US 12,345,726 B2
Plate changer
Takaaki Fujita, Kyoto (JP)
Assigned to SHIMADZU CORPORATION, Kyoto (JP)
Appl. No. 17/437,295
Filed by SHIMADZU CORPORATION, Kyoto (JP)
PCT Filed Mar. 13, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/010337
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 8, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/183662, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0170955 A1, Jun. 2, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 35/04 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 35/04 (2013.01) [G01N 2035/0425 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A plate changer that supplies an analysis plate, of a plurality of analysis plates, storing a sample, to an autosampler included in an analyzer, comprising:
a storage where the plurality of analysis plates are stored;
a transfer stage being at a position different from a position of the storage;
a plate transporter having an arm movable in at least two directions that transports the plate by holding the plate using the arm,
wherein the plate changer is one of a plurality of plate changers arranged adjacently on one side of the autosampler to supply plates to the autosampler; and
a controller configured to control movement of the arm in the at least two directions, such that the plate transporter interacts with another plate changer of the plurality of plate changers to supply the analysis plate to the autosampler;
wherein the controller is configured to control the plate transporter to:
receive the analysis plate placed on the transfer stage by a first plate changer of the plurality of plate changers provided at one side of the plate changer and also transfer the analysis plate received from the first plate changer to a second plate changer of the plurality of plate changers at another side of the plate changer, wherein the transferred plate is separate from the stored plurality of plates;
receive the analysis plate placed on the transfer stage by the first plate changer provided at the one side of the plate changer and also transfer the analysis plate received from the first plate changer to the autosampler provided at the another side of the plate changer, wherein the transferred plate is separate from the stored plurality of plates; or
transfer as the analysis plate one of the plurality of stored plates via the plate transporter to the second plate changer at the another side of the plate changer.
 
7. An analyzer comprising:
an autosampler; and
a plurality of plate changers that supply an analysis plate, of a plurality of analysis plates, storing a sample to the autosampler, wherein the plurality of plate changers are arranged adjacently on one side of the autosampler to supply plates to the autosampler,
each of the plurality of plate changers including
a plate transporter having an arm movable in at least two directions that transports the plates by holding the plate using the arm,
a storage where the plurality of analysis plates are stored,
a transfer stage being at a position different from a position of the storage, and
a controller configured to:
control movement of the arm in the at least two directions, such that the plate transporter interacts with another plate changer of the plurality of plate changers to supply the analysis plate to the autosampler,
control the plate transporter to:
receive the analysis plate placed on the transfer stage by a first plate changer of the plurality of plate changers provided at one side of the plate changer and also transfer the analysis plate received from the first plate changer to a second plate changer of the plurality of plate changers at another side of the plate changer, wherein the transferred plate is separate from the stored plurality of plates;
receive the analysis plate placed on the transfer stage by the first plate changer provided at the one side of the plate changer and also transfer the analysis plate received from the first plate changer to the autosampler provided at the another side of the plate changer, wherein the transferred plate is separate from the stored plurality of plates; or
transfer as the analysis plate one of the plurality of stored plates via the plate transporter to the second plate changer at the another side of the plate changer.