MULTIPLE SLOT PLACE AND PICK CARRIER

• US 20150276774A1
• Filed: 10/11/2013
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2012
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Pollack, Benjamin S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,254,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/32 Individual load-carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/90 Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0406 Individual bottles or tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0467 Switching points ("aiguillages")
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/047 diverging, e.g. sending carriers to different analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0092 Scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/02 using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations G01N35/0098 and G01N35/0099 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/04 Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence

Abstract

An automation system for use with in-vitro diagnostics includes a plurality of fluid containers configured to hold one or more fluids. The system includes a plurality of carriers having a plurality of slots configured to hold one of the plurality of fluid containers. The system also includes a place and pick device configured to place the plurality of fluid containers into the plurality of slots and remove the plurality of fluid containers from the plurality of slots. The system further includes a controller configured to control the place and pick device to place a first fluid container into an empty slot of a carrier of the plurality of carriers while a second fluid container is in an occupied slot and control the place and pick device to subsequently remove the second fluid container from the occupied slot of the carrier.

Claims

1. An automation system for use with in-vitro diagnostics comprising:

a track configured to provide one or more paths;

a plurality of carriers configured to travel along the track, each carrier comprising a plurality of slots, wherein each slot is configured to hold one of a plurality of fluid containers;

a place and pick device configured to place the plurality of fluid containers into the plurality of slots and remove the plurality of fluid containers from the plurality of slots; and

a controller configured to;

(i) control the place and pick device to place a first fluid container into an empty slot of a carrier of the plurality of carriers while a second fluid container is in an occupied slot;

(ii) control the place and pick device to subsequently remove the second fluid container from the occupied slot of the carrier; and

(iii) maintain the empty slot on the carrier prior to the first fluid container being placed into the empty slot.

2. The automation system of claim 1, further comprising a storage area accessible to the place and pick device and configured to hold the plurality of fluid containers,

wherein the controller is further configured to control the place and pick device to:

(i) retrieve the first fluid container from the storage area prior to placing the first fluid container into the empty slot of the carrier; and

(ii) store the second fluid container at the storage area after removing the second fluid container from the carrier.

3. The automation system of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors configured to sense at least one of:

(i) which of the plurality of slots of each carrier is empty; and

(ii) which of the plurality of slots of each carrier is occupied.

4. The automation system of claim 3, wherein at least one carrier of the plurality of carriers comprises the one or more sensors.

5. The automation system of claim 3, wherein the one or more sensors is configured to observe at least one carrier of the plurality of carriers.

6. The automation system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to direct at least one of the plurality of carriers to:

(i) a first carrier location for having the first fluid container placed into the empty slot; and

(ii) a second carrier location for having the second fluid container subsequently removed from the occupied slot.

7. The automation system of claim 1, wherein at least one carrier of the plurality of carriers comprises an onboard processor.

8. The automation system of claim 7, wherein the at least one carrier further comprises a transceiver configured to communicate with the onboard processor and the controller.

9. The automation system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of slots further comprises at least three slots.

10. The automation system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of electromagnetic coils in at least one of the track and the plurality of carriers; and

a plurality of magnets in at least one of the other of the track and the plurality of carriers,

wherein the plurality of electromagnetic coils and the plurality of magnets are configured to propel the plurality of carriers along the track.

11. A carrier for transporting fluids in an in-vitro diagnostics environment comprising:

a carrier body;

at least two slots, wherein each slot is configured to hold one of a plurality of fluid containers; and

one or more sensors configured to sense at least one of;

(i) which of the at least two slots of each carrier is empty; and

(ii) which of the at least two slots of each carrier is occupied,

wherein each fluid container is configured to hold one or more fluids.

12. The carrier of claim 11, further comprising an onboard processor.

13. The carrier of claim 12, wherein the onboard processor is configured to direct the carrier to:

(i) a first carrier location for having a first fluid container placed into an empty slot; and

(ii) a second carrier location for having a second fluid container subsequently removed from an occupied slot.

14. The carrier of claim 11, further comprising a communications system configured to receive routing instructions, including:

(i) a first carrier location for having a first fluid container placed into an empty slot; and

(ii) a second carrier location for having a second fluid container subsequently removed from an occupied slot.

15. The carrier of claim 11, wherein the at least two slots further comprises at least three slots.

16. The carrier of claim 11, wherein the carrier is configured to be propelled along a track via magnetic forces.

17. A method for operating an in-vitro diagnostics system, comprising:

moving a plurality of carriers having a plurality of slots and configured to travel along a track;

directing a carrier of the plurality of carriers to a location along the track;

placing a first fluid container, using a place and pick device, into an empty slot of the carrier at the location while a second fluid container is in an occupied slot;

removing the second fluid container, using the place and pick device, from the occupied slot of the carrier subsequent to placing the first fluid container into the empty slot.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising directing the carrier to a second location along the track prior to removing the second fluid container from the occupied slot of the carrier.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

retrieving the first fluid container from a storage area prior to placing the first fluid container into the empty slot of the carrier; and

storing the second fluid container at the storage area after removing the second fluid container from the carrier.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising sensing at least one of:

(i) which of the plurality of slots of each carrier is empty; and

(ii) which of the plurality of slots of each carrier is occupied.