Cap opening and closing mechanism and automatic analyzer including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9505507-B2
Application number	US-201214129667-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2012
Priority date	Jun 30, 2011
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

An automatic analyzer of the present invention includes: a cap opening and closing mechanism including a plurality of types of support bodies, each being adaptable to a specific type of cap; an information control mechanism for sample containers; a cap opening and closing mechanism that performs uncapping and capping operations based on a sample container identifying process; and an uncapping/capping monitoring mechanism that determines an uncapping or capping operation. The cap opening and closing mechanism is thus configured so as to be capable of performing the uncapping and capping processes for different types of caps. This provides a cap opening and closing mechanism that enables the single cap opening and closing mechanism to perform the uncapping process and the capping process for different types of caps on a transfer path of sample containers in the automatic analyzer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cap opening and closing mechanism comprising:
a first cap chuck that grips a cap, and that includes at least three support bodies that grip the cap from a plurality of directions;
a second cap chuck disposed below the first cap chuck, and that includes at least three support bodies that grip the cap from the plurality of directions; and
a third cap chuck disposed between the first cap chuck and the second cap chuck in the vertical direction, and that includes at least three support bodies that grip the cap from the plurality of directions,
wherein the support bodies of the third cap chuck are formed of an elastic material.

2. The cap opening and closing mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein
the support bodies of the first cap chuck and the support bodies of the second cap chuck each have one or more protrusions, and
the protrusions of the support bodies of the first cap chuck differ in shape from the protrusions of the support bodies of the second cap chuck.

3. The cap opening and closing mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein the protrusions of the support bodies of the first cap chuck protrudes more relative to the cap than the protrusions of the support bodies of the second cap chuck.

4. The cap opening and closing mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the support bodies of the third cap chuck protrude more relative to the cap than the support bodies of the first cap chuck and the second cap chuck.

5. An automatic analyzer having a transfer mechanism that transfers a sample container from which a cap can be removed and on which a cap can be mounted, the automatic analyzer comprising:
a cap opening and closing mechanism, the cap opening and closing mechanism including:
a first cap chuck, and that includes at least three support bodies that grip the cap from a plurality of directions;
a second cap chuck disposed below the first cap chuck, and that includes at least three support bodies that grip the cap from a plurality of directions;
a third cap chuck disposed between the first cap chuck and the second cap chuck in a vertical direction, and that includes at least three support bodies that the cap from a plurality of directions; and
a clamp that grips the sample container.

6. The automatic analyzer according to claim 5 , further comprising:
an imaging device configured to capture an image of the sample container,
wherein the opening and closing mechanism is mounted on an arm connected to a drive assembly that is configured to raise or lower the opening and closing mechanism in the vertical direction,
wherein the automatic analyzer further comprises a computer that is connected to each of the imaging device and the drive assembly, and
wherein the computer is programmed to determine a type of the cap of the sample container based on the image of the sample container captured by the imaging device and control an operation of the cap opening and closing mechanism based on the type of the cap.

7. The automatic analyzer according to claim 6 , wherein the computer is programmed to control at least one of a position at which each of the support bodies in the cap opening and closing mechanism grips the cap, an angle of rotation of the cap, and a displacement amount of an elevating mechanism involved in uncapping and capping processes.

8. The automatic analyzer according to claim 6 , further comprising:
an information reader reading identification information of a sample disposed near the transfer mechanism that transfers the sample container to be subject to an uncapping process performed by the cap opening and closing mechanism; and
a storage device storing therein the sample identification information read by the information reader,
wherein the computer stores the identification information of the sample in association with information of the cap opening and closing mechanism in which the uncapping process is performed.

9. The automatic analyzer according to claim 8 , further comprising:
wherein the computer is programmed to identify the cap opening and closing mechanism that has performed the uncapping process for the cap of the sample container based on the identification information identified by the information reader and control the transfer mechanism to transfer the sample container to be subject to the capping process to the cap opening and closing mechanism.

10. The automatic analyzer according to claim 5 , wherein the cap opening and closing mechanism holds the cap removed by the uncapping process until the capping process is performed.

11. The automatic analyzer according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a rotating mechanism, including a motor, that is connected to each of the first cap chuck, second cap chuck, and third cap chuck,
wherein the computer is connected to the rotating mechanism, and
wherein the computer is programmed to control the rotating mechanism to rotate at least one of the first cap chuck, second cap chuck, and third cap chuck and simultaneously control the drive assembly to raise the opening and closing mechanism in the vertical direction.

12. The automatic analyzer according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a sensor that detects load applied at least either the rotating mechanism or the elevating mechanism, wherein
the computer is programmed to determine that a fault occurs in the uncapping or capping process when the load detected by the sensor falls outside a predetermined range.

13. The automatic analyzer according to claim 12 ,
wherein the computer is programmed to output a notification of a fault when the computer detects the fault in the uncapping or capping process.

14. The automatic analyzer according to claim 12 , wherein the computer is further programmed to perform a retry operation of an uncapping or capping process, if the control unit has detected a fault in the uncapping or capping process.

15. The automatic analyzer according to claim 8 , wherein
the information reader is one of a barcode reader, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader, and an image capture device.

Assignees

• Yamagata Toshiki
• Takahashi Kenichi
• Sasaki Takahiro
• Yamaguchi Shigeki
• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Yamagata Toshiki
• Takahashi Kenichi
• Sasaki Takahiro
• Yamaguchi Shigeki

Classifications

• G01N2035/00287

  movable lid/cover for sample or reaction tubes · CPC title

• B01L3/50825

  Closing or opening means, corks, bungs · CPC title

• B65B7/28 Primary

  by applying separate preformed closures, e.g. lids, covers · CPC title

• G01N35/00 Primary

  Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor · CPC title