Method and device for compensation for dimensional variations in low temperature sample group holders
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a pick head configured to transfer sample containers to and from a sample group holder;
at least one sensor connected to the pick head and configured to detect at least one predetermined feature of the sample group holder; and
a controller configured toreceive a detection signal from the at least one sensor corresponding to detection of the at least one predetermined feature,determine a thermal growth or shrinkage change in a dimension of a predetermined physical characteristic intrinsic to the sample group holder based on a detected position of the at least one predetermined feature, anddetermine a location of one or more sample containers in the sample group holder to allow for the transfer of the one or more sample containers to and from the sample group holder based on the detection signal and based on the determined thermal growth or shrinkage change.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus includes a pick head configured to transfer sample containers to and from a sample group holder, at least one sensor connected to the pick head and configured to detect at least one predetermined feature of the sample group holder, and a controller configured to receive a detection signal from the at least one sensor corresponding to detection of the at least one predetermined feature, determine a change in a predetermined characteristic of the sample group holder based on a detected position of the at least one predetermined feature, and determine a location of one or more samples in the sample group holder to allow for the transfer of the one or more sample containers to and from the sample group holder based on the edge detection signal.
95 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a pick head configured to transfer sample containers to and from a sample group holder; at least one sensor connected to the pick head and configured to detect at least one predetermined feature of the sample group holder; and a controller configured to receive a detection signal from the at least one sensor corresponding to detection of the at least one predetermined feature, determine a thermal growth or shrinkage change in a dimension of a predetermined physical characteristic intrinsic to the sample group holder based on a detected position of the at least one predetermined feature, and determine a location of one or more sample containers in the sample group holder to allow for the transfer of the one or more sample containers to and from the sample group holder based on the detection signal and based on the determined thermal growth or shrinkage change. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A sample storage and retrieval system comprising:
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a frame; a pick table mounted to the frame and configured to hold at least one sample group holder thereon; a movable pick head mounted to the frame, the movable pick head having at least one sensor connected thereto, the sensor being configured to detect one or more features of the at least one sample group holder; and a controller operatively coupled to the movable pick head and the at least one sensor, the controller being configured to determine a physical thermal growth or shrinkage dimensional change intrinsic to the at least one sample group holder based on a detection signal from the at least one sensor, the detection signal corresponding to detection of the one or more features of the at least one sample group holder, and determine a location of at least one sample container in the at least one sample group holder based on the physical dimensional change. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A sample storage and retrieval system comprising:
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a frame; a pick table mounted to the frame and configured to hold at least one sample group holder thereon; a movable pick head mounted to the frame, the movable pick head having at least one sensor connected thereto, the sensor being configured to detect one or more features of the at least one sample group holder and produce a detection signal corresponding to the one or more features; and a controller operatively coupled to the movable pick head and the at least one sensor, the controller being configured to determine a thermal growth or shrinkage change of a sample group holder measurement intrinsic to the at least one sample group holder based on the detection signal from the at least one sensor and determine based on the sample group holder measurement and based on the determined thermal growth or shrinkage change an effect in one or more of a spacing between samples within the sample group holder and locations of the sample centers within the sample group holder.
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Specification