Abstract: A conveying device conveys a container including a magnetic body to a target position along a conveyance path and includes a conveyance surface configured by arranging a plurality of magnetic poles including a core and a coil, and including a conveyance path, a drive unit supplying a current to the coil, and a position detection unit estimating the position of the container. The position detection unit excites a first magnetic pole to detect the position of the container and applies a voltage to at least one second magnetic pole that is peripheral in a predetermined range from the first magnetic pole and is different from the first magnetic pole in a direction in which the polarity becomes opposite to the exciting current of the first magnetic pole, and a process of estimating the position of the container based on the current value of the first magnetic pole.

Abstract: A sample conveying device estimates a factor causing a decrease in a conveyance speed of a sample. The sample conveying device includes a conveying container that includes a magnet or magnetic material and contains a sample, a conveyance unit in which a plurality of magnetic poles, each of which includes a core and a coil, are arranged. The conveying container is moved on a conveying surface. A control unit controls a voltage applied to the plurality of magnetic poles, detects a position of the conveying container on the conveying surface, and controls movement of the conveying container. The control unit detects an amplitude of a current flowing through the coil of each of the plurality of magnetic poles when the conveying container approaches each of the plurality of the magnetic poles, and determines deterioration of the conveying surface based on the detected amplitude of the current.

Abstract: A transport device and a transport method efficiently increase a thrust to suppress power consumption. The transport device has a first magnetic body on a side of a to-be-transported object, a magnetic circuit with a core consisting of a second magnetic body, and a winding wound around an outside of the core, and a drive circuit supplying a current to the winding of the magnetic circuit. The magnetic circuit has first and second magnetic circuits, and in a case where the first magnetic body is located on a side of the second magnetic circuit relative to a first predetermined position between the first magnetic circuit and the second magnetic circuit, the drive circuit supplies a current to a winding of the first magnetic circuit in such a manner to cause an electromagnetic repulsive force to be generated between the first magnetic body and the first magnetic circuit.

Abstract: The present invention has a plurality of conveyance lanes disposed in parallel, and also has an information-reading unit for reading a sample identifier of a container present in a reading region set within a conveying unit, the reading region being disposed in at least one location from among the conveyance-direction front-surface side of a holder, the conveyance-direction reverse side of the holder, and above the conveyance lanes. The information-reading unit is configured to read the sample identifier of a container being conveyed through any conveyance lane among the plurality of conveyance lanes using the one information-reading unit. There are thereby provided a specimen conveyance device and a specimen conveyance method by which the accuracy of reading sample information can be improved over that in the past.

Abstract: In order to enable easy setting of a configuration of a specimen inspection automation system, the present disclosure proposes a technique for automatically allocating an IP address (unique position information) to each unit constituting the specimen inspection automation system. For example, the present disclosure proposes a specimen inspection automation system comprising: a plurality of slave station devices each of which corresponds to at least one of a transport device for transporting a specimen and an analyzer for analyzing the specimen; and a master station device that communicates with the slave station devices through a communication line and controls the slave station devices. The master station device performs a process for allocating unique position information to each of the slave station devices by using information acquired through communication with the slave station devices.

Abstract: The weight of a body-to-be-conveyed constituting a conveying device is reduced, and the friction force between the sliding surface of the body-to-be-conveyed and the conveyance path is reduced. A body-to-be-conveyed that is a component of a conveying device that uses electromagnetic force as thrust and can move in a horizontal direction includes a mover in which a bottom surface is arranged so that a predetermined gap is formed in a vertical direction with respect to the sliding surface thereof, in which the mover includes a permanent magnet and a cover, a gap facing surface of the permanent magnet facing the gap includes one magnetic pole, the cover is installed on a side of the permanent magnet opposite from the gap facing surface in the vertical direction, the horizontal outermost diameter of the cover is larger than the horizontal outermost diameter of the permanent magnet, and the cover is formed of a flat plate.

Abstract: Provided is a specimen treatment system that can detect whether a specimen container is uncapped by using a simple mechanism. The specimen treatment system comprises: an automatic analyzer that analyzes a specimen; a pretreatment device that performs a pretreatment on the specimen; and a conveyance passage that conveys, in the automatic analyzer or in the pretreatment device, a specimen container that houses the specimen. The specimen treatment system is characterized by further comprising a single sensor that is disposed so as to be orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the specimen container and that detects whether the specimen container is uncapped.

Abstract: There is provided a sample conveying device capable of maintaining conveyance thrust for a sample container even when a conductor resistance is changed due to the heat generated in a winding. A sample conveying device according to the present invention calculates a decrease in the current from a set current value due to an increase in a conductor resistance of a winding when the current flows through the winding to change the current value of the current by using the calculated decrease.

Abstract: The weight of a body-to-be-conveyed constituting a conveying device is reduced, and the friction force between the sliding surface of the body-to-be-conveyed and the conveyance path is reduced. A body-to-be-conveyed that is a component of a conveying device that uses electromagnetic force as thrust and can move in a horizontal direction includes a mover in which a bottom surface is arranged so that a predetermined gap is formed in a vertical direction with respect to the sliding surface thereof, in which the mover includes a permanent magnet and a cover, a gap facing surface of the permanent magnet facing the gap includes one magnetic pole, the cover is installed on a side of the permanent magnet opposite from the gap facing surface in the vertical direction, the horizontal outermost diameter of the cover is larger than the horizontal outermost diameter of the permanent magnet, and the cover is formed of a flat plate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transport device and a specimen analysis system including the transport device that reduce the pulsation of thrust for moving an object to be transported, reduce vibration of the object to be transported during transport, and realize stable transport. The transport device of the present invention includes a first electromagnet unit including a first tooth made of a magnetic body, a first core connected to the first tooth and made of a magnetic body, and a first winding formed around the first core; a second electromagnet unit including a second tooth installed adjacent to the first electromagnet unit and made of a magnetic body, a second core connected to the second tooth and made of a magnetic body, a second winding formed around the second core; and a magnetic coupling unit made of a magnetic body between the first tooth of the first electromagnet unit and the second tooth of the second electromagnet unit.

Abstract: The present invention comprises: an object to be conveyed that has at least one permanent magnet 10; a magnetic pole 25 that has a core 22 comprising a second magnetic body and a winding 21 wound around the outer periphery of the core 22; a drive circuit 50 for supplying a current to the winding 21 of the magnetic pole 25; a current detection unit 30 for detecting the value of the current flowing through the winding 21; and a computation unit 40 for estimating the position of the permanent magnet 10 on the basis of the current value detected by the current detection unit 30 and controlling the value of the current supplied from the drive circuit 50 to the winding 21 on the basis of information about the estimated position of the permanent magnet 10.

Abstract: The invention provides a conveying device having a conveying performance higher than that of the related art, a sample analysis system and sample pretreatment device with the conveying device and a method for conveying a conveyance object. A conveying device 1 includes a permanent magnet 10 which is provided on a sample rack 111 side, magnetic poles 25 each of which includes a core 22 made of a second magnetic body and a winding 21 wound around an outer periphery of the core 22, drive circuits 50 each of which supplies a current to the winding 21 of the magnetic pole 25, and current command calculation units 55 each of which controls a value of the current to be supplied to the winding 21 from the drive circuit 50. The current command calculation unit 55 makes the currents to be supplied to the windings 21 vary.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a conveyance device that can increase inductance variation while suppressing the lowering of thrust. A conveyance device 1 conveys an article 110 to be conveyed. The article 110 to be conveyed can be conveyed by a magnetic force. The conveyance device 1 comprises a plurality of electromagnets 25a and 25b. Each electromagnet 25a, 25b comprises: teeth 22, 22a, 22b, 22c and 22e including a magnetic body; and windings 21, 21a and 21b wound around the teeth 22, 22a, 22b, 22c and 22e. The conveyance device 1 comprises a yoke 26 for magnetically coupling the electromagnets 25a and 25b, and driving circuits 50a and 50b for supplying current to the windings 21, 21a and 21b. The teeth 22, 22a, 22b, 22c and 22e have a cavity 27 extending in the axial direction.

Abstract: Provided is a conveyance device capable of reducing the weight of a conveyance device while preventing magnetic saturation. A conveyance device according to the present invention is characterized by comprising a conveyance path (65) in which a conveyed object is moved, an electromagnet provided on the surface of the conveyance path (65) opposite to the surface on which the conveyed object moves, and a drive circuit for supplying a current to the electromagnet, the electromagnet including teeth (22a, 22b) formed from a magnetic body, and windings (21a, 21b) wound onto the surface of the teeth (22a, 22b), a yoke (26) is provided that supports the teeth (22a, 22b), and the relationship between the minimum cross-sectional area Sy of the yoke (26) and the minimum cross-sectional area St of the part of the teeth (22a, 22b) where the windings (21a, 21b) are provided is Sy<St.

Abstract: Provided is a transport device in which reliability is increased by suppressing deterioration of the transport surface and transport efficiency is increased by suppressing electrical current loss. A transport device 1 comprising a transported body having either a permanent magnet 10 or a magnetic body, and an electromagnet unit in which coils 21 are wound around teeth 25 comprising magnetic bodies, and having recesses on surfaces of the teeth 25 facing the transported body. Specifically, the surfaces of the teeth 25 facing the transported body have at least two surfaces (first facing surface 22, second facing surface 23, etc.) which have different distances to the transported body.

Abstract: Provided is a sample transport device, a sample analysis system, and a sample pretreatment device which have high positional accuracy when stopping a sample and can adjust a minute position when stopping the sample. A sample transport device (1a) according to the present invention includes: a sample provided with a permanent magnet (10); a transport path through which the sample is to be transported via the permanent magnet (10); a plurality of coils provided on a surface of the transport path opposite to a surface on which the sample is to be transported; and a drive circuit that causes a current to flow through the coils.

Abstract: Provided are a transport device and an analysis system in which a stability of transport at a time of restart is further enhanced while achieving cost reduction by a position-sensorless configuration. A transport device includes: a plurality of coils 25a, 25b configured to generate a thrust to transport a transport container 20; a drive circuit 50 configured to apply a voltage to each of the plurality of coils 25a, 25b; and a calculation unit 40 configured to estimate a position of the transport container 20 based on current information when voltage pulses 80, 81 are applied to the coils 25a, 25b. When a power supply of the device is activated, the calculation unit 40 applies a voltage pulse 80 in a positive direction and a voltage pulse 81 in a negative direction to the target coils 25a, 25b so as to detect the position of the transport container 20 from the current information of current flowing through the coils 25a, 25b.

Abstract: A sample transport device includes: a sample container configured to accommodate a sample and provided with a magnetic body; a transport surface on which the sample container is to be transported; a plurality of coils disposed on a surface of the transport surface that is opposite to a surface facing the magnetic body; a coil drive unit configured to apply a voltage to the coils; and a position estimation unit configured to estimate a position of the sample container based on a current change generated when the coil drive unit applies the voltage to the coils. The position estimation unit estimates the position of the transport container by the coil drive unit applying voltage pulses having a phase difference to adjacent coils among the plurality of coils.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transport device and a specimen analysis system including the transport device that reduce the pulsation of thrust for moving an object to be transported, reduce vibration of the object to be transported during transport, and realize stable transport. The transport device of the present invention includes a first electromagnet unit including a first tooth made of a magnetic body, a first core connected to the first tooth and made of a magnetic body, and a first winding formed around the first core; a second electromagnet unit including a second tooth installed adjacent to the first electromagnet unit and made of a magnetic body, a second core connected to the second tooth and made of a magnetic body, a second winding formed around the second core; and a magnetic coupling unit made of a magnetic body between the first tooth of the first electromagnet unit and the second tooth of the second electromagnet unit.

Abstract: Provided are a specimen transport system and a specimen transport method that support a transport method using an electromagnetic actuator and can transport a specimen at higher speed and more stably as compared to the related art. A plurality of detection points each configured by a magnetic pole 207 and detecting a position of a magnetic body 203, and a plurality of transport paths provided above the plurality of detection points so as to cover the plurality of detection points are provided, in which among the plurality of transport paths, detection ranges 301A, 301B, and 301C of first detection points constituting a first transport path are different from detection ranges 301A, 301B, and 301C of second detection points constituting a second transport path different from the first transport path.