Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Analyzer – structured indicator – or manipulative laboratory... – Sample mechanical transport means in or for automated...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-18
2001-01-23
Warden, Jill (Department: 1743)
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
Analyzer, structured indicator, or manipulative laboratory...
Sample mechanical transport means in or for automated...
C422S063000, C422S067000, C422S091000, C422S105000, C422S107000, C422S108000, C436S047000, C436S048000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06177050
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to laboratory conveyor and testing systems, and more particularly to an improved apparatus for positioning a specimen container in a predetermine location for retrieval by a robotic arm of an automated laboratory system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Automated laboratory systems utilize standardized carrier units which travel about conveyors or are otherwise transported throughout a laboratory, to convey individual specimen containers to various testing apparatus. Examples of such specimen carriers may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,589,137 to Markin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,922 to Markin et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,743 to Markin. Each of the specimen carriers noted above includes a plurality of openings having various depths and sizes for the receipt of a variety of sizes of specimen containers, including test tubes, vials and the like.
Robotic equipment utilized to retrieve an individual specimen container from a specimen carrier unit is programmed to move a pair of grasping jaws to a predetermine location, clamp the jaws together about the specimen container located at the location, and then raising and transporting the specimen container to the desired location. However, the use of a specimen carrier which provides a plurality of locations in which the specimen container may be located and/or a plurality of sizes of specimen container, causes a problem for such robotic equipment. It is difficult and complicated to program a piece of robotic equipment to detect the specific location of a specimen container within a specimen carrier, center the grasping arms at the sensed location of the container, and then grasp and remove the container. In order to assure that the robotic arm will securely grasp and remove the specimen container, the container must be precisely positioned at a single predetermined location programmed into the robotic arm.
This also can be a problem with a specimen carrier having only a single opening for a specimen container. If the carrier is not stopped and positioned precisely, the robotic arm may not properly grasp and remove a specimen container from the carrier, or may completely miss the container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for positioning a specimen container at a predetermined location for retrieval by a robotic arm of an automated system.
Still another object is to provide a container positioning device which will precisely locate a container supported in one of a plurality of possible positions within a carrier for retrieval by a robotic arm.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a specimen container positioning device which is simple to use, and economical to manufacture.
These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
The container positioning device of the present invention includes a stop mechanism for stopping a carrier moving along a conveyor, the carrier supporting a container thereon. A pair of arms are pivotally mounted to move between an open position permitting the carrier to pass along the conveyor track, and a centering position with forward ends in contact with the container and positioning the container in a centering location. A forward end of a downstream arm is operable to move upstream and contact the container to move the container upstream to the centering location, where the second arm will contact the container to retain it in place.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4391774 (1983-07-01), Dupain
patent: 4835707 (1989-05-01), Amano et al.
patent: 4951513 (1990-08-01), Koike
patent: 5080864 (1992-01-01), Shaw
patent: 5158985 (1992-10-01), Ashihara et al.
patent: 5221519 (1993-06-01), Wuerschum
patent: 5417922 (1995-05-01), Markin et al.
patent: 5427743 (1995-06-01), Markin
patent: 5525298 (1996-06-01), Anami
patent: 5589137 (1996-12-01), Markin et al.
patent: 5665309 (1997-09-01), Champseix et al.
patent: 5948360 (1999-09-01), Rao et al.
Bybee Thomas L.
Zevakina Inna M.
Bex Patricia Kathryn
Frederiksen Mark D.
Koley Jessen P.C.
Lab-Interlink, Inc.
Warden Jill
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