Patent Application
20240319219
The invention relates to a storage device for tube racks having a carousel and a plurality of tube rack locations arranged on the carousel. The storage device further comprises a tube picker.
EP 3006867 describes a storage device that can be used for storing tube racks in a plurality of storage locations located on a carousel. The device further comprises an item picker or tube picker adapted to access individual tubes located in a tube rack while the tube rack is resting in a nest. The picker has a tube gripper that can be moved, using three displacement mechanisms, along three dimensions in respect to the nest.
The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a storage device of this type that has a simplified design.
This problem is solved by the storage device of claim 1.
Accordingly, the storage device comprises at least the following elements:
According to the invention, the storage locations and the nest(s) are both accessible by means of the tube rack handler.
Advantageously, the nest is mounted to the carousel and rotatable, in respect to the gripper, by rotating the carousel. In other words, the rotation of the carousel can not only be used for bringing the carousel into a desired angular position with the tube rack handler, but it also can be used to bring the nest into a desired angular position with the gripper. Hence, this allows to dispense with at least one displacement mechanism for the tube picker.
Advantageously, the tube picker comprises at least two nests, in particular at least three nests. In this case, the tube picker may be structured to move tubes between tube locations of different tube racks mounted in the two nests.
In particular, the nests are horizontally arranged side by side and rotated in respect to each other about the rotation axis of the carousel. This allows to move the gripper from a given location in one tube rack to the same location in the other tube rack by simply rotating the carousel.
Advantageously, the tube picker is arranged vertically above the storage locations. This provides a compact design with a small footprint.
Each nest may comprise three corner supports arranged on first, second, and third corners of a rectangle, with each corner support having two stops located at edges of the rectangle. The corner supports can be used to roughly position a tube rack in the nest. The nest may further have a clamp located at the fourth corner of the nest and an actuator structured to horizontally move the clamp. This clamp may be adapted and structured to be horizontally pushed against a corner of the tube rack, thereby clamping the tube rack in a defined position between the clamp and at least some of the corner supports.
The invention also relates to a storage cabinet comprising this storage device. Such an incubator has a chamber and a climate controller adapted to control the temperature and/or the atmospheric condition parameters within the chamber. The storage device is arranged within the chamber.
Further, the invention relates to a method for operating the storage device or storage cabinet comprising at least the step of using the tube rack handler to transfer tube racks between the tube picker and the storage location.
Advantageously, the method further comprises the steps of:
The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:
A “tube rack” is a receptacle for a plurality of probe tubes, advantageously providing tube locations in a two-dimensional array. Typical tube diameters are between 5 and 20 mm. Advantageously, the tube rack has the standardized SBS footprint of approximately 128 mm×85 mm+/−10 mm, in particular of 127.75×85.48 mm. In another embodiment, “cryo boxes” with footprints of 130×130 mm or 200×200 m may e.g. be used.
The “vertical” direction is defined by the direction of the rotation axis of the carousel. In a normal operation of the storage device, this axis is parallel to the direction of gravitation.
The storage cabinet shown in
The storage device further comprises a climate controller 6, which may e.g. comprise a heater or heat pump adapted to maintain a desired temperature within chamber 4, e.g. a temperature below 0° C. or, in another embodiment or application, a temperature above 0° C. Alternatively or in addition thereto, climate controller 6 may comprise a humidifier, dryer, and/or gas source adapted to maintain defined atmospheric composition parameters within chamber 4. These parameters may comprise at least one of the following: a desired humidity, e.g. less than 50% relative humidity, and/or a desired amount of oxygen and/or nitrogen.
In particularly advantageous embodiments, climate controller 6 may be adapted to maintain a temperature of −20° C. at a relative humidity of less than 50%, in particular of less than 20% in chamber 4.
In another embodiment, the storage device may be an “open store”, i.e. it may not comprise its own chamber and e.g. be arranged in a larger laboratory or storage space.
A storage device 8 is located in chamber 4 for storing tube racks. Examples for the design and operation of storage device 8 are provided herein.
An embodiment of storage device 8 is shown in
Storage device 8 comprises a carousel 10 rotatable about a vertical rotation axis 12. A rotational drive 14 is adapted to rotate carousel 10 about rotation axis 12 into any defined rotational position. It may include a position detector adapted to detect the current absolute rotational position of carousel 10.
In the present embodiment, a plurality of storage racks 18, as shown in
Each storage rack 18 forms a plurality of storage locations 20 arranged vertically above each other, each of which is adapted to receive a single tube rack or other laboratory object. The storage locations 20 may be formed by regularly spaced ledges 21 arranged on the walls of the storage racks 18.
The storage racks 18 are advantageously located at regular angular intervals along the circumference of carousel 10.
Thus, carousel 10 forms a plurality of the storage locations 20 for receiving the tube racks. Advantageously, the storage locations 20 are located in a two-dimensional array at several angular positions and several vertical positions of carousel 10. In particular, and as shown, the storage locations 20 are arranged in a regular grid extending vertically along and tangentially around carousel 10.
In the shown embodiment, the storage racks 20 are mounted between a base plate 22 and a top plate 24 of carousel 10, with base plate 22 and top plate 24 interconnected by means of support members 26 extending parallel to axis 12.
Carousel 10 may further comprise spring members 27, with one spring member 27 located above each storage rack 20 and elastically engaging the same. Each spring member may e.g. comprise a downwards-projecting pint 28 (see
In the shown embodiment, the spring member 27 is a leaf spring or any other spring arrangement structured to be elastically at least ten times stiffer against horizontal movements of the top end of the storage rack 20 than against vertical movements of the top end of the storage rack 20.
Storage device 8 further comprises a rack handler 30, see
Rack handler 30 further comprises a gripper or shovel 36, which is extendible into a horizontal direction, in particular linearly extendible, by means of a gripper actuator 37. It can, in particular, be extended into carousel 10 in order to pick up or deposit a tube rack from/into a storage location 20.
Thus, rack handler 30 can access any of the storage locations within carousel 10.
Further, rack handle 30 may be pivotal about a vertical rack handler axis 40 by means of a rotational drive 40a in order transfer tube racks between the storage device and an external system, such as e.g. shown in and described in reference to
This is illustrated in
A transfer station 41 is arranged outside the storage cabinet, advantageously mounted to housing 2 outside the storage cabinet. Advantageously, it is located next to machine-controlled door 5b. It forms a support for temporarily receiving a tube rack as it is moved from the storage device to the external system or from the external system to the storage rack.
Rack handler 30 is adapted to access a tube rack on transfer station 41, i.e. to deposit a tube rack on transfer station 41 and/or to pick up a tube rack from transfer station 41, advantageously by reaching through machine-controlled door 5b.
Storage device 8 further comprises a tube picker 42 located e.g. at the top of carousel 10.
The design and operation of tube picker 42 is described in the next section.
An embodiment of tube picker 42 is shown in
It comprises a nest assembly 44 forming e.g. three nests 46a, 46b, 46c as best seen in
Nest assembly 44 is fixedly mounted to carousel 10, e.g. to top plate 24 of carousel 10, e.g. by means of support members 49.
Each nest 46 is rectangular, i.e. it forms a rectangular nest to receive a rectangular tube rack 48, just like the storage locations 20, and has the same footprint as the storage locations 20 in order to receive the same tube racks 48.
In addition, the storage locations 20 and the nest(s) 46 are advantageously both located such that, by means of a suitable rotation of carousel 10, they can be brought into alignment with handler 36, which allows handler 36 to easily transfer tube racks 48 between the storage locations 20 and the nest(s) 46. In other words, the storage locations 20 and the nest(s) 46 are advantageously both accessible by handler 36.
In a particularly advantageous embodiments, they storage locations 20 and the nest(s) 46 are accessible by handler 36 without a need to rotate handler 36 about its axis 40.
One embodiment to achieve this is illustrated in
In the embodiment of
This symmetry axis L is parallel to the extension direction of shovel or gripper 36.
It must be noted, though, that the symmetry axes L do not necessarily have to intersect rotation axis 12. Rather, they may generally be located at a distance D2 from rotation axis 12 as shown in
Further, the distance D1 between rotation axis 12 and the position may be different for the storage locations 20 and the nest(s) 46, in which case both positions can still be reached but the length of extension of the shovel or gripper 36 will vary between the storage locations 20 and the nest(s) 46.
Hence, in more general terms, the distances D2 between the rotation axis 12 and the radial symmetry axes L of the rectangular positions of the storage locations 20 and the nest(s) 46 are advantageously the same.
Note: the radial symmetry axes L of the rectangular positions of the storage locations 20 and the nest(s) 46 advantageously extend in a direction perpendicular to rotation axis 12.
Advantageously the tube picker 42 is mounted stationary vertical rail connected to the rack handler rail by a connection plate 52.
The tube gripper 54 is mounted on a radially displaceable carriage 61. The tube gripper 54 advantageously has several fingers 56 adapted to engage an individual tube in a tube rack 48 located in one of the nests 46. The design of gripper 54 may e.g. be as described in WO 2017/049416.
Tube picker 42 comprises a first linear guide 58 extending parallel to rotation axis 12 and a first carriage 59 mounted thereto. It further comprises a second linear guide 60 mounted to first carriage 59 and extending perpendicularly to rotation axis 12. A second carriage 61 is mounted to second linear guide 60.
Tube gripper 56 is mounted to second carriage 61 and therefore to both the first and the second linear guide 58, 60 in order to be displaceable perpendicularly to and parallel to rotation axis 12. In the shown embodiment.
A first drive 62 may be provided to displace first carriage 59 and therefore tube gripper 56 along first linear guide 58, and a second drive 63 may be provided to displace second carriage 61 and therefore tube gripper 56 along second linear guide 60.
The displacement along second linear guide 60 in combination with the rotation of carousel 10 allows to place tube gripper 54 above any of the tube locations of a tube rack 48 held in any of the nests 46.
First linear guide 58 allows to lower and raise tube gripper 56 when accessing a tube.
Tube picker 42 further comprises a pusher 64, which can be positioned below the nests 46. It is mounted to a third carriage 65 vertically displaceable along a third linear guide 66 and movable by means of a third drive 68. Third linear guide 66 is mounted to second carriage 61 such that it moves together with tube gripper 54. Hence, pusher 64 remains vertically below tube gripper 54 is tube gripper is moved along second linear guide 60.
By means of third linear guide 66 and third drive 68, pusher 64 can be raised to push into any tube location of the tube rack 48 as tube gripper 54 engages it from above. In this manner, pusher 64 can support tube gripper 54 in lifting the tubes from their tube locations even if they are stuck therein, e.g. due to ice formation.
Hence, in more general terms, tube picker 54 comprises a pusher 64 mounted via third linear guide 66 to tube gripper 54, wherein third linear guide 66 extends parallel to rotation axis 12 and wherein pusher 64 is movable, along third linear guide 66, from a position below the nest(s) 46 to a position where it extends into the nest(s) 46.
Same as tube gripper 54, pusher 64 does not rotate with carousel 10 but remains stationary while carousel 10 rotates.
Tube picker 42 further comprises a retainer assembly 70, which can be seen in
Same as the nests 46, retainer assembly 70 is mounted to carousel 10 and rotatable, in respect to the tube gripper, by rotating carousel 10.
Retainer assembly 70 is mounted to a fourth guide 74 extending parallel to rotation axis 12. Retainer assembly 70 displaceable along fourth guide 74 by means of a fourth drive 76. By means of fourth guide 74, retainer assembly 70 can be lowered from above onto the nests 46 in order to vertically retain any tube racks therein as a tube is extracted therefrom.
Fourth guide 74 is mounted to top plate 24 of carousel 10. Hence, in more general terms, retainer assembly 70 and therefore the retainer(s) 72a, 72b rotate together with carousel 10.
As shown in
The design of the nests 46 is shown in
Each nest 46 comprises three corner supports 82a, 82b, 82c arranged at first, second, and third corners of the rectangle. Each corner support 82a, 82b, 82c forms two lateral stops 84a, 84b located at edges of the rectangle to restrict the horizontal position of the tube rack. It also has a ledge 86 to support the corner of the tube rack from below.
In addition, nest 46 comprises a clamp 88 located at a forth corner of the rectangle as well as a clamp actuator 90 structured to horizontally move clamp 88 in order to push the rack holder against at least some of the corner supports 82a, 82b, 82c in order to bring it into a well-defined position.
As also can be seen in
Storage device 8 comprises a control unit 80 as schematically depicted in
Control unit 80 can e.g. comprise a microprocessor and memory and is controlled by software stored in said memory. It further comprises interfaces and drivers to the various drives as well as to sensors of the storage device as known to the person skilled in the art.
In particular, control unit 80 is adapted to place a tube rack have a tube location to be engaged into one of the nest(s) 46. Then, it rotates carousel 10 to a position the tube picker at a location above this tube location.
Advantageously, control unit 80 is adapted to control tube rack handler 30, tube picker 42, and carousel 10 to perform one or more of the following operations:
Further, control unit 80 may be adapted to control tube rack handler 30, tube picker 42, and carousel 10 to perform one or more of the following operations:
Generally, the method for operating the storage device may comprise the steps of
By using the same tube rack handler for both operations, the system design becomes simpler.
The method may also comprise the step of using the same tube rack handler 30 to transfer tube racks between the storage locations 20 in carousel 10 and the external systems.
Hence, rack handler 30 may also be used for direct transfers between the storage locations 20 and the external system.
And, as already mentioned, the method may comprise the steps of
This scheme provides for higher throughput because the third tube 2s rack can be transported while the first and second tube racks can be operated in the tube picker.
In the embodiment described above, tube picker 42 is arranged at the top of carousel 10. It may, however, also be arranged at the bottom of carousel 10. Or it may be located at an intermediate level of carousel 10.
In the embodiment above, tube picker 42 comprises three nests 46a, 46b, 46c. Alternatively, it may comprise two nests only and be adapted to move tubes between them. In yet another embodiment, it may comprise a single nest and be adapted to move tubes between this nest and another location that is structured to hold tubes. In yet another embodiment, tube picker 42 may comprise more than three nests.
While there are shown and described presently preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| CH070411/2021 | Oct 2021 | CH | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2022/074271 | 9/1/2022 | WO |
