Automated laboratory storage device with automated and manual brake

Abstract

An automated laboratory storage device (10) for holding sample containers (46) comprises:-a laboratory storage device-control device (12); a storage device housing (16); at least one automated transport device (42) outside the storage device housing (16) for transporting the sample containers (46) in the automated sample container material flow (AMF); at least two gates (54, 56, 58, 60, 64, 72) which are arranged at a spatial distance from each other in a wall section (52, 62) of the storage device housing (16) in order to move the sample containers (46) between the interior (18) and the exterior (20) of the storage device housing (16), at least one gate (54, 56, 58, 60) being designed as an automated gate (54, 56, 58, 60); and-at least one automated handling assembly (30, 34) at the at least one automated gate (54, 56, 58, 60) in order to automatically move the sample containers (46) through the automated gate (54, 56, 58, 60) between the automated transport device (42) and the interior (18) of the laboratory housing (16). According to the invention, at least one further gate (64, 72) of the gates is designed as a manual gate (64) in order to allow delivery of the sample containers (46) and / or removal of the sample containers (46) in addition to the automated sample container material flow (AMF).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an automated laboratory storage device for storing sample containers in a storage device and retrieving sample containers therefrom.

[0002] An automated laboratory storage device includes:

[0003] - a laboratory storage device - control device for controlling automated components at and in the laboratory storage device,

[0004] - a storage device housing, in which at least a storage device is accommodated inside to accommodate and output sample containers,

[0005] - at least one automated transport device outside the storage device housing for transporting sample containers to and from the storage device housing in an automated sample container - material flow,

[0006] - at least two gates respectively arranged at a spatial interval from each other in a wall section of the storage device housing for moving sample containers from outside the storage device housing into the storage device housing and for moving sample containers out of the interior of the storage device housing, wherein at least one of the at least two gates is configured as an automated gate, and

[0007] - at least one automated actuating assembly at at least one automated gate for automatically moving sample containers between the automated transport device and the interior of the laboratory housing through the automated gate. Background Art

[0008] Such an automated laboratory storage device is known from WO 2014 / 082944 A1. Such an automated laboratory storage device is typically connected to other stations of a laboratory by an automated transport device, such as a chemical - biological station, a medical testing and analysis station, and a tissue station, such as a labeling station, etc.

[0009] A very important point regarding the economy of an automated laboratory storage device is the duration required for the automated laboratory storage device to store sample containers in the storage device, and the duration required for the automated laboratory storage device to retrieve sample containers from the storage device, i.e., to retrieve the sample containers from the laboratory housing through the gate and to make the sample containers available for further use outside the laboratory housing.

[0010] The automated laboratory storage device known from WO 2014 / 082944 A1 has two automated gates in order to shorten the mentioned duration. One of the gates moves the sample container only from the transport device into the laboratory housing, and the other gate moves the sample container only from the laboratory housing to the transport device. Thereby, the so-called shortening of the throughput time by parallelizing the deposit process and the removal process is achieved.

[0011] Further automated laboratory storage devices are known, for example, from US2010 / 0049358 A1, US 2010 / 0028124A1, US2009 / 0003981 A1 and EP 2 864 796 B1.

[0012] As mentioned above, the automated laboratory storage device is part of an automated laboratory, in which medical, biological or chemical samples are processed and stored as fully automated as possible in sample containers. The main part of the processing of the samples is their chemical, medical or biological analysis.

[0013] Usually, the samples are stored for a predetermined duration so that they can be retrieved and analyzed again if needed for a re-analysis. This storage takes place in the automated laboratory storage device discussed herein. The retrieval of the already analyzed and deposited samples in the automated laboratory storage device accounts for approximately 10% to 15% of the inventory of the automated laboratory storage device.

[0014] In addition to the automated processes in the laboratory system, specific events, such as medical emergencies, may require at least partial manual handling of the sample containers. Although the automated handling of the sample containers takes place particularly reliably. However, in individual cases, manual handling may offer a significant time advantage over automated handling. This means that instead of the automated transport device, personnel bring one or more sample containers to and / or remove them from the automated storage device laboratory.

[0015] Although the above-described automated laboratory storage devices of the prior art already have more than one gate for depositing and / or retrieving sample containers. However, all the gates at the automated laboratory storage device are automated gates that operate only in different directions. This causes the sample containers that are manually, i.e., transported by an operator, to or from the automated laboratory storage device to have to be taken over or provided by the automated laboratory storage device at the automated gate, which causes the manually transported and handled sample containers to conflict with the automated sample container - material flow. This conflict not only causes interference, thus causing a delay in the automated sample container - material flow, but also causes a delay in the manual sample container - material flow, because the sample container - material flow has to "merge" into the automated sample container - material flow at the automated gate. This situation is further exacerbated by the fact that the manual sample container material flow occurs unpredictably in terms of time and quantity. Summary of the Invention

[0016] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to improve the automated laboratory storage device with respect to the compatibility of the above-mentioned automated laboratory storage device with the required manual sample container - material flow.

[0017] The present invention achieves the object at the above-mentioned automated laboratory storage device by providing that at least one additional gate of at least two gates is provided as a manual gate spaced apart from the automated gate, wherein the manual gate is configured to allow the submission and / or retrieval of sample containers in addition to the automated sample container - material flow of the automated transport device.

[0018] By providing a manual gate spaced apart from at least one automated gate, in addition to the automated sample container - material flow, a manual sample container - material flow to and from the automated laboratory storage device can be configured, and the manual sample container - material flow does not interfere with the automated sample container - material flow. Therefore, the sample containers do not have to be manually placed at the automated gate and integrated into the automated sample container - material flow, but can be submitted separately and independently of the automated sample container - material flow at their own manual gate.

[0019] Preferably additionally, but in principle also alternatively within the scope of the invention, the manual gate allows the operator to remove the sample container. Although the delivery of the sample container is a more critical manual process, since the usually unplanned delivery of the sample container at the manual gate is followed by the further processing of the manually delivered sample container inside the storage device housing. Thus, even the usually manually delivered sample container first moves through the manual gate into the interior of the storage device housing and is deposited there in the storage device. However, the manual removal of the sample container at the automated gate can also in principle disrupt the automated sample container - material flow, since the automated manipulation components associated with the automated gate usually have to be paused for the duration of the manual removal of the sample container at the automated gate in order to be able to rule out the risk of injury to the operator performing the removal caused by the moving components of the manipulation components, such as a robotic arm.

[0020] The storage device housing generally has a body that encloses the interior of the storage device housing and is physically separated from the external environment of the storage device housing. The size of the storage device housing, i.e., for example its volume, is related to the storage device capacity of the automated laboratory storage device in terms of the number of sample containers that can be maximally stored. The storage device housing can have dimensions ranging from those of a commercially available refrigerator, which has side lengths in the two - digit centimeter range, via those of a cabinet, which has side lengths in the meter range for at least one side extending in a spatial direction, to those of a building, which has side lengths in the meter range for each of the three Cartesian spatial directions.

[0021] The storage device housing can be temperature - controlled, in particular cooled, by the temperature - control device of the automated laboratory storage device and can additionally or alternatively have a conditioned atmosphere by means of the conditioning device of the automated laboratory storage device, i.e., in particular a gas filling with a predetermined gas composition or / and a determined relative or absolute humidity. The temperature - control device and the conditioning device can be provided at the storage device housing as a combined temperature - control and conditioning device of the type of an air - conditioning facility.

[0022] The automated transport device can be any transport device, and the transport device is configured to transport sample containers. Here, the sample containers can be transported individually or in a sample container carrier. The automated transport device can have a receiving molding part fixedly connected to the drive or transport mechanism of the movement of the transport device for common movement, and each of the receiving molding parts is configured to receive a single sample carrier. The automated transport device can additionally or alternatively be configured to transport the sample containers only in a single sample container carrier. Preferably, the transport device is configured as a conveyor belt, and the sample containers are located on the conveyor belt, optionally with a sample container carrier interposed therebetween. However, it is equally not excluded to have a transport device with a predefined transport section and a transport vehicle provided thereon with its own drive device.

[0023] At least one automated gate and / or at least one manual gate can be formed by an exposed opening in the wall of the storage device housing. The gate penetrates the wall of the laboratory housing. In order to protect the defined atmosphere formed inside the storage device housing, at least one automated gate and / or at least one manual gate can have a closing mechanism that closes the opening associated with the respective gate in the wall of the storage device housing as long as no sample container moves through the opening between the inside and the outside environment of the storage device housing. The closing mechanism can be a passive closing mechanism, such as a flexible curtain or a closing cover pivotable relative to its closed position, such that the sample container moving through the opening associated with the gate moves the passive closing mechanism away from its closed position, and the passive closing mechanism automatically returns to the closed position after the movement of the sample container.

[0024] The closing mechanism can be an active closing mechanism, such as a flap, door or partition that can be moved between a closed position and an open position by an actuator, such that the actuator first moves the closing mechanism to the open position and then moves it back to the closed position again after the movement of at least one sample container through the respective gate. Within the scope of the present invention, a rotatable and movable closing mechanism can also be used.

[0025] In order to reduce the loss of the air-conditioned or conditioned atmosphere inside the laboratory housing when the sample container passes through the gate, the gate can in principle have a closing mechanism closer to the inside of the laboratory housing and a closing mechanism closer to the outside environment of the laboratory housing, such that the gate has its own gate volume that can demarcate from its environment. In this case, each of the two closing mechanisms can be configured as the above-mentioned passive or active closing mechanism. For the purpose of achieving as precise control as possible, the two closing mechanisms are preferably active closing mechanisms.

[0026] The laboratory storage device - control equipment controls processes and components referred to as "automation" in the present application at or / and in the storage device housing, such as the above-mentioned temperature regulation or / and adjustment of the housing atmosphere, the movement of the active closing mechanism, provided it exists, and processes related to the storage device for depositing sample containers into the storage device and for removing sample containers from the storage device. The laboratory storage device - control equipment thus controls air-conditioning facilities that may be present in the storage device housing or at the storage device housing, at least one actuator of at least one active closing mechanism of automated and / or manual gates, and movement equipment at the storage device for depositing and removing sample containers. If the storage device itself is movable, such as a cylindrical storage container that can rotate about its cylindrical axis, the laboratory storage device - control equipment also controls the movement of the storage device. During the description of the present invention, as an advantageous improvement, additional components of the automated laboratory storage device are mentioned, especially components inside the laboratory housing.

[0027] The laboratory storage device - control equipment also cooperates with the controller of the automated transport equipment or controls the automated transport equipment. Thereby, the sample container can stop at at least one automated gate in the action area of at least one automated manipulation assembly and move through at least one automated manipulation assembly of the automated laboratory storage device.

[0028] The laboratory storage device - control equipment also controls at least one automated manipulation assembly to move the sample container between the automated transport equipment and the interior of the laboratory housing through the automated gate.

[0029] In order to reliably transport the sample container to the storage device housing of the automated storage device laboratory, the automated transport equipment can be configured to transport the sample container into the action area of at least one automated manipulation assembly at at least one automated gate by means of an automated sample container - material flow. Similarly, in order to reliably transport the sample container away from the storage device housing, the automated transport equipment can be configured to transport the sample container away from the said action area by means of an automated sample container - material flow.

[0030] In order not to be subject to interference caused by manual transportation processes, the automated transportation device preferably does not serve to guide the automated sample container - material flow towards or away from the manual gate in order to move the sample container into the storage device housing through the manual gate. Thus, the automated transportation device is preferably at a large distance from at least one manual gate, such that for the purpose of feeding the sample container (Einschleusung) into the laboratory housing, it is not feasible to automatically receive the sample container from the automated transportation device through the manual gate by means of any automated manipulation device. The same applies to the opposite direction of movement of the sample container from the manual gate to the automated transportation device. The preferred distance of the automated transportation device from the manual gate ensures, in addition to good accessibility of at least one manual gate, the manual operator without significantly spatially restricting their movement path.

[0031] In principle, it can be considered to cause the arrival of the sample container on the one hand and the removal of the sample container on the other hand by separate automated partial transportation devices. Preferably, the arrival and removal are caused by the same automated transportation device, which also operates additional functional stations of the laboratory in which the automated laboratory storage device is located. For this purpose, it is advantageous if the automated transportation device extends past at least one automated gate.

[0032] In accordance with the above - mentioned advantageous improvement, the automated transportation device preferably does not extend past at least one manual gate in order to ensure unobstructed access for the operator to the manual gate and in order to avoid interference with the automated sample container - material flow caused by the manual transportation process of the sample container.

[0033] In order to ensure the least - disturbed accessibility of at least one manual gate, it can be proposed that at least one manual gate is arranged at a wall section of the storage device housing that points in a different direction than the wall section at which at least one automated gate is arranged. If there are multiple automated gates at the storage device housing, then the automated gates are preferably in the same wall section or the same wall of the storage device housing so that as many of the automated gates as possible can be connected to the automated sample container - mass flow via a single automated transportation device.

[0034] In principle, a wall section having at least one manual shutter and a wall section having at least one automated shutter can be adjacent to each other, for example, two wall sections that are connected to each other via a corner and form a corner of the laboratory housing. According to an advantageous refinement of the invention, a greater spatial and functional separation of the automated sample container - material flow and the manual sample container - material flow can be achieved in such a way that the wall section having at least one manual shutter extends parallel to the wall section having at least one automated shutter, wherein the outer side of the wall section having at least one manual shutter points in a direction opposite to the outer side of the wall section having at least one automated shutter. For example, at least one automated shutter and at least one manual shutter can be arranged at opposite side walls of a preferably square storage device housing or at the front wall and the rear wall of a square storage device housing.

[0035] Although a plurality of manual shutters can be provided at the storage device housing, which can be particularly meaningful in a large storage device housing with a large storage capacity of approximately 100,000 or more sample containers, usually a single manual shutter at the storage device housing is sufficient because the number of sample containers moving in the manual sample container - material flow per unit of time is typically one - seventh to one - tenth of the number of sample containers moving in the automated sample container - material flow per unit of time.

[0036] In principle, only one automated shutter at the storage device housing is also sufficient, although at least two automated shutters at the storage device housing are preferred in order to be able to move sample containers into and out of the storage device housing in parallel.

[0037] At least one automated manipulation assembly can be any automated manipulation device for moving one or more sample containers between two positions spaced apart from each other. At least one automated manipulation assembly preferably comprises or is a multi - axis robot, such as a SCARA robot, as a manipulation robot. Preferably, at least one, preferably exactly one, automated manipulation assembly is associated with each automated shutter, such that through each automated shutter, sample containers can be moved between the interior of the laboratory housing and the external environment of the laboratory housing in an automated manner and independently of the sample container - material flow through another automated shutter respectively.

[0038] If the working and acting area of the manipulation robot is large enough, the manipulation robot can be associated with more than one automated shutter, for example, two automated shutters. A cost - effective and powerful design solution can be achieved, for example, with two manipulation robots and four automated shutters, where each manipulation robot operates two automated shutters.

[0039] To ensure a defined working and movement space in which automated handling components, in particular handling robots, can operate, the automated laboratory storage device has automated handling positions. The automated handling positions are preferably associated with a handling robot which grasps and removes and / or places and releases sample containers therein. Since sample containers are usually accommodated in sample container carriers which are structurally different from those during their transport by the automated transport device, in particular in a laboratory housing, in particular in a storage device, the handling robot is preferably configured to move the sample containers between the automated transport device and the storage device - sample container carriers provided at the handling positions. Here, the sample containers can be accommodated at the automated transport device only in the above-mentioned transport shaping parts or in transport - sample container carriers which can be detached from the automated transport device, where the transport - sample container carriers are structurally different from the storage device - sample containers.

[0040] Preferably, the number of automated handling positions is equal to the number of automated locks, such that at each automated handling position a storage device - sample container carrier can be respectively configured for locking into the laboratory housing through the automated lock.

[0041] For an economically efficient sample container - material flow, the automated handling positions are preferably arranged between the automated transport device and at least one automated lock. Then it is of course possible to receive the sample containers outside the laboratory housing from the transport device, whether as individual sample containers transported in the transport shaping parts or as sample containers transported in the transport - sample container carriers, by means of an automated handling device, in particular by a handling robot, into the storage device - sample container carriers which are configured for the interior of the storage device housing and in particular in a storage device, and to move the storage device - sample container carriers through the automated lock into the interior of the storage device housing. Thus, the duration of the movement process during which the automated lock is opened to enable gas exchange between the interior of the storage device housing and the external environment can be kept very short.

[0042] Within the scope of the present invention, in principle, at least one sample carrier can be directly moved into the interior of the storage device housing by means of a manual shutter. In order to rule out or at least reduce to an unavoidable minimum the access of a manual operator to the interior space of the storage device housing, which could potentially contaminate it, at least one manual shutter can have a shutter transport mechanism which is configured to receive a sample container and to move the sample container through at least one manual shutter between the interior of the storage device housing and the exterior region of the storage device housing. The shutter transport mechanism can be a short conveyor belt which passes through, preferably bidirectionally, an opening belonging to the manual shutter in the wall of the storage device housing, or it can be a rotatable sample container receptacle, such as a rotatable tray, which can be rotated by 180° between the interior of the laboratory housing and its exterior region. The shutter transport mechanism is preferably motor-driven.

[0043] For a subsequent sorting process or for the configuration of sample containers to be discharged (ausschleusen) in a common sample container carrier, at least one automated internal manipulation assembly, preferably including an internal manipulation robot, can be provided at at least one automated internal manipulation position within the interior of the storage device housing. Preferably, at least one internal manipulation assembly, in particular at least one internal manipulation robot, is configured to perform sorting tasks. For this purpose, the internal manipulation assembly can remove and / or place sample containers in the interior of the storage device housing from a storage device - sample container carrier provided at the internal manipulation position.

[0044] Furthermore, the automated laboratory storage device can have at least one of the following additional functional stations:

[0045] - A data detection station which has data detection equipment for detecting data relating to the respective sample containers moved into the storage device housing, and

[0046] - A waste station for collecting sample containers to be disposed of.

[0047] For example, the data detection station can include a barcode reader or a device for reading RFID chips etc., such that the laboratory storage device - control device can compile an inventory list of the sample containers currently accommodated in the storage device housing. In addition, the data detection station helps to place and retrieve sample containers in a targeted manner in the storage device.

[0048] In principle, a single data detection station inside the storage device housing is sufficient, whereupon all sample containers inserted into the storage device housing, regardless of whether the sample containers are transported manually or automatically, must be moved to the data detection station inside the storage device housing. To shorten the travel distance and transport time of the sample containers inside the storage device housing, a data detection station can be provided separately at each gate, or at least a common data detection station can be provided for all automated gates and another common data detection station can be provided for all manual gates.

[0049] The waste station is used to dispose of sample containers whose storage duration has expired, thereby creating space in the laboratory housing for additional sample containers. The storage duration associated with the sample container can be detected via the data detection station and stored in the data memory associated with the sample carrier involved.

[0050] Preferably, the automated laboratory storage device has a data detection station such that the laboratory storage device - control device can detect the associated storage duration or disposal time for the incoming sample containers. In addition, the laboratory storage device - control device is then preferably configured to, based on the data detected by the data detection station, control at least one internal manipulation robot to place sample containers having the same disposal time on a common storage device - sample container carrier. This enables advantageous simultaneous disposal of multiple sample containers, which results in a significant time saving compared to disposing of sample containers individually.

[0051] In principle, it can be considered to sort the sample containers into the storage device - sample container carrier already after a common identical disposal time when the sample containers reach the above - mentioned automated manipulation position. However, this may disadvantageously delay the movement of the sample containers through at least one automated gate into the storage device housing. In addition, through at least one manual gate, additional sample containers can be moved into the interior of the storage device housing, and these additional sample containers have the same disposal time as the sample containers that have already been inserted through the automated gate without being accommodated in a common storage device - sample container carrier.

[0052] The automated laboratory storage device has different loads or levels of busyness during its operation. In many cases, for example, when there is a significantly large amount of personnel work required for the analysis results of the samples to be contained in the sample containers, the number of sample containers transported automatically and / or manually per unit time is significantly less during night hours than during bright daytime periods. Therefore, according to an advantageous improvement of the present invention, the laboratory storage device - control device can be configured to, during a less busy operating phase, control at least one internal manipulation robot to place sample carriers having the same disposal time on a common storage device - sample container carrier.

[0053] The laboratory storage device control device is also designed to detect the number of movements of the sample containers through at least one automated lock and through at least one manual lock per unit time, so as to statistically determine different high-load operating phases of the automated laboratory storage device with respect to the number of sample containers moved through the locks per unit time. Thus, the laboratory storage device control device can predict the operating phases of the automated laboratory storage device with lower load or high load with a certain safety and, in these movement phases, cause sample containers with the same processing time to be sorted into a common storage device sample container carrier.

[0054] For the transport process inside the storage device housing, a transport assembly can be provided inside the storage device housing, which is designed to move the sample container inside the storage device housing. The transport assembly can be used to transport the storage device sample container carrier from the storage device to an automated lock or to a manual lock or to an internal operating position. The operation of the transport assembly inside the storage device housing is also controlled by the laboratory storage device control device.

[0055] While the automated transport device located outside the laboratory housing only moves the sample container to and away from the at least one automated lock, the transport assembly transports the sample container moved into the storage device housing not only through the at least one automated lock but also through the at least one manual lock within the storage device housing. Thus, once the sample container has reached the storage device housing through one of the locks at the storage device housing, the distinction between the originally manually transported sample container and the automatically transported sample container can be eliminated. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] The present invention will be described in detail below based on the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings show:

[0057] Figure 1 A side view showing an embodiment of the automated laboratory storage device of the present application according to the present invention,

[0058] Figure 2 Shown with the top of the laboratory housing omitted Figure 1 A top view of an automated laboratory storage device.

[0059] Figure 3 Shown along Figure 2 The cutting plane shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an automated laboratory storage device, wherein the viewing direction is along Figure 2 in which the cutting plane is perpendicular toFigure 2 an arrow III parallel to the drawing plane of

[0060] Figure 4 showing a cross-section through the automated laboratory storage device along the Figure 2 section plane shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 where the viewing direction is along an arrow IV that is orthogonal to the section plane and parallel to the drawing plane of Figure 2 and parallel to the drawing plane of Figure 2 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] In Figures 1 to 4 , an embodiment according to the invention of the automated laboratory storage device of the present application is generally designated by 10. The automated laboratory storage device includes a laboratory storage device - control device 12 (see Figure 3 and Figure 4 ), and the laboratory storage device - control device is shown only by way of example as a control computer having an integrated circuit and a data memory and being disposed on the top member 14 of the laboratory housing 16.

[0062] The laboratory housing 16 encloses the interior space or interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16 and separates the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16 from the external environment 20. In the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16, a storage device 22 is formed by a plurality of storage modules 24. For better overview, only some of the storage modules 24 shown in the drawings are provided with reference numerals. The storage modules 24 are configured to receive a storage device - sample container carrier 26, where one storage device - sample container carrier is shown at one manipulation position 28 and another manipulation position 29 of the automated manipulation assembly 34, and two additional storage device - sample container carriers are shown at one manipulation position 32 and another manipulation position 34 of another automated manipulation assembly 34, respectively. The additional storage device - sample container carriers 26 are shown at an internal manipulation position 36 in the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16.

[0063] The storage device - sample container carriers 26 at the manipulation positions 28 and 29 are located in the working and grasping areas of a manipulation robot 38, which belongs to the automated manipulation assembly 30. The storage device - sample container carriers 26 at the manipulation positions 32 and 33 are located in the working and grasping areas of a manipulation robot 40, which belongs to the automated manipulation assembly 34.

[0064] These two manipulation robots 38 and 40 are economically advantageously the same manipulation robot and are implemented as SCARA robots in this embodiment.

[0065] These two automated handling assemblies 30 and 34 are located between the laboratory housing 16 and the automated transport device 42 configured as a conveyor belt 44. More precisely, the automated handling assemblies 30 and 34 are located between the front side 16a of the laboratory housing 16 and the automated transport device 42. The automated transport device 42 is also located in the working and gripping area of the handling robots 38 and 34.

[0066] As currently shown, the automated laboratory storage device 10 is part of an automated laboratory system having a plurality of functional stations, which are connected to each other by an automated transport device 42 for a common automated sample container - material flow AMF. In Figure 2 a sample container 46 is symbolically shown exemplarily on the automated transport device 42. This relates to a vial having a cylindrical section, where Figure 2 an observer observes parallel to the cylinder axis of the respective cylindrical section of the vial. Thus, the sample container 46 is symbolized as a circle.

[0067] As Figure 1 shown, the handling positions 28 and 29 are formed at a common workbench 48. The same applies to the handling positions 32 and 33. The automated handling assemblies 30 and 34 are preferably configured identically as functional modules.

[0068] As also shown in Figure 1 for the handling robot 38 as an example, the handling robot can grasp the sample container 46 transported by the automated transport device 42 with the gripping device 50 and move the sample container to the storage device - sample container carrier 26 in its working and gripping area, and vice versa.

[0069] Instead of the individual transport of the sample container 46 shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 one or more sample containers 46 can be transported in a way that they are accommodated in one transport sample container. However, the shown individual transport is still preferred compared to the batch transport in the transport - sample container.

[0070] Each of the handling positions 28, 29, 32 and 33 is respectively associated with an automated gate 54, 56, 58 and 60 in the front wall 52 of the laboratory housing 16, through which the sample container 46 can be moved between the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16 and the external environment 20. Here, the sample container 46 moves through the associated automated gates 54, 56, 58 and 60 only in a way that it is accommodated in the storage device - sample container carrier 26. The corresponding automated gates 54, 56, 58 and 60 are again configured identically. Automated gates are known per se in the prior art and will not be elaborated on in detail here.

[0071] For a manual sample container - material flow MMF, a manual shutter 64 is formed in the opposite rear wall 62 parallel to the front wall 52. The manual shutter 64 is arranged in the rear wall 62 at a spatially distinct distance from the automated shutters 54, 56, 58, and 60 in the front wall 52 for decoupling the automated sample container - material flow AMF from the manual sample container - material flow MMF. Thus, it is feasible for the operator to move one or more sample containers 46 through the manual shutter 64 from the external environment 20 of the laboratory housing 16 into its interior 18 or remove them therefrom at any time and independently of the operating states of the automated shutters 54, 56, 58, and 60 and the automated manipulation assemblies 30 and 34 located in front of them.

[0072] The manual shutter 64 is closed by an external sliding door 66 when not in use, and the external sliding door is shown in Figure 2 in the way of moving to its open position to the left, in which position the operator can engage with the manual shutter 64. The automated sample container - material flow AMF is defined and preset by the extension and movement direction of the conveyor belt 44 or the automated transport device 42, while the manual sample container - material flow MMF is undefined, that is, any movement path leading from outside the laboratory housing 16 to the manual shutter 64 is the manual sample container - material flow MMF. The spatial distance and spatial separation between the manual shutter 64 and the automated shutters 54, 56, 58, and 60 at different walls 52 and 62 pointing in opposite directions along their outer sides 16a or 16b ensure that the manual sample container - material flow MMF does not interfere with the automated sample container - material flow AMF in any of its feasible implementations despite its uncertainty. In the shown preferred embodiment, the automated sample container - material flow AMF and the manual sample container - material flow MMF are physically separated from each other by the laboratory housing 16.

[0073] A transport assembly 68 is provided in the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16, and the transport assembly can move in a channel 70 between storage modules 24 arranged along the front wall 52 and the rear wall 62 on both sides of the channel parallel to the front wall 52 and the rear wall 62. The transport assembly 68 is only shown schematically. The transport assembly has a motion device, also not shown, with a gripping mechanism not shown, which allows the sample container 46 to be received from the automated shutters 54, 56, 58, and 60 and from the manual shutter 64 into the storage device - sample container carrier 26, and to be transported within the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16 and in particular placed in one of the storage modules of the storage module 24. Preferably, the operator transports at least one sample container 46 to be manually gated into the storage device - sample container carrier to and from the manual shutter 64.

[0074] Therefore, preferably, the sample container 46 does not move individually in the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16, but only in the storage device - sample container carrier 26.

[0075] At the automated manipulation components 30 and 34, for example, a data detection device can be provided for each manipulation position 28, 29, 32, and 33 and thus for each automated shutter 54, 56, 58, and 60, for example, in the form of a barcode reading device, in order to catalog the arriving sample container 46 before it is moved into the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16 and to associate it with the storage device - sample container carrier 26, the sample container being arranged on the storage device - sample container carrier for further transportation in the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16.

[0076] Instead of a barcode reading device, the data detection device can use other types of information transmission in order to detect the data coupled to the respective sample container 46. For example, the data detection device can be an RFID reading device that reads the RFID chip carried by the sample container 46. However, since the sample containers 46 are very densely packed in the storage device - sample container carrier 26 and the storage device - sample container carrier is in turn densely packed in the storage module 24, it is preferred to use a barcode reading device as the data detection device in order to avoid false readings.

[0077] Since each sample container 46 is individually removed from the conveyor belt 44 by one of the manipulation robots 38 or 40 when it arrives at the automated manipulation components 30 and 34 and deposited in the storage device - sample container carrier 26, passing the individually grippable sample container 46 through the data detection device means there is no significant time loss.

[0078] Another manipulation robot can be provided at the internal manipulation position 36, which is not shown in the drawing for better clarity. Preferably, the internal manipulation robot at the internal manipulation position 36 has the same structure as the manipulation robots 38 and 40 of the automated manipulation components 30 and 34. However, this does not have to be the case. For example, it can also be a manipulation robot of the same structural type, such as a SCARA, with a smaller size and a smaller working and movement range.

[0079] Since samples containers 46 that are manually inserted into the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16 through the manual lock 64 are not automatically detected in a data-technological manner when passing through the manual lock 64, another data detection device, for example again a barcode reading device or an RFID reading device, can be provided at the interior handling position 36 in order to catalog manually inserted samples containers 46 and / or to re-detect in a data-technological manner samples containers 46 whose data correlation has been lost or otherwise become unreliable for any reason, without having to remove the samples containers from the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16 for this purpose.

[0080] The automated laboratory storage device 10 usually operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During the operating duration, the laboratory storage device - control device 12 can detect and record the load of the automated laboratory storage device 10, for example in the form of the number of movements of the samples containers 46 per unit time, and can determine from the detected data and logs the operating phases with higher and lower loads. In addition, the laboratory storage device - control device 12 can determine regularly recurring operating phases with lower busyness, and can control the internal transport assembly 68 and the internal handling robot at the interior handling position 36 to aggregate samples containers 46 with the same disposal time (i.e., with the same due date) in a sorted manner on a common laboratory - samples container carrier 26 into the operating phases with lower busyness. In this way, it is possible to first move the samples containers 46 from the automated transport device 42 or through the manual lock 64 into the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16 as quickly as possible, and nevertheless to dispose of the samples containers in a sample container - by - sample container manner after the sorting described based on the common disposal time. In this way, it is always possible to dispose of all samples containers 46 on the storage device - samples container carrier 26 simultaneously.

[0081] For this disposal, the laboratory housing 16 has a disposal lock 72. In order not to interfere with or damage the automated samples container - material flow AMF by disposing of samples containers 46 that are no longer needed, the disposal lock 72 is formed on the same side as the manual lock 64, in the present case at the rear wall 62 of the laboratory housing 62. The disposal lock 72 is closed by an external sliding door 74 and by an internal sliding door 76, or can be opened by these sliding doors 74 and 76.

[0082] As in Figure 2 and Figure 3As can be seen, the manual lock 64 has an inner sliding door 78 in addition to the outer sliding door 66. The two sliding doors 74 and 76 of the disposal lock 72 are shown in their closed positions, in which the sliding doors enclose the disposal lock 72, while the sliding doors 66 and 78 of the manual lock 64 are shown in their open positions, in which the sliding doors provide access from the external environment 20 to the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16. By the feasibility of double-sided closing of the manual lock 64 or the disposal lock 72, the undesired loss of the conditioned atmosphere in the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16 can be significantly reduced quantitatively, in such a way that when the storage device - sample container carrier 26 moves through the respective lock, always only one of the two gates of the lock is open while the respective other gate is closed.

[0083] The two sliding doors 66 and 78 of the manual lock 64 can be moved horizontally between their open and closed positions, while the sliding doors 74 and 76 of the disposal lock 72 can be moved vertically between their operating positions.

[0084] It should be added that the automated locks 54, 56, 58 and 60 also each have an inner gate 54i, 56i, 58i and 60i and an outer gate 54a, 56a, 58a and 60a, so that the atmosphere set in the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16 is also impaired as little as possible by the movement of the sample carrier 46 through the respective automated lock. Similar to the gates 74 and 76 of the disposal lock 72, the gates 54i, 56i, 58i and 60i as well as 54a, 56a, 58a and 60a can also be moved vertically between their operating positions. In the drawing, the sliding doors 54i, 56i, 58i and 60i as well as 54a, 56a, 58a and 60a are each shown in their closed positions.

[0085] An air-conditioning facility 80 on the top member 14 ensures that a defined temperature and a defined humidity of the atmosphere in the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16 are controlled by the laboratory storage device - control device 12. For example, the temperature in the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16 can be set to +4 °C.

[0086] When disposing of the sample containers 46 in the storage device - sample container carrier 26, the storage device - sample container carrier is pushed from the interior 18 of the laboratory housing 16 through the disposal lock 72 onto a receiving rail 82 prepared in front of the disposal lock, where the storage device - sample container carrier 26 is held anti-loss. If the storage device - sample container carrier 26 is at rest on the receiving rail 82, then the receiving rail rotates about an axis Figure 2It rotates 180° about a rotation axis D that is parallel to the drawing plane and orthogonal to the rear wall 62 of the laboratory housing 16. More precisely, it rotates together with the nail plate 84 that was originally located below the receiving rail 82. After rotating 180°, the nail plate 84 is located above the receiving rail, and now the storage device - sample container carrier 26 is suspended in the receiving rail. Then, the sample container 46 is again arranged in a suspended manner in the storage device - sample container carrier 26. Through the disposal gate 72, the sample container is only removed from the interior 18 of the storage device housing 16, but not inserted into the storage device housing.

[0087] The nail plate 84 has as many pins 86 as the storage device - sample container carrier 26 has voids for receiving the sample container 46, more precisely in the same grid pattern. The pins 86 of the nail plate 84 are inserted into the corresponding voids of the storage device - sample container carrier 26, thereby pressing the sample container 46 received in the voids downward. The sample container falls into the disposal container 88 arranged below the receiving rail 82, where the disposed sample containers 46 can be disposed of together.

Claims

1. An automated laboratory storage device (10) for depositing a sample container (46) into a storage device (22) and retrieving the sample container therefrom, the automated laboratory storage device comprising: - A laboratory storage device - control device (12) for controlling automated components at and in the automated laboratory storage device (10); - A storage device housing (16), wherein the storage device (22) is provided at least inside the storage device housing (16) to accommodate and output the sample container (46); - At least one automated transport device (42) outside the storage device housing (16) for transporting the sample container (46) to and from the storage device housing (16) in an automated sample container - material flow (AMF); - At least two gates (54, 56, 58, 60, 64, 72) respectively provided at spaced - apart positions in wall sections (52, 62) of the storage device housing (16) for moving the sample container (46) from outside the storage device housing (16) into the storage device housing (16) and for moving the sample container out of the interior (18) of the storage device housing (16), wherein at least one of the at least two gates (54, 56, 58, 60, 64, 72) is configured as an automated gate (54, 56, 58, 60), and - At least one automated actuating assembly (30, 34) at at least one of the at least one automated gate (54, 56, 58, 60) for automatically moving the sample container (46) through the automated gate (54, 56, 58, 60) between the automated transport device (42) and the interior (18) of the laboratory housing (16); It is characterized in that at least one further gate (64, 72) of the at least two gates (54, 56, 58, 60, 64, 72) is provided as a manually - operated gate (64) spaced apart from at least one of the at least one automated gate (54, 56, 58, 60), wherein the manually - operated gate (64) is configured to allow the submission and / or retrieval of the sample container (46) in addition to the automated sample container - material flow (AMF) of the automated transport device (42).

2. The automated laboratory storage device (10) according to claim 1, Characterized in that, The automated transport device (42) transports the sample container (46) by means of the automated sample container - material flow (AMF) into the action area of at least one of the at least one automated manipulation assembly (30, 34) at the at least one automated gate (54, 56, 58, 60) and transports the sample container away from the action area, wherein the automated transport device (42) does not guide the automated sample container - material flow (AMF) towards or away from the manual gate (64) to move the sample container (46) through the manual gate (64) into the storage device housing (46).

3. The automated laboratory storage device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, Characterized in that, The automated transport device (42) runs past at least one of the automated gates (54, 56, 58, 60).

4. The automated laboratory storage device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, It is characterized in that The automated transport device (42) does not run past at least one of the manual gates (64).

5. The automated laboratory storage device (10) according to any one of the above claims, It is characterized in that At least one manual gate (64) is provided at the following wall section (62) of the storage device housing (16): The wall section points in a different direction from the wall section (52) at which at least one of the automated gates (54, 56, 58, 60) is provided.

6. The automated laboratory storage device (10) according to claim 5, It is characterized in that The wall section (62) having at least one of the manual gates (64) extends parallel to the wall section (52) of at least one of the automated gates (64), wherein the outer surface (16b) of the wall section (62) having at least one of the manual gates (64) points in the opposite direction from the outer surface (16a) of the wall section (52) having at least one of the automated gates (54, 56, 58, 60).

7. The automated laboratory storage device (10) according to any one of the above claims, It is characterized in that The at least one automated manipulation assembly (30, 34) has at least one manipulation robot (38, 40) at automated manipulation positions (28, 29, 32, 33), wherein the manipulation robot (38, 40) is configured to move the sample container (46) between the automated transport device (42) and a storage device - sample container carrier (26) provided at the manipulation positions (28, 29, 32, 33).

8. The automated laboratory storage device (10) according to claim 7, It is characterized in that The automated manipulation positions (28, 29, 32, 33) are provided between the automated transport device (42) and at least one automated gate (54, 56, 58, 60).

9. The automated laboratory storage device (10) according to any one of the above claims, It is characterized in that At least one of the manual locks (64) has a lock transport mechanism configured to receive a sample container (46) and move the sample container through at least one of the manual locks (64) between the interior of the storage device housing (16) and the external area (20) of the storage device housing.

10. The automated laboratory storage device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, It is characterized in that has at least one internal manipulation robot at at least one automated, internal manipulation position (36) in the interior (18) of the storage device housing (16), wherein at least one of the internal manipulation robots is configured to remove and / or place a sample container (46) in the interior (18) of the storage device housing (16) from / to a storage device - sample container carrier (26) provided at the internal manipulation position (36).

11. The automated laboratory storage device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, It is characterized in that the automated laboratory storage device (10) has at least one functional station among the following additional functional stations: - a data detection station having data detection equipment for detecting data related to a corresponding sample container (46) moved into the storage device housing (16), and - a waste station for collecting sample containers (46) to be disposed of.

12. The automated laboratory storage device (10) according to claims 10 and 11, Characterized in that, the automated laboratory storage device (10) has the data detection station, and the laboratory storage device - control device (12) is configured to manipulate at least one of the internal manipulation robots based on the data detected by the data detection station to place sample containers (46) having the same disposal time on a common storage device - sample container carrier (26).

13. The automated laboratory storage device (10) according to claim 12, It is characterized in that the automated laboratory storage device (10) has operating phases of different degrees of busyness during its operation, wherein the laboratory storage device - control device (12) controls at least one of the internal manipulation robots during an operating phase with a lower load to place sample carriers (46) having the same disposal time on a common storage device - sample container carrier (26).

14. The automated laboratory storage device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, It is characterized in that a transport assembly (68) is provided in the interior (18) of the storage device housing (16), the transport assembly being configured to move a sample container (46) in the interior (18) of the storage device housing (16).

15. The automated laboratory storage device (10) according to claim 14, It is characterized in that The transport assembly (68) transports the sample container (46) into the storage device housing (16) by moving it not only through at least one of the automated locks (54, 56, 58, 60) but also through at least one of the manual locks (64).

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