Centrifuge system and workflow

摘要

Systems, methods and apparatus are described for a centrifuge module of a laboratory analysis system. Specimen containers may be weighed, loaded into a centrifuge adapter, and transported to a centrifuge module by an adapter shuttle. A centrifuge adapter gripper may transport the centrifuge adapter into a centrifuge for centrifugation. The centrifuge adapter may be transported by the centrifuge adapter gripper to an adapter shuttle for unloading of the specimen containers, which may be performed by a specimen container gripper. A centrifuge drawer that allows a centrifuge to be extended from its installed position is also described. Additional embodiments pertain to a sequence for replacing, in a centrifuge, a set of centrifuge adapters that have been centrifuged with a set of centrifuge adapters that have not been centrifuged. A sequence for loading specimen containers into centrifuge adapters is also described.

主权项

1. A method for processing medical samples in a laboratory system comprising:
transporting by an input module gripper a plurality of specimen containers from an input module to a distribution area module; detecting test information about the specimen containers with a first camera coupled to the input module gripper and optically measuring liquid levels within the specimen containers during the transport to the distribution area module via transmission measurement with an emitter unit and a receiver unit, wherein the emitter unit and the receiver unit are coupled to the input module gripper; loading, by a distribution area gripper in the distribution area module, the plurality of specimen containers into a centrifuge adapter which is placed on an adapter shuttle; transporting, by the adapter shuttle, the centrifuge adapter from the distribution area module to a centrifuge module, which comprises a centrifuge; transporting, by a centrifuge adapter gripper, the centrifuge adapter into the centrifuge; centrifuging, by the centrifuge, the centrifuge adapter; and transporting, by the centrifuge adapter gripper, the centrifuge adapter from the centrifuge to the adapter shuttle; and unloading, by a centrifuge tube gripper in the centrifuge module, the plurality of specimen containers from the centrifuge adapter.