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US 12,551,904 B2Granted
Centrifugal separation apparatus and centrifugal separation method
AssigneeAoi Seiki Co., Ltd.
InventorTeruaki Itoh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to an embodiment, a centrifugal separation apparatus includes, a centrifugal separator comprising a retainer and a rotating member for rotation of the retainer, the retainer adapted to retain a workpiece, an imaging unit configured to acquire a detection image of an installation position at which the retainer is placed, a transfer mechanism configured to move the workpiece into the centrifugal separator, and a sensor processing unit configured to detect, based on the detection image acquired after an installation process of placing the workpiece into the retainer and before a rotation process of rotating the rotating member, a state of the workpiece subjected to the installation process.
Claims12
A centrifugal separation apparatus comprising:
- a centrifugal separator comprising a retainer and a rotating member for rotation of the retainer, the retainer adapted to retain a workpiece comprising a sample container containing a sample;
- an imaging unit configured to acquire a detection image of an installation position at which the retainer is placed;
- a transfer mechanism configured to move the workpiece into the centrifugal separator;
- a sensor processing unit configured to detect, based on the detection image acquired after an installation process of placing the workpiece into the retainer and before a rotation process of rotating the rotating member, a state of the workpiece subjected to the installation process;
- and
- a conveyance apparatus arranged on a side of the centrifugal separator and comprising a conveyance mechanism configured to convey a sample holder along a predetermined conveyance path, the sample holder being configured to hold the workpiece in an upright orientation,
- wherein the transfer mechanism is configured to grasp the workpiece held by the sample holder in the predetermined conveyance path and install the workpiece into the retainer in the centrifugal separator.
4 more elements
A centrifugal separation method comprising:
- grasping a workpiece held by a sample holder in a predetermined conveyance path of a conveyance apparatus, the workpiece being a sample container containing a sample, the sample holder being configured to hold the workpiece in an upright orientation, the conveyance apparatus being arranged on a side of a centrifugal separator and comprising a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the sample holder along the predetermined conveyance path;
- installing the workpiece into a retainer provided at a rotating member in the centrifugal separator;
- acquiring an image of an installation position at which the workpiece has been installed, from above the installation position;
- detecting a state of the workpiece based on the image;
- and
- controlling an operation with the rotating member based on the state of the workpiece.
3 more elements
A centrifugal separation apparatus comprising:
- a centrifugal separator comprising a bucket and a rotary frame the bucket adapted to retain a workpiece comprising a sample container containing a sample, the rotary frame attached to the bucket and configured to rotate;
- a camera comprising an image sensor configured to acquire a detection image of an installation position at which the bucket is placed;
- a sensor amplifier comprising processing circuitry configured to detect, based on the detection image acquired after an installation process of placing the workpiece into the bucket and before a rotation process of rotating the rotary frame a state of the workpiece subjected to the installation process;
- and
- comprising a sample container containing a sample;
- an imaging unit configured to acquire a detection image of an installation position at which the retainer is placed;
- a transfer mechanism configured to move the workpiece into the centrifugal separator;
- a sensor processing unit configured to detect, based on the detection image acquired after an installation process of placing the workpiece into the retainer and before a rotation process of rotating the rotary frame, a state of the workpiece subjected to the installation process;
- and
- a conveyance apparatus arranged on a side of the centrifugal separator and comprising a conveyance mechanism configured to convey a sample holder along a predetermined conveyance path, the sample holder being configured to hold the workpiece in an upright orientation,
- wherein the transfer mechanism is configured to grasp the workpiece held by the sample holder in the predetermined conveyance path and install the workpiece into the retainer in the centrifugal separator.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.