System for handling biological tissue samples

A system for handling biological tissue samples through a plurality of work stations of an anatomical pathology laboratory, wherein each biological tissue sample is associated with a unique code that identifies the biological tissue sample

• and is indicative of a work protocol, comprising a succession of steps of an anatomical pathology process, to be carried out on the biological tissue sample, said biological tissue handling system comprising:
• an input station for entering said biological tissue samples into said biological tissue handling system;
• the plurality of work stations for processing said biological tissue samples;
• and
• an output station for an exit of said biological tissue samples from said biological tissue handling system;
• control means, comprising one or more electronic controllers configured to manage handling of said biological tissue samples in said work stations according to the work protocol associated with said biological tissue samples,
• at least one of said work stations comprises a plurality of independent work locations,
• one or more transport apparatuses comprising a network of pipes operatively connected to said input station, to said output station, to said work stations and to said plurality of independent work locations, and configured to move bidirectionally said biological tissue sample carried by a capsule within the network of pipes to said input station, to said output station, to said work stations and to said plurality of independent work locations;
• said one or more electronic controllers are configured for controlling said one or more transport apparatuses so as to manage, by means of said one or more transport apparatuses, a routing and handling of said biological tissue samples in said work stations according to the work protocol associated with said biological tissue samples, said one or more transport apparatuses defining a path through said work stations for each of said biological tissue samples,
• said one or more electronic controllers are also configured for controlling said one or more transport apparatuses so as to manage, by means of said one or more transport apparatuses, a routing and handling of said biological tissue samples in and among said plurality of independent work locations according to a workload of said plurality of independent work locations and to the work protocol associated with said biological tissue samples identifying one of said plurality of independent work locations for each biological tissue sample,
• said one or more electronic controllers are configured for controlling said one or more transport apparatuses so as to move forward, by means of said one or more transport apparatuses, each biological tissue sample along said defined path, through said work stations, when a subsequent work station in said defined path is free to process said biological tissue sample,
• wherein said one or more electronic controllers are configured for controlling said one or more transport apparatuses so as to move forward said biological tissue sample to an identified work location of said plurality of independent when the identified work location is free to process said biological tissue sample, and
• wherein said one or more transport apparatuses comprise:
• a main transport apparatus comprising a main pneumatic pipe system of the network of pipes and operatively connected to said input station, to said output station and to said work stations and configured to move bidirectionally said biological tissue samples carried within the capsule to said input station, to said output station and to said work stations, and
• a plurality of secondary transport apparatuses each comprising a secondary pneumatic pipe system of the network of pipes and operatively connected to said main pneumatic pipe system and each respectively operatively connected to said plurality of independent work locations of one single work station of said work stations, said secondary pneumatic pipe system being configured to move bidirectionally said biological tissue samples carried in said capsule to said plurality of independent work locations of said one single work station and to said main pneumatic pipe system.