Laboratory product transport element and path arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9459273-B2
Application number	US-201214117573-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2012
Priority date	May 13, 2011
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

The invention concerns a laboratory product transport element for a laboratory transport system with an energy receiver and/or energy accumulator to provide drive power, at least one signal receiver to receive control signals, a control unit to generate drive signals as a function of at least one control signal obtained from the at least one signal receiver, movement devices for independent movement of the laboratory product transport element on a transfer path as a function of the drive signals of the control unit, in which the drive devices are driven by the drive power and at least one holder to hold a laboratory product being transported. The invention also concerns a laboratory transport system with at least one laboratory product transport element according to an embodiment of the invention and a transfer path arrangement. The invention also concerns methods for operation of laboratory transport systems according to an embodiment of the invention.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laboratory product transport element comprising:
an energy source configured to furnish drive power;
at least one signal receiver configured to receive control signals;
a control unit configured to generate drive signals as a function of at least one control signal obtained from the at least one signal receiver;
at least one movement device, with which the laboratory product transport element can move independently on a transfer path;
at least one drive device configured to drive the at least one movement device as a function of the drive signals of the control unit, the at least one drive device being driven by the drive power; and
at least one holder to hold a laboratory product to be transported;
the laboratory product transport element further comprising an external communication interface, an output device, and a memory unit coupled to the control unit, wherein the memory unit comprises code executable by the control unit to implement a method comprising generating an error signal if the laboratory product is improperly removed from the at least one holder, wherein the error signal is a first error signal and wherein the method further comprises:
generating a second error signal when the laboratory product transport element is improperly removed from a predefined path that the laboratory product transport element is intended to follow.

2. The laboratory product transport element of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:
detecting the improper removal of the laboratory product with an optical sensor.

3. The laboratory product transport element of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:
detecting the improper removal of the laboratory product with a mechanical sensor.

4. The laboratory product transport element of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:
detecting the improper removal of the laboratory product with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag coupled with the laboratory product.

5. The laboratory product transport element of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:
detecting the improper removal of the laboratory product transport element with a line following sensor coupled with the laboratory product transport element.

6. A method of controlling a laboratory product transport element according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
generating the error signal if the laboratory product is improperly removed from the at least one holder.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein improper removal of the laboratory product from the at least one holder is detected by means of an optical sensor, a mechanical sensor, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag coupled with the laboratory product, a line following sensor coupled with the laboratory product transport element, a drive signal or using a central control.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the error signal is a first error signal and wherein the method further comprises:
generating a second error signal when the laboratory product transport element is improperly removed from a predefined path that the laboratory product transport element is intended to follow.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the method further comprises:
directing the laboratory product transport element to a specific location after generating the second error signal.

10. A laboratory product transport element comprising:
an energy source configured to furnish drive power;
at least one signal receiver configured to receive control signals;
a control unit configured to generate drive signals as a function of at least one control signal obtained from the at least one signal receiver;
at least one movement device, with which the laboratory product transport element can move independently on a transfer path;
at least one drive device configured to drive the at least one movement device as a function of the drive signals of the control unit, the at least one drive device being driven by the drive power; and
at least one holder to hold a laboratory product to be transported;
the laboratory product transport element further comprising an external communication interface, an output device, and a memory unit coupled to the control unit, wherein the memory unit comprises code executable by the control unit to implement a method comprising generating an error signal if the laboratory product is improperly removed from the at least one holder, and
wherein the method further comprises:
detecting the improper removal of the laboratory product transport element with a drive signal.

11. The laboratory product transport element of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:
detecting the improper removal of the laboratory product transport element using a central control.

12. The laboratory product transport element of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:
sending a signal reporting the one or more errors signals.

13. A laboratory product transport element comprising:
an energy source configured to furnish drive power;
at least one signal receiver configured to receive control signals;
a control unit configured to generate drive signals as a function of at least one control signal obtained from the at least one signal receiver;
at least one movement device, with which the laboratory product transport element can move independently on a transfer path;
at least one drive device configured to drive the at least one movement device as a function of the drive signals of the control unit, the at least one drive device being driven by the drive power; and
at least one holder to hold a laboratory product to be transported;
the laboratory product transport element further comprising an external communication interface, an output device, and a memory unit coupled to the control unit, wherein the memory unit comprises code executable by the control unit to implement a method comprising generating an error signal if the laboratory product is improperly removed from the at least one holder, and
wherein the method further comprises:
generating one or more verification signals, wherein the verification signal reflects a successful sample product load, a successful sample product unload, or a successful sample product decapping.

14. A laboratory product transport element comprising:
an energy source configured to furnish drive power;
at least one signal receiver configured to receive control signals;
a control unit configured to generate drive signals as a function of at least one control signal obtained from the at least one signal receiver;
at least one movement device, with which the laboratory product transport element can move independently on a transfer path;
at least one drive device configured to drive the at least one movement device as a function of the drive signals of the control unit, the at least one drive device being driven by the drive power; and
at least one holder to hold a laboratory product to be transported;
the laboratory product transport element further comprising an external communication interface, an output device, and a memory unit coupled to the control unit, wherein the memory unit comprises code executable by the control unit to implement a method comprising generating an error signal if the laboratory product is improperly removed from the at least one holder, wherein the method further comprises:
directing the laboratory product transport element to a specific location after generating the error signal.

Assignees

• Moix Thomas
• Ding Guillaume
• Eberhardt Michael
• Mueller Martin
• Wiessner Sebastian
• Zoethout Jurjen
• Beckman Coulter Inc

Inventors

• Moix Thomas
• Ding Guillaume
• Eberhardt Michael
• Mueller Martin
• Wiessner Sebastian
• Zoethout Jurjen

Classifications

• G01N2035/0467

  Switching points ("aiguillages") · CPC title

• G01N2035/0422

  carried on a linear conveyor · CPC title

• G01N2035/0489

  Self-propelled units · CPC title

• G01N35/04 Primary

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

• G01N35/00584 Primary

  Control arrangements for automatic analysers · CPC title