Storage and supply for vessel holders
First Claim
1. An automated system for processing vessels containing biological samples, the automated system comprising:
- a plurality of vessel holders for the vessels containing biological samples;
a transport medium for transporting the vessel holders within the automated system;
a work cell for processing the vessels containing biological samples;
a cylinder-shaped silo storage module for empty members of the plurality of vessel holders, wherein the cylinder-shaped silo storage module is connected to the transport medium via an empty vessel holder transfer unit, which comprises a vertical and lateral moving shuttle system, and is configured for retrieving empty vessel holders from the transport medium and introducing them into the cylinder-shaped silo storage module, or retrieving empty vessel holders from the cylinder-shaped silo storage module and placing them in or on the transport medium;
a robotic manipulator for engaging and/or disengaging the vessels containing biological samples with the empty members of the plurality of vessel holders;
a control unit for controlling the automated system; and
an empty vessel holder detection unit configured for detecting empty vessel holders in or on the transport medium, the empty vessel holder detection unit comprising an empty vessel holder detector for discriminating between filled and empty vessel holders, and a transfer initiator configured to initiate the introduction or re-introduction of an empty vessel holder detected in or on the transport medium into the cylinder-shaped silo storage module by the empty vessel holder transfer unit.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automated system and method for processing vessels containing biological samples are presented. The system comprises vessel holders, a transport medium for transporting the vessel holders between the components of the system, a work cell for processing, a storage module for empty vessel holders, wherein the storage module is connected to the transport medium, a robotic manipulator for engaging and/or disengaging the vessels with empty vessel holders, an empty vessel holder transfer unit for introducing empty vessel holders into or retrieving them from the storage module, and an empty vessel holder detection unit, including an empty vessel holder detector for discriminating between filled and empty vessel holders as well as a transfer initiator configured to initiate the introduction or re-introduction of an empty vessel holder detected in or on the transport medium into the storage module by the empty vessel holder transfer unit.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An automated system for processing vessels containing biological samples, the automated system comprising:
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a plurality of vessel holders for the vessels containing biological samples; a transport medium for transporting the vessel holders within the automated system; a work cell for processing the vessels containing biological samples; a cylinder-shaped silo storage module for empty members of the plurality of vessel holders, wherein the cylinder-shaped silo storage module is connected to the transport medium via an empty vessel holder transfer unit, which comprises a vertical and lateral moving shuttle system, and is configured for retrieving empty vessel holders from the transport medium and introducing them into the cylinder-shaped silo storage module, or retrieving empty vessel holders from the cylinder-shaped silo storage module and placing them in or on the transport medium; a robotic manipulator for engaging and/or disengaging the vessels containing biological samples with the empty members of the plurality of vessel holders; a control unit for controlling the automated system; and an empty vessel holder detection unit configured for detecting empty vessel holders in or on the transport medium, the empty vessel holder detection unit comprising an empty vessel holder detector for discriminating between filled and empty vessel holders, and a transfer initiator configured to initiate the introduction or re-introduction of an empty vessel holder detected in or on the transport medium into the cylinder-shaped silo storage module by the empty vessel holder transfer unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for processing vessels containing biological samples in an automated system, the method comprising:
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retrieving an empty vessel holder to a transport medium from a cylinder-shaped silo storage module comprising a plurality of empty vessel holders, wherein the cylinder-shaped silo storage module is connected to the transport medium via an empty vessel holder transfer unit comprising a vertical and lateral moving shuttle system for introducing empty vessel holders from the transport medium into the cylinder-shaped silo storage module or retrieving them from the cylinder-shaped silo storage module to the transport medium by moving vertically and laterally along the cylinder-shaped silo storage module; engaging a vessel comprising a biological sample to the retrieved empty vessel holder; transporting the vessel holder with the engaged vessel comprising a biological sample via the transport medium to a work cell; processing the vessel containing a biological sample within the work cell; disengaging the vessel comprising a biological sample from the vessel holder; detecting the empty vessel holder by a an empty vessel holder detection unit for detecting empty vessel holders in or on the transport medium, the empty vessel holder detection unit comprising an empty vessel holder detector for discriminating between filled and empty vessel holders, and a transfer initiator configured to initiate the introduction or re-introduction of an empty vessel holder detected in or on the transport medium into the cylinder-shaped silo storage module by the vertical and lateral moving shuttle system of the empty vessel holder transfer unit; and re-introducing the empty vessel holder into the cylinder-shaped silo storage module by moving the empty vessel holder vertically and laterally into the cylinder-shaped silo storage module.
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Specification