US 12,480,965 B2
Specimen rack transferring device and automatic analyzer using the same
Daisuke Tanada, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to Hitachi High-Tech Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 18/017,816
Filed by Hitachi High-Tech Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Mar. 2, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/007997
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 24, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/044382, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 3, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-143850 (JP), filed on Aug. 27, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0266351 A1, Aug. 24, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 35/04 (2006.01); B01L 9/06 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 35/04 (2013.01) [B01L 9/06 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0413 (2013.01); G01N 2035/046 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A specimen rack transferring device transferring a specimen rack which places a plurality of specimen containers accommodating specimens, in a side-by-side manner in a longitudinal direction and can carry the plurality of specimen containers, the specimen rack transferring device comprising:
a transport path for transferring the specimen rack in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction;
a transport arm pushingly advancing the specimen rack from an upstream side toward a downstream side of the transport path, and
a rack lock mechanism provided at the transport arm and fixing at least a relative position of the specimen rack in a transport direction with respect to the transport arm, wherein the rack lock mechanism is in a release state of not fixing the relative position of the specimen rack with respect to the transport arm at a position where the transport arm is spaced away with respect to the specimen rack on the upstream side of the transport path, and wherein when the transport arm moves to a position abutting against the specimen rack from the upstream side of the transport path, the rack lock mechanism is brought into a lock state of fixing the relative position of the specimen rack with respect to the transport arm,
wherein the rack lock mechanism is brought into a lock state of fixing the relative position of the specimen rack with respect to the transport arm due to force which is produced between the transport arm and the specimen rack according to movement of the transport arm.