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System and method for partitioning a temperature controlled compartment

  • US 7,648,321 B2
  • Filed: 10/27/2007
  • Issued: 01/19/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for partitioning compartments within a storage volume, the system comprising:

  • a temperature controlled compartment having a width and a height for enclosing a plurality of storage racks for supporting trays containing a plurality of vials at different vertical and horizontal positions within the compartment;

    a robotics compartment having a robotics mechanism having vertical and horizontal movement for removing trays from and replacing trays into the plurality of storage racks;

    an insulating wall having vertical and horizontal dimensions defining a wall area disposed between the temperature controlled compartment and the robotics compartment, the insulating wall comprising a plurality of separable bricks slidably stacked within a plurality of vertical guides to define a plurality of columns, each column comprising multiple separable bricks, wherein the bricks are held in a closed position by gravity and each brick has dimensions that are much smaller than both the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the wall area, and wherein each brick has a recess formed in its front face;

    wherein the robotics mechanism has a lifting pin that fits within the recess in the brick and further comprises means for;

    aligning the lifting pin with the recess in one brick of the plurality of bricks that is located nearest to a pre-determined storage position;

    inserting the lifting pin into the recess and lifting the one brick and any bricks stacked on top of the one brick to open a gap in the insulating wall, wherein the gap has dimensions that are no larger than the one brick and much smaller than the wall area;

    while the lifting pin holds the gap open, retrieving or replacing a tray from or into the temperature controlled compartment by reaching through the gap; and

    after the tray has been retrieved or replaced, lowering the lifted bricks to close the gap.

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