Transport apparatus and transport method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10099866-B2
Application number	US-201514838534-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2015
Priority date	Aug 29, 2014
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A transport apparatus transports sample holder racks. The apparatus employs a first transport unit that moves the rack in a path between two ends of the transport apparatus, a rack sender unit that extends in a first direction that intersects the path, a second transport unit dimensioned parallel to the first transport unit and with the rack sender unit interposed therebetween, which locates the sample container held in the rack at a sample loading position of a measurement device, and a first movable member capable of moving in the first direction between the first and the second transport units. The apparatus has movable portions that alternately stop the rack movement, and push the rack such that optimal movement is achieved whereby the rack moves beyond the rack sender unit to the second transport unit as the first movable member moves in the first direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A transport apparatus that transports a rack that holds a sample container, the transport apparatus comprising:
a first transport unit comprising a first transport belt configured to transport the rack on a first path between two ends of the transport apparatus;
a second transport unit comprising a second transport belt configured to transport the rack on a second path that extends parallel to the first path of the first transport unit;
a rack sender unit interposed between the first transport unit and the second transport unit and comprising an upper surface configured to support a plurality of racks, the upper surface extending in a first direction that intersects a second direction in which the first path and the second path extend;
a first movable member comprising a first portion extending in the first direction and a second portion extending in the second direction, the first portion being formed at a side end of the second portion in the second direction;
a drive unit configured to move the first movable member between the first transport unit and the second transport unit;
a torque limiter that blocks transmission of a driving force applied to the first movable member by the drive unit, when the torque limiter responds to a threshold load; and
a projection capable of a positional change between a contact mode in which the projection contacts a rack moving in the rack sender unit, and a non-contact mode in which the projection is kept from contact with the rack, and the projection restricts a movement of the rack from the rack sender unit to the second transport unit thereby keeping the rack in the rack sender unit when the projection is in the contact mode, wherein
in the contact mode, the projection is configured to restrict movement of the rack and the drive unit moves the first movable member toward the second transport unit until the torque limiter blocks the transmission of the driving force due to application of the threshold load by the projection,
the first portion of the first movable member contacts, at a position above the first path, the rack transported by the first transport unit to stop the rack at a rack stop position on the first path,
the second portion of the first movable member pushes, in the first direction, a side surface of the rack located at the rack stop position on the first path, and transports the rack from the rack stop position in the first direction and stops the transported rack at the second path beyond the upper surface, and
the second transport unit moves the rack transported by the first movable member to a sample loading position, the sample loading position located on the second path between the rack sender unit on the one of the two ends of the transport apparatus and a rack delivery unit on the other of the two ends of the transport apparatus.

2. The transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first movable member is movable in the first direction between a first position and a second position, wherein
in the first position, the first movable member is moved in the first direction away from the first path such that the first portion does not interfere with the rack in a condition in which the rack is transported by the first transport unit on the first path, and
in the second position the second portion pushes, in the first direction, the side surface of the rack, so as to place the rack onto the second path of the second transport unit.

3. The transport apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a guide member that guides movement of the first movable member between the first position and the second position.

4. The transport apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the rack comprises a plurality of racks,
the drive unit comprises a pulse motor, and
the transport apparatus further comprises a controller that counts a number of the plurality of racks remaining in the rack sender unit based on a number of pulses of the pulse motor generated during a return of the first movable member back to the first position after the first movable member is moved to the second position.

5. The transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein only an end of the first movable member on an upstream side of the first transport unit is supported by a support part.

6. The transport apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the first path of the first transport unit comprises a transport direction,
the second portion extends in a longitudinal direction of the rack,
only an end of the second portion on the upstream side of the transport direction of the first transport unit is supported by the support part, and
the first portion is provided at an opposite end of the first movable member from the end of the second portion on the upstream side of the transport direction of the first transport unit.

7. The transport apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the first transport unit comprises
a first pulley located on the upstream side thereof in the transport direction,
a second pulley located on a downstream side thereof in the transport direction, and
the first transport belt wound around the first pulley and the second pulley, and wherein

the support part is movable in the first direction while passing outside of an area defined by the first pulley, the second pulley and the first transport belt, the support part located closer to the first pulley on the upstream side of the first transport unit than the second pulley.

8. The transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the rack delivery unit extends between the first transport unit and the second transport unit in the first direction intersecting the first path of the first transport unit on the other of the two ends of the transport apparatus, and receives the rack in a condition in which the second transport unit moves the rack holding the sample container on the second path of the second transport unit through the sample loading position to a rack stop position on the second path of the second transport unit,
the transport apparatus further comprises a second movable member that moves the rack in the first direction, and
the second movable member is capable of moving the rack located at the rack stop position on the second path of the second transport unit to an end of the rack delivery unit adjacent to the first transport unit.

9. The transport apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the rack delivery unit comprises a projection which is capable of positional change between a contact mode where the projection contacts the rack moving in the rack delivery unit, and a non-contact mode where the projection is kept from contact with the rack,
wherein the projection restricts a movement of the rack from the rack delivery unit to the first transport unit when the projection is in the contact mode.

10. The transport apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the projection of the rack delivery unit is in the contact mode.

11. The transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the drive unit is configured to provide a constant driving force.

Assignees

• Sysmex Corp

Inventors

• Ohmae Yuichiro
• Tatsutani Hiroo
• Yamakawa Nobuyoshi

Classifications

• G01N35/04 Primary

  Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B65G47/34 Primary

  Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  (B65G47/256 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65G47/88

  Separating or stopping elements, e.g. fingers (attached to star-shaped wheels B65G47/84) · CPC title