Sample carrier handling device

A sample carrier handling devices for manipulating a sample carrier is presented. The sample carrier carries a sample container containing a sample which is used in a diagnostics laboratory. The sample carrier handling device has a housing which is at least partially closed, defining a circumferential surface. A pull-push-element of the sample carrier handling device pulls, pushes, or pulls and pushes the sample carrier with an end-portion of the pull-push-element. The pull-push-element defines a central axis. The pull-push-element is arranged in the housing so that during a movement of the pull-push-element the central axis of the pull-push-element changes its direction while the end portion of the pull-push-element remains in an axis of motion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to EP 16158382.8, filed Mar. 3, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a handling device to manipulate sample carriers on a transport system for a diagnostics laboratory.

The automation for handling samples of biological probes in a diagnostic laboratory is becoming more and more important.

Therefore, there is a need for to handle sample carriers that transport sample containers containing samples in an efficient and reliable way.

SUMMARY

According to the present disclosure, a sample carrier handling devices for manipulating a sample carrier is presented. The sample carrier is configured to carry a sample container containing a sample used in a diagnostics laboratory. The sample carrier handling device can comprise a housing at least partially closed and defining a circumferential surface and a pull-push-element configured to pull, push, or pull and push the sample carrier with an end-portion of the pull-push-element. The pull-push-element can define a central axis. The pull-push-element can be arranged in the housing so that during movement of the pull-push-element, the central axis of the pull-push-element can change its direction while the end portion of the pull-push-element can remain in an axis of motion.

Accordingly, it is a feature of the embodiments of the present disclosure to handle sample carriers that transport sample containers containing samples in an efficient and reliable way. Other features of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent in light of the description of the disclosure embodied herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A sample carrier handling devices for manipulating a sample carrier which is configured to carry a sample container is presented. The sample container can contain a sample to be analyzed in a diagnostics laboratory. Also other samples, e.g. reactants or other materials used in the diagnostics laboratory, can be transported by the sample carrier. The sample carrier handling device can comprise a housing which can be at least partially closed. The housing can define a circumferential surface of the sample carrier handling device. The sample carrier handling device can further comprise a pull-push-element to pull, push, or pull and push the sample carrier at least with an end-portion of the pull-push-element. The pull-push-element can be arranged in the housing so that during movement of the pull-push-element, a central axis of the pull-push-element can change its direction while the end portion of the pull-push-element can remain in a level of motion. The central axis of the pull-push-element can, in one embodiment, be defined as the axis of longitudinal elongation of the pull-push-element. Therefore, the sample handling carrier device can be realized as a compact device with a reliable interaction with the sample carrier.

The end-portion of the pull-push-element can define during its movement an axis of motion in the level of movement and the end portion can be movable out of the circumferential surface along the axis of motion a maximum distance l between a first position and a second position of the pull-push-element.

In the first position, at least more than half of the pull-push-element can be placed inside the circumferential surface and, in the second position, at least more than half of the pull-push-element can protrude out of the housing, i.e. the circumferential surface. If the dimension of the circumferential surface along the axis of motion is m, the ratio of l over m can be, in one embodiment, in the range of about 1.1 to about 20 or, in another embodiment, in the range of about 1.2 to about 8 or, in yet another embodiment, in the range of about 1.4 to about 5.

In further embodiments, the ratio of l over m can be in the range of about 2 to about 10 or about 2 to about 5 or about 3 to about 5.

The end-portion configured to interact with the sample carrier, e.g. the end-portion, can comprise a detachable fixation element to interact with the sample carrier to pull, push, or pull and push the sample carrier. In one embodiment, the sample carrier can comprise a corresponding fixation device. The detachable fixation element can be a magnet, an electro-magnet, a movable hook, a suction-element, a snap, a gluing element, a hook-and-loop fastener element, and/or a contact surface configured to interact with the sample carrier.

The end-portion can comprise an abutting surface. The abutting surface can have a surface of a half-cylinder. The fixation element can be attached only to a partial surface of the abutting surface so that during the movement of the pull-push-element, the fixation element can come into contact with a sample carrier surface such as, for example, its corresponding fixation element at the first or second position and can detach from the sample carrier surface at the second or first position respectively, because the surface of the half-cylinder can roll off the surface of the sample carrier. For instance, the gluing element can be arranged on the abutting surface of the pull-push-element. This can allow the automatic fixation and detaching of the sample carrier to the pull-push-element to pull, push, or pull and push the sample carrier.

The handling device can comprise a link motion to guide the pull-push-element during its motion. In one embodiment, a guide bar of the motion link can either be realized by the push-pull-element itself or the guide bar of the motion link can be connected to the pull-push-element. A link motion as used here can be an element which can deflect the push-pull-element or can reel and unreel the pull-push-element.

The pull-push-element can be a flexible rod such as, for example, a chain or made out of flexible plastic such as, for example a gum. Flexible can mean that the rod can be deformed by the motion link but can remain rigid or can be supported when protruding out of the circumferential surface under usual environmental conditions appropriate to a diagnostics laboratory.

A driving unit can be connected to the pull-push-element. The driving unit can be connected with a wheel arranged to contact the flexible rod in order to move the flexible rod in a guide bar of the link motion. For instance, the wheel can be a gear that can mesh with pull-push-element as a chain or the wheel can have a profile wherein a ratio of a circumferential surface of the flexible rod can be in contact with.

The pull-push-element can be a rigid rod. Rigid can mean that the rod may not change its shape under gravitational forces in usual environmental conditions. In one embodiment, the rigid rod can be connected at its other end portion with a vertical movable carriage and the motion link can be connected to the rigid rod with a link block at a point of deviation of the rigid rod. Vertical can mean substantially perpendicular with respect to the axis of motion. “Substantially perpendicular” can mean for the following and the scope of this disclosure within a range of about 80 to about 100 degrees. In one embodiment, it can mean about 85 to about 95 degrees.

A diagnostics laboratory sample carrier transport system is presented. The diagnostics laboratory sample carrier transport system can comprise a transport device, a sample carrier and a sample carrier handling device as described above.

The transport device can comprise a transport belt to carry the sample carrier. The sample carrier handling device can be connected to the transport belt so that the sample carrier can move substantially perpendicular with respect to a direction of motion of the transport belt. This can allow reliably loading and unloading of the sample carrier to and from the transport belt in a compact arrangement.

The diagnostics laboratory sample carrier transport system can comprise a further transport belt arranged substantially parallel or substantially perpendicular to the transport belt. The carrier handling device can be connected to the transport belt so that the sample carrier can move from the transport belt to the further transport belt and/or from the further transport belt to the transport belt.

The inventive diagnostics laboratory sample carrier transport system can comprise a transport surface supporting the transport carriers. The sample carrier handling device can be connected to the transport surface to push, pull, or push and pull the sample carrier onto or from the transport surface. This can allow easy and reliable loading sample carriers with or without samples in the sample carriers onto and/or from the transport surface in a compact arrangement.

A diagnostics laboratory system is presented. The diagnostics laboratory system can comprise a pre-analytic system, a post-analytic system and a analyzer system and a diagnostic laboratory sample carrier transport system as described above.

At least one sample carrier handling device can be connected to the diagnostics laboratory sample carrier transport system so that the sample carrier handling device can be configured to transfer sample carrier between at least two out of the list of: a pre-analytic system, a post-analytic system, an analyzer system, a diagnostic laboratory sample carrier transport system, and a further diagnostic laboratory sample carrier transport system. This can allow easy, reliable transfer of sample carriers with or without samples from one device to another device of the diagnostic laboratory system. Usually, the different devices can use their proper transport system, so that the sample carrier can be transferred between different transport systems of the diagnostics laboratory system and the proper transport systems by the sample carrier handling device. However, other embodiments can be feasible.

FIGS. 1 and 2show a perspective view of one embodiment of a sample carrier handling device10. The sample carrier handling device10can comprise a housing12. The housing12can be assembled out of several parts. Some of these parts are shown in the Figures. These parts can be connected together by conventional connecting technologies such as screws, gluing, soldering, welding and/or other known technologies. The housing12can have some open surface areas, i.e. the surface of the housing12may not be totally closed. The outer surfaces of the parts of the housing12can span a circumferential surface of the housing12which can have approximately a shape of a cuboid.

Some parts of the housing12shown inFIG. 1are a first side wall50, a middle wall52, a front wall54and a second side wall56. A portion of the second side wall56can be bent to form a portion of a top surface. The edge of this bent portion can abut an end portion of the middle wall52. A front wall54can be arranged between the second side wall56and the middle wall52. The second side wall, the front wall54and the middle wall can span a belt drive part of the housing12in which a belt drive58can be arranged.

The first side wall50can be u-shaped facing with the edges of the arms of the u to the middle wall52so that a portion of the middle wall52and the first side wall50can build up a frame. This frame can define a link-motion part of the housing.

In this frame, the pull-push-element can be movably fixed. In this embodiment, the pull-push-element can be a rigid rod32. An end portion18of the rigid rod32can protrude from the circumferential surface. The other end portion of the rod32opposite to the end portion18can be fixed to a carriage34.

The first side wall50can be shorter than the middle wall52so that a rectangular recess can be created. In this recess, a driving unit26can be arranged. A surface of the driving unit26can fit at least partially into the cuboid-shaped circumferential surface of the housing12. The driving unit26can be connected to the belt drive58to move the belt drive58in both possible directions.

The carriage34can be arranged in a slit53of the middle wall so that it can extend in spatial length in the link-motion part and the belt-drive part of the housing12. In the belt drive part of the housing12, the carriage34can be fixed to the belt drive58so that the belt drive can move the carriage34in the slit53of the middle wall. The slit53can define the direction of motion of the carriage34. In the link motion part, the carriage can accept the other end portion of the rod32so that the end portion can remain rotatable around a carriage axis. This carriage axis can be arranged substantially perpendicular to the elongation of the slit53in the middle wall.

The carriage34can comprise a distant portion35which can engages with a sensor element44to detect an end-point of the movement of the carriage34. This sensor element44can be, in one embodiment, a light barrier which can be interrupted by the distant portion.

Adjacent to the other end portion of the rod32, the rod32can comprise two link blocks36. The link blocks can define an axis of deviation which can be substantially parallel to the carriage axis. The two link blocks can engage into opposite guide bars30of the middle wall52and the side wall50. The guide bars30and the link blocks36can define a link motion. The guide bars can be designed as grooves in the wall or as slits.

The carriage34can move the rod32in the link motion so that the end portion18of the rod32can move along an axis of motion16which can be, in one embodiment, straight and substantially perpendicular to the slit53in the middle wall. In one embodiment, straight can mean that the end portion18may not change its distance during its motion to a level of motion substantially perpendicular to the slit53within a range of about 0 cm to about 2 cm, in another embodiment, within a range of about 0 to about 1.5 cm, and in yet another embodiment, in a range of about 0 to about 1.0 cm or about 0 to about 0.5 cm.

Due to the link motion arrangement within the housing12, the end portion18can move a distance along the axis of motion16which can be greater than the width of the housing12along the axis of motion.

For the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the guide bar30can be curved so that the link motion can provide that during movement of the carriage34, the end portion18of the rigid rod32can follow the axis of motion16within the accuracy of manufacturing. At a first position of the rigid rod32within the housing, the carriage34can be moved to an upper position and the rigid rod can mainly be placed inside the circumferential surface. At a second position, the carriage34can be moved to a lower position. At this position, the distant portion of the carriage can engage with the sensor element44, i.e., can interrupt the light barrier. This can generate a signal to indicate that the carriage is at its lower position. The rigid rod32can at this second position be protruding a maximum length l out of the circumferential surface. The dimension of the circumferential surface in the direction of the axis of motion16can be m. The ratio of l over m can for this embodiment be in the range of about 1.2 to about 3.

The end portion18can have a shape of half of a cylinder surface which its axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the central axis20of the rod32. In other embodiments, this cylindrical surface can comprise a further element, or elements, configured to interact with the surface of a sample carrier contacting the end portion18. For instance a magnet, an electro-magnet, a movable hook, a suction-element, a gluing element, a hook-and-loop fastener element, and/or a contact surface can be arranged at the end portion18configured to interact with a correspondent element at the sample carrier surface.

FIGS. 3 and 4present a second embodiment of the sample carrier handling device10. In this embodiment, the pull-push-element can be realized as a chain. The central axis20of the chain24can be defined as the axis on which most of the elements of the chain24can be aligned.

The chain24can be guided in a guide bar30of a body42of the sample carrier handling device10. The body42can also define a housing12which can also realize a circumferential surface. The body42can comprise further a gear-wheel28arranged to mesh with the chain24. A driving unit26can be fixed to the body42and interact with the gear wheel28to rotate the gear wheel28. The guide bar can deviate the chain24within the body42to perform a 90 degree change of movement. Therefore the central axis of the chain24, as defined above, can change its direction, during movement of the chain24.

An end portion of the chain24can protrude out of the body42to pull, push, or push and pull the sample carrier along the axis of motion. Due to the deviation of the chain in the body42, the maximum distance of motion of the end portion of the chain24can be greater the dimension of the body42along the axis of motion16.

The sample handling carrier device10shown in this embodiment can be arranged so that the chain elements block each other when they protrude out of the body42. So the chain cannot be deviated by gravity in an unfortunate way. In another option, the chain24can slip on a surface provided by the sample carrier transport system. The surface can supports the chain element to avoid deviation.

InFIG. 3, the chain can protrude from the body42at a maximum length l. Here the central axis16of the chain and the axis of motion20can coincide. The body42, i.e. the circumferential surface, can have a length m along the axis of motion16. The ratio of l over m can be for this embodiment as high as about 20 for a reasonable height of the body42, which can be the dimension substantially perpendicular to the axis of motion16.

InFIG. 4, the chain can completely be within the body42and the central axis20of the chain24can be substantially perpendicular to the axis of motion16along which the end portion18of the chain24can move.

In further embodiments, the end portion of the chain can comprise a further element, or elements, configured to interact with the surface of a sample carrier contacting the end portion. For instance a magnet, an electro-magnet, a movable hook, a suction-element, a gluing element, a hook-and-loop fastener element, and/or a contact surface can be arranged at the end portion configured to interact with a correspondent element at the sample carrier surface.

FIG. 5shows a detail of a view on a diagnostics laboratory sample carrier transport system. An incoming belt102can transport sample carriers108with or without a sample containers110to an interconnecting belt106. The incoming belt102can push the sample carrier108onto the interconnecting belt106. To push the sample carriers108from the interconnecting belt to an outgoing belt104, a sample carrier handling device10can be arranged in front of the outgoing belt104. This can realize a very compact reliable way to handle the sample carriers for connecting the incoming belt102and the outgoing belt104.

The interconnecting belt106can be divided by protruding portions107into support sections adapted to receive one sample carrier108. The protruding portions107can be formed as a double ripple within the interconnecting belt106.

The sample carrier108can comprise a cylindrical shaped base and elongated finger-elements. The end portion of the pull-push-element can strike against this surface of the cylindrical shaped base to move the sample carrier108from the interconnecting belt106to the outgoing belt104. The elongated finger elements can comprise flexible elements to support sample containers110, which can then be transported within the sample carriers108on the transport system.

FIG. 6shows another view on a bigger detail of the diagnostics laboratory sample carrier transport system shown inFIG. 5. A further incoming belt102and outgoing belt104are shown. Also in front of the further outgoing belt, a further sample carrier handling device10can be placed. On the interconnecting belt106, four sample carriers108are shown.