SAMPLE HEATING DEVICE

Abstract

A sample heating device includes: a rail-shaped disposal rail extending in one direction in a horizontal plane so that sample boats after heating are arranged and placed in a straight line; a disposal tray that houses the sample boat pushed-out from one end of the disposal rail; a sample boat conveying portion that places the sample boat after the heating at a predetermined placing position on the disposal rail; and a sample boat push-out portion that is positioned closer to the other end side of the disposal rail than the placing position when the sample boat is placed on the disposal rail and that is displaced toward the one end side of the disposal rail after the sample boat is placed at the placing position to slide the sample boats on the disposal rail toward the one end side.

Claims

1. A sample heating device comprising: a heating furnace that includes a space for housing a sample boat holding a sample to be heated and heats the sample held in the sample boat inserted into the space; a rail-shaped disposal rail extending in one direction in a horizontal plane so that sample boats after heating in the heating furnace are arranged and placed in a straight line; a disposal tray that is provided on one end side of the disposal rail and houses the sample boat pushed-out from one end of the disposal rail; a sample boat conveying portion that holds the sample boat after the heating in the heating furnace and places the sample boat at a placing position set at a position on the disposal rail at a distance longer than or equal to a length of the sample boat from the one end; and a sample boat push-out portion that is positioned closer to the other end side of the disposal rail than the placing position when the sample boat is placed on the disposal rail by the sample boat conveying portion and that is displaced on the disposal rail toward the one end side of the disposal rail after the sample boat is placed at the placing position to thereby slide the sample boats on the disposal rail toward the one end side.

2. The sample heating device according to claim 1 further comprising a moving mechanism that moves the disposal rail in the one direction, wherein a position of the sample boat push-out portion is fixed and the sample boat push-out portion is displaced on the disposal rail as a result of movement of the disposal rail in the one direction by the moving mechanism.

3. The sample heating device according to claim 2, wherein the moving mechanism is formed to move the disposal rail in the one direction between a position for placement where the placing position is positioned closer to the one end side of the disposal rail than the sample boat push-out portion and a position for disposal where the placing position is positioned closer to the other end side of the disposal rail than the sample boat push-out portion.

4. The sample heating device according to claim 3, wherein the sample boat conveying portion is formed to place the sample boat after the heating in the heating furnace when the disposal rail comes to the position for placement.

5. The sample heating device according to claim 4, wherein the position for disposal is reached when the disposal rail moves by a distance corresponding to one sample boat toward the other end side of the disposal rail from a position where the sample boat push-out portion comes in contact with the sample boat for the first time after the sample boat is placed at the placing position.

6. The sample heating device according to claim 2 further comprising a sample boat rack on which the sample boat before the heating in the heating furnace is placed, wherein the sample boat rack is formed to be moved in the one direction together with the disposal rail by the moving mechanism.

7. The sample heating device according to claim 1, wherein identification information that remains recognizable after the heating in the heating furnace is attached to an outer face of the sample boat.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing a structure of an embodiment of a sample heating device;

[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a sliding table of the embodiment;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing a control system of the embodiment;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which the sliding table of the embodiment has moved to a position for placement;

[0020] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a state in which the sliding table of the embodiment is on its way back to a position for disposal;

[0021] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a state in which the sliding table of the embodiment has returned to the position for disposal;

[0022] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation of the sample heating device of the embodiment; and

[0023] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an example of a sample boat handled in the sample heating device of the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] An embodiment of a sample heating device will be described below by using the drawings.

[0025] First, a structure of the sample heating device in the embodiment will be described.

[0026] In the embodiment, the sample boat is provided with a reference sign, 16, while a yet-to be-heat-treated sample boat 16 before heating treatment in a heating furnace 4 is described as sample boat 16a, and a heat-treated sample boat 16 after the heat treatment in the heating furnace 4 is described as sample boat 16b.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, the sample heating device 2 of the embodiment is mainly formed by the heating furnace 4, a mounting port 6, a sample moving bar 8, a sample boat rack 12, a disposal tray 22, and a sample boat conveying portion 24. The sample boat rack 12 is a rack on which a plurality of sample boats 16a holding samples to be analyzed are arranged and placed. In the sample heating device 2 of the embodiment, the sample boat conveying portion 24 conveys the sample boat 16a placed on the sample boat rack 12 to the mounting port 6, and then, the sample moving bar 8 is driven to thereby introduce the sample boat 16a into the heating furnace 4. The heating treatment of the sample boat 16a is performed in the heating furnace 4, component gas to be measured that is generated in the heating treatment is led to an analytical instrument (not shown) communicating with the heating furnace 4, and the sample is analyzed.

[0028] The heating furnace 4 has within itself a space for housing the sample boat 16a and performs the heating treatment for the sample boat 16a by increasing a temperature in the space by use of a heater (not shown). The mounting port 6 is provided at a position away from the heating furnace 4 and communicates with the space inside the heating furnace 4. The sample moving bar 8 is formed to move in one direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1) in a horizontal plane, and a tip end side (right side in FIG. 1) of the sample moving bar 8 is provided in the mounting port 6. A holding portion 10 for holding the sample boat is provided to a tip end of the sample moving bar 8. The sample boat 16a is rested on the holding portion 10 at the tip end of the sample moving bar 8, and then, the sample boat 16a held by the holding portion 10 is introduced into the heating furnace 4 by movement of the sample moving bar 8 toward the heating furnace 4.

[0029] The sample boat rack 12 is provided beside the heating furnace 4 and the mounting port 6. The sample boat rack 12 is formed to move in one direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1) in the horizontal plane on a base 18.

[0030] The sample boat rack 12 will be described by using FIG. 2 together with FIG. 1. The sample boat rack 12 includes a disposal rail 14, in addition to an area where the yet-to-be-heat-treated sample boats 16a are placed, for arranging and placing the heat-treated sample boats 16b in a straight line in a direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1) along a moving direction of the sample boat rack 12.

[0031] The disposal tray 22 is provided on one end side (left side in FIG. 1) of the disposal rail 14. The disposal tray 22 is a container for retrieving the sample boats 16b pushed out from one end of the disposal rail 14. In the sample heating device 2 of the embodiment, the heat-treated sample boats 16b are temporarily placed on the disposal rail 14 and then disposed of from the one end of the disposal rail 14 into the disposal tray 22 in sequence.

[0032] To achieve the operation for disposing of the sample boats 16b from the one end of the disposal rail 14 into the disposal tray 22 in sequence, a sample boat push-out portion 20 extending from a side of the sample boat rack 12 close to the disposal rail 14 so as to cross the disposal rail 14 is provided. The sample boat push-out portion 20 is formed by, for example, a plate-shaped member made of metal. The sample boat push-out portion 20 is attached to the base 18 and a position of the sample boat push-out portion 20 is fixed. The sample boat push-out portion 20 is provided at such a height as to interfere with the sample boat 16b placed on the disposal rail 14 and pushes out the sample boats 16b toward the one end side of the disposal rail 14 as the sample boat rack 12 moves from the one end side to the other end side (from the left side to the right side in FIG. 1).

[0033] As positions of the sample boat rack 12 (disposal rail 14), a position for placement that is for placing the heat-treated sample boat 16b on the disposal rail 14 and a position for disposal that is for pushing out the sample boats 16b placed on the disposal rail 14 toward the one end side of the disposal rail 14 are set. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the sample boat rack 12 has moved to the position for placement and FIG. 6 shows a state in which the sample boat rack 12 has moved to the position for disposal.

[0034] In the sample heating device 2 of the embodiment, the most recently heat-treated sample boat 16b is placed on a position on the disposal rail 14 that closest to the other end side (right side in FIG. 4). In other words, the placing position for placing the heat-treated sample boat 16b is set at the closest position of the disposal rail 14 to the other end side. Therefore, when the sample boat conveying portion 24 places the heat-treated sample boat 16b on the disposal rail 14, the sample boat rack 12 is positioned so that the position of the disposal rail 14 closest to the other end side comes to a position under a moving path of the sample boat conveying portion 24. The position of the sample boat rack 12 at this time is the position for placement shown in FIG. 4.

[0035] After the sample boat 16b is placed at the placing position on the disposal rail 14 with the sample boat rack 12 having moved to the position for placement in FIG. 4, the sample boat rack 12 moves to the position for disposal in FIG. 6. The position for disposal is reached when the sample boat rack 12 moves toward the other end side and further moves by a distance corresponding to one sample boat 16b toward the other end side after the sample boat push-out portion 20 comes in contact with the sample boat 16b for the first time.

[0036] In the process of movement of the sample boat rack 12 from the position for placement in FIG. 4 to the position for disposal in FIG. 6, the sample boats 16b on the disposal rail 14 are slid toward the one end side of the disposal rail 14 as shown in FIG. 5. This operation creates a placing space corresponding to one sample boat 16b at the position on the disposal rail 14 closest to the other end side (placing position), and a new heat-treated sample boat 16b can be placed in the space when the sample boat rack 12 moves to the position for placement next time. By repeating the operation, the heat-treated sample boats 16b are sequentially arranged and placed in the straight line on the disposal rail 14.

[0037] In the embodiment, the disposal rail 14 has such a length that the six sample boats 16b are placed on the disposal rail 14 when the sample boat rack 12 comes to the position for disposal in FIG. 6. If the new sample boat 16b is placed on the disposal rail 14 when the six sample boats 16b are placed on the disposal rail 14, the sample boat 16b closest to the one end side (left side in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6) of the disposal rail 14 is pushed out from the one end of the disposal rail 14 and falls into the disposal tray 22 in the process of movement of the sample boat rack 12 from the position for placement shown in FIG. 4 to the position for disposal in FIG. 6.

[0038] On this principle, the heat-treated sample boat 16b is temporarily placed on the disposal rail 14 so that a user can easily check the heat-treated sample boat 16b. When the heat-treated sample boat 16b comes to the position on the disposal rail 14 closest to the one end side, the sample boat 16b is automatically disposed of into the disposal tray 22 as the sample boat rack 12 moves.

[0039] Although the disposal rail 14 preferably has such a length that the plurality of sample boats 16b are placed on the disposal rail 14 when the sample boat rack 12 has moved to the position for disposal (see FIG. 6), the number of sample boats 16b that can be placed on the disposal rail 14 may be any number.

[0040] Although the sample boats 16b on the disposal rail 14 are disposed of one by one into the disposal tray 22 in the above description, two or more sample boats 16b may be disposed of into the disposal tray 22 at the same time.

[0041] Here, the sample boat 16b after falling into the disposal tray 22 needs to be checked in some cases. In this case, if many sample boats 16b are in the disposal tray 22, it is difficult to identify the sample boat 16b that the user wants to check. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, identification information for identifying each sample boat 16 is attached to an outer face of the sample boat 16. Although an individual number is attached as the identification information in the embodiment, any identification information based on which each sample boat 16b can be identified may be employed. Because the sample boat 16 is heated at a high temperature in the heating furnace 4, it is important for the identification information not to lose its function as the identification information even after the heating in the heating furnace 4. Therefore, in attaching the number or the like to the outer face of the sample boat 16 as shown in FIG. 8, inorganic ink and the like which does not vaporize and disappear even after the heating at the high temperature may be used.

[0042] Referring back to FIG. 1, the description of the structure of the sample heating device 2 will be continued. The sample boat conveying portion 24 is provided to move along a guide rail 26 extending in the horizontal direction orthogonal to a moving direction of the sample boat rack 12 above the mounting port 6 and sample boat rack 12. The sample boat conveying portion 24 includes a handler (not shown) for holding the sample boat 16 (16a or 16b) and can drive the handler in a vertical direction.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3, an operation of the sample boat conveying portion 24, an operation of a sample boat rack drive mechanism 30 (moving mechanism) that drives the sample boat rack 12, and an operation of a sample moving bar drive mechanism 32 that drives the sample moving bar 8 are controlled by a common control section 28. The control section 28 can be implemented by a dedicated computer provided to the sample heating device 2 or a general-purpose personal computer electrically connected to the sample heating device 2.

[0044] An example of the operation of the sample heating device 2 of the embodiment will be described by using FIGS. 4 to 6 together with a flowchart in FIG. 7.

[0045] First, to mount the yet-to-be-heat-treated sample boat 16a to the mounting port 6, the sample boat rack 12 is moved so that the target sample boat 16a comes to a position under the moving path of the sample boat conveying portion 24, and the sample boat conveying portion 24 holds the target sample boat 16a and conveys the sample boat 16a to the mounting port 6. At this time, the holding portion 10 at the tip end of the sample moving bar 8 is placed at the mounting port 6.

[0046] After the sample boat 16a is rested on the holding portion 10 at the mounting port 6, the sample moving bar 8 is moved toward the heating furnace 4 to introduce the sample boat 16a into the heating furnace 4, and the heating treatment for the sample boat 16a is performed. After the heating treatment is finished, the sample moving bar 8 is moved toward the mounting port 6 to put the heat-treated sample boat 16b on standby for a certain period of time at a position outside the heating furnace 4 to thereby cool the sample boat 16b.

[0047] After the cooling of the heat-treated sample boat 16b is finished, the sample boat rack 12 is moved to the position for placement (see FIG. 4), and the sample boat 16b is placed at the placing position on the disposal rail 14. Then, the sample boat rack 12 is moved to the position for disposal (see FIG. 6). The above-described operation is performed for every yet-to-be-heat-treated sample boat 16a placed on the sample boat rack 12.

[0048] The sample boat rack 12 (disposal rail 14) is formed to move in the one direction in the horizontal plane, and the position of the sample boat push-out portion 20 is fixed in the above-described embodiment. Alternatively, a position of a sample boat rack 12 may be fixed, and a sample boat push-out portion 20 may be formed to move in one direction. In short, it is essential only that the disposal rail 14 and the sample boat push-out portion 20 be formed to move in one direction in the horizontal plane with respect to each other.