Bar-code reading device having a mechanism for pulling up test tubes from holders

• US 7,322,525 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDS Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IDS Incorporated
• Inventors: Itoh, Teruaki
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, SEUNG H
• Application Number:
  US11/065,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20050196323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.43, 235/486, 235/475
• US Class Current: 235/462.43
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers

Abstract

A bar-code reading device includes a container, a holder and a bar-code reader. The container has an outer circumferential surface on which a bar code is provided. The holder holds the container in an upright position. The bar-code reader reads the bar code from the container. A pulling mechanism pulls up the container from the holder until the bar code is completely exposed, when the bar code reader reads the bar code.

Claims

1. A bar-code reading device comprising:

a container which has an outer circumferential surface on which a bar code is provided;

a holder which holds the container in an upright position, the holder having a holder main body in which a lower end part of the container is inserted;

a bar-code reader which reads the bar code from the container; and

a pulling mechanism which pulls up the container from the holder until the bar code is completely exposed, when the bar code reader reads the bar code, the pulling mechanism being positioned to hold an upper end part of the container outside of the bar code, wherein the holder and the pulling mechanism are cooperatively disposed such that the container is supported by both the lower end part and the upper end pan when the container is pulled to completely expose the bar code.

2. The bar-code reading device according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation mechanism which rotates the container pulled from the holder, causing the bar code to face the bar-code reader when the bar code reader reads the bar code.

3. The bar-code reading device according to claim 2, further comprising a transport path which transports the holder holding the container and which has, at a middle part, a reading position, at which the bar-code reader, the rotation mechanism and the pulling mechanism are provided.

4. The bar-code reading device according to claim 1, wherein the container is a test tube which contains a sample, and the bar code represents information about the sample.

5. A bar-code reading device comprising:

a test tube having an outer circumferential surface on which a bar code is provided;

a holder which holds the test tube in an upright position, the holder having a holder main body in which a lower end pan of the test tube is inserted;

a transport path which transports the holder holding the test tube and which has a reading position at a middle part;

a bar-code reader which is provided at the reading position and which reads the bar code from the test tube;

a tube-pulling mechanism which pulls up the test tube from the holder until the bar code is completely exposed, when the test tube is transported to the reading position, the tube-pulling mechanism being positioned to hold an upper end part of the test tube outside of the bar code, wherein the holder and the tube-pulling mechanism are cooperatively disposed such that the test tube is supported by both the lower end part and the upper end part when the test tube is pulled to completely expose the bar code; and

a rotation mechanism which rotates the test tube pulled from the holder, in a circumferential direction, causing the bar code to face the bar-code reader when the bar code reader reads the bar code.

6. The bar-code reading device according to claim 5, wherein the holder has a plurality of leaf springs which resiliently clamp the lower end part of the test tube, and the rotation mechanism rotates both the test tube and the holder.

7. The bar-code reading device according to claim 5, wherein the tube-pulling mechanism pushes the test tube back toward the holder after the bar-code reader finishes reading the bar code.

8. The bar-code reading device according to claim 5, wherein the rotation mechanism has a friction roller and a motor which rotates the friction roller, and the friction roller transmits to the holder a torque generated from friction between the friction roller and an outer circumferential surface of the holder.

9. The bar-code reading device according to claim 5, wherein the rotation mechanism and the tube-pulling mechanism are provided at the reading position.

10. The bar-code reading device according to claim 5, wherein the transport path has a stopper which temporarily stops the holder when the holder holding the test tube reaches the reading position.

11. The bar-code reading device according to claim 5, wherein the test tube contains a sample, and the bar code represents information about the sample.