Specimen transport device, specimen pretreatment system, analysis system, and specimen testing automation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9884725-B2
Application number	US-201415028207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2013
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

A plurality of transport lines having driving belts are driven to transport specimen racks on which a specimen container is disposed. A single driving motor having a rotating shaft, a shaft for transmitting power of the driving motor, drives the driving belt and a plurality of pulleys transmit rotation of the shaft to the belts to drive the belts.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A specimen transport device, comprising:
a main transport line, having a first belt, for transporting, in one direction, a specimen to be processed,
a return line, having a second belt, for transporting, in a direction opposite to the direction of the main transport line, a specimen that has been processed,
a first empty rack transport line, having a third belt, for performing transport in the direction opposite to the direction of the main transport line, the first empty rack transport line disposed lower than the main transport line,
a second empty rack transport line, having a fourth belt, for performing transport in a direction opposite to the direction of the return line, the second empty rack transport line disposed lower than the return line,
a single driving motor,
a first shaft transmitting power of the single driving motor to the main transport line,
a second shaft transmitting power of the single driving motor to the return line, the second shaft being rotated in a direction opposite to a direction of the first shaft,
a first pulley driving the main transport line, the first pulley being provided on the first shaft,
a second pulley driving the first empty rack transport line, the second pulley being provided on the first shaft,
a third pulley driving the return transport line, the third pulley being provided on the second shaft, and
a fourth pulley driving the second empty rack transport line, the fourth pulley being provided on the second shaft,
wherein the first belt of the main transport line, the second belt of the return transport line, the third belt of the first empty rack transport line, and the fourth belt of the second empty rack transport line are rotatably driven by the first pulley, the second pulley, the third pulley, and the fourth pulley, respectively.

2. The specimen transport unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a timing belt and a roller applying tension to the timing belt.

3. A specimen preprocessing system, comprising:
the specimen transport device according to claim 1 ;
a specimen feeding module for feeding a specimen to be processed to the system;
a specimen storage module for storing a specimen that has been processed; and
a processing module for performing predetermined processing on a fed specimen, wherein
the specimen transport device connects the specimen feeding module, the specimen storage module, and the processing module.

4. An analysis system, comprising:
the specimen transport device according to claim 1 ; and
a plurality of analysis modules each configured to measure a requested analysis item of a transferred specimen,
wherein the specimen transport device connects the plurality of analysis modules.

5. A specimen testing automation system, comprising:
the specimen transport device according to claim 1 ;
a specimen preprocessing system including a specimen feeding module for feeding a specimen to be processed to the system, a specimen storage module for storing a specimen that has been processed, and a processing module for performing predetermined processing on a fed specimen; and
an analysis system including a plurality of analysis modules for performing analysis processing on the specimen, wherein
the specimen transport device connects the specimen preprocessing system and the analysis system.

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Okabe Shugo
• Fukugaki Tatsuya
• Azuma Shinji

Classifications

• B65G15/12

  with two or more endless belts · CPC title

• B65G23/28

  Arrangements for equalising the drive to several elements · CPC title

• B65G23/24 Primary

  Gearing between driving motor and belt- or chain-engaging elements (contained in drums, rollers or wheels B65G23/08) · CPC title

• B65G35/06

  comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by any one of a series of traction elements spaced along the path (effecting drive at two or more points spaced along the length of an endless conveyor B65G23/32) · CPC title

• G01N2035/0482

  Transmission · CPC title