AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR STORING, RETRIEVING AND MANAGING SAMPLE

Abstract

An automated storage system for storing large quantities of samples in trays includes a storage compartment, a tray shuttle compartment abutting the storage compartment on one side and a plurality of independent modules on the other side. The modules perform processing of samples that are retrieved from the storage compartment by a tray shuttle, including extraction of selected samples from retrieved source trays and transfer of the selected samples into a separate, destination tray that can be further processed or removed from the system for use. The independent operation of the modules permits handling and processing to be performed simultaneously by different modules while the tray shuttle accesses additional samples within the storage compartment. In one embodiment, a vertical carousel is used to vertically align a desired tray with the tray shuttle, while the tray shuttle operates within a horizontal plane.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and from the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional side view of a first embodiment of the system showing the storage unit, shuttle and external modules;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing the storage unit, tray shuttle mechanism, and exemplary external modules.

FIG. 3 a is a diagrammatic perspective view of the first embodiment with the storage unit housing removed; FIG. 3b is a diagrammatic perspective view with the housing partially cut away to show elements of the carousel mechanism; and FIG. 3c is a detail view of versatile tray slots that permit storage of different size sample containers.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic top view of a second embodiment of the system with an insulating wall separating the storage compartment from the tray shuttle.

FIG. 5 a is a diagrammatic front view and FIG. 5b is a perspective view with the housing partially cut away, both showing the tray shuttle and insulating wall according to the second embodiment.

FIGS. 6 a-6c are diagrammatic side views of the second embodiment showing the steps for accessing and removing a tray from the storage compartment by lifting the insulating.

FIGS. 7 a and 7b are diagrammatic side and end views, respectively, of the tray shuttle.

FIGS. 8 a-8n are a series of diagrams showing the tray hook sequence through which trays are retrieved from the storage compartment and delivered to a module at the front of the system in preparation for cherry picking of specific sample containers.

FIGS. 9 a and 9b are diagrammatic views (front and top) of the tube picking function.

FIGS. 10 a-10c are a front, side and perspective views, respectively, of a sample selector mechanism; FIG. 10d is a top view of a fixture for use with the sample selector for cutting seals around containers.

FIG. 11 a is a diagrammatic side view of a multi-story system with flexible access modules; FIG. 11b is a perspective view of the multi-story system with the housing removed to show the vertical carousel.

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic view of an alternative embodiment of a sample selector.

FIGS. 13 a and 13b are diagrammatic views of the sample selector of FIG. 12 before and after die cutting of a sealing sheet.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of software and firmware elements of the controllers of the storage system.

FIGS. 15 a-d are diagrammatic top views of a series of reading steps to allow a fixed bar code reader to view the right, right rear, front, and left rear sides of a sample vial, respectively.

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic top view of two storage systems bridge together using a bridge module.

Claims

1. An automated system for storing and handling samples comprising: an enclosed refrigerated storage compartment;at least one vertical carousel disposed within the storage compartment, the vertical carousel having a plurality of carriers distributed around a vertical loop, wherein each carrier is adapted to receive a plurality of trays that retain a plurality of samples;a tray shuttle compartment abutting the storage compartment, the tray shuttle compartment having a storage side adjacent the storage compartment and a module side opposite the storage compartment;a tray shuttle disposed within the tray shuttle compartment at a fixed height relative to the vertical loop, wherein the tray shuttle comprises means for pulling and pushing trays for transfer between the storage compartment and at least one discrete processing module connected on the module side of the tray shuttle compartment and disposed within a common horizontal plane with the tray shuttle;an input-output module for receiving a tray for storage in or removal from the storage compartment; anda system controller directing operation of the storage compartment, the vertical carousel, the tray shuttle and the input-output module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of trays has a tray thickness and a tray width, and wherein each carrier on the vertical carousel comprises a plurality of partitions, each partition having a plurality of slots for slidably receiving and supporting the trays between a pair of partitions, wherein the slots are configured to provide a variable range of distances between vertically adjacent trays.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the input-output module includes a bar code reader for identifying trays and samples that are processed through the input-output module.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one sample selector module disposed at the module side of the tray shuttle compartment for selecting individual samples from one or more trays and depositing the selected samples into a destination tray.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one sample selector module comprises a pick head and a pusher, the pick head having a cavity for receiving a sample container when the pusher is activated to lift the sample container from the tray by contacting a bottom of the sample container and pushing it upward through an opening in the tray and into the cavity.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the cavity is adapted for receiving a plurality of sample containers and the pick head further comprises an ejector for simultaneously ejecting the plurality of sample containers retained within the cavity.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the sample container is retained within a rack sealed with a sheet seal and the pick head further comprises a seal cutting edge near a lower edge of the cavity, wherein the pusher pushes the sample container against the seal cutting edge to cut the seal around the container before pushing the container into the cavity.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the sample selector module further comprises: a pick table disposed in an x-y plane for supporting one or more source trays and a destination tray; andone or more translators for translating the pick head and the pusher within the x-y plane to access all samples in the one or more source trays and all positions in the destination tray.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the pick head is translated within the x-y plane independent of the pusher.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the pick head and pusher are translated together within the x-y plane.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein the sample selector module is adapted for selecting samples retained in round vials and further comprises: a pick head for grasping a vial;a translation mechanism for moving the pick head between the source tray and the destination tray; anda bar code reader;wherein the pick head has at least one mirror attached thereto for reflecting a reading beam to the bar code reader so that all sides of the vial are readable.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the tray shuttle further comprises: a tray support surface;a motorized tray hook disposed on a slide that traverses the tray support surface between the storage side and the module side of the tray shuttle compartment, wherein the motorized tray hook rotates to extend or retract relative to the tray support surface, wherein the motorized tray hook extends to engage a first tray end hook on a tray of interest, and slides toward the module side so that the tray of interest is pulled away from the carrier and onto the tray support surface.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the motorized tray hook transfers the tray of interest to the at least one processing module by rotating to disengage the tray end hook, sliding to the storage side, rotating to engage a second tray end hook, and sliding toward the module side to push the tray of interest off of the tray support surface and onto a tray surface of the at least one processing module.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage compartment spans multiple floors in a multi-story building and wherein a separate tray shuttle and a separate input-output module are disposed at one or more additional vertical locations along the storage compartment, wherein the vertical locations correspond to different floors.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a bridge module attached to a module side of the tray shuttle compartment, wherein the bridge module provides an interface to a separate tray shuttle compartment of a separate storage system disposed adjacent the storage system.

16. A storage system for storing a plurality of samples in a plurality of trays, the system comprising: a cold storage compartment having a plurality of vertical tray support racks, a storage compartment front, and a width;a tray shuttle compartment having a rear adjacent the storage compartment front and a tray shuttle compartment front;a tray shuttle disposed within the tray shuttle compartment, the tray shuttle comprising means for translating horizontally and/or vertically within the tray shuttle compartment and transferring the tray of interest to at least one module abutting the front of the tray shuttle compartment;an input-output module for receiving a tray for storage in or removal from the storage compartment; anda system controller directing operation of the storage compartment, the vertical carousel, the tray shuttle and the input-output module.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the storage compartment is maintained at an ultra-cold temperature and further comprising an insulating wall disposed between the storage compartment and the tray shuttle compartment, the insulating wall comprising a plurality of separable bricks slidably stacked within a plurality of vertical guides to define a plurality of columns, wherein each brick has a recess formed in its front face.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the tray shuttle further comprises means for: aligning a lifting pin with the recess in one brick of the plurality of bricks that is located nearest to a tray of interest;inserting the lifting pin into the recess and lifting the one brick and any bricks stacked on top of the one brick to open a gap in the insulating wall;retrieving the tray of interest from the rack by reaching through the gap; andlowering the lifted bricks to close the gap.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of bricks is formed from an insulating foam.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the tray shuttle retrieves the tray of interest by: extending a motorized tray hook into the storage compartment;engaging a tray end hook on the tray of interest with the motorized tray hook;sliding the motorized tray hook away from the storage compartment so that the tray of interest is pulled away from the rack and onto a tray support surface on the tray shuttle.

21. The system of claim 16, further comprising at least one sample selector module disposed at the front side of the tray shuttle compartment for selecting individual samples from one or more source trays and depositing the selected samples into a destination tray, the sample selector module comprising a pick table disposed in an x-y plane for supporting the one or more source trays and the destination tray; and one or more translators for translating a sample selector mechanism within the x-y plane to access all samples in the one or more source trays and all positions in the destination tray.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one sample selector mechanism comprises a pick head and a pusher, the pick head having at least one cavity for receiving a sample container when the pusher is activated to lift the sample container from the tray by contacting a bottom of the sample container and pushing it upward through an opening in the tray and into the cavity.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one cavity is adapted for receiving a plurality of sample containers and the pick head further comprises an ejector for simultaneously ejecting the plurality of sample containers retained within the at least one cavity.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the sample container is retained within a rack sealed with a sheet seal and the pick head further comprises a seal cutting edge, wherein when the pusher pushes the sample container against the seal cutting edge to cut the seal around the container before pushing the container into the at least one cavity.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the sample selector mechanism is adapted for selecting samples retained in round vials and further comprises: a pick head for grasping a vial;a translation mechanism for moving the pick head between the source tray and the destination tray; anda bar code reader;wherein the pick head has at least one mirror attached thereto for reflecting a reading beam to the bar code reader so that all sides of the vial are readable.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of trays has a tray thickness and a tray width, and wherein each tray support rack has a plurality of horizontal slots for slidably receiving and supporting the trays, wherein the slots are configured to provide a variable range of distances between vertically adjacent trays.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the input-output module includes a bar code reader for identifying trays and samples that are processed through the input-output module.

28. The system of claim 16, further comprising a bridge module attached to a module side of the tray shuttle compartment, wherein the bridge module provides an interface to a separate tray shuttle compartment of a separate storage system disposed adjacent the storage system.