Method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system, laboratory sample distribution system, and laboratory automation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10989725-B2
Application number	US-201815988637-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2018
Priority date	Jun 2, 2017
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

A method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The system comprises sample container carriers comprising a magnetically active device and configured to carry a sample container, interconnected transport plane modules configured to support carriers, and electro-magnetic actuators arranged in rows and columns below each transport plane module and configured to move a carrier on top of the transport plane modules by applying a magnetic force to the carrier. The method comprises assigning transport plane modules to a route category. At least two traffic lanes are formed on the route categorized transport plane module. The carriers are moved within each traffic lane in a transport direction. The transport directions are opposite to each other. The method also comprises assigning another transport plane module to a waypoint category. A change from one transport direction to the opposite transport direction is possible on the waypoint categorized transport plane module.

First claim

I claim:

1. A method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system, wherein the laboratory sample distribution system comprises a plurality of sample container carriers, wherein each of the sample container carriers comprises at least one magnetically active device and wherein each of the sample container carriers is configured to carry at least one sample container, a plurality of interconnected transport plane modules, wherein each of the transport plane modules is configured to support a plurality of the sample container carriers, and a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators, wherein below each transport plane module a plurality of the electro-magnetic actuators is stationary arranged in rows and columns, wherein the electro-magnetic actuators are configured to move a sample container carrier of the sample container carriers on top of the transport plane modules along a row of the rows or along a column of the columns by applying a magnetic move force to the sample container carrier, wherein the electro-magnetic actuators are driven individually by a control device in order to generate a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field interacts with the magnetically active device of a sample container carrier and wherein, by interaction, the electromagnetic actuators apply the magnetic move force to the sample container carrier, the method comprising:
assigning at least one transport plane module of the transport plane modules to a route category by the control device, wherein at least two traffic lanes are formed on the route categorized transport plane module, wherein the sample container carriers are moved within each traffic lane in a given transport direction, wherein the transport directions of the at least two traffic lanes are opposite to each other and wherein a change from one transport direction to the opposite transport direction is not possible for the sample container carriers moved on the route categorized transport plane module; and
assigning at least one another transport plane module of the transport plane modules to a waypoint category by the control device, wherein a change from one transport direction to the opposite transport direction is enabled for the sample container carriers moved on the waypoint categorized transport plane module, wherein a change area is formed on the waypoint categorized transport plane module and wherein the change area is configured to receive a sample container carrier of the sample container carriers from one traffic lane with a given transport direction and to pass the received sample container carrier to another traffic lane with an opposite transport direction, wherein an enter area is formed on the waypoint categorized transport plane module, wherein the enter area is arranged in between the change area and a traffic lane of the traffic lanes directing to the change area, wherein the enter area is configured to receive a sample container carrier of the sample container carriers from the traffic lane and to pass the received sample container carrier to the change area when there is no cross traffic within the change area blocking the sample container carrier.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein next to a traffic lane of the traffic lanes, at least one buffer lane is formed on the route categorized transport plane module and/or the waypoint categorized transport plane module and wherein each of the buffer lanes is configured to receive a plurality of the sample container carriers from the corresponding traffic lane to buffer the received sample container carriers and to return the buffered sample container carriers to the corresponding traffic lane.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the traffic lanes and/or buffer lanes and/or the change area and/or the enter area formed on the route categorized transport plane module and/or on the waypoint categorized transport plane module are symmetrically arranged.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein below a transport plane module of the transport plane modules n times n electro-magnetic actuators of the electro-magnetic actuators are stationary arranged in n rows and in n columns, wherein n is an integer and greater than three.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least two traffic lanes are formed on the waypoint categorized transport plane module, wherein said sample container carriers are moved within each traffic lane in a given transport direction, wherein the transport directions of the at least two traffic lanes are opposite to each other, wherein the change area is arranged in between the two traffic lanes at their sides, and wherein the change area is configured to receive a sample container carrier of the sample container carriers from the one traffic lane formed on the waypoint categorized transport plane module and to pass the received sample container carrier to the another traffic lane formed on the waypoint categorized transport plane module.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the change area is completely surrounded by the two traffic lanes formed on the waypoint categorized transport plane module.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sample container carriers are moved within the change area in a single direction.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein a change within the change area is possible only from the one traffic lane with a given transport direction to the another traffic lane with an opposite transport direction and not from the another traffic lane to the one traffic lane.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the sample container carriers are moved within the change area in a circle.

10. A method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system, wherein the laboratory sample distribution system comprises a plurality of sample container carriers, wherein each of the sample container carriers comprises at least one magnetically active device and wherein each of the sample container carriers is configured to carry at least one sample container, a plurality of interconnected transport plane modules, wherein each of the transport plane modules is configured to support a plurality of the sample container carriers, and a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators, wherein below each transport plane module a plurality of the electro-magnetic actuators is stationary arranged in rows and columns, wherein the electro-magnetic actuators are configured to move a sample container carrier of the sample container carriers on top of the transport plane modules along a row of the rows or along a column of the columns by applying a magnetic move force to the sample container carrier, wherein the electro-magnetic actuators are driven individually by a control device in order to generate a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field interacts with the magnetically active device of a sample container carrier and wherein, by interaction, the electromagnetic actuators apply the magnetic move force to the sample container carrier, the method comprising:
assigning at least one transport plane module of the transport plane modules to a route category by the control device, wherein at least two traffic lanes are formed on the route categorized transport plane module, wherein the sample container carriers are moved within each traffic lane in a given transport direction, wherein the transport directions of the at least two traffic lanes are opposite to each other and wherein a change from one transport direction to the opposite transport direction is not possible for the sample container carriers moved on the route categorized transport plane module;
assigning at least one another transport plane module of the transport plane modules to a waypoint category by the control d

Assignees

• Roche Diagnostics Operations Inc

Inventors

• Ren Shubin

Classifications

• G01N35/00584

  Control arrangements for automatic analysers · CPC title

• B65G35/00

  Mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G01N35/04 Primary

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

• G01N2035/0477

  Magnetic · CPC title

• G01N2035/0472

  for selective recirculation of carriers · CPC title