Device for supplying blood tubes to a whole blood analyser

• US 7,858,032 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Horiba Abx SAS (Horiba Limited)
• Original Assignee: Horiba Abx SAS (Horiba Limited)
• Inventors: Dupoteau, Francois, Le Comte, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright; P. Kathryn
• Application Number:
  US10/592,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20080318306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,118 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 422/65
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00445 Other cooling arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00524 Mixing by agitating sample carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0406 Individual bottles or tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00594 Quality control, including calibration or testing of components of the analyser
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00603 Reinspection of samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/04 Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114165 with step of insertion or removal from test line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114998 with treatment or replacement of aspirator element [e.g., cleaning, etc.]

Abstract

A device including a pre-analytical module provided with at least one tube stirrer for homogenizing blood and preventing clot formation and disposed on a line for single-tube transfer between an area for storing analyzable tubes, and at least one unitary operating whole blood analyzer and automatic tube-loading/unloading device arranged between the tube stirrer and the single-tube transfer line. The device is suitable for blood analyzers.

Claims

1. An analyzing system, comprising:

at least one whole blood analyzer operating in a unitary mode;

a storage zone for tubes to be analyzed;

a mono-tube transfer line for transferring tubes between the storage zone and the at least one whole blood analyzer operating in a unitary mode;

a pre-analytical module comprising;

at least one tube agitator for homogenizing the blood before analysis, a device for aerating and recognizing the tubes comprising a device for reading label information on the tubes, the pre-analytical module being disposed on the mono-tube transfer line between the storage zone for tubes to be analyzed and the at least one whole blood analyzer; and

a plurality of means for automatically loading and unloading the tubes, one of the plurality of means for automatically loading and unloading the tubes disposed between the tube agitator and the mono-tube transfer line, one of the other plurality of means for automatically loading and unloading the tubes disposed between the device for aerating and recognizing the tubes and the mono-tube transfer line.

2. The analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the device for aerating and recognizing the tubes further comprises a device for piercing the tubes which enables tubes to be aerated.

3. The analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the pre-analytical module further comprises a compartment for storing and providing quality control tubes for use in tests on whole blood analyzers and one of the other plurality of means for automatically loading and unloaded the tubes disposed between the mono-tube transfer line and the compartment for storing and providing the quality control tubes.

4. The analyzing system according to claim 3, wherein the compartment for storing and providing the quality control tubes comprises an insulating enclosure with an interior kept at a constant temperature by a regulating module and a switching device for transferring regulating parameters of the regulating module to a network interface module.

5. The analyzing system according to claim 4, wherein the quality control tubes are fixed inside the insulating enclosure on a belt by mechanical or magnetic fixing means controlled by a control and feedback device.

6. The analyzing system according to claim 4, wherein the regulating module is a Peltier effect regulating module.

7. The analyzing system according to claim 3, wherein the pre-analytical module further comprises a number of storage compartments configured for quality control tubes or tubes for analysis.

8. The analyzing system according to claim 3, wherein the pre-analytical module further comprises a detector for detecting presence of clots in tubes of blood.

9. The analyzing system according to claim 8, wherein the detector comprises optical means or sound waves or electrical means.

10. The analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the tube agitator comprises a wheel provided with a specified number of indentations each configured to receive a tube, each tube which is to be agitated being loaded into an indentation by the means for automatically loading and unloading the tubes.

11. The analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the pre-analytical module comprises a network interface module enabling a control and feedback module to receive instructions from a telemaintenance center or from an internet or intranet information network.

12. The analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the storage zone comprises a manipulating arm for associating on a conveyor each tube with a support, and wherein the conveyor transports the tubes with their supports on the conveying line.

13. The analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the whole blood analyzer comprises a blood analyzing device coupled with sampling means comprising an indentation for holding each tube which is to be analyzed vertically in alignment with a sampling needle.

14. The analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the pre-analytical module further comprises a detector for detecting a level of a liquid contained in a tube.

15. The analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein the pre-analytical module further comprises a heater for heating the tubes on the tube agitator by a Peltier effect.