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EP-4101544-B1 - CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATION APPARATUS AND CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATION METHOD

EP4101544B1EP 4101544 B1EP4101544 B1EP 4101544B1EP-4101544-B1

Inventors

  • ITOH, TERUAKI

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20220531

Claims (10)

  1. A centrifugal separation apparatus (10) comprising: a centrifugal separator (12) comprising a retainer (24) and a rotating member (22) for rotation of the retainer(24), the retainer (24) adapted to retain a workpiece (25); an imaging unit (41) configured to acquire a detection image of an installation position at which the retainer (24) is placed; and a transfer mechanism (13) configured to install the workpiece (25) into the retainer (24) in the centrifugal separator (12); characterized in that the centrifugal separation apparatus (10) further comprises: a sensor processing unit (43) configured to detect, based on the detection image acquired after an installation process of placing the workpiece (25) into the retainer (24) and before a rotation process of rotating the rotating member (22), a state of the workpiece (25) subjected to the installation process, the state including an orientation of the workpiece (25).
  2. The centrifugal separation apparatus (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor processing unit (43) is configured to detect the state of the workpiece (25) based on a degree of agreement between the detection image and reference data.
  3. The centrifugal separation apparatus (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the reference data comprises a reference image based on a previously registered image, and the sensor processing unit (43) is configured to adjust determination criteria for the degree of agreement, or adjust the reference data, based on determination items including at least one of a color, a contour, a color area, and/or an edge.
  4. The centrifugal separation apparatus (10) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the centrifugal separator (12) comprises a housing (11), the housing (11) comprising an opening (11a) above the retainer (24) and a lid (11b) adapted to expose and cover the opening (11a), and the imaging unit (41) is configured to move between an imaging position above the opening (11a) and a standby position away from the imaging position.
  5. The centrifugal separation apparatus (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by further comprising a control unit (51) configured to detect an error in the installation process based on the state of the workpiece (25) at the installation position after the installation process, and control the centrifugal separation apparatus (10) based on the detected error.
  6. The centrifugal separation apparatus (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the imaging unit (41) is a camera (41) comprising an image sensor (14), and the sensor processing unit (43) is a sensor amplifier (43) comprising processing circuitry.
  7. The centrifugal separation apparatus (10) according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising a display unit (15) configured to display a detection result including an individual determination result (102a-102e) in a window set for each of the retainers (24) as installation subjects.
  8. The centrifugal separation apparatus (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that the display unit (15) is configured to display the detection image (101) and an overall determination result (103) for the installation process.
  9. A centrifugal separation method, the method characterized by comprising: installing a workpiece (25) into a retainer (24) in a rotating member (22) of a centrifugal separator (12); acquiring an image of an installation position at which the workpiece (25) has been installed, from above the installation position; detecting a state of the workpiece (25) based on the image, the state including an orientation of the workpiece (25); and controlling an operation with the rotating member (22) based on the state of the workpiece (25).
  10. The centrifugal separation method according to claim 9, wherein the centrifugal separator (12) comprises a housing (11), the housing (11) comprising an opening (11a) above the retainer (24) adapted to retain the workpiece (25) and a lid (11b) adapted to expose and cover the opening (11a), said acquiring the image comprises moving an imaging unit (41) to an imaging position above the opening (11a) for imaging, the imaging unit (41) being at a standby position away from the imaging position during installation of the workpiece (25), and said controlling the operation with the rotating member (22) comprises, if the state of the workpiece (25) is detected to be proper, rotating the rotating member (22) for centrifugal separation, and if the state of the workpiece (25) is detected to be abnormal, conducting one or both of a reporting process and a stop process.

Description

BACKGROUND 1. Field The present invention relates generally to a centrifugal separation apparatus and a centrifugal separation method. 2. Description of the Related Art As a centrifugal separation apparatus for the centrifugal separation of samples such as blood, an apparatus of, for example, the following type is available. The apparatus includes a disk-shaped rotating member in a housing, and multiple buckets are swingably attached to the peripheral portion of the rotating member. The centrifugal separation process is conducted by putting sample containers containing subject samples into these buckets and causing the rotating member to rotate at high speed (Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2004-151024). CN 212 237 770 U discloses a centrifugal separation apparatus comprising a centrifugal separator comprising a retainer and a rotating member for rotation of the retainer, the retainer adapted to retain a workpiece; an imaging unit configured to acquire a detection image of an installation position at which the retainer is placed; and a transfer medium configured to move the workpiece into the centrifugal separator. US 5 168 766 A discloses an automat for analyzing blood grouping, which includes a centrifuge for positioning and centrifuging micro-boards opposite supports articulated on the ends of a beam driven in rotation by a stepping motor, and a transfer clamp controlled along the x-axis and y-axis by two stepping motors so as to transport the micro-boards from the centrifuge to different workstations. WO 2017/181077 A1 discloses a system for identifying incorrect loading of a disposable in a fluid separation system. The system comprises a light source that direction light at an edge of a centrifuge used to separate fluid into components, the edge being adjacent a channel configured to hold a separation vessel in which the fluid is separated into the components; a detector for detecting light from the light source, wherein the detector detects light scattered by a separation vessel incorrectly loaded into the channel; and a processor connected to the detector, wherein when the detector detects the light scattered by the incorrectly loaded separation vessel, the processor sends a signal to perform an action. In an exemplary operation, the sample containers are sequentially installed in the rotating bodies of multiple centrifugal separators from a processing line, where the samples are subjected to biochemical analysis and various pre-processes, etc. The centrifugal separation process is initiated by rotating the rotating bodies of the centrifugal separators. Upon carrying out the centrifugal separation process for a predetermined period, the rotating bodies are stopped and the sample containers are sequentially taken out and returned to the processing line. In such a centrifugal separation apparatus, if the rotating operation is conducted without the sample containers being properly installed in the rotating bodies, a malfunction of the apparatus or damage to the samples could be incurred. It is therefore desirable that the installation state of the sample containers be checked. However, a centrifugal separator involves high-speed rotation of the rotating member within it, which makes it difficult to arrange an internal sensor. Due to this, means adopted for checking the sample containers include a short-range detection technique utilizing a photoelectric sensor, in which the photoelectric sensor is arranged on, for example, an arm for installation operation and detects whether or not the sample container is grasped by the arm before installation. As such, it is difficult to detect installation errors. SUMMARY According to an embodiment, a centrifugal separation apparatus (10) comprises, a centrifugal separator (12) comprising a retainer (24) and a rotating member (22) for rotation of the retainer(24), the retainer (24) adapted to retain a workpiece (25), an imaging unit (41) configured to acquire a detection image of an installation position at which the retainer (24) is placed, a transfer mechanism (13) configured to install the workpiece (25) into the retainer (24) in the centrifugal separator (12), and a sensor processing unit (43) configured to detect, based on the detection image acquired after an installation process of placing the workpiece (25) into the retainer (24) and before a rotation process of rotating the rotating member (22), a state of the workpiece (25) subjected to the installation process, the state including an orientation of the workpiece (25). Advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the