Specimen inspection system, and conveyance method
In a two-dimensional conveyance line employing an electromagnetic conveyance technique, carriers are conveyed in consideration of the length of a group of stagnated carriers, so as to reduce idle positions and ensure conveyance efficiency of a specimen inspection system and maximize the number of carriers conveyed simultaneously. Current is supplied to a winding of an electromagnetic circuit and an electromagnetic force is generated between the winding and a carrier with a magnet that holds a test tube to move the carrier. The processing efficiency of a specimen inspection system is improved by changing the current of the electromagnetic circuit to change a conveyance speed of the carrier to which the specimen sample is mounted, and by shortening the conveyance time, and reducing the conveyance speed of the carrier and increasing the number of carriers that are conveyed simultaneously as an alternative to detouring the carrier during congestion.
1 . A specimen inspection system comprising:
a processing unit configured to analyze and process a specimen;
a conveying unit connected to the processing unit and including a plurality of conveying surfaces for carriers; each conveying surface including a plurality of electromagnetic induction coils disposed in a two-dimensional array, the conveying unit configured to generate a magnetic force by causing a current to flow through the electromagnetic induction coils;
a carrier control unit configured to convey a first carrier by incorporating a magnet into the first carrier and applying a current to the electromagnetic induction coils;
a carrier detection unit configured to detect a position of the first carrier travelling in the conveying unit;
a conveyance speed calculation unit configured to receive the detected position of the first carrier from the carrier detection unit and calculate a conveyance speed of the first carrier based on a distance between the detected position and an arrival position of the first carrier;
a carrier management unit configured to manage the position and state of the first carrier in the conveying unit;
a conveyance path management unit configured to manage a departure location, a destination and a route for the first carrier;
a standby time calculation unit configured to calculate a standby time for the first carrier positioned at the departure location to reach the destination; and
a travel time calculation unit configured to calculate a travel time required for the first carrier at the departure location to travel to the destination, wherein the conveyance speed calculation unit is configured to compare the travel time and the standby time and calculate a first conveyance speed at which the first carrier does not stagnate based on the comparison wherein the carrier control unit is configured to convey the first carrier at the departure location with the calculated first conveyance speed.
2 . The specimen inspection system according to claim 1 , wherein the standby time calculation unit is configured to determine whether the first carrier can be conveyed based on the calculated standby time and the conveyance speed calculation unit is configured to calculate the conveyance speed when the standby time calculation unit determines the first carrier can be conveyed.
3 . The specimen inspection system according to claim 1 , wherein the standby time calculation unit is configured to calculate a second conveyance speed for a second carrier.
4 . A method of using the specimen inspection system of claim 1 , the method comprising:
conveying a first carrier by incorporating a magnet into the first carrier and applying a current to the electromagnetic induction coils;
detecting the position of the first carrier travelling in the conveying unit;
calculating the first conveyance speed of the first carrier based on the distance between the detected position of the first carrier travelling in the conveying unit and the arrival position of the first carrier;
managing the position and state of the first carrier in the conveying unit, the departure location, the destination and the route of the first carrier;
calculating the standby time for the first carrier positioned at the departure location to reach the destination;
calculating the travel time required for the first carrier to travel to the destination;
comparing the travel time and the standby time;
calculating the first conveyance speed at which the travel source carrier is not stagnated based on the comparison; and
conveying the first carrier at the calculated conveyance speed.