JP2003083984A - Specimen container and rack - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a label for identifying a specimen container from interfering with the observation inside the specimen container. SOLUTION: A barcode 16 is provided at a flat section 18 that is provided at a bottom section 14 of a tube 12. Since the barcode 16 is provided on the bottom section 14, the state of a specimen in the tube 12 can be observed. The barcode 16 is a matrix two-dimensional barcode. Therefore, even if the space in the bottom section 14 is small, the identification information of the tube 12 can be displayed. Additionally, an overhang section 20 that is extended to the lower portion of the tube 12 is provided around a flat section 18. The overhang section 20 plays a role of preventing damage of the barcode 16 due to the direct contact with the placement surface when the tube 12 is to be placed while being erected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sample container for containing a sample collected from a human body or the like, and more particularly to a sample container having an identification label for the sample container and a rack for containing the sample container.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an apparatus for automatically inspecting a sample such as a living body, each sample is housed in a sample container such as a transparent test tube for the inspection work. A label representing information on the test instruction and information on the sample is attached to the side surface of each sample container. These pieces of information are usually displayed as a bar code and can be read by an optical reader. Each sample container is managed based on the read information.

[0003]

Although the work performed on the sample is automated, it may be necessary to visually check the condition inside the sample container in some cases. For example, blood after centrifugation is usually separated into a plasma or serum portion and a blood cell portion. However, the components once separated may be altered and the blood cell portion may dissolve into the plasma or serum portion (hemolysis). When hemolysis occurs, it causes an error in the measurement of red blood cells and the like, so it is necessary to exclude the sample container in which the hemolysis has occurred from the inspection process. Conventionally, hemolysis was determined by visually confirming that the blood serum portion was dissolved and the serum portion was changed from yellow to red.

On the other hand, the size of the label attached to the side surface of the sample container is relatively large, for example, 30 mm × 50 mm, and it is difficult to confirm the contents of the sample container if the label is attached. Although it is possible to make the label small, the label needs to have a certain size in order to ensure the reading accuracy of the barcode.

Therefore, when confirming the contents of the sample container, it is necessary to manually or mechanically rotate the sample container to an appropriate confirmation position so that the label does not interfere with the confirmation. However, when the number of sample containers to be handled is large, manual work becomes very complicated, and when using a machine, a separate mechanism for rotating the sample containers must be provided and the device becomes large-scale. .

Further, in the inspection process, the sample may be examined by optical measurement, and in this case, light irradiation is performed from the side of the sample container. Depending on the orientation of the sample container, the label may come to the light irradiation position.In such a case, as in the case of the above blood test, the sample container should be placed manually or mechanically so that the label does not interfere with the measurement. It is necessary to rotate to a proper position.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a first object thereof is to prevent the identification label from hindering the observation of the inside of the sample container.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a rack for accommodating a sample container in which an identification label does not hinder the observation of the inside.

[0009]

(1) In order to achieve the above-mentioned first object, a sample container according to the present invention is a transparent sample container for containing a sample therein, and a bottom part of the sample container. Is provided with a bottom label for optically reading information for identifying the sample container.

According to the above construction, since the bottom label is provided on the bottom of the sample container, the state of the sample can be easily grasped from the outside as compared with the conventional case where the label is attached to the side surface. Further, the bottom label does not hinder the measurement even when light is irradiated from the side of the sample container for optical measurement.
Here, the information for identifying the sample container represented by the bottom label may be for identifying each sample container or for identifying a group composed of a plurality of sample containers.

The bottom label may be attached to the bottom of the sample container or may be printed on the bottom.

Preferably, the bottom portion has a flat portion,
The bottom label is provided on the flat portion. Since the bottom portion has the flat portion, when the bottom label is attached and used, the distortion of the shape of the bottom label due to the attachment can be reduced.

[0013] Preferably, the bottom portion is provided so as to surround the flat portion in order to protect the bottom label, and is provided with a bulging portion that bulges below the sample container. For example, when the sample container is placed in an upright state, it is possible to prevent the bottom label from directly contacting the placement surface and being damaged. Further, it is possible to prevent the bottom label from being contaminated by the liquid or the like adhering to the bottom portion.

Preferably, the bottom label is a two-dimensional bar code. Since a two-dimensional barcode is used, a lot of information can be recorded even if the space of the bottom label is relatively small. Desirably,
The two-dimensional barcode is provided with an orientation determination pattern for reading the two-dimensional barcode regardless of its orientation.

Preferably, a visual auxiliary label is provided above the side surface of the sample container. This makes it possible to provide the sample container with simple information that allows the sample container to be visually identified. It should be noted that the sample is filled to a predetermined height of the sample container, but even if a label is attached above the sample container, it does not hinder the observation of the state inside the sample container.

(2) In order to achieve the above-mentioned second object, the rack according to the present invention is a sample container for containing a sample therein, and information for identifying the sample container is optically provided at the bottom. A rack for accommodating a sample container provided with a bottom label for reading, an insertion groove for standing and holding the sample container, and a bottom of the rack, corresponding to the position of the insertion groove, A viewing window provided for viewing the bottom label of the sample container.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a tube 12 which is a sample container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a),
(B), (c) is the figure which looked at the tube 12 from the upper side, the side, and the lower side, respectively.

The tube 12 has a cylindrical shape and is usually a glass test tube made of a transparent material, but may be made of a transparent resin such as polyethylene.

At the bottom 14 of the tube 12, the tube 12
A bar code 16 (bottom label) for identifying is attached. The bar code 16 is read by an optical reader (not shown) provided below the tube 12. Since the bar code 16 is provided on the bottom portion 14, the state of the sample in the tube 12 can be easily grasped as compared with the conventional case where a label is attached to the side surface of the tube 12.

The bottom portion 14 has a circular flat portion 18 having a flat surface, for example, a diameter of 10 mm, and the bar code 16 is provided on the flat portion 18. Barcode 1
6 may be detachably attached to the tube 12 or may be fixedly provided. When the barcode 16 is attached to the tube 12 and used, when the bottom portion 14 is a curved surface, the pattern on the barcode 16 is distorted by the attachment. On the other hand, if the pasted portion is flat, such a phenomenon does not occur, and errors in reading the barcode 16 can be reduced.

Around the flat portion 18, a protruding portion 20 is provided below the tube 12 so as to extend by 1 mm, for example.
This serves to prevent the bar code 16 from directly contacting the mounting surface and being damaged when the tube 12 is mounted in an upright state. In the present embodiment, the overhanging portion 2
Although 0 is provided in a ring shape, the shape is not limited to the above shape, and may be, for example, a tripod shape.

An auxiliary label 21 for visual identification is provided on the upper side surface of the tube 12. This makes it possible to add simple information that can identify the tube 12 by using, for example, characters or colors. Even if a label is attached at a position above the height where the sample is filled, it does not hinder the grasp of the state inside the tube 12.

FIG. 1D is an enlarged view of the bar code 16. The barcode 16 has a rectangular shape and is a two-dimensional barcode having information in two-dimensional directions, that is, a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. The advantage of using the two-dimensional barcode when compared with the one-dimensional barcode is that, firstly, the data capacity that can be stored is large when compared with the same area. For example, when a QR code (4 mm × 4 mm) is used, it has a capacity of about 20 bytes. Therefore,
A unique identification number (for example, a 10-digit number) that does not overlap can be assigned to the tube 12. Secondly, high density printing is possible and the area of the bar code can be reduced. Therefore, even when the space of the bottom portion 14 of the tube 12 is small and the information of the sample container cannot be displayed by the one-dimensional barcode, the information can be displayed. Third, the data error detection capability and the correction function are excellent, and the damage area to the whole is 20 to 30.
Data can be read accurately within the range of%.

In this embodiment, a matrix type bar code is adopted. In the matrix method, the data area 22 is represented by a black and white grid pattern (the minimum unit is called a cell).
In addition, information unique to the tube 12 such as an ID number, a manufacturing date, and a type is written. The grid pattern is read as image data by an optical reader 31, for example, a CCD area sensor or the like. The read data is image-processed and its pattern is recognized. In addition to the data area 22, the bar code 16 has a cutout symbol 24a.
Special patterns (direction discrimination pattern) such as ˜24c are provided. These special patterns are barcode 1
It is provided to detect the direction of 6. By recognizing these patterns together with the pattern in the data area 22, the data can be read regardless of the orientation of the barcode 16. Therefore, when reading the barcode 16, it is not necessary to change the direction of the tube 12 in consideration of the reading position of the reader.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a rack 28 used for the tube 12.

The rack 28 is provided with a plurality of insertion grooves 32 aligned in a line, and the tubes 12 are inserted into the insertion grooves 32 so as to be held upright. Each tube 12 is sealed by a column 29, and a sample container is housed inside.

A plurality of slits 37 are formed on both sides of the rack 28 so as to correspond to the positions of the respective insertion grooves 32.
The slit 37 is the tube 12 inserted into the insertion groove 32.
It is used for visual inspection or optical analysis. When the sample is blood, the presence or absence of hemolysis can be confirmed by this slit 37. Further, since the slits 37 are provided on both sides of the rack 28, the tube 12
When optically analyzing the sample inside, the slit 37 provided on one side surface is used for passing incident light, and the slit 37 provided on the other side surface is used for passing transmitted light from the tube 12. Can be used.

A mounting surface 36 for mounting the tube 12 is formed below each of the insertion grooves 32 and at a predetermined height from the bottom surface of the rack 28. A viewing window 34 for reading the barcode 16 of the tube 12 is provided from the mounting surface 36 to the bottom surface of the rack 28. The viewing window 34 and the insertion groove 32 are formed coaxially, and the former diameter is smaller than the latter diameter. Therefore, the mounting surface 36 has an annular shape.
The overhanging portion 20 of the tube 12 has the annular mounting surface 36.
Placed on top.

At the inspection site of the sample, the optical reader 31
The barcode 16 is read from below the tube 12 through the viewing window 34. At that time, barcode 16
Is a matrix-type two-dimensional bar code and can be read regardless of the insertion direction of the tube 12. Therefore, the information of the tube 12 can be read only by passing the rack 28 above the optical reader 31.

In this embodiment, the viewing window 34 is an opening, but of course the opening may be filled with an optically transparent material such as glass. Also, barcode 16
May be provided with a lens or the like for facilitating reading.

[0032]

Since the information for identifying the sample container is provided at the bottom of the sample container, the label for identifying the sample container does not interfere with the observation of the inside of the sample container. In addition, since the observation window is provided on the bottom of the rack for looking through the information for identifying the sample container, it is necessary to provide a rack for accommodating the sample container so that the identification label does not hinder the observation of the inside. You can

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a rack that stores tubes according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

12 tubes, 14 bottom, 16 barcodes, 18
Flat part, 20 Overhang part, 21 Auxiliary label, 22 Data area, 24a, b, c Cut-out symbol, 28
Rack, 32 insertion groove, 34 viewing window, 36 mounting surface,
37 slits.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A transparent sample container for containing a sample therein, wherein a bottom label for optically reading information for identifying the sample container is provided at the bottom of the sample container. Characteristic sample container. 2. The sample container according to claim 1, wherein the bottom label is printed on the bottom of the sample container. 3. The sample container according to claim 1, wherein the bottom portion has a flat portion, and the bottom label is provided on the flat portion. 4. The sample container according to claim 3, wherein the bottom part is provided so as to surround the flat part to protect the bottom label, and the overhanging part projecting below the sample container is provided. A specimen container comprising: 5. The sample container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the bottom label is a two-dimensional barcode. 6. The sample container according to claim 5, wherein the two-dimensional barcode has an orientation determination pattern for reading the two-dimensional barcode regardless of the orientation. Sample container. 7. The sample container according to claim 1, further comprising a visual auxiliary label above a side surface of the sample container. 8. A rack for storing a sample container having a sample therein, the sample container having a bottom label on the bottom for optically reading information for identifying the sample container. An insertion groove for erecting and holding the sample container, and a viewing window provided on the bottom of the rack for viewing the bottom label of the sample container corresponding to the position of the insertion groove, A rack characterized by being provided.