Sample Conveyance System and Sample Conveyance Method

There are provided a sample conveyance system and a sample conveyance method capable of conveying a sample in a more stable manner than in the related art corresponding to a conveyance method using an electromagnetic actuator. A driving unit 208 applies a first voltage to a first coil 207a located on a front side in a traveling direction of a holder 202, which is selected to attract or repel the holder 202, to excite the first coil 207a and applies a second voltage having a polarity opposite to a polarity of the first voltage to at least one or more of second coils 207b among coils 207 adjacent to the first coil 207a except for the coils 207 in the front side in the traveling direction to excite the second coil 207b, and a control unit 210A estimates a position of the holder 202 based on a value of a current flowing through a winding 206 of the first coil 207a.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a sample conveyance system and a sample conveyance method in a sample analyzing device that analyzes a biological sample such as blood, plasma, serum, urine, and other body fluids (hereinafter, referred to as a sample), and a sample pretreatment device that performs a pretreatment for analysis.

BACKGROUND ART

PTL 1 discloses that a first magnetic material provided on a conveyed object side, a magnetic circuit including a core made of a second magnetic material and a winding wound around an outer periphery of the core, a drive circuit that supplies a current to the winding of the magnetic circuit, a current detection unit that detects a value of the current flowing through the winding, and a control unit that calculates a position of the first magnetic material based on the value of the current detected by the current detection unit and controls the current supplied from the drive circuit to the winding based on calculated position information of the first magnetic material are provided.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

As a sample treatment system for automatically analyzing a sample which is a biological sample such as blood or urine, there are a sample pretreatment system that performs charging, centrifugation, dispensing, labeling, and the like for a sample, and an automatic analysis system that analyzes a sample treated by such a sample pretreatment system.

In the related art, the sample pretreatment system or the automatic analysis system includes a sample conveyance line using a belt conveying device or the like in order to convey a sample to a mechanism that performs a predetermined treatment or analysis. By mounting a plurality of such conveyance lines on a sample conveyance system, a sample is conveyed to a predetermined mechanism.

In recent years, importance of sample analysis has increased due to advancement of medical care and aging of patients, and in order to improve an analysis processing capability of a sample analysis system, high-speed conveyance, mass conveyance, simultaneous conveyance, and conveyance in a plurality of directions for samples are desired.

As an example of a technique of achieving such conveyance, there is a conveyance method using an electromagnetic actuator.

Here, in the conveyance method using the electromagnetic actuator in the related art, a plurality of container carrier detection devices are required, and reliability may be lowered due to a device failure. Further, a space to place the detection device is required, and there is a limit to miniaturization.

To the contrary, in the conveyance method described in PTL 1, the position of the first magnetic material provided on the conveyed object side is calculated using the value of the current detected by the current detection unit. Therefore, since the conveyance method does not depend on the detection device, there is no problem that occurs in the related art.

However, as a result of intensive studies by the present inventors, it is clear that the technique described in PTL 1 may be influenced by a temperature change, an electromagnetic noise, a variation in hardware characteristics, and the like, and thus accuracy of the position information and a conveyance operation for the sample may be influenced, and there is room for improvement.

The invention solves the problems in the related art described above and provides a sample conveyance system and a sample conveyance method capable of conveying a sample in a more stable manner than that in the related art corresponding to a conveyance method using an electromagnetic actuator.

Solution to Problem

The invention includes a plurality of systems for solving the above problems, and an example thereof is a sample conveyance system that conveys a conveying container provided with a magnetic material, on which a sample container containing a sample is configured to be mounted, by attracting or repelling the conveying container by an electromagnetic force. The system includes: a plurality of magnetic poles having cores and windings wound around an outer circumferential side of the cores; a driving unit that applies a voltage to each of the windings of the plurality of magnetic poles; a current detection unit that detects a value of a current flowing through the winding; and a position detection unit that estimates a position of the conveying container based on the value of the current detected by the current detection unit. The driving unit applies a first voltage to a first magnetic pole located in a front side in a traveling direction of the conveying container, which is selected to attract or repel the conveying container, to excite the first magnetic pole, and applies a second voltage having a polarity opposite to a polarity of the first voltage to at least one or more of second magnetic poles among the magnetic poles adjacent to the first magnetic poles except for the magnetic poles in the front side in the traveling direction to excite the second magnetic poles, and the position detection unit estimates the position of the conveying container based on the value of the current flowing through the winding of the first magnetic pole.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the invention, it is possible to convey a sample in a more stable manner than that in the related art corresponding to a conveyance method using an electromagnetic actuator. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will be further clarified with the following description of embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a sample conveyance system and a sample conveyance method according to embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In the drawings used in the present description, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and repeated descriptions of these components may be omitted. Further, it is needless to say that the components (including element steps or the like) are not necessarily essential unless otherwise particularly specified or considered to be obviously essential in principle.

A sample conveyance system and a sample conveyance method according to Embodiment 1 of the invention will be described with reference toFIG.1toFIG.11.

First, an overall configuration of the sample conveyance system will be described with reference toFIG.1.FIG.1is a plan view illustrating an overall configuration of a sample conveyance system100according to Embodiment 1 of the invention.

The sample conveyance system100according to Embodiment 1 illustrated inFIG.1is a system provided with an analyzing device for automatically analyzing components of a sample such as blood or urine.

Main components of the sample conveyance system100are a plurality of (12inFIG.1) conveying devices102that convey holders202(seeFIG.2) on which sample containers201(seeFIG.2) containing samples such as blood or urine are mounted or empty holders, a plurality of (4inFIG.1) analyzing devices103, and a control computer101that integrally manages the sample conveyance system100.

The analyzing device103is a unit for performing qualitative and quantitative analysis on components of a sample conveyed by the conveying device102. Analysis items in this unit are not particularly limited, and a configuration of a known automatic analyzing device that analyzes biochemical items and immune items may be employed. Further, when a plurality of analyzing devices103are provided, the analyzing devices130may have the same specification or different specifications, and are not particularly limited.

Each of the conveying devices102is a device that conveys a sample mounted in the holder202to a destination by sliding on a conveyance path by interaction between a magnetic material203(seeFIG.2) provided in the holder202and a coil207(seeFIG.2). Details thereof will be described in detail with reference toFIG.2and the subsequent drawings.

The control computer101controls an operation of the entire system including the conveying devices102and the analyzing devices103, and is implemented by a computer including a display device such as a liquid crystal display, an input device, a storage device, a CPU, a memory, and the like. Control of the operation of each device by the control computer101is executed based on various programs recorded in the storage device.

Operation control processes executed by the control computer101may be integrated into one program, may be divided into a plurality of programs, or may be a combination thereof. Further, a part or all of the programs may be implemented by dedicated hardware, or may be modularized.

InFIG.1described above, a case in which four analyzing devices103are provided is described. However, the number of the analyzing devices is not particularly limited and may be one or more. Similarly, the number of the conveying devices102is not particularly limited and may be one or more.

Further, the sample conveyance system100can be provided with various sample pretreatment and post treatment units that perform a pretreatment and a post treatment on a sample. Detailed configurations of the sample pretreatment and post treatment units are not particularly limited, and a configuration of a known pretreatment device may be employed. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the analyzing device103as long as a destination for conveying the holder202is present.

Next, a specific configuration and an operation method of the conveying device102according to the present embodiment will be described with reference toFIG.2toFIG.11.

FIG.2is a top view illustrating a conveyance path on a conveying surface in a conveying device of Embodiment 1.FIG.3is a side sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of the conveying device.FIG.4is a waveform diagram illustrating a voltage waveform applied to a coil by the conveying device to detect a position of a holder and a current waveform corresponding thereto.FIG.5is a graph illustrating a relationship between a distance between a magnetic pole and a holder (horizontal axis) and a current amplitude (vertical axis) when adjacent magnetic poles are excited.FIG.6is a waveform diagram illustrating an example of a voltage and a current of a first coil and a voltage and a current having opposite characteristics of a second coil.FIG.7is a graph illustrating a relationship between the distance between the magnetic pole and the holder (horizontal axis) and the current amplitude (vertical axis) when adjacent magnetic poles are excited.FIG.8toFIG.10are each a diagram illustrating an example of a coil excitation method for estimating a position of the holder when the holder is conveyed in the conveying device.FIG.11is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of the conveying device.

As illustrated inFIG.2, in each of the conveying devices102, the coils207are arranged in a grid pattern of five rows and five columns to form a conveyance path. A plurality of holders202on which the sample containers201containing the samples are installed are provided on a conveying surface204. The number of grids is not limited to 5×5.

Further, as illustrated inFIG.3, the conveying device102includes the conveying surface204, the coil207, a driving unit208, a current detection unit209, a control unit210A, a storage unit210B, and the like.

InFIG.3, the holder202on which the sample container201containing the sample is installed is provided in plural in the conveying device102. The magnetic material203is provided on a bottom surface portion of each of the plurality of holders202.

The magnetic material203is formed of, for example, a permanent magnet such as neodymium or ferrite. The magnetic material203can also be formed of other magnets and soft magnetic bodies, and can be formed of an appropriate combination thereof.

Although it is not necessary to provide the magnetic material203on a lower surface of the holder202, it is desirable to provide the magnetic material203on the lower surface of the holder202from a viewpoint of efficiently applying a conveyance force for electromagnetic conveyance.

The holder202including the magnetic material203moves to slide on the conveying surface204. In order to generate the conveyance force, a plurality of coils207each including a cylindrical core205and a winding206wound around an outer periphery of the core205are provided below the conveying surface204. The coil207constitutes each of a plurality of detection points for detecting a position of the magnetic material203. Further, a plurality of conveyance paths are provided above the coil207so as to cover the coil207.

The plurality of coils207provided in the conveying device102according to the present embodiment serve to detect the position of the magnetic material203and serve to convey the magnetic material203, that is, convey the sample.

Further, in the present embodiment, specifications of the coils207in the conveying device102are the same for all the coils207. However, the specifications are not necessarily the same, and a shape and a material of the core205, the number of turns of the winding206, and the like can be appropriately changed.

The winding206of the coil207is connected to the driving unit208that applies a predetermined voltage to the coil207to cause a predetermined current to flow through the winding206. The coil207to which the voltage is applied by the driving unit208acts as an electromagnetic stone, and attracts the magnetic material203in the holder202on the conveying surface204. After the holder202is attracted by the coil207, application of the voltage to the coil207is stopped by the driving unit208, and a voltage is applied by the driving unit208to a different coil207adjacent to the coil207in the same manner as described above, and thus the magnetic material203in the holder202is attracted to the adjacent coil207.

By repeating this procedure for all the coils207constituting the conveyance path, the sample contained in the sample container201held by the holder202provided with the magnetic material203is conveyed to the destination.

Further, each of these coils207serves to detect the position of the magnetic material203, in addition to convey the magnetic material203, that is, convey the sample.

In general, when a voltage is applied to the winding206(or the coil207) to cause a current to flow, a magnetic field is generated around the winding206(or the coil207), and a generated magnetic flux is proportional to a value of the flowing current. This proportional constant is called inductance.

When the holder202is located near the coil207, a magnetic flux (a magnetic field) generated by the magnetic material203is generated in the core205. Therefore, the magnetic flux (the magnetic field) generated by the magnetic material203and the magnetic flux (the magnetic field) generated by the current flowing through the winding206are generated in the core205. In particular, a magnitude of the magnetic flux generated in the core205changes depending on a relative position between the magnetic material203and the coil207.

On the other hand, the core205is made of a magnetic material, and a magnetic flux passing through the core205has a property of being difficult to pass as the magnetic flux increases. This property is known as magnetic saturation.

Therefore, in a magnetic circuit including a magnetic material such as the core205, when the magnetic flux generated in the core205increases and saturation in the core205occurs, the inductance decreases. That is, when the magnetic field from the magnetic material203increases and magnetic saturation occurs in the core205, a magnetic permeability decreases, and thus a change occurs in the current flowing through the winding206(the coil207).

FIG.4is a waveform diagram illustrating a voltage waveform60applied to the winding206(the coil207) by the conveying device102to detect a position of the holder202and a current waveform70corresponding thereto. When the magnetic material203in the holder202approaches the coil207, the magnetic saturation in the core205changes a current waveform70ain an upper side inFIG.4to a current waveform70bin a lower side inFIG.4.

That is, when the coil207is not influenced by the magnetic material203in the holder202, the current amplitude is as illustrated in the upper side inFIG.4. On the other hand, for example, when the coil207is influenced by the magnetic material203in the holder202as in a case in which the magnetic material203is directly above or in a vicinity of the coil207, the current amplitude is larger than that in the upper side inFIG.4, as illustrated in the lower side inFIG.4.

Therefore, the current detection unit209detects the current flowing through the winding206(the coil207), and the control unit210A estimates the position of the holder202using the value of the current. For example, the position of the holder202can be estimated by the current detection unit209detecting an amplitude value of the current waveform (an amount of change in the current at rise/fall of a position detection pulse).

A pulse magnitude and a pulse width of the voltage waveform60may be variable or fixed. Further, the current detection unit209may be a series resistor, a unit based on a current transformer, a unit that uses a Hall-current sensor, or the like, but is not limited to these.

The storage unit210B holds information211on a current amplitude depending on a distance between the coil207and the holder202, which indicates a relationship between an amplitude of a current flowing through a first coil207aand a distance between the first coil207aand the holder202when a second coil207bis excited, as illustrated inFIG.5. The control unit210A estimates the position of the holder202with reference to the information211on the current amplitude held in the storage unit210B based on a command from the control computer101.

A position detection process may be executed by the control unit210A or may be executed by the control computer101. In the present embodiment, the control computer101determines various settings during position detection, and the control unit210A executes the settings.

Further, the control unit210A calculates a current flowing through each winding206(coil207) using various pieces of information such as position information, speed information, and weight information on the holder202, and outputs a command signal to each driving unit208. The driving unit208applies a voltage to the corresponding winding206based on the command signal.

The information211on the relationship of the current amplitude depending on the distance between the coil207and the holder202held in the storage unit210B as illustrated inFIG.5depends on a condition of the voltage applied to the winding206(the coil207), such as the pulse magnitude, the pulse width, and a duty of the voltage waveform60. Since this voltage condition depends on a driving condition such as a thrust force applied to the holder202, various values can be taken.

Therefore, it is desirable to hold a plurality of pieces of information211on the relationship of the current amplitude depending on the distance between the coil207and the holder202inFIG.5for each of various voltage conditions that may be used. Further, it is possible to select an appropriate relationship according to the driving condition of the holder202and use the relationship for estimating the position of the holder202.

Further, in the invention, in order to increase detection sensitivity (estimation accuracy) for the position of the holder202during the conveyance of the holder202, the driving unit208applies a first voltage to the coil207(the first coil) located in a front side in a traveling direction of the holder202, which is selected for applying the thrust force (an attraction force or a repulsion force) to the holder202to excite the coil207, and applies a voltage of any voltage value having a polarity opposite to that of an excitation current of the first coil to the coil207immediately before the first coil (the second coil) in the traveling direction of the holder202.

The second coil in this case is not limited to only the coil207immediately before the first coil in the traveling direction of the holder202, and may be any one or more coils207adjacent to the first coil except for the coils207in the front side in the traveling direction.

Further, the first voltage may be applied for both conveyance and position detection of the holder202, or may be applied exclusively for position detection, and is not particularly limited.

The current detection unit209detects a value of a current flowing through the winding206when the first voltage is applied to the coil207(the first coil), and the control unit210A estimates a position of the holder202based on the value of the current flowing through the winding206of the coil207(the first coil).

FIG.6is a diagram illustrating an example of a voltage waveform80aapplied to the first coil and a current waveform90athereof, and a voltage waveform80bapplied to the second coil and a current waveform90bthereof. As illustrated inFIG.6, a state in which a voltage and a current of the second coil having opposite characteristics to those of the first coil are applied to the winding206(the coil207) is illustrated.

Here, as the second voltage applied to the second coil by the driving unit208, for example, a pulse voltage can be used, and any duty ratio can be employed. Although the current may not be a direct current, it is desirable that the duty ratio is substantially constant and an effective value is substantially constant.

As a result of exciting the second coil with a polarity opposite to that of the first coil, the core205of the first coil is in a state of being likely to cause magnetic saturation. This is because, when the second coil is excited with the opposite polarity, the magnetic flux generated in the core205of the first coil is generated in a direction in which the magnetic flux of the first coil itself is strengthened.

FIG.7is a graph illustrating a relationship between a distance between the first coil and the holder and a current amplitude when a pulse voltage is applied to the first coil and a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the first coil is applied to the second coil adjacent to the first coil. Here, a dotted line211ais a graph when the second coil is not excited, and a solid line211bis a graph when the second coil is excited.

As illustrated inFIG.7, when a predetermined pulse voltage is applied to the first coil in a state in which the second coil is excited with a polarity opposite to that of the excitation current of the first coil, the current amplitude when the holder202is located at a position away from the first coil by a predetermined distance as well as directly above the first coil is relatively increased, and the detection sensitivity (or the estimation accuracy) for the position of the holder202estimated based on the current amplitude of the first coil is improved.

In the invention, a predetermined pulse voltage is applied to the first coil in a state in which the second coil adjacent to the first coil in the traveling direction of the holder202in which the thrust force is generated is excited with an excitation current having a polarity opposite to that of the first coil. Thereafter, the distance between the first coil and the holder202is estimated based on a change in the current amplitude of the first coil. In the estimation, the solid line211billustrated inFIG.7, which is information on the relationship between the distance between the first coil and the holder and the current amplitude in which the detection sensitivity is improved by excitation of the second coil, is used.

In this way, since the second coil adjacent to the first coil in the traveling direction of the holder202is excited, the detection sensitivity (the detection accuracy) for the position of the holder202can be improved without influencing the thrust force due to a distance away from the holder202.

Hereinafter, an operation example of estimating the position of the holder202when the holder202is conveyed will be described with reference toFIG.8toFIG.10.FIG.8toFIG.10are each a schematic diagram illustrating a coil excitation method for the coil207while the holder202is being conveyed. Each figure illustrates a top view of the conveying surface204and an outline of a voltage waveform and a current waveform of the coil207.FIG.11is a flowchart illustrating the operation example inFIG.8toFIG.10.

InFIG.8, the first coil207alocated in the front side in the traveling direction of the holder202is excited to apply a thrust force to the holder202. Further, the second coil207badjacent to the first coil207ain the traveling direction of the holder202is excited with a polarity opposite to that of the first coil207a. The second coil to which the second voltage is applied may be any one of coils207cland207c2as well as the coil207b. Further, two or more of these coils207b,207c1, and207c2may be provided.

FIG.9is a schematic diagram illustrating an arrangement when the holder202approaches the first coil207a, the amplitude of the current flowing through the first coil207aincreases, and the position of the holder202is detected by the control unit210A.

In the present embodiment, since the second coil207bis excited with a polarity opposite to that of the first coil207a, a change in the amplitude of the current flowing through the first coil207awhen the holder202approaches the first coil207ais larger than that in the related art.

In this way, it is possible to prevent the accuracy of the position estimation and the conveyance operation for the sample from being influenced by a temperature change, an electromagnetic noise, and the like, and to convey the sample more stably than that in the related art.

It is desirable that a current waveform of the second coil207bis stable before a current waveform of the first coil207ais stabilized and the position of the holder202can be estimated. Further, it takes several milliseconds to several tens of milliseconds for the current waveform to stabilize after a voltage is applied to the winding206(or the coil207).

Therefore, a timing at which the second coil207bis excited is not particularly limited. However, it is desirable that the timing is substantially the same as a timing at which the first coil207ais excited, or a predetermined timing, preferably 10 to 20 milliseconds before the timing at which the first coil207ais excited.

The current flowing through the second coil207bexcited to the opposite polarity may be due to a pulse voltage or a current control, or may be a direct current. In a case of the pulse voltage, any magnitude, period, duty ratio, phase with respect to the pulse voltage applied to the first coil207a, and the like of the voltage may be used. Further, the current may be controlled by software or hardware.

Further, it is desirable that the duty ratio of the pulse voltage is substantially constant or the current is controlled such that an effective value of the current of the second coil207bexcited to the opposite polarity is substantially constant. When the same pulse voltage control as that of the first voltage is performed, it is not necessary to change a control method, and implementation is easy.

After the holder202is detected based on the current value of the first coil207a, the first coil207aand the second coil207bare demagnetized betweenFIG.9andFIG.10. The timings of demagnetizing the first coil and the second coil need not be the same. Further, the polarity, the duty, the pulse width, and the like of the applied pulse voltage may be changed without explicitly providing a period in which the second coil207bis demagnetized. At this time, the pulse voltage can be quickly changed according to an operation of the control unit210A.

InFIG.10, the second coil207b(a new first coil) in the traveling direction of the holder202is excited by a pulse voltage having the voltage waveform80bto apply a thrust force to the holder202. Further, a third coil207c(a new second coil) adjacent to the second coil207bin the traveling direction of the holder202is excited by a pulse voltage having a voltage waveform80cand a current waveform90chaving polarities opposite to those of the second coil207b(the new first coil).

By continuing the operations illustrated inFIG.8toFIG.10in this manner, it is possible to convey the holder202while improving the sensitivity of the position estimation for the holder202as compared with that in the related art.

As described above, in the conveying device102in which the position of the holder202is estimated using the current flowing through the winding206(or the coil207), the total number of the coils207to be excited is increased as compared with that in a case in the related art, but the detection sensitivity (or the detection accuracy) for the position of the holder202can be improved.

Next, effects of the present embodiment will be described.

In the sample conveyance system100according to Embodiment 1 of the invention described above, the driving unit208applies the first voltage to the first coil207alocated in the front side in the traveling direction of the holder202, which is selected to attract or repel the holder202, to excite the first coil207a, and applies the second voltage having the polarity opposite to the polarity of the first voltage to at least one or more second coils207bamong the coils207except for the coils207in the front side in the traveling direction to excite the second coils207b, and the control unit210A estimates the position of the holder202based on the value of the current flowing through the winding206of the first coil207a.

Accordingly, the change in the amplitude of the current flowing through the first coil207awhen the holder202approaches the first coil207acan be made larger than that in the related art, an influence of a temperature change, an electromagnetic noise, a variation in hardware characteristics, and the like can be prevented as compared with that in the related art, and an influence on the accuracy of the position estimation and the conveyance operation for the sample can be reduced. Accordingly, even in a sample conveyance method using an electromagnetic actuator, the sample can be conveyed more stably than that in the related art, and a conveying device with higher reliability can be achieved.

Further, since the driving unit208makes the timing of applying the second voltage earlier than the timing of applying the first voltage by a predetermined timing, the current waveform of the second coil207bcan be in reliably stabilized state before the current waveform of the first coil207afor estimating the position of the holder202is stabilized, and the position of the holder202can be estimated with higher accuracy.

Further, the driving unit208sequentially conveys the holder202to a target position by switching the first coil207a, and switches the second coils207baccording to the switching of the first coil207a, so that the holder202can be stably conveyed to the destination by highly accurate position detection.

Further, the driving unit208can further stabilize the second voltage by setting the second voltage to have a direct current or to a pulse voltage flowing in a direction opposite in polarity to the first voltage, and the position of the holder202can be estimated with higher accuracy.

Further, since the storage unit210B that holds the relationship between the amplitude of the current flowing through the first coil207aand the distance between the first coil207aand the holder202when the second coil207bis excited is further provided, in particular, the storage unit210B holds the relationship between the amplitude of the current flowing through the first coil207aand the distance between the first coil207aand the holder202for each combination of the first voltage and the second voltage having different duties, which are pulse voltages, highly accurate position estimation corresponding to various driving conditions can be quickly performed.

Further, since the coils207are arranged in the grid pattern, flexible conveyance corresponding to various conveyance paths can be achieved.

Further, by setting the predetermined timing between 10 and 20 milliseconds, the current waveform of the first coil207acan be stabilized in a state in which the current waveform of the second coil207bis reliably stabilized, and the position of the holder202can be estimated with higher accuracy.

A sample conveyance system and a sample conveyance method according to Embodiment 2 of the invention will be described with reference toFIG.12.FIG.12is a diagram illustrating an example of a coil excitation method for estimating a position of a holder when the holder is conveyed in a conveying device according to Embodiment 2.

As illustrated inFIG.12, in the sample conveyance system100and the sample conveyance method according to Embodiment 2, control in a case in which the position of the holder202is estimated when the holder202crosses between the conveying devices102will be described.

In the coil207at an end of the conveying device102, there is a problem that a change (a slope) of its current amplitude is reduced in the information211on the relationship between the distance between the coil207and the holder202and the current amplitude illustrated inFIG.5.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the driving unit208determines whether to apply the second voltage when a position of the coil207used to estimate the position of the holder202is located at the end of the conveying device102, and applies the second voltage to the second coil207baccording to presence or absence of determined application of the second voltage.

That is, in Embodiment 2, when the position of the holder202is estimated based on the current value of the first coil207ain the coils207alocated at the end of a conveying device102A, the second coil207bof a conveying device102B adjacent to the first coil207ain the traveling direction of the holder202is excited with a polarity opposite to that of the first coil207a. Therefore, when the holder202approaches the first coil207a, the change in the amplitude of the current flowing through the first coil207ais larger than that in the related art.

InFIG.12, the first coil207alocated in the front side in the traveling direction of the holder202is excited to apply a thrust force to the holder202. Further, the second coil207badjacent to the first coil207ain the traveling direction of the holder202is excited with a polarity opposite to that of the first coil207a. The second coil to which the second voltage is applied may be any one of the coils207cland207c2as well as the coil207b. Further, two or more of these coils207b,207c1, and207c2may be provided.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a sample conveyance system and a sample conveyance method capable of conveying a sample more stably than that in the related art in the coil207at the end of the conveying device102in which the sensitivity of position detection for the holder202and the conveyance operation for the sample may be influenced.

Other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the sample conveyance system and the sample conveyance method according to Embodiment 1 described above, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

A sample conveyance system and a sample conveyance method according to Embodiment 3 of the invention will be described with reference toFIG.13andFIG.14.FIG.13andFIG.14are each a diagram illustrating an example of a coil excitation method for estimating a position of a holder when the holder is conveyed in a conveying device according to Embodiment 3.

The sample conveyance system100and the sample conveyance method according to Embodiment 3 are suitable for estimating the position of the holder202when the holder202is stopped.

InFIG.13, there are two holders202A and202B on the conveying surface204of the conveying device102, and the holder202A is immediately before stopping at a grid point of the coils207arranged in the grid pattern. The holder202B is being conveyed in a direction perpendicular to the holder202A. The grid point of the coils207arranged in the grid pattern is a stop position of the holder202.

At this time, in a case in which the second coil207badjacent to the first coil207ain the traveling direction of the holder202A is excited with a polarity opposite to that of the first coil207a, when the third coil207cadjacent to the second coil207bis excited in order to detect a position of the holder202B being conveyed, a change in the amplitude of the current is larger than that in the related art.

In such a case, the information211on the relationship between the distance between the third coil207cand the holder and the current amplitude when the adjacent second coil207bis excited to the opposite polarity at a predetermined duty (seeFIG.7) is held in advance in the storage unit210B, and can be used at the time of estimating the position of the holder202B using the third coil207c.

That is, in a case of estimating the position of the holder202B using the third coil207c, when the coils207on left and right of the third coil207cwith respect to the traveling direction of the holder202B are excited with opposite polarities, the relationship between the holder position and the current amplitude appropriate for such a situation is held in advance and used for the position estimation for the holder202. Accordingly, even in a case in which the position of the holder202A is estimated when the holder202A is stopped, the adjacent coils207can be excited with opposite polarities and used to improve the sensitivity of the position estimation.

Further, alternatively, as illustrated inFIG.14, when the holder202is stopped, the stop position of the holder202is a grid point of the coils207arranged in the grid pattern, and thus, at the stop position of the holder202, adjacent coils207are present not only in the traveling direction of the holder202A but also on the left and right. By exciting at least one second coil207bamong them with opposite polarities, the second coils207bcan be used to improve the sensitivity of position estimation based on the current amplitude of the first coil207a.

In this case, the position estimation for the holder202B using the third coil207ccan employ a method in the related art, the method according to any one of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, and the method described in the present embodiment.

Other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the sample conveyance system and the sample conveyance method according to Embodiment 1 described above, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The sample conveyance system and the sample conveyance method according to Embodiment 3 of the invention can also achieve substantially the same effects as those of the sample conveyance system and the sample conveyance method according to Embodiment 1 described above.

The invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and includes various modifications. The above embodiments have been described in detail for easy understanding of the invention, and the invention is not necessarily limited to those including all the configurations described above.

Further, a part of configurations of one embodiment can be replaced with configurations of another embodiment, and configurations of one embodiment can be added to configurations of another embodiment. A part of configurations of each embodiment may be added, deleted, or replaced with another configuration.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

60,80a,80b,80c: voltage waveform70,70a,70b,90a,90b,90c: current waveform100: sample conveyance system101: control computer102,102A,102B: conveying device103: analyzing device201: sample container202,202A,202B: holder (conveying container)203: magnetic material204: conveying surface205: core206: winding207,207a,207b,207c,207c1,207c2: coil (first magnetic pole, second magnetic pole)208: driving unit209: current detection unit210A: control unit (position detection unit)210B: storage unit211: information on relationship between distance between magnetic pole and holder and current amplitude211a: dotted line211b: solid line