Transport carrier, laboratory cargo distribution system, and laboratory automation system

• US 10,119,982 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2016
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Baer, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwak, Dean
• Application Number:
  US15/056,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20160274137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 422560-562, 193 35 R, 193 44, 198300, 1983471, 198348, 198350, 198373, 198418, 1986901, 406 1, 901 1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/00 Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 54/02 electrostatic, electric, or magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/046 General conveyor features
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0477 Magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/04 Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence

Abstract

A transport carrier for a laboratory cargo distribution system with a transport plane is disclosed. The transport carrier can be rotationally moved in an easily controllable manner on the transport plane. A laboratory cargo distribution system with a transport plane comprising such a transport carrier and a laboratory automation system comprising such a laboratory cargo distribution system are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A laboratory cargo distribution system, the laboratory cargo distribution system comprising:

a transport plane;

a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators stationary arranged relative to the transport plane; and

a transport carrier, the transport carrier comprises;

a first magnetically active device to interact with a first magnetic field generated by a first group of electro-magnetic actuators chosen from the plurality of electro-magnetic actuators such that a first magnetic move force is applied to the transport carrier;

a second magnetically active device to interact with a second magnetic field generated by a second group of electro-magnetic actuators chosen from the plurality of electro-magnetic actuators such that a second magnetic move force is applied to the transport carrier; and

a guidance comprising a groove, wherein the groove elongates parallel to a longitudinal extension of the transport carrier, wherein the first magnetically active device is arranged in the groove, wherein the guidance is adapted to guide the first magnetically active device during a rotational movement of the transport carrier on the transport plane such that a distance between the first magnetically active device and the second magnetically active device is variable parallel to the transport plane when the transport carrier is placed on the transport plane, wherein the transport carrier carries a laboratory cargo and moves over the transport plane.

2. The laboratory cargo distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the guidance comprises a linear guidance such that the first magnetically active device is translationally movable along a straight line within the transport carrier, wherein the straight line is parallel to a straight line between the first magnetically active device and the second magnetically active device.

3. The laboratory cargo distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the transport carrier further comprising

a base body.

4. The laboratory cargo distribution system according to claim 3, wherein the groove is formed in the base body.

5. The laboratory cargo distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the transport carrier further comprising,

a cargo platform, wherein the cargo platform carries the laboratory cargo;

and

a plurality of fixing devices to fix the laboratory cargo relative to the cargo platform.

6. The laboratory cargo distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the transport carrier further comprising,

a sliding surface, wherein the sliding surface is adapted to be in contact with the transport plane when the transport carrier is placed on the transport plane.

7. The laboratory cargo distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the second magnetically active device is stationary fixed within the transport carrier.

8. The laboratory cargo distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the guidance has a first limiting stopper defining a minimum distance (MiD) between the first magnetically active device and the second magnetically device and wherein the guidance has a second limiting stopper defining a maximum distance (MaD) between the first magnetically active device and the second magnetically device.

9. The laboratory cargo distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the transport carrier further comprising,

a third magnetically active device to interact with a third magnetic field generated by a third group of electro-magnetic actuators chosen from the plurality of electro-magnetic actuators such that a third magnetic move force is applied to the transport carrier, wherein the guidance is adapted to guide the third magnetically active device such that a distance between the first magnetically active device and the third magnetically active device and/or a distance between the second magnetically active device and the third magnetically active device is variable during a rotational movement of the transport carrier on the transport plane.

10. The laboratory cargo distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the guidance comprises a slot hole, wherein a width of the slot hole fits with an elongation of the first magnetically active device, wherein the first magnetically active device is arranged in the slot hole, wherein the slot hole elongates parallel to a longitudinal extension of the transport carrier.

11. A laboratory cargo distribution system, wherein the laboratory cargo distribution system comprises:

a transport plane;

a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators stationary arranged relative to the transport plane; and

a transport carrier, wherein the transport carrier comprises,

a first magnetically active device to interact with a first magnetic field generated by a first group of electro-magnetic actuators chosen from the plurality of electro-magnetic actuators such that a first magnetic move force is applied to the transport carrier,

a second magnetically active device to interact with a second magnetic field generated by a second group of electro-magnetic actuators chosen from the plurality of electro-magnetic actuators such that a second magnetic move force is applied to the transport carrier, and

a guidance comprising a groove, wherein the groove elongates parallel to a longitudinal extension of the transport carrier, wherein the first magnetically active device is arranged in the groove, wherein the guidance is adapted to guide the first magnetically active device during a rotational movement of the transport carrier on the transport plane such that a distance between the first magnetically active device and the second magnetically active device is variable, wherein the transport carrier carries a laboratory cargo and moves over the transport plane,

wherein the guidance has a first limiting stopper defining a minimum distance (MiD) between the first magnetically active device and the second magnetically device and wherein the guidance has a second limiting stopper defining a maximum distance (MaD) between the first magnetically active device and the second magnetically device, wherein the plurality of electro-magnetic actuators is arranged in rows and columns, wherein the electro-magnetic actuators are equidistantly spaced within the rows and the columns by an adjacent distance (AD),

wherein the minimum distance (MiD) corresponds to the adjacent distance (AD) or a multiple of the adjacent distance (AD), and wherein the maximum distance (MaD) corresponds to sqrt2 times the minimum distance (MiD).