Method and apparatus for handling sample holders

• US 20060051239A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Protedyne Corporation (Laboratory Corporation Of America Holdings)
• Original Assignee: Protedyne Corporation (Laboratory Corporation Of America Holdings)
• Inventors: Massaro, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,278,328 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/63
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/56 Means for indicating position of a recipient or sample in an array
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers

Abstract

A sample handling apparatus identifies sample holders and their location in a sample holder carrier. This information may be used to determine the identity of sample holders based only on location in the carrier during subsequent processing of material contained in the sample holders. Sample holder identity may be automatically read, and placement of holders in a carrier may be automatically determined and correlated with the holder identity. Such information may be stored, e.g., in a memory in the carrier so that sample holders can be easily identified later.

Claims

1. A sample handling apparatus for use with a processing apparatus that performs analytical processes on material in a plurality of sample holders, the sample handling apparatus comprising:

a reading apparatus that inputs information representing a machine readable identifier on individual sample holders containing a material to be used in analytical processes;

at least one carrier constructed and arranged to hold a plurality of individual sample holders at a plurality of unique locations; and

a control system that receives a signal from the reading apparatus corresponding to an identifier from an individual sample holder and correlates the sample holder with a specific location in a carrier so that results from analytical processes performed on sample material removed from the sample holder can be correlated with the sample holder.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each sample holder has a unique barcode that is readable by the reading apparatus and uniquely identifies the sample holder.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reading apparatus reads the machine readable identifier on each sample holder as an operator holds the sample holder.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the operator places each sample holder into a location in a carrier after the machine readable identifier is read by the reading apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a detector that detects the presence or absence of a sample holder in each location in a carrier.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the control system correlates an identity of each sample holder with a location in a carrier by associating a machine readable identifier read by the reading apparatus with a subsequent detection by the detector of a sample holder in a location of the carrier.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector includes a plurality of photosensors that each correspond to a location in a carrier and detect the presence or absence of a sample holder in the corresponding location.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system provides information to the processing apparatus regarding an identity of each sample holder in each location of a carrier.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one carrier includes a machine readable identifier that stores information regarding the identity of sample holders in each location of the carrier.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, in combination with a processing apparatus that performs at least one analytical process on material in sample holders.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reading apparatus is adapted to read an identifier on at least one carrier into which sample holders are loaded.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system stores information regarding the identity of each sample holder, each sample holder'"'"'s location in a corresponding carrier, and the corresponding carrier'"'"'s identity.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reading apparatus automatically reads the machine readable identifier on each sample holder.

14. A method for performing processes on material carried in sample holders, comprising:

providing a plurality of sample holders, each sample holder carrying material;

reading an identifier on each of the sample holders;

placing each of the sample holders in a corresponding location in a carrier;

storing information regarding the correlation of the identifier read from each sample holder and the location of the sample holder in the carrier; and

providing the carrier and sample holders to a processing apparatus for performing analytical processes on the material in the sample holders.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of providing a plurality of sample holders comprises providing a machine readable identifier on each sample holder.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of reading an identifier comprises machine reading a machine readable identifier on each of the sample holders.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of reading an identifier comprises having an operator manually move each sample holder near a reading apparatus that reads the identifier on each sample holder.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of placing comprises manually placing each sample holder in a corresponding location in a carrier.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising detecting the presence of each sample holder in its corresponding location in the carrier after the sample holder identifier has been read.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of storing information comprises correlating an identifier read from a sample holder with a particular location in a carrier based on detecting the sample holder in carrier location that was previously unoccupied.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of storing information regarding the correlation of the identifier read from each sample holder and the location of the sample holder in the carrier further comprises:

storing information regarding an identity of the carrier in which each sample holder is placed.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

performing at least one analytical process on material in at least one of the sample holders;

obtaining results of the at least one analytical process; and

correlating the results of the at least one analytical process with a specific sample holder.