WO2013070716A4 - Centrifuge imbalance sensor and non-contact specimen container characterization - Google Patents

Centrifuge imbalance sensor and non-contact specimen container characterization Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2013070716A4
WO2013070716A4 PCT/US2012/063888 US2012063888W WO2013070716A4 WO 2013070716 A4 WO2013070716 A4 WO 2013070716A4 US 2012063888 W US2012063888 W US 2012063888W WO 2013070716 A4 WO2013070716 A4 WO 2013070716A4
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
output
comparator
specimen container
sensor
voltage level
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2012/063888
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2013070716A3 (en
WO2013070716A2 (en
Inventor
Ed MURASHIE
Mark Gross
Santiago ALLEN
Allan Trochman
Original Assignee
Beckman Coulter, Inc.
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Beckman Coulter, Inc. filed Critical Beckman Coulter, Inc.
Publication of WO2013070716A2 publication Critical patent/WO2013070716A2/en
Publication of WO2013070716A3 publication Critical patent/WO2013070716A3/en
Publication of WO2013070716A4 publication Critical patent/WO2013070716A4/en

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    • 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
    • G01N35/0099—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor comprising robots or similar manipulators
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D21/00—Separation of suspended solid particles from liquids by sedimentation
    • B01D21/26—Separation of sediment aided by centrifugal force or centripetal force
    • B01D21/262—Separation of sediment aided by centrifugal force or centripetal force by using a centrifuge
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
    • B04B11/00—Feeding, charging, or discharging bowls
    • B04B11/04—Periodical feeding or discharging; Control arrangements therefor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
    • B04B13/00—Control arrangements specially designed for centrifuges; Programme control of centrifuges
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
    • B04B15/00—Other accessories for centrifuges
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
    • B04B7/00—Elements of centrifuges
    • B04B7/02—Casings; Lids
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
    • B04B7/00—Elements of centrifuges
    • B04B7/08—Rotary bowls
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
    • B04B9/00—Drives specially designed for centrifuges; Arrangement or disposition of transmission gearing; Suspending or balancing rotary bowls
    • B04B9/14—Balancing rotary bowls ; Schrappers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
    • B04B9/00—Drives specially designed for centrifuges; Arrangement or disposition of transmission gearing; Suspending or balancing rotary bowls
    • B04B9/14—Balancing rotary bowls ; Schrappers
    • B04B9/146—Unbalance detection devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
    • B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
    • B25J11/00—Manipulators not otherwise provided for
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D51/00—Closures not otherwise provided for
    • B65D51/24—Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/22—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors
    • B65G47/26—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles
    • B65G47/28—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles during transit by a single conveyor
    • G—PHYSICS
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    • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
    • G01B11/00—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
    • G01B11/02—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques for measuring length, width or thickness
    • G—PHYSICS
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    • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
    • G01B11/00—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
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    • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
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    • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01L—MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
    • G01L19/00—Details of, or accessories for, apparatus for measuring steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluent medium insofar as such details or accessories are not special to particular types of pressure gauges
    • G01L19/08—Means for indicating or recording, e.g. for remote indication
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01M—TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01M1/00—Testing static or dynamic balance of machines or structures
    • G01M1/14—Determining unbalance
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
    • G01N21/17—Systems in which incident light is modified in accordance with the properties of the material investigated
    • G01N21/25—Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands
    • G01N21/27—Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands using photo-electric detection ; circuits for computing concentration
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
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    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
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    • G01N35/00584—Control arrangements for automatic analysers
    • G01N35/00722—Communications; Identification
    • G01N35/00732—Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
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    • 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
    • G—PHYSICS
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    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
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    • G01N35/10—Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices
    • 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
    • G01N35/10—Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices
    • G01N35/1009—Characterised by arrangements for controlling the aspiration or dispense of liquids
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/50—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes
    • B01L3/502—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures
    • B01L3/5021—Test tubes specially adapted for centrifugation purposes
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
    • B04B9/00—Drives specially designed for centrifuges; Arrangement or disposition of transmission gearing; Suspending or balancing rotary bowls
    • B04B9/14—Balancing rotary bowls ; Schrappers
    • B04B2009/143—Balancing rotary bowls ; Schrappers by weight compensation with liquids
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
    • B04B11/00—Feeding, charging, or discharging bowls
    • B04B11/04—Periodical feeding or discharging; Control arrangements therefor
    • B04B2011/046—Loading, unloading, manipulating sample containers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
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    • B04B13/00—Control arrangements specially designed for centrifuges; Programme control of centrifuges
    • B04B2013/006—Interface detection or monitoring of separated components
    • G—PHYSICS
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    • G01N2035/00465—Separating and mixing arrangements
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    • 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
    • G01N2035/0403—Sample carriers with closing or sealing means
    • G01N2035/0405—Sample carriers with closing or sealing means manipulating closing or opening means, e.g. stoppers, screw caps, lids or covers
    • G—PHYSICS
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    • 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
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    • 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
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    • G01N35/10—Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices
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    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
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Abstract

A system and method for non-contact specimen container characterization includes a processor, and a specimen container diameter sensor, and a specimen container length sensor. The non-contact specimen container can also include a cap color sensor. The sensors are located in a fixed position relative to a conveyor for transporting a plurality of specimen containers. Another embodiment is directed to a system and method for detecting centrifuge imbalance along multiple axes. First, second and third comparators compare an accelerometer output corresponding to x-, y- and z- axes with reference voltage levels. The outputs are used to determine whether to discontinue operation of the centrifuge. The outputs can also be used to generate alerts.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 12 August 2013 (12.08.2013)
1. A system for non-contact specimen container characterization, the system comprising:
a processor;
a specimen container diameter sensor communicatively coupled to the processor, the specimen container diameter sensor including a horizontally oriented linear optical array; and
a specimen container length sensor communicatively coupled to the processor, the specimen container length sensor including a vertically oriented linear optical array;
wherein the specimen container diameter sensor and the specimen container length sensor are located in a fixed position relative to a conveyor for transporting a plurality of specimen containers.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a cap color sensor communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the cap color sensor is located in a fixed position relative to the conveyor for transporting a plurality of specimen containers.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the cap color sensor includes a light-to- frequency converter.
4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cap color sensors communicatively coupled to the processor,
wherein each of the plurality of cap color sensors are located in a fixed position relative to the conveyor for transporting a plurality of specimen containers, and wherein a signal received by the processor from the specimen container length sensor is used to determine which of the plurality of cap color sensors generate a signal corresponding to the cap color of a specimen container cap.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the specimen container is inserted into a sample carrier that is transported by the conveyor.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion of the conveyor is halted when the specimen container is in a position at which one or more of the specimen container diameter sensor and the specimen container length sensor are capable of obtaining data associated with the specimen container.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein motion of the conveyor is halted based on a signal received by the processor from one or more of the specimen container diameter sensor and the specimen container length sensor.
8 . A method for non-contact specimen container characterization, the method comprising, by a processor:
receiving a first signal from a specimen container diameter sensor, the specimen container diameter sensor including a horizontally oriented linear optical array;
receiving a second signal from a specimen container length sensor, the specimen container length sensor including a vertically oriented linear optical array;
determining a specimen container diameter based on the first signal; and determining a specimen container length based on the second signal.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a third signal from a cap color sensor and determining a specimen container cap color based on the third signal.
10. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining, based on the second signal, which of a plurality of cap color sensors to read for determining a container cap color.
11. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining, based on the first signal, when to generate an instruction for halting a conveyor that transports the specimen container.
12. An imbalance sensor for detecting centrifuge imbalance, the imbalance sensor comprising:
an accelerometer coupled to a centrifuge containment vessel; a comparator configured to compare an acceleration output of the accelerometer with a reference voltage level; and
a switch configured to receive an output from the comparator; wherein the rotation of the centrifuge rotor is discontinued based on the output of the switch.
13. An imbalance sensor for detecting centrifuge imbalance, the imbalance sensor, comprising:
an accelerometer coupled to a centrifuge containment vessel; a first comparator configured to compare accelerometer output corresponding to a first axis with a first voltage level;
a second comparator configured to compare accelerometer output corresponding to a second axis with a second voltage level.
14. The imbalance sensor of claim 12, further comprising: a third comparator configured to compare accelerometer output corresponding to a third axis with a third voltage level;
a summing comparator configured to:
receive a first output from the first comparator, a second output from the second comparator and a third output from the third comparator; and
compare, by a summing comparator, a sum of the first output, the second output and the third output to a fourth voltage level.
15. The imbalance sensor of claim 14, wherein one or more of the first voltage level, second voltage level, third voltage level, and fourth voltage level is an adjustable reference level.
16. The imbalance sensor of claim 14, wherein one or more of the first comparator, the second comparator, the third comparator and the summing comparator is communicatively coupled to a processor, and wherein an alert is generated by the processor based on the output of one or more of the first comparator, the second comparator, the third comparator and the summing comparator.
17 . The imbalance sensor of claim 14, wherein the switch is communicatively coupled to a processor, and wherein an alert is generated by the processor based on the state of the switch.
18. The imbalance sensor of claim 14, further comprising a switch configured to receive an output from the first comparator; wherein an imbalance state of a centrifuge is determined based on the output of the switch.
19. A method for detecting centrifuge imbalance, the method comprising: coupling an accelerometer to a centrifuge containment vessel; comparing, by a first comparator, an accelerometer output corresponding to a first axis with a first voltage level;
comparing, by a second comparator, an accelerometer output corresponding to a second axis with a second voltage level;
comparing, by a third comparator, an accelerometer output corresponding to a third axis with a third voltage level;
receiving, by a summing comparator, a first output from the first comparator, a second output from the second comparator and a third output from the third comparator comparing, by the summing comparator, a sum of the first output, the second output and the third output to a fourth voltage level; and
when the sum of the first output, the second output and the third output exceed the fourth voltage level, discontinuing the rotation of a centrifuge.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising adjusting at least one of the first voltage level, the second voltage level, the third voltage level, and the fourth voltage level based on imbalance tolerance of the centrifuge.
21. The method of claim 19, further comprising generating an alert based on at least one of the first output, the second output, the third output and an output of the summing comparator.
PCT/US2012/063888 2011-11-07 2012-11-07 Centrifuge imbalance sensor and non-contact specimen container characterization WO2013070716A2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201161556667P 2011-11-07 2011-11-07
US61/556,667 2011-11-07
US201261616994P 2012-03-28 2012-03-28
US61/616,994 2012-03-28
US201261680066P 2012-08-06 2012-08-06
US61/680,066 2012-08-06

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WO2013070716A3 WO2013070716A3 (en) 2013-08-15
WO2013070716A4 true WO2013070716A4 (en) 2013-10-03

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