MULTIPLE CARRIER AND SLEEVE TRAY

• US 20150301072A1
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Gelbman, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 9,714,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00782 reprogrammmable code
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00801 Holders for sample carriers, e.g. trays, caroussel, racks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00891 Displaying information to the operator
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0429 Sample carriers adapted for special purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0465 Loading or unloading the conveyor
• 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 35/021 having a flexible chain, e.g. "cartridge belt", conveyor for reaction cells or cuvettes
• 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 that includes a track configured to provide one or more paths and a plurality of sleeves. Each sleeve is configured to hold one of a plurality of fluid containers. The system also includes a plurality of carriers configured to travel along the track. Each carrier is separable from each sleeve and configured to hold one of the plurality of sleeves. The system further includes a tray having a plurality of rows. Each row is configured to hold at least one of: (i) one or more of the plurality of sleeves; and (ii) one or more of the plurality of carriers. The tray is configured to at least one of: (i) unload the plurality of sleeves or the plurality of carriers from the tray; and (ii) load the plurality of sleeves or the plurality of carriers to the tray.

Claims

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

a track configured to provide one or more paths;

a plurality of sleeves, each sleeve configured to hold one of a plurality of fluid containers;

a plurality of carriers configured to travel along the track, each carrier separable from each sleeve and configured to hold one of the plurality of sleeves;

a tray having a plurality of rows, each row configured to hold at least one of;

(i) one or more of the plurality of sleeves; and

(ii) one or more of the plurality of carriers,

wherein the tray is configured to at least one of;

(i) unload the one or more sleeves or the one or more carriers from the tray; and

(ii) load the one or more sleeves or the one or more carriers to the tray.

2. The automation system of claim 1, further comprising a loading area configured to hold the one or more carriers and provide the one or more carriers access to the track, and

wherein the tray is further configured to at least one of:

(i) unload the one or more sleeves or unload the one or more carriers from the tray to the loading area; and

(ii) load the one or more sleeves or load the one or more carriers from the loading area to the tray.

3. The automation system of claim 2, further including a load-unload device configured to at least one of:

(i) move the one or more sleeves or the one or more carriers between the tray and the track; and

(ii) move the one or more sleeves or the one or more carriers between the tray and the loading area.

4. The automation system of claim 2, wherein the track comprises the loading area.

5. The automation system of claim 1, wherein the tray is further configured to at least one of:

(i) unload the one or more sleeves or unload the one or more carriers through a bottom of the tray; and

(ii) load the one or more sleeves or the one or more carriers through the bottom of the tray.

6. The automation system of claim 5, wherein the tray is further configured to at least one of:

(i) unload each of the one or more sleeves or unload each of the one or more carriers substantially simultaneously from the tray; and

(ii) load each of the one or more sleeves or load each of the one or more carriers substantially simultaneously to the tray.

7. The automation system of claim 1, wherein the tray is further configured to at least one of:

(i) unload the one or more sleeves or unload the one or more carriers through an edge of the tray; and

(ii) load the one or more sleeves or load the one or more carriers through the edge of the tray.

8. The automation system of claim 7, wherein the tray is further configured to at least one of:

(i) unload a first row of the plurality of rows in parallel with a second row of the plurality of rows; and

(ii) load the first row of the plurality of rows in parallel with the second row of the plurality of rows.

9. The automation system of claim 7, wherein the tray is configured to at least one of:

(i) unload a sleeve or a carrier from a first row of the plurality of rows substantially simultaneous with a sleeve or a carrier from a second row of the plurality of rows; and

(ii) load the sleeve or the carrier from the first row of the plurality of rows substantially simultaneous with the sleeve or the carrier from the second row of the plurality of rows.

10. The automation system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of carriers comprises one or more carrier parameters from a group of carrier parameters comprising a direction, a speed, a velocity, a distance from another carrier, and a payload.

11. The automation system of claim 10, wherein the one or more carrier parameters of a carrier is different from the one or more carrier parameters of another carrier.

12. 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 configured to hold at least one of;

(i) one or more of a plurality of fluid containers; and

(ii) one or more of a plurality of sleeves, each of the one or more sleeves configured to hold the one or more fluid containers; and

a tray having a plurality of rows, each row configured to hold one or more of the plurality of carriers,

wherein the tray is configured to at least one of;

(i) perform a load-unload operation to one or more of the plurality of carriers through a bottom of the tray; and

(ii) perform the load-unload operation to the one or more carriers through an edge of the tray.

13. A tray for use with in-vitro diagnostics comprising:

a tray body having a plurality of rows, each row configured to hold at least one of;

(i) one or more of a plurality sleeves; and

(ii) one or more of a plurality of carriers,

wherein the tray body is configured to perform a load-unload operation using at least one of;

(i) the plurality of sleeves; and

(ii) the plurality of carriers,

each sleeve is configured to hold one of a plurality of fluid containers, and

each carrier is separable from each sleeve and each carrier is configured to travel along a track and hold at least one of;

(i) one of the plurality of sleeves; and

(ii) one of the plurality of fluid containers.

14. The tray of claim 13, wherein the tray body is further configured to perform the load-unload operation through a bottom of the tray body.

15. The tray of claim 13, wherein the tray body is further configured to perform the load-unload operation through an edge of the tray body.

16. A method for performing a load-unload operation in an in-vitro diagnostics system, comprising:

receiving, into a plurality of rows of a tray, at least one of (i) a plurality of fluid container sleeves configured to hold a plurality of fluid containers; and

(ii) a plurality of carriers configured to travel along a track, the plurality of carriers separable from and configured to hold the plurality of fluid container sleeves or configured to hold the plurality of fluid containers;

retaining, in the plurality of rows of the tray, the at least one of (i) the plurality of fluid container sleeves; and

(ii) the plurality of carriers; and

releasing, through a bottom of the tray, the at least one of (i) the plurality of fluid container sleeves; and

(ii) the plurality of carriers.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the receiving further comprises substantially simultaneously receiving the at least one of (i) the plurality of fluid container sleeves;

and (ii) the plurality of carriers through the bottom of the tray.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the releasing further comprises substantially simultaneously releasing the at least one of (i) the plurality of fluid container sleeves;

and (ii) the plurality of carriers from the tray through the bottom of the tray.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein retaining the least one of (i) the plurality of fluid container sleeves;

and (ii) the plurality of carriers further comprises applying a mechanical force to the least one of (i) the plurality of fluid container sleeves; and

(ii) the plurality of carriers.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein retaining the least one of (i) the plurality of fluid container sleeves;

and (ii) the plurality of carriers further comprises applying a magnetic force to the least one of (i) the plurality of fluid container sleeves; and

(ii) the plurality of carriers.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein releasing the least one of (i) the plurality of fluid container sleeves;

and (ii) the plurality of carriers further comprises manually applying a force to substantially simultaneously release the least one of (i) the plurality of fluid container sleeves from the tray; and

(ii) the plurality of carriers from the tray.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising sensing a location of the tray, and

wherein, the releasing further comprises substantially simultaneously releasing the at least one of (i) the plurality of fluid container sleeves from the tray;

and (ii) the plurality of carriers from the tray responsive to the sensing the location of the tray.

23. A method for performing a load-unload operation in an in-vitro diagnostics system, comprising:

receiving, into a plurality of rows of an edge loading tray, a plurality of carriers configured to hold a plurality of fluid container sleeves and configured to travel along a track;

retaining, in the plurality of rows of the edge loading tray, the plurality of carriers;

releasing, through an edge of the edge loading tray, the plurality of carriers,

wherein the releasing further comprises releasing a first row of the plurality of rows in parallel with a second row of the plurality of rows.