Specimen Container Rack Loading Priority for Faster Analyzer Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container storing devices complicate the transportation mechanism and increase the time required for specimen dispensing in automatic analyzers when specimens are mounted in freely-decided orders, leading to reduced measurement and operation efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A container storing device that automatically prioritizes the order of specimen container removal based on specific criteria such as type, concentration, expiration date, and measurement item information, ensuring specimens are mounted on a rack in an optimized sequence for efficient transportation to the automatic analyzer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If specimen containers are mounted on the rack in freely-decided order, then the user has flexibility in positioning, but the transportation mechanism becomes complicated and the time required for specimen dispensing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container storing device decides the taking-out priority of specimen containers before they are mounted on the rack. The control unit determines the optimal mounting order based on measurement requests and specimen information, and the container transportation mechanism mounts containers in that predetermined optimized order. This preliminary decision-making eliminates the need for complex transportation mechanisms and reordering at the analyzer, resolving the contradiction between user flexibility and system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If specimen containers are mounted on the rack in freely-decided order, then the user has flexibility in positioning, but the time required for specimen dispensing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit decides the taking-out priority of specimen containers before mounting them on the rack, based on measurement requests and specimen information such as expiration dates and measurement order. This preliminary optimization ensures that containers are mounted in the most efficient order for subsequent dispensing, minimizing the time required for specimen dispensing while eliminating the need for user intervention.
3Productivity
If specimens are mounted on the rack in optimized order by the container storing device, then measurement efficiency is improved, but automatic prioritization control is required
Solution Approach 1:
The container storing device autonomously decides the taking-out priority of specimen containers based on measurement requests from the automatic analyzer and specimen information stored in its control unit. The system self-manages the prioritization and mounting order without requiring external control or manual intervention, improving measurement efficiency while maintaining operational simplicity through automated decision-making.
Data Source
AI summary
A container storing device connected to an automatic analyzer through a transportation path that transports a rack includes a storage that stores specimen containers, a container transportation mechanism that transfers the specimen containers between the storage and a rack, and a control unit. The transportation path transports the rack from the container storing device toward the automatic analyzer. The rack includes a plurality of container setting positions. After a plurality of taking-out target specimen containers in which specimens for which a measurement request has been made from the automatic analyzer are housed become capable of being taken out, the control unit decides taking-out priority regarding the plurality of taking-out target specimen containers and executes control such that the taking-out target specimen container having higher taking-out priority is mounted on the rack at the container setting position located more forward in a transportation direction of the transportation path.