Specimen conveyance device, cleaning tool and gripping state confirmation tool used in same, and gripping state confirmation method for specimen conveyance device
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HITACHI HIGH TECH CORP
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-06
Smart Images
Figure JP2025045658_06082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Specimen Transfer Device, Cleaning Tool Used Therein, Gripping State Confirmation Tool, and Method for Confirming Gripping State of Specimen Transfer Device
[0001] The present invention relates to a specimen transfer device, a cleaning tool used therein, a gripping state confirmation tool, and a method for confirming the gripping state of the specimen transfer device.
[0002] In an automated specimen inspection system, a specimen transfer device (also referred to as a "specimen container transfer device," "specimen container移送device," "specimen transfer device," etc.) is used to transfer (transfer,移送) a specimen container between various specimen processing devices such as a centrifuge and a sub-specimen dispensing device. In the specimen transfer device, a gripping mechanism (also referred to as a "specimen container chuck mechanism," etc.) for gripping and transferring the specimen container is used. Such a gripping mechanism is described in, for example, paragraph
[0035] of Patent Document 1 and FIG. 7.
[0003] International Publication No. 2015 / 072358
[0004] As described above, a specimen transfer device for transferring a specimen container containing a specimen (such as a blood collection tube, test tube, etc.) has a function of transferring the specimen from the transfer source to the transfer destination. However, when transferring the specimen, if the gripping of the specimen container by the gripping mechanism is insufficient, the specimen container may fall over and the transfer may fail. With the improvement of the analysis processing ability of recent specimen analysis systems, high-speed transfer, large-scale simultaneous transfer, transfer in multiple directions, etc. of specimens are required. Therefore, it can be said that the risk of the specimen container falling over due to insufficient gripping of the specimen container has increased compared to the past.
[0005] If the specimen container falls over during the transfer of the specimen, specimen loss will occur. To prevent this, various measures have been taken for the gripping part that contacts the specimen container when gripping the specimen container. For example, in order to enhance the adhesion of the gripping part to the specimen container, it is common to configure the gripping part with a soft material such as rubber.
[0006] On the other hand, the space where the sample transport device is installed is not a cleanroom, but rather a space where dust and dirt are present to some extent. As a result, dust adhering to the sample container and the material of the label attached to the sample container gradually adhere to the gripping part each time the sample container is grasped, causing the rubber surface of the gripping part to become dirty and the gripping force (frictional force between the gripping part and the surface of the sample container) to decrease. In particular, with high-throughput sample transport devices, sample containers are transferred nearly 1,000 times per hour, so the decrease in gripping force becomes significant.
[0007] If the gripping force decreases, the sample container may slip and fall while being gripped, causing the device to tip over. Alternatively, when the sample container, which is held in place by elastic components such as springs at the source / destination, is pulled out, it may tilt or slip.
[0008] To prevent a decrease in gripping force, it is desirable to clean the gripping area frequently, for example, at predetermined intervals. However, in specimen transport devices used in automated specimen testing systems, which are often found in large hospitals, many facilities operate 24 hours a day, making the burden of cleaning the gripping area a significant one for the device users.
[0009] Furthermore, as mentioned above, since the sample container chuck mechanism is used in many modules of the sample transport device, there are many parts to clean, and the time required to clean all of them is another factor that makes cleaning difficult.
[0010] The object of the present invention is to provide a specimen transport device that reduces the risk of tipping over or otherwise damaging specimen containers when transferring them, a cleaning jig used therein, a gripping state confirmation jig, and a method for confirming the gripping state of the specimen transport device.
[0011] The present invention has the following configuration to achieve the above objective: A specimen transport device comprising: a gripping portion that contacts the specimen container when gripping the specimen container; a plurality of gripping arms having the gripping portion for gripping the specimen container; a gripping arm opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the plurality of gripping arms; and a chuck moving mechanism for moving the specimen container chuck mechanism in the vertical and horizontal directions; wherein a cleaning jig having a cleaning member slidable with the gripping portion is provided within the area to which the specimen container chuck mechanism can move by the chuck moving mechanism, at a position where the gripping portion contacts the gripping portion when the gripping arm opening and closing mechanism closes the gripping arms.
[0012] Furthermore, the specimen transport device is characterized in that it has a gripping portion that contacts the specimen container when gripping the specimen container, a plurality of gripping arms having gripping portions for gripping the specimen container, a specimen container chuck mechanism having a gripping arm opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the plurality of gripping arms, and a chuck moving mechanism for moving the specimen container chuck mechanism in the vertical and horizontal directions, and a gripping state confirmation jig having a friction force measuring member that measures the friction force with the gripping portion by determining whether or not the gripping portion slips off the gripping portion while gripping, is provided within the area to which the specimen container chuck mechanism can move by the chuck moving mechanism at the position where the gripping portion contacts when the gripping arm opening and closing mechanism closes the gripping arms.
[0013] Furthermore, a method for confirming the gripping state of a specimen transport device, comprising: a specimen container chuck mechanism having a gripping portion that contacts the specimen container when gripping the specimen container, a plurality of gripping arms having a gripping portion for gripping the specimen container, a gripping arm opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the plurality of gripping arms, a chuck movement mechanism for moving the specimen container chuck mechanism in the vertical and horizontal directions, and an opening and closing detection unit for detecting the opening and closing of the gripping arms, characterized in that it includes the steps of: gripping a friction force measuring member using the gripping arms with the gripping arm opening and closing mechanism; moving the specimen container chuck mechanism upward with the chuck movement mechanism; and checking with the opening and closing detection unit whether or not the friction force measuring member has slipped off the gripping portion and the gripping arms have closed.
[0014] The present invention provides a specimen transport device that reduces the risk of tipping over or otherwise damaging specimen containers when transferring them, a cleaning jig used therein, a gripping state confirmation jig, and a method for confirming the gripping state of the specimen transport device.
[0015] A schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an automated sample transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention. A schematic diagram showing the configuration of a sample container transfer unit. A schematic explanatory diagram of the sample container transfer mechanism. A schematic explanatory diagram of the sample container transfer mechanism. A perspective view of a cleaning jig according to an embodiment of the present invention. A perspective view of a cleaning jig according to an embodiment of the present invention. A flowchart of a cleaning method for gripping members according to an embodiment of the present invention. A diagram showing the difference in cleaning effect depending on the type of cleaning member. A schematic explanatory diagram of a gripping state confirmation jig according to an embodiment of the present invention. A schematic explanatory diagram of a gripping state confirmation jig according to an embodiment of the present invention. A flowchart of a gripping state confirmation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. An example of a display screen showing a warning alarm and a button to start the cleaning operation. A schematic explanatory diagram of a gripping state confirmation jig according to an embodiment of the present invention. A schematic explanatory diagram of a gripping state confirmation jig according to an embodiment of the present invention. A schematic explanatory diagram of a gripping state confirmation jig according to an embodiment of the present invention. An explanatory diagram of a friction force measurement method using the gripping state confirmation jig of Figure 13A. An explanatory diagram of a friction force measurement method using the gripping state confirmation jig of Figure 13A. A schematic diagram illustrating a gripping state confirmation jig according to an embodiment of the present invention. A schematic diagram illustrating a gripping state confirmation jig according to an embodiment of the present invention. A schematic diagram illustrating a gripping state confirmation jig according to an embodiment of the present invention. A diagram showing the change in gripping force over time.
[0016] An embodiment of the automated specimen testing system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0017] Figure 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an automated specimen testing system according to this embodiment. The automated specimen testing system 100 is a system that automatically analyzes the components of specimens such as blood and urine. The main components of the automated specimen testing system 100 are, as shown in Figure 1, a specimen input unit 110, a specimen transport processing unit 120, a specimen storage unit 130, a centrifugation processing unit 140, a capping processing unit 150, a sub-specimen container generation processing unit 160, a dispensing processing unit 170, a capping processing unit 180A, 180B, an analysis processing unit 190, and a control computer 101.
[0018] The sample input unit 110 is a unit for inputting sample containers 200A and 200B containing samples into the automated sample testing system 100.
[0019] The sample transport processing unit 120 is a mechanism that transports sample containers 200A and 200B, which are inserted from the sample input unit 110, and sub-sample containers dispensed in the dispensing processing unit 170, to various parts of the automated sample testing system 100, such as the centrifugation processing unit 140, the dispensing processing unit 170, and the analysis processing unit 190, via a belt conveyor-like transport path.
[0020] Within the sample transport processing unit 120, the sample input unit 110 is equipped with a sample recognition unit 121, a stopper detection unit 122, and a rack recognition unit 125. These units read the barcodes 203 (see Figure 3) attached to the sample containers 200A and 200B being transported and obtain information to identify the transported sample containers 200A and 200B.
[0021] Furthermore, the recognition of the sample containers 200A and 200B may be performed using a recording medium other than the barcode 203. For example, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) may be provided on the sample containers 200A and 200B, and the sample recognition unit 121 may be configured to read the sample information (such as the sample ID) stored on the recording medium. Alternatively, the sample recognition unit 121 may be an imaging device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device).
[0022] The stopper detection unit 122 is an imaging device such as a CCD, which images the sample containers 200A and 200B, and analyzes the captured images to identify the type of stopper on the sample containers 200A and 200B.
[0023] The plug detection unit 122 may also identify the presence or absence of a plug and the type of plug using methods other than image recognition for plug detection.
[0024] The rack recognition unit 125 reads the rack ID information used for the rack 316 (see Figure 3) on which the sample containers 200A and 200B are mounted. Rack recognition units 135, 175, 185A, and 185B, corresponding to this rack recognition unit 125, are provided in various parts of the automated sample testing system 100.
[0025] The centrifugal processing unit (processing unit) 140 is a unit for performing centrifugation on the sample containers 200A and 200B into which the sample has been placed.
[0026] The capping unit 150 is a unit for opening the caps of the sample containers 200A and 200B that have been inserted.
[0027] The sub-sample container generation processing unit 160 is a unit that prepares the samples contained in the input sample containers 200A and 200B for dispensing in the next dispensing processing unit 170, for example, by preparing new containers and attaching barcodes or the like to the prepared containers.
[0028] The dispensing unit (processing unit) 170 is a unit that divides centrifuged or uncentrifuged samples into new containers for analysis in the analysis processing unit 190, which will be described later.
[0029] The capping units 180A and 180B are units for capping open sample containers 200A and 200B, or subdivided sample containers, and are provided in pairs, 180A and 180B, depending on the type of capping used to cap the sample containers 200A and 200B. The capping unit 180A is structured to be suitable for use with press-fit capping bodies, and for example, the sample transport unit 120 has a dedicated mechanism for press-fitting the capping body 202. The capping unit 180B is structured to be suitable for use with screw caps. The capping units 180A and 180B have a capping mechanism (not shown).
[0030] The analysis processing unit 190 is the destination for samples processed in each processing unit within the automated sample testing system 100, and is a unit for performing qualitative and quantitative analysis of the components of the samples.
[0031] The main components of the analysis processing unit 190 are a sample dispensing mechanism 191, a reagent dispensing mechanism 192, a reagent disk 193, a reaction disk 194, a detection mechanism 195, and a transport line 196 which is part of the sample transport processing unit 120.
[0032] The sample dispensing mechanism 191 aspirates and dispenses samples from sample containers 200A and 200B. The reagent disk 193 stores reagents necessary for the component analysis of the samples. The reagent dispensing mechanism 192 aspirates and dispenses reagents.
[0033] The detection mechanism 195 measures the optical properties of the mixture in the reaction cell of the reaction disk 194 and transfers the acquired data to the control computer 101.
[0034] The specimen storage unit 130 is a unit that stores specimen containers 200A and 200B that have been sealed by the sealing processing units 180A and 180B.
[0035] The control computer 101 controls the operation of each part and mechanism within each part of the automated sample testing system 100, and also performs analysis of measurement data in the analysis processing unit 190. The control computer 101 is capable of communicating with the aforementioned parts and mechanisms, as well as the rack recognition units 125, 135, 175, 185A, and 185B.
[0036] Next, the method of analyzing the sample by the analysis processing unit 190 will be described below. Basically, the analysis is performed by controlling each element with the control computer 101.
[0037] First, the control computer 101, using the sample transport processing unit 120 and the transport line 196, transports the rack 316 installed on the transport line 196 to a position directly below the sample dispensing probe of the sample dispensing mechanism 191 in the analysis processing unit 190.
[0038] Next, the sample dispensing mechanism 191 aspirates a predetermined amount of the sample contained in the sample containers 200A and 200B installed in the rack 316 and dispenses the sample into the reaction cell installed in the reaction disk 194.
[0039] Next, the reaction disk 194 transports the reaction cell containing the sample to a position directly below the reagent dispensing mechanism 192. At the same time, the reagent disk 193 transports a predetermined reagent bottle to a position directly below the reagent dispensing mechanism 192.
[0040] Next, the reagent dispensing mechanism 192 sucks a predetermined amount of the reagent contained in the reagent bottle and discharges the reagent into the reaction cell (reaction vessel) containing the previously discharged specimen.
[0041] Next, the reaction disk 194 conveys the reaction cell containing the mixed solution of the reagent and the specimen to the position of the stirring mechanism, and stirs the mixed solution of the reagent and the specimen contained in the reaction cell.
[0042] Next, the reaction disk 194 conveys the reaction cell containing the mixed solution of the reagent and the specimen to the position of the detection mechanism 195.
[0043] Next, the detection mechanism 195 irradiates light into the mixed solution, detects changes in the absorbance of the mixed solution and the amount of scattered light, and performs an operation to obtain the concentration of a predetermined component in the specimen from the detected absorbance information and the information on the change in the amount of light.
[0044] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a specimen container transfer unit used in the specimen inspection automation system described in FIG. 1.
[0045] The specimen container transfer unit 104 includes holder transfer lines 10a and 10b for transferring the holder conveyed from the specimen pretreatment system, a transfer mechanism (also referred to as a "specimen container chuck mechanism", details of which will be described later) for gripping the specimen container on the conveyed holder, an XYZ drive mechanism (also referred to as a "chuck movement mechanism") for moving the transfer mechanism in the vertical and horizontal directions, and rack transfer lines 23a and 23b for transferring the rack on which the specimen container is placed to the analysis system.
[0046] The holder conveyed by the holder transfer line 10a is temporarily stopped by the stopper mechanism 14 at the holder transfer position 401. The transfer mechanism accesses the holder transfer position 401, grips the specimen container, raises it, and extracts it from the holder. Thereafter, the transfer mechanism moves horizontally and transfers the gripped specimen container to the empty position of the rack waiting at the rack transfer position 402 on the rack transfer line 23a.
[0047] If the specimen container is transferred to all positions of the rack or a timeout occurs before the arrival of the next holder, the rack conveyance line 23a removes the rack from the rack transfer position 402 and conveys it to the analysis system connected downstream.
[0048] After the analysis in the analysis system is completed, the specimen container is returned to the specimen container transfer unit by the rack conveyance line 23b and stopped at the rack transfer position 403. Then, the transfer mechanism accesses, extracts the specimen container from the rack, and transfers the specimen container to the holder waiting at the holder transfer position 404 on the holder conveyance line 10b. The specimen container transferred to the holder is conveyed to the pretreatment system via the holder conveyance line 10b and stored in the storage unit. Note that the specimen container after the analysis is completed may be stored in a predetermined storage location within the analyzer without being returned to the holder.
[0049] Barcode readers 15a to 15b for reading the barcode labels attached to the specimen containers are arranged on the respective conveyance lines on the specimen container transfer unit 104, and barcode readers 15c to 15d for reading the barcode labels attached to the rack are provided. In addition, a rotation mechanism 16 for rotating the holder is provided at the reading position to read the barcode label of the specimen container held on the holder.
[0050] Figures 3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams of the sample container transfer mechanism. These diagrams illustrate the case of transferring a sample container 317 from a rack 316 to a holder 319 (i.e., corresponding to the description in the latter half of Figure 2). In Figure 3(A), the sample container chuck mechanism 318, held by a chuck movement mechanism (not shown), has a gripping arm 318a, and the chuck movement mechanism moves the sample container chuck mechanism 318 to a position above the sample container 317 to be gripped by this gripping arm 318a. In Figure 3(B), the gripping arm 318a is opened by the sample container chuck mechanism, and in Figure 3(C), the chuck movement mechanism moves the gripping arm 318a of the sample container chuck mechanism 318 downward until it is positioned above the sample container 317, and the upper part of the sample container 317 is positioned between the gripping portions 320 of the gripping arm 318a. Then, in Figure 3(D), the gripping arm 318a is closed by the sample container chuck mechanism 318, the upper part of the sample container 317 is gripped by the gripping portion 320, and it is lifted upward as shown in Figure 3(E).
[0051] Next, as shown in Figure 4(A), the chuck movement mechanism moves the sample container chuck mechanism 318, which is gripping the sample container 317, to a position above the holder 319 located at the sample transfer destination. Then, as shown in Figure 4(B), the chuck movement mechanism moves the sample container chuck mechanism 318 downward to a position where the sample container 317 is placed on the holder 319 located at the sample transfer destination. Next, as shown in Figure 4(C), the gripping portion of the gripping arm 318a of the sample container chuck mechanism 318 is opened, and as shown in Figure 4(D), the chuck movement mechanism moves the sample container chuck mechanism 318 upward.
[0052] When transferring the sample container 317 from the holder 319 to the rack 316 (i.e., corresponding to the description in the first half of Figure 2), the reverse operation is performed (Figure 4 (D) → (C) → (B) → (A) → Figure 3 (E) → (D) → (C) → (B) → (A)). Although not shown in Figures 3 and 4, the sample container chuck mechanism 318 is equipped with an open / close sensor that detects the opening and closing of the gripping arm 318a, and can detect whether the gripping arm is open or closed. As an open / close sensor, for example, an optical sensor such as a photointerrupter can be provided at the base of the gripping arm 318a, or a microswitch that turns ON / OFF depending on the opening and closing of the gripping arm can be provided.
[0053] As explained in Figures 3 and 4, the gripping arm 318a of the specimen container chuck mechanism 318 grips the specimen container 317 and moves up and down repeatedly. As a result, the gripping portion 320 of the gripping arm 318a, which is made of an elastic material such as rubber, gradually becomes dirty, and the holding force (frictional force) when gripping the specimen container decreases.
[0054] Figure 5 shows the cleaning jig 450 of this embodiment. A cleaning member 451, which mimics the shape of a sample container, is attached to a cleaning member support member 452. The cleaning jig 450 may be attached to the top panel of the sample transport device with screws or the like, or simply placed on top of the top panel of the sample transport device, within the area where the sample container chuck mechanism (reference numeral 318 in Figures 3 and 4) can move by the chuck movement mechanism (i.e., within the area where an item can be gripped by the gripping arm 318a). Specifically, the movable area of the sample container chuck mechanism is the area 460 enclosed by a dashed rectangle in Figure 2. The cleaning jig 450 is placed within this area 460 (in Figure 2, two cleaning jigs 450 are placed).
[0055] The location for placing the cleaning jig 450 should be within the movable range of the specimen container chuck mechanism, have sufficient space to install the cleaning jig 450, do not interfere with the operation of other mechanisms within the device, and do not obstruct the operation of the device operator. Furthermore, it is desirable that the cleaning jig 450 be installed in a location that does not require modification to the top panel of the device, or can be installed with minimal modification.
[0056] When the cleaning jig 450 is placed on the top panel of the device, it is preferable to place a weight 453 on the cleaning member support member so that the cleaning member support member 452 does not lift up even when the gripping arm of the sample container chuck mechanism 318 grips the cleaning member 451 and the gripping arm is moved up and down to clean the gripping member of the gripping arm, thereby sliding the gripping member and the cleaning member 451. Alternatively, the cleaning member support member 452 may be made of a metal material of sufficient weight.
[0057] In this embodiment, the cleaning member 451 is made of two hollow cylindrical elastic members stacked on top of each other. The cleaning member 451 becomes dirty with repeated cleaning and needs to be replaced periodically. To facilitate replacement, in this embodiment, a cylindrical cleaning member retainer 454 is provided above the cleaning member 451, and the cleaning member retainer 454 is fixed to the cleaning member support member 452 with a screw 455. When replacing the cleaning member 451, the cleaning member 451 can be easily replaced by removing the screw 455 and moving the cleaning member retainer 454.
[0058] Figure 6 shows another example of the cleaning jig 450. The difference from the cleaning jig 450 shown in Figure 5 is that the weight 453 is made into a vertically elongated cylindrical shape, and the installation area of the cleaning member support member 452 is reduced. The cleaning jig 450 shown in Figure 6 can be used when there are limitations on the area of the installation space, such as when the space for placing the cleaning jig 450 is narrow. The other components are the same as those shown in Figure 5, so their explanation is omitted.
[0059] Furthermore, the gripping member of the chuck mechanism can be cleaned not only by sliding it vertically against the cleaning jig 450, but also by sliding it horizontally (laterally). Depending on the type of dirt attached to the gripping member, or the shape of the gripping member, some dirt may be easier to remove by sliding it horizontally rather than vertically. For thorough cleaning, a cleaning method may be used in which the sliding direction is changed and the member is slid multiple times, for example, by moving it back and forth twice vertically, and then back and forth twice horizontally.
[0060] Furthermore, the cleaning member 451 does not have to be cylindrical; for example, it may be prismatic. In the case of a cylindrical cleaning member, the gripping member and the cleaning member 451 only make contact along a line, whereas in the case of a prismatic cleaning member, they make contact over a surface. Therefore, compared to a cylindrical cleaning member, when the gripping arm is slid horizontally to clean the gripping member, the contact distance between the cleaning member and the gripping member can be increased, resulting in a higher cleaning effect.
[0061] Alternatively, the cleaning member 451 may be impregnated with a chemical material such as detergent. Since the label attached to the sample container has adhesive on the back, simply sliding it against the cleaning member 451 may only spread the adhesive and not remove it. The cleaning member 451 may be impregnated with a chemical material such as an oil component like orange oil or a surfactant, which is commercially available as a label remover (sticker remover), or a tank may be provided to supply the chemical material to the cleaning member, so that the chemical material can be supplied to the cleaning member 451 on a regular basis, like a stamp that does not require an ink pad.
[0062] Next, Figure 7 shows the cleaning process flow using the cleaning jig 450. The control computer 101 (control unit) issues a cleaning process instruction and starts operation (S600). The sample container chuck mechanism (abbreviated as "chuck mechanism" in Figure 7) is moved to above the cleaning jig 450 which is placed within the movable range of the sample container chuck mechanism (S601). The sample container chuck mechanism is lowered until the gripping portion of the sample container chuck mechanism is at the same height as the cleaning member 451 of the cleaning jig 450 (S602).
[0063] The gripping arm of the sample container chuck mechanism is closed to grip the cleaning member 451 (S603). With the gripping member provided on the gripping arm in contact with the cleaning member 451, the sample container chuck mechanism is moved up and down a predetermined number of times to clean the gripping member (S604). The number of up and down movements of the sample container chuck mechanism is predetermined and stored in the control unit.
[0064] The number of up-and-down movements can be arbitrarily set depending on the operating time of the sample transport device, the number of times the sample container is gripped by the sample container chuck mechanism, and the environment in which the sample transport device is used, but usually two to three reciprocating movements are sufficient.
[0065] After cleaning is complete, the gripping arm is opened to release the cleaning member 451 (S605). The sample container chuck mechanism is moved upward (S606). This completes the cleaning of the gripping member provided on the gripping arm of the sample container chuck mechanism (S607).
[0066] The degree to which the gripping force of the specimen container gripping mechanism recovers differs depending on the type of cleaning member 451. Figure 8 shows the degree to which the gripping force recovers depending on the type of cleaning member 451. In a specimen container chuck mechanism where the gripping force (frictional force obtained by multiplying the pressing force (N) applied to the specimen container by the friction coefficient μ) is approximately 3.2 N when the rubber part of the gripping member of the specimen container gripping section is not dirty, the gripping force was measured after performing the cleaning operation shown in Figure 7, starting from a state where the gripping force had decreased to approximately 2.0 N due to dirt.
[0067] (1) to (5) differ in the material of the gripping member. When the PVA sponge of (1) is used as the gripping member, it can be seen that the gripping force is restored to the initial gripping force of approximately 3.2 N after three cleaning cycles (when the sample container chuck mechanism is moved up and down three times). Hardness and surface irregularities, including pores, are important for achieving excellent cleaning effects. Without a certain degree of hardness, when gripped by the gripping member, the amount of compression is too large and the resistance is too low, so no cleaning effect is obtained. Also, if there are no surface irregularities and the friction is too low, dirt cannot be scraped off and no cleaning effect is obtained.
[0068] Based on these results, the PVA sponge (1) yielded the best results for the rubber used as the gripping member. Since PVA sponge is a porous material, it is also suitable for impregnation with the aforementioned chemical agents. Note that the cleaning effect differs depending on the material of the gripping member, and compatibility with the gripping member is also a factor. It is desirable to experimentally change the type of gripping member and cleaning member to select the most suitable type of cleaning member.
[0069] A gripping state confirmation jig 800 (hereinafter also referred to as the "friction force measuring jig") according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 9. A friction force measuring member 801, which mimics the shape of a sample container, is attached to a friction force measuring member support member 802. In Figure 9, a cleaning member 451 according to Embodiment 1 is provided coaxially below the friction force measuring member 801, but the cleaning member 451 is not necessary if only friction force is to be measured. The gripping state confirmation jig 800 can be placed on the upper panel of the sample transport device within the movable range of the sample container chuck mechanism, or attached to the upper panel with bolts, etc., similar to the cleaning member in Embodiment 1.
[0070] The friction force measuring member 801 is fixed to the friction force measuring member support member 802 with a screw 807. A weight adjustment weight 803 may be placed on the friction force measuring member support member 802 according to the magnitude of the friction force to be measured. The weight of the friction force measuring member support member 802 may be adjusted according to the magnitude of the friction force to be measured, but by using the weight adjustment weight 803, the friction force of the object being measured can be changed without replacing the friction force measuring member support member 802.
[0071] The friction force measuring member 801 can be manufactured using various materials. If durability is a priority, it can be manufactured by machining metal materials such as stainless steel or brass. If the focus is on measuring the gripping force (frictional force) when gripping an actual sample container, a cylinder made of synthetic resin (polyethylene terephthalate: PET), which is the material of the sample container, can be used, or a cross-section of an actual sample container cut perpendicular to its length may be used.
[0072] When using sliced pieces, a cylinder made of metal or synthetic resin is used as a core, and the core is fixed with a screw 807. Then, the sliced cylinder is placed over the core. To prevent the sliced cylinder from moving vertically relative to the core, it is preferable to use a screw 807 with a flange so that the flange holds the cylinder in place from above.
[0073] In Figure 9, the friction force measuring member support member 802 is supported by the friction force measuring member base 806 via a groove 804 provided on the side surface of the weight adjustment weight 803 and a guide roller 805 that is movable along the groove 804. When the sample container gripping arm of the sample container chuck mechanism grips the friction force measuring member 801 and lifts it upward while gripping the friction force measuring member 801, the friction force measuring member support member 802 is structured to be able to separate from the friction force measuring member base 806 as the guide roller 805 rotates due to friction with the groove 804. Furthermore, when the grip is released from the state in which the friction force measuring member 801 is gripped by the guide roller 805, the friction force measuring member 801 functions to move downward along the guide roller 805 and return to its original position.
[0074] In the case of Figure 9, the friction force measuring member base 806 is fixed to the top panel of the sample transport device by screws 808. However, by making the friction force measuring member base 806 sufficiently heavy relative to the magnitude of the friction force to be measured, it is also possible to place it on the top panel of the sample transport device without screwing it in.
[0075] Figures 10A and 10B show another example of the gripping state confirmation jig 800. The gripping state confirmation jig 800 shown in Figure 9 is characterized by the provision of grooves 809 and projections 810 instead of the guide rollers 805 in Figure 9.
[0076] As mentioned above, when the friction force measuring member 801 is held and lifted upward, the friction force measuring member support member 802 is structured to be able to separate from the friction force measuring member base 806 by the rotation of the guide roller 805 due to friction with the groove 804. However, friction occurs when the guide roller 805 rotates in the groove 804, making it impossible to accurately measure the gripping force (frictional force) of the gripping mechanism. Furthermore, when the gripping member is dirty and the gripping force is reduced, the influence of the frictional force between the guide roller 805 and the groove 804 becomes significant, which can lead to problems such as variations in the measured frictional force.
[0077] One of the roles of the guide roller 505 is to guide the friction force measuring member 801 back to its original position before gripping when the gripping portion is released. For this reason, the gripping state confirmation jig 800 shown in Figures 10A and 10B is provided with a groove 809 and a projection 810 instead of a guide roller. In the gripping state confirmation jig 800 shown in Figures 10A and 10B, when the gripping portion is released, the projection 810 fits into the groove 809, causing the friction force measuring member 801 to return to its original position.
[0078] When using the gripping state confirmation jig 800 shown in Figures 10A and 10B, if the frictional force differs among the multiple (usually four) gripping members when the gripping member grips the frictional force measuring member 801 (for example, if the label of the sample container is attached to only one gripping member, reducing the frictional force), the frictional force measuring member 801 may rotate after gripping, causing a part of the groove 809 to come into contact with the projection 810, potentially resulting in an error in the measured gripping force.
[0079] Therefore, when using the gripping state confirmation jig 800 shown in Figures 10A and 10B, it is preferable to take measures to prevent the friction force measuring member 801 from rotating, such as flattening the portion of the cylindrical shape of the friction force measuring member 801 that is gripped by the gripping member, so that the friction force measuring member 801 does not rotate while being gripped.
[0080] From the standpoint of preventing rotation, protrusions (corners) may be provided between the parts of the circular shape of the friction force measuring member 801 that are gripped by the gripping member (resulting in a circular shape with four corners when viewed from above). The protrusions (corners) have the effect of suppressing the slippage and rotation of the parts gripped by the gripping member. However, in the case of the gripping state confirmation jig 800 using the guide roller 805 shown in Figure 9, the guide roller 805 prevents the friction force measuring member 801 from rotating, so the above measures are unnecessary.
[0081] The gripping state confirmation flow using the gripping state confirmation jig 800 will be explained using Figure 11. The control computer 101 (control unit) issues a gripping state confirmation (also referred to as "friction force confirmation") instruction and starts operation (S900). The sample container chuck mechanism (abbreviated as "chuck mechanism" in Figure 11 as in Figure 7) is moved to above the gripping state confirmation jig 800 fixed on the upper panel of the sample transport device within the movable range of the sample container chuck mechanism (S901). The sample container chuck mechanism is lowered until the gripping portion of the sample container chuck mechanism is at the same height as the position of the friction force measuring member 801 of the gripping state confirmation jig 800 (S902).
[0082] The gripping arm of the sample container chuck mechanism is closed to grip the friction force measuring member 801 (S903). With the gripping member provided on the gripping arm in contact with the friction force measuring member 801, the sample container chuck mechanism is moved upward, and the friction force measuring member 801, along with the friction force measuring member support member 802 to which it is fixed, is lifted by a predetermined distance (for example, about 10 mm) (S904). The friction force measuring member support member 802 is held in the lifted position for a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) (S905).
[0083] Within a predetermined time, the open / close sensor of the sample container chuck mechanism detects whether the friction force measuring member 801 has slipped off the gripping member (S906). If the friction force measuring member 801 does not slip off the gripping member within the predetermined time (NO in S906), the control computer 101 determines that there is no problem with the gripping state and terminates the process (S907). If the friction force measuring member 801 slips off the gripping member within the predetermined time (YES in S906), the control computer 101 issues a warning alarm by displaying a warning alarm on the display screen (S908) and terminates the gripping state confirmation operation (S907).
[0084] Furthermore, in S905, instead of holding for a predetermined time, the time required for the object to slide off may be measured. If the time until the object slides off is less than 5 seconds, it is determined that cleaning of the gripping member is necessary, and this is displayed on the display unit of the control computer 101. However, even if the time until the object slides off exceeds 5 seconds, recording this time allows for understanding the progression of soiling of the gripping member. For example, if the object slid off in 10 seconds when measured two weeks ago, in 8 seconds when measured one week ago, and in 6 seconds when measured today, it can be predicted that the gripping state will require cleaning in one week. If there is sufficient capacity in the sample transport device today, cleaning can be performed today instead of one week later to prepare for a busy period in one week.
[0085] Furthermore, if the answer to S906 is YES, the control computer 101 may be configured to perform a so-called retry, which involves cleaning the gripping member as described in Example 1, and then checking the gripping state again as shown in Figure 11 to confirm whether the gripping state has been restored by the cleaning.
[0086] As shown in Figure 9, by providing the cleaning member according to Embodiment 1 coaxially below the friction force measuring member 801, if a problem is determined to exist in the gripping state according to the gripping state confirmation flow in Figure 11 (if the answer is YES at S906), the gripping arm can be lowered to the cleaning member located below the friction force measuring member 801, and the cleaning operation described in Embodiment 1 can be performed. Whether or not to start the cleaning operation can be determined by the control computer 101 displaying a warning alarm and a button to start the cleaning operation on the display screen as shown in Figure 12, or the control computer 101 can start the cleaning operation automatically.
[0087] Alternatively, the first cleaning operation may be performed automatically, followed by a re-check of the gripping state. If the gripping force is still deemed insufficient, subsequent cleanings may be performed automatically. The control computer 101 may also display a message to the device operator prompting them to perform manual cleaning or replace the rubber on the gripping component. The device operator can choose between these two options. This allows them to select the former option if they are not concerned about the time required for subsequent cleanings, or the latter option if they are concerned about the time.
[0088] As a method for confirming the gripping state, checking whether the friction force measuring member 801 slips off the gripping member, as described in Example 2, is most preferable because it allows for direct measurement of the friction force between the gripping member of the gripping arm and the friction force measuring member 801. However, a load cell consisting of a strain sensor or the like can also be attached to the friction force measuring member 801.
[0089] While load cells cannot directly measure frictional force, they can measure the degree of force required to close the gripping arm. Even if the gripping components of the gripping arm are not dirty, a malfunction in the gripping arm's opening and closing mechanism could reduce the closing force, potentially leading to a decrease in gripping force (frictional force). Using a load cell makes it possible to determine whether a problem in the gripping arm's opening and closing mechanism is causing the decrease in frictional force.
[0090] Alternatively, instead of the weight adjustment weight 803, a spring 813 can be provided between the friction force measuring member support member 802 and the friction force measuring member base 806, as shown in Figures 13A to 13C, and the amount of spring extension until the gripping arm separates from the friction force measuring member can be measured. Figure 13A is a perspective view of the friction force measuring jig, and Figures 13B and 13C are lateral views of the friction force measuring jig of Figure 13A. Figure 13B shows the state where the spring 813 is not extended and the friction force is not being measured, and Figure 13C shows the state where the spring 813 is extended while the friction force is being measured.
[0091] The friction force measurement method using the friction force measuring jig shown in Figures 13A to 13C will be explained below. According to Hooke's Law, if the magnitude of the force applied to the spring (the friction force between the gripping member of the gripping arm and the friction force measuring member 801) is F, the amount of spring extension is x, and the spring constant is k, then the relationship F = kx holds. The amount of spring extension can be calculated from the height position of the gripping arm 318a. That is, since the specimen container chuck mechanism 318 equipped with the gripping arm 318a is moved up and down by a pulse motor or the like, the height position of the gripping arm 318a can be calculated based on the number of pulses of the pulse motor.
[0092] Therefore, the magnitude of the force applied to the spring at that time (the frictional force between the gripping arm's gripping member and the frictional force measuring member 801) can be measured from the amount of spring extension when the gripping arm 318a leaves the frictional force measuring member 801. In the frictional force measuring jig 800 described in Figure 9, the frictional force of the object to be measured is changed by placing a weight adjustment weight 803 on the frictional force measuring member support member 802 as needed, according to the magnitude of the frictional force to be measured. In contrast, by using a spring as shown in Figure 13A, it becomes possible to measure frictional forces over a wide range without having to adjust the weight adjustment weight 803 according to the magnitude of the frictional force to be measured, as in Figure 9. Note that any member that obeys Hooke's Law can be used instead of the spring 813.
[0093] An example of friction force measurement using the friction force measuring jig shown in Figures 13A to 13C will be explained using Figures 14A and 14B. When measuring friction force using the friction force measuring jig 800 described in Figure 9, as mentioned above, the friction force measuring member support member 802 is held in a lifted position for a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) and the measurement is performed. The same procedure is followed when measuring friction force using the friction force measuring jig shown in Figures 13A to 13C.
[0094] Specifically, as shown in Figures 14A and 14B, the friction force measuring member 801 is grasped by the gripping arm 318a, lifted by a predetermined distance, and held in that position for 5 seconds. In the measurement method shown in Figure 14A, the step of lifting it by another predetermined distance and holding it for 5 seconds is then repeated. Based on the height of the gripping arm (18 mm in Figure 14A) at the time the friction force measuring member 801 leaves the gripping arm 318a and falls, the friction force at that time is calculated based on the above-mentioned formula F = kx. In the measurement method shown in Figure 14B, the friction force measuring member 801 is grasped by the gripping arm 318a, lifted by a predetermined distance, held in that position for 5 seconds, then the gripping arm 318a is lowered back to its original position to release the grip, and then the friction force measuring member 801 is grasped again by the gripping arm 318a and lifted to a predetermined distance greater than (higher than) the previously lifted predetermined distance, and held for 5 seconds, and this step is repeated. In the measurement method shown in Figure 14A, the position of the friction force measuring member 801, which is gripped by the gripping arm 318a, may gradually move downward (shift) due to the lifting motion of the gripping arm 318a, potentially causing the friction force measuring member 801 to fall. However, in the measurement method shown in Figure 14B, after lifting the friction force measuring jig 800 and holding it for 5 seconds, the friction force measuring jig 800 is returned to its original position, and the gripping arm 318a re-gripped the friction force measuring member 801. This resets the shift of the friction force measuring member 801, and is expected to enable more accurate friction force measurement. On the other hand, the measurement method in Figure 14B may take longer to measure the friction force compared to the measurement method shown in Figure 14A. Therefore, it is desirable to appropriately select which method to adopt, Figure 14A or Figure 14B, considering the time available for friction force measurement.
[0095] When measuring friction force using the friction force measuring jig 800 shown in Figures 13A to 13C, in addition to the effect of enabling measurement of friction force over a wide range as described above, the effect of reducing the area of the friction force measuring member support member can also be expected. That is, since there is no need to provide a weight adjustment weight 803, it is possible to make a vertically elongated jig as shown in Figure 5, and the jig can be installed even in a narrow space. The calculation of the friction force described above may be performed by the control computer 101 (control unit), or it may be controlled and calculated by a dedicated control board including the control of the gripping arm 318a.
[0096] When using the friction force measuring jig 800 shown in Figures 10A and 10B, the range of friction force that can be measured depends on the weight of the weight adjustment weight 803. Depending on the magnitude of the friction force to be measured, as mentioned above, it may be necessary to change the weight of the weight adjustment weight 803, which in turn requires the time and effort of replacing the weight adjustment weight 803. To solve this problem, this embodiment is characterized by the fact that the friction force measuring member support member 802 can be separated into two parts, 802a and 802b, as shown in Figures 15A to 15C.
[0097] Figure 15A shows the state of the friction force measuring jig 800 when friction force is not being measured. In this state, the friction force measuring member support members 802a and 802b are in contact. A screw 811 is fixed to the friction force measuring member support member 802b, and the friction force measuring member support member 802a has a cylindrical hole with a small gap (a gap that allows sliding to an extent that friction force is negligible) between it and the screw 811. When friction force is not being measured, the screw head of the screw 811 is separated from the counterbore 812 of the cylindrical hole in the friction force measuring member support member 802a, and the screw head protrudes from the upper surface of the friction force measuring member support member 802a.
[0098] To measure the friction force, the friction force measuring member 801 is grasped and lifted by the gripping arm, allowing the friction force due to the weight of the friction force measuring member support member 802a to be measured. If the friction force measuring member support member 802a does not fall after being held in this state for a predetermined time, the friction force measuring member 801 is further lifted upward by the gripping arm 318a.
[0099] Then, as shown in Figure 15B, the lower surface of the screw head comes into contact with the upper surface of the counterbore 812 of the cylindrical hole in the friction force measuring member support member 802a. When the friction force measuring member support member 802a is lifted further upward, as shown in Figure 15C, the friction force measuring member support member 802b to which the screw 811 is fixed is lifted together with the screw 811, and by holding it in this state for a predetermined time, the friction force can be measured with the weight of "friction force measuring member support member 802a + friction force measuring member support member 802b". In other words, it becomes possible to measure the friction force with two different loads.
[0100] In this embodiment, the force due to the weight of the friction force measuring member support member 802a was set to 2.0 N (≒204 g), and the force due to the weight of (friction force measuring member support member 802a + friction force measuring member support member 802b) was set to 2.5 N (≒255 g). The friction force measuring member support member 802 may be made into a structure that can be divided into three or more parts, thereby enabling measurement of friction force under three or more types of loads. Furthermore, the divided structure may not be limited to the structure in which the dividing surface is horizontal as shown in Figures 15A to 15C, but may also be a structure in which the dividing surface is vertical (vertical division).
[0101] Furthermore, in Figures 15A to 15C, a screw 811 is used as the engaging member (connecting member) of the engaging part (connecting part) that engages (connects) the friction force measuring member support member 802a and the friction force measuring member support member 802b. However, the engaging member can be anything as long as both the friction force measuring member support member 802a and the friction force measuring member support member 802b can ultimately be lifted by the gripping arm 318a. For example, cylindrical or rectangular rod-shaped members or wire-shaped members can also be used as engaging members. In addition, various materials other than metal, such as synthetic resins and synthetic fibers, can be used as the material constituting the engaging member.
[0102] The friction force measurement method using the friction force measuring jig 800 shown in Figures 15A to 15C will be described below. First, the friction force measuring member 801 is gripped by the gripping arm 318a, and the friction force measuring jig 800 is lifted to the state shown in Figure 15C. As explained earlier, in this state, a force of 2.5 N is applied vertically downward to the gripping arm 318a. If the friction force measuring jig 800 does not fall after being held in this state for 5 seconds, it is determined that the gripping part of the gripping arm 318a is not dirty and is in a "usable" state. If the friction force measuring jig 800 falls, it is tentatively determined to be in a "caution" state (this determination is referred to as the "first determination level").
[0103] Next, if the first judgment level provisionally determines that the state is "caution," the fallen friction force measuring member 801 is re-gripped by the gripping arm 318a, and only the friction force measuring member support member 802a is lifted so that a force of 2.0 N is applied vertically downward to the friction force measuring member 801, and this is held for 5 seconds. If the friction force measuring jig 800 does not fall in this state, the provisional determination of the state is confirmed as the state of "caution." If the friction force measuring jig 800 falls, it is determined to be in the "unusable" state (this determination is referred to as the "second judgment level").
[0104] As described above, by adopting the friction force measurement method using the friction force measurement jig 800 shown in Figures 15A to 15C, it is possible to broaden the range of judgments that can be made. In other words, when measuring friction force using the friction force measurement jig 800 shown in Figures 10A and 10B, only a binary judgment of whether or not the friction force measurement member 801 has fallen is possible. In contrast, with the friction force measurement method using the friction force measurement jig 800 shown in Figures 15A to 15C, as described above, it is possible to make a judgment in three stages: "usable," "caution," and "unusable."
[0105] In other words, it becomes possible to achieve both predictive diagnosis and safety assurance. Furthermore, it becomes possible to address measurement variability. Specifically, when measuring friction force using the friction force measuring jig 800 shown in Figures 10A and 10B, the judgment is made at a single threshold point. Therefore, if the gripping part of the gripping arm is dirty at a level where the friction force measuring member 801 is just about to fall, measurement variability may occur. To prevent measurement variability, in Embodiment 2, instead of holding it for a predetermined time, the progress of dirt on the gripping member was grasped by measuring the time it took for it to slide off. However, this method may increase the time required for measurement. In the method of this embodiment, by measuring with the load changed in two stages, the degree of dirt on the gripping member can be grasped in a relatively short time. In other words, by setting "Caution" to a caution judgment that includes variability, and "Not usable" to the safe side, it becomes possible to respond in stages to the degree of dirt on the gripping member.
[0106] Furthermore, by setting "unusable" as a higher judgment level than "warning," it becomes possible to take measures such as cleaning the gripping member before it becomes unusable, thus avoiding worst-case scenarios such as the sample container falling while being held by the gripping arm. In addition, by using the "warning" judgment as a trigger to prompt the device user to clean the gripping part, it is possible to prompt the timing of cleaning in advance, take action before it becomes unusable, and prevent it from becoming unusable.
[0107] Furthermore, by clearly indicating "unavailable," the decision to discontinue use becomes more visible (ensuring safety).
[0108] The friction force measuring jig 800 described above should preferably have an optimal shape and method, taking into consideration various conditions such as the size and cost of the sample transport device.
[0109] Weight sensors such as load cells allow for the quantitative determination of gripping force values on a daily basis. Managing these values enables predictive diagnostics. Managing the obtained gripping force as time-series data is effective for determining replacement timing, such as aligning it with maintenance schedules.
[0110] Figure 16 shows the change in gripping force due to the usage time of a new gripping member (labeled "lifespan" in Figure 16), assuming sample transport is performed at 800 samples / hour, 5 hours / day, and 25 days / month. There are two main factors causing the decrease in gripping force: contamination of the gripping member and wear of the gripping member. When the gripping force is restored by cleaning the gripping member (in Figure 16, the gripping force recovers from 1.5N to 2.8N after cleaning at a lifespan of 0.3 years), this is due to contamination of the gripping part. On the other hand, even after cleaning, the gripping force does not recover to the level of a new gripping member, which is 3.2N, so the decrease is due to wear of the rubber surface of the gripping member.
[0111] In Figure 16, to operate within the specified gripping force (gripping force of 1.5 N or more), a new gripping member requires cleaning after approximately 0.3 years of use. After that, even with cleaning, the gripping force will not return to its initial level due to dirt buildup, so another cleaning is required after 0.15 years (0.45 years on the horizontal axis of the figure). By managing the frequency of these cleaning intervals and the gripping force value after cleaning, it becomes possible to manage the lifespan (predictive diagnosis) of the gripping member.
[0112] [Note] Note 1: Application of the present invention to products already delivered to users By determining the optimal installation position of the cleaning jig 450 for each model of the sample container transfer unit, the present invention can be applied to products already delivered to users. If the installation positions of the cleaning member according to Example 1 and the gripping force measuring jig according to Example 2 are determined, the position in which the gripping arm grips these jigs is stored in the control computer, and by adding a program so that the gripping arm moves to that position to clean the gripping part and measure the gripping force, the function can be added to sample container transfer units that did not have this function at the time of sale.
[0113] Note 2: Regarding the timing of gripping force measurement and cleaning, customer maintenance on the sample transport device is performed at the start or end of each day. Although it has been confirmed that the gripping force in the sample chuck mechanism decreases with each gripping cycle if the rubber part is not cleaned, there is a grace period of several days before the gripping force falls below the specified value. However, since failure to clean the rubber can lead to sample loss, it is often performed as part of daily maintenance.
[0114] It is desirable to measure the gripping force as frequently as customer maintenance. Furthermore, if the gripping force does not recover even after repeated cleaning and manual cleaning by the customer, replacement will be necessary, which will require time for replacement. In this case, measuring the gripping force at the end of the shift eliminates the need to spend time on rubber replacement during startup. On the other hand, although rare in specimen transport systems, in facilities where the system is used after being powered off for extended periods and then restarted, measuring the gripping force at the start of the shift is desirable. Taking these factors into consideration when making a selection will lead to more effective gripping force management.
[0115] Furthermore, even in facilities operating 24 hours a day, a daily shutdown is required due to data storage capacity limitations and other reasons. By setting the gripping force measurement to occur at either the start or end of the shift, it becomes possible to operate the specimen chuck mechanism with its gripping force managed by gripping force measurement at least once within a 24-hour period.
[0116] Note 3: Regarding the program that executes control in the control unit, the cleaning of the gripping member of the specimen container chuck mechanism and the gripping state confirmation using the cleaning jig and gripping state confirmation jig described in Examples 1 to 6 are assumed to be executed by the CPU of the control computer 101, respectively, by executing a program stored in the memory unit (not shown) of the control computer 101. Alternatively, the cleaning and gripping state confirmation programs stored in a semiconductor memory mounted on a dedicated printed circuit board may be executed by a dedicated CPU. As mentioned in Note 1, by rewriting the program stored in the memory unit of the control computer 101 or the semiconductor memory mounted on a dedicated printed circuit board, the function can be easily added later to a specimen container transfer unit that did not have that function at the time of sale. It is also possible to store the rewriting program on a storage medium such as a CD, DVD, or USB memory and sell the storage medium as a "function update program".
[0117] 10a: Holder transport line 10b: Holder transport line 14: Stopper mechanism 15a: Barcode reader 15b: Barcode reader 15c: Barcode reader 15d: Barcode reader 16: Rotation mechanism 23a: Rack transport line 23b: Rack transport line 100: Automated specimen testing system 101: Control computer 104: Specimen container transfer unit 110: Specimen input unit 120: Specimen transport processing unit 121: Specimen recognition unit 122: Stopper detection unit 125: Rack recognition unit 130: Specimen storage unit 135: Rack recognition unit 140: Centrifuge processing unit 150: Opening processing unit 160: Sub-specimen container generation processing unit 170: Dispensing processing unit 175: Rack recognition unit 180A: Closing processing unit 180B: Closing section 185A: Rack recognition section 185B: Rack recognition section 190: Analysis section 191: Sample dispensing mechanism 192: Reagent dispensing mechanism 193: Reagent disc 194: Reaction disc 195: Detection mechanism 196: Transport line 200A: Sample container 200B: Sample container 202: Stopper 203: Barcode 316: Rack 317: Sample container 318: Sample container chuck mechanism 318a: Gripping arm 319: Holder 320: Gripping part 401: Holder transfer position 402: Rack transfer position 403: Rack transfer position 404: Holder transfer position 450: Cleaning jig 451: Cleaning member 452: Cleaning member support member 453: Weight 454: Cleaning member holder 455: Screw 460: Area 505: Guide roller 800: Gripping state confirmation jig 801: Friction force measuring member 802: Friction force measuring member support member 803: Weight adjustment weight 804: Groove 805: Guide roller 806: Friction force measuring member base 807: Screw 808: Screw 809: Groove 810: Projection
Claims
1. A specimen transport device comprising: a specimen container chuck mechanism having a gripping portion that contacts the specimen container when gripping the specimen container; a plurality of gripping arms having the gripping portion for gripping the specimen container; a gripping arm opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the plurality of gripping arms; and a chuck moving mechanism for moving the specimen container chuck mechanism in the vertical and horizontal directions, wherein a cleaning jig having a cleaning member slidable with the gripping portion is provided within the area to which the specimen container chuck mechanism can move by the chuck moving mechanism, at a position where the gripping portion contacts the gripping portion when the gripping arm opening and closing mechanism closes the gripping arms.
2. A specimen transport device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning member has a hollow cylindrical elastic member, and the cleaning jig has a shaft portion that fits into the hollow portion of the hollow cylindrical elastic member.
3. A specimen transport device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a control unit that controls the specimen container chuck mechanism and the chuck movement mechanism, wherein the control unit controls the chuck movement mechanism to grip the cleaning member with the gripping arm, and moves the gripping arm back and forth in at least one of the vertical or horizontal directions while gripping the cleaning member.
4. A specimen transport device comprising: a gripping portion that contacts the specimen container when gripping the specimen container; a plurality of gripping arms having the gripping portion for gripping the specimen container; a specimen container chuck mechanism having a gripping arm opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the plurality of gripping arms; and a chuck moving mechanism for moving the specimen container chuck mechanism in the vertical and horizontal directions, wherein a gripping state confirmation jig is provided within the area to which the specimen container chuck mechanism can move by the chuck moving mechanism, having a friction force measuring member that measures the friction force with the gripping portion by determining whether or not the gripping portion slips off the gripping portion while gripping the specimen container. The jig is located at the position where the gripping portion contacts the gripping portion when the gripping arm opening and closing mechanism closes the gripping arms.
5. A specimen transport device according to claim 4, characterized in that it has a spring connecting the friction force measuring member base of the gripping state confirmation jig and the friction force measuring member, and a control unit that calculates the friction force with the gripping portion based on the amount of extension of the spring.
6. A specimen transport device according to claim 4, wherein the friction force measuring member of the gripping state confirmation jig has a structure divided into two or more parts, and the two or more divided friction force measuring members have engaging parts that can engage with each other, and the engaging parts can be selected to engage the two or more divided friction force measuring members and lift them as a single friction force measuring member, or to lift only one of the divided friction force measuring members, depending on the height to which the friction force measuring member is lifted by the gripping arm.
7. A specimen transport device according to claim 6, characterized in that the gripping state of the gripping portion is determined in three or more stages based on whether or not the friction force measuring member slips off the gripping portion when the friction force measuring member is lifted as an integrated friction force measuring member, and when only one of the divided friction force measuring members is lifted.
8. A specimen transport device according to claim 7, wherein the three or more stages include "usable," "caution," and "not usable," and the frictional force of the gripping portion in "not usable" is lower than that in "caution." 9. A specimen transport device according to claim 4, comprising: a control unit for controlling the specimen container chuck mechanism and the chuck movement mechanism; and an opening / closing detection unit for detecting the opening and closing of the gripping arm, wherein the control unit controls the chuck movement mechanism to move the specimen container chuck mechanism upward after the gripping arm has gripped the friction force measuring member, and if the opening / closing detection unit detects that the friction force measuring member has slipped off the gripping portion and the gripping arm has closed, the control unit determines that the gripping state of the gripping arm is poor.
10. A specimen transport device according to claim 9, wherein the control unit determines whether the gripping state of the gripping arm is poor based on the time from when the gripping arm grips the friction force measuring member, when the gripping arm moves the specimen container chuck mechanism upward, until the opening / closing detection unit detects that the friction force measuring member has slipped off the gripping portion and the gripping arm has closed.
11. A specimen transport device according to claim 4, wherein the friction force measuring member has a cylindrical rigid member, and the gripping state confirmation jig has a friction force measuring member support member connecting to the cylindrical rigid member, and a friction force measuring member base supporting the friction force measuring member support member via guide rollers.
12. A specimen transport device according to claim 4, wherein the friction force measuring member has a cylindrical rigid member, the gripping state confirmation jig has a friction force measuring member support member connecting to the cylindrical rigid member, and a friction force measuring member base on which the friction force measuring member support member is placed, and the friction force measuring member support member and the friction force measuring member base have a mortar-shaped fitting portion on one side which is cone-shaped and the other side which fits into the cone shape.
13. A specimen transport device according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the friction force measuring member support member has a weight for adjusting the weight of the friction force measuring member according to the magnitude of the friction force with the gripping portion for determining that the gripping state of the gripping arm is poor.
14. A specimen transport device according to claim 9, characterized in that a cleaning member slidable with the gripping portion is arranged substantially coaxially with the friction force measuring member.
15. A specimen transport device according to claim 14, wherein the control unit, when it determines that the gripping state of the gripping arm is poor, slides the gripping portion against the cleaning member to clean the gripping portion.
16. A sample transport device according to claim 15, characterized in that the control unit cleans the gripping portion by sliding the gripping portion against the cleaning member, then grips the friction force measuring member again with the gripping arm to move the sample container chuck mechanism upward, and performs a retry operation in which the opening / closing detection unit confirms whether the friction force measuring member has slipped off the gripping portion and the gripping arm has closed.
17. A cleaning jig for a specimen transport device, comprising: a specimen container chuck mechanism having a gripping portion that contacts the specimen container when gripping the specimen container; a plurality of gripping arms having the gripping portion for gripping the specimen container; a gripping arm opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the plurality of gripping arms; and a chuck moving mechanism for moving the specimen container chuck mechanism in the vertical and horizontal directions, wherein the cleaning jig is provided within a region where the specimen container chuck mechanism can move by the chuck moving mechanism, and has a cleaning member that is slidable with the gripping portion at a position where the gripping portion contacts the gripping portion when the gripping arm opening and closing mechanism closes the gripping arms.
18. A gripping state confirmation jig for a specimen transport device, comprising: a gripping portion that contacts the specimen container when gripping the specimen container; a plurality of gripping arms having the gripping portion for gripping the specimen container; a specimen container chuck mechanism having a gripping arm opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the plurality of gripping arms; and a chuck movement mechanism for moving the specimen container chuck mechanism in the vertical and horizontal directions, wherein the gripping state confirmation jig is provided with a friction force measuring member that can be installed within a region in which the specimen container chuck mechanism can move by the chuck movement mechanism, and which measures the friction force with the gripping portion by determining whether or not the gripping portion slips off the gripping portion while the gripping portion is gripping, at the position where the gripping portion contacts the gripping portion when the gripping arm opening and closing mechanism closes the gripping arms.
19. A method for confirming the gripping state of a specimen transport device, comprising: a specimen container chuck mechanism having a gripping portion that contacts the specimen container when gripping the specimen container; a plurality of gripping arms having the gripping portion for gripping the specimen container; a gripping arm opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the plurality of gripping arms; a chuck movement mechanism for moving the specimen container chuck mechanism in the vertical and horizontal directions; an opening and closing detection unit for detecting the opening and closing of the gripping arms; and a gripping state confirmation jig having a friction force measuring member that measures the friction force with the gripping portion by determining whether or not the gripping portion slips off the gripping portion while gripping, provided within an area where the specimen container chuck mechanism can move by the chuck movement mechanism, comprising: a step of gripping the friction force measuring member using the gripping arms with the gripping arm opening and closing mechanism; and a step of moving the specimen container chuck mechanism upward with the chuck movement mechanism. A method for confirming the gripping state of a specimen transport device, characterized by including the step of checking with the opening / closing detection unit whether the friction force measuring member slides off the gripping portion and the gripping arm closes.