External Gripper for Time-Controlled Sample Storage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-conditioning rooms for sample storage face challenges in achieving high packing density with easy cleaning and individual, time-controlled sample removal, as internal conveyor systems are difficult to clean and limit sample access.
Innovation Solution
An air-conditioning room with an external automatic supply and removal device featuring a gripping mechanism that places sample containers into a climatically sealed space, allowing individual sample handling and orientation outside the air-conditioned area, preventing contamination and heat input, and enabling efficient storage and retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If internal conveyor systems are integrated into the incubator to achieve high packing density, then storage capacity is improved, but cleaning difficulty increases and individual sample removal is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is extracted from the internal incubator space and relocated to the external environment. The gripping means operates from outside the climatically sealed space, allowing the incubator interior to remain simple and cleanable without complex internal mechanical components.
2Quantity of substance
If internal conveyor systems are integrated into the incubator to achieve high packing density, then storage capacity is improved, but individual sample removal flexibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor functionality is extracted and positioned externally, allowing individual samples to be gripped and removed at any time without being constrained by internal conveyor timing or sequence requirements.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the feed device is arranged outside the air-conditioned room, then contamination risk and heat input are reduced, but sample handling complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping means acts as an intermediary mechanism that bridges the external handling system and the internal storage space. It provides a simple interface that allows complex external positioning to achieve simple internal deposit without introducing complexity into the climatic chamber.
4Ease of operation
If the gripping means can rotate sample containers outside the climatic cabinet, then sample orientation control is improved, but space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation function is extracted and performed externally by the gripping means before samples enter the climatic chamber. This allows unlimited rotation capability in the external environment where space is available, while the internal chamber maintains its compact design without rotation mechanisms.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to an air-conditioning space (10) for storing samples in a time-controlled manner, comprising a device (22) for automatically feeding sample containers (18) into a climatically sealed space (12) having at least one wall (43), into which a sample container (18) can be inserted into the climatically sealed space (12) through an opening (40, 42), wherein the feed device (22) has at least one drive and control unit, and an incubator receptacle (30) for receiving the samples (18) is provided inside the climatically sealed space (12). The invention is distinguished by the fact that the feed device has an automatic feed arm (22, 24) which grips a sample container (18) from a receiving position outside the climatically sealed space (12) and deposits the sample container (18) there in a clear deposit position in an incubator receptacle (30), wherein the feed arm (22, 24) is arranged outside the air-conditioning space (12), and the sample containers (18) can be individually removed from the climatically sealed space (12) using the feed arm (22, 24).