Flexible Cryogenic Storage Cassette for Robotic Freezer Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated storage and retrieval systems for ultra-low or cryogenic freezers face challenges with frost formation, thermal expansion, and robotic misalignment, leading to difficulties in inserting and removing storage cassettes, which can compromise sample integrity by causing temperature fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
A storage cassette with thermally insulating side wall partitions, flexible design, and mechanical indexing features that facilitate reliable insertion and removal, while maintaining sample safety and thermal integrity, includes a cap for robotic handling, guide legs for alignment, and closed shelves to prevent convection chimney effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If storage cassettes are made rigid with metal shelves and sidewalls for structural strength, then the cassette can support heavy sample storage racks, but thermal expansion and contraction cause misalignment difficulties during robotic insertion and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The cassette structure is divided into rigid components (shelves, sidewalls) and flexible components (bottom panel with springs). The rigid parts provide structural strength while the flexible bottom panel compensates for thermal expansion and contraction, allowing reliable robotic insertion and removal despite dimensional changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom panel's flexibility parameter is optimized to allow dimensional changes in response to thermal expansion and contraction. The spring mechanism changes its mechanical properties dynamically, providing compliance during insertion/removal operations while maintaining structural integrity when loaded.
2Quantity of substance
If storage cassettes are made tall (about 3 feet or six feet) to accommodate many sample storage racks, then the storage capacity increases, but the weight and difficulty of manual or robotic handling increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cassette incorporates flexible elements (spring-loaded bottom panel) that allow dynamic adaptation during handling operations. This flexibility enables the tall, heavy cassette to be compressed slightly during robotic insertion and removal, reducing the force required and improving handling ease despite the increased height and weight for greater storage capacity.
3Ease of operation
If the cassette is removed from the freezer compartment, then sample access is enabled, but temperature rise occurs compromising sample integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The cassette design segments the thermal environment by using insulated sidewalls and a flexible bottom panel that can be slightly compressed during removal. This segmentation allows the majority of the cassette to remain thermally isolated while enabling controlled access, minimizing temperature rise and maintaining sample integrity during necessary removal operations.
4Loss of energy
If frost formation occurs on the cassette surfaces in ultra-low temperature or cryogenic freezers, then thermal insulation is improved, but dimensional changes and misalignment during insertion and removal occur
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded bottom panel acts as a pre-designed cushioning mechanism that anticipates and compensates for dimensional changes caused by frost formation and thermal effects. This beforehand cushioning allows the cassette to absorb dimensional variations without compromising insertion and removal precision, maintaining manufacturing precision despite environmental factors.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures reliable placement and removal of storage cassettes, minimizing sample temperature rise and maintaining thermal integrity during handling, thereby preserving the integrity of biological or chemical samples.
Implementation Method 1
Separate side wall partitions made of thermally insulating, rigid material span between the shelves
Implementation Method 2
The cassette is generally flexible along its substantially vertical axis... the flexibility enables the cassette to bend as necessary to facilitate reliable placement of the cassette into and removal of the cassette from nesting tubes
Implementation Method 3
closed shelves to prevent convection chimney effects
Data Source
AI summary
A storage cassette including a plurality of generally vertical compartments for storing sample tube racks and/or SBS formatted plates is constructed to be flexible along its substantially vertical axis thereby facilitating reliable robotic placement and retrieval of the cassette from nesting tubes located within a horizontal freezer compartment. Insulated walls and solid shelves minimize heat transfer from storage racks or plates placed in the storage cassette when the cassette is removed from an ultra-low temperature or cryogenic freezer. The outer walls of the cassette includes mechanical indexing locations to ensure appropriate positioning when robotically removing storage racks or plates from the cassette.