Sample handling device and method for sample handling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10775396-B2
Application number	US-201815970988-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2018
Priority date	Nov 12, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

A sample handling device is presented. The sample handling device comprises at least one magnetic positioning device for magnetically holding a carrier configured for carrying at least one vessel in the sample handling device. A sample identification device is also presented. The sample identification device comprises at least one of the above sample handling device and at least one reader for reading at least one identifier attached to the vessel carried by the carrier. A system for sample handling, a diagnostics device for identifying at least one property of a plurality of samples and a method for handling a sample are also presented.

First claim

We claim:

1. A sample handling device, the sample handling device comprising:
at least one magnetic positioning device configured for magnetically holding a carrier configured for carrying at least one vessel in the sample handling device; and
at least two rotors configured to rotate the carrier within the sample handling device, wherein the at least one magnetic positioning device is configured to pull the carrier onto the at least two rotors by magnetic force, wherein the at least one magnetic positioning device is at least partially located in between the at least two rotors.

2. The sample handling device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two rotors are driven by at least one motor.

3. The sample handling device according to claim 1 , further comprising,
at least one holding-down device configured to hold down the carrier.

4. The sample handling device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnetic positioning device comprises at least one electromagnet.

5. The sample handling device according to claim 1 , further comprising,
at least one abutment surface into which the carrier engages such that the at least one abutment surface partially surrounds the carrier and positions the carrier within the sample handling device.

6. A sample identification device, the sample identification device comprising:
at least one sample handling device according to claim 1 ; and
at least one reader configured to read at least one identifier attached to the at least one vessel carried by the carrier.

7. A system for sample handling, the system comprising: at least one sample handling device according to claim 1 ; and at least one carrier according to claim 1 configured to carry the at least one vessel according to claim 1 .

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one sample handling device comprises at least one abutment surface which is configured to engage with a surface of the at least one carrier to position the at least one carrier relative to a position of the at least one sample handling device.

9. The system according to claim 8 , further comprising,
at least one transportation device having a transport surface for the at least one carrier and bobbins, wherein a hand-over position for the at least one carrier at the at least one sample handling device, which is defined by the at least one abutment surface, is placed in-between two bobbins.

10. A diagnostics device for identifying at least one property of a plurality of samples, the diagnostics system comprising:
at least one system according to claim 9 ; and
at least one analytical device configured for performing at least one analytical operation with the plurality of samples.

11. A method for sample handling, the method comprising:
magnetically holding a carrier carrying at least one vessel having a sample disposed therein in a sample handling device according to claim 1 by using the at least one magnetic positioning device; and
pulling the carrier configured for carrying the at least one vessel in the sample handling device onto the at least two rotors by magnetic force using the at least one magnetic positioning device.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprises,
reading at least one identifier attached to the at least one vessel carried by the carrier, by using at least one reader; and
rotating the carrier within the sample handling device by using the at least two rotors.

Assignees

• Roche Diagnostics Operations Inc

Inventors

• Gemperle Sabrina
• Lusser Eugen
• Huber David
• Malinowski Michal

Classifications

• G01N35/00732 Primary

  Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers · CPC title

• G01N2035/0477

  Magnetic · CPC title

• G01N2035/0406

  Individual bottles or tubes · CPC title

• G01N35/04

  Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N2035/00752

  bar codes · CPC title