Drawer assembly for a laboratory instrument
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated laboratory sample handling systems face challenges with racks containing tubes of varying sizes, heights, and contents, leading to manual intervention and potential collisions due to incorrect detection of tube presence, necessitating a mechanism to ensure safe and complete withdrawal of drawers before reinsertion.
Innovation Solution
A drawer assembly with a tapered path and rolling element mechanism that prevents backward movement unless fully pulled out, combined with a stopper element to prevent re-loading if the magazine is not empty, ensuring safe and automated handling by requiring complete emptiness for re-loading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a drawer is used for exception out handling, then manual intervention capability is improved, but safety risk increases due to potential collision when drawer is not fully retracted
Solution Approach 1:
A sensor acts as an intermediary between the drawer position and the robotic handling system. The sensor detects whether the drawer is fully retracted and communicates this information to the controller, which then determines whether robotic operations should proceed. This intermediary sensing mechanism prevents the robotic arm from operating when the drawer is partially extended, eliminating the collision risk while preserving manual exception handling capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback through a sensor that continuously monitors drawer position and provides this information to the control system. The controller uses this feedback to enable or disable robotic operations accordingly. When the drawer is not fully retracted, the feedback signal prevents robotic operations, ensuring safety while allowing manual intervention when needed.
2Productivity
If automated handling is implemented, then productivity is improved, but system complexity increases due to safety mechanisms required
Solution Approach 1:
The safety function is extracted from the main automated handling system and implemented as a separate, dedicated sensor mechanism. This independent safety sensor monitors drawer position and provides feedback to the controller without interfering with the core automated handling operations. By separating the safety function, the system achieves automated productivity while minimizing the complexity addition through a simple, focused sensing approach.
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
Ensures safe and efficient handling by preventing misuse and ensuring drawers are completely pulled out before reinsertion, reducing the risk of collisions and improving automation by requiring complete emptiness for re-loading, thus enhancing the reliability of automated sample handling systems.
Implementation Method 1
a rolling element (148) moveable in the path (138)
Implementation Method 2
The path (138) is configured such that the rolling element (148) is located in the first portion (140) and contacts the drawer (122) when the drawer (122) is moved from the retracted position to the extended position
Implementation Method 3
a lifting mechanism (150) configured to lift the rolling element (148) from the second portion (142) to the first portion (140) when the drawer (122) is in the retracted position
Data Source
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AI summary
A drawer assembly (120) for a laboratory instrument (100) is disclosed that comprises a drawer (122) configured to be loaded with a magazine (104) for receiving vessels (102) for liquids, in particular sample tubes, of the laboratory instrument (100), wherein the drawer (122) comprises a front end (124) and a rear end (126). The drawer assembly (120) further comprises a frame (128) comprising at least one portion (130) arranged adjacent the drawer (122), wherein the portion (130) extends in a longitudinal direction (130) from a first end (134) to a second end (136). The drawer (122) is moveable relative to the frame (128) between a retracted position, in which the drawer (122) is retracted in the frame (128) and the front end (124) is adjacent the first end (134), and an extended position, in which the drawer (122) is extended from the frame (128) and the front end (124) is adjacent the second end (136). The frame (128) comprises a path (138) having a first portion (140) and a second portion (142) below the first portion (140. The first portion (140) and the second portion (142) extend in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction (132). The first portion (140) is tapered towards the first end (134) and facing the drawer (122). The drawer assembly (120) further comprises a rolling element (148) moveable in the path (138), and a lifting mechanism (150) configured to lift the rolling element (148) from the second portion (142) to the first portion (140) when the drawer (122) is in the retracted position. The path (138) is configured such that the rolling element (148) is located in the first portion (140) and contacts the drawer (122) when the drawer (122) is moved from the retracted position to the extended position and that the rolling element (148) is allowed to enter the second portion (142) exclusively when the drawer (122) is in the extended position. Further, a laboratory instrument (100) is disclosed.