Automated laboratory conveyor system

An automated laboratory conveyor system, comprising:

• a conveyor track for transporting a specimen carrier;
• said track formed in a closed loop and operable to continuously transport said specimen carrier thereon;
• means associated with said track for placing a specimen carrier on said track;
• means associated with said track for removing a specimen carrier from said track;
• a central control unit operably associated with said track for selectively operating said track to transport a specimen carrier;
• said central control unit operatively connected to said carrier placing means and said carrier removing means;
• said carrier placing means and carrier removing means being operable in response to signals from said central control unit;
• a receiving station along said track connected to said central control unit and to said carrier placing means;
• entry track means for transporting a specimen carrier from said receiving station to said carrier placing means;
• said carrier placing means operably responsive to signals from said central control unit to selectively place a specimen carrier on said conveyor track from said entry track;
• said receiving station including means for processing information regarding a specimen carrier and a specimen on said carrier, and means for transmitting said processed information to said central control unit;
• said central control unit being responsive to said processed information to transmit signals to predetermined ones of said carrier placing means, conveyor track and carrier removing means at predetermined times;
• said receiving station being connected with a laboratory information system having identification and instruction data with respect to specimens;
• said means for processing information including:
• means for marking an individual specimen carrier with identification data corresponding to a specimen carried by the specimen carrier;
• means for transmitting instruction data corresponding to a specimen and marked specimen carrier to said central control unit;
• and
• said central control unit connected with said laboratory information system and responsive to instruction data transmitted from said receiving station to transmit signals corresponding to a predetermined specimen and specimen carrier;
• a first work station for preforming a predetermined test on a specimen carried by said specimen carrier;
• a work station conveyor track having a first portion for transporting a specimen carrier from said conveyor track to said work station and a second portion for transporting a specimen carrier from the work station to the conveyor track loop;
• first gate means on said conveyor track for moving a specimen carrier from the conveyor track loop to said work station track first portion;
• and
• second gate means on said conveyor track loop for moving a specimen carrier from the work station track second portion to said conveyor track loop;
• p1 said first and second gate means connected to said central control unit and operable in response to signals from said central control unit;
• said first gate means including:
• reader means for reading identification data marked on a specimen carrier, connected to said central control unit and operable to transmit said data read from the carrier to said control unit;
• retractable arm means for selectively preventing downstream movement of a specimen carrier, connected to said control unit and operable in response to signals therefrom;
• and
• means mounted adjacent said track to move a specimen carrier restrained by said retractable arm means, laterally off of said conveyor track;
• said means for moving a specimen carrier connected to said control unit and operable in response to signals therefrom;
• said means for moving a specimen carrier including:
• a cylinder with extendable plunger, mounted generally transversely to said conveyor track;
• a housing mounted to said plunger, including a pair of spaced-apart generally vertical side walls, connected by a cross member at their upper ends;
• said housing side walls oriented parallel to the direction of travel of a specimen carrier;
• said housing moveable with said plunger from a first position with the side walls on opposite sides of the conveyor track permitting passage of a carrier therebetween on said track, and a second position moved transversely to one side of the track;
• said housing located adjacent said retractable arm, to move a carrier restrained on said conveyor track by the retractable arm.

An automated laboratory conveyor system, comprising:

• a conveyor track for transporting a specimen carrier;
• said track formed in a closed loop and operable to continuously transport said specimen carrier thereon;
• means associated with said track for placing a specimen carrier on said track;
• means associated with said track for removing a specimen carrier from said track;
• a central control unit operably associated with said track for selectively operating said track to transport a specimen carrier;
• said central control unit operatively connected to said carrier placing means and said carrier removing means;
• said carrier placing means and carrier removing means being operable in response to signals from said central control unit;
• a receiving station along said track connected to said central control unit and to said carrier placing means;
• entry track means for transporting a specimen carrier from said receiving station to said carrier placing means;
• said carrier placing means operably responsive to signals from said central control unit to selectively place a specimen carrier on said conveyor track from said entry track;
• said receiving station including means for processing information regarding a specimen carrier and a specimen on said carrier, and means for transmitting said processed information to said central control unit;
• said central control unit being responsive to said processed information to transmit signals to predetermined ones of said carrier placing means, conveyor track and carrier removing means at predetermined times;
• said receiving station being connected with a laboratory information system having identification and instruction data with respect to specimens;
• said means for processing information including:
• means for marking an individual specimen carrier with identification data corresponding to a specimen carried by the specimen carrier;
• means for transmitting instruction data corresponding to a specimen and marked specimen carrier to said central control unit;
• and
• said central control unit connected with said laboratory information system and responsive to instruction data transmitted from said receiving station to transmit signals corresponding to a predetermined specimen and specimen carrier;
• a first work station for performing a predetermined test on a specimen carried by said specimen carrier;
• a work station conveyor track having a first portion for transporting a specimen carrier from said conveyor track to said work station and a second portion for transporting a specimen carrier from the work station to the conveyor track loop;
• first gate means on said conveyor track for moving a specimen carrier from the conveyor track loop to said work station track first portion;
• and
• second gate means on said conveyor track loop for moving a specimen carrier from the work station track second portion to said conveyor track loop;
• said first and second gate means connected to said central control unit and operable in response to signals from said central control unit;
• restraining apparatus operably mounted upstream of said first gate means for selectively restraining specimen carriers from moving downstream to said first gate means;
• restraining apparatus including first cylinder with an extensible arm, mounted adjacent said conveyor track, said arm operable between an extended position projecting over said conveyor track to prevent passage of a specimen carrier, and a retracted positioned permitting passage of a carrier along the conveyor track;
• a sensor means for detecting the presence of a specimen carrier restrained by said first cylinder arm;
• said first cylinder being operably connected to said control unit and is operably responsive to signals received therefrom;
• said sensor means being connected to said control unit and including means for transmitting a signal indicating the presence of a specimen carrier to said control unit;
• said restraining apparatus further comprising a second cylinder with an extensible arm, mounted adjacent said conveyor track spaced upstream of said first cylinder, said second cylinder arm operable between an extended position projecting over said conveyor track to prevent passage of a specimen carrier, and a retracted position permitting passage of a carrier along said conveyor track;
• a plurality of specimen carriers for selective transport on said conveyor track, each said specimen carrier comprising:
• a carrier body having a forward end and rearward end, an inward wall and an outward wall, and top and bottom walls;
• and
• means on said body for carrying a laboratory specimen;
• said second cylinder arm being spaced upstream from said first cylinder arm a distance at least equal to the length, as measured from the forward to rearward ends, of one of said specimen carriers, to permit retention of a first specimen carrier behind said first cylinder arm while retaining a second specimen carrier behind a second cylinder arm;
• said specimen carrier bodies each being further characterized as having a notch formed in the forward end thereof completely though the body from the inward wall to the outward wall, said notch extending rearwardly to a depth sufficient to receive the entire width of one of said restraining apparatus cylinder arms therein, such that the forward end of a specimen carrier abuts the rearward end of a downstream specimen carrier when the carriers are restrained behind the restraining apparatus first arm, and permitting extension of the restraining apparatus second arm into the notch of the upstream carrier to restrain the upstream carrier independently of the downstream carrier.