation device more compact.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] A circulation device comprising a mounting base, and a loading mechanism, a carry-out mechanism, a recovery mechanism, and a transfer mechanism provided on the mounting base. The loading mechanism is used to supply a mounting box containing a reaction vessel. The carry-out mechanism is used to carry out the mounting box containing the reaction vessel from the loading mechanism. The recovery mechanism is used to recover the mounting box from which the reaction vessel has been unloaded from the carry-out mechanism. The transfer mechanism includes a transfer assembly that simultaneously corresponds to the loading mechanism, the unloading mechanism, and the recovery mechanism, and the transfer assembly is used both to transport the storage box containing the reaction vessel from the loading mechanism to the unloading mechanism, and to transport the storage box with the reaction vessel unloaded from the unloading mechanism to the recovery mechanism.

[0005] In one embodiment, the route by which the aforementioned storage box is transported from the loading mechanism to the unloading mechanism and the route by which it is transported from the unloading mechanism to the recovery mechanism are the same.

[0006] In one embodiment, the mounting frame includes a base and a support base slidably connected to the base, the loading mechanism and the retrieval mechanism are both provided on the support base, and the unloading mechanism is fixed to the base.

[0007] In one embodiment, the transfer mechanism is provided on the support base.

[0008] In one embodiment, the support base is provided with a storage chamber, an entry hole, and a recovery hole, both of which communicate with the storage chamber, the transport assembly is partially housed within the storage chamber, the entry mechanism is provided at the location of the entry hole, and the recovery mechanism is provided at the location of the recovery hole.

[0009] In one embodiment, the base is further provided with a push-pull timing belt connected to the support base.

[0010] In one embodiment, the transport assembly includes two conveyor belt units spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the direction of gravity, and the aforementioned storage box is placed on the conveyor belt units.

[0011] In one embodiment, the transfer assembly further includes a pivot shaft and a drive unit, the two conveyor belt units being fitted onto opposite ends of the pivot shaft, and the drive unit being located between the two conveyor belt units and rotating the pivot shaft.

[0012] In one embodiment, the transfer mechanism further includes a transfer body that corresponds one-to-one with the conveyor belt unit, the transfer body including a receiving plate and a fixing plate and a regulating plate connected to opposite ends of the receiving plate, the fixing plate and the regulating plate are located on opposite sides of the receiving plate in the thickness direction, the receiving plate is provided to pass through the gap between the tension side and the slack side of the conveyor belt unit, and the fixing plate and the regulating plate are located on opposite sides of the conveyor belt unit.

[0013] In one embodiment, the loading mechanism includes a loading bracket for placing the aforementioned storage box, and the unloading mechanism includes an unloading bracket for placing the aforementioned storage box, and the widths of both the loading bracket and the unloading bracket are smaller than the gap between the two conveyor belt units.

[0014] In one embodiment, both the loading bracket and the unloading bracket move in the direction of gravity relative to the mounting frame, and the aforementioned storage box moves on the transport assembly in a direction perpendicular to the direction of gravity.

[0015] In one embodiment, the loading mechanism further includes a support plate rotatably provided on the mounting frame, the support plate being rotatable about a central axis perpendicular to the direction of gravity, and having a retracted position where it is detached from the aforementioned storage box and a support position on which the aforementioned storage box is placed.

[0016] In one embodiment, the loading mechanism further includes a motor provided on the mounting frame, the motor rotates the support plate.

[0017] In one embodiment, the recovery mechanism includes a recovery bracket for placing the aforementioned storage box, wherein the width of the recovery bracket is greater than the gap between the two conveyor belt units.

[0018] In one embodiment, the retrieval bracket moves in the direction of gravity relative to the mounting frame, and the storage box moves on the transport assembly in a direction perpendicular to the direction of gravity.

[0019] In one embodiment, the retrieval bracket includes a rotatably connected sliding portion and a reversing portion, the sliding portion being slidable relative to the mounting frame, and the reversing portion being rotatable about a central axis perpendicular to the direction of gravity and having a mounting position on which the aforementioned storage box can be placed, and in the process of the sliding portion moving in close proximity to the conveyor belt unit, the aforementioned storage box can be rotated away from the aforementioned mounting position by pushing the reversing portion.

[0020] In one embodiment, the recovery bracket further includes an elastic portion connected between the sliding portion and the reversing portion, the elastic portion storing energy as the reversing portion moves away from the previously described position, and the elastic portion releasing energy to move the reversing portion closer to the previously described position.

[0021] In one embodiment, there are two sliding parts, the spacing direction of the two sliding parts is the same as the spacing direction of the two conveyor belt units, and the distance between the two sliding parts is greater than the gap between the two conveyor belt units.

[0022] In one embodiment, the loading mechanism, the unloading mechanism, and the recovery mechanism are all located above the transport assembly.

[0023] The sample analyzer is equipped with a circulation device as described in any one of the above items. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] One of the technical effects of an embodiment of the present invention is as follows. The transfer assembly conveys the placement box containing the reaction vessel from the loading mechanism to the unloading mechanism to realize the unloading of the placement box. After the reaction vessel on the placement box is unloaded on the unloading mechanism, the transfer assembly conveys the placement box from which the reaction vessel has been unloaded from the unloading mechanism to the recovery mechanism to realize the recovery of the placement box. Therefore, the unloading process of the placement box and the recovery process of the placement box are realized by the same transfer assembly, eliminating the need to provide other transfer assemblies. In this way, not only can the structure of the entire circulation device be simplified, but the entire circulation device can be miniaturized, structurally more compact, and the space occupied by the circulation device in the equipment can be reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1] It is a perspective schematic view showing the structure of the placement box. [Figure 2] It is a perspective schematic view showing the structure of the circulation device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a schematic view showing a partial structure of the circulation device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a schematic view showing a partial structure including the mounting base and the transfer mechanism in the circulation device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a schematic view showing the structure from another perspective of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a schematic view showing a partial structure including the base, the push-pull timing belt, and the push-pull motor in the circulation device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] It is a schematic view showing a partial structure including the loading mechanism in the circulation device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 8] It is a schematic view showing the structure in which the support plate is in the support position and supports the placement box in the circulation device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 9] It is a perspective schematic view showing the structure of the unloading mechanism in the circulation device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 10] It is a schematic view showing a partial structure including the recovery mechanism in the circulation device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 11] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the circulation device in which the support plate is located at the mounting position and supports the mounting box. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, the invention will be described more comprehensively below with reference to the relevant drawings. The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention. However, the invention can be realized in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, the purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the content disclosed herein more thorough and comprehensive.

[0027] Furthermore, when it is stated that one component is "fixed" to another component, that component may be directly mounted on the other component or there may be an intervening component between them. When it is stated that one component is "connected" to another component, that component may be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component between them. The terms "inside," "outside," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not imply that they represent only one embodiment.

[0028] Referring to both Figures 1 and 2, the circulation device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is for loading and retrieving a mounting box 20, the mounting box 20 being substantially rectangular parallelepiped, and having a plurality of storage holes 21 arranged in a matrix of a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, the mounting box 20 having a plurality of storage holes 21 which can be arranged in a matrix of a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and it is clear that a one-to-one correspondence can be formed between the reaction vessels 30 and the reaction vessels 30 through the cooperation of these storage holes 21 and the reaction vessels 30, and that a one-to-one correspondence can be formed between the reaction vessels 30 and the storage holes 21. The mounting box 20 has a bottom surface 22, a top surface 23 and a side surface 24, the bottom surface 22 and the top surface 23 are both end surfaces provided horizontally in the thickness direction of the mounting box 20, and the side surface 24 is erected and connected between the top surface 23 and the bottom surface 22. The housing hole 21 is provided in the top surface 23, and the mounting box 20 further includes ear handles 25 provided on the side circumferential surface 24, the ear handles 25 protruding a certain length from the side circumferential surface 24. There may be two ear handles 25, and the two ear handles 25 may be located at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the mounting box 20, or at both ends in the width direction of the mounting box 20. The ear handle 25 has an upper surface 25a, a lower surface 25b, and a side surface 25c, the side surface 25c is erected and connected between the upper surface 25a and the lower surface 25b, the upper surface 25a is provided horizontally close to the top surface 23, and the lower surface 25b is provided horizontally close to the bottom surface 22. Multiple mounting boxes 20 can be stacked on top of each other in the direction of their own thickness, and in the stacked state, the top surface 23 of one mounting box 20 abuts against the bottom surface 22 of the other mounting box 20.

[0029] Referring to both Figures 2 and 3, the circulation device 10 comprises a mounting frame 100, a transfer mechanism 200, a loading mechanism 300, a loading mechanism 400, and a recovery mechanism 500. The transfer mechanism 200, loading mechanism 300, loading mechanism 400, and recovery mechanism 500 are all mounted on this mounting frame 100.

[0030] Referring together to Figures 2, 3, and 6, in some embodiments the mounting frame 100 includes a base 110 and a support base 120, and the base 110 may be provided with a guide rail 111 to which the support base 120 is slidably connected, and the guide rail 111 extends in the horizontal direction. The direction of gravity can be read as the vertical direction, and it is clear that the horizontal direction is perpendicular to the direction of gravity. Therefore, since the support base 120 can reciprocate horizontally relative to the base 110, the support base 120 functions as a "pull-out". The circulation device 10 may further include a push-pull timing belt 131 and a push-pull motor 132, the push-pull motor 132 being used to drive the push-pull timing belt 131 so that the tensioned or loosened side of the push-pull timing belt 131 moves linearly in the horizontal direction, and the support base 120 can be fixed to the tensioned or loosened side of the push-pull timing belt 131 so that the push-pull timing belt 131 causes the support base 120 to move linearly back and forth in the horizontal direction relative to the base 110.

[0031] In some embodiments, the loading mechanism 300 and the retrieval mechanism 500 are made slidable simultaneously relative to the unloading mechanism 400. For example, the unloading mechanism 400 is fixed to the base 110, the support base 120 is slidably connected to the base 110, and both the loading mechanism 300 and the retrieval mechanism 500 are provided on the support base 120. In this way, it is possible to avoid the loading mechanism 300, the retrieval mechanism 500, and the unloading mechanism 400 being simultaneously placed on the support base 120 and sliding synchronously. This reduces the weight placed on the support base 120, reduces the sliding distance of the support base 120 relative to the base 110, and ultimately improves the sensitivity of the support base 120 during sliding and the accuracy of the sliding trajectory.

[0032] Referring to both Figures 2 and 3, the unloading mechanism 400 is fixed to the base 110, and both the loading mechanism 300 and the retrieval mechanism 500 are fixed to the support base 120, allowing the loading mechanism 300 to be positioned horizontally between the unloading mechanism 400 and the retrieval mechanism 500. When the support base 120 slides relative to the base 110, both the loading mechanism 300 and the retrieval mechanism 500 can be simultaneously slid closer to or further away from the unloading mechanism 400. In other words, both the loading mechanism 300 and the retrieval mechanism 500 can slide synchronously relative to the base 110, but the unloading mechanism 400 cannot slide relative to the base 110. Since only the loading mechanism 300 and the retrieval mechanism 500 are mounted on the support base 120, the unloading mechanism 400 is not provided on the support base 120. In this way, the weight placed on the support base 120 is reduced, which in turn reduces the weight placed on the guide rail 111 on the base 110. At the same time, the sliding distance of the support base 120 relative to the guide rail 111 can be reduced, preventing the guide rail 111 from bending, deforming, or being damaged due to excessive load or excessively long relative sliding distance. This ensures that the support base 120 slides smoothly against the base 110 via the guide rail 111, improving the sensitivity of the support base 120 during sliding and the accuracy of the sliding trajectory.

[0033] Referring together to Figures 3, 4, and 5, the support base 120 is provided with a storage chamber 121, an entry hole 122, and a recovery hole 123. The storage chamber 121 is located below the entry hole 122 and the recovery hole 123, and both the entry hole 122 and the recovery hole 123 communicate with each other in the storage chamber 121. The loading mechanism 300 is provided where the entry hole 122 is located, the recovery mechanism 500 is provided where the recovery hole 123 is located, and the transfer mechanism 200 is partially housed within the storage chamber 121.

[0034] In some embodiments, the transfer mechanism 200 may be provided on the support base 120, and the transfer mechanism 200 can be moved relative to the base 110 in accordance with the support base 120. As the support base 120 moves, the transfer mechanism 200, the loading mechanism 300, and the recovery mechanism 500 can slide closer to or further away from the loading mechanism 400 in accordance with the support base 120. This avoids the problem of the loading hole 122 and the recovery hole 123 being misaligned with the transfer mechanism 200 due to the position of the support base 120 after it has finished moving from its position before moving. This ensures that even after the support base 120 has finished moving, the loading mechanism 300 can accurately transport the loading box 20 to the transfer mechanism 200 via the corresponding loading hole 122, and the recovery mechanism 500 can accurately recover the loading box 20 on the transfer mechanism 200 via the corresponding recovery hole 123.

[0035] The transfer mechanism 200 includes a transfer assembly 210 and a transfer body 240, the transfer assembly including a pivot shaft 220, a drive unit 230 and a conveyor belt unit 211. There are two conveyor belt units 211, which are spaced apart in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the sliding direction of the support base 120, and each conveyor belt unit 211 may include one timing belt, and the tensioned or slackened side of the conveyor belt unit 211 is capable of linear motion in the sliding direction of the support base 120. Part of the conveyor belt unit 211 is housed in the housing chamber 121, and the other part is located outside the housing chamber 121, the part of the conveyor belt unit 211 located in the housing chamber 121 corresponds to the loading mechanism 300 and the retrieval mechanism 500, and the part of the conveyor belt unit 211 located outside the housing chamber 121 corresponds to the unloading mechanism 400. The loading mechanism 300, the unloading mechanism 400, and the recovery mechanism 500 are all located above the conveyor belt unit 211.

[0036] The pivot shaft 220 is rotatably mounted on the support base 120, and the two conveyor belt units 211 are fitted onto opposite ends of the pivot shaft 220. The drive device 230 is mounted on the support base 120, and the drive device 230 may be a belt driver. When the drive device 230 rotates the pivot shaft 220, the pivot shaft 220 simultaneously drives the two conveyor belt units 211 to move synchronously. When the mounting box 20 is placed on the tensioned or slackened side of the two conveyor belt units 211, the mounting box 20 can move synchronously in accordance with the two conveyor belt units 211, thereby enabling the entire transport assembly 210 to transport the mounting box 20.

[0037] The number of transport bodies 240 is equal to the number of conveyor belt units 211, and there is a one-to-one correspondence between them. Each transport body 240 includes a receiving plate 241, a fixing plate 242, and a restricting plate 243. The three components, the receiving plate 241, the fixing plate 242, and the restricting plate 243, are bent and connected. Specifically, the receiving plate 241 may be provided approximately horizontally, while both the fixing plate 242 and the restricting plate 243 may be provided approximately vertically. The fixing plate 242 and the restricting plate 243 are connected to opposing ends of the receiving plate 241, and are located on opposing sides of the receiving plate 241 in the thickness direction. The entire transport body 240 is fixed to the support base 120 by the fixing plate 242 being fixed and connected to the support base 120. After the transporter 240 is fixed, the receiving plate 241 is positioned to pass through the gap between the tensioned and slackened sides of the conveyor belt unit 211. Since the fixing plate 242 and the regulating plate 243 are located on opposite sides of the conveyor belt unit 211, respectively, the regulating plate 243 can be positioned on the side of the tensioned side of the conveyor belt unit 211, and the fixing plate 242 can be positioned on the side of the slackened side of the conveyor belt unit 211. Furthermore, when the conveyor belt unit 211 transports the mounting box 20, the receiving plate 241 can share a portion of the weight of the mounting box 20 and can also prevent the conveyor belt unit 211 from bending and deforming due to the pressure of the mounting box 20. On the other hand, the regulating plate 243 can prevent the mounting box 20 from detaching from the conveyor belt unit 211, and the regulating plate 243 plays a role in effectively regulating the trajectory of the movement of the mounting box 20. Therefore, by providing the transporter 240, it is possible to ensure that the transport belt unit 211 smoothly transports the mounting box 20 along a set straight trajectory.

[0038] Referring together to Figures 2, 3, 7, and 8, in some embodiments the loading mechanism 300 includes a loading frame 310, a loading bracket 320, a loading power source 330, a support plate 340, and a motor 350. The loading frame 310 can be a substantially rectangular parallelepiped frame structure and is formed to surround a loading chamber 311 that extends vertically. The loading frame 310 is fixed to the location of the loading hole 122 of the support base 120, so that the loading chamber 311 communicates with the storage chamber 121 through the loading hole 122. The loading bracket 320 is located inside the loading chamber 311 and is slidably connected to the loading frame 310 so that it can reciprocate vertically relative to the loading frame 310. The loading power source 330 may include a loading timing belt 331 and a loading motor 332. The loading bracket 320 may be fixed to the tensioned or slackened side of the loading timing belt 331, and the loading motor 332 is fixed to the loading frame 310 and is used to drive the loading timing belt 331 so that the tensioned or slackened side of the loading timing belt 331 moves linearly in the vertical direction, and further so that the loading timing belt 331 drives the loading bracket 320 up and down. The loading bracket 320 is used to place a mounting box 20 containing a reaction vessel 30, and the loading bracket 320 can place multiple mounting boxes 20 that can be stacked vertically in the loading chamber 311. The width of the loading bracket 320 is made smaller than the diameter of the loading hole 122 and the gap between the two conveyor belt units 211 so that the loading bracket 320 can pass vertically through the loading hole 122 and the gap between the two conveyor belt units 211. Because the width of the loading bracket 320 is smaller than the gap between the two conveyor belt units 211, when the loading bracket 320 moves downwards and the mounting box 20 moves below the gap between the two conveyor belt units 211, the conveyor belt units 211 interfere with the mounting box 20, preventing it from continuing to move downwards following the loading bracket 320.In this way, the mounting box 20 can be automatically placed on the two conveyor belt units 211 without the need for other auxiliary parts, simplifying the structure of the circulation device 10 and making the circulation device 10 more compact.

[0039] The support plate 340 can be rotatably mounted on the support base 120 via bearings so as to be able to rotate around a central axis extending in the sliding direction of the support base 120, and the maximum angle of rotation of the support plate 340 may be 90°. A motor 350 is provided on the support base 120, and the motor 350 can rotate the support plate 340. When the support plate 340 is in a horizontal position, the support plate 340 is in a support position and can enter the loading chamber 311, applying an upward support force to the lower surface 25b of the ear handle 25 on the mounting box 20, thereby playing a role in supporting the mounting box 20 and preventing the mounting box 20, which is located above the support plate 340, from moving toward the conveyor belt unit 211. When the support plate 340 rotates upward from a horizontal to a vertical position, the support plate 340 is in a retracted position and no longer supports the ear handle 25 of the mounting box 20. As a result, there is no interference between the support plate 340 and the mounting box 20, and the mounting box 20, which is located at the lowest stage of the loading bracket 320, can be moved downward, approaching the base 110, following the loading bracket 320 until it is placed on the conveyor belt unit 211.

[0040] The loading bracket 320 has multiple positions relative to the loading frame 310, such as the top layer position, intermediate position, support position, initial position, and bottom layer position. In the vertical direction, the distance from the base 110 to the top layer position, intermediate position, support position, initial position, and bottom layer position decreases sequentially. This can also be easily understood as the height from the base 110 to the top layer position, intermediate position, support position, initial position, and bottom layer position decreasing sequentially in the vertical direction. The height of the conveyor belt unit 211 is higher than the height of the bottom layer position. The loading mechanism 300 may further include loading optical coupling units 360, and there may be four loading optical coupling units 360. The first optical coupling unit is provided near the top of the loading frame 310 and can correspond to the uppermost position. The second optical coupling unit is provided in the middle of the loading frame 310 and can correspond to an intermediate position. The third optical coupling unit is provided on the support plate 340 and can correspond to a support position. The fourth optical coupling unit is provided on the support base 120 and can correspond to an initial position. By providing the optical coupling units, it is possible to detect whether or not a loading bracket 320 or a mounting box 20 is present at the uppermost position, intermediate position, support position, and initial position.

[0041] During operation, first, the support plate 340 is rotated upward to the retracted position, and the loading timing belt 331 is driven to slide the loading bracket 320 to the uppermost position. At this time, multiple mounting boxes 20 containing the reaction vessels 30 can be placed into the loading chamber 311 by stacking them on the loading bracket 320. The loading bracket 320 plays the role of lifting and placing the multiple mounting boxes 20 in order to provide upward support force to the bottom surface 22 of the lowest mounting box 20. Next, the loading bracket 320 moves the mounting boxes 20 downward, bringing them close to the base 110. As a result, the loading bracket 320 passes through the loading hole 122 and enters the storage chamber 121, and moves to the lowest position through the gap between the two conveyor belt units 211. When the lowest mounting box 20 moves downward from its support position, the support plate 340 rotates downward from its retracted position to its support position. The support plate 340 then applies an upward support force to the lower surface 25b of the ear handle 25 of the mounting box 20 most adjacent to the lowest mounting box 20, thereby supporting the other mounting boxes 20 located above the lowest mounting box 20. This prevents the other mounting boxes 20 from moving downward in accordance with the loading bracket 320, ensuring that only the lowest mounting box 20 moves downward in accordance with the loading bracket 320. When the loading bracket 320 moves to the lowest position, the lowest mounting box 20 is placed on the two conveyor belt units 211. As the conveyor belt units 211 move, the mounting boxes 20 containing the reaction vessels 30 can be transported from this loading mechanism 300. After the lowest mounting box 20 is carried away by the conveyor belt unit 211, the mounting boxes 20 placed directly on the support plate 340 can be transported to the conveyor belt unit 211 in accordance with the above operating method until all the mounting boxes 20 on the loading bracket 320 are sequentially transported to the conveyor belt unit 211.As is clear, before transporting the next loading box 20 to the conveyor belt unit 211, all loading boxes 20 on the bracket must be moved upward by a set distance via the loading bracket 320, which provides a retraction space for the support plate 340 to move from the support position to the retraction position, so that the next loading box 20 can be smoothly loaded onto the conveyor belt unit 211 without interference with the support plate 340.

[0042] Referring together to Figures 2, 3, and 9, in some embodiments the discharge mechanism 400 includes a discharge frame 410, a discharge bracket 420, a discharge power source 430, and an elastic member 440. The discharge frame 410 can be a substantially rectangular parallelepiped frame structure and is formed to surround a discharge chamber 411 that extends vertically. The discharge frame 410 may be located above the portion of the conveyor belt unit 211 that is exposed outside the housing chamber 121, and the discharge bracket 420 is located inside the discharge chamber 411 and is slidably connected to the discharge frame 410 so that it can reciprocate vertically relative to the discharge frame 410. The discharge power source 430 may include a discharge timing belt 431, a discharge motor 432, and an idler 433. The discharge bracket 420 may be fixed to the tensioned or slackened side of the discharge timing belt 431, and the discharge motor 432 is fixed to the discharge frame 410 and is used to drive the discharge timing belt 431 so that the tensioned or slackened side of the discharge timing belt 431 moves linearly in the vertical direction, and further so that the discharge timing belt 431 drives the discharge bracket 420 up and down. The discharge bracket 420 can provide an upward support force to the bottom surface 22 of the mounting box 20, so the discharge bracket 420 is used to mount the mounting box 20 containing the reaction vessel 30, and the discharge bracket 420 can move the mounting box 20 upward within the discharge chamber 411. The width of the discharge bracket 420 is made smaller than the gap between the two conveyor belt units 211 so that the discharge bracket 420 can pass vertically through the gap between the two conveyor belt units 211. There may be multiple idlers 433, for example, three, and the idlers 433 are provided on the discharge frame 410, with the discharge timing belt 431 wrapped around the idlers 433. The provision of idlers 433 improves the safety of the sliding of the discharge bracket 420 and prevents the discharge bracket 420 from sliding down forcefully due to gravity or load during a power outage.

[0043] The unloading bracket 420 has multiple positions relative to the unloading frame 410, such as the uppermost position, the initial position, and the lowest position. In the vertical direction, the distance from the base 110 at the uppermost position, the initial position, and the lowest position decreases sequentially. This can also be easily understood as the height from the base 110 at the uppermost position, the initial position, and the lowest position decreasing sequentially. The height of the conveyor belt unit 211 is higher than the height of the lowest position. The unloading mechanism 400 may further include unloading optical coupling units 450, of which there may be three. The first optical coupling unit is provided near the top of the unloading frame 410 and can correspond to the uppermost layer position. The second optical coupling unit is provided near the bottom of the unloading frame 410 and can correspond to the initial position. The third optical coupling unit is provided on the unloading frame 410 and is provided closer to the base 110 than the second optical coupling unit. The third optical coupling unit corresponds to the lowest layer position. By providing the optical coupling units, it is possible to detect whether or not an unloading bracket 420 or a mounting box 20 is present at the uppermost layer position, the initial position, and the lowest layer position.

[0044] The unloading mechanism 400 may further include an elastic member 440 provided at the tip of the unloading frame 410, and it is clear that the tip of the unloading frame 410 is provided away from the conveyor belt unit 211. The unloading bracket 420 moves the mounting box 20 upward within the unloading chamber 411 to the tip of the unloading frame 410. and The elastic member 440 contacts the mounting box 20, thereby fixing the mounting box 20 to the unloading frame 410. After the mounting box 20 is fixed, the reaction vessel 30 inside the mounting box 20 can be removed by a manipulator.

[0045] During operation, when the conveyor belt unit 211 first conveys the mounting box 20 containing the reaction vessel 30 from the loading mechanism 300 to below the unloading frame 410, the unloading bracket 420 at the lowest position moves upward, and the unloading bracket 420 passes through the gap between the two conveyor belt units 211 and enters the unloading chamber 411, detaching the mounting box 20 from the conveyor belt unit 211 and allowing it to enter the unloading chamber 411. When the unloading bracket 420 moves the mounting box 20 to the tip of the unloading frame 410, the elastic member 440 fixes the mounting box 20 to the unloading frame 410 so that the manipulator can remove the reaction vessel 30 from inside the mounting box 20. After removing all the reaction vessels 30 from the mounting box 20, the elastic member 440 is detached from the mounting box 20. At this time, the unloading bracket 420 provides support to the bottom surface 22 of the mounting box 20 from which the reaction vessels 30 have been unloaded, causing the mounting box 20 to move downward. When the unloading bracket 420 has moved to the lowest position, the mounting box 20 from which the reaction vessels 30 have been unloaded is placed on the two conveyor belt units 211, and the conveyor belt units 211 transport the mounting box 20.

[0046] Referring together to Figures 2, 3, 10, and 11, in some embodiments the recovery mechanism 500 includes a recovery frame 510, a recovery bracket 520, and a recovery power source 530. The recovery frame 510 can be a substantially rectangular parallelepiped frame structure and is formed to surround a vertically extending recovery chamber 511. The recovery frame 510 is fixed to the location of the recovery hole 123 of the support base 120, so that the recovery chamber 511 communicates with the containment chamber 121 through the recovery hole 123. The recovery bracket 520 is located within the recovery chamber 511 and is slidably connected to the recovery frame 510 so that it can reciprocate vertically relative to the recovery frame 510. The recovery power source 530 may include a recovery timing belt 531 and a recovery motor 532. The recovery bracket 520 may be fixed to the tensioned or slackened side of the recovery timing belt 531, and the recovery motor 532 is fixed to the recovery frame 510 and is used to drive the recovery timing belt 531 so that the tensioned or slackened side of the recovery timing belt 531 moves linearly in the vertical direction, and further so that the recovery timing belt 531 drives the recovery bracket 520 up and down. The recovery bracket 520 is used to place the mounting box 20 on which the reaction vessel 30 has been unloaded, and the recovery bracket 520 can place multiple mounting boxes 20 that can be stacked vertically in the recovery chamber 511. The width of the recovery bracket 520 is made smaller than the diameter of the recovery hole 123 and larger than the gap between the two conveyor belt units 211 so that the recovery bracket 520 can pass vertically through the recovery hole 123, but it is possible to prevent the recovery bracket 520 from entering the gap between the two conveyor belt units 211.

[0047] In some embodiments, the retrieval bracket 520 includes a sliding portion 521, a reversing portion 522, and an elastic portion 523. The sliding portion 521 is slidably connected to the retrieval frame 510 and fixedly connected to the retrieval timing belt 531. There are two sliding portions 521, and the spacing direction of the two sliding portions 521 is the same as the spacing direction of the two conveyor belt units 211, and the distance between the two sliding portions 521 is greater than the gap between the two conveyor belt units 211, so that the width of the retrieval bracket 520 is greater than the gap between the two conveyor belt units 211. The reversing portion 522 is rotatably connected to the sliding portion 521, and the reversing portion 522 is rotatable around a central axis extending parallel to the sliding direction of the support base 120, so that the reversing portion 522 passes through a position and , place the mounting box.The reversing part 522 has a mounting position, and the maximum angle of rotation of the reversing part 522 may be 90°. The elastic part 523 may be a spring, and the elastic part 523 is connected between the sliding part 521 and the reversing part 522. In the process of the reversing part 522 moving from the mounting position to the passing position, the reversing part 522 rotates against the elastic force of the elastic part 523, thereby storing energy in the elastic part 523. When the elastic part 523 releases energy, the reversing part 522 can be automatically moved from the passing position to the mounting position. When the reversing part 522 is in the mounting position, the reversing part 522 is in a horizontal state and provides support force to the lower surface 25b of the ear handle 25 of the mounting box 20, so the retrieval bracket 520 plays the role of mounting the mounting box 20 via the reversing part 522. When the reversing section 522 is in the passing position, the reversing section 522 allows the mounting box 20 to move toward the conveyor belt unit 211, and the reversing section 522 becomes vertical, eliminating interference with the ear handle 25, so that the reversing section 522 can move over the ear handle 25. The retrieval bracket 520 has multiple positions relative to the retrieval frame 510, for example, an uppermost position, an initial position and a lowermost position, and in the vertical direction, the distance of the uppermost position, initial position and lowermost position relative to the base 110 decreases sequentially, which can also be easily understood as the height of the uppermost position, initial position and lowermost position relative to the base 110 decreasing sequentially in the vertical direction. The height of the conveyor belt unit 211 is higher than the height of the lowermost position. The recovery mechanism 500 may further include a recovery optical coupling unit 540, of which there may be three. The first optical coupling unit is provided near the top of the recovery frame 510 and can correspond to the uppermost layer position. The second optical coupling unit is provided near the bottom of the recovery frame 510 and can correspond to the initial position. The third optical coupling unit is provided on the recovery frame 510 and is provided closer to the base 110 than the second optical coupling unit. The third optical coupling unit corresponds to the lowest layer position. By providing the optical coupling units, it is possible to detect whether or not a recovery bracket 520 or a mounting box 20 is present at the uppermost layer position, the initial position, and the lowest layer position.

[0048] When in operation, if the conveyor belt unit 211 transports the mounting box 20, which has been unloaded from the discharge mechanism 400, to the lower part of the recovery frame 510, then the mounting box 20 is not present in the recovery chamber 511. First, the recovery bracket 520 is positioned above the mounting box 20, and at this time the recovery bracket 520 moves downward, and the upper surface 25a of the ear handle 25 of the mounting box 20 located on the conveyor belt unit 211 applies an upward support force to the inversion section 522, causing the inversion section 522 to start rotating from its mounting position. As the inversion section 522 rotates, the recovery bracket 520 continues to move downward, and the interference force of the ear handle 25 on the entire recovery bracket 520 gradually decreases, until the interference force from the ear handle 25 approaches zero when the inversion section 522 rotates to the passing position. Therefore, in the process of the reversing unit 522 rotating from the mounting position to the passing position, it is possible to prevent the ear handle 25 from interfering with the downward movement of the retrieval bracket 520. After the retrieval bracket 520 has moved downward by a set distance, the reversing unit 522 moves over the side surface 25c of the ear handle 25, and at the moment it moves over the side surface 25c, the ear handle 25 stops its contact force with the reversing unit 522, and the elastic part 523 releases energy, causing the reversing unit 522 to rotate from a vertical state to a horizontal state, i.e., from the passing position to the mounting position, thereby positioning the reversing unit 522 below the lower surface 25b of the ear handle 25. Because the reversing unit 522 is located below the lower surface 25b of the ear handle 25, it can be driven to move the retrieval bracket 520 upward, thereby allowing the reversing unit 522 to provide support force to the lower surface 25b of the ear handle 25, playing a role in mounting and lifting the mounting box 20, and ensuring that the retrieval bracket 520 moves the mounting box 20 upward. There is no need to immediately remove the mounting box 20 located on the recovery bracket 520. Multiple mounting boxes 20 can be stacked on the recovery bracket 520 in a reasonable number, and finally, all of these mounting boxes 20 can be removed at once.

[0049] If a storage box 20 is already placed on the retrieval bracket 520, and there is another storage box 20 on the conveyor belt unit 211 below the retrieval frame 510, then it is necessary to transfer the storage box 20 on the conveyor belt unit 211 to the retrieval bracket 520. During operation, the retrieval bracket 520 on which the storage boxes 20 are placed first moves downward, causing the lowest storage box 20 on the retrieval bracket 520 to be stacked on top of the storage boxes 20 on the conveyor belt unit 211. At this time, the receiving plates 241 of the conveyor belt unit 211 and the transfer body 240 are able to support all the storage boxes 20, while a certain vertical gap exists between the ear handles 25 of both the lowest storage box 20 on the retrieval bracket 520 and the storage box 20 on the conveyor belt unit 211. As is clear, during the process in which the retrieval bracket 520 moves downward within this spaced gap, all the mounting boxes 20 are stationary, and the upper surface 25a of the ear handle 25 of the mounting box 20 located on the conveyor belt unit 211 provides an upward support force to the reversing unit 522, causing the reversing unit 522 to start rotating from its mounting position. As the reversing unit 522 rotates, the retrieval bracket 520 continues to move downward, and the interference force of the ear handle 25 on the entire retrieval bracket 520 gradually decreases, until the interference force from the ear handle 25 approaches zero when the reversing unit 522 rotates to the passing position. Therefore, during the process in which the reversing unit 522 rotates from the mounting position to the passing position, it is possible to prevent the ear handle 25 from interfering with the downward movement of the retrieval bracket 520. After the retrieval bracket 520 moves downward by a set distance, the reversing part 522 crosses over the side surface 25c of the ear handle 25. At the moment it crosses over the side surface 25c, the ear handle 25 stops its contact force with the reversing part 522, and the elastic part 523 releases energy, causing the reversing part 522 to rotate from a vertical state to a horizontal state, i.e., from a passing position to a mounting position, thereby positioning the reversing part 522 below the lower surface 25b of the ear handle 25. Because the reversing part 522 is positioned below the lower surface 25b of the ear handle 25, it is possible to ensure that the retrieval bracket 520 moves the mounting box 20 upward.If the storage box 20 is again located on the conveyor belt unit 211 below the recovery frame 510, it can be transferred onto the recovery bracket 520 in the manner described above.

[0050] Since the spacing direction of the two sliding parts 521 is the same as the spacing direction of the two conveyor belt units 211, and the distance between the two sliding parts 521 is greater than the gap between the two conveyor belt units 211, it is possible to avoid having the two sliding parts 521 spaced apart in the direction of movement of the mounting box 20 on the conveyor belt unit 211. In this way, on the one hand, it is possible to prevent components such as the recovery timing belt 531 from occupying the space outside the recovery frame 510, and to prevent components such as the recovery timing belt 531 from affecting the user's operation. On the other hand, it is possible to prevent the sliding parts 521 from interfering with or obstructing the movement of the mounting box 20, and the conveyor belt unit 211 from smoothly moving the mounting box 20 from the discharge mechanism 400 to the recovery mechanism 500.

[0051] The overall operating principle of the circulation device 10 will be explained below with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 4.

[0052] In the first step, the loading bracket 320, the unloading bracket 420, and the recovery bracket 520 are all set to their initial positions (see Figures 7 and 8), and the push-pull timing belt 131 is driven to move the support base 120 away from the unloading mechanism 400. To illustrate this concretely, the support base 120 is pulled out like a drawer, and as a result, the loading mechanism 300 and the recovery mechanism 500 are pulled out in accordance with the movement of the support base 120 away from the unloading mechanism 400. At this time, interference by the upper parts of the loading mechanism 300 and the recovery mechanism 500 can be eliminated, and the mounting box 20 on which the reaction vessel 30 is placed can be placed into the loading mechanism 300, or the mounting box 20 on which the reaction vessel 30 has been unloaded can be removed from the recovery mechanism 500.

[0053] In the second step, the support plate 340 in the loading mechanism 300 is moved upward to the retracted position, the loading bracket 320 is moved upward to the uppermost position, and multiple loading boxes 20 containing the reaction vessels 30 are sequentially stacked on the loading bracket 320. As is clear, each time one loading box 20 is stacked on the loading bracket 320, the loading bracket 320 moves downward by the height of one loading box 20, so that all the loading boxes 20 stacked on the loading bracket 320 are located inside the loading chamber 311. Furthermore, the push-pull timing belt 131 is driven to move the support base 120 toward the unloading mechanism 400, that is, by pushing the support base 120 back to its original position like a drawer, the conveyor belt unit 211 exposed outside the storage chamber 121 is positioned below the unloading chamber 411. Next, in accordance with the operating principle of the loading mechanism 300 described above, the loading mechanism 300 is used to transport the mounting boxes 20 containing the reaction vessels 30 one by one onto the conveyor belt unit 211.

[0054] In the third step, the unloading bracket 420 is moved from its initial position to the lowest position, and the conveyor belt unit 211 is moved to transport the mounting box 20 containing the reaction vessels 30 from the loading mechanism 300 to the lower part of the unloading chamber 411. The unloading bracket 420 moves upward from the lowest position, lifting the mounting box 20 containing the reaction vessels 30 located on the conveyor belt unit 211 so that it moves upward within the unloading chamber 411. In accordance with the operating principle of the unloading mechanism 400 described above, after all the reaction vessels 30 have been removed from the mounting box 20, the unloading bracket 420 is moved downward, and the mounting box 20 with the unloaded reaction vessels 30 is placed on the two conveyor belt units 211.

[0055] In the fourth step, the conveyor belt unit 211 moves the loading boxes 20, into which the reaction vessels 30 have been unloaded from the unloading mechanism 400, downward to the recovery chamber 511, and in accordance with the operating principle of the recovery mechanism 500 described above, the loading boxes 20 into which the reaction vessels 30 have been unloaded are stored in the recovery chamber 511. After the number of loading boxes 20 in the recovery chamber 511 has reached a set number, the push-pull timing belt 131 drives the support base 120 to move away from the unloading mechanism 400, so that the support base 120 is pulled out, thus preventing interference by other components located above the recovery mechanism 500 and ensuring that the loading boxes 20 into which the reaction vessels 30 have been unloaded are removed from the recovery chamber 511 for recycling. During the process in which the conveyor belt unit 211 moves the mounting box 20 from below the unloading chamber 411 to below the recovery chamber 511, the loading bracket 320 can be returned to its initial position, thereby preventing the loading bracket 320 from interfering with the moving mounting box 20.

[0056] By circulating the operation procedures from the first to the fourth steps described above, the conveyor belt unit 211 can transport the mounting box 20 containing the reaction vessel 30 from the loading mechanism 300 to the unloading mechanism 400, thereby achieving the unloading of the mounting box 20, and this process is designated as the mounting box unloading process. After the reaction vessel 30 on the mounting box 20 is unloaded on the unloading mechanism 400, the conveyor belt unit 211 transports the mounting box 20 with the unloaded reaction vessel 30 from the unloading mechanism 400 to the recovery mechanism 500, thereby achieving the recovery of the mounting box 20, and this process is designated as the mounting box recovery process. Therefore, the process of unloading the mounted boxes and the process of recovering the mounted boxes are realized by the same conveyor belt unit 211, and by avoiding the need to design different conveying mechanisms to realize these two processes, there is no need to provide other conveying mechanisms. In this way, not only can the overall structure of the circulation device 10 be simplified, but the entire circulation device 10 can be made smaller and more structurally compact, and the space that the circulation device 10 occupies within the equipment can be reduced.

[0057] Since the tensioned or slackened side of the conveyor belt unit 211 moves along a straight line, the path by which the conveyor belt unit 211 transports the loading box 20 from the loading mechanism 300 to the unloading mechanism 400 and the path by which it transports the loading box 20 from the unloading mechanism 400 to the recovery mechanism 500 are the same path, and therefore it is clear that this path may be a straight line. In this way, it is possible to ensure that the loading box 20 always moves along the same path, improving the transport efficiency and stability of the loading box 20, and significantly simplifying the overall structure of the transfer mechanism 200 and the circulation device 10. In other embodiments, if the positions of the loading mechanism 300, the unloading mechanism 400 and the recovery mechanism 500 are not on the same straight line, the path may be a curve such as a broken line or an arc, for example, a triangle, a circle, or an ellipse.

[0058] The present invention further provides a sample analyzer equipped with the above-described circulation device 10. By including the above-described circulation device 10, the overall structure of the sample analyzer can be made simpler and more compact.

[0059] The technical features of the embodiments described above can be combined in any way, and for the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features of the embodiments described above have been described. However, as long as these combinations of technical features are inconsistent, they should all be considered to fall within the scope described herein.

[0060] The embodiments described above represent only a few embodiments of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be understood as limiting the scope of the invention patent. Those skilled in the art should note that some modifications and improvements are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention, and these fall within the scope of protection of the invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the invention patent should be based on the appended claims.

Claims

1. It comprises a mounting frame, and a loading mechanism, a loading mechanism, a recovery mechanism, and a transport mechanism provided on the mounting frame, The loading mechanism is used to place the mounting box containing the reaction vessel. The unloading mechanism is used to unload the aforementioned storage box containing the reaction vessel from the loading mechanism. The recovery mechanism is used to recover the previously described storage box from which the reaction vessel has been unloaded from the discharge mechanism, and the previously described storage box from which the reaction vessel has been unloaded is removed from the recovery mechanism. The transfer mechanism includes a transfer assembly corresponding to the loading mechanism, the unloading mechanism, and the recovery mechanism, and the transfer assembly is used to transport the storage box containing the reaction vessel from the loading mechanism to the unloading mechanism, and to transport the storage box with the reaction vessel unloaded from the unloading mechanism to the recovery mechanism. The mounting frame includes a base and a support base slidably connected to the base, the loading mechanism and the retrieval mechanism are both provided on the support base, the unloading mechanism is fixed to the base, and the transport mechanism is provided on the support base. The transfer assembly includes two conveyor belt units spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, the aforementioned storage box is placed on the conveyor belt units, and the aforementioned storage box moves on the transfer assembly in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The loading mechanism includes a loading frame and a loading bracket for placing the aforementioned storage box, the loading bracket being slidably connected to the loading frame so as to reciprocate vertically relative to the loading frame, the unloading mechanism includes an unloading frame and an unloading bracket for placing the aforementioned storage box, the unloading bracket being slidably connected to the unloading frame so as to reciprocate vertically relative to the unloading frame, the widths of the loading bracket and the unloading bracket are both smaller than the gap between the two conveyor belt units, and when the unloading bracket moves the aforementioned storage box upward to the tip of the unloading frame, the reaction vessel on the aforementioned storage box is unloaded. The recovery mechanism includes a recovery frame and a recovery bracket for mounting the aforementioned storage box, wherein the recovery bracket is slidably connected to the recovery frame so as to reciprocate vertically with respect to the recovery frame, and the recovery bracket includes a rotatably connected sliding part and a reversing part, wherein the sliding part is slidable with respect to the mounting base, and the reversing part is rotatable about a central axis perpendicular to the vertical direction and has a mounting position for mounting the aforementioned storage box, and when the reversing part is in the aforementioned mounting position, the reversing part is in a horizontal state, providing support force to the aforementioned storage box and mounting the aforementioned storage box, and the width of the recovery bracket is greater than the gap between the two conveyor belt units. The circulation device is characterized in that the conveyor belt unit conveys the storage box containing the reaction vessel from the loading mechanism to the unloading mechanism, and after the reaction vessel on the storage box is unloaded on the unloading mechanism, the conveyor belt unit conveys the storage box with the unloaded reaction vessel from the unloading mechanism to the recovery mechanism.

2. The circulation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the path by which the mounting box is transported from the loading mechanism to the unloading mechanism and the path by which it is transported from the unloading mechanism to the recovery mechanism are in the same linear direction.

3. The circulation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the support base is provided with a storage chamber, an inlet, and a recovery hole, both of which communicate with the storage chamber, the transport assembly is partially housed in the storage chamber, the inlet mechanism is provided at the location of the inlet, and the recovery mechanism is provided at the location of the recovery hole.

4. The circulation device according to claim 1, further comprising a push-pull timing belt provided on the base and connected to the support base.

5. The circulating device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer assembly further includes a pivot shaft and a drive device, the two conveyor belt units are fitted onto opposite ends of the pivot shaft, and the drive device is located between the two conveyor belt units and rotates the pivot shaft.

6. The circulating device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer mechanism further includes a transfer body that corresponds one-to-one with the conveyor belt unit, the transfer body includes a receiving plate and a fixing plate and a regulating plate connected to opposite ends of the receiving plate, the fixing plate and the regulating plate are located on opposite sides of the receiving plate in the thickness direction, the receiving plate is provided to pass through the gap between the tension side and the slack side of the conveyor belt unit, and the fixing plate and the regulating plate are located on opposite sides of the conveyor belt unit.

7. The circulating device according to claim 1, wherein the loading mechanism further includes a support plate rotatably provided on the mounting frame, the support plate being rotatable about a central axis perpendicular to the vertical direction, and having a retracted position for detaching from the aforementioned storage box and a support position for placing the aforementioned storage box.

8. The circulating device according to claim 7, wherein the loading mechanism further includes a motor provided on the mounting frame, and the motor rotates the support plate.

9. The circulation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the process of the sliding part moving in close proximity to the conveyor belt unit, the aforementioned placement box can be rotated away from the aforementioned placement position by pushing the reversing part.

10. The circulating device according to claim 9, wherein the recovery bracket further includes an elastic portion connected between the sliding portion and the reversing portion, the elastic portion storing energy in the process of the reversing portion moving away from the previously described position, and the elastic portion releasing energy to move the reversing portion closer to the previously described position.

11. The circulation device according to claim 9, characterized in that the number of sliding parts is two, the direction of spacing between the two sliding parts is the same as the direction of spacing between the two conveyor belt units, and the distance between the two sliding parts is greater than the gap between the two conveyor belt units.

12. The circulation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the loading mechanism, the unloading mechanism, and the recovery mechanism are all located above the transport assembly.

13. A sample analyzer characterized by comprising a circulation device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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