초록 ▼

A device and method for the automated storage and retrieval of trays holding subject matter. A plurality of trays is inserted into an access device. A computer system is programmed to control a storage gantry to move the trays between the access device, a storage rack and a work cell gantry. The com

A device and method for the automated storage and retrieval of trays holding subject matter. A plurality of trays is inserted into an access device. A computer system is programmed to control a storage gantry to move the trays between the access device, a storage rack and a work cell gantry. The computer system is also programmed to control the work cell gantry to move the subject matter to and from an automated receiving machine. In a preferred embodiment, the subject matter in the trays is a plurality of micro-well plates in which microscopic crystals may be growing and the automated receiving machine is configured to inspect and classify microscopic crystals. The inspecting and classifying device has an indexing device for sequentially placing microscopic crystals in camera-view of a camera and a control computer is programmed to control the indexing device and to cause the camera to take images of the microscopic crystals and then transfer the images to a classifying processor where the images are classified. In a preferred embodiment, the microscopic crystals are protein crystals that have been grown in the wells of micro-well plates.

대표청구항 ▼

A device and method for the automated storage and retrieval of trays holding subject matter. A plurality of trays is inserted into an access device. A computer system is programmed to control a storage gantry to move the trays between the access device, a storage rack and a work cell gantry. The com

A device and method for the automated storage and retrieval of trays holding subject matter. A plurality of trays is inserted into an access device. A computer system is programmed to control a storage gantry to move the trays between the access device, a storage rack and a work cell gantry. The computer system is also programmed to control the work cell gantry to move the subject matter to and from an automated receiving machine. In a preferred embodiment, the subject matter in the trays is a plurality of micro-well plates in which microscopic crystals may be growing and the automated receiving machine is configured to inspect and classify microscopic crystals. The inspecting and classifying device has an indexing device for sequentially placing microscopic crystals in camera-view of a camera and a control computer is programmed to control the indexing device and to cause the camera to take images of the microscopic crystals and then transfer the images to a classifying processor where the images are classified. In a preferred embodiment, the microscopic crystals are protein crystals that have been grown in the wells of micro-well plates. to define a first extraction point from the engine cooling system; a liquid supply for supplying liquid under pressure to the injection hose and the injection point; a vacuum motor connected to the evacuation hose for applying a vacuum to the evacuation hose and the first extraction point; a gas inlet for receiving compressed gas and for mixing the compressed gas with the liquid supplied by the liquid supply to form a liquid and gas mixture; wherein the liquid and gas mixture enters the engine cooling system at the injection point, travels through the engine block and heating radiator and cooling radiator at a high rate of speed, and is extracted from the engine cooling system at the extraction point by the evacuation hose. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas inlet mixes the compressed gas and the liquid so that the gas forms at least 25% of the liquid and gas mixture. 3. An apparatus for flushing contaminants from an internal combustion engine cooling system that includes a cooling radiator and a heating radiator both connected to an engine block with liquid coolant lines, the flushing apparatus comprising: an injection hose terminating in an injector that is connectable to the engine block to define an injection point into the engine cooling system; an evacuation hose terminating in a connector assembly that is connectable to one of cooling radiator and the heating radiator to define a first extraction point from the engine cooling system; a liquid supply for supplying liquid under pressure to the injection hose and the injection point; a vacuum motor connected to the evacuation hose for applying a vacuum to the evacuation hose and the first extraction point: a gas inlet for receiving compressed gas and for mixing the compressed gas with the liquid supplied by the liquid supply to form a liquid and gas mixture; wherein the liquid and gas mixture enters the engine cooling system at the injection point, travels through the engine block and heating radiator and cooling radiator at a high rate of speed, and is extracted from the engine cooling system at the extraction point by the evacuation hose; and wherein: the liquid supply includes a pre-charge tank for supplying a predetermined amount of the liquid under pressure to the injection hose and the injection point; and the gas inlet includes a pre-charge tank bypass line for receiving compressed gas and mixing the compressed gas with the liquid supplied by the pre-charge tank to form the liquid and gas mixture. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the vacuum motor includes a vacuum tank for collecting the liquid extracted from the engine cooling system by the evacuation hose. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising: a supply tank for containing liquid coolant; and a supply tank pump for pumping the liquid coolant from the supply tank to the injection hose. 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the injection hose terminates in an injector nozzle that connects to the injection point of the engine cooling system, and has a reduced diameter relative to a diameter of the injection hose for accelerating the liquid and gas mixture flowing there through. 7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the connector assembly is further connectable to the other of the one of cooling radiator and the heating radiator for simultaneously defining a second extraction point from the engine cooling system and for applying a vacuum to both the first and second evacuation points simultaneously. 8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the gas inlet is further connected to the pre-charge tank so that compressed gas provides force for the supplying of liquid under pressure from the precharge tank to the injection hose. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the precharge tank bypass line further comprises a gas bypass valve for adjusting a relative amount of compressed gas that bypasses the pre-charge tank and is mixed with the liquid. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, furthe r comprising: a gas reserve tank connected to the gas inlet, for storing and supplying compressed gas to the precharge tank and the precharge tank bypass line. 11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: a recycle line connected between the vacuum tank and the pre-charge tank; and a recycle pump for selectively pumping liquid,through the recycle line from the vacuum tank to the pre-charge tank. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: a filter bypass line connected in parallel to at least part of the recycle line; at least one filter attached to the filter bypass line for filtering any liquid flowing therethrough; and a filter bypass valve for selectively directing liquid flowing in the recycle line to flow through the filter bypass line and the at least one filter. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: a gas control valve connected to the gas inlet for selectively cutting off the supply of compressed gas to the precharge tank and the precharge tank bypass line. 14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: a controller for controlling the vacuum motor, the recycle pump, the filter bypass valve and the gas control valve. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the precharge tank includes a plurality of sensors to detect the level of liquid in the precharge tank, and wherein the controller is responsive to the plurality of sensors to deactivate the recycle pump when the detected liquid level reaches a predetermined value. 16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising: a first pressure sensor for measuring the pressure of the liquid and gas mixture in the injection hose, wherein the controller is responsive to the first pressure sensor to deactivate at least one of the vacuum motor, the recycle pump, the filter bypass valve and the gas control valve upon the measurement of pressure that exceeds a predetermined value. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: a second pressure sensor attached to the injector nozzle for measuring a pressure of the liquid and gas mixture at the injection point of the coolant circulation system, wherein the controller is responsive to the second pressure sensor to deactivate at least one of the vacuum motor, the recycle pump, the filter bypass valve and the gas control valve upon the measurement of pressure that exceeds a predetermined value. 18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller: activates the recycle pump for pumping a predetermined amount of liquid from the vacuum tank to the precharge tank; and then deactivates the recycle pump; and then activates the gas control valve for forcing the liquid out of the precharge tank, for mixing the forced liquid from the precharge tank with the compressed gas, and for forcing the liquid and gas mixture into injection hose and into the engine cooling system, and activates the vacuum pump to evacuate the;liquid and gas mixture from the engine cooling system, through the evacuation hose, and into the vacuum tank; and then deactivates the gas control valve and the vacuum pump; wherein said recycle pump activation and deactivation steps, and said gas control valve activation and deactivation steps and said vacuum pump activation and deactivation steps, are repeated a plurality of times. 19. A method of flushing contaminants from an internal combustion engine cooling system that includes a cooling radiator and a heating radiator both connected to an engine block with liquid coolant lines, and points of injection and extraction, the method comprising the steps of: mixing a liquid with a gas to create a liquid/gas mixture; injecting the liquid/gas mixture into an injection point of the engine cooling system under pressure; applying a vacuum to an extraction point of the engine cooling system to evacuate the liquid/gas mixture through the extraction point. 20. A The method of claim 19, wherein the injecting step and applying step are performed simultaneou sly to create a high speed of flow of the liquid/gas mixture through the engine cooling system. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the injecting step is performed to the engine block, and the applying step is performed to the cooling radiator. 22. The method of claim 20, wherein the engine cooling system has a plurality of extraction points, and the applying step is performed at the plurality of extraction points simultaneously. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the injecting step is performed to the engine block, and the applying step is performed to the cooling radiator and the heating radiator simultaneously. 24. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of: evacuating liquid coolant from the engine cooling system before the injecting and applying steps by injecting a gas into the injection point of the engine cooling system under pressure while simultaneously applying a vacuum to the extraction point of the engine cooling system. 25. The method of claim 20, wherein the mixing step is performed so that the gas forms at least 25% of the liquid/gas mixture. 26. The method of claim 20, further steps of: filtering the evacuated liquid; and repeatedly performing the mixing, injecting and applying steps using the filtered liquid.