TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to barcode scanners of tube sorters used for automatic sorting of medical specimen tubes.

STATE OF THE ART

Tube sorters are intended for separating the blood collection tubes in the specimen reception units or laboratories of the hospitals in such a way that it is requested by the laboratory/hospital. The tubes are randomly put into the tube loading chamber/hopper of the device, the barcodes of the tubes, which are received individually from the hopper, are scanned and barcode information is transmitted to the laboratory information system (LIS). According to the response from the LIS, the tube is dropped into the desired target bin of the device. In this way, the tubes are sorted into separate bins according to the analysis to be conducted and the laboratory they will be dispatched. The most important thing in automatic tube sorters is the process of reading the barcodes on the labels of the tubes loaded into the device one by one and sending this bar code information to the Laboratory Information System (LIS). This information enables the LIS to accession the specimen relating to the tube with corresponding barcode number and keeps the record of arrival time to the laboratory. Then, according to the response received from LIS, the tube is sorted into the desired target bin. Tube sorting systems have different mechanisms for reading the barcodes on the tube label. In the HCTS2000 MK2 model of Sarstedt Company, the tubes are conveyed on the two drums by means of a conveyor belt, the drums with barcode scanner rotate the tube and following the barcode scanning process, the tube is pushed to another conveyor belt with a pushing mechanism and sorted into the target bins via the said belt. In the Reflex TT2000 S system of EndMed company, the tube is slid between two drums, then the barcodes of the rotated tubes are scanned by the movement of the drums, after the reading/scanning process, the holding cover under the drum is opened and the tube is dropped onto the conveyor belt where it will be dispatched to the target bins. In the Atras series devices of TO Labsystems, the tube is moved horizontally on two belts and passed between two barcode scanners. While passing through, one of the barcode scanners read the barcode of the tube. In all these operations, either the conveyor belts are moved slowly (Atras) in order to be able to read the barcode of the tubes or the barcode reading time slows down due to multiple operation, and it causes adverse effect on device running-speed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The object of the invention is to increase the sorting speed of barcoded blood collection tubes in blood collection systems within the hospitals.

To achieve above objective, the invention includes a barcode scanning unit for an automatic tube sorter comprising a barcode scanner set up for reading/scanning the barcode on a blood tube. The invention further comprises a rotating drum assembly disposed under the barcode scanner and can be adjusted to rotate the blood tube thereon at least one complete cycle in a scanning mode. The rotating drum assembly rotates the blood tube it carries on it by direct contact thereby allowing it to make pivoting action rapidly. In this way, even if the barcode on the blood tube is not aligned with the barcode scanner when placed on the rotating drum, it is aligned in a previously uncertain position during the rotation and the barcode scanner reads the barcode on the blood tube. Following this process, the blood tube is released from the rotating drum assembly.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the rotating drum assembly has a moving pair of cylinders whose distance between them is narrowed to be smaller than the diameter of the blood tube and extended to be larger in the release mode. Thanks to the variable distance between the cylinder elements, it is easily discharged downwards by gravity between the two cylinders that are opened between the tubes without the need for an additional discharging device after the scanner mode. In a possible embodiment, there is a discharge bin under the cylinders.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the diameters of each pair of cylinder elements and the distance between the blood tube extension axis and each cylinder element in scanning mode are set equal to each other. In this way, the blood tube is kept in a balanced manner between the cylinders and rotated at equal revolutions without any vibration.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it comprises a solenoid mechanism that is supported at one end of the drum assembly and separates the cylinder elements from each other in the release mode. The solenoid mechanism is triggered and then opens the distance between the cylinder elements to be greater than the tube diameter when the barcode scanner completes the reading process.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is a silencer equipped with a solenoid mechanism so that the solenoid mechanism enables the separation of cylinder elements while keeping their sound as lowered when switching to the releasing mode. The silencer reduces the sound generated by the solenoid mechanism during its operation by means of damping.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rotating drum assembly comprises a base of which one end protrudes without any support and other end is mounted as built-in part. The base enables easily adaptation of barcode scanner to a blood tube automation mechanism.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a motor mounted on the base by being fixed to the rotating drum assembly through a pulley between them. The motor rotates from one end thereby keeping the optical sensing area between the barcode scanner and the rotating drum assembly open.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rotating drum assembly is aligned perpendicular to the radiation emitted by the barcode scanner. Thus, the barcode scanner is able to read barcode of the blood tube on the rotating drum assembly in a quick and errorless way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Figure 1 is a front schematic view of a representative embodiment of the barcode scanner for an automatic tube sorter according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

In this detailed description, the development that is the subject of the invention has been illustrated by way of non-exhaustive examples that only serve to better explain the subject.

Figure 1 shows the schematic view of the barcode scanner for the blood tube sorting. The already barcoded blood tubes (2) are successively provided on a rotating drum assembly (5) with the support of a supply system (not shown). The blood tube (2), whose barcode is to be read, is dropped onto the rotating drum assembly (5) consisting of two parallel cylinder elements (11). While in a position not ready for scanning, the blood tube (2) extends coaxially with the cylinder elements (11) to the bearing structure formed between the facing parts of the two cylinder elements (11). The rotating drum assembly (5) is mounted on a base (3) which is in the form of a rotating wedge from one end. The opposite ends protrude freely to the outside. An electric motor (6) is mounted on the base (3) with its rotating end close to the mounted end of the rotating drum assembly (5). A pulley (4) is mounted on the rotating end of the motor (6). A belt (10) is attached to the pulley (4) and the rotation drive of the motor (6) is transferred to the cylinder element (11) of the rotating drum assembly (5) from the mounted end. Meanwhile, the two cylinder elements (11) are adjacent to each other along their lateral surfaces. A solenoid mechanism (9) is adapted to take a distance greater than the diameter of the blood tube (2) between the axes of extending from its mounted end to the cylinder elements (11) in a pushing position. A silencer (7) is attached to the solenoid mechanism (9). A shaft at the end part of the base (3) to which the engine (6) and cylinder elements (11) are attached for the proper operation of the solenoid mechanism (9) that enables the cylinder elements (11) to be opened in a distanced manner and closed adjacently to each other is equipped with a damping element in the form of a spring (8).

When the blood tube (2) is taken between adjacent cylinder elements (11), the reading mode is initiated. The motor (6) is activated and rotates the pulley (4) and transmits torque from its one end to one of the cylinder elements (11) by means of the belt (10). The rotating cylinder element (11) rotates the adjacent second cylinder element in the opposite direction so that the blood tube (2) lying between them is rotated around itself by the rotating drum assembly (5) along its long axis. In the meantime, the barcode scanner (1) is activated and it scans the peripheral wall of the blood tube (2) by means of radiating. Barcoded blood tubes (2) are the blood tubes (2) to which a longitudinal barcode label attached. Even if the barcode scanner (1) does not detect the barcode when the blood tube (2) is seated on the rotating drum assembly (5), thanks to one complete cycle rotation, the label is always aligned with the barcode scanner (1) and the barcode scanner (1) transmits the barcode information, which is matched with the blood tube (2), to the laboratory information system. Then, the reading mode ends and the solenoid mechanism (9) is activated to create an opening between the two cylinders so that the blood tube (2) falls into the target bin (not shown) positioned below. Following this process, the solenoid mechanism (9) returns to its original state and becomes ready to take a new blood tube (2).

REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 Barcode scanner Blood tube Base structure Pulley Rotating drum assembly Motor Silencer Spring Solenoid mechanism Belt Cylinder element