WO1997016733A1

WO1997016733A1 - A method and a plant for handling sample bottles in a laboratory and a bus for use in handling such bottles

Info

Publication number: WO1997016733A1
Application number: PCT/DK1996/000451
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans ØSTERGAARD
Original assignee: Dansk Mejeri Elektronik A/S
Priority date: 1995-10-30
Filing date: 1996-10-30
Publication date: 1997-05-09
Also published as: DK121195A; DK173762B1; AU7300196A

Abstract

A plant is described for handling sample bottles (6) in a laboratory. The plant comprises a bus (3) consisting of a number of mutually pivotably interconnected articulations (9). As the articulations (9) of the bus are pivotably connected with each other, it may be led through rectilinearly curved sequences (7) as well as curved segments (8) in the plant. In this manner it is possible to produce a process plant wherein sample bottles are led automatically from process apparatus to process apparatus (4) using a central electronic registration and control unit, which guides the buses (3) through the plant as a result of a registrable code (31) on a bus (3) and/or a sample bottle (6). Such a plant may be placed in a laboratory with a limited need for floor space.

Description

A METHOD AND A PLANT FOR HANDLING SAMPLE BOTTLES IN A LABORATORY AND A BUS FOR USE IN HANDLING SUCH BOTTLES

Background of the invention

The present invention relates to a method for handling sample bottles in a laboratory, wherein a number of sample bottles are placed in an articulated bus, wherein each ar¬ ticulation comprises an opening for receiving a sample bottle, which is transported through a number of processes, the bus being supported by transport members convey¬ ing them through rectilinear and curvilinear sequences. The invention further relates to a plant for handling sample bottles in a laboratory, wherein a number of sample bottles are placed in an articulated bus, wherein each articulation comprises an opening for receiving a sample bottle, which is transported from apparatus to apparatus, where various processes take place, said plant comprising transport members which, at least between subsequent process apparatuses, comprise rectilinear and curvilinear seg¬ ments arranged as extensions of each other in order to support the bus, and the inven¬ tion also relates to a bus for use in handling sample bottles in a laboratory, wherein a number of sample bottles are placed in the bus, which transport the sample bottles via transport segments through a number of processes, and which is articulated, and that each articulation is supplied with an opening for receiving a sample bottle.

In laboratories it is known to handle sample bottles through different apparatuses where processes take place or tests are made of the samples contained in the sample bottles. In such laboratories tests are frequently made on a very large number of sam¬ ples during the day. Thus, it is not unusual to handle up to 30,000 bottles per day.

In order to facilitate the handling, it has previously been known to use so-called racks or buses in which sample bottles are placed in holders designed for this. The known buses are rectilinear bars or trays containing a number of recesses into which a number of sample bottles are placed. E.g. between 7 and 20 sample bottles may be placed in such bar-shaped racks. The bar-shaped racks are handled manually or semi-automatical ly through a labora¬ tory as they are carried from apparatus to apparatus where processes or tests take place. Thus, the known apparatus will frequently be designed to handle a number of aligned sample bottles, which are arranged in the bar-shaped rack.

The manual or semi-automatic handling involves disadvantages. Thus, there is a risk of mishandling in the manual handling of racks of buses. Furthermore, situations will frequently occur in which the capacities of the process apparatuses are not utilised sufficiently efficiently.

Furthermore, there will be a need of a relatively large area for positioning the various process apparatuses with sufficient space between the apparatuses for handling the bar-shaped racks. Furthermore, it will be difficult to have the individual process appa- ratuses placed at different levels as the manual handling of the bar-shaped racks re¬ quire an ergonomically suitable positioning.

In order to remedy the above-mentioned disadvantages, US patent No. 3,916,157 dis¬ closes an articulated bus in which each articulation comprises an opening that is able to receive a sample bottle. However, no directions are given in this publication as to how the buses may be conducted through a laboratory from process to process. The described articulations of the bus are further disadvantageous in that they are not de¬ signed to be able to fix sample bottles so that a reliable reading may be obtained of bar codes or other information that may be found on the sample bottle itself.

It is the object of the present invention to disclose a method and a plant that will rem¬ edy the above-mentioned disadvantages, and which permit efficient handling of the sample bottles according to a principle suited for the automation of the passage of the sample bottles through the laboratory.

This is obtained according to the present invention by a method that is characterised in that the bus is driven in the rectilinear sequences and conducted through the curvilin- ear sequences, and that during transport the bus is always brought into gear with a rectilinear sequence, and by a plant that is characterised in that the rectilinear seg¬ ments of the transport members comprise driven transport belts, that the curvilinear segments comprise a recess wherein the articulations of the bus are received fully or partly to apply a change of direction, that the friction between the bus and the trans¬ port belts is larger than the friction between the bus and the curved segments and that the recess of a curved segment is shorter than a bus.

Due to the curvilinear course of certain segments ofthe transport members, it becomes possible to swing the flexible bus around corners, which may have a relatively small radius of curvature depending on the design of the bus. Furthermore, it will be possi¬ ble to turn the bus in very little space by using curved segments that switch the direc¬ tion of movement by 180°. On this background there will be very high flexibility in the way in which process apparatuses may be positioned in a laboratory.

As the buses are supported by transport members, manual handling of the buses is avoided. As the buses are flexible and are conducted through curvilinear sequences, the space requirement will be reduced considerably compared to traditional handling of bar-shaped racks, which are transferred manually from process apparatus to process apparatus.

As the buses are driven through the rectilinear sequences, where driven transport belts are used, a simple and low-cost transport of the buses through the entire process is obtained. In the curvilinear segments, the bus will merely be conducted through in a passive manner under simultaneous application of a change of direction. As the curvi- linear segment will always have a shorter recess than the length of a bus, a bus will always be in gear with a rectilinear segment before or after the curvilinear segment. In this manner the bus will be conducted safely through a laboratory from process to process.

The transport members comprise driven transport belts as well as curvilinear seg¬ ments, which have a recess in which the articulations ofthe bus may be fully or partly received in order to apply a change of direction. The friction between the bus and the transport belts is larger than the friction between the bus and the curvilinear segments. As each curvilinear segment is shorter than a bus, the latter will be pushed through a curvilinear segment and then be brought into gear with the subsequent driven transport belt for further transport. As the friction between the bus and the transport means is larger than the friction between the bus and curvilinear segments, there will never be a risk that a bus will be slowed down in a curvilinear segment. There is also no risk that a bus is stopped in a curvilinear segment as the front or rear end will always be in contact with a driven transport belt. In the individual buses, part of the articulation will preferably be replaceable so that it will be possible to use the articulations in combination with sample bottles having different sizes. Sample bottles may have dif¬ ferent sizes and designs depending on their application.

Furthermore, it will be possible to use buses having different lengths depending on the number of sample bottles from different users who have controls made in the labora¬ tory.

It is possible to stop the buses. Thus, in combination with at least some of the process apparatuses there will be disengageable stop members, which are able to co-operate with the bus so that it builds a buffer storage immediately before the process appara¬ tus. In this manner it is possible to utilise the capacities of the process apparatus opti¬ mally as a new bus will always be ready to pass into the process apparatus when a preceding bus is driven out ofthe process apparatus.

The individual transport belts used may be driven at variable speeds depending on the capacities of the process apparatuses as long as optimal utilisation is obtained depend¬ ing on the processes/tests to be made in relation to the tests in question, which are contained in the buses. It is further possible to drive the transport belts at different speeds. Thus the speed of the buses may be accelerated when they are to be trans- ported on relatively long rectilinear transport distances, or deaccelerated when they are to be conducted through a curvilinear segment and/or into a process apparatus. The use of different speeds as well as mutually variable speeds make it possible to utilise the capacities ofthe apparatuses optimally.

When positioned in the process apparatuses, the buses will normally extend rectiline- arly. Thus, the system may be used in combination with the process apparatuses known per se, which have previously been used for handling bar-shaped buses. How¬ ever, the buses may also be used in other types of process apparatuses in which the sample bottles are placed according to a curve, e.g. a segment of a circle.

As each articulation of a bus comprises an opening for receiving a sample bottle, it will be possible to design the opening so that a sample bottle is fixed therein in a pre¬ defined position. This may be done, for example, by providing each articulation with members for entering into gear with a hinge for the lids of the sample bottles. It will further be possible to retain the sample bottles in the openings of the individual articu- lations so that while positioned in the buses the sample bottles may be overturned, vibrated or rotated in order to avoid a stratification in the samples that are in the sam¬ ple bottles.

During their passage through the laboratory the buses are conducted from segment to segment by the transport members. As separate rectilinear and curvilinear segments are used, it is possible, e.g. by using a central electronic registration and control unit, to conduct the individual buses through the process apparatuses necessary to accom¬ plish processes for the samples found in the sample bottles of the bus. It is noted that the system may also be used to conduct the buses through a transport route wherein it passes through all process apparatuses. It will then be possible to deactivate or activate process apparatuses depending on whether a treatment is to be made of the actual samples present in the sample bottles ofthe bus.

As the bus will be positioned on the transport members and will be conducted through the laboratory by means of them, a risk is avoided of erroneous test results due to misplacing or mistaking the order of buses and the like, which might happen in a manual handling. The articulations of the buses will be provided with a recess for receiving part of the sample bottle, so that it is retained in a non-rotatable position. In this manner it is possible to use electronically registrable codes, e.g. in the form of bar codes and/or electronic chips attached to each individual articulation and/or each individual bottle.

Using a central electronic registration and control unit it becomes possible to treat/analyse and perform a registration of analyses from each individual sample bot¬ tle. Alternatively it is also possible to perform the registration on the basis of an elec¬ tronically registrable code that is simply attached to the first articulation and/or sample bottle in a bus.

If the plant comprises switching members in combination with the curved segments, it will be possible to use the registrable codes in a control of the passage of the individ¬ ual buses through different transport routes in the transport members and thus through optional process apparatuses.

The switching members used to apply one passage or the other to the buses through the transport members will be controlled as a result of signals from the registration and control unit. These signals will be given as a result of detection of the electronically registrable code attached to the individual bus/the individual articulation ofthe bus.

If the articulations are mutually pivotable in an angle in space, which may be estab¬ lished by connecting the articulations by a pivot passing through aligned openings in a U-shaped fork and through an opening in a flap arranged between them, which is able to pivot between the fork branches, it will be possible to route the segments of the transport members in different levels. This increases flexibility since it is made possi¬ ble to place the process apparatuses side by side as well as above and underneath each other. This may be done without any ergonomic considerations, which would be re¬ quired if manual handling were to take place necessitating a suitable working height of the buses. According to the invention the plant is provided with an inlet station, where the sam¬ ple bottles are placed in the buses. This may be done manually or automatically by using robots, which transfer the sample bottles from racks or trays used when collect¬ ing the samples and for transport of the sample bottles to a laboratory. Furthermore, the plant comprises a storage, in which the buses may be parked. Thus, empty buses ready to be filled with sample bottles may be parked, or buses may be parked that are provided with sample bottles, which are subsequently to be handled through the labo¬ ratory. The storage further comprises a discharge and washing station, where the sample bottles are automatically emptied and removed from the buses. The buses are cleaned and are ready to be provided with sample bottles again. The sample bottles may be removed manually or automatically from the buses.

It is noted that laboratories may be designed to perform very different processes/tests. However, the system according to the invention makes it possible for each sample to be conducted only through those process apparatuses of the laboratory that are neces¬ sary for the test in question. As an example of application fields one may mention e.g. quality tests in the food industry and/or quality tests of water qualities, milk qualities and the like.

The process apparatuses used in the laboratory will not be limiting for the present in¬ vention. Thus, it will be possible to use known process apparatuses that are connected by means of transport members used for transport of buses according to the invention.

The invention will now be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying schematic drawing, wherein

fig. 1 shows a flow sheet for a plant according to the invention, fig. 2 shows a perspective view for illustration of a bus according to the invention, fig. 3 a partial view for illustration of a bus positioned in a curved segment, fig. 4 a plan view of an item for a part of an articulation in the bus shown in fig. 2, figs. 5-7 different views for illustration of the mentioned part of the articulation in a folded state ready to be placed in the articulation, and fig. 8 a partial view of a rectilinear segment and a curved segment for a plant ac¬ cording to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a flow sheet for a plant according to the invention, placed in a labora- tory 1. The plant comprises transport members 2 for transport of buses 3 (see figure 2) through different process apparatuses 4 in the plant. The bus 3 contains a number of articulations 5, each designed to contain a sample bottle 6.

The transport members 2 of the plant, which are seen clearly in figure 8, comprise rectilinear segments 7 as well as curved segments 8. It is possible for a bus 3 to be transported through the rectilinear segments 7 and the curved segments 8 as the bus is flexible. The flexibility is established in the embodiment shown by producing the bus from a number of interconnected articulations 9 (see particularly fig. 3). The articula¬ tions 9 are interconnected by means of a pivot 10 passing through the openings 11 in a U-shaped fork 12 at one end of a joint, said openings 11 being aligned with an open¬ ing 13 in a flap 14, which is provided at the other end of an adjacent articulation so that the openings 11, 13 are aligned. The two branches of the fork will form an angle, preferably between 0 and 10° (not shown), so that the flap 14 may perform a pivot between the two branches. This permits mutual pivoting in an angle in space of the different articulations 9 so that the bus may both turn around corners and be guided up and down inclinations in the transport means 2.

The U-fork 12 and the flap 14 are integral parts of a bottom part 15 of each articula¬ tion 9. Each articulation is provided with a recess 16 for receiving the bottom of a sample bottle 6. In order to support the sample bottles 6 at an upper position, each articulation is further provided with an upper part 17, which appears particularly from figures 4-7. The upper part 17 is shown in an unfolded state in fig. 4. It is seen here that at either end ofthe articulation openings 18 are provided for the passage of screws with which the upper part 17 is secured to the bottom part 15 of the articulation. This fastening takes place when the upper part 17 has been folded along folding lines 19 and has an appearance such as appears from the three right-angled views in figures 5, 6 and 7. Formed in the central part 20 between the two folding lines 19 is an opening 21 through which the upper part ofthe sample bottle 6 passes. At one side of the opening 20 there is a part 22, which extends upward from the intermediate part 20 in the folded condition. This upwardly oriented part 22 is provided with a recess 23 and has the purpose of fixing the sample bottles in a rotational position in relation to each articu¬ lation, the purpose of the recess 23 being to enter into gear with a hinge (24) of a lid 25 on a sample bottle 6. It is noted that such a fixing member is advantageous in con¬ sideration of reading a bar code that is found on the sample bottles. Depending on the design of the sample bottles 6, the upper part 17 of each articulation will be designed differently. Thus, the bottom parts 15 may be provided with upper parts 17 of different design.

It is seen from fig. 8 that a rectilinear segment 7 comprises a rail 26 in which there is a track 27. Extending in the track 27 is a transport belt (not shown), which runs around turning rollers (not shown), at least one of which is driven at the end of each rail sec¬ tion 26. Due to the use of a track 27 it is ensured that the transport belt and the buses arranged thereupon will be conveyed in a simple manner without the risk of gliding sidewards. However on either side a guiding screen 28 (only one shown in fig. 8) is arranged, which ensures that a bus 3 will not overturn.

It is further seen from fig. 8 that each curved segment 8 is composed of a rail 29, which also comprises a recess 30 in which the bottom parts 15 of the bus 3 are re¬ ceived in order to give the bus a change of direction. It is noted that the length of the recess 30 in a curved segment will always be shorter than the length of a bus 3. A choice of materials will also be made such that the friction between the bottom parts 15 and the transport will always be larger than the friction between the bottom parts 15 and the recess 30 in a curved segment 8. In this manner it is ensured than a bus will always slide easily through a curved segment arranged as an extension of a rectiline- arly curved segment and then be guided into a subsequent rectilinear segment arranged as an extension ofthe curved segment. The plant shown in fig. 1 may be supplied with a number of rectilinear segments ar¬ ranged as extensions of each other to form the long transport paths between different process apparatuses 4. The transport belts in such subsequent rectilinear segments 7 are designed to be driven at variable and mutually different speeds. Owing to this, the speed may be accelerated during passage into a long distance and deaccelerated before entrance into a curved segment 8.

Arranged at the curved segments 8 are switches known per se as well as disengageable gear members, which are able to guide the passage of the buses 3 through one trans- port route or the other in such switches. Control of the switching members takes place by means ofthe electronic registration and control unit, which performs the control by means of a scanning of bar codes 31 , which may be positioned on each individual sample bottle 6 or merely on the front sample bottle in a bus 3.

At any of the process apparatuses 4 there may be arranged disengageable stop mem¬ bers, e.g. in the form of pivotable pins, against which the buses are stopped so that a buffer storage may be built up immediately before the process apparatus 4. In this manner a process apparatus 4 may always be used efficiently since the buses 3 will always be conveyed to the stop members and stand ready to be introduced into the process apparatus when a preceding bus leaves it. This control may be accomplished by means of the electronic registration and control unit. For use in the passage of the buses through the plant such a unit will be programmed with data for the processes to be performed in each individual process apparatus 4.

The plant shown in fig. 1 comprises two different inlet stations 32, 33. It is possible to use several different inlet stations making it possible to place different types of sample bottles 6 in the buses 3. The sample bottles are transferred into the buses by means of a robot 34, which transfers the sample bottles from racks 34, 36 used for collecting the sample bottles 6 and for their transportation to the laboratory 1. The transport mem- bers 2 convey the bottles from the inlet stations 32, 33 to a storage 37. Filled buses are stored in the storage 37 until the registration and control unit signals the passage ofthe bus through the plant. After passage of the buses through the plant, the sample bottles are conveyed via the storage 37 to a discharge and washing station 38 where the sam¬ ple bottles are automatically emptied and removed from the buses. The buses 3 are simultaneously cleaned and ready to receive sample bottles in the inlet stations 32, 33 again. The plant comprises a turning apparatus 39. The latter may be used for turning or rotating the samples before they are introduced into process apparatuses. Thus, an inexactitude in the samples due to stratification is avoided in a manner known per se. The plant further comprises a divider 40. Therein it is possible to take out parts of the samples in the sample bottles 6 so that they may be tested in process apparatuses that are not designed to handle a bus. E.g. this may be the case with a cryoscope 41. The plant also comprises a station 42, where sight, smell and taste may be tested. Further¬ more, the plant shown comprises water baths 43, 44, where temperatures e.g. of 20°C and 40°C may be established.

The bottom part 15 ofthe articulations of each bus 3 will preferably be in plastic, pro- duced either by casting or cutting. The upper part 17 will preferably be produced from a thin metal plate. Alternatively, this part may also be produced from plastic. In addi¬ tion to the recess 16 for receiving a sample bottle, a recess for receiving an electronic chip may be formed in the underside of the bottom part 15. Such an electronic chip may either be permanently coded or programmable so that each sample may be regis- tered by use ofthe attached chip present in the bottom part 15. Such an electronic chip may be used instead ofthe bar codes 31 or as a supplement to a bar code registration.

Although the bar code 31 in figure 2 is shown in a position on the bottle itself, it will also be possible to position the bar code on the lid 25 of a sample bottle. Fig. 2 also shows a bus 3 having twenty articulations 9. It will be possible to produce the bus with fewer or more articulations, but it is preferred to use buses with a fixed number in each plant.

The physical speeds used for the passage of the buses through the plant may be be- tween one half metre per second and 3 metres per second.

Claims

1. A method for handling sample bottles in a laboratory, wherein a number of sample bottles are placed in an articulated bus, wherein each articulation comprises an open¬ ing for receiving a sample bottle, which is transported through a number of processes, the bus being supported by transport members conveying them through rectilinear and curvilinear sequences, characterised in that the bus is driven in the rectilinear sequences and conducted through the curvilinear sequences, and that during transport the bus is always brought into gear with a rectilinear sequence.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that each bus is registered in a central registration and control unit, and that the buses are conducted through the processes as a result of signals from the registration and control unit.

3. A plant for handling sample bottles in a laboratory, wherein a number of sample bottles are placed in an articulated bus, wherein each articulation comprises an open¬ ing for receiving a sample bottle, which is transported from apparatus to apparatus, where various processes take place, said plant comprising transport members which, at least between subsequent process apparatuses, comprise rectilinear and curvilinear segments arranged as extensions of each other in order to support the bus, characterised in that the rectilinear segments of the transport members com¬ prise driven transport belts, that the curvilinear segments comprise a recess wherein the articulations of the bus are received fully or partly to apply a change of direction, that the friction between the bus and the transport belts is larger than the friction be- tween the bus and the curved segments and that the recess of a curved segment is shorter than a bus.

4. A plant according to claim 3, characterised in that the articulations are able to swing in relation to each other in an angle in space.

5. A plant according to claim 4, characterised in that fhe articulations are in¬ terconnected by a pivot passing through aligned openings in a U-shaped fork and in a flap arranged between them, and that the two branches ofthe fork form a mutual angle between 0 and 10° in order to permit the flaps to swing between the branches in a plane containing the pivot.

6. A plant according to any one of claims 3-5, characterised in that each ar¬ ticulation comprises a bottom part for gearing with the segments and an upper part having an opening for receiving a sample bottle as well as a recess for gearing with and non-rotationally fixing a sample bottle in the articulation.

7. A plant according to claim 4, characterised in that the transport belts are designed to be driven at variable and mutually different speeds, and that in conjunc¬ tion with at least a number ofthe process apparatuses disengageable stop members are arranged for co-operation with the buses so that a buffer storage may be built up at such a process apparatus.

8. A plant according to any one of claims 3 -7, characterised in that each bus and/or sample bottle has a registrable code, preferably in the form of a bar code and/or an electronic chip, that the apparatus comprises an electronic registration and control unit, which registers and controls the passage ofthe individual buses through optional process apparatuses by means of said code, the plant comprising switching members, which are arranged in conjunction with the curved segments and are controlled by signals from the registration and control unit.

9. A plant according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterised in that it com¬ prises an inlet station where the sample bottles are placed in the buses, a storage where the buses with or without sample bottles may be stored, and a discharge and washing station where the sample bottles are emptied and removed from the buses, which are simultaneously cleaned.