Laboratory sample container carrier handling apparatus and laboratory sample distribution system

Abstract

To eliminate the risk of tilting a sample container carrier entering or leaving a sample container carrier handling apparatus so as to significantly reduce the risk of sample spillage.SOLUTION: A laboratory sample container carrier handling apparatus is provided, comprising a revolving device adapted to move a sample container carrier supplied thereto along a circular path P having at least one ascending ramp. The present disclosure also relates to a laboratory sample distribution system comprising such a laboratory sample container carrier handling apparatus.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

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[0006]

[0001] The present invention relates to a laboratory sample container carrier handling device and a laboratory sample dispensing system.

Summary of the Invention

[0002] An object of the present invention is to provide a laboratory sample container carrier handling device and a laboratory sample dispensing system with improved reliability, for example.

[0003] The present invention relates to a laboratory sample container carrier handling device. The device is configured to be connected to a transport surface, particularly the transport surface of a laboratory sample dispensing system.

[0004] The laboratory sample container carrier handling device includes a rotating device configured to move a sample container carrier supplied to the rotating device along a segment of a circular path. The device includes a drive surface. The rotating device is configured to push a sample container carrier supplied to the rotating device along a segment from an inlet position to an outlet position on the drive surface. The drive surface has at least one upward slope along a segment from the inlet position to the outlet position.

[0005] In the laboratory sample container carrier handling device of the present invention, in order to lift the sample container carrier moving along the drive surface using the upward slope, the adaptation to the transport surface is improved, and the possibility that the sample container carrier entering and exiting the sample container carrier handling device tilts can be eliminated. In other words, since the sample container carrier can be prevented from moving stepwise upward between the transport surface and the drive surface, the possibility of sample spillage can be significantly reduced.

[0006] The transport surface can be a plane located adjacent to the laboratory sample container carrier handling device. It may also be the plane of a laboratory sample dispensing system. For the purpose of the laboratory sample container carrier handling device, the transport surface can be set as a reference altitude.

[0007] The inlet position may be the position where the sample container carrier can be received from the transport surface. The outlet position may be the position where the sample container carrier can be transferred to the transport surface. The drive surface may begin at a height below the transport surface at the inlet position. Furthermore, the drive surface may end at a height above the transport surface at the outlet position. In this way, since the sample container carrier only moves downward when passing through the boundary with the transport surface, impact to the sample container carrier, tilting of the sample container carrier, and spillage can be prevented.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the drive surface does not have an upward step along the segment from the inlet position to the outlet position. This prevents the sample container carrier from tilting as it moves along the drive surface.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the drive surface has a first horizontal section immediately adjacent to the inlet position. This can also be useful for adjusting the position of the sample container carrier obtained from the transport surface.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the drive surface has a second horizontal section immediately adjacent to the outlet position. This can also be useful for adjusting the position of the sample container carrier before it is discharged onto the transport surface.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the drive surface has a third horizontal portion which defines or is in a delivery position. This delivery position can be used to insert a sample container from an external device into a sample container carrier, or to release a sample container from a sample container carrier to be processed independently of the laboratory sample container carrier handling device.

[0012] The drive surface may further have a horizontal portion at locations where specific activities take place, such as pick-up stations, entrances, cameras, handover points, and exit points.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the drive surface has a first upward slope along the segment from the entrance position to the handover position.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the drive surface has a second upward slope along the segment from the handover position to the exit position. Such an upward slope allows the handover position to be at the same height as, or at least approximately the same height as, the transport surface. The upward slope may have, for example, an incline of 0.1 to 2 degrees.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the rotating device includes several (e.g., 5 to 20) indentation cavities. The indentation cavities are configured to receive the sample container carrier to be rotated and to push the received sample container carrier along the segments. Thus, each sample container carrier may have its own cavity for movement along the drive surface.

[0016] According to one embodiment, each indentation cavity includes two side walls. The side walls rotate around the rotation axis of the rotating device, and one side wall pushes the sample container carrier, which is in contact with the side wall, along the segment.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the side walls are in contact with each other along the axis of rotation of the rotating device. This may be the case for the side walls that are actually visible, or for the lines used to define the dimensions of the cavity.

[0018] The present invention further relates to a laboratory sample distribution system. The laboratory sample distribution system includes several sample container carriers, each configured to carry one or more sample containers, the sample containers containing the samples to be analyzed. The laboratory sample distribution system further includes a transport surface, which is configured to support the sample container carriers. The laboratory sample distribution system includes a drive means, which is configured to move the sample container carriers on the transport surface. The laboratory sample distribution system further includes a laboratory sample container carrier handling device as described above. All disclosed embodiments and modifications are applicable.

[0019] The laboratory sample distribution system of the present invention allows for the application of a laboratory sample container carrier handling device, for example, to determine a delivery position where the sample container or sample container carrier cannot be tilted.

[0020] A laboratory sample distribution system may include several sample container carriers. A sample container carrier is configured to carry one or more sample containers, which contain samples to be analyzed, such as bodily fluid samples, particularly blood samples. Sample container carriers may be embodied as disclosed, for example, in European Patent Application Publication No. 2908139 or European Patent Application Publication No. 3456415, or similarly to those sample container carriers. Sample containers are typically embodied as conventional laboratory sample tubes. Relevant technical literature has been referenced so far.

[0021] The transport surface and driving means may be embodied, for example, as disclosed in European Patent No. 2773968.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the transport surface is positioned immediately next to the drive surface. The drive means is configured to supply the sample container carrier to the rotating device and / or receive the sample container carrier from the rotating device. This allows for smooth exchange of the sample container carrier between the transport surface and the rotating device.

[0023] According to one embodiment, a seal is provided laterally between the transport surface and the drive surface. The seal can, for example, prevent fluid from flowing through a path between the transport surface and the drive surface.

[0024] The seal may have an inlet surface located between the transport surface and the inlet position. At the inlet position, the height of the inlet surface is between the height of the transport surface and the height of the drive surface. The seal may also have an outlet surface located between the transport surface and the outlet position. At the outlet position, the height of the outlet surface is between the height of the transport surface and the height of the drive surface. Such embodiments of the seal can prevent the sample container from tilting when moving from the transport surface to the drive surface and when moving away from the drive surface to the transport surface.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the sample container carrier includes at least one magnetically active device, preferably at least one permanent magnet. The drive means comprises a plurality of electromagnetic actuators. The electromagnetic actuators are statically arranged in rows and columns below the transport surface and are configured to apply a magnetic force to the sample container carrier. This may enable smooth and flexible driving of the sample container carrier.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the laboratory sample distribution system further includes a gripping device. The gripping device is configured to insert a sample container into the sample container carrier positioned at the delivery position and / or remove the sample container from the sample container carrier positioned at the delivery position. The delivery position is located on the segment.

[0027] Such a gripping device can release the sample container or place the sample container on the sample container carrier. Therefore, the exchange of the sample container between the laboratory sample distribution system and other entities is made more efficient.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the drive surface has a height lower than that of the transport surface at the inlet position. Specifically, at the inlet position, the drive surface may be 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm below the transport surface.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the drive surface has a height higher than that of the transport surface at the outlet position. Specifically, at the outlet position, the drive surface may be 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm above the transport surface. These numerical values have been found to be suitable in typical applications.

[0030] Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031] [Figure 1] It is a schematic top view of a laboratory sample distribution system including a laboratory sample container carrier handling device. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of the drive surface. [Figure 3] This diagram schematically shows the change in the height of the drive surface along the circular path. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0032] Figure 1 schematically shows a top view of the laboratory sample distribution system 100. The laboratory sample distribution system 100 includes a plurality of sample container carriers 3, each of which is configured to carry one sample container 16, and the sample container 16 contains the sample 17 to be analyzed.

[0033] The laboratory sample distribution system 100 further includes a flat transport surface 18, which is configured to support the sample container carrier 3. In other words, the sample container carrier 3 is placed on the transport surface 18.

[0034] The laboratory sample distribution system 100 further includes drive means 19 in the form of electromagnetic actuators arranged in rows and columns below the transport surface 18, the electromagnetic actuators 19 configured to move the sample container carrier 3 on the transport surface 18 by applying a magnetic force to a magnetically active device 20 in the form of a permanent magnet located at the bottom of the sample container carrier 3.

[0035] The laboratory sample distribution system 100 further includes a laboratory sample container carrier handling device 1 positioned adjacent to the transport surface 18.

[0036] The laboratory sample container carrier handling device 1 includes a rotating device 2. The rotating device 2 is configured to move the sample container carrier 3 supplied to the rotating device 2 along a circular path P away from the transport surface 18.

[0037] The laboratory sample container carrier handling device 1 further includes a drive surface 5. The rotating device 2 is configured to push the sample container carrier 3, which is supplied to the rotating device 2, along a circular path P on the drive surface 5. More specifically, the sample container carrier 3 moves along a segment S of the path P. Typically, the entire circular path P is not used for the movement of the sample container carrier 3.

[0038] The sample container carrier 3 is moved from the transport surface 18 onto the drive surface 5 at an arbitrary inlet position En. After moving along the circular path P or along the segment S, the sample container carrier 3 is released at the outlet position Ex. A seal 30 is provided between the drive surface 5 and the transport surface 18. The seal 30 prevents fluid from flowing through the gap between the transport surface 18 and the drive surface 5.

[0039] The seal 30 includes an inlet surface 31 and an outlet surface 32. The inlet surface 31 and the outlet surface 32 are located on the left and right sides of the seal 30 according to the orientation in Figure 1, and this will be described in detail below.

[0040] The rotating device 2 comprises a plurality of indentation cavities 21 configured to receive a sample container carrier 3 to be rotated. Each indentation cavity 21 includes two radially extending side walls 8, which rotate around the rotation axis 9 of the rotating device 2. The side walls 8 press the sample container carrier 3, which is in contact with the side walls 8, along a circular path P. The rotating device 2 comprises a total of nine indentation cavities 21. As shown in the figure, the shape of each indentation cavity 21 is semicircular.

[0041] The rotating device 2 includes a fixed cylindrical outer wall 26, and the side walls 8 rotate inside the outer wall 26. The cylindrical outer wall 26 guides the rotating sample container carrier 3 radially along a circular path P.

[0042] The laboratory sample distribution system 100 further includes a gripping device 22 assigned to a rotating device 2. The gripping device 22 is configured to remove a sample container 16 from a sample container carrier 3 located at a delivery position 23 situated on a circular path P. The removed sample container 1 can be transported for any further processing. The gripping device 22 may also be used to insert the sample container 16 into an empty sample container carrier 6 located at the delivery position 23.

[0043] Figure 2 shows the drive surface 5 in more detail. At the inlet position En, there is a first horizontal section HP1 where the sample container carrier is received from the transport surface 18. Immediately next to the first horizontal section HP1 is a first upward incline R1, where the height of the drive surface 5 rises to the handover position 23. At the handover position 23 is a third horizontal section HP3. After that, the drive surface 5 has a second upward incline R2. The second upward incline R2 is directed towards the second horizontal section HP2 at the exit position Ex. Thus, in each section, the drive surface 5 is either horizontal or rising along the direction of movement of the sample container carrier 3. This prevents tilting of the sample container carrier 3, thus ensuring smooth operation.

[0044] The height profile of the drive surface 5 is further shown in Figure 3. The sample container carrier 3, including the sample container 16, is first transported along the transport surface 18. Before entering the drive surface 5, it first passes through the inlet surface 31 of the seal 30. The inlet surface 31 is slightly below the transport surface 18. It then enters the inlet position En of the drive surface 5 and moves over the first horizontal section HP1. Next, it ascends the first upward incline R1 toward the delivery position 23, which includes the third horizontal section HP3. Here the sample container 16 may be removed or inserted. It then moves along the second upward incline R2 toward the second horizontal section HP2 at the exit position Ex. Next, it moves downward to the exit surface 32 of the seal 30 and further downward to the transport surface 18. Here it may be transported along the transport surface 18 to another body.

[0045] This configuration ensures that the sample container carrier 3 can move horizontally, along a smooth upward slope, or along a lower step. An upward step could potentially tilt the sample container carrier 3, but there are no such upward steps in the transport path of the sample container carrier 3.

Claims

1. A laboratory sample container carrier handling device (1) configured to be coupled to a transport surface (18), said laboratory sample container carrier handling device (1) comprising: - a rotation device (2) configured to move a sample vessel carrier (3) provided on said rotation device (2) along a segment (S) of a circular path (P); a drive surface (5), the rotation device (2) being configured to push the sample vessel carrier (3) fed to the rotation device (2) on the drive surface (5) along the segment (S) from an entry position (En) to an exit position (Ex); Including, A laboratory sample container carrier handling device (1), wherein said drive surface (5) has at least one upward incline (R1, R2) along said segment (S) from said entrance position (En) to said exit position (Ex).

2. 2. The laboratory sample container carrier handling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive surface (5) has no upward step along the segment (S) from the entrance position (En) to the exit position (Ex).

3. said drive surface (5) having a first horizontal portion (HP1) immediately adjacent said inlet position (En); and / or 2. The laboratory sample container carrier handling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive surface (5) has a second horizontal part (HP2) immediately adjacent to the exit position (Ex).

4. 2. The laboratory sample container carrier handling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive surface (5) has a third horizontal part (HP3) which defines a transfer position (23).

5. said drive surface (5) having a first upward slope (R1) along said segment (S) from said entry position (En) to said transfer position (23), and / or 5. The laboratory sample container carrier handling device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the drive surface (5) has a second upward slope (R2) along the segment (S) from the transfer position (23) to the exit position (Ex).

6. 2. The laboratory sample container carrier handling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotation device (2) comprises several push-in cavities (21), which are configured to receive a sample container carrier (3) to be rotated and to push the received sample container carrier (3) along the segment (S).

7. 7. The laboratory sample container carrier handling device (1) of claim 6, characterized in that each of the pushing cavities (21) has two side walls (8), which rotate around the rotation axis (9) of the rotation device (2), and one side wall (8) pushes a sample container carrier (3) in contact with said one side wall (8) along said segment (S).

8. A laboratory sample distribution system (100), comprising: - several sample vessel carriers (3) configured to carry one or more sample vessels (16), said sample vessels (16) containing samples (17) to be analysed; a transport surface (18) configured to support said sample vessel carrier (3); - a driving means (19) configured to move the sample vessel carrier (3) on the transport surface (18); A laboratory sample container carrier handling device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A laboratory sample distribution system (100).

9. 9. A laboratory sample distribution system (100) as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the transport surface (18) is arranged adjacent to the drive surface (5) and the drive means (19) is configured to supply a sample container carrier (3) to the rotating device (2) and / or to receive a sample container carrier (3) from the rotating device (2).

10. 9. The laboratory sample distribution system (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that a seal (30) is provided between the transport surface (18) and the drive surface (5).

11. the seal (30) has an inlet face (31) located between the transport surface (18) and the inlet position (En), the height of the inlet face (31) being between the height of the transport surface (18) and the height of the drive surface (5) at the inlet position (En); and / or 11. The laboratory sample distribution system (100) of claim 10, characterized in that the seal (30) has an outlet surface (32) located between the transport surface (18) and the outlet position (Ex), and in that at the outlet position (Ex), the height of the outlet surface (32) is between the height of the transport surface (18) and the height of the drive surface (5).

12. said sample vessel carrier (3) comprising at least one magnetically active device (20); 9. The laboratory sample distribution system (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that the drive means comprises several electromagnetic actuators (19) statically arranged in rows and columns below the transport surface (18), the electromagnetic actuators (19) being configured to apply a magnetic force to the sample container carriers (3).

13. A laboratory sample distribution system (100) as described in claim 12, wherein the at least one magnetically active device (20) is at least one permanent magnet.

14. 9. The laboratory sample distribution system (100) of claim 8, further comprising a gripping device (22) configured to insert a sample container (16) into a sample container carrier (3) positioned at a transfer position (23) and / or to remove a sample container (16) from a sample container carrier (3) positioned at the transfer position (23), characterized in that the transfer position (23) is located on the segment (S).

15. At the inlet position (En), the height of the drive surface (5) is 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm lower than the transport surface (18); and / or 9. Laboratory sample distribution system (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that in the exit position (Ex), the drive surface (5) is 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm higher than the transport surface (18).

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