Specimen Rack Transfer Locking for Vibration-Stable Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing specimen racks vibrate during transport due to contact with transport arms, and existing guide rails fail to effectively prevent this vibration.
Innovation Solution
A specimen rack transferring device with a transport arm and a rack lock mechanism that fixes the relative position of the specimen rack to the transport arm, using a rack lock member to engage with the specimen rack and prevent vibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the specimen rack is pushed by the transport arm, then the specimen rack can be transferred along the transport path, but the contact between the specimen rack and transport arm causes vibration of the specimen rack
Solution Approach 1:
The rack lock mechanism is activated before and during the transport process to pre-establish stable engagement between the transport arm and specimen rack. The lock member engages with the lock groove in advance, preventing vibration before it can occur during transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack lock mechanism acts as an intermediary element between the transport arm and specimen rack. It provides a stable coupling interface that mediates the force transmission, reducing direct contact vibration while maintaining efficient force transfer for transport.
2Reliability
If the T-shaped recess portion is engaged with the guide rail for fall prevention, then the specimen rack is prevented from falling, but the gap required for sliding operation cannot prevent vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is segmented from the guiding function. The rack lock mechanism provides dedicated vibration suppression through the lock member and lock groove engagement, while the guide rail maintains its fall prevention function through the T-shaped recess engagement. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack lock mechanism introduces a new dimension of constraint (longitudinal positioning through lock groove engagement) complementary to the existing guide rail constraint (lateral positioning through T-shaped recess engagement). This multi-dimensional constraint system addresses both fall prevention and vibration suppression simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A specimen rack transferring device and an automatic analyzer using it are provided which can suppress vibration during transportation of a specimen rack.In a specimen rack transferring device 200 transferring a specimen rack 4 which places a plurality of specimen containers 5 accommodating specimens, in a side-by-side manner in a longitudinal direction and can carry the plurality of specimen containers, the specimen rack transferring device includes a transport path 201 for transferring the specimen rack 4 in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, a transport arm 6 pushingly advancing the specimen rack 4 from an upstream side toward a downstream side of the transport path 201, and a rack lock mechanism provided at the transport arm 6 and fixing at least a relative position of the specimen rack 4 in a transport direction with respect to the transport arm 6.