Patent Publication Number: US-8118153-B2

Title: Shuttle-type conveying device, microplate feeding and collecting device, pickup device for microplate, cassette for microplate, and shelf for containing microplate

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Divisional of and is based upon and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 for U.S. Ser. No. 12/300,647, filed Jan. 22, 2009, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Ser. No. 12/300,647 is the national stage of PCT/JP2006/309753, filed May 16, 2006. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a shuttle-type conveying device for conveying articles such as microplates used in a processing device for carrying out predetermined chemical reaction inspection, analysis and the like using a microplate, a microplate feeding and collecting device, a microplate pickup device, a cassette for microplate, and a shelf for containing microplate. In this description, the “shuttle-type conveying device” refers to a conveying device provided with a transfer portion (shuttle conveying portion) for conveying articles by reciprocating or circulating a single conveying path, or a closed conveying path (shuttle-type conveying path) such as an annular conveying path for example. The conveying device provided with a plurality of shuttle-type conveying paths are also included in a range of the shuttle-type conveying device of the present invention. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In the drug-discovery screening field, biotechnology field and the like, various tests such as biochemical reaction test of a substance are conducted. In these tests, as a container for containing a chemical or a sample for culture and biochemical reaction, a microplate provided with a plurality of hole-shaped wells in a single plate is used. Also, since these tests are conducted systematically with a large number of specimens as a target, a large number of microplates are usually used for processing such as dispensing operation and componential analysis. The present invention relates to a handling device of various microplates for efficiently containing, taking out, and conveying to a targeted position the microplate in a processing device using the microplate for these tests such as an assay processing device and the like, for example. 
     The “assay processing” here refers to detection and quantification of those generated or consumed by mixing compositions required for a chemical reaction in a test tube and the like and having them reacted under a certain condition. Such assay processing was manually conducted for each sample at the initial stage but in order to process a large number of samples at a high speed, a high-speed processing device which automates the processing has been developed in recent years. 
     As a prior art of such a device handling microplates, a microplate processing device in which the microplates are individually contained in a storage shelf on which a plurality of microplates can be placed, taken out one by one by a ceiling-traveling robot-type plate conveying mechanism as necessary and transferred to a dispensing stage and the microplates after the dispensing operation are returned to the storage shelf is proposed (See Patent Document 1). 
     Also, since the art disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem that a lid of a microplate can not be efficiently attached/detached, another conveying art is proposed in order to solve the problem (See Patent Document 2). With the art in Patent Document 2, a conveyer type microplate conveying mechanism is used, and the microplate is placed on the conveyer for conveying. On an upstream side of the conveyer, a device for removing a lid is provided at a position higher than the conveyer, thereby the lid is removed. The microplate whose lid has been removed is fed to a predetermined dispensing position, the dispensing processing is carried out on the conveyer, after the dispensing processing is finished, the microplate is fed to further downstream and the lid having been fed previously is placed. After that, the microplate with lid is collected by a collecting portion. 
     Moreover, a feeding device for taking out the microplates with lid one by one from a containing portion for stacking a large number of microplates with lid for storage and conveying them is proposed (Patent Document 3). Patent Document 3 discloses a prior art in which after the microplates with lid are stacked and contained in a first stock portion, all the stacked and contained microplates are moved to a second stock portion provided below the first stock portion and after that, the stacked microplates are taken out one by one in order from the top.
     Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-223636   Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-300200   Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-249648   

     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved by the Invention 
     In such a device handling a microplate, in addition to the dispensing processing, various processing such as incubation processing, analysis processing and the like are conducted, and a large number of microplates are used in these processing. According to requests of the various processing, rapid and accurate conveying of the microplates are demanded. In order to respond to these requests, the above-mentioned prior arts have various problems. 
     For example, the art in Patent Document 1 has a problem, as being pointed out in Patent Document 2, that a mechanism for removing the lid becomes complicated. In addition, since a dispensing stage (dispensing table) is located in the middle of a conveying path, there is a fear that the microplates during the dispensing processing are contaminated by a ceiling-traveling robot. More specifically, if a microplate is to be fed to a processing device on a downstream side from the dispensing table, since the ceiling-traveling robot is moved over the microplate placed on the dispensing table with its lid removed, there is a fear that trash such as dusts and the like drops onto the microplate placed on the dispensing table with its lid open and mixes into a sample. 
     Also, with the art described in Patent Document 2, the microplate is placed on a conveyer for conveying and the microplate in the middle of conveying is stopped on the conveyer for the dispensing processing. Therefore, it is not possible to feed the microplate prior to the microplate previously placed on the conveyer by skipping it. Thus, another microplate can not be fed ahead of the dispensing table till the dispensing processing and the like is finished, and conveying of another microplate is influenced by a dispensing processing speed and a conveying throughput is extremely lowered. 
     Moreover, even in Patent Document 3, which is a device for stacking and containing the microplates for supply or collect microplates one by one to or from the conveying device, there are various problems. In this way, if the microplates can be stacked and contained and sequentially supplied one by one according to a request, there is an advantage of efficient storage as compared with a case of containing the microplates in a containing shelf. However, in the art disclosed in Patent Document 3, when the microplate is contained in the first stock portion for the first time, the microplate should be inserted from top of an opening at a high position, and a labor load of a containing work is large. Also, it is so configured that after the stacked microplates are moved from the first stock portion to the second stock portion, the microplates having been moved to the second stock portion are taken out in order from the top, and at least two stock portions of the first and second stock portions are required, which increases the size and complexity of the entire device. 
     Moreover, with the art described in Patent Document 3, when the microplate constituted by two units separated into a lid portion and a main body portion is lifted to be taken out, the microplate is simply sandwiched by two arms on its side faces to be lifted up, and there is a fear that the main body portion and the lid are removed and dropped at the lifting-up. 
     Moreover, in the prior arts, the microplate placed on the shelf needs to be taken out by being gripped from the side, and control to take out the microplate on the shelf by a robot is complicated. 
     The present invention was made in view of the above problems of the prior arts and has an object to provide a shuttle-type conveying device whose conveying throughput per conveying path is improved with a simple structure. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a microplate pickup device that can lift up and take out the microplate without separating the lid portion and the main body portion. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a microplate feeding and collecting device that can contain and take out stacked microplates efficiently. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cassette for microplate that can stack and contain microplates and can be easily attached to the microplate feeding and collecting device. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a microplate containing shelf that can be assembled with accuracy and take out microplates placed on the shelf by a robot more easily. 
     Means for Solving the Problems 
     A first mode of the shuttle-type conveying device according to the present invention comprises at least one conveying path, a shuttle conveying portion provided with a conveying table portion that can be elevated up and down for reciprocating or circulating on the conveying path with an article to be conveyed on the conveying table portion, a receiving/delivery table arranged above the conveying path and provided with a bottom-face opening portion larger than the conveying table portion and smaller than the article to be conveyed, and a control portion for controlling the shuttle conveying portion so that the article to be conveyed which is placed on the receiving/delivery table is taken out, conveyed and placed on the receiving/delivery table at a conveying destination by movement on the conveying path of the shuttle conveying portion and an elevating operation of the conveying table portion. 
     In this mode, the article to be conveyed such as a microplate and the like placed on any of the receiving/delivery tables provided in plural at the end or in the middle of the conveying path is conveyed by taking it out of one receiving/delivery table by the shuttle conveying portion and conveying it to another receiving/delivery table, for example. The shuttle conveying portion reciprocates on a single conveying path. It may circulate or reciprocate on a ring-state closed conveying path. The conveying path may be a single straight line, a curved shape or a branch line extending from a single main line. Such conveying paths may be also provided in plural. The shuttle conveying portion is provided at least one at each conveying path. The receiving/delivery table is preferably located immediately above the conveying path and capable of traveling between the conveying path and the receiving/delivery table in a state where the shuttle conveying portion has the article to be conveyed placed. 
     Another mode of the shuttle-type conveying device according to the present invention is characterized in that the control portion comprises a take-out control portion that moves the shuttle conveying portion to below the receiving/delivery table with the conveying table portion lowered and raises the conveying table portion from below the receiving/delivery table and has it passed through the bottom-face opening portion, thereby to lift up the article to be conveyed placed on the receiving/delivery table, a conveying control portion for moving the conveying table portion with the article to be conveyed to the receiving/delivery table to be a conveying destination, and a receiving/delivery control portion that moves the shuttle conveying portion with the article to be conveyed to above the bottom-face opening portion of the receiving/delivery table to be the conveying destination and then, lowers the conveying table portion so that the article to be conveyed is placed on the receiving/delivery table of the conveying destination. 
     In this mode, in order to receive the article to be conveyed, the shuttle conveying portion is moved to immediately below the receiving/delivery table and the article to be conveyed is taken out of the receiving/delivery table by raising the conveying table portion and lifting up the article to be conveyed from immediately below, and after the article to be conveyed is moved to immediately above the delivery table in a lifted-up state, the conveying table portion is lowered so that the article to be conveyed is taken out and delivered by the shuttle conveying portion at the receiving/delivery table. 
     Another mode of the shuttle-type conveying device according to the present invention is characterized in that after the article to be conveyed is lifted up by the receiving/delivery control portion, the conveying control portion moves the shuttle conveying portion to outside the receiving/delivery table and then, lowers the conveying table portion to a position lower than the receiving/delivery table, has the shuttle conveying portion with the article to be conveyed passed and moved below the receiving and delivery table and raises the receiving/delivery table in front of the receiving/delivery table to be a conveying destination. 
     In this mode, the shuttle conveying portion lifts up the article to be conveyed and takes it out of the receiving/delivery table and then, lowers the conveying table portion so that the shuttle conveying portion travels below the receiving/delivery table. As a result, even if the receiving/delivery table is located in the middle of the conveying path, the article to be conveyed can be conveyed to the receiving/delivery table ahead. 
     Another mode of the shuttle-type conveying device according to the present invention is characterized in that a work table is provided on the conveying path so as to bridge over the conveying path, and when the shuttle conveying portion passes and moves below the work table, the article to be conveyed is conveyed to the receiving/delivery tables provided on upstream and downstream sides of the conveying path with the work table between them. 
     In this mode, even if the work table for dispensing processing and the like is provided in the middle of the conveying path, the article to be conveyed can be conveyed over the work table. 
     A first mode of the pickup device for microcassette according to the present invention is a pickup device provided with a main body portion and a lid portion and for sandwiching and taking up a rectangular microplate whose main body portion and lid portion can be sandwiched, respectively, from the side faces, comprising a pair of sandwiching arms for bringing one sandwiching arm into contact with the main body portion and the other sandwiching arm with the lid portion so as to sandwich the microplate from right and left when the side face of the microplate is sandwiched and held, an opening/closing driving portion for opening/closing driving the pair of sandwiching arms, an elevation driving portion for elevating the pair of sandwiching arms vertically, and a pickup control portion for controlling operations of the opening/closing driving portion and the elevation driving portion. 
     In this mode, by individually sandwiching the lid portion and the main body portion of the microplate from right and left so as to press each other by the pair of sandwiching arms, the lid portion and the main body portion are not separated when the microplate is lifted up. 
     Another mode of the pickup device for microcassette according to the present invention is characterized in that the pair of sandwiching arms diagonally sandwich the main body portion and the lid portion at heights different between right and left. 
     In this mode, in order that each of the sandwiching arms surely grips the lid portion and the main body portion, the heights of microplate contact portions of the respective sandwiching arms are made different. Thereby, the lid portion and the main body portion are pressed to each other diagonally so that the microplate is sandwiched and lifted up. 
     Another mode of the pickup device for microcassette according to the present invention is further provided with a detection sensor for detecting a height position of the microplate to be sandwiched. 
     Another mode of the pickup device for microcassette according to the present invention is further provided with a pair of holding members for holding the bottom face of the microplate from side faces perpendicular to the pair of sandwiching members. 
     Another mode of the pickup device for microcassette according to the present invention is characterized in that the pickup control portion controls so that after the microplate is slightly lifted up by the pair of sandwiching portion, the bottom face of the microplate is held by the pair of holding members. 
     A first mode of the microplate feeding and collecting device according to the present invention comprises a single elevation portion provided with a lift member for lifting the stacked microplates from the bottom portion and a cassette containing table provided with an opening portion at a bottom face through which the lift member can pass and an opening portion at an upper face through which the microplate can pass and capable of attaching a cassette for stacking and containing the microplates. 
     Another mode of the microplate feeding and collecting device according to the present invention is characterized in that the cassette containing table can have a plurality of the cassettes placed. 
     Another mode of the microplate feeding and collecting device according to the present invention is characterized in that the elevation portion is configured to be arranged at a position inscribing the inside of the cassette containing table and by rotation of the cassette containing table, each of the attached cassettes is brought into contact with a front face of the elevation portion. 
     Another mode of the microplate feeding and collecting device according to the present invention is characterized in that the elevation member is provided at the center part of the cassette containing table. 
     A first mode of the cassette for microplate according to the present invention comprises a side-face support frame for supporting the side faces of the microplate from three directions, a bottom-face support frame portion provided with an opening portion smaller than the microplate, an upper-face support frame portion provided with an opening portion larger than the microplate, and a short door portion for supporting the microplate from the opened remaining one direction of the side-face support frame. 
     Another mode of the cassette for microplate according to the present invention is characterized in that the bottom-face support frame portion is provided with a door lock pin that is lowered by the gravity and is projected from the lower side when being lifted up for locking the door portion in a closed state and that releases the door lock by being lifted upward and an elastic member for urging the door in a closing direction. 
     Another mode of the cassette for microplate according to the present invention is characterized in that the side-face support frame is made of a plurality of support rods connecting the upper-face support frame portion and the bottom-face support frame portion. 
     A first mode of the shelf for containing microplate according to the present invention is a shelf provided with a top board and a bottom board for containing microplate with a given interval between the top board and the bottom board and is characterized in that a shelf stage is formed in which support columns having at least one projection at an intermediate portion and for connecting the top board and the bottom board are arranged with a predetermined interval so that the microplate is supported by the projection. 
     Another mode of the shelf for containing microplate according to the present invention is characterized in that the top board and the bottom board are in a fan shape made of an arc with a small radius inside and an arc with a large radius outside. 
     Another mode of the shelf for containing microplate according to the present invention is characterized in that a section of the support column and the projection both have a circular section. 
     Another mode of the shelf for containing microplate according to the present invention is characterized in that the top board and the bottom board are supported by the support column with a small diameter on the small arc side on the inside and by the support column with a large diameter on the large arc side on the outside. 
     Another mode of the shelf for containing microplate according to the present invention is characterized in that the projection portion has its radius of the sectional shape gradually enlarged as it goes downward. 
     Effect of the Invention 
     According to the shuttle-type conveying device of the present invention, by the shuttle conveying portion in which the receiving/delivery table on which the article to be conveyed is placed is arranged on the conveying path and provided with the conveying table portion capable of being elevated up and down, with a simple operation of elevating the conveying table portion up and down, the article to be conveyed placed on the receiving/delivery table can be lifted up and taken out and the article to be conveyed can be placed on the receiving/delivery table. Also, by controlling the shuttle conveying portion so that it passes below the receiving/delivery table, even if the article to be conveyed stays on the receiving/delivery table in the middle of the conveying path, the article to be conveyed can be conveyed to the receiving/delivery table ahead and the conveying throughput in the shuttle-type conveying path can be drastically improved. 
     By the micro cassette feeding and collecting device according to the present invention, a cassette that can stack and contain the microplates can be set as it is in the cassette containing portion. Also, in the cassette containing portion, a plurality of cassettes can be set, and since the cassette containing portion can be constructed so as to be rotatable, many microplates can be contained in a relatively small space efficiently. Also, since the cassette containing portion is located at a low position, even a heavy cassette can be easily set in the cassette containing portion, and a work load for the cassette can be drastically reduced. 
     In the pickup device according to the present invention, when the side faces of the microplate constituted by the lid portion and the main body portion is sandwiched and lifted up, the microplate is sandwiched so that one of the right and left two sandwiching arms is brought into contact with the lid portion and the other is in contact with the main body portion, and the microplate is lifted up in a state where the lid portion and the main body portion are pressed to each other. As a result, when the microplate is lifted up, separation between the lid portion and the main body portion can be prevented. 
     In the microcassette device of the present invention, the microplates are stacked and contained by the support frames in three directions and a small door on the entire face, an opening through which a lift piece can pass is provided on the bottom face and the entire face, and by providing the opening through which the entire microplate can pass on the upper face, the cassette can be directly set in the microcassette feeding and collecting device of the present invention. In this cassette, the entire face door can be opened so that the microplate can be easily stacked and contained. By using this cassette, containing and transportation work burdens of the microcassette can be drastically reduced. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an example of an analysis processing system using a shuttle-type conveying device and the like of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a partially cut-away view illustrating an inside of a feeding and collecting portion of the analysis processing device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of the analysis processing device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  are side view and plan view illustrating an example of a microplate handled by the shuttle-type conveying device and the like according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a receiving/delivery table and a shuttle conveying portion of the shuttle-type conveying device shown in  FIG. 1  in an enlarged manner. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating a processing procedure from lifting up and taking out the microplate placed on the receiving/delivery table and to lowering it to a position lower than the receiving/delivery table. 
         FIG. 7  is a partially omitted side view of a shuttle-type conveying device  10 . 
         FIG. 8  is a view of the shuttle-type conveying device  10  seen from A-A′ line direction in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view illustrating another example for fixing s support plate of the receiving/delivery table. 
         FIG. 10  is a partially cut-away perspective view illustrating a state where only one cassette in which a large number of microplates are stacked and contained is set in a rotating containing table. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a state where the cassette is removed and the rotating containing table is cut away. 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic plan view of a state where six cassettes are set in the rotating containing portion. 
         FIG. 13  is a partially cut-away perspective view illustrating an inside structure of a pickup device. 
         FIG. 14  is a side view schematically illustrating a sandwiching state of the microplate by the pickup device. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view illustrating an example of a cassette for microplate used in the microplate feeding and collecting device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a partially enlarged side view illustrating a relation between a door lock pin and a stopper. 
         FIG. 17  is a plan view illustrating a conveying state of a horizontally rotating-type robot of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  are plan view and side view of a containing shelf of the present invention. 
         FIG. 19  is a basic functional block diagram illustrating an example of a controller for controlling the conveying device, pickup device for microplate, and the microplate feeding and collecting device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 20  is a flowchart illustrating an example of a conveying control processing procedure of an article to be conveyed by the shuttle-type conveying device of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           1  analysis processing system 
           10  shuttle-type conveying device 
           11  shuttle conveying portion 
           12  conveying table portion 
           13  linear guide 
           14  gear 
           15  shuttle motor 
           16  roller 
           17  air cylinder 
           18  elevation rod 
           20  support portion 
           21  support plate 
           22  positioning pin 
           25  base table 
           27  timing belt 
           28  lid suction machine 
           29  belt fixing portion 
           30  rodless cylinder for elevation 
           40  microplate feeding and collecting device 
           41  containing portion frame 
           42  base portion 
           43  containing table 
           43   a  positioning pin 
           44  opening for lift piece 
           45  plate elevation portion 
           46  lift piece 
           50  pickup device 
           57  actuator for sandwiching 
           56  plate gripping portion 
           59  bifurcated round bar 
           60  plate-state plate 
           61  projection portion 
           62  actuator for holding 
           63  holding member 
           70  dispensing processing device 
           75  dispensing stage (dispensing table) 
           80  cassette for microplate 
           84  door 
           89  door lock pin 
           90  stopper 
           95  microplate 
           96  microplate main body portion 
           97  bottom face portion 
           98  lid portion 
           99  well 
           110  horizontally rotating-type conveying robot 
           120  containing shelf 
           121  thin support 
           122  thick support 
           123  top board 
           124  bottom board 
           130  analyzer 
           140  humidity retaining machine 
         La to Lc shuttle-type conveying path 
         R 1  to R 4  receiving/delivery table 
       
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an example of an analysis processing system for carrying out processing such as drug-discovery screening field and the like using a shuttle-type conveying device and a microplate feeding device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating an internal structure of a microplate feeding and collecting portion  40  of the system shown in  FIG. 1  by partially cutting away its cover.  FIG. 3  is a plan view of an analysis processing system  1  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and  FIG. 4  are side view and plan view illustrating an example of the microplate used in these devices. 
     [Structure of the Microplate] 
     First, using  FIG. 4 , a microplate  95  handled in the present invention will be described. The structure and size and the like of the microplate  95  are standardized to a certain size and shape. The analysis processing system  1  is, as mentioned above, a device for dripping and mixing processing of a test reagent in a sample for monitor, and the microplate used for this is provided with a large number of small well-state holes (wells) into which the sample can be injected so that the large number of samples can be inspected and analyzed at the same time.  FIG. 4  shows an example of such a microplate and shows a box-shaped microplate of 85.5×127.8 mm made of plastic in which small hole-shaped containers arranged in 12 pieces laterally×8 pieces vertically, totaling in 96 pieces (hereinafter referred to as a “well  99 ”) are provided.  FIG. 4A  is a side view of the microplate,  FIG. 4B  is a plan view of a state where the lid is removed, and as shown in  FIG. 4A , the microplate  95  is constituted by a microplate main body portion  96  and a lid portion  98 . The microplate main body portion  96  has a bottom face portion  97  with substantially the same width of the lid portion  98 , whose peripheral edge slightly protrudes from the main body. A thickness “t” of the microplate  95  is different depending on the type of the microplate. 
     In the drug-discovery research field relating to development of synthetic drugs and biochemical drugs, several hundreds of thousands or several millions of samples are given High Throughput Screening. Therefore, other than the microplate  95  provided with 96 pieces of wells  93  as shown in  FIG. 4 , in order to handle much more samples, a microplate with the same outer dimensional size as that of  FIG. 4  with 384 well or 1534 well provided are developed. In the analysis processing system, since these microplates are used in a large number at the same time, it is demanded that the microplates  95  are taken out of a containing device  40  one by one and conveyed to a target position at a high speed. After dispensing of samples or reagents into the well  99  by a dispensing processing device  70 , these microplates  95  are either left on a shelf  120  for a given time or given incubation processing by a humidity retaining machine  140  and the like as necessary and then, analysis processing is applied by various analyzers  130  including a visible-ray absorption spectrum analyzer, fluorometric analyzer, chemical light emission analyzer, radioisotope scintillation counter and the like. Thus, in the analysis processing device, the microplate  95  is required to be delivered to a predetermined location such as the feeding and collecting device  40 , the dispensing processing device  70 , the shelf  120 , various analyzers  130 , the humidity retaining machine  140  and the like at a high speed. 
     [Entire Configuration of Analysis Processing System  1 ] 
     The analysis processing system  1  is provided with the feeding and collecting portion  40  for feeding the unused microplate  95  or the microplate  95  into which a sample has been dispensed and for collecting and containing the used microplate  95 , a first pickup portion  50  for taking up the microplate  95  one by one and for moving it from the feeding and collecting portion  40  to a receiving/delivery table R 1  of a conveying portion  10  or from the receiving/delivery table R 1  to the feeding and containing portion  40 , a conveying system  10  for conveying the microplate  95  placed on the receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4  to another receiving/delivery table one by one, the dispensing processing portion  70  for picking up the microplate  95  placed on the receiving/delivery table and placing it on a dispensing table and for dispensing a drug solution to the well  99 , the shelf  120  on which the microplate is placed, the analyzer  130 , the humidity retaining machine  140 , and a horizontally rotating-type conveying robot  110  for taking up the microplate and transferring it among the receiving/delivery table R 4 , the shelf  120 , and various devices  130 ,  140 . 
     In the analysis processing system  1 , how to convey the microplate  95  can be freely set according to the processing purpose. In the analysis processing system  1 , for example, it is possible to take out the unused microplate  95  or the microplate  95  into which the sample has been dispensed from the feeding and collecting portion  40 , for example, to convey it to a dispensing stage (dispensing table)  75  for dispensing processing and then, to carry out analysis processing after incubation processing and the like or to return it to the collecting and processing device soon after the dispensing processing. By programming a procedure to convey the microplate in the control portion in advance according to a processing mode, the microplate can be conveyed in a predetermined order according to the processing. 
     [Shuttle-Type Conveying Device] 
     The shuttle-type conveying device  10  for conveying the microplate  95  from one receiving/delivery table to another receiving/delivery table will be described. The shuttle-type conveying device  10  is, as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , provided with a shuttle conveying portion  11  that moves on conveying paths La to Lb and conveying paths L 1  to L 3  and receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4 . In addition, three reciprocating shuttle-type conveying devices are shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 . 
     A perspective view enlarging the receiving/delivery table R 1  of the shuttle-type conveying device  10  and the shuttle conveying portion  11  shown in  FIG. 1  is shown in  FIG. 5 . The receiving/delivery table R 1  is provided on the conveying path, and the shuttle conveying portion  11  can pass and move under the receiving/delivery table R 1 . The shuttle conveying portion  11  is provided with a conveying table portion  12  capable of vertical elevation, and at a raised position, the conveying table portion  12  can be lifted up so that the conveying table portion  12  is higher than the receiving/delivery table R 1 . On the receiving/delivery table R 1  in this embodiment, three microplates  95  in total can be placed for each conveying path L 1 . 
     The receiving/delivery table R 1  is constituted by a small support plate  21  for supporting four corners of the microplate  95 . The four support plates  21  support a single microplate  95 . At the support plate  21 , a plurality of elongated conical positioning pins  22  are provided for accurately positioning the microplate  95  at a predetermined position. Since the positioning pin  22  is formed in a conical shape, the microplate  95  is lowered along a diagonal peripheral wall of the positioning pin when the microplate  95  is placed and accurately positioned and held. 
     The support plate  21  is supported by a support column portion  20  so that it slightly protrudes to the conveying paths La to Lc side. In this way, since the receiving/delivery table R 2  is constituted by the small support plates  21  supporting the four corners, an opening  23  is formed on an upper part of each of the conveying paths La to Lc of the receiving/delivery table R 2 , and the conveying table portion  12  of the shuttle conveying portion  11  can extend through the opening  23  from immediately below the receiving/delivery table R 2  to over the receiving/delivery table R 2 . Therefore, when the microplate  95  is placed as in the conveying path Lb, by raising the conveying table portion  12  of the shuttle conveying portion from immediately below Lb, the microplate  95  can be lifted up over the receiving/delivery table R 2 . The shuttle conveying portion  11  can move along the conveying path with the microplate  95  lifted up in this way and lifts up and takes the microplate  95  out of the receiving/delivery table R 2 . 
     When the microplate  95  is to be placed on the receiving/delivery table, the shuttle conveying portion  11  is moved to the center part of the receiving/delivery table in a state where the conveying table portion  12  with the microplate  95  is extended upward and then, the conveying table portion  12  is lowered to a lower side of the receiving/delivery table. Thereby, the conveying table portion  12  is lowered to below the receiving/delivery table through the bottom-face opening portion  23 , but since the microplate is supported by the support plates  21  at the four corners, the microplate can be placed on the receiving/delivery table. This point will be described later. 
     Moreover, the support column portions  20  provided at both sides of the conveying paths La to Lb are arranged with an interval so that the shuttle conveying portion  11  can pass between the support column portions  20  with the microplate  95  supported. Therefore, the shuttle conveying portion  11  can pass and move under the receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4  with the microplate  95  placed on the conveying table portion. 
     As a result, on whichever of the receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4  the microplate  95  is placed, the shuttle conveying portion  11  can freely convey the microplate  95  by moving under the receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a processing procedure that the microplate  95  placed on the receiving/delivery table R 4  is lifted up and taken out and lowered to a position below the receiving/delivery tables R 4  to R 1 . First, as shown in  FIG. 6A , the shuttle conveying portion  11  is moved to below the receiving/delivery table R 4 . Then, an air cylinder  17  is driven so as to raise the conveying table portion  12  and to lift up the microplate  12  ( FIG. 6B ). In that state, the portion is moved to between the deliver tables R 4  and R 3  ( FIG. 6C ), and the conveying table portion  12  is lowered so as to hold the microplate  95  at a position lower than the receiving/delivery tables R 3 , R 4 . As a result, since it can freely move under the receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4  and the dispensing table  75  for conveying, the microplate  95  can be conveyed to any position on the conveying path La. 
     Using  FIGS. 7 and 8 , a conveying processing procedure to take the microplate  95  out of the receiving/delivery table and conveying it will be described.  FIG. 7  is a partially omitted side view of the shuttle-type conveying device  10 .  FIG. 8  is a view of the shuttle-type conveying device  10  seen from A-A′ line in  FIG. 7 . As for the conveying paths La to Lc, a linear guide rail  26  is laid on a base table  25 , on which a linear guide  13  of the shuttle conveying portion  11  is slidably mounted. The linear guide  13  is provided with a shuttle motor  15  (See  FIG. 8 ) on which a gear  14  is mounted, two rollers  16 , and the air cylinder  17  provided upward. The air cylinder  17  vertically drives an elevation rod  18 . At an upper end of the elevation rod  18 , the conveying table portion  12  is fixed, and the conveying table portion  12  is elevated according to a vertical movement of the elevation rod  18 . 
     Between the gear  14  and the two rollers  16 , a straight timing belt  27  is fitted, and both ends of the timing belt  27  are fixed to a belt fixing portion  29  provided at both ends of the base table  25 . The timing belt  27  has a smooth surface and has a waveform formed on a back face, and since it is meshed with the gear  14 , when the shuttle motor  15  is rotated, the shuttle conveying portion  11  travels along the conveying paths La to Lc according to the rotation of the gear  14 . As the shuttle motor  15  for self-traveling, a stepping motor is preferably used, and its rotation is preferably controlled accurately by a pulse signal. By controlling the rotation of the shuttle motor  15 , the shuttle conveying portion  11  can freely move to and stop at a target position. 
     A procedure to take the microplate  95  out of the receiving/delivery table R 1  and to open the lid portion  98  and to convey it by the shuttle conveying portion  11  will be described. When the microplate  95  on the receiving/delivery table R 1  is taken out by the shuttle conveying portion  11 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , the shuttle conveying portion  11  moves to immediately below the receiving/delivery table R 1 . In this state, as shown by a waved line in  FIG. 8 , the conveying table portion  12  is located below the receiving/delivery table R 1 . After that, as shown by a solid line in  FIG. 8 , the conveying table portion  12  is lifted up by driving the air cylinder  17 . As a result, the microplate  95  is lifted up to a position higher than the positioning pin  22  of the receiving/delivery table R 1 . In this state, the shuttle conveying portion  11  is slightly moved to the left direction in  FIG. 7  so as to take the microplate  95  out of the receiving/delivery table R 1  and stops below a lid suction machine  28 . In order to ease understanding of the structure of the shuttle-type conveying device  10 , the lid suction machine  28  is not described in  FIGS. 1 to 3 . 
     The lid suction machine  28  is provided with a plurality of suction pads  31  and confirmation sensors  32  provided at a rodless cylinder  30  for elevation mounted. When the suction pad  31  is lowered by the rodless cylinder  30  for elevation and the lid portion  98  of the microplate is suctioned, a degree of pressure reduction is changed and suctioning is detected. By raising the suction pad  31  in this state, the lid portion  98  is lifted up and the lid is opened. The confirmation sensor  32  detects if the lid has been accurately closed or not from the position of the lid portion. Mounting of the confirmation sensor  32  is arbitrary. 
     If the microplate main body  96  with the lid portion  98  removed is to be placed on the receiving/delivery table R 2 , the shuttle conveying portion  11  is moved to the center of the receiving/delivery table R 2  as it is, and by lowering the conveying table portion  12 , the microplate main body  96  is placed on the receiving/delivery table R 2 . When the microplate main body  96  is to be conveyed to another receiving/delivery table R 3  or R 4 , after the lid portion  98  is suctioned by the lid suction machine  28  as shown in  FIG. 7 , the shuttle table portion  12  with the microplate main body  96  placed is lowered to below the receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4  and the dispensing table  75 . After that, the shuttle conveying portion  11  is passed and conveyed under the receiving/delivery table and the like, conveying is made to a target position. 
     In the case of conveying from the receiving/delivery table R 1  to the receiving/delivery table R 4  without the dispensing processing, since there is no need to remove the lid portion  98 , the conveying table portion  12  is lowered at the position of the lid suction device  28  without removing the lid portion  98 , and the shuttle conveying portion  11  is passed under the receiving/delivery tables R 2 , R 3  and the dispensing table  75  and moved to the front of the receiving/delivery table R 4 . After that, the conveying table portion  12  is raised to the height above the receiving/delivery table R 4 , and after it is moved to the center of the receiving/delivery table R 4 , the conveying table portion  12  is lowered, and the microplate  95  is placed on the receiving/delivery table R 4 . The microplate  95  placed on the receiving/delivery table R 4  is scooped up by a distal end portion  112  of an arm  111  in the conveying robot  110  and transferred to the shelf  120  or the other processing devices  130 ,  140 . The microplate  95  having been processed is supported by the distal end portion  112  of the arm  111  in the conveying robot  110 , lowered from above to below the receiving/delivery table R 4  and placed on the receiving/delivery table R 4 . 
     When the microplate main body  96  for which the dispensing processing has been finished is returned to the receiving/delivery table R 2 , the shuttle conveying portion lifts up the microplate main body  96  from immediately below the receiving/delivery table and moves to below the lid suction machine  28 . In this state, the suction pad  31  holding the lid portion  98  is lowered, and the lid portion  98  is placed over the microplate main body  96 . 
     Since the dispensing processing is conducted with the lid portion  98  removed, the lid suction machine  28  is provided in front of the receiving/delivery table R 2  for the dispensing processing. The receiving/delivery table R 4  is a receiving/delivery table of the microplate having been conveyed for the incubation processing and other processing and also a receiving/delivery table on which the microplate  95  to be applied with a predetermined processing and the microplate for which the predetermined processing has been finished is placed. The dispensing processing might be conducted after the predetermined processing such as incubation. In the embodiment described in this description, in order to reduce the conveying distance and to improve a buffer function to absorb delay in the dispensing processing as much as possible in such a case, the receiving/delivery table R 3  is further provided. In  FIG. 7 , in order to reinforce a function to remove the lid portion  98 , the lid suction machine  28  is also provided in the vicinity of the receiving/delivery table R 3 . 
     As is obvious from the above description, according to the present invention, only by the elevation operation of the shuttle conveying portion  11  and the moving operation of the conveying path, the microplate  95  can be taken out of the receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4  and conveyed and placed on the other receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4 . Therefore, even if the dispensing processing is slowed and the microplate  95  is left on the receiving/delivery table R 2  or R 3 , for example, the microplate  95  can be conveyed between the receiving/delivery table R 1  and the receiving/delivery table R 4 . 
     That is, according to the conveying method of the present invention, by means of a simple conveying mechanism provided with the shuttle conveying portion provided with the conveying table portion capable of vertical elevation operation and the receiving/delivery table on an upper part of the conveying path, a delay in the processing by one processing device making a bottleneck and also delaying conveying of the microplate  95  to another processing device on the same conveying path can be prevented. In this way, by providing a plurality of receiving/delivery tables according to the present invention, even if the receiving/delivery table in the middle of the conveying path is full, the microplate can be conveyed to the receiving/delivery table ahead. Therefore, the throughput of the shuttle-type conveying processing can be drastically improved. Also, since the receiving/delivery table serves a function of a conveying buffer, by providing a plurality of the receiving/delivery tables according to the present invention, the conveying throughput of one conveying path can be further improved. Particularly in the present invention, a remarkable effect of drastic improvement of the conveying throughput can be obtained only with a simple structure in which the conveying table portion elevating vertically at the shuttle conveying portion is provided and only by providing the receiving/delivery table having a bottom-face opening portion above the conveying path. 
     In the above description, the structure in which the support plates  21  of the receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4  are supported by the support column portions  20  is shown, but as shown in  FIG. 9 , the support plate  20  may be fixedly provided on a support frame  35  laid at both ends of the conveying path at a predetermined height. At that time, by providing a plurality of screw holes by which the support plate  21  is mounted on the support frame  35  with a predetermined interval so that the support plate  21  can be mounted at an arbitrary position, installation positions and the number of installation of the receiving/delivery tables can be made easily changeable. Also, instead of the laid frame  35 , a wall may be provided at a predetermined height so that the support plate  21  at its upper end is fixed. 
     Also, in the above-described embodiment, the example provided with three conveying paths La to Lc is shown, but the number of the conveying paths may be one or three or more. 
     [Microplate Feeding and Collecting Device] 
     Next, the microplate feeding and collecting device  40  will be described.  FIG. 2  shows a part of an internal structure of the microplate feeding and collecting device  40 . In  FIG. 2 , an example in which a microplate cassette  80  is set on a rotating and containing table (cassette containing portion)  43  is shown. The cassette  80  in  FIG. 2  is shown such that most of the microplates  95  have been already supplied and the cassette  80  is almost empty.  FIG. 10  is a partially cut-away perspective view showing a state in which only one cassette  80  in which a large number of microplates  95  are stacked and contained is set on the rotating and containing table  43 . In  FIG. 10 , a state is shown that the microplate  95  on the uppermost stage is lifted up to a take-out position of the microplate  95  by a pickup device  50   a.    
     On the rotating and containing table  43 , 6 similar cassettes  80  can be set. But,  FIGS. 3 and 10  show the state in which only one cassette is set.  FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of a state where the cassette  80  is removed and the rotating and containing table  43  is cut away, and  FIG. 12  shows a schematic plan view of a state in which 6 cassettes  80  are set on the rotating and containing portion  43 . The rotating and containing table  43  is held on a base table portion  42  fixed to a frame  41  of the feeding and collecting portion  40  so that it can be rotated and driven by a rotary motor, not shown. At the center of the base table portion  42 , a plate elevation portion  45  for lifting up the entire microplate stacked in the cassette  80  from below is fixed. The plate elevation portion  45  is provided with a lift piece  46  that can raise the entire microplate placed on it. The lift piece  46  is vertically driven by a ball screw  47  rotated and driven by a motor  49  for plate elevation portion (See  FIG. 12 ). 
     As can be known from  FIG. 10 , the rotating and containing table  43  is provided with four positioning and fixing pins  43   a  at positions where the cassette  80  is set. In the rotating and containing table shown in  FIG. 10 , 6 cassettes can be set. The rotating and containing table  43  is provided with an opening (opening for lift piece)  44  at a position corresponding to the bottom face portion of the cassette  80 , and when the rotating and containing table  43  is rotated, the lift piece  46  retreats through the opening  44  to below the rotating and containing table  43 . After the rotating and containing table  43  is rotated and the cassette  80  in which the microplates to be taken out are stacked is stopped in front of the plate elevation portion  45 , the lift piece  46  is raised through the opening  44  and pushes up the entire microplates stacked in the cassette  80  from the bottom face of the cassette  80 , and the microplate  95  stacked on the uppermost stage is lifted up to a pickup position by the pickup device  50   a  as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     The feeding and collecting portion  40  has the similar rotating and containing table  43  also provided on the side of a pickup device  5   b , and  12  cassettes  80  in total can be contained. By setting the cassette  80  in which the microcassettes  95  are stacked, the microcassette  95  can be fed to the receiving/delivery table R 1 , and by setting the empty cassette  80  in the rotating and containing table  43 , the microplate  95  having been collected from the receiving/delivery table R 1  can be stacked and contained in the empty cassette  80  in the order of collecting. The plate elevation portion  45  is controlled to push up by one increment each time the microplate  95  is taken out in order from the above and is also controlled to lower by a portion of one microplate each time the microplate  95  is returned to the cassette  80 . In this way, by moving the lift piece  46  vertically, the height of the microplate  95  on the uppermost stage in the cassette  80  is adjusted to the take-out position or return position by the pickup portion  50  all the time. 
     As can be known from the above description, in the microcassette feeding and collecting device of the present invention, the microplate can be set to the cassette containing portion as a cassette that can stack and contain the microplates. Also, since the plurality of cassettes can be set in the cassette containing portion and the cassette containing portion can be constructed so as to be rotatable, many microplates can be efficiently contained in a relatively small space. Also, since the cassette containing portion is located at a low position, even heavy cassettes can be easily set in the cassette containing portion, which can drastically reduce a work load of the cassette. 
     [Microplate Pickup Device] 
     Next, the micro pickup device for taking up the microplate  95  from the feeding and collecting portion  40  and placing it on the receiving/delivery table R 1  or for taking up the microplate  95  from the receiving/delivery table R 1  and containing it in the cassette  80  of the feeding and collecting portion  40  will be described. An entire appearance of such a pickup device is shown as the first pickup device  50  in  FIG. 1 , and its internal mechanism is shown in  FIG. 2 . Using  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the internal structure and its function of the first pickup device  50  will be described in detail.  FIG. 13  is a partially cut-away perspective view illustrating the internal structure of the first pickup device  50  and  FIG. 14  is a side view schematically showing a sandwiched state of the microplate  95  by the first pickup device  50 . 
     In this embodiment, two microplate pickup devices  50   a ,  50   b  for taking out the microplate  95  from the two rotating and containing tables  43 , respectively, are provided. Since the microplate pickup devices  50   a  and  50   b  are identical, only the microplate  50   a  will be described below. 
     At both ends of the microplate pickup device  50 , a cylinder support portion  52  mounted to a frame  51  is provided. On the cylinder support portion  52 , a horizontal rodless air cylinder  53  is supported, to which an air cylinder movable portion  54  is mounted so as to be movable in the horizontal direction. At the air cylinder movable portion  54 , an elevation rodless air cylinder  55  is mounted, to which a plate gripping portion  56  is mounted. Thereby, the plate gripping portion  56  can be elevated vertically and moved horizontally between the take-out position of the microplate  95  in the feeding and collecting device shown in  FIG. 1  to the receiving/delivery table R 1 . 
     The plate gripping portion  56  is provided with a pair of sandwiching members constituted by a bifurcated round bar  59  and a plate-state plate  60  for sandwiching the both side faces of the microplate  95  and a pair of holding arms  63  for holding the microplate  95  by supporting its bottom face from the both side faces opposite to the pair of sandwiching members. 
     The plate-state plate  60  constituting the pair of sandwiching members is provided with a projection portion  61  at its bottom portion, in contact with the side face of the bottom-face projection portion  97  of the microplate main body portion. The projection portion  61  extends by a predetermined length in the side-face direction of the microplate  95 . The plate-state plate  60  and the bifurcated round bar  59  can be moved by an actuator  57  for sandwiching, capable of being opened and closed, by which the microplate  95  is sandwiched by the projection portion  61  of the plate-state plate  60  and the distal end of the bifurcated round bar  59 . 
     Using  FIG. 14 , the sandwiched state will be described. As mentioned above, the straight projection portion  61  is brought into contact with the bottom-face projection portion  97  of the microplate main body  96 . On the other hand, the bifurcated round bar  59  has its distal-end position slightly higher so that its distal end is brought into contact with the side face of the lid portion  98  of the microplate  95 . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 14 , when the microplate  95  is to be sandwiched by the distal end portion of the bifurcated round bar  59  and projection portion  61 , since the lid portion  98  of the microplate and the microplate main body portion  96  are sandwiched so as to be diagonally pressed to each other, there is no separation between the lid portion  98  and the main body portion  96  when they are sandwiched and lifted up. In this way, in order to accurately sandwich the bottom face portion  97  of the microplate main body and the lid portion  98  diagonally, height adjustment of the plate gripping portion  56  is important, and thus, a height sensor  65  is provided so that the height of the plate gripping portion  56  is accurately adjusted by a plate detection signal from the height sensor. 
     When being slightly lifted up by being sandwiched by the pair of sandwiching members, then, the bottom face of the microplate  95  is held by the pair of holding arms  63 . The pair of holding arms  63  can be moved capable of being opened/closed by the holding actuator  62 . The pair of holding arms  63  are provided with claws  64  extending horizontally, respectively. The holding arms  63  are provided to be at a height where the claws  64  support the bottom face portion of the microplate when the microplate  93  is accurately sandwiched, and after the microplate  95  is slightly lifted up by the pair of sandwiching members, by closing the pair of holding members  63 , the bottom face of the microplate  95  is surely held by the claws  64 . 
     By the pair of sandwiching members and the pair of holding members  63 , the plate gripping portion  56  gripping the microplate  95  is lifted up by the elevation rodless air cylinder  55 . After that, it is moved by the horizontal rodless air cylinder  53  from the feeding and containing portion  40  to the receiving/delivery table R 1  or from the receiving/delivery table R 1  to the feeding and containing portion  40  horizontally. When it is moved to a predetermined position, the plate gripping portion  56  is lowered by the elevation rodless air cylinder  55  to a predetermined height and then, the pair of holding arms  63  and the pair of sandwiching members are released, and the microplate  95  is placed on the receiving/delivery table R 1  or the uppermost stage of the cassette  40  in the feeding and containing portion  40 . 
     [Cassette for Microplate] 
     An example of the cassette for microplate used in the microplate feeding and collecting device of the present invention will be shown in  FIG. 15 .  FIG. 15A  shows a state where the microplate  95  is not contained, while  FIG. 15B  shows a state where the microplate  95  is contained. The cassette  80  for microplate according to the present invention can stack and contain the microplates  95 . 
     The cassette  80  fixes a cassette upper frame  81  and a cassette lower frame  82  made of only three sides of a substantial square by six metal pipes  83  arranged though them so as to connect the three sides of the upper frame  81  and the lower frame  82 , and a handle  85  is provided on the upper frame  81 . Moreover, at the both sides of the opened one side, a small double door  84  is provided. 
     A door claw  87  is provided at a distal end of a hinge  87  at a lower part of the door. Moreover, a hole is drilled in an outer portion where the hinge  87  at the lower part of the door is closed in the cassette lower frame  82 , and a door lock pin  89  in which a stopper  90  is provided at an upper end and a lower end is fitted in the hole so as to be lowered freely by its own weight. 
       FIGS. 16A and 16B  are partially enlarged side views showing a relation between the door lock pin  89  and the stopper  90 . When the cassette  80  is placed on a flat-plate state table, as shown in  FIG. 16A , the door lock pin  89  is pushed up, and the stopper  90  with an outer diameter larger than a shaft of the door lock pin  89  protrudes above the door claw  88 . Since the shaft of the door lock pin  89  is thin, the door claw  88  is not engaged with the shaft but the door  84  can be freely opened/closed. 
     On the other hand, if the cassette  80  is lifted up, as shown in  FIG. 16B , the pin  89  drops down. As a result, at the opening/closing operation, the door claw  88  of the door lower part  87  is engaged with the stopper  90  so as to prevent opening of the door  84 . Also, a spring  90  is provided between the door lower part  87  and the cassette lower frame  82  so that the door  84  is urged in a direction of closing. 
     As a result, when the cassette  80  is placed on a flat table, the door  84  can be opened so that the microplate  95  can be freely inserted from the side face of a release portion  94  and stacked. When the cassette  80  is lifted up, the door lock pin  89  lowers and the door  84  is closed by the spring  92  so that the microplate does not fall to the release portion  92 . 
     Also, at the rotating and containing table  43  on which the cassette  80  is set, a release hole (not shown) in which the door lock pin  89  is retreated when the cassette is placed is provided so that the door lock pin  89  is not released. Thereby, the door  84  will not open while the cassette is contained in the rotating and containing table  43 , and the micro cassette  95  is prevented from falling from the side of the release portion  94 . 
     On the bottom face of the cassette  80 , a bottom-face opening  93  is provided, and a side-face opening  92  with the same degree as the bottom-face opening  93  even when the small door  84  is closed is present. Also, on the upper face of the cassette, an upper-face opening  94  to such a degree that the microplate  95  can be taken in and out is provided. As a result, the lift piece  46  of the plate elevation portion  45  can be raised upward through the bottom face  94  and the side-face opening  92  so that the microplate  95  can be taken out of the upper-face opening  94  or contained in the cassette. 
     The feeding and collecting portion  40  according to the present invention takes out or collects the microplate from the upper side of the cassette  80 . Therefore, only by placing the cassette  80  on the rotating and containing table  43  provided at a low position lifted up from the floor only slightly, the cassette can be set in the rotating and containing table  43 . In this way, there is no need to set the microplates  95  one by one in the feeding and collecting portion  40  but the microcassettes  95  can be replenished in the feeding and collecting device  40  only by setting by the unit of the cassettes  80 . Also, when setting the cassette, there is no need to lift up a heavy cassette to a high position but it is only necessary that the cassette  80  is lifted up slightly and placed on the rotating and containing table  43 , and the microplates can be replenished by an extremely lighter work than before. 
     [Dispensing Processing Device] 
     The dispensing processing will be described below in brief. The microplate main body portion  96  with the lid portion  98  removed and placed on the receiving/delivery table R 2  is lifted up by a pickup portion (second pickup portion) of the dispensing device  70  and placed on the dispensing table  75 . The pickup device (not shown) is provided at a distal end of a dispensing head  74  movable in X-, Y-, and Z-axis directions, which lifts up the microplate main body on the receiving/delivery table R 2  and moves to the dispensing table  75 . 
     The dispensing head  74  is mounted at a lower part of a movable member  73 . The movable member  73  is provided at two movable frames  71  movable in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) along the conveying path, in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) and a direction crossing the conveying path (Y-axis direction). Thereby, the dispensing head  74  is movable in all the X-, Y-, and Z-axis directions. 
     At the distal end of the dispensing head  74 , dispensing pipettes (not shown) in the number corresponding to that of the wells  99  in the microplate are provided so that a drug solution is pumped up from a drug-solution tank  77  by the pipettes and then, the pumped-up drug solution is dispensed to the wells  99  in the microplate  95 . Before the drug solution is pumped up, the pipette distal end of the dispensing head  74  is inserted into a pipette cassette  76 , and a disposable pipette tip (not shown) is mounted at the distal end of the pipette. The pipette tip is automatically removed from the pipette distal end after the dispensing processing is finished and disposed of. 
     The microplate  95  for which the dispensing processing is finished is lifted up by the pickup device provided at the distal end of the dispensing head  75  and returned to the receiving/delivery table R 2  or R 3 . The microplate  95  having been returned to the receiving/delivery table R 2  or R 3  is, similarly to the above-mentioned description, lifted up by the conveying table portion  12  of the shuttle conveying portion  11  and conveyed to the receiving/delivery table R 1  or R 4 . The microplate  95  having been conveyed to the receiving/delivery table R 2  is returned by the pickup device  50  to the feeding and collecting device  40 , while the microplate having been conveyed to the receiving/delivery table R 4  is conveyed by the horizontally rotating-type conveying robot  110  to the shelf  120 , the analyzing device  130 , and the humidity retaining device  140 . 
     [Horizontally Rotating-Type Robot and Other Peripheral Equipment] 
       FIG. 17  is a plan view illustrating a conveying state of the microplate  95  by the horizontally rotating robot  110 . In this embodiment, as the horizontally rotating robot  110 , a conveying robot RR  701  by Rorze Corporation is used. The horizontally rotating robot  110  has two arm bodies made of a first arm  111 , a second arm  112 , and fingers  113 , each rotates in the respective horizontal planes, and the two ringers  113  make a straight motion horizontally in the same vertical plane overlapping with a height difference, while a trunk  115  makes a turning motion and a Z-axis elevation motion, and moreover, an X-axis orbit for moving the entire horizontally rotating robot  110  at a right angle with the shuttle-type conveying lines La to Lc is provided. However, the finger  113  is in a long rectangular shape in which six plastic bell-shaped projections with a height of 8 mm and a diameter of 6 mm are mounted on the periphery so that the microplate  95  placed on it does not drop or interfere with the receiving/delivery table R 4 . The horizontally rotating robot  110  is placed on the finger  113  such that the finger  113  is inserted below the receiving/delivery table R 4  on which the microplate  95  is placed and the trunk  115  is lifted up in the Z-axis direction so as to scrape up the microplate  95 . When conveying has reached the upper part of the target conveying table portion, the trunk  115  is lowered in the Z-axis direction, and the microplate  95  is placed on the target location from the finger  113 . Here, the target location is any one of the shelf  120 , an analyzing device sample entrance/exit  131 , a warmer sample entrance/exit  141 , and each stage  48 . 
     The horizontally rotating robot  110  places the microplate  95  with a drug solution having been fed by the shuttle-type conveying device  10  on one of the fingers  113  as if to scrape up from below, makes a turn and goes toward the warmer  140 . The microplate  95  of a sample having finished with a processing for a predetermined time and come out to the warmer sample entrance/exit  141  is placed on the other finger  113  and taken out, and the microplate  95  of a new sample having been conveyed is inserted instead. The warmer (Cytomat 6000) applies processing at a certain temperature for a predetermined time automatically even if the sample is automatically inputted by the unit of a box and carries out the sample by the unit of a box. Next, the robot makes a turn and goes toward the sample entrance/exit  131  of the analyzing device (1430 ViewLux I/F), extends the empty finger  113  so as to take out the analyzed sample microplate  95  and inserts the processed sample microplate  95  taken out of the warmer. Since the lid  192  of the microplate should be removed for analysis, the lid suction machine  28  is also provided at the analyzing device sample entrance/exit  131 . The taken-out and analyzed sample microplate  95  is placed on the receiving/delivery table R 4  of the shuttle-type conveying paths La to Lc. If the sample microplate  95  should wait for its turn of the warmer  140  or timing does not match between carrying-out of the warmer  140  and carrying-in to the analyzing device  130 , the microplate  95  before processing is temporarily stored in the shelf  120  and analyzed when its turn comes. 
       FIG. 12A  is a plan view illustrating a structure of the containing shelf  120  of the present invention.  FIG. 12B  is a sectional view at B-B′ in  FIG. 12A . Between the bottom board  124  and the top board  123 , a plurality of thin inner columns (support columns)  121  and a plurality of thick outer columns (support columns)  122  in the same numbers are arranged in a concentric arc state. The shapes of the respective inner and outer columns for the one shelf stage are connected between a cylindrical column portion  125 , a trapezoidal portion  126  and a flange portion  127  from the top, and on the upper face of the flange portion  127 , an outer-edge corner portion of the bottom of the microplate  95  is placed. Therefore, a dimension between the circular trapezoidal portions  126  lower parts of the two inner columns  121  and a dimension between the circular trapezoidal portions  126  lower parts of the two outer columns  122  are the same and slightly longer than a width of the microplate  95 , and an inter-central dimension between the inner column  121  and the outer column  122  is designed slightly shorter than the length of the microplate  95 , on which one microplate  95  is placed. On the further outside of the outer column  122 , a box stopper  128  for preventing passing through and drop of the microplate  95 . 
     In this way, a plurality of projections are provided in intermediate portions of the columns  121 ,  122  in the containing shelf  120 , and the microplate is supported by the projections between the support columns. Thus, by scraping up the microplate  95  contained in the containing shelf  120  by the finger  113  of the robot, the microplate can be easily taken out. Thus, as compared with taking-out by sandwiching the side face, control is simple and the microplate can be taken out rapidly and accurately. 
     Also, by providing projections in the middle of the support columns and only by connecting the top board and the bottom board by the support columns, the containing shelf  120  can be assembled. Thus, the number of parts is small and assembling is easy. Since the projection portions are integrally formed with the support column, a containing shelf with higher accuracy than assembling can be made easily. 
     The microplate  95  is inserted to the vicinity of the outer column  122  between the cylindrical column portions  125  of the two inner columns  121  of the containing shelf  120  in  FIG. 12  while being mounted on the finger  113  of the horizontally rotating robot  110 , and when the finger  113  is lowered, the four outer-edge corner portions on the bottom of the microplate  95  are placed on the flange portion  127 . On the contrary, when the microplate  95  is to be taken out, the empty finger  113  is inserted between the two cylindrical column portions  125  and stopped so that the six plastic bell-shaped projections comes below outside the outer-edge portions of the microplate  95  and then, it is raised so that the microplate is placed, and the finger is pulled toward the robot  110  side. Then, the robot  110  conveys the microplate  95  to a target location. 
     [Conveying Control of the Microplate] 
     Each driving portion of the shuttle-type conveying device  10 , the feeding and collecting device  40  and the pickup device  50  is controlled by a control portion.  FIG. 19  shows a basic functional block diagram of a control device  150 . The control device  150  is a computer provided with a central processing unit (CPU), a control program, a memory portion storing the control program, control data and the like, a logical circuit and the like, and by these control programs, according to a control command from system control of the analysis processing system, various operations are executed sequentially. In various operations, a feedback signal from various sensors (not shown) arranged at the conveying path, the shuttle conveying portion, and other portions are referred to. 
     The control device  150  is provided with a control portion  151  and communicates with the system control portion controlling the operation of the entire analysis processing system through a communication interface (not shown) and controls various operations of the shuttle conveying portion  11 , the feeding and collecting portion  40 , and the pickup portion  50  according to the command of the system control portion. The control device  150  is provided with a take-out control portion  152 , a conveying control portion  153 , a receiving/delivery control portion  154 , a feeding and collecting control portion  155 , and a pickup control portion  156  in addition to the control portion  151 . 
     The take-out control portion  152  controls the shuttle motor  15  and the motor  17  for conveying table portion under control of the control portion  151  and controls the shuttle conveying portion  11  that lifts up the microplate (article to be conveyed) on the receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4  and takes it out. The conveying control portion  153  controls the shuttle motor  15  and the motor  17  for conveying table portion under the control of the control portion  151  and controls the shuttle conveying portion  11  that conveys the taken-out article to be conveyed to the target receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4 . The receiving/delivery control portion  154  controls the shuttle motor  15  and the motor  17  for conveying table portion under the control of the control portion  151  and controls the shuttle conveying portion  11  so that the article to be conveyed on the conveying table portion is placed on the receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4  as transfer destinations. 
     The feeding and collecting control portion  155  controls driving of a motor  43   b  for rotation and driving that rotates and drives the rotating and containing table  43  and controls so that the microplate to be taken out is rotated and moved to the front of the plate elevation portion. Also, when the microplate  95  has been fed out of the cassette  80 , the lift piece  46  is lifted up for one micro cassette, while when the microcassette  95  has been collected, the lift piece  46  is lowered by one micro cassette. 
     The pickup control portion  156  controls the actuator  57  for sandwiching of the pickup device  56  and the actuator  62  for holding under the control of the control portion  151  and sandwiches the side faces of the microplate  95  by the pair of sandwiching arms  59 ,  60  and holds it by the pair of holding arms  63  to lift it up. 
     [Conveying Processing Procedure Flowchart] 
     Using  FIG. 20 , an example of a conveying processing procedure of an article to be conveyed will be described.  FIG. 20  is a flowchart illustrating the conveying control processing procedure of the article to be conveyed by the shuttle-type conveying device of the present invention. In the flowchart, raising completion and lowering completion of the conveying table portion and various conveying positions are confirmed. These confirmations can be made by a driving time of each driving portion and a feedback signal, but it is preferable that various sensors are further provided at each portion of the conveying path and the shuttle conveying portion and the like so that confirmation is made by a sensor signal. The control portion  151  checks if a conveying command has been received or not, and if the conveying command is received (S 101 : Yes), it checks if the shuttle conveying portion  11  is during operation or not (S 102 ). If the shuttle conveying portion  11  is not in operation (S 102 : No), the conveying table portion  12  of the shuttle conveying portion is lowered (S 103 ). When the lowing of the conveying table portion  12  is completed (S 104 : Yes), the shuttle conveying portion  11  is moved to the receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4  on which the article to be conveyed is placed (S 105 ). 
     When the shuttle conveying portion  11  has moved immediately below the target receiving/delivery table (S 106 : Yes), the conveying table portion  12  is raised and the article to be conveyed is lifted up by the conveying table portion  12  from below the receiving/delivery table (S 107 ). When the raising of the conveying table portion  12  is completed (S 108 ), the shuttle conveying portion  11  is moved outside the receiving/delivery table with the article to be conveyed lifted up (S 109 ), and when the movement is completed (S 110 : Yes), the conveying table portion  12  is lowered with the article to be conveyed on (S 111 ). At this time, it is determined by the control portion  151  if there is no obstacle up to the transfer destination such that the transfer destination is the adjacent receiving/delivery table and the like, and if there is no obstacles, Steps S 111  and S 112  can be skipped. 
     When lowering of the conveying table portion  12  is completed (S 112 : Yes), movement of the shuttle conveying portion  11  is started (S 113 ). The shuttle conveying portion  11  is passed through and moved below the receiving/delivery table with the article to be conveyed placed on the conveying table portion  12 . When the shuttle conveying portion  11  has moved next to the receiving/delivery table to be the designated conveying destination (S 114 : Yes), the conveying table portion  12  is raised (S 115 ). When the raising of the conveying table portion  12  is completed (S 116 : Yes), the shuttle conveying portion  11  is moved immediately above the receiving/delivery table (S 117 ). When the movement is completed (S 118 : Yes), the operation table portion  12  is passes through the bottom-face opening portion  23  and lowered to below the receiving/delivery table (S 119 ). When the lowering of the operation table portion  12  is completed, the conveying processing is finished, and the next conveying command is awaited. 
     In the above description, only the example in which the microplate is conveyed as the article to be conveyed by the shuttle-type conveying device has been described, but this is an example of the article that can be conveyed by the shuttle-type conveying device according to the present invention and not limited to the microplate but any article having a given width that can be placed on the receiving/delivery table of the present invention and can be placed on the conveying table portion of the shuttle conveying portion can be conveyed. 
     When an article other than the micro cassette is to be conveyed, the structure of the conveying table portion  12  and the structures of the elevating device and the driving device can be changed as appropriate by a known art according to a weight of the article to be conveyed. For example, if the weight is heavy, the article can be lifted up using a hydraulically driven piston. It is only necessary that the elevating device for elevating the conveying table portion can take two positions of a high position and a low position. The high position is a position where the conveying table portion  12  lifts up the article to be conveyed such as the microplate  95  and the like over the receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4 , while the low position is a position where the article to be conveyed is held at a position lower than the receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4  to be run below the receiving/delivery tables R 1  to R 4 . 
     As driving means for moving the shuttle conveying portion  11  on the conveying paths La, Lb, Lc, known conventional arts available to those skilled in the art such as a stepping motor, a linear motor, an ultrasonic motor and the like can be used.