Method and device for handling a closing element in a laboratory automation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9810651-B2
Application number	US-201514962223-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2015
Priority date	Dec 18, 2014
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A method and a device for handling a closing element in a laboratory automation system are presented. The closing element is a sealing foil having at least two layers forming a first surface and an opposing second surface, respectively. The layers differ in at least one material property. The material property on at least one of the first surface and the second surface for identifying the orientation of the sealing foil is determined. A laboratory automation system for carrying out the method and/or with the device is also presented.

First claim

I claim:

1. A method for handling a closing element in a laboratory automation system, wherein the closing element is a sealing foil having at least two layers forming a first surface and an opposing second surface, respectively, in which the at least two layers differ in at least one material property, the method comprising:
determining the material property on at least one of the first surface and the second surface for identifying the orientation of the sealing foil.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the material property is determined qualitatively.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of sealing foils is stacked in a magazine with one of the plurality of sealing foils being accessible for a withdrawal with the first surface or the second surface being presented, and wherein said material property is determined on the presented surface.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the closing element is a sealing foil having an electrically non-conductive layer forming the first surface and an electrically conductive layer forming the second surface and wherein the electrical conductivity on at least one of the first surface and the second surface is determined for identifying the orientation of the sealing foil.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising, determining the electrical conductivity on at least one of the first surface and the second surface for identifying the orientation of the sealing foil.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the electrical conductivity is determined by a continuity test.

7. The method according to 5 , wherein for a proper handling of the sealing foil, the sealing foil is arranged such that the electrically conductive layer is presented and wherein the electrical conductivity is determined on the presented surface.

8. A device for handling a closing element in a laboratory automation system, wherein the closing element is a sealing foil having at least two layers forming a first surface and an opposing second surface respectively, in which the at least two layers differ in at least one material property, the device comprising:
a determination device for determining the material property on at least one of the first surface and the second surface for identifying the orientation of the sealing foil.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the determination device is arranged to qualitatively determine the material property.

10. The device according to claim 8 , further comprising, a magazine in which a plurality of sealing foils is stacked with one of the plurality of sealing foils being accessible for a withdrawal with the first surface or the second surface being presented.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the determination device is arranged for determining the material property on the presented surface.

12. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the sealing foils are stacked in the magazine in a vertical column with the lowest sealing foil being accessible for a withdrawal.

13. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the magazine comprises at least two support surfaces for supporting the column of sealing foils.

14. The device according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the support surfaces is arranged as a measurement point of the determination device.

15. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the closing element is a sealing foil having an electrically non-conductive layer forming the first surface and an electrically conductive layer forming the second surface.

16. The device according to claim 15 , wherein the determination device is arranged for determining the electrical conductivity on at least one of the first surface and the second surface for identifying the orientation of the sealing foil.

17. The device according to claim 16 , wherein the measurement device comprises a continuity tester for determining the electrical conductivity by a continuity test.

18. The device according to claim 17 , wherein the continuity tester comprises two electrodes for contacting one of the first surface or the second surface for determining the electrical conductivity of the surface.

19. The device according to claim 16 , wherein for a proper handling of the sealing foil, the sealing foil is arranged with the electrically conductive layer being presented, and wherein the determination device is arranged for determining the electrical conductivity on the presented surface.

20. A laboratory automation system with a plurality of pre-analytical, analytical and/or post-analytical stations for carrying out a method according to claim 1 and/or with a device according to claim 8 .

Assignees

• Roche Diagnostics Operations Inc

Inventors

• Hegel Markus

Classifications

• G01N2035/0403

  Sample carriers with closing or sealing means · CPC title

• B01L3/50825

  Closing or opening means, corks, bungs · CPC title

• G01N27/041 Primary

  of a solid body · CPC title

• B01L2300/046

  Function or devices integrated in the closure · CPC title

• G01N35/00

  Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor · CPC title