Laboratory system for handling sample tube racks, an alignment element for sample tube racks and a rack tray receiver assembly
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G01N-021/00
G01N-031/00
G01N-033/00
G01N-035/02
출원번호
US-0460822
(2009-07-23)
등록번호
US-8580195
(2013-11-12)
우선권정보
EP-08013459 (2008-07-25)
발명자
/ 주소
Frey, Rolf
Goedl, Fritz
Koch, Bruno
Lackner, Joachim
Stettler, Ueli
Widmer, Beat
출원인 / 주소
Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
2인용 특허 :
15
초록▼
A laboratory system for handling sample tube racks, an alignment element for sample tube racks and a rack tray receiver assembly are disclosed. The laboratory system to handle laboratory sample tube racks comprises a robotic arm (220) with a gripper (222) for gripping primary racks (PR), wherein the
A laboratory system for handling sample tube racks, an alignment element for sample tube racks and a rack tray receiver assembly are disclosed. The laboratory system to handle laboratory sample tube racks comprises a robotic arm (220) with a gripper (222) for gripping primary racks (PR), wherein the primary racks (PR) to be handled comprise a first end surface (76) and a second end surface (78), the first end surface (76) having a first surface geometry and the second end surface (78) having a second surface geometry, and wherein the gripper (222) comprises a first gripping arm (226) and a second gripping arm (228), with the first gripping arm (226) having a gripping surface being complementary to the first surface geometry, and the second gripping arm (228) having a gripping surface being complementary to the second surface geometry.
대표청구항▼
1. A laboratory system to handle laboratory sample tube racks, comprising a robotic arm (220) with a gripper (222) for gripping sample tube racks, and a rack tray receiver assembly (710), wherein the gripper (222) comprises a locking/unlocking bolt (224) extending from the gripper, and wherein the r
1. A laboratory system to handle laboratory sample tube racks, comprising a robotic arm (220) with a gripper (222) for gripping sample tube racks, and a rack tray receiver assembly (710), wherein the gripper (222) comprises a locking/unlocking bolt (224) extending from the gripper, and wherein the rack tray receiver assembly (710) comprises: a rack tray (720) having an open front end (721) carrying one or more sample tube racks;a skid rail (714);a receiver skid (712) movable along the skid rail (714), the receiver skid (712) comprising receiving and fastening means (716, 718, 722) for fastening the rack tray (720) on the receiver skid (712), the rack tray (720) being inserted into the receiving and fastening means (716, 718, 722), the receiver skid further comprising a barrier element (724);wherein the open front end (721) abuts the barrier element (724), the barrier element (724) being pivotally linked to the receiver skid (712) and being biased into a position across the open front end (721) of the rack tray (720), thereby preventing sample tube racks in the rack tray (720) from falling out through the open front end (721). 2. The laboratory system of claim 1, wherein the sample tube racks to be handled comprise a first end surface (76) and a second end surface (78), the first end surface (76) having a first surface geometry and the second end surface (78) having a second surface geometry, and wherein the gripper (222) comprises a first gripping arm (226) and a second gripping arm (228), with the first gripping arm (226) having a gripping surface being complementary to the first surface geometry, and the second gripping arm (228) having a gripping surface being complementary to the second surface geometry. 3. The laboratory system of claim 2, wherein the first and second gripping arms (226, 228) are formed as horizontal tongs so as to encompass and grip the sample tube rack in a horizontal plane. 4. The laboratory system of claim 2, wherein the gripping arms (226, 228) each comprise a downwardly extending extension (227, 229), respectively, which allows a gripping of a top portion of each end surface (76, 78) of the sample tube rack. 5. The laboratory system of claim 1, wherein the rack tray receiver assembly further comprises a longitudinal extension, having a first end (740) and an opposite end (742), the extension having a length adapted to accommodate a rack tray (720), wherein the receiver skid (712) is located at the first end (740) of the longitudinal extension in its waiting position and is pushed along the skid rail (714) to the opposite end (742) of the longitudinal extension when the rack tray (720) is inserted. 6. The laboratory system of claim 1, wherein the rack tray receiver assembly further comprises a longitudinal extension with a length adapted to accommodate a rack tray (720) and having a first end (740) and an opposite end (742), and wherein the receiving and fastening means (716, 718, 722) comprise a retractable bolt (722) which snaps into a corresponding recess of the rack tray (720) when the rack tray (720) is inserted in the receiver skid (712) and the receiver skid (712) is being moved out of its waiting position. 7. The laboratory system of claim 1, further comprising a rack shelf (750) with a plurality of shelf compartments (752), wherein each shelf compartment (752) comprises a rack tray receiver assembly (710). 8. The laboratory system of claim 2, wherein the first surface (76) geometry is a flat surface, and the second surface (78) geometry has two bevelled edges (78.1 and 78.2). 9. A method for handling laboratory sample tube racks with a robotic arm (220) comprising a gripper (222) for gripping the sample tube racks, wherein the gripper (222) comprises a first gripping arm (226) and a second gripping arm (228) which are formed as horizontal tongs, wherein several sample tube racks are placed in parallel next to each other, the method comprising the sequential steps of: (a) the robotic arm (220) gripping a first area of a sample tube rack to be picked up vertically from above by means of extensions (227, 229) extending downwardly from the first and second gripping arms (226, 228),(b) placing the sample tube rack in an intermediate parking position (260),(c) lowering the gripper (222) relative to the first area of the sample tube rack, and(d) closing the first and second gripping arms (226, 228) about a second area of the sample tube rack, thereby fully gripping the sample tube rack with the first and second gripping arms. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein in step (d) the gripping arms encompass and grip the sample tube rack in a horizontal plane.
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