Automatic asynchronous fluid processing apparatus

Automated apparatus for processing fluids such as blood and the like for obtaining information relating to the physical and/or chemical properties thereof and providing a readout representative of such information, the apparatus being capable of performing different processes on different fluids and the processes being effected by said apparatus not necessarily having the same processing time, said apparatus comprising:

• A. means defining a single processing path for said apparatus,
• B. sample container supply means including support structure for holding a plurality of sample containers in position to be removed from said supply means for processing along said path according to predetermined procedures, each container adapted to carry a different sample to be processed, the time of processing not necessarily being the same for each procedure, each container having access means to enable liquid to be withdrawn from or inserted into the interior of said container and each said container also carrying indicia means having at least sample identification and a test code thereon with the code being individual to a particular one of said predetermined procedures;
• C. transport means for said containers including a container-carrying carriage, said path defining means including a guideway, means for driving the carriage along said path and confined to said guideway, said carriage and guideway having cooperating position-identifying means for providing electrical signals for identifying the location of the carriage along the guideway at all times;
• D. a plurality of zones and a station located along the guideway and including:
• i. an initial indicia means reading zone having at least one position provided with test code reading means, said test code reading means serving when enabled to provide signals representative of said test code, said sample container supply means being at said initial indicia means reading zone,
• ii. a reagent-adding zone having at least one position provided with reagent adding means thereat,
• iii. a testing zone having at least one position with testing means thereat and
• iv. a final indicia means reading station having apparatus for providing a readout of testing information responsive to said indicia means;
• E. said carriage, sample supply means, initial reading means, testing means and readout apparatus having cooperative structure including a container-reciprocating device connected with said carriage for translating a container carried by said carriage angularly away from or toward the said path, said cooperative structure being effective
• i. to enable a container to be withdrawn from said supply means and moved onto said carriage and its indicia means to be read by said reading means while said carriage is at said initial indicia means reading zone,
• ii. to enable said last-mentioned container to be translated into association with said reagent-adding means and to have reagent inserted into the interior of said container through said access means and thereafter the container translated back to said carriage while said carriage is at said reagent-adding zone,
• iii. to enable the withdrawing of liquid from the interior of said last-mentioned container through said access means when said carriage is at said testing zone, and the testing means including liquid withdrawing means and testing signal producing means responsive to the presence of the liquid thus withdrawn, and
• iv. to enable the readout apparatus to provide a readout responsive to said last-mentioned testing signal when the carriage is at said final indicia means reading station, said readout apparatus having means for reading the indicia means and providing a call-up signal individual to sample identification and test code thereon,
• F. means for removing said indicia means and container from said carriage for subsequent disposition after operation of said readout apparatus,
• G. means for driving the carriage along said path to said initial indicia means reading zone and to a location for withdrawing a second container and to locate said second container at a second processing means in said path defining a part of second preselected processing pattern, the movement of said second container to said second processing means occurring during the period when said one container in said first pattern is at said processing means being thus effective to utilize the time during said one container is at said one processing means for commencing, completing or continuing the processing of said second container according to the time available therefor,
• H. means for programming and controlling the operation of said apparatus and including circuitry for permanently and temporarily storing electrical information, said electrical information including command signal data for ordering the performance of said predetermined procedures in response to the respective test codes individual to said procedures, the said position-identifying electrical signals, command signal date for controlling the operation of said cooperative structure and the timing thereof and for storing and calling up the testing signals responsive to the operation of the readout apparatus,
• said apparatus continuously performing the withdrawal, reading, reagent-adding, testing and readout in a timed sequence for each sample in accordance with the said test-code individual to said last-mentioned sample and operating said transport means and cooperative structure while so performing for all of the respective samples which may be carried by said containers.

Automated apparatus for processing fluids such as blood and the like for obtaining information relating to the physical and/or chemical properties thereof and providing a readout representative of such information, the apparatus being capable of performing different processes on different fluids not necessarily having the same processing time which comprises:

• A. means defining a single processing path for said apparatus;
• means for supporting a plurality of containers each adapted to carry therein a sample of fluid to be processed along said path, any one process perhaps requiring a different processing procedure, the containers being arranged in said supporting means in a random order;
• B. transport means for removing a first container from the supporting means and moving the same along said processing path in a first preselected pattern according to the processing procedure for said first container;
• C. at least one processing means stationed along said processing path to define said preselected first pattern, the transport means and processing means having cooperating structure enabling the transport means to stop said first container in said path and at the processing means in said preselected first pattern and to subject the container to the effects of said processing means, the cooperating structure including means to permit the said container to be removed from said transport means and to be translated into operative association with at least said one processing means in said first pattern and returned to said transport means;
• and
• D. control and programming means connected with said apparatus and effective to operate the transport means along said path operable to take a second container and to locate the same in at least a second processing means in said path defining a part of a second preselected pattern according to the processing procedure for said second container, the movement of said second container to said second processing means occurring during the period when said one container in said first pattern is at said one processing means being thus effective to utilize the time during said one container is at said one processing means for commencing, completing or continuing the processing of said second container according to the time available therefor, said control and programming means including a memory having the processing procedure data stored therein and acting to monitor the procedures being performed upon consecutively processed containers and the sample adapted to be contained therein in a manner which permits the transport means to move a plurality of containers through at least partially a plurality of preselected patterns during the same period of time and on a time sharing basis between said plurality of preselected patterns and which thus utilizes the minimum processing time possible for each said sample without regard to the processing time of other said samples.