Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
  • G01N35/02—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations
  • G01N35/04—Details of the conveyor system
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
  • B01F31/00—Mixers with shaking, oscillating, or vibrating mechanisms
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
  • G01N33/48—Biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Haemocytometers
  • G01N33/483—Physical analysis of biological material
  • G01N33/487—Physical analysis of biological material of liquid biological material
  • G01N33/49—Blood
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
  • G01N2035/00465—Separating and mixing arrangements
  • G01N2035/00524—Mixing by agitating sample carrier
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
  • G01N35/00584—Control arrangements for automatic analysers
  • G01N35/00722—Communications; Identification
  • G01N35/00732—Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
  • G01N2035/00742—Type of codes
  • G01N2035/00752—Type of codes bar codes
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
  • G01N35/02—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations
  • G01N35/04—Details of the conveyor system
  • G01N2035/0401—Sample carriers, cuvettes or reaction vessels
  • G01N2035/0406—Individual bottles or tubes

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device for supplying whole blood analyzers with blood tubes.
• Whole blood analyzers are analyzers that perform analyzes on blood tubes containing all of the elements of blood, as opposed to analyzers operating on plasma or blood serum.
• the blood intended for analysis by a whole blood analyzer must be thoroughly mixed within a very short time before analysis. This agitation phase is strictly necessary in order to homogenize the blood to resuspend the cells which sediment naturally when the tube is stationary, and it must be carried out according to the recommendations of the standardization committees.
• This agitation phase is treated differently depending on the type of analyzer used and the degree of automation thereof.
• the stirring means are absent from the apparatus and this stirring is then carried out manually by the operator before the analysis.
• the tubes are installed before analysis in agitators composed of wheels or cassettes.
• the blood tubes are introduced into cavities arranged at the periphery of a wheel, as taught by US Pat. No. 4,475,411. Each tube is thus inverted and then returned to its initial position at each revolution of the wheel.
• the quality of the agitation is good but the automation is limited to the capacity of the wheel which must be changed each time it is reached.
• the connection of such an analyzer to an automatic chain is difficult, conceivable.
• cassette stirrers In cassette stirrers, the tubes are placed in cassettes before being loaded into an analyzer. The analyzer then takes over the agitation of the tubes, then the analysis and storage of the cassettes analyzed.
• a cassette agitator is described in US Patent 5,232,081.
• Cassette transport and storage devices show their limits in many cases, in particular as regards a second passage of a sample on an analyzer or a request for specific analysis. Indeed, this requires manipulation of a complete cassette for each particular case.
• the means of agitation used differ according to the manufacturers. In the field of hematology, one essentially encounters agitations by rocking, by vortex and by reversal.
• the tube is removed vertically from the cassette, then inverted several times before being placed in a sampling means and being returned to its location in the cassette.
• Another embodiment which is the subject of US Pat. No. 5,665,309, consists in turning over a set of two cassettes. The tube is extracted laterally from the cassette by a clamp which leads the tube to the sampling means. The tube is then returned to the cassette.
• automatic conveyor chains a distinction is made between automatic conveyor chains operating in "cassette” mode, that is to say by series of tubes grouped together in a cassette, and automatic conveyor chains operating in "unitary” mode , that is to say that each tube is arranged on its own support.
• the chains operating in “cassette” mode generally equip whole blood analyzers and make it possible to scroll the cassettes in front of the various instruments making up an analytical chain. Some cassettes are intended for analyzes on whole blood, others are reserved for analyzes on plasma or serum.
• cassettes remains limited in particular when the automatic chain has to feed several analyzers because all the analyzers making up the automatic chain must be able to accept a single cassette format.
• Another limitation comes from the fact that the tubes are processed in batches, which implies that any other additional operation necessary on a particular tube, such as, for example, a verification analysis or a different analysis to confirm the diagnosis results in at least the displacement of the whole cassette to the analysis means. This can be a great source of wasted time in handling if additional and different treatments are requested for each cassette tube.
• US Patent 5,232,081 describes a chain and an analysis apparatus operating in cassette mode.
• US Patent 5,735,387 relates to the conveyance of cassettes containing samples, which are transported on a conveyor belt to supply analysis apparatus. The solution described does not allow at any time to independently mix a sample included in the cassette, or even the entire cassette.
• the chains operating in "unitary" mode mainly equip analyzers operating on plasma or blood serum for which the implementation of means of agitation of the tubes before analysis is not necessary.
• the tubes are treated as so many different entities which require their own needs for analysis, verification or additional examination.
• This operating mode is adapted to reality insofar as each tube belongs to a different patient with his particular problems.
• it offers the possibility of easily exploiting "conditioned analysis” or “reflex testing” (English term) which consists in automatically carrying out an additional examination when this can logically assist in the diagnosis. This is a source of efficiency in helping diagnosis and reducing costs in . avoiding any examination, unnecessary addition to the diagnosis.
• US patent 5,623,415 describes an automated chain which operates in single-tube mode and includes a set of systems and instruments for analyzes of biological liquids. There is no mention whatsoever of the integration of a tube shaker, nor of the establishment of standardized agitation for whole blood tubes.
• Application WO 98/01760 describes a robot and systems which can accommodate several systems and manipulate them. It is an automated chain comprising a set of pre-analytical tools, including manipulator arms, conveyors, but there is no mention of the integration of an agitator.
• US Pat. No. 6,019,945 describes a conveying device comprising a conveying line which makes it possible to move samples in single-tube mode using an arm.
• This process requires carrying out the following operations: - taking over a tube by mechanical means to transfer it from the support of a unitary chain to load it into a free location on the cassette; renewal of this operation to complete the cassette; - taking charge of the cassette by mechanical means to transfer it from the loading and unloading area of the tubes of the cassette located near the conveyor towards the loading tank of the analyzer;
• An object of the invention is to rediscover this flexibility of use of the unitary chain, whatever the type of analyzer which is connected to it.
• the device comprises: - stirring means located upstream of at least one analyzer;
• the invention thus allows each whole blood analyzer, installed in an automatic chain in unitary mode, to be connected as simply as an analyzer operating from serum or blood plasma.
• the very essence of the invention therefore consists in deporting the function of agitation of the blood, which is usually performed by the analyzer, to, agitation means external to the analyzer, the function of which is to deliver to the 'analyzer a tube previously mixed.
• the analyzer behaves like an analytical terminal, the function of which is limited to carrying out the analysis itself, in the same way as an analyzer operating on plasma or whole blood. Its fundamental mode of operation is also the unitary mode.
• the agitation means are designed to receive one or more tubes of whole blood in order to mix them and distribute them to the analyzer, when the analyzer is requesting, but provided that the agitation has been previously carried out according to the rules of art. This therefore requires establishing means of communication between the stirring means and the analyzer.
• the first conveying means for conveying the blood tubes in front of the agitation means and the second conveying means for conveying the mixed tubes to the sampling point of the analyzer are formed by a single and even conveyor.
• the first conveying means for conveying the blood tubes in front of the stirring means and the second conveying means for conveying the mixed tubes to the sampling point of the analyzer are formed by conveyors different.
• the first conveying means comprise a main conveyor for conveying the tubes not yet mixed to the agitating means
• the second conveying means comprise secondary conveyors for conveying the tubes mixed by the agitating means towards the sampling point of the analyzers and the agitating means are located respectively on a secondary conveyor upstream from the sampling point of an analyzer.
• the stirring means are located respectively on a secondary conveyor upstream from the sampling point of an analyzer.
• the tubes advantageously have identification means, and reading means are provided for reading the means for identifying the tubes, in order to direct each tube to an analyzer according to the type of analysis specified by the identification means.
• the means for agitating the tubes comprise several wheels aligned on the same axis of rotation inside a housing, and the wheels are provided with indentations for the reception of the tubes to be agitated.
• the tubes are introduced into the stirring means by a manipulator arm provided with a clamp allowing the gripping of the tubes on the first conveying means to engage them in free impressions of the wheels of the stirring means and the gripping of the tubes to remove them from the prints and rest them on the second routing means.
• the clamp of the manipulator arm is replaced by an electromagnetic module allowing the tube support to be glued to the end of the manipulator arm whenever manipulation of a tube is necessary.
• the stirring means comprise a manipulator arm provided with a clamp for gripping the tubes on the conveying means and agitating them by rotation of the clamp around the longitudinal axis of the manipulator arm.
• the stirring means comprise a barrel which makes it possible to position a free imprint vertically of a tube to be stirred placed on the first and / or second conveying means.
• first conveying means, the second conveying means and the stirring means are one and the same means, for example a manipulator arm.
• the invention relates to an analysis chain comprising a supply device as described above.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the installation according to the invention of an agitator on the conveyor of a unitary chain for conveying tubes allowing the distribution of tubes of blood ready for analysis to a whole blood analyzer ;
• Figure 2 is a block diagram to illustrate the establishment of an agitator on the conveyor of an automatic conveyor chain according to the invention for serving two different analyzers;
• Figure 3 is a block diagram to illustrate an example of conveying tubes on a conveyor chain automatic • allowing to serve two agitators associated with two different analyzers;
• Figure 4 is a view showing an embodiment of a tube support part of a conveyor chain 1 according to the invention.
• FIGS. 5A to 9B respectively show first, second, third and fourth and fifth embodiments of a device for conveying and agitating tubes according to the invention operating according to the block diagram of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a sixth embodiment of a device for conveying and agitating tubes according to the invention, in which the first conveying means, the second conveying means and the means of agitation are one and the same means constituted, in the example, by a manipulator arm.
• the automatic tube conveying chain comprises on the one hand, a rail-shaped conveyor 1 making it possible to convey blood tubes 2, awaiting analysis from a storage area 3, in front of an analyzer 4 and on the other hand, a tube agitator 5 placed on the chain 1 between the storage area 3 and the analyzer 4.
• the tubes 2 awaiting analysis are aligned following one of. the other on the conveyor 1 and circulate from the storage area 3 to the agitator 5 responsible for mixing the blood cells contained in each tube.
• the tubes 2 emerge from the agitator 5 and are directed by the conveyor 1 in the direction of a withdrawal means 6 from the analyzer 4.
• Each tube 2 is identified by a reader 7 before it enters the agitator 5 and at its output by a reader 8.
• Readers 7 and 8 read the information linked to the marked tube, for example in the form of a bar code affixed to a label stuck on the tube, and transmits this information to a processing unit of the analyzer 4 or to a central data processing and control unit 100, which is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1.
• This information in particular informs the analyzer of the type of analysis and the type of action that it must perform on the content of each tube. .
• the information can be carried directly by the tube or by an organ associated with the tube, in particular by a support which carries the tube.
• FIG. 1 shows the interconnection between the agitator 5, the analyzer 4 and the central unit 100.
• the agitator 5 can be controlled and exchange data with a central unit 100 or with the analyzer (s) ( s) 4 present in the chain.
• connection between the agitator 5, the analyzers 4 and the central unit 100 makes it possible to control the agitation phases and to optimally delay the passage times of the tubes on the chain.
• the central unit 100 (or the computer system) of the chain is connected to the agitator 5 by a network connection 101 which allows an exchange of data between the agitator 5 and the computer system Central.
• Those data can be information on the samples present in the agitator or information, on the cycle in progress in the agitator.
• the agitator 5 is connected to the analyzer 4 via a network connection 102 which allows the transfer of information concerning the samples being stirred to the analyzer, and also of information concerning the cycles in course in the agitator.
• the goal is here to optimize the operating cycles of the analyzer 4 and the agitator 5.
• the information between the agitator . 5 and the analyzer 4 can also be transferred via central data processing.
• the main conveyor 1 is connected to two secondary conveyors 1a and 1b which supply tubes to two different analyzers 4a and 4b.
• the two secondary conveyors 1a, 1b are interposed respectively between the two analyzers 4a, 4b and an agitator 5 connected to the main conveyor 1.
• the tubes awaiting analysis circulate one after the other on the main conveyor 1 and are agitated one by one in the agitator 5 from which they emerge one by one after agitation of the agitator 5 to be directed through points 9 and 10 to sampling means 6a, 6b of the analyzers 4a and 4b .
• two readers 7 and 8 are arranged at the inlet and at the outlet of the agitator 5 for reading on labels the information relating to each tube and transmitting it to the processing unit of the analyzers 4a and 4b or to a control station, not shown, which directs each tube to one of the two analyzers depending in particular on the nature of the analysis to be carried out which is recorded on its label.
• the tubes then return to the conveyor 1 via outlet channels or switches 9 'and 10'.
• the main conveyor also feeds two. different analyzers 4a, 4b by means of two secondary conveyors la, 1b respectively connected to the main conveyor 1 by two points 9 and 10.
• the device comprises two agitators 5a and 5b interposed respectively on the two secondary conveyors la and 1b between the two analyzers 4a and 4b and the points 9 and 10 connecting them to the main conveyor 1.
• the tubes 2 are directed towards the secondary conveyor la by the switch 9 or towards the secondary conveyor lb by the referral 10 according to the type of analysis to be performed read on the label of each tube by reader 7 placed on the main conveyor 1 before the referral of the tubes to the analyzers 4a and 4b.
• the tubes can then return to the conveyor 1 in the same manner as in the case of FIG. 2.
• the tubes 2 to be analyzed by the analyzer la are agitated by the agitator 5a from which they emerge to be directed on the secondary conveyor la in the direction of the sampling means 6a of the analyzer la.
• the tubes 2 to be analyzed by the analyzer 1b are agitated by the agitator 5b and emerge from the agitator 5b to be directed on the secondary conveyor 1b in the direction of the sampling means 6b of the analyzer 4b.
• Readers 8a and 8b are placed at the outlet of the agitators 5a, 5b to allow the analyzers 4a and 4b to identify each of the tubes leaving the agitators 5a and 5b.
• the capacities of the agitators in number of tubes are determined by taking account of the analysis rates of the analyzers to be served and by respecting the minimum agitation time of the tubes necessary for good resuspension of the blood cells to be analyzed. in each tube.
• the tubes 2 provided with their caps 11 are guided respectively on the conveyor 1 and on the secondary conveyors la, lb by support pieces 12 on which they are held vertically between two blades of spring 13a and 13b.
• the spring leaves 13a, 13b i are fixed by one of their ends to a base 14 of each of the support pieces 12.
• a groove 15 can optionally be made in the base 14 to allow the guide of the support piece 12 on the main conveyor
• the drive of the support pieces 12 on the main conveyor and on the secondary conveyors 1a, 1b can be carried out by any known means, not shown.
• the agitator 5 can be produced in several ways.
• FIGS. 5A and 5B where the elements homologous to those of FIGS. 1 to 4
• the tubes are agitated by an agitator 5 comprising several wheels 16 aligned on the same axis of rotation inside a housing 17.
• the wheels 16 are provided with indentations 18 for reception tubes 2 to be agitated.
• the conveying device is
• 25 has the form of a strip 19, in particular a smooth strip, having a bottom 20 bounded by two edges 21, 22.
• Each tube 2 is engaged inside a support piece 12 arranged inside the strip 19, leaving a free space 23 between two successive support pieces.
• the tubes 2 are introduced into the agitator 5 by a manipulator arm 24 resting on a base 25.
• the manipulator arm 24 comprises two half-arms 24a and 24b articulated to one another at one of their ends in a plane movable in rotation about an axis ZZ 'perpendicular to the plane formed by the bottom 20 of the conveyor belt 19.
• the manipulator arm 24 makes it possible, using a clamp 27 articulated at a free end of a half-arm 24b on the one hand, to grip the tubes 2 on the conveyor 1 to engage them in the free impressions 18 of the wheels 16 of the agitator 5 and on the other hand, the gripping of the tubes 2 to remove them from the impressions 18 and place them on the conveyor 1.
• the operation of the device is as follows. Following a request from the analyzer 4 on whole blood or from the control station (central unit 100) of the automated chain, the manipulator arm 24 moves in front of a tube 2 placed on a location 23 of the conveyor 1, and the gripper 27 of the manipulator arm 24 grasps the tube. At the same time the agitator 5 searches for a free location and positions itself in "waiting for a tube" mode.
• the manipulator arm 24 takes the tube 2 out of its support 12 to engage it in the imprint 18, as shown in the figure 5B, and allow the agitator 5 to agitate the tube.
• the manipulator arm 24 takes up the tube 2 and replaces it in its support 12 on the conveyor 1.
• the conveyor 1 then carries out the agitated tube 2 towards the analyzer 4 which can thus proceed to the analysis of its content.
• each footprint of the wheels 16 of the agitator 5 is arranged to accommodate a tube 2 mounted on a support 12.
• the manipulator arm 24 is then ordered to grasp a tube 2 and its support 12 both to carry them in a free impression 18 of the wheels 16 of the agitator 5 and to remove them from the agitator 5 and replace them after agitation on the conveyor 1.-.
• manipulator 24 comprises at its end opposite that connected to the base a clamp 27 for gripping the tube 2 but may also, according to another variant of implementation shown in Figures 7A and 7B replace advantageously the clamp 27 by an electromagnetic module 27 controlled by the analyzer 4 or the control station, for gluing the tube support 12 to the end of the manipulator arm 24 each time that manipulation of a tube 2 is necessary.
• a manipulator arm 26 is carried by the agitator 5 and is controlled in rotation about its longitudinal axis XX 'under the control of the analyzer 4 or the control station to allow agitation of the tube 2 gripped by the clamp 27 placed at its end.
• the arm 26 of the agitator 5 is positioned in front of a tube 2 to be agitated under the control of the analyzer 4 on whole blood or of the control station. Thanks to the clamp 27, the agitator 5 takes the tube to be analyzed 2 by removing it from its support 12. In this movement, the arm 26 moves upwards to position itself in agitation mode, FIG. 8B, then it is controlled to agitate the tube 2 by performing a rotational movement.
• the arm 26 descends and puts the tube 2 back on its support 12.
• the agitator 5 comprises a barrel 28 which makes it possible to position a free imprint 18 vertically a tube 2 to be agitated placed on the conveyor 1.
• a vertical movement descending from the cavity 18 makes it possible to grasp the tube 2 and its support 12.
• the cavity 18 rises and comes to be positioned in the barrel 28 which engages a series of rotations allowing agitation of the tube 2.
• the barrel 28 is positioned so as to be able to deposit the tube 2 and its support 12 on the conveyor 1.
• the first conveying means, the second conveying means and the stirring means are produced in the form of a single
• a manipulator arm 30 which, in the example, is a manipulator arm 30.
• This arm is provided with a clamp 27 at its free end and can be analogous to the arm 24 or 26 described above.
• the arm can move a tube 2 not yet mixed contained in a storage area 31 to lead it to the stirring means (not shown). Then, after stirring, the arm carries the tube 2 to place it in an individual support 12 on another storage area 32, for analysis.
• the arm 30 could be replaced by any other member capable of moving a tube in a three-dimensional space, for example a member moving in three orthogonal directions.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Immunology (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Hematology (AREA)
• Ecology (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Urology & Nephrology (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Automatic Analysis And Handling Materials Therefor (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analysing Biological Materials (AREA)

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• 2004
  • 2004-03-16 FR FR0402688A patent/FR2867860B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2005
  • 2005-03-11 KR KR1020067019091A patent/KR20060132728A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2005-03-11 US US10/590,075 patent/US20070189926A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-03-11 CN CNA2005800080791A patent/CN1930478A/zh active Pending
  • 2005-03-11 WO PCT/FR2005/000594 patent/WO2005101024A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2005-03-11 EP EP05736929A patent/EP1725878A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-03-11 JP JP2007503368A patent/JP2007529732A/ja active Pending

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