Abstract:
Disclosed are an automatic labeling machine and an automatic labeling machine control method. The automatic labeling machine is used for adhering an identification label on a surface of a test tube. The automatic labeling machine comprises: a tube insertion port ( 80 ) used for inserting a test tube; a controller ( 4 ) used for determining the type of test tube to be inserted; and a prompting apparatus ( 3 ) connected to the controller ( 4 ) and used for outputting prompting information corresponding to the type of the test tube to be inserted. The problem of automatic labeling machines easily causing a test tube selection error in the prior art is solved.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to the field of labeling machine, and in particular to an automatic labeling machine and an automatic labeling machine control method. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Blood-sumpling collection by using a vacuum test tube has becoming popular. Due to difference in items of blood test, different addictives such as separation gel or coagulant or the like are added into the vacuum test tube in advance. The test tubes are encapsulated with covers of different color depending on the type of the addictives added into the test tube so as to facilitate classification and management. For example, the test tube with a red cover is placed with general serum in advance, and the test tube with a green cover is placed with heparin anticoagulant in advance. 
         [0003]    In order to mark the blood sample collected by institutions such as blood banks, hospitals or biochemical laboratories, an identification label needs to be adhered to the surface of the test tube. The identification label has been printed sample detection information, collector personal information or the like printed thereon.  FIG. 1  is a structural schematic of an automatic labeling machine of the existing technology. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the automatic labeling machine includes a printing apparatus  1 ′ and a labeling apparatus  2 ′ positioned in a discharge port of the printing apparatus  1 ′. After collecting the blood sample, the operator determines the type of the vacuum test tube  5 ′ and color of the cover thereof according to the item to be detected, and then inserts the vacuum test tube  5 ′ with the corresponding color cover into the labeling apparatus  2 ′ through a tube insertion port  4 ′. The printing apparatus  1 ′ performs the printing task and outputs a label. The label output by the printing apparatus  1 ′ is then adhered to the surface of the vacuum test tube  5 ′ by the labeling apparatus  2 ′. 
         [0004]    Due to multiple categories of the vacuum test tube, however, the type of the test tube has to be check and the corresponding type of test tube has to be selected manually when such automatic labeling machine is used for adhering label to the surface of the vacuum test tube. For instance, when check of the color of the cover of the test tube and selection of the test tube with the cover of the corresponding color are done manually, mistake may likely be made during this process, which lead to a problem of a wrong detection result. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    A main object of the present disclosure is to provide an automatic labeling machine and a control method therefor so as to address the problem of selection error of the test tube suffered from the automatic labeling machine of the existing technology. 
         [0006]    To achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, an automatic labeling machine for adhering an identification label to the surface of a test tube is provided. The automatic labeling machine may include: a tube insertion port for inserting the test tube; a controller for determining the type of the test tube to be inserted; and a prompting apparatus connected to the controller and used for outputting a prompting information corresponding to the type of the test tube to be inserted. 
         [0007]    Further, the controller is used for determining a color of a cover of the test tube to be inserted, and the prompting apparatus is used for outputting the prompting information corresponding to the color of the cover of the test tube to be inserted. 
         [0008]    Further, the automatic labeling machine may further include a storage apparatus that is used for storing a correspondence relation between the type of the test tube and the color of the cover of the test tube, where the controller is connected to the storage apparatus, so as to receive printed data, determine the type of the test tube to be inserted according to the printed data, and then search for the correspondence relation between the type of the test tube and the color of the cover of the test tube stored in the storage apparatus and determine the color of the cover of the test tube to be inserted according to the type of the test tube to be inserted. 
         [0009]    Further, the prompting apparatus may include any one of the following prompting apparatuses or any combination thereof: a color prompting apparatus used for outputting a color which corresponds to the color of the cover of the test tube to be inserted that is determined by the controller; a voice prompting apparatus used for outputting a voice prompting information which corresponds to the color of the cover of the test tube to be inserted that is determined by the controller: and an image prompting apparatus used for outputting a character prompting information or an image prompting information which corresponds to the color of the cover of the test tube to be inserted that is determined by the controller. 
         [0010]    Further, the automatic labeling machine may further include: a casing that has the tube insertion port provided in a surface thereof; a printing apparatus connected to the controller for outputting the identification label; and a labeling apparatus connected to the controller and opposed to the tube insertion port, the labeling apparatus is used for adhering the identification label that is printed out by the printing apparatus to the surface of the inserted test tube. 
         [0011]    Further, the printing apparatus may include: a feed roller used for supporting a label paper roll, where a label paper of the label paper roll may include a lining paper and a plurality of labels having fixed length adhered on the lining paper in sequence; a printing mechanism disposed at downstream of the feed roller in a transportation direction of the label paper and used for performing printing on the surface of the label, the printing mechanism includes a print head and a print rubber roller that cooperate tangently with each other; a peeling member disposed at downstream of the printing mechanism in a transportation direction of the label paper and used for peeling the label from the lining paper; a recovery roller located at downstream of the peeling member and used for recovering the lining paper; and a driving mechanism used for driving the print rubber roller and the recovery roller to rotate. 
         [0012]    Further, the labeling apparatus may include: a first motor: a drive roller that is drivingly connected to the first motor; and a driven roller, wherein a tube accommodation space is defined between the drive roller and the driven roller and corresponds with the tube insertion port, and the driven roller functions to press the test tube inserted into the tube accommodation space against the drive roller such that the inserted test tube may be caused to rotate about its axis as the first motor drives the drive roller. 
         [0013]    Further, the prompting apparatus may include a color prompting apparatus used for outputting a color which corresponds to the color of the cover of the test tube to be inserted that is determined by the controller: where the color prompting apparatus is disposed on the surface of the casing and located at the tube insertion port. 
         [0014]    Further, the color prompting apparatus may be formed of a three-primary-color LED, where the controller is used for controlling the three-primary-color LED to pass through setting current such that the color prompting apparatus presents the color of the cover of the test tube to be inserted. 
         [0015]    Further, the prompting apparatus may include an image prompting apparatus used for outputting a character or an image prompting information corresponding to the color of the cover of the test tube to be inserted that is determined by the controller, where the image prompting apparatus is positioned on the surface of the casing and disposed to face an operator, and where the controller is used for controlling the image prompting apparatus to display a character or an image corresponding to the color of the cover of the test tube to be inserted. 
         [0016]    To achieve above object, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, an automatic labeling machine control method is provided. The automatic labeling machine control method includes: the automatic labeling machine determining the type of a test tube to be inserted; and the automatic labeling machine outputting a prompting information corresponding to the type of the test tube to be inserted. 
         [0017]    Further, the automatic labeling machine determining the type of a test tube to be inserted includes the controller of the automatic labeling machine determining a color of a cover of the test tube to be inserted, and the automatic labeling machine outputting a prompting information corresponding to the type of the test tube to be inserted includes a prompting apparatus of the automatic labeling machine outputting the prompting information corresponding to the color of the cover of the test tube to be inserted. 
         [0018]    After determining the type of the test tube to be inserted, the automatic labeling machine of the present disclosure may output the prompting information corresponding to the type of the test tube to be inserted, thereby solving the problem of selection error of test tube that is easily caused by the automatic labeling machine in the existing technology. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The present disclosure will be further understood by the accompanying drawings that constitute a part of the application, and the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and the following description serve to explain the present disclosure rather than limiting the present disclosure. In the drawings: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a structural view of an automatic labeling machine in existing technology: 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a module schematic of an embodiment of an automatic labeling machine according to the present disclosure: 
           [0022]      FIG. 3 a    is a flow chart of an automatic labeling machine control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3 b    is a flow chart of the automatic labeling machine control method according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is an external view of the automatic labeling machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure: 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a structural view of an internal structure of the automatic labeling machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a structural view of a labeling apparatus of the automatic labeling machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure: 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a structural top view of a labeling apparatus of the automatic labeling machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a an external schematic view of the automatic labeling machine according to an another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0029]    It should be appreciated that the embodiments of the present disclosure and features therein could be combined with each other without contradiction. The present disclosure will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and in connection with the embodiments. 
         [0030]      FIG. 2  is a module schematic of an automatic labeling machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The automatic labeling machine can be used for adhering an identification label to a surface of a test tube. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the automatic labeling machine can include a printing apparatus  1 , a labeling apparatus  2 , a prompting apparatus  3 , a controller  4  and a storage apparatus  5 . 
         [0031]    The printing apparatus  1 , the labeling apparatus  2 , the prompting apparatus  3  and the storage apparatus  5  can be electrically connected to the controller  4  that functions to control the operation of various apparatuses. The printing apparatus  1  may be used for printing an identification label including contents such as sample detection information, collector personal information and the like. The labeling apparatus  2  may be employed to adhere the identification label, that is printed by the printing apparatus  1 , to the surface of the test tube, and the prompting apparatus  3  may be used for outputting prompting information about the type of the test tube so as to prompt different types of the test tube by outputting different prompting information. For example, the prompting apparatus  3  may output the prompting information on color of a cover of the test tube so as to prompt different color of cover of the test tube by outputting the different prompting information. The prompting apparatus  3  may be one of a color prompting apparatus, a voice prompting apparatus and an image prompting apparatus, or any combinations thereof. In particular, when the prompting apparatus  3  is the color prompting apparatus, the color prompting apparatus is formed by a three-primary-color LED, and the controller  4  can control the three-primary-color LED to pass through the setting current according to the color of the cover of the determined test tube, such that the color prompting apparatus can present a color in consistent with the predetermined color of the cover of the test tube. When the prompting apparatus  3  is the voice prompting apparatus, the controller  4  control the prompting apparatus to output a voice prompting information such as “the user inserts the test tube of ** color please” for example, or the like, according to the determined color of the cover of the test tube. Further, when the prompting apparatus  3  is the image prompting apparatus, the image prompting apparatus is formed from electronic elements such as colorful liquid crystals or the like, the controller  4  control the image prompting apparatus to display either character prompting information such as “the user inserts the test tube of ** color please” for example, or the like, according to the determined color of the cover of the test tube, or directly display an image of the test tube having a corresponding color cover. The prompting information output by the promping apparatus  3  may be one of character, image, color or voice, or any combinations thereof. The storage apparatus  5  may be a non-volatile memory for storing a correspondence reaction between the type of the test tube and the color of cover of the test tube. The common correspondence reaction between the type of the test tube and the color of cover of the test tube is given in Table 1 below. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 Color of cover 
               
               
                   
                 Type of test tube 
                 of test tube 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Tube for general serum 
                 Red 
               
               
                   
                 Tube for rapid serum 
                 Orange 
               
               
                   
                 Tube for inertial separation gel coagulant 
                 Auratus 
               
               
                   
                 Tube for heparinanticoagulant 
                 Green 
               
               
                   
                 Tube for separation of plasma 
                 Light green 
               
               
                   
                 Tube for EDTA anticoagulant 
                 Purple 
               
               
                   
                 Test tube for sodium citrateblood coagulation 
                 Light blue 
               
               
                   
                 Test tube forsodium citrate blood sedimentation 
                 Black 
               
               
                   
                 Test tube for potassium oxalate/sodium fluoride 
                 Gray 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0032]    In accordance with the automatic labeling machine provided by the present disclosure, the automatic labeling machine may output the prompting information corresponding to the type of the test tube to be inserted after determining the type of the test tube to be inserted, thereby being capable of preventing the problem of the wrong selection of test tube in existing technology from occurring. 
         [0033]    The embodiments of the present disclosure further provides an automatic labeling machine control method. The automatic labeling machine control method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may be a control method for the automatic labeling machine provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure, the automatic labeling machine control method according to embodiments of the present disclosure also may be applied to the automatic labeling machine control method provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         [0034]      FIG. 3 a    is a flow chart for illustrating the control method of the automatic labeling machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         [0035]    Step S 1 : the automatic labeling machine determining the type of test tube to be inserted. 
         [0036]    First, the automatic labeling machine receives printing data to be printed on the surface of the label from a host computer, the printing data includes information such as item of detection, date of detection and the name of detected subject, and then the automatic labeling machine determines the type of the test tube according to information on item of detection in the received printing data. 
         [0037]    Step S 2 : the automatic labeling machine outputting the prompting information corresponding to the type of the test tube to be inserted. 
         [0038]    After determining the type of the test tube to be inserted, the automatic labeling machine outputs the corresponding prompting information according to the type of the test tube to be inserted. The operator selects the test tube of corresponding type according to the prompting information, and then inserts the test tube into the automatic labeling machine. 
         [0039]      FIG. 3 b    is a flow chart for illustrating an automatic labeling machine control method according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. The automatic labeling machine control method according to this embodiment may be a preferred embodiment of the automatic labeling machine control method according to an embodiment as shown in  FIG. 3 a   . As shown in  FIG. 3 b   , the method includes: 
         [0040]    Step S 11 : the controller determining the type of the test tube and the color of cover thereof. 
         [0041]    The controller  4  of the automatic labeling machine receives the printing data, which includes the information such as item of detection, date of detection and the name of detected subject and the like, to be printed on the surface of the label from a host computer, and then determines the type of the test tube according to the information on item of detection in the received printing data. Thereafter, the controller  4  looks up for the correspondence relation between the type of the test tube and the color of the cover of the test tube, that is stored in the storage apparatus  5 , thereby determining the color of cover of the test tube to be inserted. 
         [0042]    Step S 12 : the prompting apparatus outputting the prompting information. 
         [0043]    The controller  4  controls the prompting apparatus  3  to output the corresponding prompting information according to the color of the cover of the test tube to be inserted. Thus, the operator can select the test tube with the cover of the corresponding color according to the prompting information, and then insert the test tube into the labeling apparatus  2 . 
         [0044]    Step S 13 : the printing apparatus printing labels. 
         [0045]    The controller  4  controls the printing apparatus  1  to print the printing data on the surface of the label and output the printed label from its discharge port to the labeling apparatus  2 . 
         [0046]    Step S 14 : the labeling apparatus adhering the labels. 
         [0047]    The controller  4  controls the labeling apparatus  2  to adhere the label output by the printing apparatus  1  to the surface of the test tube. 
         [0048]    In accordance with the automatic labeling machine of the present disclosure, the controller can determine the type of the test tube and the color of the cover thereof according to the printed data before the test tube is inserted at each time, and can control the prompting apparatus to output one or more prompting information in the form of color, character, image or voice. The operator can select the test tube with the corresponding color cover according to the prompting information, which has a better visualization and reliability, and thus the problem of the wrong detection result caused by wrong selection of test tube can be avoided. 
         [0049]      FIG. 4  is an external schematic view of the automatic labeling machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and  FIG. 5  is a schematic view of an inner structure of the automatic labeling machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in  FIGS. 4-5 , a casing of the automatic labeling machine includes a bottom plate  81  and a top shell  82 . The top shell  82  and the bottom plate  81  together define the accommodating space for the printing apparatus  1  and the labeling apparatus  2 . The surface of the top shell  82  has a tube insertion port  80  provided therein through which the test tube is inserted, and both the printing apparatus  1  and the labeling apparatus  2  are supported by the bottom plate  81 . The labeling apparatus  2  is positioned at a discharge port of the printing apparatus  1  and is opposite to the tube insertion port  80 . The test tube may be inserted into the labeling apparatus  2  through the tube insertion port  80 . Thus, the label that is printed by and output from the printing apparatus  1  can be adhered to the surface of the test tube by the labeling apparatus  2 . 
         [0050]    The printing apparatus  1  includes a feed roller  11 , a printing mechanism  12 , a peeling member  13  and a recovery roller  14 . The feed roller  11  is used for supporting a label paper roll S. A label paper L is made up of a lining paper L 2  and a plurality of labels L 1  having a fixed length that are adhered on the lining paper L 2  in sequence. The printing mechanism  12  is located at downstream of the feed roller  11  in a direction of transportation of the label paper L, and used for printing set contents, such as collector information, detection information and the like, on the surface of the label L 1 . The printing mechanism  12  includes a print head  121  and a print rubber roller  122  that cooperate tangently with each other. An axis of the print rubber roller  122  is parallel to an axis of the feed roller  11 . The print rubber roller  122  is drivingly connected to a driving mechanism of the printing apparatus, and can rotate around its axis when being driven by the driving mechanism. The label paper L passes between the print head  121  and the print rubber roller  122 , where a print face of the label L 1  contacts with the print head  121  and the lining paper L 2  contacts with the print rubber roller  122 , the print rubber roller  122  can drive the label paper L to be transported toward downstream of the printing mechanism  12  when it is driven to rotate by the driving mechanism. The peeling member  13  is disposed at downstream of the printing mechanism  12  in a transportation direction of the label paper L and used for peeling the label L from the lining paper L 2 . When the label paper L is being output by the printing mechanism  12 , the lining paper L 2  of the label paper L contacts with the peeling member  13 , passes through the peeling member  13  and continues to be transported downstream of the peeling member  13 . In the embodiment, the peeling member is in the form of shaft-shaped. In other embodiments, the peeling member may be in the form of plate-shaped. Further, the recovery roller  14  is located at downstream of the peeling member  13  in a transportion direction of the lining paper L 2  and used for recovering the lining paper L 2  of the label paper L. The recovery roller  14  is drivingly connected to the driving mechanism of the printing apparatus  1  and is able to rotate around its axis thereof when being driven by the driving mechanism. 
         [0051]    While the printing apparatus  1  is printing, the label paper L is lead out from the label paper roll S on the feed roller  1 , and passes between the print head  121  and the print rubber roller  122 . A tip of the lining paper L 2  of the label paper L is wound around the recovery roller  14  after bypassing the peeling member  13 . The driving mechanism of the printing apparatus  1  drives the print rubber roller  122  and recovery roller  14  to rotate. The print rubber roller  122  transports the label paper L towards downstread, and at the same time, the print head  121  performs printing on the surface of the label L 1 , and the take-up roller  14  rewinds the lining paper L 2 , the label L 1  is separated from the lining paper L 2  at the peeling member  13 . As a result, the label L 1  is output from the discharge port of the printing apparatus  1  toward the labeling apparatus  2  as driven by the print rubber roller  122 . 
         [0052]    The labeling apparatus  2  is located at the discharge port of the printing apparatus  1  and used for adhering the label L 1  output by the printing apparatus to the surface of the test tube a.  FIG. 6  is a schematic structure view of the labeling apparatus of the automatic labeling machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 7  is a structural top view of the labeling apparatus of the automatic labeling machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the labeling apparatus  2  is disposed on the bottom plate  81 , and includes a drive roller  21 , a driven roller assembly  22 , a transmission assembly  23  and a first motor  24 . 
         [0053]    The drive roller  21  is supported by the bottom plate  81  and can freely rotate around an axis itself. The drive roller  21  is provided with a gear  211  at its shaft end so as to drivingly connect with the transmission assembly  23 . The first motor  24  is fixedly mounted on the bottom plate  81  and can drive the drive roller  21  to rotate by the transmission assembly  23 . The transmission assembly  23  is located between the first motor  24  and the gear  211  at the shaft end of the drive roller  21  and used for transmitting the torque output by the first motor  24  to the drive roller  21 . The transmission assembly  23  may include parts such as a toothed belt, a gear, etc. In this embodiment, the transmission assembly  23  includes a gear set, and one gear (not shown) in the gear set is meshingly connected to a motor gear (not shown in the drawings) that is fixed on an output shaft of the first motor  24 , while the other gear  231  in this gear set is meshingly connected to the gear  211  at the shaft end of the drive roller  21 . As the output shaft of the first motor  24  rotates, the drive roller  21  may be driven to rotate by the transmission assembly  23 . 
         [0054]    The driven roller assembly  22  can press the test tube against the driver roller  21 , thus when the drive roller  21  rotates, the test tube may be driven to rotate around an axis itself. The driven roller assembly  22  may include a bracket  221 , a first driven roller  222 , a second driven roller  223 , an elastic member  224  and a driving assembly. A tube accommodation space is defined among the drive roller, the first driven roller  222  and the second driven roller  223  and correspond to the tube insertion port  80 . After being inserted through the tube insertion port  80 , the test tube enters the tube accommodation space. The first driven roller  222  and the second driven roller  223  function to press the test tube inserted into the tube accommodation space against the drive roller  21 , such that the inserted test tube can be brought to rotates around its axis when the first motor  24  drives the drive roller  21  to rotate. One end of the bracket  221  is connected to the bottom plate  81  through a support shaft  221   a , and the bracket  221  can swing about the support shaft  221   a . In particular, the support shaft  221   a  is vertically supported on the bottom plate  81  and is fixed connected to the bottom plate  81 . The first driven roller  222  and the second driven roller  223  are disposed on the bracket  221  in a spaced-apart way. When the bracket  221  swings about the support shaft  221   a , the first driven roller  222  and the second driven roller  223  rotate around the support shaft  221   a  together. Both an axis of the first driven roller  222  and an axis of the second driven roller  223  are parallel to that of the drive roller  21 , and can freely rotate around the respective axis: and furthermore, distance therebetween is smaller than an outer diameter of the test tube having a minimum outer diameter supported by the automatic labeling machine. An end of the elastic member  224  is connected to the bracket  221 , while the other end thereof is connected to a hook post  811  on the bottom plate  81 . There is always a motion trend that the bracket  221  always swings about the support shaft  221   a  along a first direction so that the first driven roller  222  and the second driven roller  223  on the bracket  221  are pressed toward the drive roller  21 , under the function of the elastic force of the elastic member  224 . 
         [0055]    The driving assembly may be used for driving the bracket  221  to swing in a direction opposite to the first direction, which allows the first driven roller  222  and the second driven roller  223  located on the bracket  221  to move in a direction away from the drive roller  21 . As the first driven roller  222  and the second driven roller  223  move away from the drive roller  21  a set distance, the test tube can be inserted through the tube insertion port  80  and thus be positioned among the drive roller  21 , the first driven roller  222  and the second driven roller  223 . 
         [0056]    According to the present embodiment, the driving assembly may include a cam  225  pivotally connected to the bottom plate  81  and a second motor  226  drivingly connected to the cam  225 . Further, the cam  225  is disposed on one side of the bracket  221  adjacent the drive roller  21 , and can rotate around its pivot thereof by the driving of the second motor  226 , so as to abut against or disengage from the bracket  221 . When the cam  225  has rotated a set angle around its pivot thereof along a set direction, the cam  225  abuts against the bracket  221  and then drives the bracket  221  to over come the elastic force of the elastic member  224  so as to rotate about the support shaft  221   a  to a set position in a direction away from the drive roller  21 . At this moment, the first driven roller  222  and the second driven roller  223  is spaced apart from the drive roller  21  a set distance. In this embodiment, the cam  225  contacts with a rolling wheel  221   b  on the bracket  221 , thereby reducing the friction between the cam  225  and the bracket  221 . When the cam  225  rotates around its pivot thereof in an opposite direction to the set direction to a position separated from the bracket  221 , the bracket  221  rotates around the support shaft  221   a  in a direction closing the drive roller  21  under the function of the elastic force of the elastic member  224 , and in this way, the first driven roller  222  and the second driven roller  223  press the test tube against the drive roller  21 . At this point, the test tube may be driven to rotate around its axis itself if the drive roller  21  rotates. 
         [0057]    According to this embodiment, the prompting apparatus  3  may be a color prompting apparatus that is disposed on the surface of the top shell  81 . Preferably, the color prompting apparatus is placed at the tube insertion port  80  and surrounds the tube insertion port  80 . The color prompting apparatus is formed of a three-primary-color LED. When the controller controls the three-primary-color LED to pass through the setting current, the color prompting apparatus may present the predefined color of the cover of the test tube. In this embodiment, the operator can insert the test tube with cover color being consistent with the color of the color promping apparatus according to the color indicated by the color promping apparatus to facilitate judgement of operation by the operator, because the color promping apparatus is disposed at the tube insertion port  80 . In addition, once the color of the cover of the inserted test tube is inconsistent with the color surrounding the tube insertion port  80 , the operator can find out it immediately by distinct color contrast and thus make a correction. Therefore, the wrong selection of test tube can be avoided. 
         [0058]      FIG. 8  is an external view of the automatic labeling machine according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the prompting apparatus in this embodiment is an image prompting apparatus  3 ′ that is made up of electronic elements such as colorful liquid crystal or the like. The image prompting apparatus  3 ′ is located on the surface of the top shell  82  and is adjacent to the tube insertion port  80  and is incliningly diposed toward the operator. After determining the color of the cover of the test tube, the controller  4  controls the image prompting apparatus  3 ′ to display character prompting information such as “please inserting the test tube of ** color, or directly display an image of the test tube having the cover of the corresponding color. The operator can select a test tube in accordance with the character or image displayed on the image prompting apparatus  3 ′. Because the image prompting apparatus  3 ′ is disposed to face the operator, such prompting information may always appear in the view filed of the operator when the operator inserts the test tube, thereby reminding the operator at all times and avoiding the problem on the wrong selection of the test tube. 
         [0059]    The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is merely illustrative, rather than limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a variety of apparent alterations and changes can be made without departing from the protection scope of the disclosure. Any modifications, equivalent replacements and improvements made within the spirit and principle of the disclosure shall be included in the protection scope of the disclosure.