Cassette Puller

Abstract

A cassette puller for an automated storage and retrieval system that stores biological or chemical samples in freezers maintained at ultra-low temperature (e.g., −80° C.) or cryogenic temperatures includes a vertical sleeve into which the selected cassette is lifted. The cassette puller is mounted to a traveling gantry and transports cassettes from one freezer location to another and to the system input/output module, and also includes an ejection mechanism that inserts and retrieves tube storage racks or plates from a selected shelf on the cassette. Other components such as a rack robot, a tube picking mechanism, a sample identification station, etc. are mounted on the traveling gantry as well.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 381,832, filed on Sep. 10, 2010 entitled “Large Automated Storage and Retrieval System for Storing Biological or Chemical Samples at Ultra-Low or Cryogenic Temperatures”.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to automated storage and retrieval systems for ultra-low temperature or cryogenic freezer systems used primarily to store biological or chemical samples. In particular, the present invention pertains to a robotic cassette puller that transports cassettes carrying multiple sample tube storage racks or sample storage plates normally stored in a horizontal, ultra-low temperature or cryogenic freezer. The cassette puller also places individual sample tube storage racks or plates on to a selected shelf on the cassette, and retrieves individual tube storage racks or plates from the cassette.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Storage of biological and ch...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]The invention is directed to a cassette puller for an automated storage and retrieval system that stores biological or chemical samples in sample tube storage racks or plates within one or more horizontal ultra-low temperature (e.g., −80° C.) or cryogenic freezers contained within a refrigerated enclosure maintained at a temperature of approximately −15° C. to −30° C. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the cassette puller is repositionable within the refrigerated enclosure above the one or more freezers, is configured to lift storage cassettes from the one or more freezers, and is further configured to eject selected tube storage racks or plates from a lifted cassette or place a tube storage rack or plate into an empty shelf on a lifted cassette. The cassette puller includes a vertical sleeve into which a selected cassette is lifted from the underlying freezer. One significant purpose of the sleeve is to minimize temperature rise of the samples when the cassette is lifted fully or partially from the freezer. In this regard, the sleeve is desirably capped at its t

Problems solved by technology

The mating relationship between the position reference pins and the geometry of the position referencing stops on the outside surface of the lifted cassette mechanic

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