JP2008051578A - Dispensing device and dispensing method - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus and a dispensing method capable of efficiently moving a container without causing liquid spillage and shortening the tact time as compared with the conventional one.
For each container 20 to be moved, a first storage unit 9c in which a cumulative liquid amount corresponding to the type of the container 20 and a progress state of schedule data is stored, and a mold and a cumulative liquid amount of the container 20 are stored. A second storage unit 9d that stores a movement speed pattern of the container 20 that does not cause a corresponding liquid spillage. When the CPU 9a moves the container 20 according to the schedule data, after reading the mold of the container 20 to be moved and the accumulated liquid amount at the time of movement of the container 20 from the first storage unit 9c, the read container 20 The movement speed pattern of the container 20 corresponding to the mold and the accumulated liquid amount is read from the second storage unit 9d, and the container 20 is moved according to the read movement speed pattern.
[Selection] Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to a dispensing apparatus and a dispensing method used for dispensing a liquid into a container in fields such as drug discovery screening.

Dispensing devices are known as devices used for systematically performing tests such as biochemical reactions of substances. This dispensing apparatus includes a container moving means for moving a liquid container called a microtiter plate, and a liquid discharging means for discharging a liquid as a sample to the container moved to a predetermined position. The control device executes processing in accordance with schedule data in which processes and liquid discharge processes to the containers are scheduled in advance, so that liquid can be automatically dispensed to a plurality of containers. Here, the container moving means is composed of a robot hand, for example, and can move the grasped container three-dimensionally (Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-333450 A

  However, in the conventional dispensing device, the moving speed of the container in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction by the container moving means is fixed to a low constant speed at which liquid does not spill from the container. For this reason, for example, when the container is empty and there is no risk of liquid spilling from the container, a long movement time is required, which is a factor that hinders shortening of the tact time.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus and a dispensing method that can efficiently move a container without causing liquid spillage and can shorten the tact time as compared with the conventional art.

  The dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 includes a container moving unit that moves a container for storing liquid, a liquid ejecting unit that ejects a liquid to a container that has been moved to a predetermined position by the container moving unit, and a container formed by the container moving unit. And a control means for dispensing the liquid into the container according to schedule data in which the liquid ejection process into the container by the liquid ejection means is scheduled in advance, and the movement by the container movement means A first storage means for storing a cumulative liquid amount corresponding to the container mold and the progress of the liquid discharge process, and a liquid spill corresponding to the container mold and the cumulative liquid amount. And a second storage means for storing a movement speed pattern of the container that is not to be stored, and when the control means moves the container according to the schedule data, After reading the container mold and the accumulated liquid amount at the time of movement of the container from the first storage means, the container movement speed pattern corresponding to the read container mold and accumulated liquid quantity is set to the second Read from the storage means, and move the container with the read movement speed pattern.

The dispensing device according to claim 2 is a container moving means for moving a container for storing liquid, a liquid discharging means for discharging a liquid to a container moved to a predetermined position by the container moving means, and a container by the container moving means And a control means for dispensing the liquid into the container in accordance with schedule data in which the liquid ejection process into the container by the liquid ejection means is scheduled in advance. The container moving speed pattern for the container to be moved by the container moving means is written in advance so as not to cause liquid spillage according to the mold type of the container and the amount of accumulated liquid at the time of moving the container. When the container is moved, the container is moved according to the movement speed pattern written in the schedule data. So moved.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dispensing method for dispensing a liquid into a container in accordance with schedule data in which a process for moving a container for storing liquid and a process for discharging a liquid to a container moved to a predetermined position are scheduled in advance. In the dispensing method to be performed, when the container is moved according to the schedule data, the container is moved in a moving speed pattern that does not cause liquid spillage according to the type of the container and the amount of accumulated liquid at the time of moving the container.

  In the present invention, when the container is moved according to the schedule data, the container is moved in a movement speed pattern that does not cause liquid spillage according to the accumulated liquid amount at the time of movement of the container and the container. If so, it can be moved at a low speed when the amount of liquid is large, and at a high speed when the amount of liquid is small. Therefore, the container can be efficiently moved without causing liquid spillage, and the tact time can be greatly shortened as compared with the conventional case where the moving speed is fixed at a low constant speed.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a dispensing head according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of data stored in the first storage unit of the dispensing device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a distribution diagram according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams showing an example of data stored in the second storage unit of the injection device, FIGS. 6A and 6B are cross-sectional views of a well containing a liquid according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are flowcharts of a sub-routine of the dispensing work process in one embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, a dispensing device 1 is provided as a part of a drug discovery screening device, for example, and discharges and dispenses a liquid serving as a sample into a liquid storage container (microtiter plate) 20. The container 20 is provided with a large number of wells 21 arranged vertically and horizontally, and the liquid is equally injected into each well 21.

  The dispensing apparatus 1 is entirely covered with a cover case 2, and a work table 3 is provided therein. A container stocker 4 for stocking a large number of containers 20 is provided on the side of the work table 3, and a robot hand 5 and a dispensing head moving mechanism 6 are provided above the work table 3.

The robot hand 5 is a device (container moving means) that holds the container 20 and moves it horizontally and vertically, and its operation is controlled by a control device 9 provided inside the work table 3 (FIG. 3). . The robot hand 5 includes an X-axis table 5a, a Y-axis table 5b, a lifting / lowering unit 5c, and a transfer head 5e. The X-axis table 5a is movable in the X-axis direction with respect to the work table 3, and the Y-axis The table 5b is movable in the Y-axis direction with respect to the X-axis table 5a. Therefore, by combining the movement of the X-axis table 5a in the X-axis direction and the movement of the Y-axis table 5b in the Y-axis direction, the lifting / lowering rotation unit 5c can be moved in the XY plane (in the horizontal direction). . The lifting / lowering rotation unit 5c has an arm portion 5d that extends downward and can freely move in the vertical direction and rotate around the vertical axis, and moves the arm portion 5d in the vertical direction and rotates it around the vertical axis. This makes it possible to change the vertical position of the transfer head 5e provided at the lower end of the arm 5d and the rotational position (orientation) about the vertical axis. The transfer head 5e is provided with a chuck hand 5f, and the container 20 is gripped by opening and closing the chuck hand 5f.

  The dispensing head moving mechanism 6 is a device that moves the dispensing head 7 in the horizontal direction, and its operation is controlled by the control device 9 (FIG. 3). The dispensing head moving mechanism 6 includes an X-axis table 6a and two Y-axis tables 6b. The X-axis table 6a is movable in the X-axis direction with respect to the work table 3, and each Y-axis table 6b is movable in the Y-axis direction with respect to the X-axis table 6a. For this reason, the dispensing head 7 can be moved in the XY plane (in the horizontal direction) by combining the movement of the X-axis table 6a in the X-axis direction and the movement of the Y-axis table 6b in the Y-axis direction.

  The dispensing head 7 is a device that discharges liquid into the container 20 (liquid discharging means), and its operation is controlled by the control device 9 as in the dispensing head moving mechanism 6 (FIG. 3). In FIG. 2, a tip attaching portion 7a is provided at the lower part of each dispensing head 7, and a number of tips 8 are detachably attached to the lower end portion of the tip attaching portion 7a. The tip attaching portion 7a is movable in the vertical direction (arrow A in FIG. 2), and all the tips 8 attached to the tip attaching portion 7a can be moved up and down simultaneously. The dip mounting portion 7a is provided with nozzles corresponding to the tips 8. When liquid is ejected from each nozzle, the liquid is discharged from the tip 8 attached to the nozzle.

  In FIG. 3, the control device 9 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 9a, a program storage unit 9b, a first storage unit 9c, a second storage unit 9d, and a third storage unit 9e. The program storage unit 9b stores a program for controlling each mechanism and device of the dispensing device 1 including the robot hand 5 and the dispensing head 7. The CPU 9a controls each mechanism and device of the dispensing apparatus 1 by executing a program stored in the program storage unit 9b. In the third storage unit 9e, processing contents (processing content information) such as a process of moving the container 20 by the robot hand 5 and a process of discharging the liquid by the dispensing head 7 to the container 20 moved to a predetermined position are scheduled in advance. The CPU 9a functions as a control unit that reads the schedule data and executes a corresponding program to perform dispensing of liquid into the container 20 and the like.

  In the schedule data, the containers 20 to be dispensed are identified by identification numbers ID = 1, 2, 3,..., And the CPU 9a sequentially reads out the processing content information described in the schedule data. The container 20 to be processed is identified by the identification number ID described in the processing content information, and various processes including movement and liquid ejection are performed on the container 20. The containers 20 moved by the movement process include the containers 20 that have been subjected to the previous process (for example, the culture process), in addition to the containers 20 taken out from the container stocker 4. For this reason, the container 20 to be moved by the robot hand 5 may be empty or may contain liquid.

  When the processing content information relates to the container movement process, the processing content information includes the identification number ID of the container 20 to be moved, the movement source position, and the movement destination position. Further, when the processing content information is related to the liquid ejection processing, the processing content information is configured by information including the identification number ID of the container 20 to be subjected to the liquid ejection processing and the ejection liquid amount.

  The first storage unit 9c is a RAM (Random Access Memory) according to the identification number (ID) of the container 20 to be moved, as well as the type (T) of the container 20 and the progress state of the schedule data. The accumulated liquid amount (L) is stored in the form of a table. The type (T) of the container 20 is given by the numbers 1, 2, 3,..., And different numbers are given to the containers 20 having different shapes, that is, the arrangement and depth of the wells 21.

  The accumulated liquid amount (L) is a cumulative value of the liquid discharged from the dispensing head 7 to the container 20 (to each well 21), and is zero at the beginning, that is, when the container 20 is empty, but dispensed. When the head 7 discharges the liquid, the discharged liquid amount is added and stored. The addition of the liquid amount is performed when the CPU 9a accesses the first storage unit 9c and rewrites and updates the accumulated liquid amount when the dispensing head 7 performs a liquid discharge operation. In this embodiment, the amount of liquid added is the amount of liquid that the dispensing head 7 is instructed to discharge in the schedule data, but the amount of liquid discharged into the container 20 is measured by some method. May be added. FIG. 4 shows an example of the data of the mold (T) and the accumulated liquid amount (L) of the container 20 stored in the first storage unit 9c.

  The second storage unit 9d is a ROM (Read Only Memory), in which a moving speed pattern (P) of the container 20 corresponding to the mold (T) and the accumulated liquid amount (L) of the container 20 is stored. Here, the moving speed pattern (P) of the container 20 is a change pattern of the moving speed of the container 20 with respect to time, and is given by numbers 1, 2, 3,. Each movement speed pattern (P) is set such that liquid does not spill from the well 21 during movement of the container 20 from the movement source to the movement destination, and can move between the two points as soon as possible. FIG. 5 shows an example of data stored in the second storage unit 9d. FIG. 5A is a table for calling the movement speed pattern (P) of the container 20 according to the mold (T) and the accumulated liquid amount (L) of the container 20, and FIG. 5B is a specific table called from this table. It is a graph of a moving speed pattern. For the container 20 whose type is “3” in FIG. 5A, this means that the movement speed pattern is set to “3” regardless of the value of the accumulated liquid amount.

  The movement speed pattern is set not only depending on the amount of accumulated liquid in the container 20 but also on the type of the container 20, as shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b). Even if the amount is the same, the height h of the liquid surface 30a of the liquid 30 with respect to the upper edge 21a of the well 21 is different if the type of the container 20, that is, the diameter D or the depth H of the well 21, is different. This is because the moving speed pattern in which the container 20 can be moved without any difference is also obtained. 6 (a1) and 6 (a2), when the same amount of liquid 30 is accommodated in two wells 21 having the same diameter D but different depth H, FIGS. 6 (b1) and 6 (b2) Shows a case where the same amount of liquid 30 is stored in two wells 21 having the same diameter but different diameter D. Note that the amount of liquid spilling from the container 20 is mainly the amount of change in the moving speed of the container 20, that is, the acceleration. Therefore, when a large acceleration is applied during horizontal movement of the container 20, the inclination angle of the liquid surface 30a from the horizontal plane is increased and liquid spillage is likely to occur. When a large acceleration is applied during the vertical movement of the container 20, the liquid level 30a is Liquid spillage tends to occur beyond the upper edge 21a of the well 21.

  Next, the procedure of the dispensing operation process performed by the dispensing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. When a predetermined operation is performed from the input device 10 connected to the control device 9, the CPU 9 a of the control device 9 starts dispensing work processing, reads processing content information described in the schedule data, and decodes the processing content information.・ Repeat processing. Then, when the reading of the last processing content information and the execution of the processing are completed, the series of dispensing work processing is completed. Hereinafter, a specific processing procedure performed by the CPU 9a will be described.

  In FIG. 7, the CPU 9a first reads the processing content information described in the schedule data (step S1). Then, it is determined whether or not the read processing content information is a container movement process (step S2). If the processing content information is a container movement process, the container movement processing subroutine shown in FIG. The movement process is executed (step S3).

In the container movement process, the CPU 9a reads the movement source and movement destination of the container 20 to be moved from the program (step S31), and then accesses the first storage unit 9c to move the container to be moved. The type (T) of the container 20 and the current accumulated liquid amount (L) at the time of movement of the container 20 (L) are read (step S32). And the 2nd memory | storage part 9d is accessed and the moving speed pattern (P) according to the type | mold (T) and accumulation liquid quantity (L) of the container 20 read in step S32 is read (step S33). When step S33 is completed, the CPU 9a performs drive control of the robot hand 5, grips the movement source container 20 read in step S31, and moves the container 20 to the movement destination read in step S31 (step S34). . At this time, the CPU 9a controls the operation speed of the robot hand 5 so that the container 20 moves according to the movement speed pattern read in step S33.

  On the other hand, when the processing content information is not the container movement processing in step S2, it is determined whether or not the processing content information is a liquid ejection processing (step S4). When the processing content information is the liquid ejection process, the liquid ejection process subroutine shown in FIG. 9 is entered to execute the liquid ejection process (step S5).

  In the liquid ejection process, the CPU 9a performs drive control of the dispensing head moving mechanism 6 to move the dispensing head 7 directly above the container 20 that is the liquid ejection target (step S41), and then designates in the schedule data The amount of liquid that has been used is discharged into the container 20 (step S42). Then, the first storage unit 9c is accessed, and the value of the accumulated liquid amount (L) is rewritten and updated for the container 20 that is the target of liquid discharge (step S43). As a result, the cumulative liquid amount (L) of the container 20 stored in the first storage unit 9 c becomes a value corresponding to the actual cumulative liquid amount of the container 20.

  On the other hand, when the processing content information is not the liquid ejection processing in step S4, a predetermined processing corresponding to the processing content information is executed (step S6). When the execution of the predetermined process is finished in step S3, step S5 or step S6, whether or not the read process content information (the process content information read in step S1) is the last process content information described in the schedule data. A determination is made (step S7). If the read process content information is not the last process content information, the process returns to step S1 to read the next process content information. If the read process content information is the last process content information, the series of dispensing work processes is terminated.

  If the dispensing operation process is executed according to the above procedure, the container 20 is moved, the liquid is discharged into the container 20, and other processes are performed in an orderly manner. A liquid is dispensed.

  As described above, the present dispensing apparatus 1 includes the robot hand 5 (container moving means) that moves the container 20 and the dispensing head 7 (liquid that discharges liquid to the container 20 moved to a predetermined position by the robot hand 5. CPU 9a (control means) that dispenses liquid into the container 20 in accordance with schedule data in which the process of moving the container 20 by the robot hand 5 and the liquid ejection process to the container 20 by the dispensing head 7 are scheduled in advance. In addition, for each container 20 to be moved by the robot hand 5, a first storage unit 9c (first storage means) in which the accumulated liquid amount corresponding to the type of the container 20 and the progress state of the liquid discharge process is stored. ) And the second storage unit 9d (second storage) in which the movement speed pattern of the container 20 according to the mold and the accumulated liquid amount of the container 20 is stored. When the CPU 9a moves the container according to the schedule data, after reading out the mold of the container 20 to be moved and the accumulated liquid amount at the time of moving the container from the first storage unit 9c, The movement speed pattern of the container 20 corresponding to the read type of the container 20 and the accumulated liquid amount is read from the second storage unit 9d, and the container 20 is moved according to the read movement speed pattern.

  In addition, the dispensing method executed by the present dispensing apparatus 1 is based on the schedule data in which the process of moving the container 20 and the process of discharging the liquid to the container 20 moved to a predetermined position are scheduled in advance. This is a dispensing method in which dispensing is performed, and when the container 20 is moved according to the schedule data, the container 20 is moved in a movement speed pattern corresponding to the type of the container 20 and the accumulated liquid amount at the time of movement of the container.

  In such a dispensing apparatus or dispensing method, when the container 20 is moved according to the schedule data, the container has a moving speed pattern that does not cause liquid spillage in accordance with the mold of the container 20 and the accumulated liquid amount at the time of moving the container 20. 20 is moved, for example, if the mold of the container 20 is the same, it can be moved at a low speed when the amount of liquid is large, and can be moved at a high speed when the amount of liquid is small. When the diameter or depth of the well 21 is small, it can be moved at a low speed, and when the diameter or depth of the well 21 is large, it can be moved at a high speed. Therefore, the container 20 can be efficiently moved without causing liquid spillage, and the tact time can be greatly shortened as compared with the conventional case where the moving speed is fixed at a low constant speed. .

  In the dispensing apparatus 1 described above, when the container 20 is moved according to the progress of the schedule data while actually performing the dispensing operation process for each container 20, the movement speed pattern is calculated from the mold and the accumulated liquid amount of the container 20 each time. Although it was read out, before actually performing a series of dispensing work processes, a series of processes based on the schedule data is executed as a simulation, and the movement speed pattern read in the process is processed in the process data information of the schedule data You may make it write in. That is, for the container 20 to be moved by the robot hand 5, the movement speed pattern of the container 20 corresponding to the mold of the container 20 and the accumulated liquid amount at the time of movement of the container 20 is written in advance in the processing content information of the schedule data. When the container 20 is moved according to the schedule data, the container 20 may be moved at a movement speed pattern written in advance in the processing content information of the schedule data. Even with such a dispensing apparatus, the above-described dispensing method can be executed, and the same effect as the above-described dispensing apparatus 1 can be obtained.

  According to the present invention, the container can be efficiently moved without causing liquid spillage, and the tact time is greatly shortened as compared with the conventional case where the moving speed is fixed at a low constant speed. be able to.

The perspective view of the dispensing apparatus in one embodiment of this invention The perspective view of the dispensing head in one embodiment of this invention The block diagram which shows the control system of the dispensing apparatus in one embodiment of this invention The figure which shows an example of the data memorize | stored in the 1st memory | storage part of the dispensing apparatus in one embodiment of this invention The figure which shows an example of the data memorize | stored in the 2nd memory | storage part of the dispensing apparatus in one embodiment of this invention (A), (b) is sectional drawing of the well which accommodated the liquid in one embodiment of this invention The flowchart of the main routine of the dispensing work process in one embodiment of the present invention Flowchart of a dispensing work process subroutine in one embodiment of the present invention Flowchart of a dispensing work process subroutine in one embodiment of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

1 Dispensing device 5 Robot hand (container moving means)
6 Dispensing head moving mechanism 7 Dispensing head (liquid discharge means)
9 Control device 9a CPU (control means)
9c 1st memory | storage part (1st memory | storage means)
9d Second storage section (second storage means)
20 containers

Claims (3)

A container moving means for moving a container for storing liquid; a liquid discharging means for discharging liquid to a container moved to a predetermined position by the container moving means; a process of moving the container by the container moving means; A dispensing device comprising a control means for dispensing a liquid into a container according to schedule data in which a liquid ejection process is scheduled in advance,
For each container to be moved by the container moving means, a first storage means in which a cumulative liquid amount corresponding to the mold of the container and the progress of the liquid discharge process is stored, and according to the mold and the cumulative liquid amount of the container Second storage means in which a moving speed pattern of the container that does not cause liquid spillage is stored;
When the container moves the container according to the schedule data, the controller reads out from the first storage means the type of the container to be moved and the accumulated liquid amount at the time of movement of the container, and then reads out the type of the read container And the movement speed pattern of the container according to the accumulated liquid amount is read from the second storage means, and the container is moved by the read movement speed pattern. A container moving means for moving a container for storing liquid; a liquid discharging means for discharging liquid to a container moved to a predetermined position by the container moving means; a process of moving the container by the container moving means; A dispensing device comprising a control means for dispensing a liquid into a container according to schedule data in which a liquid ejection process is scheduled in advance,
In the schedule data, the movement speed pattern of the container that does not cause liquid spillage according to the type of the container and the amount of accumulated liquid at the time of movement of the container is written in advance in the schedule data.
When the control means moves the container according to the schedule data, the control means moves the container at a movement speed pattern written in the schedule data. A dispensing method for dispensing a liquid into a container according to schedule data in which a movement process of a container for storing liquid and a discharge process of a liquid to a container moved to a predetermined position are scheduled in advance,
A dispensing method, wherein when a container is moved according to the schedule data, the container is moved in a movement speed pattern that does not cause liquid spillage according to the type of the container and the amount of accumulated liquid at the time of movement of the container.

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