Article handling system and method

• US 20060120835A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MonoGen, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MonoGen, Inc.
• Inventors: Pressman, Norman J., Wroblewski, Lucien J.
• Application Number:
  US11/298,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20060120835A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/331.10
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/02 Forward flushing
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/10 Use of feed
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/16 Use of chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/2008 statically
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/2016 Static mixers; Turbulence generators
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/2066 Pulsated flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/18 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/22 Controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/08 Prevention of membrane fouling or of concentration polarisation
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/13 Openwork frame or cage stirrers not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/88 with a separate receptacle-stirrer unit that is adapted to be coupled to a drive mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5011 portable during use, e.g. hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/60 Safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/605 Safety devices concerning the operation of the mixer
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0822 Slides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0851 : Bottom walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 : with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/508 : rigid containers not provided for above
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 : Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 : Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/52 : Supports specially adapted for flat sample carriers, e.g. for plates, slides, chips
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 69/00 : Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/161 : Sealing filled ampoules
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2813 : Producing thin layers of samples on a substrate, e.g. smearing, spinning-on G01N1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/4077 : by other techniques involving separation of suspended solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/1025 : Liquid suspensions; Slurries; Mud; Sludge
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2826 : Collecting by adsorption or absorption
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 : Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00138 : Slides
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0405 : manipulating closing or opening means, e.g. stoppers, screw caps, lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0427 : nestable or stockable
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0441 : for samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0443 : for reagents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0458 : Multiple concentric rows of wells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0462 : Buffers [FIFO] or stacks [LIFO] for holding carriers between operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/22 : by investigating capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00 : Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00029 : provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides G01N35/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 : comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/021 : having a flexible chain, e.g. "cartridge belt", conveyor for reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/04 : Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1016 : Control of the volume dispensed or introduced
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49822 : by applying force
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53039 : with control means energized in response to activator stimulated by condition sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/112499 : with sample on test slide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 : with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/12 : Condition responsive control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25375 : Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/255 : including use of a solid sorbent, semipermeable membrane, or liquid extraction

Abstract

An article handling system and method for holding articles and moving selected articles individually from and/or to the article handling system. A plurality of vertically spaced article holding trays are mounted for independent rotation, each tray having a plurality of discrete article holding locations. A tray rotating mechanism is arranged to rotate a single selected tray, while a pick-and-place mechanism has an article gripper mounted for vertical and horizontal movement such that the gripper can reach any article holding location on any selected tray. A controller coordinates rotation of the selected tray and movement of the gripper such that the gripper can move to and from the selected article holding location. The handling system is especially useful as part of an automated system for processing multiple specimens of biological fluid in separate vials.

Claims

1. An article holding tray adapted to be mounted for rotation in an article handling system, the tray comprising a support area having a plurality of discrete article holding locations, a hub adapted for engagement and rotation by a rotary member of the handling system, and a peripheral notch sized to accommodate an article gripper of the article handling system.

2. An article holding tray according to claim 1, wherein the hub is open to the peripheral notch.

3. An article holding tray according to claim 2, wherein the trays are stackable when not mounted in the handling system, each tray having a plurality of upstanding posts adapted to engage the underside of and support a superposed tray.

4. An article holding tray according to claim 3, wherein each tray has stacking recesses on its underside that mate with the tops of the posts.

5. An article holding tray according to claim 4, wherein each post has a resilient top.

6. An article holding tray according to claim 1, wherein the hub has at least one keyway.

7. An article holding tray according to claim 6, wherein the hub has a pair of opposed keyways.

8. An article holding tray according to claim 1, wherein each article holding location has an indexing characteristic that mates with a complementary indexing characteristic on the article to ensure proper orientation of the article relative to the tray.

9. An article handling system according to claim 8, wherein the indexing characteristic on the tray comprises a projection.

10. An article handling system according to claim 1, wherein each article holding location comprises a recess sized to receive an article.

11. An article handling system according to claim 10, wherein each recess has an indexing characteristic that mates with a complementary indexing characteristic on the article to ensure proper orientation of the article relative to the tray.

12. An article handling system according to claim 11, wherein the indexing characteristic of the recess comprises a projection in the recess that supports and indexes the article.

13. An article handling system according to claim 12, wherein each recess has an opening in its bottom.

14. An article handling system according to claim 1, wherein each tray has a unique machine-readable identifier.