Annular Conveyance Lines for Flexible Specimen Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sample test automation systems require high flexibility in specimen conveyance to prioritize urgent specimens, but existing configurations tend to increase system size and cost, making them unsuitable for medium or small-scale facilities with limited installation area and budget.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates annular conveyance lines adjacent to the main conveyance line, allowing specimen container carriers to circulate and transfer without additional conveyance lines, using a zigzag arrangement to reduce space requirements and include first and second annular conveyance lines for efficient specimen handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If emergency overtaking line, branch line, and related mechanisms are added to prioritize urgent specimens, then flexibility in specimen conveyance is improved, but system size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance line is designed as a dynamic system where the direction of specimen container carrier conveyance can be changed in real-time based on specimen priority. The controller dynamically switches between main conveyance path and emergency conveyance path, allowing urgent specimens to overtake ordinary specimens without requiring fixed separate tracks for all scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The emergency conveyance line shares physical infrastructure (conveyance line, support units) with the main conveyance line. The same conveyance line serves dual purposes: normal specimen transport and emergency specimen prioritization, eliminating the need for completely separate dedicated emergency tracks.
2Adaptability or versatility
If emergency overtaking line, branch line, and related mechanisms are added to prioritize urgent specimens, then flexibility in specimen conveyance is improved, but introduction cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The emergency conveyance line shares physical infrastructure (conveyance line, support units) with the main conveyance line. The same conveyance line serves dual purposes: normal specimen transport and emergency specimen prioritization, eliminating the need for completely separate dedicated emergency tracks.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of building a completely separate emergency conveyance system, the invention uses a simplified version that leverages existing infrastructure. The emergency path reuses the same conveyance line and support units, requiring only additional control logic rather than duplicate hardware.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple conveyance lines are added to enable separate circulation for urgent specimens, then conveyance flexibility is improved, but installation area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance line is designed as a dynamic system where the direction of specimen container carrier conveyance can be changed in real-time based on specimen priority. The controller dynamically switches between main conveyance path and emergency conveyance path, allowing urgent specimens to overtake ordinary specimens without requiring fixed separate tracks for all scenarios.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention is provided with: an automatic analysis device 200 for performing an analysis process to analyze a specimen that is to be analyzed; a specimen pre-processing module 100 for performing pre-processing to cause the specimen to enter a state in which the analysis process can be performed; a main conveyance line 161 for conveying a specimen container carrier 10 which accommodates the specimen that is to be analyzed and in which at least one specimen container can be mounted; and annular conveyance lines 111, 121, 131, 141, 151, 411 that are disposed adjacent to the main conveyance line 161 and that are moreover disposed so as to be capable of transferring the specimen container carrier 10 to and from the main conveyance line 161, the annular conveyance lines 111, 121, 131, 141, 151, 411 being capable of circulating and conveying the specimen container carrier 10 separately without the use of another conveyance line (e.g., a return line 162). This makes it possible to maintain flexibility in conveyance of specimens while suppressing increases in device surface area.