JP2002318237A - Specimen carrying system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently perform an uncompleted treatment when a trouble is generated on the way of carrying a specimen in a specimen carrying system for pretreating a rack holding a specimen. SOLUTION: When a trouble is generated on the way of carrying the rack 9 to a plurality of kinds of pretreatment units 5A-5G arranged along a carrying device 3, the system is once stopped. When the rack is once treated with the pretreatment units, the treated data of the pretreatment units is stored. The system is stopped on the way of operation by the trouble and, when the treatment to the specimen of the rack, generating a non-completion of pretreatment, is returned to the system, the data of a carrying destination is formed with the discrimination reader of the pretreatment units, and the rack is carried to the pretreatment units on the basis of the formed data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sample transport system, and more particularly to a sample transport system in which a plurality of types of preprocessing units are arranged along a rack transport device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a sample transport system is provided with a transport line composed of a plurality of types of sample pre-processing devices and a belt line connecting the pre-processing devices. A container containing blood or a sample is provided in a state of being held in a box-shaped holder called a sample rack or simply a rack.
After the unprocessed sample is centrifuged, the container is unplugged, the sample is dispensed to one or more child sample containers, and a bar is placed on the child sample container after dispensing. A process of attaching an ID label on which a code or the like is displayed, a capping process of plugging a child sample or a sample, a classification process of sorting a child sample rack according to a subsequent process, and a process of transporting a child sample rack to an analysis device to send a child sample rack Are appropriately combined. A plurality of devices having the functions of these processes are linked by a transport line to form an automation system.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application No. 10-259680 discloses that even if a rack that has not been preprocessed due to a trouble is a rack that holds either a sample or a child sample, the rack is not re-transported from the rack supply unit after the trouble is solved. 2 shows a sample transport system that can automatically perform preprocessing suitable for the processing mode of the rack without requiring a special structure.

[0004]

As described above, the sample transport system includes an analysis unit that samples a sample prepared for analysis and analyzes the sample, a sample in a sample container held in a rack, or a sample container itself. And a pre-processing unit that prepares a rack in which a physical sample is subjected to physical processing and a sample for analysis can be sampled.

If a trouble occurs during operation on the transport line or the pre-processing unit in the system, the subsequent pre-processing operation cannot be continued, and it is necessary to collect the rack holding the sample containers from the transport line. is there. Such a rack with insufficient processing has not yet been subjected to the preprocessing after the occurrence of the trouble, so it must be reintroduced to the transport line after the system is restored and preprocessed. In the conventional sample transport system, since a preprocessing station of each preprocessing unit is formed on a transport line, when a rack of which preprocessing has not been completed is transported again, the preprocessing has not been completed. It will also be introduced into the processing unit, resulting in a reduction in overall processing speed. In addition, the rack that holds the sample that is the source of the dispensing process has a different processing form from the child rack that holds the formed child sample by receiving a part of the sample by dispensing. Either sorting by form and managing the input to the system, or special measures are required for the system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a sample transport system capable of efficiently processing a rack sample in which pre-processing has not been completed due to a trouble in the course of operation due to a trouble, after system recovery. It is in.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a preprocessing system adapted to the processing mode of the rack so that the rack is transported to the next transport destination after the system is stopped due to a trouble during operation and the system is recovered. Is to provide a sample transport system that can automatically perform the sample transfer without requiring a special structure.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a sample transport system comprising: a transport device in which a rack for holding a sample container has a transport line; and a rack supply unit for supplying the rack to the transport line. A plurality of types of preprocessing units that are arranged along and perform preprocessing for analysis preparation on a sample container or a sample in the sample container, and identification information reading that reads identification information of a rack sent from a rack supply unit. Device. In the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 10-259680, a rack that has been transported in the system due to a trouble must be re-inserted with the intervention of an operator.

One concept based on the present invention includes a control unit which has a storage unit and controls each rack to be conveyed to a pre-processing unit of a destination specified for each rack,
With the successful completion of the pre-processing in the pre-processing unit at the determined destination, the information of the completion of the processing regarding the pre-processing unit is stored in the storage unit of the control unit. When the system is stopped during operation of the system, the transport is controlled so that the information on the destination of the rack stops at a pre-processing unit that has not been processed.

With this configuration, if the system stops due to a trouble in the middle of the previous operation, the incomplete preprocessing can be continued immediately after the system returns, and the processing is performed in the scheduled preprocessing unit. As a whole, the processing efficiency is high.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the entire configuration of a sample transport system according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this system, the transport device 3 includes a transport line for transporting the rack from the rack supply unit 2 to the analysis unit 6 and a necessary one of the racks passing through the transport line to the start end of the transport line. Has a return line to return. In this example, a transport line is formed by connecting a plurality of line sections 3A to 3F in series. The feedback line is formed by connecting the line sections 3a to 3f in series. The transport line may include a reading line 17 attached to the rack supply unit 2, and the return line may include a transfer line 18. Each line section has a belt conveyor and its drive. Line division 3A and 3a
Function as one line division unit in pairs. In addition, line divisions 3B and 3b, 3C and 3c, 3
D and 3d, 3E and 3e, and 3F and 3f also form pairs and function as line division units.

The rack 9 holding a blood or urine sample is
It is supplied from the rack supply unit 2 to the transfer line of the transfer device 3. The rack supply unit 2 has a read line 1 in this example.
7, a transfer line 18, a rack delivery mechanism 2A, a rack removal unit 2B, a supply unit control unit 14, and the like. A plurality of pre-processing units 5A, 5B, 5C,
5D and the rack storage unit 4 are arranged. Line division 3A
The preprocessing unit 5A connected to the sorting unit composed of the units 3a and 3a includes a unit control unit 15a and a preprocessing station 20a. The preprocessing unit 5B connected to the section unit including the line sections 3B and 3b has a unit control unit 15b and a preprocessing station 20b.
The preprocessing unit 5C connected to the section unit including the line sections 3C and 3c has a unit control unit 15c and a preprocessing station 20c. Line division 3D and 3
preprocessing unit 5 connected to the sorting unit consisting of d
D is the unit control unit 15d and the preprocessing station 2
0d.

The rack storage section 4 connected to the section units composed of the line sections 3E and 3e includes a default rack removal section 4A, two processed rack removal sections 4B,
4C, a unit control unit 15e, and the like. The analysis unit 6 connected to the division unit including the line divisions 3F and 3f has an analysis processing unit (not shown) and a unit control unit 15f, and is a child formed by the dispensing processing which is one of the preprocessing. The sample is sampled and an analysis process is performed.
Each of the unit control units 15a to 15f controls an operation in the unit to which the unit belongs.

The general control section 1 having the storage section 1A is composed of a computer, and is capable of communicating information with a host computer in a facility such as a hospital via a communication line. An operation input unit 31 for an operator to input various information and a screen display unit 32 for displaying a preprocessing status and an analysis result are connected to the overall control unit 1. The unit control unit, the supply unit control unit 14, and the unit control units 15a to 15f of each line division unit exchange information with the overall control unit 1 via the communication line 10. The sample information including the analysis items for each sample is downloaded from the host computer to the overall control unit 1. Here, the general control unit 1, the supply unit control unit 14, and the unit control unit may be collectively referred to as a control unit.

A bar code reader 7 for reading a rack ID and a bar code reader 8 for reading a sample ID are arranged near the reading line 17 of the rack supply unit 2. Bar code readers 7A to 7E for reading rack IDs are arranged near the rack entrance of each processing unit. The barcode readers 7 and 8 may be shared.

The parent racks first input to the rack delivery mechanism 2A of the rack supply unit 2 are sent out one by one to the reading line 17 and are read by the bar code reader 7 into the rack I.
D is read by the bar code reader 8 for the sample ID. The read sample ID and rack ID are transmitted to the overall control unit 1 via a communication line. The overall control unit 1 creates rack transport destination information based on the identification information, and sends a rack transport instruction to each unit control unit via the control unit 14 of the rack supply unit 2. The rack 9 having the reading error of the rack ID or the sample ID is taken out by the rack taking out unit 2B according to an instruction from the general control unit 1. The rack take-out unit 2B is arranged adjacent to the reading line.

As an example of the combination of the preprocessing units,
In the example of FIG. 1, 5A is a centrifugal separation unit that separates a parent sample of whole blood into serum and a clot, 5B is an opening unit that removes the plug of the parent sample container, and 5C is one of the serum samples. It is assumed that the dispensing unit dispenses a part from the parent sample container to the child sample container, and that 5D is a barcode attaching unit that attaches a barcode label to the dispensed sample container. In the dispensing processing unit 5C, a rack holding a new empty container is supplied to the preprocessing station (dispensing station in this case) 20c in order to form a child sample rack. One or more child sample racks are created by dispensing samples from the parent rack.

The rack in which the pre-processing unit at the transfer destination, ie, the drop-in destination is determined by the overall control unit 1 is moved from the reading line 17 to the transfer line. Assuming that the rack is determined to stop at the preprocessing units 5A to 5C, the rack temporarily stops on the line section 3A, and the rack ID is read by the rack ID reading device 7A. Various pretreatment units can carry in and carry out racks to and from the transport line. The read rack ID is transferred to the overall control unit 1, and based on the read rack ID, the overall control unit 1 determines whether or not to carry the rack into the centrifugal separation unit 5A. In this case, since the rack can be loaded, the rack is loaded into the centrifugal separation station 20a via the pull-in line, where the rack is subjected to centrifugal separation. After the centrifugal separation, the rack is returned to the line section 3A of the transport line, and transported to the next designated preprocessing unit. On the next line section 3B, similarly, the rack ID is read by the rack ID reading device 7B, and the general control unit 1 instructs the carry-in based on the read ID. The rack from which the parent sample container is unplugged at the preprocessing station 20b of the unplugging unit 5B is returned to the line section 3B again.

The rack similarly stops at the next dispensing unit 5C, and dispenses a part of the sample from the parent sample container on the opened parent rack to an empty container on a new rack. Both the parent rack and the newly created child rack are carried out to the line section 3C of the transport line. After that, the parent rack is transported to the rack storage unit 4 without stopping at the barcode pasting unit 5D, but the child rack stops at the barcode pasting device 5D via the line section 3D and receives the same sample ID as the parent sample. The label having the label is attached to each child sample container.

The rack which has completed the predetermined pre-processing is
The racks are selectively stored in the processed rack removal unit 4B or 4C according to an instruction from the overall control unit 1. For example, the parent rack is stored in 4B and the child rack is stored in 4C. The child rack having the child sample requiring the analysis processing is transported to the analysis unit 6 via the line section 3F.

During operation of the above-described processing in FIG. 1, the rack carried into a plurality of pre-processing units
It is assumed that there is a preprocessing unit for which preprocessing has been completed due to occurrence of a trouble and a preprocessing unit for which preprocessing has not been completed. In this case, the racks being transported are transport lines 3A to 3A.
D, and stand by at each of the preprocessing stations 20a to 20d. When the device is returned after the cause of the trouble of the device is resolved, the rack ID is recognized by the rack ID reading devices 7A to 7E for the sample for which the pre-processing has not been completed. The transfer destination is changed according to the completion status of the pre-processing, and the transfer line 3
The racks waiting at A to 3D and each of the preprocessing stations 20a to 20d continue the preprocessing. On the other hand, there may be a case where a rack that has performed the pre-processing but has a poor result is generated. Such a rack can be transported again to the same pre-processing unit. In this case, the rack transported on the transport line is the line section 3a.
After reaching the transfer line 18 via the return line consisting of 〜3d, the image is transferred to the reading line 17. Then, the transport of the rack is controlled so as to stop at the preprocessing unit whose preprocessing is not good. Further, there are cases where the apparatus cannot be restored even after the apparatus is restored. In this case, the transport destination information and the storage destination information are changed and transported to the abnormal sample extracting unit 4A of the sample storage unit 4. Since it is impossible for the operator to return the apparatus, the operator can perform preprocessing on the sample that has been manually removed and continue the preprocessing. Further, since the device that cannot be recovered is treated as unusable, the preprocessing can be continued without transporting the rack to the device. Here, a modified example of the control method in FIG. 1 will be described. The configuration of the system is almost the same as that of FIG. 1, and the overall control unit 1 communicates only with the rack supply unit 2. Each line section, the rack storage unit 4 and the like exchange information with the rack supply unit 2 by internal information transmission means. Each line division unit has a storage unit, and can store information sent from the rack supply unit in the storage unit. Sample ID and rack ID in rack supply unit 2
Is read and transmitted to the general control unit 1, the general control unit 1
Returns the rack transport information to the supply unit. The rack transport information received by the supply unit is stored in the storage unit of the transport line via the internal transmission unit. The rack conveyed to the conveyance line reads the rack ID with a rack ID barcode reader, reads the corresponding rack conveyance information stored in the storage means, and determines the rack to be loaded according to the information. Further, instead of this modified example, the control unit 1 may be built in the rack supply unit 2.

FIG. 2 shows the parent rack information database.
The parent rack information database 26 holds destination information of the parent rack. Further, by holding the information of the sample information database reference destination of each parent sample held by the parent rack, the information of the parent sample at each position held by the rack 9 is read from the read rack ID.
Can be referenced from

FIG. 3 shows the child rack information database.
The child rack information database 28 holds the destination of the child rack and the processed pre-processing unit information of the rack. In addition, it holds the sample information database reference destination of the parent sample that is the parent of each child sample held by the child rack and the parent rack information database reference information of the parent rack that holds the parent sample. The processed preprocessing unit information associates various preprocessing units connected to the sample transport system in the arrangement order from the left. In FIG. 3, the pre-processing unit indicated by a circle means a processed pre-processing unit. Further, the pre-processing unit indicated by x means an unprocessed pre-processing unit. The processed pre-processing unit information indicates that the child rack is processed by the sample processing unit,
The processing result is written at the timing reported to the general control unit 1.

Next, a rack information table provided in the control unit will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 4, the rack information table 30 holds a start rack ID, an end rack ID, a sample type indicating whether the rack is a parent rack or a child rack, transport information, storage information, and the like.

The sample type stores a code for identifying whether the rack to which the rack ID defined in the range from the start rack ID to the end rack ID is attached is a parent rack or a child rack.

The storage information holds information on which take-out part of the rack storage part 4 the rack is to be taken out.

The transport information holds information on which preprocessing unit the rack is to be transported to and transport destination information of a rack whose processing has not been completed (default). In FIG. 4, a pre-processing unit indicated by a circle means a transfer instruction or setting to the pre-processing unit. Further, the rack is not transported to the preprocessing unit indicated by x.

Next, the processing flow after the rack is supplied to the supply unit will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

FIG. 5 shows a rack flow in this embodiment. In the example of the system configuration in FIG. 5, a centrifuge unit 5A, an opening unit 5B, an online dispensing unit 5C, a barcode attaching unit 5D, a closing unit 5E, and an offline dispensing unit are provided between the rack supply unit and the rack storage unit. 5F, a classification unit 5G is provided.

First, the flow of the parent rack will be described. The parent rack input from the rack supply unit 2 is then subjected to centrifugal separation in the centrifugal separation unit 5A, and the plug opening unit 5B
, The sample container is unplugged, the online dispensing unit 5C performs dispensing processing on the child rack, the offline dispensing unit 5F performs sorting and dispensing processing, and is stored in the rack storage unit 4.

If the system is not stopped while processing racks, the racks are processed in the order described above. Here, it is assumed that a stop level alarm due to nozzle jamming occurs while the rack is being processed by the online dispensing unit 5C, and the online dispensing unit 5C stops. When the online dispensing unit 5C is restored by operator intervention, the rack is read by a rack ID reader (not shown) in the online dispensing unit 5C. The rack ID is reported to the overall control unit 1, and the destination information is changed and the preprocessing is instructed again according to the completion status of the preprocessing. In this case, the destination information and the re-dispensing instruction are generated. If the online dispensing unit 5C cannot return,
The transport destination information and the storage destination information are changed, and are transported to the abnormal sample extracting unit 4A of the sample storage unit 4. The operator directly dispenses the generated child sample into the analyzer 6 by manually dispensing the sample carried out to the abnormal sample removal unit 4A.

Next, the flow of the child rack will be described. FIG.
Is generated by the online dispensing unit 5C, and then stored in the rack storage unit 4 via the barcode pasting unit 5D and the classification unit 5G. If the system is not stopped while processing racks, the racks are processed in the order described above. Here, it is assumed that the system stops while the child rack carried out from the online dispensing unit 5C is being conveyed to the barcode pasting unit 5D. When the system performs the return process by the intervention of the operator, the rack ID is read by the rack ID reading devices 7A to 7E. The rack ID is reported to the overall control unit 1, and the destination information is changed and the pre-processing is instructed again according to the completion status of the pre-processing. In this case, since the processing in the online dispensing unit 5C has been completed normally, a carry-in instruction to the barcode pasting unit 5D is issued.

[0034]

According to the present invention, a rack in which preprocessing has not been completed due to a trouble in the course of preprocessing operation is transported to the next destination after the system recovers, thereby achieving high processing efficiency. Preprocessing can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a parent rack information database.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a child rack information database.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a rack information table.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the flow of the rack.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Overall control part, 2 ... Rack supply part, 3 ... Rack conveyance apparatus, 3A-3F ... Line division, 4 ... Rack storage part, 4A
... Default rack removal section, 4B, 4C... Processed rack removal section, 5A to 5D... Pre-processing unit, 6.
Analysis unit, 7, 7A to 7E: rack ID reader, 8: sample ID reader, 9: rack, 15a
15f: Unit control unit, 20a to 20d: Pretreatment station.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hideaki Kuroyanagi 1040 Ichimo, Oita, Hitachinaka-shi, Ibaraki F-term in Hitachi Science Systems, Ltd. (Reference) 2G058 BA06 CB08 CB15 GC02 GC06 GC01 GE01

Claims (1)

[Claims] The rack for holding a sample container is provided with a transport device having a transport line and a rack supply unit for supplying the rack to the transport line along the transport device. Or a plurality of types of preprocessing units for performing preprocessing on the sample in the sample container in preparation for analysis, and an identification information reading device for reading identification information of a rack sent from the rack supply unit, and a storage unit. Having a control unit for transporting the rack to a pre-processing unit at a predetermined transport destination, and the pre-processing unit having the pre-processing unit at the predetermined transport destination successfully completing the pre-processing. The information about the completion of the process is stored in the storage unit, and the system stops due to a trouble during the operation, and the system returns to the process for the sample on the rack where the preprocessing has not been completed. A sample transport system for restarting the processing of a sample according to a completion state of the preprocessing along with an identification reading device of a preprocessing unit during processing.