Cassette Sample Handling With Presence Detection to Prevent Collisions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sample measuring apparatuses face issues with sample damage due to user mistakes, such as incorrect positioning and size errors, when using cassettes with multiple stages for storing samples of different sizes, leading to potential collisions and improper handling during measurement and conveyance.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a sample detector capable of detecting the presence or absence of samples in each stage of the cassettes and a controller that controls the measuring and conveyance devices based on these detections, ensuring accurate handling and preventing collisions by verifying sample positions and sizes before operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a cassette with multiple stages is used to store samples of different sizes, then the adaptability and versatility of the sample measuring apparatus is improved, but the risk of sample damage due to user mistakes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates detectors that provide feedback about sample presence and size to the controller. The controller uses this feedback to verify whether the sample in each stage matches the expected sample information before conveyance operations, preventing damage from user mistakes while maintaining multi-stage storage capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary verification of sample presence and size detection before conveyance operations. The controller checks detector results in advance to confirm correct sample positioning, preventing collisions and damage before they occur
2Ease of operation
If manual sample positioning in cassettes is allowed, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing precision of sample placement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The detector provides feedback about actual sample positions and sizes to the controller. This feedback mechanism verifies that manually positioned samples are correctly placed, maintaining precision despite user-operated loading
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-verification of sample positioning through automatic detection. The detector and controller work together to confirm correct sample placement without requiring precise manual positioning, allowing easy operation while maintaining accuracy
3Reliability
If sample size verification is performed, then the reliability of sample handling is improved, but the measurement precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs size detection as a preliminary verification step rather than requiring full measurement precision for all samples. The detector checks whether samples meet minimum size criteria for proper handling, providing sufficient reliability without demanding extreme measurement precision
Data Source
AI summary
The sample measuring apparatus includes: a measuring device that measures a sample; a conveyance device that uses cassettes each having a plurality of stages capable of storing a plurality of samples having different sizes, takes out each sample one by one from a cassette serving as a pickup source among the cassettes, conveys the sample to the measuring device, and stores the sample measured by the measuring device into a cassette serving as a placement destination among the cassettes; a sample detector capable of detecting presence or absence of the sample in each stage of each of the cassettes; and a controller that controls the measuring device and the conveyance device based on a result of the detection by the sample detector.