Anti-counterfeiting sealing and automated storage methods for biological samples

Abstract

This application provides a method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automated storage and retrieval of biological samples, including: S101: placing a test tube containing a biological sample into a test tube sleeve, and affixing an anti-counterfeiting seal to the test tube sleeve to seal and store the test tube containing the biological sample within the storage space of the test tube sleeve; S102: placing the test tube sleeve to be stored onto a transfer component located at the operating station; S103: driving the transfer component and the test tube sleeve to be stored placed on the transfer component to move from the operating station to the transfer station; S104: driving a robotic arm to move the test tube sleeve to be stored from the transfer component to an available storage location among multiple storage locations; S201: driving the robotic arm to retrieve the test tube sleeve to be retrieved from the storage location and placing it onto the transfer component located at the transfer station; S202: driving the transfer component and the test tube sleeve to be retrieved placed on the transfer component to move from the transfer station to the operating station. This application embodiment can automate the storage and retrieval of biological samples, eliminating manual operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of biological sample storage, and in particular to a method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic access of biological samples. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, due to numerous irregularities in the procedures for blood sample extraction, preservation, and submission, the evidentiary value of blood sample identification opinions is often flawed or they are not accepted.

[0003] Blood remains sterile and at a constant temperature within the human body. Once outside the body, it comes into contact with bacteria and other microorganisms, leading to putrefaction. Putrefaction produces ethanol, which can affect test results. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that blood samples, as vital evidence, do not undergo putrefaction before testing; otherwise, they will lose their evidentiary value. From a biomedical perspective, preserving blood samples at low temperatures reduces the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms within the test tube, minimizing putrefaction and ensuring accurate and reliable test results. Therefore, according to the "Technical Specifications for Human Blood Collection in Road Traffic Enforcement" (GA / T1556-2019): extracted blood samples should be stored in a refrigerator at a temperature between 2°C and 8°C; after testing, verification samples should be frozen at a temperature between -10°C and -18°C for at least three months; and blood samples should be transported to the testing facility at low temperatures.

[0004] Furthermore, in existing technologies, sealed bags are typically used to preserve blood samples, such as the sealed bag in Chinese patent application number 202022176831.8. The sealed blood sample is placed in a refrigerator; that is, the test tube containing the blood sample is placed inside the sealed bag, which is sealed with a strip to prevent unauthorized opening or replacement of the blood sample, thus ensuring the validity of the evidence. However, sealed bags are bulky and irregularly shaped, occupying considerable space and making automated storage and retrieval difficult, still requiring manual management. This results in low space utilization and low management efficiency. Additionally, existing sealed bags are generally made of paper or soft plastic, making them easily punctured with a fine needle to enter the blood sample tube and replace the blood sample, thus compromising the authenticity of the evidence and hindering the control of drunk driving. Therefore, improvements are necessary.

[0005] Therefore, existing technologies for blood sample preservation still have many areas for improvement, and technological means should be used to enhance the convenience, reliability, and effectiveness of blood sample management. The main technical problems with existing blood sample storage and extraction technologies include the following aspects:

[0006] 1. When storing blood samples, it is necessary to manually place the blood samples into the refrigerator and record the placement location and blood sample information on the record sheet. Manual operation is not only time-consuming, but also prone to misplacement or recording errors.

[0007] 2. When retrieving blood samples, it is necessary to manually consult the record sheet to find the storage location of the blood sample to be retrieved and then retrieve the blood sample from the corresponding location. Since there is a lot of information recorded in the record sheet, it is time-consuming and prone to errors. It is also easy to take the wrong sample during the manual retrieval process.

[0008] 3. The fact that blood samples are deposited and retrieved entirely manually provides an opportunity for the substitution of blood samples and the alteration of records.

[0009] 4. At low temperatures, the surface of the test tube may freeze or become foggy when it is removed, which can lead to errors when inspecting it manually.

[0010] 5. Sealed storage is unreliable and the volume is large. Summary of the Invention

[0011] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides an anti-counterfeiting sealing method for biological samples and an automatic storage and retrieval method. This method automates the storage and retrieval of biological samples, eliminating manual operation, improving efficiency, reducing errors caused by human factors, and preventing biological samples from being swapped or data from being tampered with.

[0012] This application provides an anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval method for biological samples, and an automatic storage and retrieval device for biological samples. The automatic storage and retrieval device for biological samples includes an operating station, a transfer station, multiple storage positions, a transfer component, and a robotic arm. The anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval method for biological samples includes an automatic storage step and an automatic retrieval step for biological samples.

[0013] The automated storage step for the biological samples includes:

[0014] S101: Place the test tube containing the biological sample into the test tube sleeve and affix the anti-counterfeiting seal to the test tube sleeve to seal and store the test tube containing the biological sample in the containment space of the test tube sleeve.

[0015] S102: Place the test tube sleeve to be stored onto the transfer component located at the operating station;

[0016] S103: Drive the transfer component and the test tube sleeve placed on the transfer component to be stored from the operating station to the transfer station;

[0017] S104: Drive the robotic arm to move the test tube sleeve to be stored on the transfer component to an available storage location among the plurality of storage positions;

[0018] The automated extraction step of the biological sample includes:

[0019] S201: Drive the robotic arm to retrieve the test tube sleeve to be taken out from the storage position and place it on the transfer component located at the transfer station;

[0020] S202: Drive the transfer component and the test tube sleeve to be removed placed on the transfer component to move from the transfer station to the operation station.

[0021] In one optional embodiment of this application, S104 includes:

[0022] S1041: Drive the robotic arm to acquire the test tube sleeve to be removed located on the transfer component and move it along the opening direction of the storage position to detach it from the transfer component;

[0023] S1042: Drive the robotic arm to move along an opening direction different from that of the storage location to an available storage location among the plurality of storage locations.

[0024] In one optional embodiment of this application, the plurality of storage bits are arranged in a row-column manner, and in each row of storage bits and each column of storage bits, the storage bits are arranged linearly.

[0025] S1042 includes:

[0026] S10421: Drive the robotic arm to move along the row direction of the plurality of storage positions to align the robotic arm with one row of the storage positions of the plurality of storage positions;

[0027] S10422: Drive the plurality of storage positions to move along the column direction of the plurality of storage positions to align the robot arm with a column of the plurality of storage positions, and drive the test tube sleeve to move to the aligned storage position.

[0028] In one optional embodiment of this application, the column direction of the plurality of storage bits is perpendicular to the row direction of the plurality of storage bits, and both the column direction and the row direction of the plurality of storage bits are perpendicular to the opening direction of the plurality of storage bits.

[0029] In one optional embodiment of this application, before the test tube sleeve to be stored is stored in an available storage location among the plurality of storage locations, the automatic retrieval step of the biological sample further includes:

[0030] S105: Obtain the available storage location for storing the test tube sleeve to be stored, and determine one of the available storage locations as the target storage location.

[0031] In one optional embodiment of this application, the automated storage step of the biological sample further includes:

[0032] S106: Obtain the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be stored and the storage location information of the test tube sleeve to be stored;

[0033] S107: Store the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be stored and the storage location information of the test tube sleeve to be stored in the database.

[0034] In one optional embodiment of this application, the identification information comes from a QR code label, barcode label, or text label on the anti-counterfeiting seal; or

[0035] The identification information comes from an RFID tag set on the test tube sleeve to be stored or on a test tube contained in the test tube sleeve to be stored.

[0036] In one optional embodiment of this application, before S201, the automatic retrieval step of the biological sample further includes:

[0037] S203: Based on the input identification information of the test tube sleeve to be removed, retrieve the corresponding location information from the database.

[0038] In one optional embodiment of this application, after S202, the automatic retrieval step of the biological sample further includes:

[0039] S204: Delete the identification information of the test tube set that has been retrieved from the database.

[0040] In one optional embodiment of this application, S102 includes:

[0041] S1021: Drive the transfer component to move to the operating station;

[0042] S1022: Place the test tube sleeve to be stored onto the transfer component.

[0043] In one optional embodiment of this application, the anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic access method for biological samples further includes a biological sample monitoring step, which includes:

[0044] S301: Obtain the temperature information of the environment where the biological sample stored in the storage location is located;

[0045] S302: Adjust the temperature of the environment in which the biological sample is located to the target temperature based on the temperature information.

[0046] In one optional embodiment of this application, the monitoring step of the biological sample further includes:

[0047] S303: Record the storage time of the biological sample in the storage location;

[0048] S304: Determine whether a biological sample has exceeded its storage period based on the storage time of the biological sample.

[0049] In one optional embodiment of this application, the test tube sleeve includes a shell, a cap, and an anti-counterfeiting seal made of rigid material. The shell and the cap are connected by a sleeve connection. The shell and the cap together enclose a space for accommodating a test tube containing a biological sample. The shape of the space matches the external shape of the test tube.

[0050] The outer surface of the side wall of the housing is provided with a first sealing strip pasting area adjacent to the cover;

[0051] The outer surface of the side wall of the cover is provided with a second sealing strip pasting area adjacent to the shell;

[0052] The first and second seal pasting areas are smoothly connected to form a seal pasting area together;

[0053] The anti-counterfeiting seal is simultaneously affixed to both the first seal affixation area and the second seal affixation area;

[0054] The external shape of the test tube sleeve matches the receiving hole of the storage position and the transfer component.

[0055] In one optional embodiment of this application, a test tube sleeve is vertically accommodated in a storage location or a receiving hole;

[0056] During the process of the robotic arm driving the test tube sleeve, the test tube sleeve is kept in a vertical position.

[0057] In one optional embodiment of this application, the test tube sleeve has a top end and a bottom end, and a clamping area is provided on the outer surface of the side wall of the top end of the test tube sleeve. The diameter of the clamping area is smaller than the diameter of other positions on the test tube sleeve, and is used for clamping by a robotic arm.

[0058] Beneficial effects:

[0059] 1. This application automatically stores and retrieves biological samples, improving efficiency and reducing errors caused by human factors.

[0060] 2. Both storage and retrieval are automated by machines, preventing biological samples from being swapped and data from being tampered with.

[0061] 3. The test tube sleeve is sealed with an anti-counterfeiting seal. The anti-counterfeiting seal can prevent unauthorized opening of the test tube sleeve and can more effectively guarantee the authenticity of the evidence. Attached Figure Description

[0062] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0063] To gain a more complete understanding of this application and its beneficial effects, the following description will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals in the following description denote the same parts.

[0064] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical connections of the automatic biological sample retrieval device of the present invention.

[0065] Figure 2 This is an external structural diagram of the automated biological sample retrieval device of the present invention.

[0066] Figure 3 This is a diagram of the internal structure of the automated biological sample retrieval device of the present invention after the shell has been removed.

[0067] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the sample storage unit of the automated biological sample retrieval device of the present invention.

[0068] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the sample storage unit of the automated biological sample retrieval device of the present invention.

[0069] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the storage tray of the automated biological sample retrieval device of the present invention.

[0070] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the robotic arm and related components of the automated biological sample retrieval device of the present invention.

[0071] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the transfer tray and the fourth drive mechanism of the automatic biological sample storage and retrieval device of the present invention.

[0072] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the transfer tray of the automated biological sample retrieval device of the present invention.

[0073] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first type of test tube sleeve without a seal, provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0074] Figure 11 for Figure 10 The first type of test tube sleeve is shown as a cross-sectional view along the A1-A1 direction.

[0075] Figure 12 An unfolded view of the seal of the first type of test tube sleeve provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0076] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the application of the first type of test tube sleeve provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0077] Figure 14 for Figure 13 The test tube sleeve, test tube, and seal shown are cross-sectional views along the A2-A2 direction.

[0078] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second type of test tube sleeve without a seal, provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0079] Figure 16 An exploded view of the second type of test tube sleeve provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0080] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the application of the second type of test tube sleeve provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0081] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the application of the second type of test tube sleeve provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0082] Figure 19 for Figure 18 The test tube sleeve, test tube, and seal shown are cross-sectional views along the BB direction.

[0083] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram showing the open state of the third type of test tube sleeve provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0084] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the application of the third type of test tube sleeve provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0085] Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fourth type of test tube sleeve provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0086] Figure 23 for Figure 22 The fourth type of test tube sleeve is shown in a longitudinal section.

[0087] Figure 24 for Figure 23 A magnified view of region E in the middle.

[0088] Figure 25 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the application of the fourth type of test tube sleeve provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0089] Figure 26 This is a flowchart illustrating the automatic storage step of the biological sample in the anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic retrieval method for biological samples provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0090] Figure 27This is a partial flowchart illustrating the automatic storage step of the biological sample in the anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval method for biological samples provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0091] Figure 28 This is a partial flowchart illustrating the automatic storage step of the biological sample in the anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval method for biological samples provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0092] Figure 29 This is a partial flowchart illustrating the automatic storage step of the biological sample in the anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval method for biological samples provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0093] Figure 30 This is another flowchart illustrating the automatic storage step of the biological sample in the anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic retrieval method for biological samples provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0094] Figure 31 This is a flowchart illustrating the automatic retrieval step of the biological sample in the anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage method for biological samples provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0095] Figure 32 This is a partial flowchart illustrating the automatic retrieval step of the biological sample in the anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval method for biological samples provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0096] Figure 33 Another flowchart illustrating the automatic retrieval step of the biological sample in the anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage method for biological samples provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0097] Figure 34 This is a flowchart illustrating the biological sample monitoring steps in the anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage method for biological samples provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0098] Figure 35 Another flowchart illustrating the biological sample monitoring step in the anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage method for biological samples provided in the embodiments of this application. Attached image description:

[0100] 10. Housing; 11. Operating station; 12. Transfer station; 13. Opening;

[0101] 20. Sample storage unit; 21. Cabinet; 211. Opening; 212. Storage cavity; 22. Cabinet door; 23. Support base; 24. Storage tray; 241. Storage position; 241a. Storage column; 241b. Storage row; 25. Reinforcing plate;

[0102] 30. Sample transfer unit; 31. First drive mechanism; 32. Robotic arm; 33. Second drive mechanism; 34. Third drive mechanism; 35. Transfer tray; 351. Receiving hole; 351a. Receiving row; 351b. Receiving column; 352. Sensor; 36. Fourth drive mechanism;

[0103] 40. Control unit;

[0104] 50. Identification information acquisition unit;

[0105] 60. Data storage unit.

[0106] 80a, Test tube sleeve; 81a, Shell; 811a, First seal adhesive area; 813a, First receiving cavity; 814a, First opening; 82a, Cap; 821a, Second seal adhesive area; 822a, Clamping area; 823a, Second receiving cavity; 824a, Second opening; 84a, Clamping part; 85a, Seal adhesive area; 86a, Junction; 87a, Top; 88a, Bottom; 89a, Receiving space; 91a, Test tube; 92a, Seal; 921a, Recording area.

[0107] D1, Axial direction of the test tube sleeve; D2, Circumferential direction of the test tube sleeve; D3, Radial direction of the test tube sleeve;

[0108] 80b, Test tube sleeve; 81b, Shell; 811b, First seal adhesive area; 813b, First receiving cavity; 814b, First opening; 815b, Recessed structure; 82b, Cap; 821b, Second seal adhesive area; 822b, Clamping area; 823b, Second receiving cavity; 824b, Second opening; 825b, Protruding structure; 84b, Clamping part; 85b, Seal adhesive area; 86b, Junction; 87b, Top; 88b, Bottom; 91b, Test tube; 92b, Seal;

[0109] D4, Axial direction of the test tube sleeve; D5, Circumferential direction of the test tube sleeve; D6, Radial direction of the test tube sleeve.

[0110] 80c, test tube sleeve; 81c, shell; 813c, first receiving cavity; 814c, first opening; 82c, cover; 823c, second receiving cavity; 824c, second opening; 83c, movable connecting part; 91c, test tube.

[0111] 80d, test tube sleeve; 81d, shell; 811d, first seal adhesive area; 813d, first receiving cavity; 814d, first opening; 815d, raised structure; 82d, cover; 821d, second seal adhesive area; 822d, clamping area; 823d, second receiving cavity; 824d, second opening; 825d, recessed structure; 83d, movable connecting part; 84d, clamping part; 85d, seal adhesive area; 86d, junction; 87d, top end; 88d, bottom end; 89d, receiving space; 91d, test tube; 92d, seal. Detailed Implementation

[0112] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the application or its application or use. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the protection scope of this application.

[0113] In this document, references to "embodiment" or "implementation" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment or implementation may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0114] To solve the above technical problems, please refer to Figures 1 to 9 As shown, this application embodiment provides an automated biological sample retrieval device 1, referred to as the automated retrieval device 1. This automated retrieval device 1 is used to automatically input and output test tube sleeves containing biological samples. Specifically, the biological sample is placed in a test tube, the test tube containing the biological sample is placed into a test tube sleeve, and then a seal is affixed to the test tube sleeve. The robotic arm 32 of the automated retrieval device 1 can grip the clamping part on the test tube sleeve to input the test tube sleeve to the target position of the automated retrieval device 1, or output the test tube sleeve stored at the target position of the automated retrieval device 1 to the outside of the automated retrieval device 1. This achieves automated storage and retrieval of biological samples. It should be understood that the test tube sleeve has a containing space for sealing and preserving the biological sample in the test tube.

[0115] For example, the automated storage and retrieval device 1 includes a sample storage unit 20 and a sample transfer unit 30. The sample storage unit 20 is used to store test tube sleeves containing biological samples. For example, the sample storage unit 20 includes multiple storage slots 241 for storing test tube sleeves containing biological samples. The sample transfer unit 30 is used to transfer test tube sleeves containing biological samples. For example, the sample transfer unit 30 includes a robotic arm 32. When driven, the robotic arm 32 can grip the test tube sleeve containing the biological sample, thereby inputting the test tube sleeve containing the biological sample into the storage slots 241 of the sample storage unit 20, and outputting the test tube sleeve containing the biological sample to the outside of the automated storage and retrieval device 1. Of course, the robotic arm 32 is not limited to transferring test tube sleeves by gripping; it can also acquire test tube sleeves by other means such as magnetic attraction or suction cup adsorption.

[0116] In practical applications, to ensure that the sample transfer unit 30 can store the target biological sample into the target storage location 241 and retrieve the target biological sample from the target storage location 241, the automatic storage and retrieval device 1 of this embodiment further includes a control unit 40, an identification information acquisition unit 50, and a data storage unit 60. The control unit 40 is electrically connected to the sample transfer unit 30 and can control the movement of the sample transfer unit 30 according to instructions to realize the transfer of biological samples. For example, if the control unit 40 receives a biological sample input instruction, it drives the sample transfer unit 30 to move to input the biological sample into the storage location 241. Alternatively, if the control unit 40 receives a biological sample output instruction, it drives the sample transfer unit 30 to move to output the biological sample from the storage location 241 to the outside of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1.

[0117] For example, storage compartment 241 matches the external shape of the test tube sleeve. One storage compartment 241 can accommodate one test tube sleeve or multiple test tube sleeves, which will be described in more detail below in the section on test tube sleeve structure. Compared to sealed bags, test tube sleeves have a regular and fixed shape, occupy less space, and are conducive to automatic storage and retrieval.

[0118] For example, control unit 40 may include one or more processors.

[0119] The identification information acquisition unit 50 is used to acquire identification information of biological samples input to and output to the automatic storage and retrieval device 1. This identification information may include at least one of the following: biological sample number, biological sample time, sampling location, and the name and ID number of the sampled person. It should be noted that this identification information is not limited to biological sample number, biological sample time, sampling location, and the name and ID number of the sampled person; this embodiment does not impose specific limitations. It should be understood that a biological sample has a set of identification information, and different biological samples have different identification information.

[0120] In practical applications, the identification information acquisition unit 50 can acquire identification information from the seal affixed to the test tube sleeve. For example, when other types of labels, such as QR code labels, barcode labels, or text labels, are affixed to the test tube sleeve, the identification information acquisition unit 50 may include other identification devices such as a camera or barcode scanner. The camera or barcode scanner is used to acquire the identification information recorded by the QR code label, barcode label, or text label, and can transmit this identification information to the data storage unit 60 for storage. The QR code label, barcode label, or text label can be part of the seal, which can be affixed to the outer surface of the test tube sleeve to achieve a seal.

[0121] In other embodiments, the identification information acquisition unit 50 includes an RFID sensor. An RFID tag is attached to the test tube sleeve, and the RFID tag can be affixed to the inner side of the test tube sleeve. The RFID sensor can read the identification information recorded on the RFID tag on the test tube sleeve. For example, the RFID sensor can be disposed adjacent to the robotic arm 32. When the robotic arm 32 grips the clamping part of the test tube sleeve, the RFID sensor can read the identification information recorded on the RFID tag on the test tube sleeve. The RFID sensor can transmit this identification information to the data storage unit 60 for storage.

[0122] In other embodiments, it should be understood that the identification information acquisition unit 50 defined in this application corresponds to a label containing identification information on the test tube sleeve, or it can be understood as the test tube sleeve being provided with an identification label containing identification information. This identification label records identification information corresponding to the biological sample, and the identification label can be set on the test tube sleeve, such as by pasting it onto the test tube sleeve. Accordingly, the identification information acquisition unit 50 can acquire identification information from the identification label. That is, the identification label can be a text label, barcode label, or QR code label read optically, or it can be an RFID label read by radio frequency. The above-described identification information acquisition units 50 are merely illustrative examples of this application and do not constitute a limitation on the identification information acquisition unit 50.

[0123] It should be noted that identification tags, such as RFID tags, can also be placed on test tubes used to hold biological samples. For details, please refer to the method of placing identification tags on test tube sleeves, which will not be elaborated here.

[0124] The data storage unit 60 is used to store the identification information of the acquired biological sample in correspondence with the location information of its corresponding storage location 241. Both the data storage unit 60 and the identification information acquisition unit 50 are electrically connected to the control unit 40. When the identification information acquisition unit 50 acquires the identification information of the biological sample, it can send the acquired identification information to the data storage unit 60, which can then store the identification information. During the actual storage of identification information, the data storage unit 60 stores both the identification information and the location information of the corresponding storage location 241.

[0125] It should be noted that the data storage unit 60 can also store the occupancy information of each storage location 241 containing biological samples, as well as the empty location information of those not containing biological samples.

[0126] For example, the control unit 40 can also inventory the biological samples based on the identification information of each biological sample recorded in the data storage unit 60, without the need for manual inventory. For instance, the control unit 40 can determine the location information of each storage location 241 based on the identification information of each biological sample recorded in the data storage unit 60, such as which storage locations 241 are occupied by biological samples and which are not. Storage locations 241 not occupied by biological samples can also be referred to as available storage locations 241.

[0127] This embodiment of the application maps the location information of the biological sample to its identification information, so that the storage location can be found based on the identification information during the subsequent retrieval of the biological sample. To this end, the automatic biological sample storage and retrieval device 1 also includes a data storage unit 60 for storing data. A database is established in the data storage unit 60, and the identification information of the biological sample and its location information are stored in the data storage unit 60 in correspondence. The data storage unit 60 is a storage medium that allows for repeated writing and deletion of data, such as a hard disk.

[0128] During the storage of biological samples, the control unit 40 receives a storage instruction for the biological sample. The automatic storage and retrieval device 1 also includes an input unit, which may include at least one of a keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, or voice receiver. The input unit receives the storage instruction from the user and is electrically connected to the control unit 40, transmitting the received instruction to the control unit 40. Then, the control unit 40 determines the available storage locations in each storage location 241 based on the identification information of each biological sample recorded in the data storage unit 60 and the location information of each biological sample stored in the storage location 241. Alternatively, the control unit 40 determines the location information of the available storage locations 241 and designates one of the available storage locations 241 as the target location. Then, the control unit 40 controls the movement of the sample transfer unit 30 based on the identification information of the biological sample to be stored obtained by the identification information acquisition unit 50 and the target location, thereby storing the biological sample to be stored in the storage location 241 of the target location. The target location can be understood as an empty storage location 241. The automatic storage and retrieval device 1 of this application embodiment can automatically store biological samples and record related information, eliminating the need for manual storage and recording, improving efficiency, and reducing errors caused by human factors.

[0129] During the process of retrieving a biological sample, the control unit 40 receives a retrieval command, such as a retrieval command obtained from the input unit. It should be understood that the retrieval command includes the identification information of the biological sample to be retrieved; that is, the control unit 40 obtains the identification information of the biological sample to be retrieved. Then, based on the identification information of the biological sample to be retrieved, the control unit 40 retrieves the corresponding location information in the data storage unit 60 and controls the sample transfer unit 30 to move to retrieve the biological sample corresponding to that location information from the storage position 241, or in other words, controls the sample transfer unit 30 to move to retrieve the biological sample from the storage position 241 corresponding to the corresponding location information. When retrieving a biological sample, the location information of the biological sample to be retrieved is retrieved from the data storage unit 60, and the biological sample at the corresponding position on the sample storage unit 20 is retrieved by the sample transfer unit 30. This eliminates the need for manual retrieval and retrieval operations, improving efficiency and reducing errors caused by human error.

[0130] In this embodiment, the storage, retrieval, and data recording of biological samples are all automated by the automatic storage and retrieval device 1, which avoids the replacement of biological samples and the tampering of data.

[0131] It should be noted that, during the process of determining the available storage spaces 241 among each storage space 241, if the control unit 40 determines that the number of available storage spaces 241 is less than the number of biological samples to be stored, the control unit 40 can control the prompting unit of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1 to issue a prompt message. The prompting unit includes, but is not limited to, a speaker and a display, and the prompt message includes, but is not limited to, voice prompts and text display messages.

[0132] For example, the data storage unit 60 is also used to record the storage time of each biological sample, and the control unit 40 determines whether the biological sample has exceeded the storage period based on the storage time of each biological sample recorded in the data storage unit 60.

[0133] The control unit 40 can also take inventory of biological samples based on the identification information of each biological sample recorded in the data storage unit 60, without the need for manual inventory.

[0134] For example, the automatic storage and retrieval device 1 in this application embodiment further includes an operating station 11, which is used to input and output biological samples placed in the test tube sleeve into the automatic storage and retrieval device 1. Specifically, the operating station 11 is used to input and output biological samples placed in the test tube sleeve into the storage position 241. The sample transfer unit 30 is used to transfer biological samples between the operating station 11 and the sample storage unit 20.

[0135] Therefore, when a biological sample needs to be stored, the test tube sleeve containing the biological sample is placed at a predetermined position of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1, such as the operating station 11 of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1. Then, the control unit 40 controls the sample transfer unit 30 to transfer the test tube sleeve to the target position, which is one of the available storage slots 241 on the sample storage unit 20. During this process, the control unit 40 is also used to obtain the location information of the storage slot 241 where the biological sample is stored and to obtain the identification information of the biological sample through the identification information acquisition unit 50, and to store the obtained location information and identification information in the data storage unit 60. Since the data storage unit 60 stores the location information and identification information of each biological sample, and the positions of each storage slot 241 on the sample storage unit 20 are determined, the control unit 40 can search the data storage unit 60 to obtain the location information of the available storage slots 241 before storing the biological sample in the sample storage unit 20, and set one of the available storage slots 241 as the target position.

[0136] When retrieving a biological sample, the location information of the biological sample is retrieved in the data storage unit 60 based on the input identification information of the biological sample to be retrieved, and then the biological sample at the corresponding location is retrieved through the sample transfer unit 30.

[0137] Specifically, a coordinate system can be established so that each storage location 241 on the sample storage unit 20 has corresponding coordinates. The location information of the biological sample is the coordinates of its current storage location 241 or the coordinates of the storage location 241 to which it will be stored. When storing a biological sample, the sample transfer unit 30 moves the biological sample to the corresponding coordinate position, and the biological sample is stored in the corresponding storage location 241. When retrieving a biological sample, the sample transfer unit 30 retrieves the biological sample from the storage location 241 at the corresponding coordinate position, and this biological sample is the one to be retrieved. The establishment of the coordinate system is illustrated below with reference to the specific contents of each sample storage unit 20 and the sample transfer unit 30.

[0138] It should be noted that the biological sample transfer, input, and output described in the embodiments of this application, involving the automatic storage and retrieval device 1, can all be understood as the biological sample being placed in a test tube, and the test tube containing the biological sample being housed in a test tube sleeve, which is sealed. The biological sample is input into or retrieved from the automatic storage and retrieval device 1 along with the test tube and the test tube sleeve.

[0139] To protect the components, the automatic storage and retrieval device 1 also includes a housing 10. The sample storage unit 20, sample transfer unit 30, control unit 40, identification information acquisition unit 50 and data storage unit 60 are all located inside the housing 10. The housing 10 has an opening 13 that connects its interior and exterior, and the operating station 11 is located in the opening 13.

[0140] For example, the sample storage unit 20 may include a cabinet 21 and a storage tray 24. The cabinet 21 has an opening 211 and a receiving cavity 212 communicating with the opening 211. The storage tray 24 includes a plurality of storage positions 241, or in other words, a plurality of storage positions 241 are disposed on the storage tray 24. A sample transfer unit 30 is connected to the storage tray 24 and is used to drive the storage tray 24 to move so that the storage tray 24 is received within the receiving cavity 212 and placed outside the receiving cavity 212. It should be understood that the sample transfer unit 30 is used to drive the movement of the storage tray 24 under the control of the control unit 40. For example, the sample transfer unit 30 includes a first drive mechanism 31, which is connected to the storage tray 24 and electrically connected to the control unit 40. The first drive mechanism 31 is used to drive the movement of the storage tray 24, such as driving the movement of the storage tray 24 under the control of the control unit 40.

[0141] It should be noted that the connection relationship between the two components described in the embodiments of this application can be a direct physical connection or an indirect physical connection. For example, the two components may be physically connected through one or more other components.

[0142] It should also be noted that each storage position 241 can be understood as a storage tank structure, and each storage position 241 can be the same size. The size of each storage position 241 is adapted to the bottom of the test tube sleeve containing the biological sample.

[0143] For example, on the storage tray 24, the storage positions 241 are arranged in a row and column, or in an array. In each row and column, the storage positions 241 are linearly arranged, and the spacing between adjacent storage positions 241 is equal. This embodiment can establish an XYZ three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, giving each storage position 241 on the sample storage unit 20 corresponding coordinates. Specifically, each storage position 241 has a coordinate system of Xa-Yb-Zc, such as (a,b,c), or coordinate value (a,b,c), or coordinate information (a,b,c). It should be understood that each storage position 241 has a unique coordinate value (a,b,c).

[0144] For example, such as Figure 6 As shown, storage bits 241 arranged along the X-axis are defined as columns arranged in a row-column pattern, and storage bits 241 arranged along the Y-axis are defined as rows arranged in a row-column pattern. For example, each storage bit 241 may have multiple storage rows 241b and multiple storage columns 241a. In an optional embodiment of this application, each storage bit 241 is arranged in a plane, or in other words, each storage bit 241 is arranged on the plane formed by the X-axis and Y-axis, so that the position information of each storage bit 241 can be determined by any storage bit 241 having a coordinate Xa-Yb. For example, if one storage bit 241 is defined as a target storage bit 241, and the target storage bit 241 is located at the intersection of a storage column 241a and a storage row 241b, then the target storage bit 241 has Xa-Yb coordinate information. For example, if a is 2 and b is 2, then the coordinates of the target storage bit 241 can be represented as (2,2). It should be understood that the coordinates, coordinate information and coordinate values ​​of the storage bit 241 defined in the embodiments of this application can all be understood as the location information of the storage bit 241.

[0145] The storage tray 24 can be one or more; this embodiment illustrates the use of multiple storage trays 24 as an example. It should be understood that "multiple" means at least two. The shapes of the multiple storage trays 24 include, but are not limited to, cuboid structures.

[0146] In this embodiment, when the storage tray 24 is moved into the cabinet 21, the opening 211 of the cabinet 21 is closed, such as sealed. The sample storage unit 20 may also include a cabinet door 22, the inner side of which is connected to the storage tray 24. The cabinet door 22 is movably mounted on the cabinet 21 to close and open the opening 211 of the cabinet 21. When the cabinet door 22 closes the opening 211 of the cabinet 21, the cabinet 21 and the cabinet door 22 enclose a receiving space, which should be understood to include a receiving cavity 212.

[0147] The sample transfer unit 30 is connected to the storage tray 24 via a cabinet door 22. The storage tray 24 can move with the cabinet door 22. When the cabinet door 22 is closed, each storage position 241 on the storage tray 24 is housed within the receiving cavity 212. When the cabinet door 22 is open, at least a portion of the storage positions 241 on the storage tray 24 move out of the receiving cavity 212 through the opening 211. For example, the first drive mechanism 31 of the sample transfer unit 30 is connected to the cabinet door 22, such as by connecting the first drive mechanism 31 to the outer surface of the cabinet door 22. Under the control of the control unit 40, the first drive mechanism 31 drives the cabinet door 22 and the storage tray 24 to move together. Referring to the reference coordinate system established in the embodiments of this application, the direction of movement of the first drive mechanism 31 driving the cabinet door 22 and the storage tray 24 is the X-axis direction, that is, the direction of movement of the first drive mechanism 31 is the same as the direction of movement of the cabinet door 22 and the storage tray 24, both moving along the X-axis. Thus, the storage tray 24 can be placed inside the receiving cavity 212 and connected to the cabinet door 22, and can move as the cabinet door 22 is opened and closed. The first drive mechanism 31 is connected to the cabinet door 22 and is used to open and close the cabinet door 22. The direction of movement of the first drive mechanism 31 is consistent with the direction of the opening 211 of the cabinet body 21, thereby making the sample storage unit 20 form a drawer-type opening and closing structure.

[0148] When the first drive mechanism 31 drives the cabinet door 22 to open, at least a portion of the storage positions 241 on the storage tray 24 are moved outside the cabinet 21, allowing biological samples to be stored in or removed from the corresponding storage positions 241 on the storage tray 24. When the first drive mechanism 31 drives the cabinet door 22 to close, the biological samples are stored in the receiving cavity 212. Thus, this embodiment simultaneously achieves the opening of the cabinet door 22 and the movement of the storage tray 24 to a position convenient for storing and retrieving biological samples through the first drive mechanism 31, simplifying the mechanical structure, reducing the manufacturing cost of the equipment, and improving the reliability of the equipment.

[0149] In this embodiment, the first drive mechanism 31 can not only drive the storage tray 24 from outside the cabinet 21 to inside the cabinet 21, but also drive the tray 24 located inside the cabinet 21 to outside the cabinet 21. Furthermore, the first drive mechanism 31 can also drive the target column storage position 241 of the storage tray 24 to align with the robot arm 32, or in other words, the first drive mechanism 31 can also drive the target storage column 241a of the storage tray 24 to align with the robot arm 32. It should be noted that the target column storage position 241 can be equivalent to the target storage column 241a, which includes multiple storage positions 241 arranged linearly along the X-axis. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first drive mechanism 31 can not only drive the storage tray 24, but also align the storage tray 24 with the robot arm 32, further simplifying the mechanical structure, reducing the manufacturing cost of the equipment, and improving the reliability of the equipment.

[0150] To increase the connection stability between the first drive mechanism 31 and the cabinet door 22, a reinforcing plate 25 is also connected between the outer side of the cabinet door 22 and the first drive mechanism 31. The reinforcing plate 25 is used to increase the connection stability between the cabinet door 22 and the first drive mechanism 31. It should be noted that the number and shape of the reinforcing plates 25 are not limited in this embodiment.

[0151] To extend the storage time of biological samples, the sample storage unit 20 is a freezer, and the door 22 is equipped with a sealing strip. When the door 22 closes the opening 211 of the cabinet body 21, the sealing strip cooperates with the edge of the opening 211 of the cabinet body 21 to form a sealing structure, thereby maintaining the temperature inside the storage space. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval device 1 also includes a low-temperature generating device, which is used to regulate the temperature inside the sample storage unit 20. The control unit 40 is also electrically connected to the low-temperature generating device to control the low-temperature generating device to regulate the temperature of the sample storage unit 20, such as regulating the temperature of the sample storage unit 20 to around -18 degrees Celsius, to achieve the purpose of freezing and refrigeration. Specifically, the low-temperature generating device may include an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, and an expansion valve, and its working principle is the same as that of a general refrigerator, which will not be described in detail here.

[0152] For example, the cabinet 21 is also equipped with a temperature sensor for detecting its internal temperature, and the control unit 40 is electrically connected to the temperature sensor to monitor the temperature inside the cabinet 21. For instance, the temperature sensor can detect the temperature inside the cabinet 21, and in this embodiment, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is defined as the current temperature. After obtaining the current temperature, the control unit 40 compares the current temperature with a preset temperature. If the current temperature is higher than the preset temperature, the control unit 40 automatically lowers the temperature of the cabinet 21 until the temperature inside the cabinet 21 drops to the preset temperature. In other optional embodiments, if the current temperature is higher than the preset temperature, the control unit 40 can control the prompting unit to issue an increase message to display to the user, prompting the user to lower the temperature inside the cabinet 21.

[0153] For example, the sample storage unit 20 also includes a support base 23, through which the cabinet door 22 and the storage tray 24 are connected in this embodiment. For instance, the support base 23 is connected to the inner side of the cabinet door 22, and the storage tray 24 is disposed on the support base 23. The support base 23 can be disposed within the receiving cavity 212 of the cabinet body 21 and connected to the inner side of the cabinet door 22. The sample transfer unit 30 is used to drive the cabinet door 22, the support base 23, and the storage tray 24 to move together, so that the cabinet door 22 closes and opens the opening 211 of the cabinet body 21, and the storage tray 24 and the support base 23 are received within and outside the receiving cavity 212 through the opening 211.

[0154] For example, the storage tray 24 is detachably mounted on the support base 23, thereby making the storage tray 24 replaceable to accommodate the storage of biological samples of different sizes and facilitating the cleaning of the storage tray 24.

[0155] For example, the sample storage unit 20 further includes a first guide component and a second guide component. The first guide component is disposed on the cabinet 21, and the second guide component is disposed on the support base 23. The first and second guide components cooperate to guide the movement of the cabinet door 22, the support base 23, and the storage tray 24. One of the first and second guide components is a guide rail, and the other is a pulley. For example, the cabinet 21 is also provided with a guide rail aligned with the opening direction of the cabinet door 22, and the support base 23 is provided with a pulley. The guide rail and the pulley cooperate to guide the movement of the cabinet door 22, the support base 23, and the storage tray 24, preventing the positions of the storage positions 241 from shifting, which would cause the sample transfer unit 30 to be unable to accurately place or retrieve biological samples.

[0156] For example, the sample transfer unit 30 further includes a second drive mechanism 33, which is connected to the robot arm 32 and is used to drive the movement of the robot arm 32. The second drive mechanism 33 is electrically connected to the control unit 40 and is used to drive the movement of the robot arm 32 under the control of the control unit 40.

[0157] For example, the movement direction of the first drive mechanism 31 is different from that of the second drive mechanism 33, such as the movement direction of the first drive mechanism 31 being approximately perpendicular to that of the second drive mechanism 33. The movement direction of the second drive mechanism 33 is along the Y-axis. In other words, the second drive mechanism 33 can drive the robot arm 32 to move along the Y-axis. Thus, in this embodiment of the application, the first drive mechanism 31 and the second drive mechanism 33 can jointly achieve the target position positioning of the robot arm 32 and each storage position 241 of the sample storage unit 20. For example, the first drive mechanism 31 and the second drive mechanism 33 are used to drive the robot arm 32 to move to the target position 241 of each storage position 241 of the sample storage unit 20 under the control of the control unit 40, which facilitates the robot arm 32 to pick up biological samples from the target position or store biological samples in the storage position 241 where the target position is located.

[0158] For example, the first drive mechanism 31, under the control of the control unit 40, drives the target column storage position 241 of the sample storage unit 20 to align with the robot arm 32, and the second drive mechanism 33, under the control of the control unit 40, drives the robot arm 32 to align with the target row storage position 241 of the sample storage unit 20. The second drive mechanism 33 can not only drive the robot arm 32 to move along the Y-axis, but also drive the robot arm 32 to align with the target row storage position 241 of the sample storage unit 20, or in other words, drive the robot arm 32 to align with the target storage row 241b of the storage tray 24. It should be noted that the target row storage position 241 can be equivalent to the target storage row 241b, and the target storage row 241b includes multiple storage positions 241 arranged linearly along the Y-axis. Thus, the interaction between the first drive mechanism 31 and the second drive mechanism 33 in this embodiment enables precise alignment between the robot arm 32 and the target storage location. This not only facilitates the robot arm in picking up biological samples placed in the target storage location, or in storing the biological samples picked up by the robot arm into the target storage location, but also further simplifies the mechanical structure, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the equipment and improving its reliability.

[0159] Therefore, the direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the first drive mechanism 31 can be defined as the row, and the direction parallel to the movement direction of the first drive mechanism 31 can be defined as the column, thereby determining the position of each storage slot 241. Thus, when storing or retrieving biological samples, the first drive mechanism 31 positions the robotic arm 32 to the corresponding row on the storage tray 24, and the second drive mechanism 33 positions the robotic arm 32 to the corresponding column, thereby moving the robotic arm 32 to the target position. The first drive mechanism 31 and the second drive mechanism 33 are respectively responsible for movement in two mutually perpendicular dimensions, making the structure simpler and more reliable.

[0160] The robotic arm 32 is used to store biological samples into the storage tray 24 or to remove biological samples from the storage tray 24. For example, the robotic arm 32 can hold a test tube containing biological samples placed at the operating station 11, and the robotic arm 32 can also hold a test tube containing biological samples placed in the storage position 241 of the storage tray 24.

[0161] For example, the sample transfer unit 30 further includes a third drive mechanism 34, which is connected to the robotic arm 32 and is used to drive the robotic arm 32 to move. The direction of movement of the third drive mechanism 34 is consistent with the opening direction of each storage position 241, such as the Z-axis direction. In other words, the direction in which the third drive mechanism 34 drives the robotic arm 32 to move is the Z-axis direction. Thus, the third drive mechanism 34 can drive the robotic arm 32 to move along the Z-axis direction. When the storage tray 24 stores a test tube sleeve containing a biological sample, the robotic arm 32, driven by the third drive mechanism 34, can move along the axial direction of the test tube sleeve. Therefore, the robotic arm 32 can store or retrieve biological samples from above the storage position 241 without being obstructed by biological samples in adjacent storage positions 241, and can retrieve any biological sample from the densely packed storage tray 24 or store a biological sample in any available storage position 241.

[0162] For example, the second drive mechanism 33 and the third drive mechanism 34 are connected, such as Figure 7 As shown, the third drive mechanism 34 can move on the second drive mechanism 33. The robot arm 32 is connected to the third drive mechanism 34, and during the movement of the second drive mechanism 33, it can drive the third drive mechanism 34 and the robot arm 32 connected to the third drive mechanism 34 to move together. It should be understood that the connection relationship between the robot arm 32, the second drive mechanism 33, and the third drive mechanism 34 is only an illustrative example of the embodiments of this application, and the connection relationship among the robot arm 32, the second drive mechanism 33, and the third drive mechanism 34 is not limited to this. For example, the second drive mechanism 33 and the third drive mechanism 34 may not be connected, and the second drive mechanism 33 and the third drive mechanism 34 may be connected to the robot arm 32 respectively.

[0163] It should be understood that the direction of motion of the third drive mechanism 34 is approximately perpendicular to the direction of motion of the second drive mechanism 33, and the direction of motion of the third drive mechanism 34 is approximately perpendicular to the direction of motion of the first drive mechanism 31, and the plane containing the direction of motion of the third drive mechanism 34, the direction of motion of the first drive mechanism 31, and the direction of motion of the second drive mechanism 33 is approximately perpendicular to the plane containing both.

[0164] To enable the simultaneous storage or retrieval of multiple biological samples, the sample transfer unit 30 also includes a transfer tray 35 and a fourth drive mechanism 36 for driving the movement of the transfer tray 35. Driven by the fourth drive mechanism 36, the transfer tray 35 can move between the operating station 11 and the transfer station 12. The transfer tray 35 has multiple receiving holes 351 for accommodating biological samples. When the transfer tray 35 moves to the transfer station 12, the robotic arm 32 can remove biological samples from the transfer tray 35 and place biological samples into the transfer tray 35. It should be understood that the fourth drive mechanism 36 is electrically connected to the control unit 40, and the fourth drive mechanism 36 can drive the movement of the transfer tray 35 under the control of the control unit 40.

[0165] Therefore, when storing biological samples, the fourth drive mechanism 36 drives the transfer tray 35 to the operating station 11, where multiple biological samples can be placed on the respective receiving holes 351 of the transfer tray 35. Subsequently, the fourth drive mechanism 36 drives the transfer tray 35 to the transfer station 12, where the robotic arm 32 transfers each biological sample to the storage tray 24. When retrieving biological samples, the fourth drive mechanism 36 drives the transfer tray 35 to the transfer station 12, where the robotic arm 32 transfers the biological samples to be retrieved from the storage tray 24 to the transfer tray 35. Then, the fourth drive mechanism 36 drives the transfer tray 35 to the operating station 11, where the biological samples to be retrieved can be taken out.

[0166] It should be noted that the transfer tray 35 does not need to be completely filled every time during the storage process. Therefore, a storage button electrically connected to the control unit 40 can be provided. When the biological sample to be stored is placed on the transfer tray 35, pressing the storage button will cause the control unit 40 to control the movement of various components to perform the storage operation. For example, the control unit 40 controls the fourth drive mechanism 36 to drive the transfer tray 35 to the transfer station 12; the control unit 40 controls the first drive mechanism 31, the second drive mechanism 33, the third drive mechanism 34, and the robotic arm 32 so that the robotic arm 32 can pick up the biological sample on the transfer tray 35 and store it in the available storage space 241; the control unit 40 controls the identification information acquisition unit 50 to acquire the identification information of each biological sample; and the data storage unit 60 stores the identification information and its associated location information.

[0167] In the process of batch storage and retrieval of biological samples, in order to facilitate the determination of which accommodating hole 351 contains a biological sample, each accommodating hole 351 is equipped with a sensor 352. Each sensor 352 is electrically connected to the control unit 40. The control unit 40 is used to detect whether each accommodating hole 351 contains a biological sample through each sensor 352.

[0168] Similar to the storage tray 24, the receiving holes 351 on the transfer tray 35 are also arranged in a row and column pattern. The movement direction of the fourth drive mechanism 36 is perpendicular to the movement direction of the second drive mechanism 33, and the movement direction of the fourth drive mechanism 36 is approximately parallel to the movement direction of the first drive mechanism 31, that is, both the fourth drive mechanism 36 and the first drive mechanism 31 move along the X-axis. The opening direction of each receiving hole 351 is consistent with the movement direction of the third drive mechanism 34.

[0169] In this embodiment, the positions of the robotic arm 32, storage positions 241, and receiving holes 351 can be determined using a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, so that the robotic arm 32 can accurately place biological samples into the corresponding storage positions 241 and receiving holes 351, and retrieve biological samples from the corresponding storage positions 241 and receiving holes 351. In this embodiment, the movement directions of the first drive mechanism 31 and the fourth drive mechanism 36 are parallel to the X-axis, the movement direction of the second drive mechanism 33 is parallel to the Y-axis, and the movement direction of the third drive mechanism 34 is parallel to the Z-axis. Each motion mechanism is driven by a stepper motor or a servo motor, thereby the control unit 40 can drive each motion mechanism to an accurate position and obtain the accurate position of each motion mechanism, thus the positions of the robotic arm 32, each storage position 241, and each receiving hole 351 can be determined.

[0170] It should be noted that each motion mechanism includes the first drive mechanism 31, the second drive mechanism 33, the third drive mechanism 34, and the fourth drive mechanism 36.

[0171] Please refer to Figure 9 Each receiving hole 351 of the transfer tray 35 has multiple receiving rows 351b and multiple receiving columns 351a. Each receiving row 351b and multiple receiving column 351a includes multiple receiving holes 351. Each receiving hole 351 has unique coordinate information, which can be used to determine the position of the receiving hole 351. The second drive mechanism 33 and the fourth drive mechanism 36 can align, or position, the robotic arm 32 with the target receiving hole on the transfer tray 35, thereby facilitating the robotic arm 32 to grip the biological sample contained in the target receiving hole and to integrate the gripped biological sample into the target receiving hole.

[0172] In this context, both operating station 11 and transfer station 12 can be understood as spatial areas. For example, as illustrated in the embodiments of this application, operating station 11 and transfer station 12 are the spatial positions where the transfer tray 35 of the sample transfer unit 30 stops. It should be understood that the test tube sleeves are stored on the transfer tray 35 rather than on operating station 11 and transfer station 12.

[0173] In this embodiment, the operating station 11 and the transfer station 12 define the range of motion of the transfer tray 35, that is, the movement trajectory or range of motion of the transfer tray 35 is between the operating station 11 and the transfer station 12.

[0174] In the process of storing biological samples in this embodiment, the operation station 11 can be understood as the starting position of the test tube sleeve and the transfer tray 35, the transfer station 12 can be understood as the ending position of the transfer tray 35, and the transfer station 12 can be understood as the intermediate position of the test tube sleeve. The test tube sleeve can be transferred to the storage position 241 by the robot arm 32 via the transfer tray 35 located at the transfer station 12.

[0175] In this embodiment of the application, during the process of retrieving biological samples, the storage tray 24 can be understood as the starting position of the test tube sleeve. The first drive mechanism 31 can drive the cabinet door 22, the support base 23, and the storage tray 24 to move together to a predetermined position to expose the test tube sleeve to be retrieved. Then, the second drive mechanism 33 can drive the robot arm 32 to move to the position of the test tube sleeve to be retrieved. The robot arm 32 grips the test tube sleeve and is driven by the second drive mechanism 33 and the third drive mechanism 34 to the transfer station 12, and places the test tube sleeve on the transfer tray 35 located at the transfer station 12. Then, the fourth drive mechanism 36 drives the transfer tray 35 to move from the transfer station 12 to the operation station 11. Thus, during the process of retrieving biological samples, the transfer station 12 can be understood as the intermediate position of the test tube sleeve and the starting position of the transfer tray 35, and the operation station 11 can be understood as the ending position of the test tube sleeve and the transfer tray 35.

[0176] It should be noted that the alignment of the target receiving hole and the robot arm 32 by the second drive mechanism 33 and the fourth drive mechanism 36 can be achieved by referring to the alignment of the target storage position and the robot arm 32 by the first drive mechanism 31 and the second drive mechanism 33, which will not be repeated here.

[0177] It should be noted that the components of the automatic access device 1 are not limited to the exemplary descriptions above. For example, the automatic access device 1 may also include a power supply unit. In this embodiment, the control unit 40, sample transfer unit 30, identification information acquisition unit 50, and data storage unit 60 are all electrically connected to the power supply unit. The power supply unit is used to power the control unit 40, sample transfer unit 30, identification information acquisition unit 50, and data storage unit 60. For example, the power supply unit may be connected to mains power.

[0178] In related technologies, biological samples are typically first placed in test tubes, and then sealed with a sealing bag, such as the sealed bag in Chinese patent application number 202022176831.8. The sealed biological sample is placed in a refrigerator; that is, the test tube containing the biological sample is placed inside the sealed bag, which is sealed with a strip to prevent unauthorized opening or replacement of the blood sample, thus ensuring the validity of the evidence. However, the sealed bags are large and irregularly shaped, occupying considerable space and making automated storage and retrieval difficult, still requiring manual management, resulting in low space utilization and low management efficiency. Furthermore, existing sealed bags are generally made of paper or plastic, making them easy for someone to puncture with a fine needle and enter the blood sample tube to replace the blood sample, thus compromising the authenticity of the evidence and hindering the control of drunk driving. Therefore, improvements are necessary.

[0179] Therefore, this application embodiment not only provides an automatic storage and retrieval device 1, but also a test tube sleeve for containing test tubes into which biological samples can be placed. This application embodiment first provides an exemplary description of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1, and then provides an exemplary description of the test tube sleeve in conjunction with other accompanying drawings.

[0180] The shell structure of the test tube sleeve is made of a rigid material to facilitate gripping by the robotic arm 32 of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1. It should be noted that sufficient spacing needs to be maintained between the test tube sleeves to ensure proper gripping by the robotic arm 32. However, excessive spacing between the test tube sleeves results in excessive space occupied by the sleeves. To reduce the space occupied by each test tube sleeve, the size of the gripping part of the test tube sleeve is smaller than the size of other parts of the sleeve; for example, the diameter of the gripping part is smaller than the diameter of other parts of the sleeve.

[0181] Example 1:

[0182] See Figures 10 to 14 As shown in the illustration, this application provides a test tube sleeve 80a for storing biological samples. The test tube sleeve 80a has an axial direction D1, which is referred to as the axis D1 of the test tube sleeve 80a. It should be noted that the axis D1 of the test tube sleeve 80a can also be understood as the height direction D1 of the test tube sleeve 80a, or as the vertical direction D1 of the test tube sleeve 80a. It should be understood that when the test tube sleeve 80a contains a test tube 91a, the axis D1 of the test tube sleeve 80a can also be understood as the axis of the test tube 91a.

[0183] The test tube sleeve 80a also has a circumferential direction D2. For example, the plane containing the axial direction D1 of the test tube sleeve 80a and the circumferential direction D2 of the test tube sleeve 80a is substantially perpendicular.

[0184] The test tube sleeve 80a also has a radial direction D3. When the test tube sleeve 80a contains the test tube 91a, the radial direction D3 of the test tube sleeve 80a can also be understood as the radial direction of the test tube 91a.

[0185] For example, at least two structural components can be connected along the axial direction D1 of the test tube sleeve 80a to form the test tube sleeve 80a. It should be noted that at least two structural components can also be connected along the radial direction D3 of the test tube sleeve 80a to form the test tube sleeve 80a. In this embodiment, the number of structural components of the test tube sleeve 80a is illustrated using two as an example. It should be understood that the number of structural components of the test tube sleeve 80a in this embodiment is not limited to two; three or other numbers are also within the scope of protection of this embodiment. The following description, in conjunction with schematic diagrams of different test tube sleeves, provides an exemplary illustration.

[0186] Please continue reading. Figures 10 to 14 The test tube sleeve 80a in this embodiment includes a shell 81a and a cover 82a. The shell 81a and the cover 82a are connected along the axial direction D1 of the test tube sleeve 80a, or in other words, the shell 81a and the cover 82a are connected along the vertical direction D1 of the test tube sleeve 80a, or in other words, the shell 81a and the cover 82a are connected along the height direction D1 of the test tube sleeve 80a.

[0187] The shell 81a has a first receiving cavity 813a and a first opening 814a that are interconnected. The first receiving cavity 813a is used to receive at least a portion of a test tube 91a containing a biological sample. This embodiment of the application uses the first receiving cavity 813a to receive a portion of a test tube 91a containing a biological sample as an example for illustrative purposes. It should be understood that the first receiving cavity 813a can also be used to receive the entire test tube 91a containing a biological sample. It is understood that the test tube 91a containing a biological sample can be inserted into the first receiving cavity 813a through the first opening 814a.

[0188] The shell 81a and the cover 82a are detachably connected, meaning that the shell 81a and the cover 82a can be connected together or separated. When the shell 81a and the cover 82a are connected, the cover 82a covers the first opening 814a, and the shell 81a and the cover 82a together enclose a receiving space 89a for containing a test tube 91a containing a biological sample. The receiving space 89a includes a first receiving cavity 813a.

[0189] For example, the cover 82a has a second receiving cavity 823a and a second opening 824a that are interconnected. The second receiving cavity 823a is used to receive a portion of a test tube 91a containing a biological sample. It is understood that a portion of the test tube 91a containing the biological sample can be inserted into the second receiving cavity 823a through the second opening 824a. When the shell 81a and the cover 82a are connected, the shell 81a covers the second opening 824a, and the first receiving cavity 813a and the second receiving cavity 823a communicate to form a receiving space 89a. Specifically, the first receiving cavity 813a and the second receiving cavity 823a communicate through the first opening 814a and the second opening 824a to form the receiving space 89a.

[0190] For example, both the shell 81a and the cap 82a are made of rigid materials. Compared to paper or plastic bags, shells 81a and caps 82a made of rigid materials are less prone to deformation, easier to grip, and can be held by mechanical equipment such as robotic arms, enabling automated management and improving the efficiency of managing biological samples. At the same time, the rigid material of the shell 81a and cap 82a makes it less likely for a person to puncture the biological sample tube with a fine needle and replace the biological sample, thus more effectively ensuring the authenticity of the evidence.

[0191] It should be noted that the accommodating space 89a formed by the rigid material shell 81a and the cover 82a only needs to be large enough to accommodate the test tube 91a containing the biological sample. In this embodiment, the test tube sleeve 80a is slightly larger than the test tube 91a to accommodate it. Furthermore, the test tube sleeve 80a is not easily deformed, and the space it occupies after being stored in the predetermined position is constant. Deformation will not increase the space occupied, thus the test tube sleeve 80a occupies little space and can utilize storage space more effectively. The test tube sleeve 80a is stored in a predetermined position, such as a sample storage unit of an automated biological sample retrieval device. Therefore, in this embodiment, the test tube sleeve 80a occupies little space and can utilize storage space more effectively.

[0192] This embodiment mainly illustrates the use of test tube sleeve 80a to accommodate one test tube 91a. During the blood drawing process, it is usually necessary to draw biological samples from 1-3 test tubes from the subject. To facilitate the management of biological samples, several test tubes from the same subject can be placed in the same test tube sleeve 81a for storage. For example, when a test tube sleeve 80a contains one test tube 91a, the shape of the accommodating space 89a of the test tube sleeve 81a matches the external shape of the one test tube 91a; when a test tube sleeve 80a contains two test tubes 91a, the shape of the accommodating space 89a of the test tube sleeve 81a matches the external shape of the two test tubes 91a arranged parallel to each other and side by side; when a test tube sleeve 80a contains three test tubes 91a, the shape of the accommodating space 89a of the test tube sleeve 81a can match the external shape of the three test tubes 91a arranged parallel to each other and side by side, or it can match the external shape of the three test tubes 91a arranged parallel to each other and adjacent to each other.

[0193] For example, the test tube sleeve 80a has a top end 87a and a bottom end 88a. Specifically, both the shell 81a and the cover 82a are cylindrical, open at one end and closed at the other. The closed end of the shell 81a is the bottom 88a of the test tube sleeve 80a, and the closed end of the cover 82a is the top 87a of the test tube sleeve 80a. The connection between the shell 81a and the cover 82a is the middle of the test tube sleeve 80a. The opening direction of the shell 81a and the cover 82a is consistent with the axial direction of the test tube 91a. When the test tube 91a is inserted, the shell 81a and the cover 82a are fitted onto the test tube 91a from the top and bottom ends, so that the test tube 91a is accommodated within the accommodating space 89a formed by the shell 81a and the cover 82a.

[0194] To prevent the test tube sleeve 80a from being opened without authorization, resulting in sample damage, loss, or replacement, a seal 92a needs to be affixed to the connection between the shell 81a and the cover 82a. To facilitate the affixing of the seal 92a, in this embodiment, the outer surface of the side wall of the shell 81a has a first seal affixing area 811a adjacent to the cover 82a, and the outer surface of the side wall of the cover 82a has a second seal affixing area 821a adjacent to the shell 81a. The first and second seal affixing areas 811a and 821a are smoothly connected, that is, the second seal affixing area 821a together forms a seal affixing area 85a. The seal affixing area 85a is a smooth, continuous plane or curved surface to facilitate the affixing of the seal 92a. In other words, the seal 92a is affixed simultaneously to both the first and second seal affixing areas 811a and 821a, and the seal 92a covers the junction 86a between the shell 81a and the cover 82a. The seal 92a can be a regular seal or an anti-counterfeiting seal. For example, an anti-counterfeiting seal, once affixed to the first seal affixing area 811a and the second seal affixing area 821a, cannot be completely removed. Forcibly opening the test tube sleeve 80a would also damage the seal. Therefore, by checking whether the seal 92a is intact, it can be determined whether the test tube sleeve 80a has been opened. The anti-counterfeiting seal prevents unauthorized opening of the test tube sleeve 80a, ensuring the authenticity of the biological sample as evidence. It should be understood that the seal 92a covers the junction 86a between the shell 81a and the cap 82a. If the seal 92a is intact, it is determined that the test tube sleeve 80a has not been opened. If the seal 92a is damaged, it is determined that the test tube sleeve 80a has been opened.

[0195] For example, the first sealing strip adhesive area 811a surrounds the shell 81a along the circumferential direction D2 of the test tube sleeve 80a, and the second sealing strip adhesive area 821a surrounds the cover 82a along the circumferential direction D2 of the test tube sleeve 80a.

[0196] For example, the outer surfaces of the junction 86a between the housing 81a and the cover 82a are smoothly transitioned and coplanar.

[0197] like Figure 3 As shown, the seal 92a needs to have biological sample-related information printed or handwritten on it. Therefore, to increase the area of ​​the seal 92a to facilitate recording biological sample-related information, in this embodiment, the seal 92a is arranged around the circumference D2 of the test tube sleeve 80a and is connected end to end; that is, the length of the seal 92a is equal to the outer perimeter of the seal pasting area 85a. In other embodiments, the length of the seal 92a may also be greater than or equal to the outer perimeter of the seal pasting area 85a. For example, the seal 92a is provided with multiple recording areas 921a, each of which can record corresponding information of the biological sample.

[0198] To facilitate the assembly of the housing 81a and the cover 82a, in this embodiment, the housing 81a and the cover 82a are connected by threads. In other embodiments, the housing 81a and the cover 82a can also be connected by other detachable connection methods such as adhesive bonding or interference fit.

[0199] To make full use of space, multiple test tube sleeves 80a containing biological samples need to be stored densely together when storing biological samples. If the external shape of the test tube sleeves 80a is a cylinder with a uniform diameter at all points, the robotic arm of the automated biological sample retrieval device will have difficulty gripping the test tube sleeves 80a. Increasing the spacing between the test tube sleeves 80a makes it easier for the robotic arm to grip them, but it reduces space utilization. To solve the above technical problems, in this embodiment, a gripping area 822a is provided on the outer surface of the side wall of the top 87a of the test tube sleeve 80a. The diameter of the gripping area 822a is smaller than the diameter of other locations on the test tube sleeve 80a, for use by the robotic arm to grip it.

[0200] Specifically, a clamping area 822a is provided on the outer surface of the side wall of the cover 82a of the test tube sleeve 80a at the end away from the shell 81a. The diameter of the clamping area 822a is smaller than the diameter of other positions on the cover 82a, thus making the cover 82a have a structure that is larger at the bottom and smaller at the top. A clamping part 84a is formed on the clamping area 822a for cooperating with a robotic arm, so that the robotic arm still has enough operating space when the test tube sleeves 80a are densely stored.

[0201] In other embodiments, the external shape of the test tube sleeve 80a can also be set to a cylinder with equal diameter everywhere to save production costs.

[0202] Example 2:

[0203] Please see Figures 15 to 19 As shown, compared with Embodiment 1, the difference between test tube sleeve 80b and test tube sleeve 80a in this application embodiment includes at least the following: the shell 81b and the cover 82b of test tube sleeve 80b are connected along the radial direction D6 of test tube sleeve 80b. It should be understood that test tube sleeve 80b has an axial direction D4, a circumferential direction D5, and a radial direction D6, wherein the axial direction D4 can be referenced to the axial direction D1, the circumferential direction D5 can be referenced to the circumferential direction D2, and the radial direction D6 can be referenced to the radial direction D3, which will not be elaborated here.

[0204] For example, the shell 81b and the cover 82b are fastened together in the left-right direction, that is, the opening direction of the shell 81b and the cover 82b is consistent with the radial direction of the test tube 91b. Thus, when the test tube 91b is inserted, the shell 81b and the cover 82b are fastened to opposite sides of the test tube 91b, so that the test tube 91b is accommodated within the accommodating space formed by the shell 81b and the cover 82b.

[0205] The shell 81b has a first accommodating cavity 813b and a first opening 814b that are interconnected, and the cover 82b has a second accommodating cavity 823b and a second opening 824b that are interconnected. When the shell 81b and the cover 82b are connected, the orientation of the first opening 814b and the second opening 824b is consistent with the radial direction D6 of the test tube 91b. The shell 81b and the cover 82b together enclose and form an accommodating space, or in other words, the first accommodating cavity 813b and the second accommodating cavity 823b are interconnected to form an accommodating space.

[0206] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the connection 86b between the shell 81b and the cover 82b has an interlocking structure to prevent others from inserting a fine needle into the test tube sleeve to extract and replace biological samples. For example, the inner sidewall of the shell 81b has a recessed structure 815b, and the inner sidewall of the cover 82b has a protruding structure 825b. The protruding structure 825b can be placed inside the recessed structure 815b to achieve the interlocking of the connection 86b between the shell 81b and the cover 82b.

[0207] The differences between the test tube sleeve 80b in this embodiment and the test tube sleeve 80a in Embodiment 1 include: the top end 87b of the test tube sleeve 80b is formed by the top end of the shell 81b and the top end of the cover 82b, and the bottom end 88b of the test tube sleeve 80b is formed by the bottom end of the shell 81b and the bottom end of the cover 82b.

[0208] The difference between the test tube sleeve 80b in this embodiment and the test tube sleeve 80a in Embodiment 1 is that the connection 86b between the shell 81b and the cover 82b extends from the top end 87b of the test tube sleeve 80b to the bottom end 88b of the test tube sleeve 80b, while the connection 86 between the shell 81a and the cover 82a is located in the middle of the test tube sleeve 80a, or between the top end 87a and the bottom end 88a of the test tube sleeve 80a.

[0209] The difference between the test tube sleeve 80b in this embodiment and the test tube sleeve 80a in Embodiment 1 includes: neither the first sealing adhesive area 811b of the shell 81b nor the second sealing adhesive area 821b of the cover 82b encircles the test tube sleeve 80b. The first sealing adhesive area 811b and the second sealing adhesive area 821b are smoothly connected to form a sealing adhesive area 85b, which encircles the test tube sleeve 80b. Exemplarily, except for the recessed structure 815b of the shell 81b and the protruding structure 825b of the cover 82b, the shape and size of the shell 81b and the cover 82b are basically the same. The seal 92b can be adhered to the first sealing adhesive area 811b and the second sealing adhesive area 821b, covering part of the junction 86b. Specifically, the seal 92b can be referred to as the seal 92a, and will not be described again here.

[0210] The difference between the test tube sleeve 80b in this embodiment and the test tube sleeve 80a in embodiment 1 includes: the clamping area 822b of the test tube sleeve 80b is formed by a part of the shell 81b and a part of the cover 82b, or the clamping part 84b is formed by a part of the shell 81b and a part of the cover 82b.

[0211] It should be noted that the other structures of the test tube sleeve 80b can refer to the test tube sleeve 80a. For example, the junction 86b of the shell 81b and the shell 82b are smoothly transitioned and coplanar. The embodiments of this application will not be described in detail here.

[0212] Example 3:

[0213] Please see Figure 20 and Figure 21 As shown, compared with Embodiment 2, the differences between the test tube sleeve 80c in this application embodiment and the test tube sleeve 80c include at least the following: the test tube sleeve 80c also includes a movable connecting part 83c that connects the shell 81c and the cover 82c. When the shell 81c and the cover 82c are injection molded, the two parts are connected by a small connecting area and can be opened and closed a certain number of times along the connecting area. The small connecting area is the movable connecting part 83c.

[0214] Therefore, when the test tube sleeve 80c is opened, the shell 81c and the cover 82c do not separate, but are connected by the movable connecting part 83c.

[0215] For example, the housing 81c and the cover 82c are movably connected to switch between an open state and a closed state. When the housing 81c and the cover 82c are in the closed state, the cover 82c covers the first opening 814c, and the housing 81c and the cover 82c together enclose a receiving space for accommodating a test tube 91c containing a biological sample, wherein the receiving space includes a first receiving cavity 813c. For example, when the housing 81c and the cover 82c are in the closed state, the housing 81c covers the second opening 824c, and the receiving space includes the first receiving cavity 813c and the second receiving cavity 823c.

[0216] The housing 81c and the cover 82c are connected by a pivot or a movable connecting part 83c. The cover 82c can rotate relative to the housing 81c via the pivot or the movable connecting part 83c, thereby switching the housing 81c and the cover 82c between an open state and a closed state.

[0217] Other structures of the test tube sleeve 80c can be referenced from the test tube sleeve 80b, such as the first sealing adhesive area 811b, the second sealing adhesive area 821b, the clamping area 822b, the junction 86b, the top end 87b, and the bottom end 88b of the test tube sleeve 80b. The embodiments of this application will not be described in detail here.

[0218] Example 4:

[0219] Please see Figures 22-25 Compared with Example 1, the main difference between the test tube sleeve 80d and the test tube sleeve 80a in this embodiment is that the test tube sleeve 80d is provided with a movable connecting part 83d, and the shell 81d and the cover 82d are connected through the movable connecting part 83d.

[0220] To prevent test tube 91d inside test tube sleeve 80d from obstructing the opening and closing of test tube sleeve 80d, the length of cover 82d is less than the length of shell 81d. When inserting test tube 91d, first open cover 82d, place test tube 91d into shell 81d, and then close cover 82d.

[0221] For example, the length of the cover 82d is much smaller than the length of the shell 81d. It should be understood that the lengths of both the shell 81d and the cover 82d are lengths along the axial direction of the test tube sleeve 80d. The axial direction of the test tube sleeve 80d can be referenced to the axial direction D1 of the test tube sleeve 80a, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0222] Because the cover 82d is small, its sidewall surface area is also small. The seal 92d occupies a large portion of this surface area. If the clamping area 822d is also located on the cover 82d, the robotic arm of the automated biological sample retrieval device might clamp the seal 92d, causing contamination and damage. To prevent contamination and damage to the seal 92d, in this embodiment, the top end 87d is located at the end of the housing 81d furthest from the cover 82d, the bottom end 88b is located at the end of the cover 82d furthest from the housing 81d, and the clamping area 822d is located at the top end 87d. The clamping area 822d can be understood as the clamping part 85d.

[0223] like Figures 14 to 16 As shown, the connection between the shell 81d and the cover 82d is provided with an interlocking structure to prevent others from inserting a fine needle into the test tube sleeve through the connection 86d to extract and replace biological samples. For example, the inner sidewall of the shell 81d has a protruding structure 815d, and the inner sidewall of the cover 82d has a recessed structure 825d. The protruding structure 815d can be placed into the recessed structure 825d to achieve the interlocking of the connection between the shell 81d and the cover 82d.

[0224] The other structures of the test tube sleeve 80d can be referenced from those of the test tube sleeve 80a. For example, the sealing area 85d of the test tube sleeve 80d, as well as the first sealing area 811d and the second sealing area 821d, can be referenced from the sealing area 85a, and the first sealing area 811a and the second sealing area 821a, respectively. These details will not be repeated here. The seal 92d is affixed to the sealing area 85d, and the connection between the seal 92d and the sealing area 85d can be referenced from the seal 92a. These details will not be repeated here.

[0225] For example, the accommodating space 89d, the first accommodating cavity 813d, the second accommodating cavity 823d, the first opening 814d, and the second opening 824d of the test tube sleeve 80d can be referenced to the accommodating space 89a, the first accommodating cavity 813a, the second accommodating cavity 823a, the first opening 814a, and the second opening 824a, which will not be elaborated here. The test tube 91d can be accommodated within the accommodating space 89d.

[0226] To address the above technical problems, this application also provides a method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage of biological samples, which is used in an automatic storage and retrieval device for biological samples, or applied to an automatic storage and retrieval device. The automatic storage and retrieval device can be referred to as Automatic Storage and Retrieval Device 1, and will not be described again here. It should be understood that the method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage of biological samples of this application should at least include an anti-counterfeiting sealing step, an automatic storage step, and an automatic retrieval step. It should be noted that before automatic storage of the biological sample, it is necessary to first perform anti-counterfeiting sealing. Therefore, anti-counterfeiting sealing is a necessary condition for the automatic storage step of the biological sample in this application embodiment. Therefore, this application embodiment incorporates the anti-counterfeiting sealing step into the automatic storage step. The following is an illustrative description with reference to the flowcharts for automatic storage and automatic retrieval of biological samples.

[0227] Please see Figure 26 , combined Figures 1 to 25 The automated storage steps for biological samples include S101, S102, S103, and S104.

[0228] S101: The test tube containing the biological sample is placed into the test tube sleeve, and an anti-counterfeiting seal is affixed to the sleeve to seal and preserve the test tube containing the biological sample within the sleeve's containment space. The automatic storage and retrieval device 1's drive mechanism and robotic arm can be used to place the test tube containing the biological sample into the shell or cap of the test tube sleeve, then the shell and cap are fitted together, and finally the anti-counterfeiting seal is affixed to the connection between the shell and cap, sealing the connection. The anti-counterfeiting seal cannot be completely removed after being affixed to the test tube sleeve. Forcibly opening the test tube sleeve will damage the seal. Therefore, by checking whether the seal is intact, it can be determined whether the test tube sleeve has been opened. Thus, the anti-counterfeiting seal can prevent unauthorized opening of the test tube sleeve, ensuring the authenticity of the biological sample as evidence.

[0229] The test tube sleeves can be referenced from test tube sleeves 80a, 80b, 80c, and 80d, and will not be described in detail here. The test tubes can be referenced from test tubes 91a, 91b, 91c, and 91d, and will not be described in detail here. The anti-counterfeiting seals can be referenced from seals 92a, 92b, and 92d, and will not be described in detail here.

[0230] The automatic storage step S101 of the biological sample in this embodiment can be understood as the anti-counterfeiting sealing step of the biological sample.

[0231] S102: Place the test tube sleeve to be stored onto the transfer component located at the operating station.

[0232] The operation station can be referred to as operation station 11, and will not be described in detail here.

[0233] The transfer components can be referenced from transfer pallet 35, and will not be described in detail here. It should be noted that the transfer components are not limited to transfer pallet 35, and can also be other shapes and structures.

[0234] The test tube sleeve to be stored includes the test tube sleeve as described above, the test tubes placed inside the test tube sleeve, and the test tubes containing biological samples.

[0235] It should be noted that in S102, if the transfer component is not currently at the operating station during the operation of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1, the transfer component will be moved to the operating station 11 before the test tube sleeve to be stored is placed on the transfer component. For example... Figure 27 S102 includes S1021 and S1022.

[0236] S1021: Drive the transfer component to move to the operating station 11. For example, the transfer component can be driven from the transfer station 12 to the operating station 11 by the drive mechanism of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1, such as the fourth drive mechanism 36, so as to realize the return of the transfer component to its original position.

[0237] S1022: The test tube sleeve to be stored is placed onto the transfer component. This can be done by a component of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1, such as a robotic arm, or manually by an operator. It should be understood that the component of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1, such as the robotic arm, is different from the robotic arm 32 of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1.

[0238] It should be noted that the transfer component can contain one or more test tube sleeves to be stored, and this application embodiment does not impose any restrictions.

[0239] In step S103, the drive transfer component and the test tube sleeves placed on the transfer component are moved from the operating station to the transfer station. The drive mechanism of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1, such as the fourth drive mechanism 36, can drive the transfer component and the test tube sleeves placed on the transfer component to move from the operating station 11 to the transfer station 12. This achieves the first transfer of the test tube sleeves to be stored.

[0240] S104: The drive robot moves the test tube sleeve to be stored on the transfer component to an available storage location among the multiple storage positions. The robot 32 can be driven by one or more drive mechanisms of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1 to move the test tube sleeve to be stored on the transfer component to an available storage location 241 among the multiple storage positions 241.

[0241] like Figure 28 As shown, S104 includes S1041 and S1042.

[0242] S1041: The drive robot arm acquires the test tube sleeve to be retrieved from the transfer component and moves it along the opening direction of the storage position to detach it from the transfer component. For example, the third drive mechanism 34 of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1 drives the robot arm 32 to grip the test tube sleeve to be retrieved from the transfer component and move it along the opening direction of the storage position to detach it from the transfer component. The movement of the test tube sleeve to be retrieved along the opening direction of the storage position can be understood as the movement of the test tube sleeve to be retrieved along the opening direction of the receiving hole of the transfer component, or as the axial movement of the test tube or test tube sleeve, or as... Figures 2 to 9 The defined Z-axis direction. This enables the second transfer of the test tube sleeves to be stored.

[0243] S1042: The driving robot moves along an opening direction different from the storage position to an available storage position among the multiple storage positions. For example, the first drive mechanism 31 and the second drive mechanism 33 of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1 jointly drive the robot 32 and the storage tray 24 with the storage position 241 to move together to align the robot 32 with the available storage position 241 among the multiple storage positions, realize the positioning of the test tube sleeve to be stored with the storage position 241 to be placed, and then the robot 32 places the test tube sleeve to be stored into the storage position 241 that has been positioned, thus realizing the storage of the test tube sleeve.

[0244] like Figure 29 As shown, S1042 includes S10421 and S10422.

[0245] S10421: Drive the robotic arm to move along the row direction of the plurality of storage positions to align the robotic arm with a row of storage positions of the plurality of storage positions. For example, the second drive mechanism 33 of the automatic storage device 1 drives the robotic arm 32 to move along the row direction of the plurality of storage positions 241 to align the robotic arm 32 with a row of storage positions 241 of the plurality of storage positions 241.

[0246] It should be understood that the multiple storage positions 241 and the receiving holes of the transfer components, such as receiving holes 351, are arranged in a row and column pattern, which can be used as a reference. Figure 6 and Figure 9 ,as well as Figure 6 and Figure 9 The specific details will not be elaborated upon here.

[0247] The second drive mechanism 33 driving the robot arm 32 to move along the row direction of the multiple storage positions 241 can be understood as the second drive mechanism 33 driving the robot arm 32 along... Figures 2 to 9 Move along the defined Y-axis direction.

[0248] In this context, the alignment of the robotic arm 32 with a row of storage bits 241 of the multiple storage bits 241 can be understood as the alignment of the robotic arm 32 with the target row of storage bits 241 of the multiple storage bits 241.

[0249] In this context, the robotic arm 32 is aligned with a row of storage positions 241 of the multiple storage positions 241. This can be understood as the robotic arm 32 acquiring, for example, a test tube sleeve to be stored, and aligning it with a row of storage positions 241 of the multiple storage positions 241.

[0250] S10422: Drive multiple storage positions to move along the column direction of the multiple storage positions to align the robot arm with a column of storage positions of the multiple storage positions, and drive the test tube sleeve to move to the aligned storage position. For example, the first drive mechanism 31 of the automatic storage device 1 drives the storage tray 24 to move along the column direction of the multiple storage positions 241 to align the robot arm 32 with a column of storage positions 241 of the multiple storage positions 241.

[0251] It should be understood that the multiple storage positions 241 are arranged in a row and column. The robotic arm 32 is aligned with a column of storage positions 241 and a row of storage positions 241. The intersection of a row of storage positions 241 and a column of storage positions 241 can determine a storage position 241, which can be defined as the target storage position 241. This achieves the alignment, or positioning, of the robotic arm 32 with the target storage position 241, that is, the positioning of the test tube sleeve to be stored, which is grasped by the robotic arm 32, with the target storage position 241.

[0252] The first drive mechanism 31 driving the storage tray 24 to move along the column direction of the plurality of storage positions 241 can be understood as the first drive mechanism 31 driving the storage tray 24 along... Figures 2 to 9 Move along the defined X-axis direction.

[0253] In this context, the alignment of the robotic arm 32 with a column of storage positions 241 of the multiple storage positions 241 can be understood as the alignment of the robotic arm 32 with the target column of storage positions 241 of the multiple storage positions 241.

[0254] It should be noted that, in order to effectively preserve the biological samples stored in the test tube sleeves in the storage position 241 for a long time, the driving mechanism of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1 in this application embodiment, such as the first driving mechanism 31, drives the storage tray 24 and the test tube sleeves placed on the storage tray 24 to be stored in the cabinet 21, and can be sealed by a sealing strip.

[0255] The available storage location 241 among the multiple storage locations 241 can be pre-defined. Alternatively, the available storage location 241 among the multiple storage locations 241 can be determined before moving the test tube sleeve to the available storage location 241 among the multiple storage locations 241. For example, as shown... Figure 30 As shown, the automated retrieval step of biological samples further includes S105 before the test tube sleeve to be stored is stored in an available storage location among multiple storage locations.

[0256] S105: Obtain the available storage locations for storing the test tube sleeves to be stored, and determine one of the available storage locations as the target storage location. A controller such as the automatic storage device 1, for example, control unit 40, can obtain the available storage locations for storing the test tube sleeves to be stored and determine one of the available storage locations as the target storage location.

[0257] It should be understood that the row storage position 241 where the target storage position 241 is located, as determined by the control unit 40, is the target row storage position 241, and the column storage position 241 where the target storage position 241 is located is the target column storage position 241. This facilitates the drive mechanism to drive the robot arm 32 and the storage tray 24 to move together to align the robot arm 32 with the target storage position 241. It should be noted that after determining the target storage position 241, the method of using the drive mechanism to align the robot arm 32 with the target storage position 241 is not limited to this; other methods can also be used to achieve alignment. This application embodiment does not limit the alignment method of the robot arm 32 and the target storage position 241.

[0258] in, Figure 30 Steps S101, S1021, S1022, S103, S1041, and S1042 shown can all be involved in the above content, and will not be repeated here.

[0259] Step S105 is not limited to being performed after step S1041; it can also be performed before any of steps S101, S1021, S1022, S103, and S1041.

[0260] It should be noted that the movement of the components and drive mechanisms of the automated storage and retrieval device 1 can be controlled by the controller of the automated storage and retrieval device 1, such as the control unit 40, thereby realizing automated storage and retrieval of biological samples. For example, the control unit 40 can control the movement of each drive mechanism of the automated storage and retrieval device 1, and the control unit 40 can drive the robotic arm 32 to grip the test tube sleeve to be stored or to be retrieved.

[0261] In order to facilitate the control unit 40 in obtaining the available storage space 241 for storing the test tube sleeve to be stored, and to facilitate the retrieval of the test tube sleeve to be retrieved, the automatic storage step of the biological sample in this embodiment of the application further includes steps S106 and S107.

[0262] S106: Obtain the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be stored and the storage location information of the test tube sleeve to be stored. Obtaining the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be stored and the storage location information of the test tube sleeve to be stored can be performed simultaneously or in a time-sharing manner. This embodiment of the application provides an example of time-sharing execution of obtaining the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be stored and the storage location information of the test tube sleeve to be stored. Since the biological sample is contained in the test tube, and the test tube is contained in the test tube sleeve, there is a corresponding relationship between the test tube sleeve and the biological sample. The identification information of the test tube sleeve is the identification information of the biological sample contained within it.

[0263] For example, the identification information acquisition unit 50 of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1 acquires the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be stored. It should be noted that the identification information can come from a label on the anti-counterfeiting seal, such as a QR code label, barcode label, or text label. Specifically, the identification information acquisition unit 50 can be a camera or a barcode scanner, capable of acquiring the identification information recorded on the QR code label, barcode label, or text label. The anti-counterfeiting seal is provided with multiple recording areas, such as recording area 921a, each capable of recording corresponding information of the biological sample; in this embodiment, this is defined as identification information.

[0264] In other alternative embodiments, the identification information comes from an RFID tag disposed on the test tube sleeve to be stored or on a test tube housed within the test tube sleeve. For example, the identification information acquisition unit 50 includes an RFID sensor capable of reading identification information from the RFID tag disposed on the test tube sleeve or on the test tube housed within the test tube sleeve. The details of the identification information recorded by the RFID tag read by the RFID sensor can be found in the automatic storage and retrieval device 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0265] The process of acquiring the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be stored can be performed before the test tube sleeve is stored in storage position 241. It should also be understood that when the identification information acquisition unit 50 and the robotic arm 32 are arranged adjacent to each other in this embodiment, the acquisition of the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be stored can only be performed after the robotic arm 32 has gripped the test tube sleeve to be stored. For example, the acquisition of the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be stored can be performed after step S103 and before step S10422.

[0266] For example, the control unit 40 of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1 acquires the storage location information of the test tube sleeve to be stored. For example, the step of acquiring the storage location information of the test tube sleeve to be stored is performed after the test tube sleeve to be stored is stored in storage position 241. In other optional embodiments, the step of acquiring the storage location information of the test tube sleeve to be stored can also be performed after the robot arm 32 is aligned with the target storage position 241. It should be understood that the storage location information of the test tube sleeve to be stored acquired by the control unit 40 of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1 is the information of the location of the storage position 241 where the test tube sleeve to be stored is currently stored, such as the row coordinates and column coordinates of the storage position 241 where the test tube sleeve to be stored is stored.

[0267] S107: Store the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be stored and the storage location information of the test tube sleeve to be stored in the database.

[0268] This embodiment of the application maps the location information of the biological sample to its identification information, so that the storage location can be found based on the identification information during the subsequent retrieval of the biological sample. To this end, the automatic biological sample storage and retrieval device 1 also includes a data storage unit 60 for storing data. A database is established in the data storage unit 60, and the identification information of the biological sample and its location information are stored in the data storage unit 60 in correspondence. For example, the data storage unit 60 is a storage medium that allows for repeated writing and deletion of data, such as a hard disk.

[0269] It should be noted that the data storage unit 60 can also store the occupancy information of biological samples stored in each storage slot 241, as well as the empty slot information of unstored biological samples, according to the control instructions of the control unit 40. This facilitates the control unit 40 in obtaining available storage slots 241 from each storage slot 241.

[0270] For example, the control unit 40 can also inventory the biological samples based on the identification information of each biological sample recorded in the data storage unit 60, without the need for manual inventory. For instance, the control unit 40 can determine the location information of each storage location 241 based on the identification information of each biological sample recorded in the data storage unit 60, such as which storage locations 241 are occupied by biological samples and which are not. Storage locations 241 not occupied by biological samples can also be referred to as available storage locations 241.

[0271] The above describes the steps for automatically storing biological samples according to embodiments of this application. The steps for automatically retrieving biological samples are described below with reference to other accompanying drawings.

[0272] like Figure 31 As shown, the automated extraction steps for biological samples include S201 and S202.

[0273] S201: The robotic arm retrieves the test tube sleeve to be taken from the storage location and places it on the transfer component located at the transfer station. For example, one or more drive mechanisms of the automated storage and retrieval device 1 drive the robotic arm, such as robotic arm 32, to grip the test tube sleeve to be taken from the storage location 241 and place it on the transfer component located at the transfer station 12. In conjunction with the automated storage and retrieval device 1 and the automated biological sample storage step, when the control unit 40 receives an instruction to retrieve the test tube sleeve, the control unit 40 controls the first drive mechanism 31 to pull out the storage tray 24 to expose the test tube sleeve to be taken, and controls the second drive mechanism 33 to move the robotic arm 32 above the test tube sleeve to be taken, or controls the second drive mechanism 33 and the third drive mechanism 34 to jointly move the robotic arm 32 above the test tube sleeve to be taken and grip it. Then, the control unit 40 controls the second drive mechanism 33 and the third drive mechanism 34 to drive the robotic arm 32 to move to the transfer station 12. When the transfer component is located at the transfer station 12, the control unit 40 controls the robotic arm 32 to place the test tube sleeve it is holding onto the transfer component. If the transfer component is not currently at the transfer station 12, the control unit 40 controls the drive mechanism, such as the fourth drive mechanism 36, to drive the transfer component to move to the transfer station 12. Please refer to [link / reference needed] for details. Figure 32 Step S201 includes steps S2011 and S2012.

[0274] Among them, step S2011: drive the transfer component to move to the transfer station.

[0275] In step S2012, the robotic arm is driven to retrieve the test tube sleeve to be taken out from the storage position and place it on the transfer component.

[0276] It should be noted that in the fourth embodiment of this application, the driving mechanism 36 drives the transfer component to move to the transfer station 12 before the robot arm 32 places the test tube sleeve to be taken out before the transfer component.

[0277] In step S202, the drive transfer component and the test tube sleeve to be retrieved placed on the transfer component are moved from the transfer station to the operating station. A fourth drive mechanism 36, such as that of the automatic storage and retrieval device 1, drives the transfer component and the test tube sleeve to be retrieved placed on the transfer component from the transfer station 12 to the operating station 11.

[0278] It should be understood that, except for S101, the test tube sleeves defined in the automatic storage step of the biological sample in the embodiments of this application and the automatic retrieval step of the biological sample, such as the test tube sleeve to be stored and the test tube sleeve to be retrieved, both contain test tubes containing biological samples.

[0279] like Figure 33 As shown, after the control unit 40 obtains the instruction to remove the test tube sleeve, in order to facilitate the control unit 40 to confirm in a timely manner the specific location where the test tube sleeve to be removed is stored, the biological sample removal method of this application embodiment further includes step S203.

[0280] S203: Based on the input identification information of the test tube sleeve to be retrieved, retrieve the corresponding location information in the database. It should be understood that the identification information of the biological sample to be retrieved can be equivalent to the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be retrieved. The biological sample to be retrieved is contained in the test tube to be retrieved, and the test tube to be retrieved is contained in the test tube sleeve to be retrieved.

[0281] For example, after the control unit 40 obtains the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be retrieved, the control unit 40 retrieves the location information corresponding to the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be retrieved from the database of the data storage unit 60. For example, the control unit 40 can receive the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be retrieved input from the input unit of the automatic storage device 1. After the control unit 40 obtains the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be retrieved and the corresponding location information, it executes step 201. For example, the control unit 40 controls the first drive mechanism 31 of the automatic storage device 1 to drive the storage position 241 and the test tube sleeve to be retrieved to move out of the cabinet 21, and controls the second drive mechanism 33 and the third drive mechanism 34 to drive the robot arm 32 to move above the test tube sleeve to be retrieved and drive the robot arm 32 to clamp the test tube sleeve to be retrieved. Then, the control unit 40 controls the second drive mechanism 33 and the third drive mechanism 34 to drive the robot arm 32 to move to the transfer station 12 and drive the robot arm 32 to release the test tube sleeve to be retrieved, so as to place the test tube sleeve to be retrieved on the transfer component. It should be understood that after obtaining the identification information and position information of the test tube sleeve to be removed, the control unit 40 can control the robotic arm 32 to align with the test tube sleeve to be removed.

[0282] Please continue reading. Figure 33 The biological sample retrieval method in this application embodiment further includes step S204.

[0283] S204: Delete the identification information of the retrieved test tube sleeves from the database. For example, after the test tube sleeve to be retrieved has been taken from storage location 241, the control unit 40 deletes the identification information of the retrieved test tube sleeves originally stored in the database to save space.

[0284] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval method for biological samples of this application, a test tube sleeve is vertically accommodated in the storage position 241 or in a receiving hole 351. During the process of the robotic arm 32 driving the test tube sleeve, it is able to maintain the test tube sleeve in a vertical state. The vertical state of the test tube sleeve, or the vertical accommodation of the test tube sleeve, can be referred to... Figures 2 to 9 The Z-axis direction shown will not be elaborated further here.

[0285] The above is an exemplary description of the automatic extraction steps of biological samples according to embodiments of this application. The monitoring steps of biological samples are described below with reference to other accompanying drawings.

[0286] like Figure 34 As shown, the monitoring steps for biological samples include S301 and S302.

[0287] S301: Obtain the temperature information of the environment where the biological sample stored in the storage location is located. For example, the cabinet 21 used to store the test tube sleeve is equipped with a temperature sensor. In this embodiment of the application, the temperature sensor can be used to obtain the temperature information of the environment where the test tube sleeve or biological sample stored in the storage location 241 is located.

[0288] S302: Adjust the temperature of the environment containing the biological sample to the target temperature based on the temperature information. For example, the control unit 40 can acquire the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor and compare it with preset temperature information. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is higher than the preset temperature, the control unit 40 adjusts the temperature of the environment containing the biological sample to the target temperature. The target temperature can be set according to actual needs. For example, the target temperature can be set to approximately -16 degrees Celsius. This allows for the effective preservation of the biological sample for a long period.

[0289] like Figure 35 As shown, the monitoring steps for biological samples include S303 and S304.

[0290] S303: Record the storage time of biological samples stored in storage location. For example, when the test tube sleeve to be stored is stored in storage location 241, or later, the control unit 40 can store the storage time of the test tube sleeve to be stored in storage location 241 in the database, thereby recording the storage time of biological samples stored in storage location 241.

[0291] S304: Determine whether a biological sample has exceeded its storage period based on its storage time. The control unit 40 can determine whether a biological sample has exceeded its storage period based on its storage time. This enables effective preservation of biological samples and prevents them from exceeding their storage period.

[0292] For example, when the control unit 40 determines that a biological sample is about to reach its storage expiration date based on its storage time, the control unit 40 can control the prompting component to send a prompt message. This prompt message includes, but is not limited to, audio and text messages. This allows operators to promptly understand the storage status of each biological sample.

[0293] It should be noted that the embodiments of the anti-counterfeiting seal and automatic storage and retrieval method for biological samples in this application have the beneficial effects of the above-mentioned automatic storage and retrieval device 1 and the test tube sleeves of various embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0294] This application mainly illustrates the use of blood storage in the embodiments, such as blood samples. However, the automatic storage and retrieval device 1 in this application can not only be used to store blood samples, but also to store other biological samples such as urine, saliva, and hair.

[0295] The above provides a detailed description of the automatic storage and retrieval device and method for biological samples provided in the embodiments of this application. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval of biological samples, used in an automatic storage and retrieval device for biological samples, characterized in that, The automated biological sample storage and retrieval device includes an operating station, a transfer station, multiple storage positions, a transfer component, and a robotic arm. The storage positions are used to store test tube sleeves containing biological samples. The robotic arm, when driven, can move axially along the test tube sleeve to insert or remove test tube sleeves containing biological samples from above the storage positions. The test tube sleeve includes an anti-counterfeiting seal and a shell and cap made of rigid material. The shell and cap are connected by a sleeve connection, and together they form a receiving space for accommodating test tubes containing biological samples. The shape of the accommodating space matches the external shape of the test tube; the outer surface of the side wall of the shell is provided with a first sealing strip pasting area adjacent to the cover, and the outer surface of the side wall of the cover is provided with a second sealing strip pasting area adjacent to the shell. The first sealing strip pasting area and the second sealing strip pasting area are smoothly connected to form a sealing strip pasting area together; the test tube sleeve has a top end and a bottom end, and the outer surface of the side wall of the top end of the test tube sleeve is provided with a clamping area. The diameter of the clamping area is smaller than the diameter of other positions on the test tube sleeve, for the robotic arm to clamp the test tube sleeve from the top end; The external shape of the test tube sleeve matches the receiving hole of the storage position and the transfer component; the test tube sleeve is vertically accommodated in a storage position or a receiving hole. The anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval method for biological samples includes an automatic storage step and an automatic retrieval step for the biological samples: The automated storage step for the biological samples includes: S101: Place the test tube containing the biological sample into the test tube sleeve and affix the anti-counterfeiting seal to the test tube sleeve to seal and store the test tube containing the biological sample in the containment space of the test tube sleeve. S102: Place the test tube sleeve to be stored onto the transfer component located at the operating station; S103: Drive the transfer component and the test tube sleeve placed on the transfer component to be stored from the operating station to the transfer station; S104: Drive the robotic arm to move the test tube sleeve to be stored on the transfer component to an available storage location among the plurality of storage positions; The automated extraction step of the biological sample includes: S201: Drive the robotic arm to retrieve the test tube sleeve to be taken out from the storage position and place it on the transfer component located at the transfer station; S202: Drive the transfer component and the test tube sleeve to be removed placed on the transfer component to move from the transfer station to the operation station.

2. The method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval of biological samples according to claim 1, characterized in that, S104 includes: S1041: Drive the robotic arm to acquire the test tube sleeve to be removed from the transfer component and move it along the opening direction of the storage position to detach it from the transfer component; S1042: Drive the robotic arm to move along an opening direction different from that of the storage location to an available storage location among the plurality of storage locations.

3. The method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval of biological samples according to claim 2, characterized in that, The storage bits are arranged in a row-column pattern, and in each row and each column of storage bits, the storage bits are arranged linearly. S1042 includes: S10421: Drive the robotic arm to move along the row direction of the plurality of storage positions to align the robotic arm with one row of the storage positions of the plurality of storage positions; S10422: Drive the plurality of storage positions to move along the column direction of the plurality of storage positions to align the robot arm with a column of the plurality of storage positions, and drive the test tube sleeve to move to the aligned storage position.

4. The method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval of biological samples according to claim 3, characterized in that, The column direction of the plurality of storage bits is perpendicular to the row direction of the plurality of storage bits, and both the column direction and the row direction of the plurality of storage bits are perpendicular to the opening direction of the plurality of storage bits.

5. The method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage of biological samples according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The automated retrieval step of the biological sample further includes: [Further details about the step are needed for the automated retrieval of the biological sample.] S105: Obtain the available storage location for storing the test tube sleeve to be stored, and determine one of the available storage locations as the target storage location.

6. The method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage of biological samples according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The automated storage step for the biological samples also includes: S106: Obtain the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be stored and the storage location information of the test tube sleeve to be stored; S107: Store the identification information of the test tube sleeve to be stored and the storage location information of the test tube sleeve to be stored in the database.

7. The method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval of biological samples according to claim 6, characterized in that, The identification information comes from the QR code label, barcode label, or text label on the anti-counterfeiting seal; or The identification information comes from an RFID tag set on the test tube sleeve to be stored or on a test tube contained in the test tube sleeve to be stored.

8. The method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval of biological samples according to claim 6, characterized in that, Prior to S201, the automatic retrieval step of the biological sample further includes: S203: Based on the input identification information of the test tube sleeve to be removed, retrieve the corresponding location information from the database.

9. The method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval of biological samples according to claim 6, characterized in that, Following S202, the automated retrieval steps for biological samples also include: S204: Delete the identification information of the test tube set that has been retrieved from the database.

10. The method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic access of biological samples according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, S102 includes: S1021: Drive the transfer component to move to the operating station; S1022: Place the test tube sleeve to be stored onto the transfer component.

11. The method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage of biological samples according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage of biological samples also includes a biological sample monitoring step, which includes: S301: Obtain the temperature information of the environment where the biological sample stored in the storage location is located; S302: Adjust the temperature of the environment in which the biological sample is located to the target temperature based on the temperature information.

12. The method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval of biological samples according to claim 11, characterized in that, The monitoring steps for the biological samples also include: S303: Record the storage time of the biological sample in the storage location; S304: Determine whether a biological sample has exceeded its storage period based on the storage time of the biological sample.

13. The method for anti-counterfeiting sealing and automatic storage and retrieval of biological samples according to claim 1, characterized in that, in, During the process of the robotic arm driving the test tube sleeve, the test tube sleeve is kept in a vertical position.

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