Specimen Treatment System Selective Power Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing specimen processing systems face delays in processing and examination due to the need to stop the entire system for maintenance or failure handling, as all power supplies are stopped, even for units not requiring maintenance, leading to inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A specimen processing system with a CPU-controlled mechanism that can selectively supply and stop power to specific mechanism parts or transporting lines, allowing for continued operation by isolating maintenance activities to individual units.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the power supply of the entire specimen processing system is stopped for maintenance or failure handling, then the safety of electric components is ensured, but the operation of the entire system is halted causing processing delays

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectric component safetyVSAvoidprocessing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The power supply control is segmented into individual units. Each analysis unit has its own power supply switch that can be independently controlled, allowing maintenance to be performed on one unit without affecting others. The transporting line also has independent power control, enabling selective maintenance of specific mechanism parts while maintaining overall system productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of repair

If the power supply of all analysis units is stopped for maintenance, then the maintenance work can be performed safely, but the other analysis units that do not require maintenance cannot operate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance accessibilityVSAvoidsystem operation continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into independently controllable power supply units for each analysis unit and the transporting line. This segmentation allows maintenance personnel to access and service specific mechanism parts by stopping only their power supply, while other units continue to operate normally, maintaining system productivity during maintenance activities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the main power switch is used to stop power supply for maintenance, then all electric components are protected, but the entire specimen processing system operation is stopped

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectric component protectionVSAvoidoperation interruption time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a single main power switch, the system employs multiple individual power supply switches for each analysis unit and the transporting line. This allows selective activation and deactivation of specific units, protecting electric components during maintenance of particular mechanism parts while minimizing operation interruption time for the overall system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2947462B1Specimen treatment system
Publication Date: 2022.09.07 HITACHI HIGH TECH CORP
  • EP2947462B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2947462B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2947462B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An object of the present invention is to provide a specimen processing system which can continue an operation, and supply and stop the power of only one or more arbitrarily specified mechanism parts. Specifically, in the specimen processing system in which each of a specimen input portion which inputs a specimen, a specimen processing portion which processes the specimen, a specimen recovery portion which recovers the processed specimen, and a specimen transporting line which transports the specimen between the specimen input portion, the specimen processing portion, and the specimen recovery portion, are connected to each other by a plurality of processing (analysis) units, the processing (analysis) unit is provided with a CPU that controls the operation, and provided with a mechanism control portion which receives an electric signal from the CPU and operates the mechanism parts in the processing unit, and the mechanism part control portion includes means which can supply and stop the power of one or more arbitrarily specified mechanism parts by the electric signal from the CPU.