Single Motor Driven Specimen Transport Lines

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing specimen transport systems require multiple power sources to drive transport lines, leading to increased power consumption as the number of transport lines diversifies or multiplies.

Innovation Solution

A single driving motor with a rotating shaft and pulleys is used to transmit power to multiple transport lines, allowing for parallel operation of multiple transport lines with reduced power sources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If multiple power sources are used to drive transport lines, then each transport line can be independently driven, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindependent driving of transport linesVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple transport lines into a single integrated system driven by one power source. The driving unit generates rotational motion that is transmitted through a common shaft to multiple pulleys, which then drive different transport lines (specimen transport line, empty rack transport line, return line) simultaneously. This merging approach maintains independent operation of each line while eliminating the need for separate power sources for each line.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single power source and driving unit serve multiple functions by transmitting power to different transport lines through the shaft and pulley system. The same rotational motion controls specimen transport, empty rack transport, and return line operations, making the power source universal for all transport functions rather than dedicated to each individual line.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Power

If multiple power sources are used to drive transport lines, then driving capability is sufficient, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriving capabilityVSAvoidnumber of power sources
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple driving functions into a single power source system. Instead of having separate motors for each transport line, one power source generates rotational motion that is distributed through a common shaft to multiple pulleys, reducing the number of power sources from multiple to one while maintaining adequate driving capability for all lines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single power source is designed with universal capability to drive multiple transport lines through the shaft and pulley transmission system. This multi-functional approach allows one power source to perform the work that would traditionally require multiple dedicated power sources, thereby reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach reduces the number of power sources needed, resulting in lower power consumption and system efficiency while maintaining system expandability and processing capacity.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of pulleys for transmitting rotation of the shaft to the belts to drive the belts

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3086124B1Specimen transport device, specimen pretreatment system, analysis system, and specimen testing automation system
Publication Date: 2020.03.11 HITACHI HIGH TECH CORP
  • EP3086124B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3086124B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3086124B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

In the prior art, in transport lines equipped with multiple stages of transport lines driven in different directions, it was necessary that drive power sources for driving the belts of the transport lines be provided in a number equal to the number of transport lines. This led to an increased number of drive power sources and to an unavoidable increase in the power consumed by the device as a whole. In the present invention, there is adopted a mechanism for the parallel driving of a plurality of transport lines by a single drive power source, whereby the number of drive power sources needed to drive the transport lines can be reduced, as can the power consumed by the system.