Vertical conveying device, laboratory sample distribution system and laboratory automation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9810706-B2
Application number	US-201514665415-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2014
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A vertical conveying device for the transport of sample container carriers having sample tubes received therein between a bottom level and a top level of a sample distribution system is presented. The vertical conveying device comprises a plurality of conveying surfaces which are movable along a circulating path. A sample distribution system having such a vertical conveying device and to a laboratory automation system having such a sample distribution system are also presented.

First claim

We claim:

1. A sample distribution system, the sample distribution system comprising:
a plurality of sample container carders for receiving one or more sample containers, wherein a sample container carrier comprises at least one magnetically active element to interact with a magnetic field generated by at least one electromagnetic actuator such that a driving force is applied to the sample container carrier;
a bottom transport surface and a top transport surface arranged vertically higher in relation to the bottom transport surface, the bottom transport surface and the top transport surface carry the sample container carriers;
a plurality of first electromagnetic actuators arranged in a stationary manner under the bottom transport surface, wherein the plurality of first electromagnetic actuators move a sample container carder arranged on the bottom transport surface by applying a magnetic force to the sample container carrier;
a plurality of second electromagnetic actuators arranged in a stationary manner under the top transport surface, wherein the plurality of second electromagnetic actuators move a sample container carder arranged on the top transport surface by applying a magnetic force to the sample container carrier;
a vertical conveying device configured to transport the sample containers contained in the sample container carriers between the bottom transport surface and the top transport surface, the vertical conveying device comprises:
a plurality of conveying elements having conveying surfaces for placing on and carrying at least one sample container carrier;
a circulating device to circulate the conveying elements between the bottom level and the top level in operation such that the conveying surfaces continuously remain aligned horizontally during the circulation; and
at least one electromagnetic actuator to apply a driving force to a sample container carrier to be driven on one of the conveying surfaces; and

a control device configured to actuate the electromagnetic actuators arranged under the bottom transport and top transport surface such that a respective sample container carrier is moved along a definable movement path on the bottom transport and top transport surface, to actuate the at least one electromagnetic actuator to apply a driving force to a sample container carrier to be driven on one of the conveying surfaces such that the sample container carrier is moved from the bottom transport surface or top transport surface in the direction of one of the conveying surfaces or from one of the conveying surfaces in the direction of the bottom transport surface or top transport surface, and to control the circulating device such that the sample container carrier is transported between the bottom transport surface and the top transport surface level.

2. The sample distribution system according to claim 1 , wherein an electromagnetic actuator assigned to the conveying element is arranged below a conveying surface.

3. The sample distribution system according to claim 1 , wherein the circulating device circulates the conveying elements in operation along a circulating path which is described by all the conveying elements.

4. The vertical conveying device according to claim 3 , wherein the conveying elements are arranged spaced apart from one another at regular distances along the circulating path.

5. The vertical conveying device according to claim 3 , wherein the circulating path comprises a first vertical portion and a second vertical portion parallel to the first vertical portion, the first vertical portion and the second vertical portion extending between the bottom level and the top level.

6. The vertical conveying device according to claim 5 , wherein, in operation, the circulating device moves the conveying elements along the first vertical portion from the bottom level to the top level and moves the conveying elements along the second vertical portion from the top level to the bottom level.

7. The sample distribution system according to claim 1 , wherein each conveying element comprises a detection device for a sample container carrier situated on the conveying surface of the conveying element.

8. A laboratory automation system, the laboratory automation system comprising:
a plurality of pre-analytical, analytical and/or post-analytical stations to process sample containers and/or samples contained in sample containers; and
a sample distribution system for distributing the sample containers between the pre-analytical, analytical and/or post-analytical stations according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Roche Diagnostics Operations Inc

Inventors

• Riether Christian
• Schneider Hans

Classifications

• G01N2035/0484

  Belt or chain · CPC title

• G01N35/04 Primary

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

• G01N2035/0477

  Magnetic · CPC title

• B66B11/04

  Driving gear {; Details thereof, e.g. seals (braking devices acting on the driving gear B66B5/02; of mining-hoist winding devices B66B15/08)} · CPC title

• B65G15/58

  with means for holding or retaining the loads in fixed position, e.g. magnetic · CPC title