Laboratory sample distribution system and corresponding method of operation

• US 10,450,151 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Heise, Michael, Schneider, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): Lowe, Michael S
• Application Number:
  US15/418,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20170138971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/045 Thermic
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/046 RFID
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 54/02 electrostatic, electric, or magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00772 mechanical or optical code other than bar code
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0477 Magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/04 Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence

Abstract

A laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The laboratory sample distribution system comprises a number of container carriers. The container carriers each comprise at least one magnetically active device such as, for example, at least one permanent magnet, and carry a sample container. The system further comprises a transport plane to carry the container carriers and a number of electro-magnetic actuators being stationary arranged below the transport plane. The electro-magnetic actuators move a container carrier on top of the transport plane by applying a magnetic force to the container carrier.

Claims

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

a plurality of container carriers, wherein each container carrier carries a sample container;

a transport plane to carry the container carriers; and

a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators stationary arranged below the transport plane, wherein the electro-magnetic actuators move a container carrier on top of the transport plane by applying a magnetic force to said container carrier, wherein each container carrier comprises an arrangement of multiple permanent magnets and wherein the multiple permanent magnets comprise a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet having a ring shape surrounding the first permanent magnet.

2. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the electro-magnetic actuators comprise a ferromagnetic core having a center finger and four outer fingers, each of the fingers extending perpendicular to the transport plane.

3. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the multiple permanent magnets are made from hard ferromagnetic materials.

4. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the multiple permanent magnets are multipole permanent magnets.

5. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the container carrier has a cylindrical opening.

6. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 5, wherein the container carrier comprises flexible flat spring on a side wall on the cylindrical opening configured to affix the sample container within the container carrier.

7. A laboratory sample distribution system, the laboratory sample distribution system comprising:

a plurality of container carriers, wherein each container carrier carries a sample container;

a transport plane to carry the container carriers; and

a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators stationary arranged below the transport plane, wherein the electro-magnetic actuators move a container carrier on top of the transport plane by applying a magnetic force to the container carrier and wherein each container carrier comprises a first permanent magnet arranged in a center of a stand of the container carrier and a second permanent magnet having a ring shape arranged in the stand surrounding the first permanent magnet.

8. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 7, wherein the second permanent magnet has a circular area having a diameter smaller than a distance between the axes of the electro-magnetic actuators.

9. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 7, wherein the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet have reverse polarity.

10. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 7, wherein a north pole of the first permanent magnet and a south pole of the second permanent magnet are directed towards the transport plane.

11. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 7, further comprises,

a RFTD tag comprising a ring-shaped antenna.

12. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 11, wherein RFID tag stores a unique ID corresponding to the container carrier.

13. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 11, wherein the RFID tag is arranged in the stand between the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet.

14. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 7, wherein the electro-magnetic actuators comprise a ferromagnetic core having a center finger and four outer fingers, each of the fingers extending perpendicular to the transport plane.

15. A laboratory sample distribution system, the laboratory sample distribution system comprising:

a plurality of container carriers, wherein each container carrier comprises at least one magnetically active device and carries a sample container;

a transport plane to carry the container carriers; and

a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators stationary arranged below the transport plane, wherein the electro-magnetic actuators move a container carrier on top of the transport plane by applying a magnetic force to said container carrier and wherein the electro-magnetic actuators comprise a ferromagnetic core having a center finger and four outer fingers, each of the fingers extending perpendicular to the transport plane, wherein only the center finger is surrounded by a coil.

16. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 15, wherein the coil is driven by an actuating current.

17. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 15, wherein each container carrier comprises an arrangement of multiple permanent magnets.

18. The laboratory sample distribution system according to claim 17, wherein the arrangement of multiple permanent magnets comprises a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet having a ring shape surrounding the first permanent magnet.

19. A laboratory sample distribution system, the laboratory sample distribution system comprising:

a plurality of container carriers, wherein each container carrier comprises at least one magnetically active device and carries a sample container, wherein each container carrier comprises an arrangement of multiple permanent magnets, and wherein the arrangement of multiple permanent magnets comprises a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet having a ring shape surrounding the first permanent magnet;

a transport plane to carry the container carriers; and

a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators stationary arranged below the transport plane, wherein the electro-magnetic actuators move a container carrier on top of the transport plane by applying a magnetic force to said container carrier and wherein the electro-magnetic actuators comprise a ferromagnetic core having a center finger and four outer fingers, each of the fingers extending perpendicular to the transport plane.