Laboratory system for handling sample tube racks, an alignment element for sample tube racks and a rack tray receiver assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9297822-B2
Application number	US-201314048338-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2013
Priority date	Jul 25, 2008
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

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 includes a robotic arm ( 220 ) with a gripper ( 222 ) for gripping primary racks (PR), the primary racks (PR) to be handled include 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 the gripper ( 222 ) includes 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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An alignment element ( 230 ) for aligning one or more primary racks (PR) on a primary rack positioning area ( 212 ) of a laboratory system, comprising:
one or more primary racks (PR), wherein the one or more primary racks (PR) 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 wherein said first and second surface geometries are shaped differently;
wherein the alignment element ( 230 ) comprises a top surface ( 232 ), first and second end sides ( 236 ), a bottom side ( 233 ), a first longitudinal side ( 234 ) and a second longitudinal side ( 235 ) opposed to the first longitudinal side ( 234 ), wherein the first longitudinal side ( 234 ) is complementary to the first surface geometry and the second longitudinal side ( 235 ) is complementary to the second surface geometry, and wherein the bottom side ( 233 ) comprises a positioning element ( 240 ) for positioning the alignment element ( 230 ) on the primary rack positioning area ( 212 ) in uniform orientation with other alignment elements ( 230 ); and
each of the first and second longitudinal sides ( 234 , 235 ) include two vertical partition extensions ( 237 , 239 ) dividing each longitudinal side ( 234 , 235 ) into a main center section ( 234 . 1 , 235 . 1 ) and two smaller adjacent outer sections ( 234 . 2 , 235 . 2 ), respectively, such that an according end surface ( 76 , 78 ) of the one or more a primary racks (PR) can be received in between the two vertical partition extensions ( 237 , 239 ) of adjacent alignment elements ( 230 ).

2. The alignment element ( 230 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the main center sections ( 234 . 1 , 235 . 1 ) include breadths (B 1 , B 2 ) equal to a distance between the respective two vertical partition extensions ( 237 , 239 ), and the respective two smaller adjacent outer sections ( 234 . 2 , 235 . 2 ) include breadths (B 3 , B 4 ) equal to a distance between the respective two vertical partition extensions ( 237 , 239 ) and each of the first and second end sides ( 236 ), wherein the breadths (B 1 , B 2 ) of the main center sections ( 234 . 1 , 235 . 1 ) are substantially equal to breadths of the respective end surfaces ( 76 , 78 ) of the one or more primary racks (PR), and wherein the breadths (B 3 , B 4 ) of the respective two smaller adjacent outer sections ( 234 . 2 , 235 . 2 ) are substantially equal to (B 1 −Δ)/2 or (B 2 −Δ)/2, respectively, wherein Δ is the width of a gap or distance between two adjacent alignment elements ( 230 ) when positioned on the rack positioning area ( 212 ).

3. The alignment element according to claim 1 , wherein the first surface geometry is a flat surface and the second surface geometry has two beveled edges ( 78 . 1 , 78 . 2 ).

4. A laboratory system to handle one or more primary racks (PR) comprising:
one or more primary racks (PR);
a robotic arm ( 220 ) with a gripper ( 222 ) for gripping the one or more primary racks (PR), wherein each of the one or more primary racks (PR) comprises 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
a rack positioning area ( 212 ) with a plurality of alignment elements ( 230 ), wherein the alignment elements ( 230 ) comprise a top surface ( 232 ), first and second end sides ( 236 ), a bottom side ( 233 ), a first longitudinal side ( 234 ) and a second longitudinal side ( 235 ) opposed to the first longitudinal side ( 234 ), wherein the first longitudinal side ( 234 ) is complementary to the first surface geometry and the second longitudinal side ( 235 ) is complementary to the second surface geometry, and wherein the bottom side ( 233 ) comprises a positioning element ( 240 ) for positioning the alignment element ( 230 ) on the primary rack positioning area ( 212 ) in uniform orientation with other alignment elements ( 230 ), and wherein each of the first and second longitudinal sides ( 234 , 235 ) is provided with two vertical partition extensions ( 237 , 239 ) dividing each longitudinal side ( 234 , 235 ) into a main center section ( 234 . 1 , 235 . 1 ) and two smaller adjacent outer sections ( 234 . 2 , 235 . 2 ), respectively, such that an according end surface ( 76 , 78 ) of the one or more primary racks (PR) can be received in between the two vertical partition extensions ( 237 , 239 ) of adjacent alignment elements ( 230 ), and wherein the alignment elements ( 230 ) are placed on the rack positioning area ( 212 ) in a manner to hold in place the one or more primary racks (PR) in an alignment or orientation which corresponds to an orientation of the gripper ( 222 ) of the robotic arm ( 220 ).

5. A method for handling a plurality of primary racks (PR) with a robotic arm ( 220 ) comprising a gripper ( 222 ) for gripping the primary racks (PR), wherein:
the gripper ( 222 ) comprises a first gripping arm ( 226 ) and a second gripping arm ( 228 ) which are formed as horizontal tongs;
the primary racks (PR) are placed in parallel next to each other;
the primary racks (PR) to be aligned 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;
the primary racks (PR) are placed between a plurality of alignment elements ( 230 ), wherein the alignment elements ( 230 ) comprise a top surface ( 232 ), first and second end sides ( 236 ), a bottom side ( 233 ), a first longitudinal side ( 234 ) and a second longitudinal side ( 235 ) opposed to the first longitudinal side ( 234 ), wherein the first longitudinal side ( 234 ) is complementary to the first surface geometry and the second longitudinal side ( 235 ) is complementary to the second surface geometry, and wherein the bottom side ( 233 ) comprises a positioning element ( 240 ) for positioning the alignment element ( 230 ) on the primary rack positioning area ( 212 ) in uniform orientation with other alignment elements ( 230 ), and wherein each of the first and second longitudinal sides ( 234 , 235 ) is provided with two vertical partition extensions ( 237 , 239 ) dividing each longitudinal side ( 234 , 235 ) into a main center section ( 234 . 1 , 235 . 1 ) and two smaller adjacent outer sections ( 234 . 2 , 235 . 2 ), respectively, such that an according end surface ( 76 , 78 ) of the primary rack (PR) can be received in between the two vertical partition extensions ( 237 , 239 ) of adjacent alignment elements ( 230 ), and wherein the alignment elements ( 230 ) are placed on the rack positioning area ( 212 ) in a manner to hold in place the primary racks (PR) in an alignment or orientation which corresponds to an orientation of the gripper ( 222 ) of the robotic arm ( 220 ), the method comprising the sequential steps of:
(a) the robotic arm ( 220 ) gripping a first area of a primary rack (PR), wherein the robotic arm picks up the primary rack vertically from above by means of extensions ( 227 , 229 ) extending downwardly from the first and second gripping arms ( 226 , 228 ),
(b) moving the primary rack (PR) in an intermediate parking position ( 260 ),
(c) lowering the gripper ( 222 ) relative to the first area of the primary rack (PR), and
(d) closing the first and second gripping arms ( 226 , 228 ) about a second area of the primary rack (PR), thereby fully gripping the primary rack (PR) with the first and second gripping arms.

Assignees

• Roche Diagnostics Operations

Inventors

• Frey Rolf
• Goedl Fritz
• Koch Bruno
• Lackner Joachim
• Stettler Ueli
• Widmer Beat

Classifications

• G01N35/0099

  comprising robots or similar manipulators (robots per se B25J) · CPC title

• G01N2035/0465

  Loading or unloading the conveyor · CPC title

• Y10T436/114165

  with step of insertion or removal from test line · CPC title

• Y10T436/113332

  with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack · CPC title

• G01N35/026 Primary

  having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes · CPC title