Clinically testing biological samples

• US 5,966,309 A
• Filed: 03/28/1997
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Smithkline Beecham Corporation (GSK plc)
• Inventors: Sagona, Peter, Constable, Kevin N., Van Dyke, Bingham H. Jr., O'Bryan, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Paul P.
• Application Number:
  US08/827,212
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 364/478.13, 364/478.16, 364/478.17, 364/478.18, 198/349.6, 198/781.01, 198/617, 422/63, 422/65, 422/67
• US Class Current: 700/225
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0405 manipulating closing or opening means, e.g. stoppers, screw caps, lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0462 Buffers [FIFO] or stacks [LIFO] for holding carriers between operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0467 Switching points ("aiguillages")
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0472 for selective recirculation of carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/021 having a flexible chain, e.g. "cartridge belt", conveyor for reaction cells or cuvettes

Abstract

This invention relates to an automated apparatus for subjecting samples to one or more selected test procedures at one or more test stations comprising a conveyor line for transporting samples contained in uniquely labeled containers, said line having at least two lanes for routing said containers to one or more selectable test stations, at least one of said lanes being a transport lane and at least one of said lanes being a queue line, and having a container interface device for transferring containers to said testing device from the queue lane and back again onto said queue lane.

Claims

1. An automated conveyor system for transporting biological specimens contained in uniquely identified containers to one or more selectable stations, said conveyor system comprising:

(a) a plurality of independently moveable holders, each capable of holding one of said biological specimen containers;

(b) a conveyor comprising;

(1) a single conveyor belt for supporting and moving said holders, said conveyor belt having at least two lanes, and

(2) at least one gate for routing said holders between lanes;

(c) at least one reader positioned in relationship to said belt in a manner that allows for reading the unique identifier of each container when the container is in its holder;

(d) at least one electronic data processor for receiving data from said reader and associating the unique identifier data with another data file containing information defining at least one test to be performed on the specimen in that container, which, in combination, controls the movement of said container through said system;

(e) at least one station for acting on said containers, interfaced with at least one lane of said conveyor, and operating under the direct or indirect control of said electronic data processor.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 which is circulating in design and has:

a continuous conveyor belt;

one inner lane and one outer lane with at least one gate system for routing holders between the lanes, one lane being a transport lane one lane being an accumulator lane; and

the outer edges of the lanes being defined by edge walls and the single belt being divided into two lanes by a central dividing wall.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 which is linear and has

a continuous conveyor belt;

at least one gate system for routing holders between the lanes, one lane being an accumulator lane and the other being lane being a transport lane; and

the outer edges of the lanes being defined by edge walls and the single belt being divided into two lanes by a central dividing wall.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein at least one wall defining each lane has at least one guide ridge on the surface facing the lane it defines;

and

said holders having at least one guide groove which engages the guide ridge in said wall.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein a lane is a transport lane at one point in the operation of the system and an accumulator lane at another point in the operation of the system, or an accumulator lane at one point in the operation and a transport lane at another point.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 where the inner lane is the transport lane and the outer lane is the accumulator lane.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 which has a detector which detects the integrity of the container and/or the presence or absence of a unique label.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 which has a device to stop and isolate at least one holder.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, 2 or 3 further comprising a device positioned for removing the closure on a container while the container is in its holder.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, 2 or 3 which has a gate in the form of a ramp barrier for routing holders between said lanes.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, 2 or 3 which has an active gate for routing holders between lanes.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, 2 or 3 further comprising an area along said belt for loading holders with or without containers onto one of said lanes or for loading containers into holders on a lane.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a station which is a mechanical device under control of the, or a, data processor for removing containers from holders in an accumulator lane or for removing holders and containers from said lane.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 or 13 having a rack located adjacent to or integrated into said station for receiving and holding a plurality of containers, wherein said mechanical device places said container in said rack after removing said container from said holder, or removes containers from said rack and places them in holders on the system.

15. An automated conveyor system for transporting biological specimens contained in uniquely identified containers said conveyor system comprising;

a first conveyor line for transporting samples containing in uniquely labeled containers, said line have at least two lanes with means for routing containers between said lanes, at least one lane being a transport lane and at least one other lane being and accumulator lane,

loading means for loading said containers onto the apparatus,

electronics means for reading and recording the unique label information from said labels of containers,

data processing means for electronically recording, storing and processing said information,

electronic control means for routing and tracking said samples in response to said recording information,

at least one interface means for routing containers from the first conveyor line to a spur conveyor line,

one or more spur conveyor lines for transporting said containers to one or more selectable test stations, said spur line(s) having at least two lanes, with means for routing containers between said lanes, at least one of said lanes being a transport lane and at least one of said lanes being a queue lane, and having a container interface device and a sample testing procedure located adjacent to said spur line(s);

selection means and routing means, controlled by said data processing means, for selecting containers for routing by the interface device from the first conveyor transport lane to the transport lane of a selected spur line, selection means and routing means, controlled by said data processing means, for selecting containers and for routing selected containers from the spur transport lane to the queue lane adjacent to a selected test station;

a container interface device for presenting a container or sample from the container to a test procedure and capable of interacting with a container in the queue lane and the staging area of a test procedure;

test means for carrying out the test procedure;

means to record and store the results of the said test procedure;

means to route container from the queue lane to the spur line transport lane;

at least one interface means for routing containers from the spur conveyor line to the first conveyor line;

off-loading means to off-load containers from the apparatus.