Container storage device, container unloading method, and analysis system

Abstract

A container storage device (1) comprises: a buffer (21) on which a rack (23) capable of accommodating a first container (22) and a second container (22) is placed; a transfer mechanism (3) for placing the containers in the rack (23); and a control unit (101). The control unit (101) includes a receiving unit (102) for receiving a dispensing instruction for the first container (22) and the second container (22) from an analysis device (11), and performs control to: place the first container (22) in the rack (23) on the basis of the received dispensing instruction for the first container (22); check whether a certain period of time has elapsed since the receiving unit (102) received the dispensing instruction for the first container (22); if the dispensing instruction for the second container (22) is received before the certain period of time has elapsed, additionally place the second container (22) in the rack (23) at the timing at which the dispensing instruction for the second container (22) was received, and dispense the rack (23), in which the first container (22) and the second container (22) have been placed, to the analysis device (11); and if the dispensing instruction for the second container (22) has not been received even when the certain period of time has elapsed, dispense the rack (23), in which the first container (22) has been placed, to the analysis device (11).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a container storage device, a container unloading method, and an analysis system.

Background Art

[0002] A container storage device is a device composed of a specimen storage unit and a specimen rack transport unit, and has a function of keeping specimens cold in specimen containers and an automatic transport function to an automatic analyzer. The container storage device receives measurement request information from the connected automatic analyzer, places the measurement target specimen from the specimen cold storage into a transport rack, and automatically transports it to the automatic analyzer via the specimen rack transport unit.

[0003] Conventionally, these operations have been manually performed by the user, and the user has supplied specimens while taking timing into account so as not to affect the processing capacity of the automatic analyzer.

[0004] That is, even when automatic transport is used instead of manual operation, the container storage device needs to be such that it does not affect the processing capacity of the automatic analyzer.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-48215 describes automation of transferring a specimen from a tray storing the specimen to a specimen transport line and transporting it to a processing unit or an automatic analyzer when receiving specimen removal instruction information in communication between an inspection room information system and an operation unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] When using a container storage device to automatically transport samples for measurement by placing them on racks, it is necessary to ensure that the processing capacity of the automated analyzer is not reduced.

[0008] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 only mentions a method for efficiently removing samples once they have been stored, and depending on how the samples are placed on the rack, it may reduce the processing capacity of the automated analyzer.

[0009] For example, if samples are transported frequently, the efficiency of rack utilization decreases, congestion occurs within the automated analyzer, and processing capacity is reduced. Conversely, if samples requested for measurement are transported infrequently, obtaining the measurement results for those samples will be significantly delayed.

[0010] Patent Document 1 automates the transfer and transport of samples, but it does not consider the reduction in the processing capacity of the automated analyzer or the delay in sample measurement results due to the frequency of sample transport.

[0011] The objective of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a container storage device, a sample container transport method, and an analysis system that efficiently transport samples while reducing the decrease in processing capacity of connected automated analyzers and the delay in measurement results of samples requested for measurement. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] To achieve the above objective, the present invention is configured as follows.

[0013] In a container storage device connected to an analytical device that performs analysis of a sample, and which handles the loading and unloading of containers containing liquids between the device and the analytical device, A refrigerator for storing containers containing the liquid, and a plurality of containers containing the liquid. capacity The vessel Detain It is possible A buffer on which the rack is placed, A transfer mechanism for transferring the containers stored in the aforementioned cold storage unit to the racks transported from the buffer, From the aforementioned analytical device The container It has a receiving unit that receives a removal order, and the receiving unit The first 1. Check whether a certain amount of time has elapsed since receiving the order to remove the container, and if the said certain amount of time has elapsed niWhen receiving the unloading instruction of the second container, at the timing of receiving the unloading instruction of the second container, unload the rack on which the first container and the second container are placed to the analyzer; when the unloading instruction of the second container is not received even after the lapse of the fixed time, The first container is placed on the rack, the first container only a control unit that controls to unload the rack on which the first container is placed to the analyzer.

[0014] Also, The system comprises a refrigerator for storing containers containing liquid, a buffer on which a rack capable of accommodating multiple such containers containing liquid is placed, and a transfer mechanism for transferring the containers stored in the refrigerator from the buffer to the rack that has been transported there. connected to an analyzer for analyzing a specimen, and for loading and unloading a container containing a liquid between the analyzer and the container. Container storage device In a container unloading method, receiving an unloading instruction of a first container from the analyzer, checking whether or not a fixed time has elapsed since receiving the unloading instruction of the first container, and if receiving an unloading instruction of a second container before the lapse of the fixed time, at the timing of receiving the unloading instruction of the second container, The aforementioned unload the rack on which the first container and the second container are placed to the analyzer; when the unloading instruction of second container is not received even after the lapse of the fixed time, The first container is placed on the rack, the first container[[ID=十七]] only unload the rack on which the first container is placed to the analyzer.

[0015] Also, the analysis system includes the container storage device and The aforementioned an analyzer for analyzing a specimen.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a container storage device, a specimen container transport method, and an analysis system that reduce a decrease in processing capacity of a connected automatic analyzer and a delay in measurement results of a measurement-requested specimen, and efficiently transport the specimen.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [[ID=十七]] [Figure 1] A configuration diagram showing an example of a container storage device connected to an analyzer. [Figure 2A] A plan view of a rack used in FIG. 1 and a specimen container placed thereon. [Figure 2B]Plan view of the rack used in FIG. 1 and the specimen container to be placed thereon. [Figure 3] Conceptual diagram for determining the timing of specimen extraction in the present invention. [Figure 4] Flowchart showing the determination process for container extraction. [Figure 5] Functional block diagram of the control unit.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

[0019] In the following embodiments, it is needless to say that the components (including element steps, etc.) are not necessarily essential except in cases where they are particularly specified and in cases where they are considered clearly essential in principle.

Examples

[0020] Using FIG. 1, the container storage device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the container storage device 1 connected to the analyzer 11. In FIG. 1, the main components of the container storage device 1 are a cold storage 2 capable of storing a specimen container 22 containing liquid (see FIGS. 2A and 2B), a transfer mechanism 3 for placing the specimen container 22 between the rack 23 (see FIGS. 2A and 2B) and the cold storage 2, a buffer 21 for placing and storing empty racks 23, a transport line 12 for connecting to the analyzer 11, and a control unit 101 for managing the operation of the container storage device 1.

[0022] The transport line 12 transports the rack 23 between the buffer 21 and the position where the transfer mechanism 3 places the specimen container 22.

[0023] In Figure 1, the receiving unit 102 of the control unit 101 receives a command from the analyzer 11 to remove the sample container 22. Based on the received command, the control unit 101 retrieves the sample container 22 from the refrigerator 2, places it on an empty rack 23 that has been transported from the buffer 21 to a placement position (transfer line), and can then transport it to the analyzer 11 using the transport line 12.

[0024] The container storage device 1 can transport the sample containers 22, which have been transported from the analyzer 11 via the transport line 12 and placed on racks 23, to a position where the transfer mechanism 3 will transfer the sample containers 22, and store the sample containers 22 placed on racks 23 in the refrigerator 2.

[0025] Note that the position where the sample container 22 is placed may be the same as the position where the buffer 21 is placed.

[0026] Figure 2A is a side view of an example of a sample container 22 containing liquid stored by the container storage device 1 and a rack 23 for placing and transporting the sample container 22, and Figure 2B is a top view of an example of a sample container 22 and rack 23.

[0027] In Figures 2A and 2B, the number of sample containers 22 that can be placed on one rack 23 is set to 5, but the number of containers that can be placed does not necessarily have to be 5; it may be possible to place any number of N containers.

[0028] Figure 3 is a conceptual diagram showing how to determine the timing of sample removal in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] One possible method for transporting multiple sample containers 22 together is to wait for a certain period of time (for example, 1 hour) and then process the transport commands received by the receiving unit 102 during that time.

[0030] In one embodiment of the present invention, for example, if five sample containers 22 can be placed on one rack 23, the specified time is divided into five sections, and a certain waiting time (12 minutes in this case) is set for each discharge command.

[0031] By doing so, the waiting time for placing a sample container 22 on a single rack 23 remains the same, while reducing the waiting time for waiting when there are no removal orders, especially when the number of removal orders is small.

[0032] The example shown in Figure 3 illustrates two cases: one where, after an order to remove the first sample container 22 (measurement request) is received, no further measurement requests are received within a certain waiting period; and another where, after an order to remove the first sample container 22 (first container) (measurement request (request for removal of additional containers)) is received, a further measurement request is received within a certain waiting period, and then subsequent measurement requests are received one after another, with continuous measurement requests within a certain waiting period until the sample container 22 reaches its fifth container.

[0033] If no further measurement requests are received within a certain waiting period, the racks 23 are transported with one sample container 22 (first container) in each rack, two sample containers 22 (first and second containers) in each rack, three sample containers 22 (first, second, and third containers) in each rack, or four sample containers 22 (first, second, third, and fourth containers) in each rack.

[0034] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the process by which the control unit 101 determines whether to remove the sample container 22 based on the removal command received by the receiving unit 102.

[0035] In this embodiment, we will explain assuming the use of a rack capable of holding five sample containers 22.

[0036] When the flow starts (step S1), the receiving unit 102 checks whether it has received a new command to remove a sample container 22 (step S2). If a new command to remove a sample container is received, it checks which number command it is (step S3). In step S3, if it is the 5th command, the sample container 22 specified in the command to remove is placed on the rack 23 and transported to the analyzer 11 (S6).

[0037] In step S3, if it is not the fifth item, the time measurement from the time a new removal order was received begins (step S4). In step S2, if no new removal order was received, it is checked whether time measurement is in progress and whether a certain amount of time (e.g., 12 minutes) has elapsed (step S5).

[0038] In step S5, if time measurement is in progress and a certain amount of time has elapsed, the sample container 22 specified by the removal command is placed on the rack 23 and transported to the analyzer 11 (step S6). In step S5, if time measurement is not being performed or a certain amount of time has not elapsed, the sample container 22 is not removed.

[0039] This fixed time may be fixed regardless of the number of received shipment orders, or it may be variable depending on the number of shipment orders. Furthermore, this fixed time may be changed according to the operating rate of the analysis device 11 at the destination. If the operating rate is lower than a predetermined rate, the fixed time is shortened to allow many samples to be transported to the analysis device 11 in a short time. Alternatively, the fixed time may be changed by combining the number of shipment orders and the operating rate of the analysis device 11.

[0040] In this way, by making the removal of sample containers 22 variable, the number of racks 23 transported to the analyzer 11 can be limited, allowing for efficient transport of sample containers 22 and suppressing a decrease in the processing capacity of the analyzer 11.

[0041] Figure 5 is an internal functional block diagram of the control unit 101.

[0042] In Figure 5, the control unit 101 includes a receiving unit 102 that receives a transport command for sample containers 22 from the analyzer 11, a quantity determination unit 103 that determines the number of sample containers 22 based on the transport command received by the receiving unit 102, a time measurement unit 104 that measures the time from the timing of receiving a new transport command, and a container placement transport command unit 105 that commands the transfer mechanism 3 to place the containers and commands the transport line 12 to transport the rack 23 to the analyzer 11 based on a command from the quantity determination unit 103.

[0043] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a container storage device 1, a sample container transport method, and an analysis system (equipped with the container storage device 1 and the analysis device 11) that efficiently transport samples while reducing the decrease in processing capacity of the connected automated analyzer and the delay in the measurement results of the samples to be measured.

[0044] In the above-described example, the sample container 22 was used as an example container, but it may be a reagent container instead. Therefore, the sample container 22 contains the sample as a liquid, and the reagent container contains the reagent as a liquid.

[0045] Furthermore, the number of sample containers 22 that the rack 23 can store is not limited to the example described above; it can store any other number of sample containers 22.

[0046] In other words, rack 23 can store N sample containers 22 (where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1), and if a certain amount of time has elapsed since receiving a command from the receiving unit 102 to remove the (X-1) sample container 22 (where X is an integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to N), the control unit 101 will remove rack 23 containing the sample containers 22 up to the (X-1) sample container 22 to the analyzer 11 without placing the X sample container 22 on rack 23. In this case as well, the containers are not limited to sample containers 22, but may also be reagent containers. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1...Container storage device, 2...Refrigerated cabinet, 3...Transfer mechanism, 11...Analytical device, 12...Transfer line, 21...Buffer, 22...Sample container, 23...Rack, 101...Control unit, 102...Receiving unit, 103...Number determination unit, 104...Time measurement unit, 105...Container removal and transport command unit

Claims

1. In a container storage device connected to an analytical device that performs analysis of a sample, and which handles the loading and unloading of containers containing liquids between the device and the analytical device, A refrigerator for storing containers containing the aforementioned liquid, A buffer on which a rack capable of accommodating a plurality of the containers containing the liquid is placed, A transfer mechanism for transferring the containers stored in the aforementioned cold storage unit to the racks transported from the buffer, A control unit has a receiving unit that receives a command to remove the container from the analyzer, and checks whether a certain amount of time has elapsed since the receiving unit received the command to remove the first container, and if a command to remove the second container is received before the certain amount of time has elapsed, it controls the rack on which the first and second containers are placed to be removed to the analyzer at the time the command to remove the second container is received, and if a command to remove the second container is not received even after the certain amount of time has elapsed, it controls the rack on which the first container is placed to be placed and the rack on which only the first container is placed to be removed to the analyzer, A container storage device characterized by being equipped with the following features.

2. In the container storage device according to claim 1, The aforementioned rack can further accommodate a third container. The control unit, If the receiving unit does not receive a command to remove the second container even after a certain period of time has elapsed since it received a command to remove the first container, the rack on which the first container is placed will be removed to the analyzer without placing the second container on the rack. A container storage device characterized in that, if the receiving unit receives a command to remove the first container and then receives a command to remove the second container before a certain period of time has elapsed, and does not receive a command to remove the third container even after a certain period of time has elapsed since receiving the command to remove the second container, the rack on which the first and second containers are placed is removed to the analytical device without placing the third container on the rack.

3. In the container storage device according to claim 1, The rack can store N containers (where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1), The control unit, A container storage device characterized in that, if the receiving unit does not receive a command to remove the Xth container even after a certain period of time has elapsed since the receiving unit received a command to remove the (X-1)th container (where X is an integer between 2 and N), the device places the (X-1)th container on the rack, and without placing the Xth container on the rack, the rack on which the (X-1)th containers are placed is removed to the analyzer.

4. In the container storage device according to claim 1, The conveying line that transports the rack between the buffer and the transfer mechanism and the position on which the container is placed, A container storage device characterized by being equipped with the following features.

5. In the container storage device according to claim 1, A container storage device characterized in that the aforementioned fixed time is changed according to the operating rate of the analytical device.

6. In the container storage device according to claim 4, The control unit, The receiving unit, The receiving unit determines the number of containers according to the discharge order received by the receiving unit, A time measurement unit that measures the time from the moment the aforementioned removal order is received, A container placement and transport command unit commands the transfer mechanism to place containers based on a command from the number determination unit, and commands the transport line to transport the racks to the analyzer, A container storage device characterized by being equipped with the following features.

7. A container unloading method for a container storage device, comprising: a refrigerator for storing containers containing liquid; a buffer on which a rack capable of accommodating a plurality of the containers containing the liquid is placed; and a transfer mechanism for transferring the containers stored in the refrigerator from the buffer to the rack that has been transported, the device being connected to an analytical device for analyzing a sample, and for loading and unloading containers containing liquid between the device and the analytical device, Upon receiving a command to remove the first container from the aforementioned analytical device, Check whether a certain amount of time has elapsed since receiving the order to remove the first container. If a command to remove the second container is received before the aforementioned fixed time has elapsed, the rack on which the first and second containers are placed is removed to the analyzer at the time the command to remove the second container is received. If a command to remove the second container is not received even after the aforementioned fixed time has elapsed, the first container is placed on the rack, and the rack on which only the first container is placed is removed to the analyzer. A method for removing containers characterized by the following features.

8. In the container removal method described in claim 7, The aforementioned rack can further accommodate a third container. If a certain period of time has elapsed since the order to remove the first container was received, but no order to remove the second container has been received, the rack on which the first container is placed will be removed to the analyzer without placing the second container on the rack. A container removal method characterized in that, if a removal order for the second container is received before a certain period of time has elapsed after receiving a removal order for the first container, and if a removal order for the third container is not received even after a certain period of time has elapsed after receiving a removal order for the second container, the rack on which the first and second containers are placed is removed to the analytical apparatus without placing the third container on the rack.

9. In the container removal method described in claim 7, The rack can store N containers (where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1), A container removal method characterized in that, if a certain period of time has elapsed since receiving a removal order for the (X-1) container (where X is an integer between 2 and N), a removal order for the X container is not received, the containers up to the (X-1) container are placed on the rack, and the rack on which the containers up to the (X-1) container are placed is removed to the analyzer without placing the X container on the rack.

10. In the container removal method described in claim 7, A method for unloading containers, characterized in that the aforementioned fixed time is changed according to the operating rate of the analytical device.

11. The container storage device according to claim 1 or 3, The analytical device for analyzing the sample, An analysis system characterized by having the following features.

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