JP2012154705A - Specimen processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a specimen processing system capable of storing many specimen containers in small installation area, saving energy consumption by making an area for keeping a specimen rack for storing the specimen containers cool into required minimum, and quickly carrying in/out the specimen containers stored in a specimen storage unit.SOLUTION: In order to achieve the above purpose, a specimen processing system is constituted as follows. The specimen processing system includes: a specimen storage part which stores a plurality of specimen containers and has at least two or more stages of shelves; a cooling mechanism which cools the specimen containers stored inside the specimen storage part; a lifting mechanism which lifts the specimen storage part; a transport mechanism which transports the specimen containers from the specimen storage part to a specimen transfer part through an opening; and a specimen transfer mechanism which transfers the specimen containers placed in the specimen transfer part to conveyance positions of the specimen containers.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sample processing system, and more particularly, a sample suitable for automatically storing and processing a sample when testing a sample such as blood or urine collected from a patient in a hospital or the like in the field of clinical testing. It relates to a processing system.

  Conventional sample processing systems combine various sample processing units (rack loading, centrifugation, opening, sample dispensing, barcode labeling, closing, sample classification, rack storage, etc.) and these sample processing units. Consists of a transport line that transports a sample rack carrying a sample from a sample processing unit to another sample processing unit. The sample processing unit and the sample processing unit, or the transport line and the sample processing unit, or the combination of the transport line and the transport line The whole specimen processing system is constructed by connecting.

  The flow of sample processing in the sample processing system is as follows. First, sample information such as blood and urine collected from a patient is registered and set in advance in a sample information management computer, and a sample rack on which the sample is loaded stops at a desired sample processing unit according to the sample information. After performing the corresponding processing operation for each sample processing unit, the sample rack loaded with the sample is automatically transported to an automatic analyzer, etc. After the analysis is completed, the sample rack loaded with the sample that has been analyzed is again The sample is automatically returned to the sample processing system, and the sample is kept cold or discarded.

  A sample storage unit in a sample processing system according to a conventional technique is disclosed in Patent Document 1. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, a sample storage unit in another conventional sample processing system is provided with a plurality of upper and lower shelves for storing sample storage racks 2 in order to increase the number of samples stored. The sample transfer mechanism 3 is arranged one by one on one shelf storing the sample storage rack 2 to be stored. The part that keeps the specimen cool has a structure that keeps the part including the specimen container 1 and the specimen storage rack 2 and the entire movable area 6 of the specimen transfer mechanism 3 and the specimen transfer mechanism 3 cold. The transport area 9 is provided with a belt, a motor, a weight measuring mechanism, and the like for transporting the sample container 1.

JP 2006-347773 A

  In a sample processing system, a sample storage unit that stores and cools a sample container containing a sample increases the number of sample storage units that can be stored in the sample storage unit. This can be done by providing multiple shelves.

  However, the expansion of the specimen storage area of the specimen storage unit increases the installation area of the entire specimen processing system in the examination room, and it has been a problem that it is difficult to cope with some examination rooms with a limited installation area. Moreover, it is in contradiction to a device having a large sample processing capacity with a small device area which is a recent customer need.

  When a plurality of shelves are provided in the sample storage unit as shown in FIG. 1, the storage area of the sample storage unit is increased without increasing the installation area of the sample processing system, and the storage quantity of the sample containers is increased. It is possible. However, since the specimen cold region of the specimen storage unit extends not only to the specimen storage unit but also to the specimen transfer mechanism, the entire specimen storage unit is increased in size. This is because the sample transfer mechanism picks up the target sample container, moves it parallel to the target position, and lowers it. This is because it is necessary to ensure. Furthermore, since each sample storage unit is provided with a sample transfer unit, the structure of the entire sample storage unit becomes complicated, and the entire apparatus may become expensive.

  In addition, if any trouble occurs in the sample transfer unit in the sample storage unit, if repair or maintenance is to be performed, the entire storage unit must be repaired or maintained, and the mechanism in the sample storage unit is Therefore, the work space was small and it was difficult to repair. In addition, if the entire sample processing system is stopped, there is a risk of causing abnormalities in laboratory work.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a sample processing system capable of storing a large number of sample containers in a small installation area, and saving energy consumption with a necessary minimum area for keeping the sample racks to be stored in a minimum necessary area. is there.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a sample processing system that can quickly carry in and out a sample container stored in a sample storage unit.

  In order to achieve the above object, the sample processing system of the present invention is configured as follows.

  A specimen storage unit that stores a plurality of specimen containers and has at least two or more shelves, a cooling mechanism that cools the specimen container stored in the specimen storage part, a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the specimen storage part, A transfer mechanism for transferring the sample container from the sample storage unit to the sample transfer unit through the opening, and a sample transfer mechanism for transferring the sample container placed on the sample transfer unit to the transport position of the sample container. A sample processing system comprising:

  According to the sample processing system described in the present invention, the entire sample storage unit can be reduced in size by applying a single sample transfer mechanism to a multistage sample storage unit by reducing the cold storage region and consuming a single sample. Energy saving effect can be obtained. Further, the efficiency of carrying out and carrying in the sample container can be improved.

  Moreover, since the sample storage unit can be moved to a position that does not interfere with maintenance during maintenance, the apparatus configuration is easy to maintain.

Front sectional drawing of a prior art. Front sectional drawing of an Example of this invention. The upper surface sectional view of the example of the present invention. Front sectional drawing of the embodiment of the present invention (during maintenance). Front sectional drawing of another Example of this invention.

  Examples according to the present invention are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front sectional view showing one embodiment of a sample processing system having a sample storage unit according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a top sectional view of the sample storage unit in one embodiment of the present invention.

  In order to store a plurality of sample storage racks 2 and sample storage racks 2 for storing a plurality of sample containers 1, they are arranged in a sample storage unit 4 composed of a multistage storage 7 in which shelves are arranged vertically and a sample transfer unit 8. A sample transfer mechanism 3 for taking out the sample container 1 from the sample storage rack 2 and refilling it into the transport area 9 is mounted. This sample transfer mechanism 3 has a structure in which the grip portion moves two-dimensionally. A Peltier element 11 is used as a cooling unit for the sample storage unit 4, the sample storage unit 4 is covered with a sample cooling unit 5, and a fan for stirring cold air is provided inside to cool the sample storage unit at a predetermined temperature. . Further, a heat insulating wall 14 may be provided.

  When the sample storage unit 4 is unloaded from the sample storage unit 4 to the sample transfer unit 8 and loaded from the sample transfer unit 8 to the sample storage unit 4, the sample storage rack 2 mounted on the sample transfer unit 8 is used as the sample storage unit 4. The sample storage rack transfer mechanism (not shown) that transports the sample storage rack from one to the sample transfer section 8 and the lifting mechanism 10 that transports the sample transfer rack to a height at which the sample storage rack stored in each stage can be unloaded and loaded. The sample storage rack transfer mechanism may be a mechanism that is arranged on the floor surface of the multistage storage 7 and moves the sample storage rack 2 in the direction of the sample transfer unit 8. The sample storage rack 2 may be moved to the sample transfer unit 8. An extruding mechanism may be used.

  In order to take out the sample container 1 and the sample storage rack 2 stored in the sample storage unit 4, the sample storage unit is provided with an opening / closing mechanism 15 for each multistage storage 7 of the sample storage unit 4. Furthermore, when there is the heat insulating wall 14 and the specimen cold-retaining member 5, an opening / closing mechanism is also provided for them.

  The carrying-in method for accommodating the sample container 1 from the transfer area 9 in the present embodiment in the sample cooler will be described.

(1) Information such as the storage position in the sample storage unit that can store the sample container 1 in advance is read by the storage device of the control unit 16.
(2) From the above information, the specific sample storage rack 2 for storing the sample container 1 is moved by the lifting mechanism 10 to the sample storage rack transport position of the sample transfer section so as to be the same height as the transport area 9. To do.
(3) The specific sample storage rack 2 is taken out from the sample cooling member 5 to the sample transfer section 8 by the sample storage rack transfer mechanism.
(4) After reading the sample information written on the barcode or IC tag attached to the sample into the storage device of the control unit 16 by the reading mechanism provided in the transport area 9, the sample transfer mechanism 3 stores the sample. Store in rack 2.
(5) The sample storage rack 2 storing the sample container 1 is again transported to the sample cooler 5 by the storage rack take-out mechanism.

  According to this method, the entire specimen storage unit can be reduced in size by applying a single specimen transfer mechanism to a multistage specimen storage unit, as compared with the conventional method, by reducing the cold storage area and applying a single specimen transfer mechanism. An effect of saving energy consumption can be obtained. Further, the efficiency of carrying out and carrying in the sample container can be improved.

  Next, a method for taking out the specimen container 1 accommodated in the specimen cooling member 5 to the transport area 9 will be described.

(1) Receive information such as the position of the sample to be taken out by the storage device of the control unit 16.
(2) Based on the above information, the sample storage rack 2 storing the target sample container is identified from the sample storage racks 2 stored in the sample cooling member 5, and the sample storage rack is stored. The sample storage unit is moved by the elevating mechanism 10 so that the shelf of the sample storage unit is at the same height as the transfer area 9.
(3) The sample storage rack 2 containing the target sample container is taken out from the sample storage unit 4 to the sample transfer unit 8 by the sample storage rack transfer mechanism.
(4) The target specimen container 1 is transported from the specimen storage rack 2 taken out from the specimen storage unit to the transport area 9 by the specimen transfer mechanism 3.

  According to this method, compared to the conventional method, according to the sample processing system of the present invention, the sample storage unit can be obtained by applying a single sample transfer mechanism to a multi-stage sample storage unit by reducing the cold area and applying a single sample transfer mechanism. The whole can be reduced in size, and the effect of saving energy consumption can be obtained. Further, the efficiency of carrying out and carrying in the sample container can be improved.

  The sample storage unit 4 may be configured to store a plurality of sample storage racks per multistage storage. FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which two storage racks are arranged so as to be accommodated in one stage of multistage storage of the specimen cooling unit. Thus, even when the sample container 1 transported from the transport area 9 by the sample transfer mechanism 3 is stored in one sample storage rack 2 and one sample storage rack is full, the other container Since the sample storage rack is carried out to the sample transfer position by the sample storage rack transfer mechanism and the storage of the sample container 1 is started by the sample transfer mechanism 3, the throughput of the sample container processing can be improved.

  FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram during maintenance of the specimen storage unit. At the time of maintenance, the specimen cooler controls to place the elevating mechanism at the lowest position. With this arrangement, the space used by the sample storage unit 4 for the up-and-down movement is vacant, and the user and service personnel can easily access the sample transfer unit 8, the sample transfer mechanism 3, and the like. Conventionally, since the sample transfer unit is provided in the sample cooler, users and service personnel have been forced to perform maintenance in a narrow work space when maintaining the sample transfer mechanism. Access to the sample transfer section and the sample transfer mechanism is facilitated, and it is possible to respond quickly when maintenance occurs or when an abnormality occurs.

  In addition, a maintenance mode is mounted as a control mode for performing maintenance of the specimen transfer mechanism 3 and the like. When this mode is selected, the sample storage operation is automatically stopped, the sample storage rack is stored in the sample storage unit 4, and after the storage, the sample storage unit 4 is arranged at the position where the lifting mechanism 10 is lowered. As a result, it is possible to respond more quickly.

  FIG. 5 shows an embodiment in which a cooler 12 composed of a compressor or the like is used as the cold storage means of the specimen storage unit. Air cooled by the cooler 12 is supplied to the specimen storage unit 4 through the expansion / contraction pipe 13. When the specimen storage unit moves up and down, the telescopic pipe 13 expands and contracts with the vertical movement. This method can be implemented even when the cooling unit is fixed.

  As described above, the sample transport system according to the embodiment of the present invention provides a sample transport system that is small and can be transferred quickly.

1 Sample container
2 Sample storage rack
3 Sample transfer mechanism
4 Sample storage
5 Specimen Cooling Member 6 Movable Region 7 Multistage Storage 8 Specimen Transfer Unit
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 9 Transfer area 10 Lifting mechanism 11 Peltier element 12 Cooling machine 13 Telescopic piping 14 Heat insulation wall 15 Opening / closing mechanism 16 Control part

Claims (4)

A specimen storage section for storing a plurality of specimen containers and having at least two or more shelves;
A cooling mechanism for cooling the sample container stored in the sample storage unit;
An elevating mechanism for elevating and lowering the specimen storage unit;
A transfer mechanism for transferring the sample container from the sample storage unit to the sample transfer unit through the opening;
A sample transfer mechanism for transferring the sample container placed in the sample transfer unit to the transport position of the sample container;
A sample processing system comprising: The specimen processing system according to claim 1, wherein
The sample processing system, wherein the sample transfer mechanism is provided outside the sample storage unit. The specimen processing system according to claim 1,
The sample processing system, wherein the elevating mechanism moves the position of each shelf of the sample storage unit to the position of the sample transfer unit. The specimen processing system according to claim 1,
A control unit for controlling the sample processing system;
The sample processing system, wherein the control unit includes a maintenance mode for controlling the lifting mechanism to lower the sample storage unit.

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