Automatic blood viscosity measuring device

Abstract

The present invention provides an automatic blood viscosity measuring device that is configured so that the entire process, from blood sample introduction to mixing, suction, dispensing, and disposal, is performed by an automated robotic system, thereby improving measurement speed and accuracy, and is also easier to use by providing multiple modules for delivering and measuring blood samples. [Solution] The automated blood viscosity measuring device of the present invention includes a housing having an open door, a blood sample mounting unit to which blood collection tubes are mounted, a blood sample pre-processing unit that grips a plurality of blood collection tubes, scans the gripped blood collection tubes, and separates the blood collection tube covers mounted on the blood collection tubes, a blood sample transfer unit that moves the blood collection tubes gripped by the blood sample pre-processing unit, a blood viscosity measuring unit that is mounted with a blood viscosity measurement kit and includes one or more channels for measuring the viscosity of a blood sample injected into the blood viscosity measurement kit, a kit mounting unit that is provided inside the housing and mounts the blood viscosity measurement kit on the blood viscosity measuring unit, and a blood sample post-processing unit that aspirates the blood sample from the transferred blood collection tubes by the blood sample transfer unit and injects it into the mounted blood viscosity measurement kit. This allows viscosity measurements of one or more blood samples to be performed simultaneously, thereby reducing operation time and improving ease of use.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic blood viscosity measuring device. More specifically, since a plurality of modules for delivering and measuring a blood sample are provided, viscosity measurement for one or more blood samples can proceed simultaneously, thereby shortening the working time and improving the ease of use. The present invention relates to an automatic blood viscosity measuring device with improved ease of use.

Background Art

[0002] The viscosity of blood is a physical property value indicating the flow resistance due to the flow of blood in blood vessels, and specifically, it can be divided into whole blood viscosity and plasma viscosity. An abnormal increase in blood viscosity causes an increase in shear stress and flow resistance acting on the inner wall of blood vessels, and significantly increases the risk of developing acute cardiovascular diseases and microvascular diseases. In addition, plasma viscosity is not only used to diagnose the inflammatory state in the body, but also one of the main causes of increasing whole blood viscosity. Whole blood viscosity shows a flow characteristic in which the viscosity continuously changes depending on the systolic and diastolic phases of the heart. The reason is that when blood flows at a high speed (when the shear rate is high) due to the complex interaction between red blood cells and plasma proteins in whole blood, the viscosity becomes low, and conversely, when blood flows at a low speed (when the shear rate is low), the viscosity increases. Such a fluid showing such a flow characteristic is called a non-Newtonian fluid. In order to accurately grasp the non-Newtonian flow characteristic of blood, it is necessary to accurately measure the whole blood viscosity with respect to the whole shear rate (for example, 1 to 1,000 s -1 ). Recent blood viscosity measuring devices can measure the viscosity and blood cell aggregation rate of blood by allowing the blood obtained from the body to pass through a flow restrictor tube and measuring the flow characteristics of the blood in the flow restrictor tube.

[0003] As a conventional technique, a device for simultaneously measuring blood viscosity and blood cell aggregation rate in Patent Document 1 has been published. However, because the equipment operator must manually inject blood through a syringe to measure blood viscosity, it is difficult to supply blood at a constant pressure and flow rate, which presents a problem in measuring blood viscosity under the same conditions. Furthermore, because the process is done manually, it is time-consuming, and bloodborne infections occur frequently. To address these issues, automated blood viscosity analyzers are being developed. However, since viscosity measurement for one blood sample is performed before moving on to the next, the process is time-consuming. Furthermore, when measuring a large number of blood samples, if the blood samples are submitted later, the viscosity measurement is performed with red blood cells and other components settled at the bottom due to the passage of time, which leads to a decrease in the accuracy of the viscosity measurement. Conventional blood viscosity analyzers are equipped with only one gripper and measurement module. As a result, if one gripper module fails, the entire measurement device ceases to operate. To resolve this issue, there is a need to develop automated blood viscosity analyzers with superior holding power by incorporating multiple grippers. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Korean Registered Utility Model Publication No. 20-0331884 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The object of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned problems and to provide an automated blood viscosity analyzer in which the entire process, from blood sample input to mixing, aspiration, dispensing, and disposal, is performed by an automated robotic system, thereby improving measurement speed and accuracy, and also improving ease of use by providing multiple modules for delivering and measuring blood samples. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The automatic blood viscosity measuring device of the present invention may include a housing provided with an open door, a blood sample mounting section to which blood collection tubes are attached, a blood sample pre-processing section that grips multiple blood collection tubes, scans the gripped blood collection tubes, and separates the blood collection tube covers attached to the upper part of the blood collection tubes, a blood sample transfer section that moves the blood collection tubes gripped by the blood sample pre-processing section, a blood viscosity measuring section to which a blood viscosity measuring kit is attached and which includes one or more channels for measuring the viscosity of the blood sample injected into the blood viscosity measuring kit, a kit mounting section provided inside the housing for attaching the blood viscosity measuring kit to the blood viscosity measuring section, and a blood sample post-processing section that draws in the blood sample from the blood collection tubes transferred by the blood sample transfer section and injects it into the attached blood viscosity measuring kit.

[0007] In this configuration, the blood sample mounting section may include a blood collection tube insertion plate into which a blood collection tube is mounted vertically, a first sliding section that slides the blood collection tube insertion plate forward of the housing to expose the blood collection tube insertion plate to the outside, and a first detection section provided between the blood collection tube insertion plate and the first sliding section for detecting the mounting state of the blood collection tube insertion plate. Furthermore, the blood sample attachment section may include a motor that is provided on both sides of the blood collection tube insertion plate and rotates the blood collection tube insertion plate to a set angle on the left and right, and repeatedly moves it at a set cycle to prevent the erythrocyte sedimentation phenomenon of the blood sample in the blood collection tube. The blood sample preprocessing unit may include a plurality of preprocessing grippers for gripping and rotating the blood collection tube and its cover, a first transfer module for controlling the horizontal position of the preprocessing grippers, and a first lifting module for coordinating the preprocessing grippers and the first transfer module and controlling the height of the preprocessing grippers.

[0008] In this context, the blood sample preprocessing unit may further include a scanning module provided in the first transport module for scanning whether or not a blood collection tube is attached to the blood collection tube insertion plate. The blood sample transfer unit may be provided in multiple locations and may include a gripping gripper that grips the lower part of the blood collection tube, a gripping gripper transfer module that moves the gripping gripper, and a guide plate that guides the reciprocating motion of the gripping gripper being moved by the gripping gripper transfer module, to which the blood collection tube is attached and transferred by the pre-processing gripper. Furthermore, the blood sample preprocessing unit further includes a blood collection tube detection unit that detects one or more blood collection tubes gripped by the gripping gripper, and the automatic blood viscosity measuring device according to the embodiment of the present invention can automatically measure the viscosity of the blood collection tube with respect to the blood sample based on the detection information of the blood collection tubes.

[0009] The blood viscosity measuring unit is located at the top Vibration isolationThe kit includes a measuring unit in which a pad is installed, a kit mounting housing installed at the upper end of the measuring unit in which a kit for measuring blood viscosity is installed and provided with a kit insertion groove into which a kit for measuring blood viscosity is installed, a mounting detection sensor provided inside the kit insertion groove for detecting the installed state of the kit for measuring blood viscosity, a heat transfer member provided inside the kit mounting housing for applying heat to the kit for measuring blood viscosity, and a kit fixing means provided inside the kit mounting housing for fixing and securing the kit for measuring blood viscosity, wherein the kit fixing means may include a first push member provided along the height direction of the inner surface of the kit insertion groove of the kit mounting housing for pushing the kit for measuring blood viscosity to the other side, and a second push member provided along the longitudinal direction of the inner surface of the kit insertion groove of the kit mounting housing for pushing the kit for measuring blood viscosity to the other side. The kit mounting section may include a kit insertion tray into which a blood viscosity measurement kit is mounted vertically, a second sliding section that slides the kit insertion tray forward of the housing to expose the kit insertion tray to the outside, and a second detection section provided between the kit insertion tray and the second sliding section for detecting the mounting state of the kit insertion tray. In this configuration, the kit mounting portion may further include fastening means provided between the kit insertion tray and the second sliding portion for fixing the kit insertion tray to the upper part of the kit insertion tray.

[0010] The kit mounting section may be provided in multiple locations and may include a kit gripper for gripping the blood viscosity measurement kit, a second transport module for controlling the horizontal position of the kit gripper, and a second lifting module for controlling the height of the kit gripper while coordinating the kit gripper and the second transport module. The blood sample post-processing unit may be provided in multiple locations and may include an injection device that works in conjunction with the second transfer module to mix and aspirate the blood sample from the blood collection tube transferred by the blood sample transfer unit and inject it into a fitted blood viscosity measurement kit. The blood sample post-processing unit may further include a pipette tip insertion tray on which pipette tips detached from the end of the injection device are attached, and a third sliding section that slides the pipette tip insertion tray forward of the housing, thereby exposing the pipette tip insertion tray to the outside.

[0011] The housing includes a first waste section located between the blood sample mounting section and the blood viscosity measurement section, which houses used pipette tips, and a second waste section located between the blood viscosity measurement section and the kit mounting section, which houses a blood viscosity measurement kit that has been measured. The first and second waste sections can be exposed to the outside of the housing by sliding them forward. Furthermore, the automatic blood viscosity measuring device of the present invention may further include a control unit that controls the operation of the blood sample pre-processing unit, blood sample transfer unit, blood viscosity measuring unit, kit mounting unit, and blood sample post-processing unit, a notification unit that detects and notifies of errors in the automatic blood viscosity measuring device, an emergency stop switch unit that causes the automatic blood viscosity measuring device to be stopped in an emergency, and a monitoring unit that monitors the viscosity measurement results measured from the blood viscosity measuring unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The automated blood viscosity measuring device of the present invention, by employing a dual system configuration, has the advantages of shortening the blood viscosity testing time and enabling continuous testing even in the event of a malfunction of the gripper module or injection device. To prevent erythrocyte sedimentation during testing, more accurate blood viscosity measurement can be achieved by using pipetting to mix the blood collection tube insertion plate and ensuring uniform dispersion of red blood cells before blood aspiration. The automated blood viscosity measuring device of the present invention allows for safe and rapid replacement of blood collection tubes, blood viscosity measuring kits, and pipette tips. On the one hand, the automatic blood viscosity measuring device of the present invention is not limited to the above-described effects, and is preferably interpreted to include advantages that can be self-evidently derived through the combination of the devices and configurations possessed by the present invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of the automatic blood viscosity measuring device of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is an exemplary view of a form in which the open door of the housing and a part of the front portion are removed. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a blood sample mounting portion, a blood sample pretreatment portion, a blood sample transfer portion, a blood viscosity measurement portion, a kit mounting portion, and a blood sample post-treatment portion built inside the housing. [Figure 4] It is a front view of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a rear view of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view of the blood sample mounting portion and the blood sample transfer portion of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is an exemplary view of a blood collection tube insertion plate equipped with a motion motor. [Figure 8] It is an exemplary view of a form in which the blood collection tube insertion plate and the guide plate in FIG. 6 are removed. [Figure 9] It is an exemplary view for showing the configuration of the first sliding portion. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view of the blood sample pretreatment portion, the blood viscosity measurement portion, the kit mounting portion, and the blood sample post-treatment portion. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view of the blood viscosity measurement portion. [Figure 12] It is an exemplary view for showing the form of the measurement unit housing. [Figure 13] It is an exemplary view of the kit mounting housing. [Figure 14] It is an exemplary view of the kit mounting housing provided with a heat transfer member and a temperature detection sensor. [Figure 15]This is an illustrative diagram of a kit mounting housing provided with a kit fixing mechanism. [Figure 16] This is an illustrative diagram showing the configuration of the second sliding section. [Figure 17] This is a perspective view of the kit mounting section where the second detection unit is located. [Figure 18] This is an illustrative diagram of a kit gripper and injection device to be installed in the second transfer module. [Figure 19] This is an illustrative diagram showing the configuration of the third sliding section. [Figure 20] This is an illustrative diagram showing the third detection unit. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] The following description of the present invention, with reference to the drawings, is not limited to any particular embodiment and can be modified in various ways, resulting in a variety of possible examples. It should be understood that the following description includes all modifications, equivalents, or substitutes that fall within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. In the following explanation, terms such as "First," "Second," etc., are used to describe various components and are not limited in meaning by themselves, but are used solely to distinguish one component from others. The same reference numbers used throughout this specification refer to the same component. In this invention, singular expressions include plural expressions unless otherwise clearly defined in the context. Terms such as “includes,” “comes with,” or “has” as used below should be interpreted as indicating the existence of features, figures, stages, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof as described in the specification, and should not be understood as preemptively excluding the possibility of the existence or addition of one or more other features, figures, stages, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0015] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as those generally understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having the meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein. In the explanation with reference to the attached drawings, the same reference numerals will be used for identical components, regardless of the reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. In the explanation of the present invention, if a specific explanation of related prior art is deemed to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, such detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0016] The automatic blood viscosity measuring device of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 20, along with specific examples. Figure 1 is a perspective view of an automatic blood viscosity measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is an illustrative diagram of a configuration in which the opening door and part of the front of the housing have been removed; Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the blood sample mounting unit, blood sample pre-processing unit, blood sample transfer unit, blood viscosity measuring unit, kit mounting unit, and blood sample post-processing unit built into the housing; Figure 4 is a front view of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a rear view of Figure 3. Referring to Figures 1 to 5, an automated blood viscosity measuring device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention can be schematically described. The device of the present invention may include a housing 100, a blood sample mounting section 200, a blood sample pre-processing section 300, a blood sample transfer section 400, a blood viscosity measuring section 500, a kit mounting section 600, and a blood sample post-processing section 700.

[0017] The housing 100 refers to the housing that forms the external appearance of the automatic blood viscosity measuring device 1, and can form a space for housing the mechanical devices described below. Furthermore, the housing 100 may be provided with a cooling section 101 for discharging heat generated from each mechanical device to the outside. More specifically, the cooling section 101 can be formed by a combination of an air intake port provided at the top of the housing 100 for drawing air from the outside into the housing 100, and an air outlet provided at the rear of the housing 100 for discharging the drawn-in air to the outside. An open door 110 can be provided in front of the housing 100, and the open door 110 can be provided in front of and behind the blood sample mounting section 200, the kit mounting section 600, and the blood sample post-processing section 700, and can be made of a transparent material such as acrylic so that the operation of the machine can be identified from the outside, and the open door 110 can be equipped with a locking device to solve the problem of it opening unexpectedly during the operation of the device. The housing 100 can house the following components: a blood sample mounting section 200, a blood sample pre-processing section 300, a blood sample transfer section 400, a blood viscosity measuring section 500, a kit mounting section 600, and a blood sample post-processing section 700. It can also be equipped with a frame 120 for forming support. In this case, the frame 120 may be a structure that easily supports the load of each mechanical device and also incorporates a vibration damping structure to dampen external shocks or vibrations transmitted from the ground.

[0018] Next, Figure 6 is a perspective view of the blood sample mounting section and blood sample transfer section according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 7 is an illustrative diagram of a blood collection tube insertion plate with a motion motor attached, Figure 8 is an illustrative diagram of the form in which the blood collection tube insertion plate and guide plate have been removed from Figure 6, and Figure 9 is an illustrative diagram for showing the configuration of the first sliding section. As shown in Figures 6 to 9, the blood sample attachment unit 200 of the present invention can be fitted with a blood collection tube T containing a blood sample to be measured. In this case, the blood collection tube T is a container having the length shown in the drawings, and a blood collection tube cover TC can be provided at the top to seal the blood collection tube T from the outside.

[0019] Specifically, the blood sample mounting section 200 of the present invention may include a blood collection tube insertion plate 210, a first sliding section 220, and a first detection section 215. The blood collection tube insertion plate 210 can accommodate a blood collection tube T in a vertical position. This arrangement is solely for the purpose of allowing the pre-processing gripper 310 (described later) to easily grip the blood collection tube T. The blood collection tube T can also be accommodated horizontally at the user's request. The first sliding section 220 allows the blood collection tube insertion plate 210 to be exposed to the outside by sliding it forward of the housing 100, and its general form can be similar to that of a sliding drawer in a desk. A first locking device 221 can be provided on the side of the first sliding portion 220 to prevent the first sliding portion 220 from sliding unexpectedly during the operation of the device. The first detection unit 215 is provided between the blood collection tube insertion plate 210 and the first sliding unit 220, and can detect the mounting state of the blood collection tube insertion plate 210. In this case, the blood sample mounting section 200 is provided on both sides of the blood collection tube insertion plate 210 and may further include a motion motor 230 that moves the blood collection tube insertion plate 210 at a set cycle. In this case, the motion motor 230 can be provided in a form that is built into the first sliding section 220, within a range that does not interfere with the sliding motion of the first sliding section 220. As a result, the blood sample mounting section 200 of the present invention has the advantage of being able to prevent the erythrocyte sedimentation phenomenon of the blood sample through the process of mixing by shaking the blood collection tube insertion plate 210 from side to side.

[0020] The blood sample preprocessing unit 300 can grip multiple blood collection tubes T, scan barcodes attached to the gripped blood collection tubes T in cooperation with the blood collection tube detection unit 340, and separate the blood collection tube cover TC attached to the upper end of the blood collection tubes T. To perform the operations described above, the blood sample preprocessing unit 300 of the present invention may include a preprocessing gripper 310, a first transfer module 320, and a first lifting module 330. Multiple pre-processing grippers 310 are provided, and they can grip and rotate the blood collection tube T and the blood collection tube cover TC, thereby separating the blood collection tube cover TC from the blood collection tube T. The first transfer module 320 can control the horizontal position of the pre-processing gripper 310 and can be formed to be located behind the pre-processing gripper 310 and to have a length along the measurement direction, as shown in Figure 6. In this case, the first transport module 320 may further include a scanning module (not shown) that scans whether or not a blood collection tube is attached to the blood collection tube insertion plate 210.

[0021] Specifically, the scanning module (not shown) is equipped with a recognition device including a laser or photosensor in the first transport module 320 which controls the horizontal position of the pre-processing gripper 310, and can automatically scan whether or not a blood collection tube T is inserted in each hole of the blood collection tube insertion plate 210. The first lifting module 330 can control the height of the pre-processing gripper 310 by coordinating it with the first transfer module 320. On the other hand, a control motor (not shown) for adjusting the distance between the pre-processing gripper 310 and the first lifting module 330 can be provided between the pre-processing gripper 310 and the first lifting module 330. As a result, the pre-processing gripper 310 according to the embodiment of the present invention can be configured to move horizontally and vertically, as well as to be movable forward and backward. Furthermore, the blood sample transfer unit 400 can move the blood collection tube T that has been gripped by the blood sample preprocessing unit 300.

[0022] Specifically, the blood sample transfer unit 400 of the present invention may include a gripping gripper 410, a gripping gripper transfer module 420, and a guide plate 430. The gripping grippers 410 can be provided in the same number as the pre-processing grippers 310, i.e., in multiple units. The pre-processing grippers 310 can grip the lower part of the blood collection tube T so that the blood collection tube cover TC can be easily separated from the blood collection tube cover TC. The gripper transfer module 420 can transfer the gripper 410 and, as shown in Figure 8, can be formed to have a length extending from below the blood sample mounting section 200 along the measurement direction. The guide plate 430 can guide the reciprocating motion of the gripper 410 being transported by the gripper transport module 420, and therefore, guide grooves 431 can be provided on the surface of the guide plate 430 that allow the gripper 410 to reciprocate. The blood sample preprocessing unit 300 of the present invention may include a blood collection tube detection unit 340 that detects one or more blood collection tubes T gripped by the gripping gripper 410.

[0023] More specifically, the blood collection tube detection unit 340 can be installed on the horizontal line or in the vertical movement path of the pre-processing gripper 310 that grips the blood collection tube T, and is equipped with a barcode reader capable of recognizing barcode data attached to the periphery of the blood collection tube T. As the gripped blood collection tube T rotates away from the gripping gripper 410, the barcode data attached to the surface of the blood collection tube T can be scanned and detected by the blood collection tube detection unit 340. As a result, the automatic blood viscosity measuring device 1 of the present invention can automatically measure the viscosity of the blood sample in the blood collection tube T based on the detection information of the blood collection tube T.

[0024] Figure 10 is a perspective view of the blood sample pre-processing unit, blood viscosity measurement unit, kit mounting unit, and blood sample post-processing unit; Figure 11 is a perspective view of the blood viscosity measurement unit; Figure 12 is an illustrative diagram showing the morphology of the measurement unit contents; Figure 13 is an illustrative diagram of the kit mounting housing; and Figure 14 is an illustrative diagram of the kit mounting housing equipped with a heat transfer member and a temperature sensing sensor. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the blood viscosity measuring unit 500 of the present invention may be fitted with a blood viscosity measuring kit BK and may include one or more channels for measuring the viscosity of a blood sample injected into the blood viscosity measuring kit BK. Specifically, the blood viscosity measuring unit 500 of the present invention may include a measuring unit containing 510, a kit mounting housing 520, a mounting detection sensor 530, a heat transfer member 540, and a kit fixing means 550.

[0025] The measuring part containing 510 is located at the top Vibration isolation A pad 511 can be provided, and more specifically, the measuring part containing 510 can be formed to have two layered surfaces as shown in Figure 12, and between the two layered surfaces to prevent vibration Vibration isolation A pad 511 can be provided. At that time, the above Vibration isolation The pad 511 may preferably be formed from a composite material such as rubber or silicone having two or more different elastic moduli. As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the kit mounting housing 520 can be provided at the upper end of the measuring unit 510 and may have a kit insertion groove 521 into which the blood viscosity measurement kit BK is mounted. In this case, the kit mounting housing 520 is preferably provided with 14 channels, i.e., 14 units, from the top of the measuring unit containing 510, but this is not necessarily limited, and the number can be expanded to 28 or 56 units, depending on the size of the housing 100 or the resources of the power unit of the present invention.

[0026] The fitting detection sensor 530 is provided inside the kit insertion groove 521 and can detect the fitting state of the blood viscosity measurement kit BK. The fitting detection sensor 530 can use any electronic sensor that can determine the fitting state, such as a photo recognition sensor, a pressure point recognition sensor, or an ultrasonic recognition sensor. On the other hand, the mounting detection sensor 530 can be located in the lower center inside the kit insertion groove 521, as shown in Figure 15, but this is only one exemplary form; it can also be formed on the inner side of the kit insertion groove 521. The heat transfer member 540 is provided inside the kit mounting housing 520 and can apply heat to the blood viscosity measurement kit BK. A temperature sensor provided inside or outside the heat transfer member 540 prevents overheating of the heat transfer member 540 and allows the user to apply heat to the blood viscosity measurement kit BK within a desired temperature range.

[0027] Specifically, the heat transfer member 540 is bent into a "U" shape when viewed with respect to the flat cross-section of the kit mounting housing 520, and is provided to surround the blood viscosity measurement kit BK. It can be formed on the circumferential surface of the blood viscosity measurement kit BK via heat wires arranged in a zigzag repeating pattern, that is, in a wave shape. As a result, the blood viscosity measuring unit 500 of the present invention has the advantage of being able to effectively adjust the temperature of the attached blood viscosity measuring kit BK, enabling more accurate measurement of blood viscosity. The kit fixing means 550 is provided inside the kit mounting housing 520, and can fix the blood viscosity measuring kit BK in a fixed position on the sensor for measuring blood height, which is provided inside the kit insertion groove 521. In this case, an LED light sensor CIS sensor (Contact Image Sensor) can be used as the sensor for measuring blood height, but it is not necessarily limited to this, and any recognition sensor used to measure blood height can be used. More specifically, the kit fixing means 550 can be provided in combination with a first push member 551 and a second push member 552.

[0028] The first push member 551 can be provided along the height direction of the inner surface of the kit insertion groove 521 of the kit mounting housing 520, and the elasticity of the spring built inside can push the blood viscosity measurement kit BK to the other side. The second push member 552 is provided in the longitudinal direction on the inner surface of the kit insertion groove 521 of the kit mounting housing 520, and the elasticity of the spring built inside allows it to push the blood viscosity measurement kit BK to the other side. The first push member 551 and the second push member 552 can be provided one or more times inside the kit mounting housing 520, depending on the user's requirements, and it may be preferable to provide at least one of the two push members 551, 552 in multiple locations.

[0029] Figure 16 is an illustrative diagram showing the configuration of the second sliding section, Figure 17 is a perspective view of the kit mounting section where the second detection unit is provided, Figure 18 is an illustrative diagram of the kit gripper and injection device mounted on the second transfer module, Figure 19 is an illustrative diagram showing the configuration of the third sliding section, and Figure 20 is an illustrative diagram showing the third detection unit. Furthermore, the kit mounting section 600 is provided inside the housing 100, and the blood viscosity measurement kit BK is mounted there, allowing the blood viscosity measurement kit BK to be mounted on the blood viscosity measurement unit 500. In this case, the mounting sensor configuration described above can also be used on the kit mounting section 600, and the presence or absence of the blood viscosity measurement kit BK can be automatically scanned using a recognition means such as a laser or a photosensor. More specifically, the kit mounting section 600 may further include a kit insertion tray 610, a second sliding section 620, a second detection section 615, a kit gripper 630, a second transfer module 640, and a second lifting module 650.

[0030] The kit insertion tray 610 allows the blood viscosity measurement kit BK to be mounted vertically, and the kit gripper 630, which will be described in detail later, is similar to the blood collection tube insertion plate 210 described above and is a configuration that allows the blood viscosity measurement kit BK to be easily gripped. The kit gripper 630 can also be mounted horizontally according to the user's requirements. Furthermore, the second sliding section 620 can expose the kit insertion tray 610 to the outside by sliding the kit insertion tray 610 forward of the housing 100, and can be provided in the form of a sliding drawer similar to the first sliding section 220. A second locking device 621 can be provided on the side of the second sliding portion 620 to prevent the second sliding portion 620 from sliding unexpectedly during the operation of the device.

[0031] The second detection unit 615 is provided between the kit insertion tray 610 and the second sliding unit 620, and can detect the mounting state of the kit insertion tray 610. Therefore, the second detection unit 615 can be provided in a configuration of a three-point mounting sensor as shown in Figure 17. However, this is merely one method for effectively detecting the mounting state in conjunction with the horizontal state of the kit insertion tray 610, and any electronic sensor capable of effectively detecting the horizontal state and mounting state of the kit insertion tray 610 can be used. Between the kit insertion tray 610 and the second sliding section 620, a fastening means 616 can be provided to stably fix the kit insertion tray 610 at its upper part. More specifically, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, the fastening means 616 is provided in the form of a bar that rotates on the left and right sides of the kit insertion tray 610, and the second lifting module 650 can prevent the kit insertion tray 610 from shaking. The kit gripper 630 can be provided in multiple units to grip multiple blood viscosity measuring kits BK at once, and a power device can bring a pair of grippers that make up the unit closer together to grip the blood viscosity measuring kit BK.

[0032] The second transfer module 640 can control the horizontal position of the kit gripper 630 and can have the same length as the first transfer module 320 inside the housing 100 along the measurement direction. The second lifting module 650 can control the height of the kit gripper 630 by linking it with the second transport module 640. In this case, a control motor (not shown) can be provided between the second transport module 640 and the second lifting module 650 to adjust the distance between them, thereby enabling the kit gripper 630 of the present invention to perform horizontal and vertical movements as well as to be operable forward and backward. The blood sample post-processing unit 700 can draw the blood sample from the blood collection tube T, which has been transferred by the blood sample transfer unit 400, and inject it into the attached blood viscosity measurement kit BK.

[0033] Specifically, the blood sample post-processing unit 700 may include an injection device 710, a pipette tip insertion tray 720, a third sliding unit 730, and a third detection unit 740. The injection device 710 is provided in multiple locations and works in conjunction with the second transfer module 640 to mix and aspirate the blood sample from the blood collection tube T transferred by the blood sample transfer unit 400 and inject it into the attached blood viscosity measuring kit BK. The injection device 710, in order to prevent erythrocyte sedimentation, uses the aforementioned motion motor 230 to shake the blood collection tube insertion plate 210 from side to side for mixing, and also uses micropipette technology to aspirate and discharge blood while mixing, thereby preventing erythrocyte sedimentation when aspirating a blood sample.

[0034] The pipette tip insertion tray 720 can vertically mount the pipette tip PT that is attached to and detached from the end of the injection device 710. In this case, the pipette tip PT refers to a disposable pipette tip for safety and accuracy, as it will come into contact with blood during testing, and may refer to a conduction-type disposable pipette tip for precise adjustment of the blood aspirate and discharge volumes required for testing. The pipette tip PT can be subjected to precise volume control technology within ±1.0% in response to changes in electrical conductivity, or, using a pressure-type disposable tip, precise volume control technology can be applied in response to changes in pressure. The third sliding section 730 allows the pipette tip insertion tray 720 to be exposed to the outside by sliding it forward of the housing 100. A third locking device 731 can be provided on the side surface of the third sliding portion 730 to prevent the third sliding portion 730 from sliding during operation of the device.

[0035] The third detection unit 740 can be provided between the pipette tip insertion tray 720 and the third sliding unit 730. More specifically, it can be provided in a configuration of a two-point mounting sensor, which is provided symmetrically on the lower surface of the pipette tip insertion tray 720. However, this is merely one method for effectively detecting the mounting state in conjunction with the horizontal state of the pipette tip insertion tray 720, and any electronic sensor capable of effectively detecting the horizontal state and mounting state of the pipette tip insertion tray 720 can be used. The automatic blood viscosity measuring device 1 of the present invention may further include a first waste section 800 and a second waste section 900. The first waste section 800 is located inside the housing 100, between the blood sample mounting section 200 and the blood viscosity measuring section 500, and can accommodate used pipette tips PT. The second waste section 900 is located inside the housing 100 and is situated between the blood viscosity measurement section 500 and the kit mounting section 600. It is capable of accommodating the measured blood viscosity measurement kit BK.

[0036] The first waste section 800 and the second waste section 900 can be exposed to the outside of the housing 100 by sliding forward of the housing 100, and are formed in the form of sliding drawers, such as the first to third sliding sections 220, 620, and 730, and locking devices (not shown) can be provided on the sides of each waste section 800, 900 to eliminate the problem of the waste sections 800, 900 unexpectedly opening during the operation of the device. The automatic blood viscosity measuring device 1 of the present invention may further include a control unit C, a notification unit AL, an emergency stop switch unit ES, and a monitor unit (not shown). The control unit C can control the operation of the blood sample preprocessing unit 300, the blood sample transfer unit 400, the blood viscosity measurement unit 500, the kit mounting unit 600, and the blood sample postprocessing unit 700. The notification unit AL can detect an error in the automatic blood viscosity measuring device 1 and transmit such error to the user via light or sound. The emergency stop switch unit ES allows the user to immediately stop the operation of the machine when it is necessary to stop the automatic blood viscosity measuring device 1 in an emergency. The monitoring unit (not shown) can monitor the viscosity measurement results measured from the blood viscosity measurement unit 500 via a labeling device.

[0037] As a result, the automatic blood viscosity measuring device 1 of the present invention, by applying a dual system configuration, has the advantages of shortening the blood viscosity testing time and enabling continuous testing even in the event of a malfunction of the gripper module or injection device, preventing erythrocyte sedimentation during testing, and allowing for safe and rapid replacement of the blood collection tube T, blood viscosity measuring kit BK, and pipette tip PT. The automatic blood viscosity measuring device 1 of the present invention is not limited to the effects described above, and it is preferable to interpret that it includes advantages that allow for more obvious derivation of the combination of devices and configurations possessed by the present invention. The automatic blood viscosity measuring device 1 of the present invention has been described above with reference to the attached Figures 1 to 19. However, those with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs should understand that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical idea or essential features. Accordingly, the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not limiting. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0038] 1 Automatic blood viscosity measuring device 100 Housing 101 Cooling section 110 Open Door 120 frames 200 Blood sample insertion area 210 Blood collection tube insertion plate 215 First detection unit 220 1st Sliding Section 221 First Locking Device 230 Motion Motor 300 Blood sample pretreatment 310 Pre-processing Gripper 320 First Transfer Module 330 First Lifting Module 340 Blood collection tube detection unit 400 Blood sample transfer unit 410 Gripping Gripper 420 Gripping Gripper Transfer Module 430 Guide Plate 431 Guide groove 500 Blood viscosity measurement section 510 Measuring part inclusion 511 Vibration isolation pad 520 Kit Housing 521 Kit insertion groove 530 Wear detection sensor 540 Heat transfer member 550 Kit fixing means 551 First push member 552 Second push member 600 Kit mounting section 610 Kit Insertion Tray 615 Second detection unit 616 Fastening means 620 2nd Sliding Section 621 Second locking device 630 Kit Gripper 640 Second Transfer Module 650 Second Lifting Module 700 Blood sample post-processing area 710 Injection device 720 Pipette Tip Insertion Tray 730 Third Sliding Section 731 Third locking device 740 Third detection unit 800 First Disposal Department 900 Second Disposal Department T blood collection tube TC blood collection tube cover BK Blood Viscosity Measurement Kit PT pipette tips C control section AL notification section ES Emergency Stop Switch Unit

Claims

1. A housing with an opening door, The blood sample insertion section where the blood collection tube is attached, A blood sample preprocessing unit that grips multiple blood collection tubes, scans the gripped blood collection tubes, and separates the blood collection tube cover attached to the upper part of the blood collection tubes. The blood sample preprocessing unit moves the gripped blood collection tube. A blood viscosity measuring unit equipped with a blood viscosity measuring kit and including one or more channels for measuring the viscosity of a blood sample injected into the blood viscosity measuring kit, A kit mounting section is provided inside the housing for attaching the blood viscosity measurement kit to the blood viscosity measurement section, The blood sample transfer unit includes a blood sample post-processing unit that draws the blood sample from the blood collection tube transferred by the blood sample transfer unit and injects it into the attached blood viscosity measurement kit, The blood viscosity measuring unit is A measuring unit including a vibration-damping pad installed on top, A kit mounting housing is provided, which is installed at the upper end of the measuring unit and has a kit insertion groove into which the blood viscosity measurement kit is mounted. An insertion detection sensor is provided inside the kit insertion groove to detect the installation status of the blood viscosity measurement kit. A heat transfer member provided inside the kit mounting housing, which applies heat to the blood viscosity measurement kit, The kit includes a kit fixing means provided inside the kit mounting housing for fixing and securing the blood viscosity measurement kit in a fixed position, The aforementioned kit fixing means is A first push member is provided along the height direction of the inner surface of the kit insertion groove of the kit mounting housing, and on the other side, pushes out the blood viscosity measurement kit, An automatic blood viscosity measuring device characterized by including a second push member provided in the longitudinal direction on the inner surface of the kit insertion groove of the kit mounting housing, which pushes out the blood viscosity measuring kit on the other side.

2. The aforementioned blood sample attachment section is A blood collection tube insertion plate on which the aforementioned blood collection tube is mounted vertically, A first sliding portion that exposes the blood collection tube insertion plate to the outside by sliding the blood collection tube insertion plate forward of the housing, The automatic blood viscosity measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a first detection unit provided between the blood collection tube insertion plate and the first sliding portion for detecting the mounting state of the blood collection tube insertion plate.

3. The aforementioned blood sample preprocessing unit is: Multiple pre-processing grippers are provided to grip the blood collection tube and the blood collection tube cover and rotate them. A first transfer module that controls the position of the pre-processing gripper on the horizontal line, The automatic blood viscosity measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a first lifting module that controls the height of the pre-processing gripper by coordinating the pre-processing gripper with the first transfer module.

4. The aforementioned blood sample preprocessing unit is: The automatic blood viscosity measuring device according to claim 3, further comprising a scanning module provided in the first transport module for scanning whether or not a blood collection tube is attached to the blood collection tube insertion plate.

5. The blood sample transfer unit is Multiple grippers are provided, and the blood collection tubes, which are gripped and transported by the pre-processing grippers, are attached to a gripping gripper that grips the lower part of the blood collection tube. A gripper transfer module for transporting the aforementioned gripper, The automatic blood viscosity measuring device according to claim 3, further comprising a guide plate that guides the reciprocating motion of the gripper being transported by the gripper transport module.

6. The aforementioned blood sample preprocessing unit is: The system further includes a blood collection tube detection unit that detects one or more blood collection tubes gripped by the gripper, The aforementioned automatic blood viscosity measuring device is The automatic blood viscosity measuring device according to claim 5, characterized in that the viscosity of the blood collection tube relative to the blood sample is automatically measured based on the detection information of the blood collection tube.

7. The aforementioned kit mounting section is A kit insertion tray into which the blood viscosity measurement kit is mounted vertically, A second sliding section that slides the kit insertion tray forward of the housing, thereby exposing the kit insertion tray to the outside, The automatic blood viscosity measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a second detection unit provided between the kit insertion tray and the second sliding unit for detecting the mounting state of the kit insertion tray.

8. The aforementioned kit mounting section is The automatic blood viscosity measuring device according to claim 7, further comprising fastening means provided between the kit insertion tray and the second sliding portion for fixing the kit insertion tray at the upper part of the kit insertion tray.

9. The aforementioned kit mounting section is Multiple kit grippers are provided for gripping the blood viscosity measurement kit. A second transfer module controls the position of the kit gripper on the horizontal line, The automatic blood viscosity measuring device according to claim 7, further comprising a second lifting module that controls the height of the kit gripper while coordinating the kit gripper and the second transfer module.

10. The blood sample post-processing unit is: The automatic blood viscosity measuring device according to claim 9, characterized in that it includes an injection device provided in multiple locations, which works in conjunction with the second transport module to mix and aspirate the blood sample from the blood collection tube transported by the blood sample transport unit and inject it into the attached blood viscosity measuring kit.

11. The blood sample post-processing unit is: A pipette tip insertion tray into which pipette tips that are attached to and detached from the end of the injection device are mounted, The automatic blood viscosity measuring device according to claim 9, further comprising a third sliding portion that exposes the pipette tip insertion tray to the outside by sliding the pipette tip insertion tray forward of the housing.

12. Inside the housing, A first waste section is provided between the blood sample mounting section and the blood viscosity measuring section, and a used pipette tip is stored in this section. It includes a second waste section provided between the blood viscosity measurement section and the kit mounting section, which houses the blood viscosity measurement kit after measurement, The first waste section and the second waste section are The automatic blood viscosity measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is exposed to the outside of the housing by sliding forward of the housing.

13. The aforementioned automatic blood viscosity measuring device is The blood sample preprocessing unit, the blood sample transfer unit, the blood viscosity measurement unit, the kit mounting unit, and the control unit that controls the operation of the blood sample postprocessing unit, A notification unit that detects and notifies of an error in the aforementioned automatic blood viscosity measuring device, An emergency stop switch unit for emergency stopping the automatic blood viscosity measuring device, The automatic blood viscosity measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising a monitoring unit for monitoring the viscosity measurement results measured from the blood viscosity measuring unit.

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