STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING MATERIAL

Abstract

A storage system for storing material such as sample tube caps comprises a drawer with a reservoir, the drawer being movable between a first position and a second position. A storage container is arranged below the reservoir of the drawer when the drawer is arranged in the first position. A transport device is configured to retrieve material from the storage container and to transport the material out of the storage container. Therein, the reservoir of the drawer comprises a bottom with at least one closable opening.

Claims

1. A storage system for storing material such as sample tube caps, comprising: a drawer comprising a reservoir, the drawer being movable between a first position and a second position, a storage container arranged below the reservoir of the drawer when the drawer is arranged in the first position, and a transport device configured to retrieve material from the storage container and to transport the material out of the storage container, wherein the reservoir of the drawer comprises a bottom with at least one closable opening.

2. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein, when the drawer is arranged in the first position, the at least one closable opening is open so that material drops from the reservoir into the storage container, and/or wherein, when the drawer is arranged in the second position, the at least one closable opening is closed so that the reservoir is configured to receive material.

3. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein the bottom of the reservoir comprises a plurality of closable openings which are jointly operable in that the plurality of closable openings are jointly opened when the drawer is moved from the second position into the first position and the plurality of closable openings are jointly closed when the drawer is moved from the first position into the second position.

4. The storage system according to claim 3, wherein the closable openings are substantially evenly distributed in the bottom of the reservoir of the drawer.

5. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir of the drawer comprises at least one tapered element arranged so that material in the reservoir moves toward the at least one closable opening.

6. The storage system according to claim 1, comprising a release mechanism configured to: open the at least one closable opening when the drawer is moved into the first position, and close the at least one closable opening when the drawer is moved out of the first position.

7. The storage system according to claim 6, wherein the release mechanism comprises at least one slidable element configured to: slide at least partially over the at least one closable opening when the drawer is moved out of the first position, thereby closing the at least one closable opening, and slide at least partially away from the closable opening when the drawer is moved into the first position, thereby opening the at least one closable opening.

8. The storage system according to claim 7, wherein the release mechanism comprises at least one magnet arranged to control the sliding movement of the slidable element of the release mechanism.

9. The storage system according to claim, wherein the drawer comprises at least one first magnet arranged to interact with at least one first counter-element of the slidable element so that the slidable element is locked in a state in which the slidable element closes the closable opening when the drawer is in the second position, the slidable element comprises at least one second magnet (27) arranged to interact with at least one second counter-element (17) of the storage system so that the slidable element slides away from the closable opening when the drawer is moved into the first position, and when the drawer is moved out of the first position, the at least one second magnet interacts (27) with the at least one second counter-element (17) so that the slidable element slides over the closable opening until the first magnet interacts with the first counter-element, thereby locking the slidable element in the state in which the slidable element closes the closable opening.

10. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein the transport device is configured to retrieve and transport the material at a substantially constant pace, and/or substantially independent of the position of the drawer.

11. The storage system according to claim 1, comprising a material sensor configured to detect whether a material fill level in the storage container is below a predefined value.

12. The storage system according to claim 1, comprising an electromagnet operable to lock the drawer in the first position and to release the drawer from the first position.

13. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein the drawer and the reservoir are configured to receive sample tube caps in the second position and to drop the sample tube caps through the closable opening into the storage container in the first position.

14. A method for storing material such as sample tube caps in a storage system, comprising the steps: moving a drawer comprising a reservoir from a first position into a second position, receiving material into the reservoir of the drawer when the drawer is arranged in the second position, moving the drawer into the first position where at least one closable opening in the bottom of the reservoir is opened, and releasing the material through the closable opening into a storage container arranged below the drawer when the drawer is arranged in the first position.

15. The method for storing material according to claim 14, comprising the further steps of retrieving material from the storage container and transporting the material out of the storage container by a transport device, wherein the transport device may retrieve and transport the material at a substantially constant pace, and/or substantially independent of the position of the drawer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] Embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the figures. Features of the embodiments shown in the figures may be combined with alternative embodiments. Reference numbers identify identical or similar features of different embodiments. The embodiments as shown by:

[0051] FIG. 1 a cross section of a storage system comprising a drawer;

[0052] FIG. 2A a perspective view of the drawer in an opened, second position;

[0053] FIG. 2B a side view of the drawer in an opened, second position;

[0054] FIG. 3A a perspective view of the drawer in a closed, first position; and

[0055] FIG. 3B a side view of the drawer in a closed, first position.

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a storage system 1. The storage system 1 comprises a storage container 10 provided as substantially cuboid box. The storage container 10 is configured to receive and store material, in particular consumable material such as sample tube caps. The storage container 10 comprises lateral walls that limit a storage space for the material in the lateral directions.

[0057] The storage container 10 comprises an inclined bottom 11 that is substantially shaped like a hopper. The inclined bottom 11 comprises at least one lowest portion 12 towards which the inclined bottom 11 is inclined. Thus, material stored in the storage container 10 automatically moves towards the lowest portion 12 driven by gravity. At the lowest portion 12, the material is received by a transport device 30. The transport device 30 comprises a conveyor for conveying the material from the lowest portion 12 out of the storage container 10, e.g. to an access point. Outside of the storage container 10, some pieces of the material may be grabbed and/or used by another machine, e.g. a robot.

[0058] In an embodiment, the storage container 10 is used to store sample tube caps. In this embodiment, the transport device 30 receives sample tube caps at the lowest portion 12 of the inclined bottom 11 and transports said sample tube caps out of the storage container 10. Outside of the storage container 10, the sample tube caps may be grabbed by a robot that uses said sample tube caps to close sample tubes.

[0059] The storage space provided by the storage container 10 is limited in an upwards direction by a drawer 20 that is shown in FIG. 1 in a first, closed position. In its first, closed position, the drawer 20 is arranged as an upper wall of the storage container 10. The drawer 20 can be moved out of its first position into an extended, second position (not shown in FIG. 1) in which it extends out of the storage container 10. The storage container 10 further comprises an upper wall 13 above the drawer 20 that limits the storage space in an upwards direction.

[0060] FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of the drawer 20 in a second, extended position. The drawer 20 comprises slide rails 24, which connect two opposite sides of the drawer 20 to the inside of the storage container 10 (see FIG. 1). The drawer 20 is configured and designed to be moveable from its first position to its second position and from its second position to its first position in a sliding movement along the slide rails 24.

[0061] The drawer 20 comprises a front 23 at a front end of a frame of the drawer. The front 23 is arranged and designed to allow a user to easily operate the drawer and may, e.g., comprise a handle and/or gripping orifice to enable an easy and simple opening and closing of the drawer 20 by a user. When closed, the front 23 may be adjacent to a lateral side of the storage container 10.

[0062] As most common drawers, the drawer 20 comprises a reservoir 29 in which material may be arranged. The reservoir 29 comprises no cover so that material may be placed into the reservoir 29 from above when the drawer is arranged in its second position (see FIG. 2A). The reservoir 29 is limited at four lateral sides by walls of the drawer 20. Said four lateral walls include the front 23 and are provided as part of a frame or as the frame of the drawer 20. Furthermore, the drawer 20 comprises a bottom that forms the bottom of the reservoir 29. At the bottom of the drawer 20, at least one closable opening 21 is arranged. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, the drawer comprises a plurality of closable openings 21, in particular four closable openings 21. In the extended position of the drawer 20, namely in its second position shown in FIG. 2A, all closable openings 21 are closed by a slidable element 25. The slidable element 25 may be shaped like a tablet, comprising multiple holes that are not shown in FIG. 2A.

[0063] The slidable element 25 is slidable between at least two positions. In one position, the slidable element 25 closes the closeable openings 21. In another position, the slidable element 25 is arranged so that its holes are arranged at the closeable openings 21. Accordingly, the shape and position of the holes may correspond to the shape and position of the closable openings 21. Thus, the closeable openings 21 are effectively open (see also FIG. 3A). The slidable element 25 may be designed and arranged to be slidable in a direction parallel to the direction in which the drawer 20 is moved between its first and second position. The sliding element 25 may be slidable in a sliding direction which is parallel to the direction in which the sliding rails 24 extend.

[0064] At the bottom of the reservoir 29 and/or above the slidable element 25, one or more tapered elements 22 may be arranged. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, the drawer 20 comprises a plurality of tapered elements 22, e.g. four tapered elements 22, some of which are arranged between two closable openings 21. Each tapered element 22 provides at least one inclined plane that is inclined towards one of the closable openings 22. Some or all of the tapered elements 22 may be provided as two-sided tapered elements comprising two inclined planes that are inclined towards two adjacent closable openings 21. Furthermore, the drawer 20 may comprise one or two one-sided tapered elements comprising only one inclined plane. Such a one- sided tapered element may be arranged at one or both ends of the drawer 20 that limit the reservoir in the sliding direction. The one-sided tapered element may be arranged adjacent to only one closable opening 21.

[0065] The slidable element 25 may be arranged and/or configured to slide from a blocking position, wherein the slidable element 25 is blocking one or more of the closable opening(s) 21 at the bottom of the reservoir 29, to a releasing position, wherein the slidable element 25 is no longer blocking said closable opening(s) 21, by sliding under one or more of the tapered element(s) 22 which is adjacent to said closable opening(s) 21.

[0066] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, the bottom of the drawer 20 substantially consists of closable openings 21 and tapered elements 22. Therein, the closable openings 21 are arranged between the tapered elements 22. Also, the tapered elements 22 are arranged between the closable openings 21. Thus, because the closable openings 21 are closed, the material within the reservoir 29 rests either upon one of the closable openings 21 or upon one of the tapered elements 22. When the closable openings 21 are opened (see FIG. 3A), the material resting upon the closable openings 21 will fall through the closable openings 21 and into the storage container 10. The material resting upon the tapered elements 22 will slide along the inclined planes of the tapered elements 22 towards one of the adjacent closable openings 21 and, since all closable openings 21 are opened, fall through one of said openings and into the storage container 10. Thus, the tapered elements 22 may ensure that the reservoir 29 is completely emptied out into the storage container 10 when the closable openings 21 are open. The tapered elements 22 and the closable openings 21 may be arranged so that not even a single piece of the material remains in the reservoir 29 when the closable openings are opened.

[0067] FIG. 2B shows a side view of the drawer 20 in its second, opened, and extended position. In this position, the slidable element 25 closes all of the closable openings 21. At a front end of the drawer 20, namely in the vicinity of the front 23, a first magnet 26 is arranged to ensure that the slidable element 25 stays in the position wherein it closes the closable openings 21. The first magnet 26 ensures that the closable openings 21 will be kept closed when the reservoir 29 is refilled. The first magnet 26 may be arranged at the frame of the drawer 20 and interact with a corresponding counterpart, e.g. a first counter-element, arranged at the slidable element 25. In an alternative embodiment, the first magnet 26 may be arranged at the slidable element 25 and interact with a portion of the frame of the drawer and/or the first counter-element of the drawer arranged at the frame of the drawer 20.

[0068] At the front end of the drawer 20, namely at the end of the drawer 20 at which the front 23 is arranged, an electromagnet 28 is arranged. The electromagnet 28 may be controlled by a controller that controls electromagnet 28 such that it is magnetic as long as the drawer 20 is in its first position, namely its closed position (see, e.g., FIG. 3B). The controller may be implemented, e.g., as a software controlled controller. When the drawer 20 is in its first position, the electromagnet 28 is powered so that the drawer 20 may not be opened. This prevents the drawer 20 from being accidentally opened. The controller may be configured to drive electromagnet 28 so that it only releases the drawer 20 when a fill level within the storage container 10 is below a predetermined threshold and/or when it is released by a user.

[0069] The first magnet 26 is arranged to ensure that the slidable element 25 does not accidentally open the closeable openings 21. Therefore, the drawer 20 may comprise two or more first magnets 26 arranged at a front end of the drawer, adjacent to the front 23, at a left and/or at a right side of the drawer 20. The first magnet 26 may be arranged at a frame of the drawer 20 and interact with a counterpart, e.g. a metallic, a magnetic and/or ferromagnetic counterpart, arranged at the front end of the slidable element 25.

[0070] The slidable element 25 may be held within a guiderail 25′ so that it may slide within the guiderail 25′ between a closed position (see FIG. 2B) and an opened position (see FIG. 3B). The guide rail 25′ may be fixed to the frame of the drawer 20. At a back end of the drawer, namely at an end that is opposed to the front 23, at least one second magnet 27 is arranged at the slidable element 25. At said back end, two or more second magnets 27 may be arranged.

[0071] FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of the drawer 20 in its first position. In said first position, the drawer 20 is closed and pushed into the storage container 10. In the first position of the drawer 20, the closable openings 21 are open. Thus, as described above, the material arranged in the reservoir 29 may drop through the closable openings 21 into the storage container 10.

[0072] In the first position of the drawer, the slidable element 25 is in a different position relative to the frame of the drawer 20 than when the drawer 20 is its second position.

[0073] FIG. 3B shows a side view of the drawer 20 in its first position. As shown in FIG. 3B, in particular in comparison with FIG. 2B, the slidable element 25 is arranged in a position closer to the front 23 of the drawer 20. When the drawer is moved from its second position (as shown in FIG. 2B) into its first position, the slidable element 25 moves together with the frame of the drawer 20 (held by the first magnet 26) until it contacts a second counter-element 17 with its second magnets 27. The second counter-element 17 may be arranged inside of the storage container 10. The second counter-element 17 is designed and arranged to form a stop impeding any further movement of the backside of the slidable element 25 into the storage container 10. However, the frame of the drawer 20, the guiderail 25′, and the reservoir 29 may be pushed into the storage container 10 further than the slidable element 25. Thus, the slidable element 25 is pushed—relative to the guiderail 25′—towards the front 23. Since the guiderail 25′ is fixed to the frame of a drawer 20, the slidable element 25 moves relative to the frame of the drawer 20 and, in particular, relative to the closable openings 21. The slidable element 25 moves relative of the closable openings 21 until the position of its holes correspond to the position of the closable openings 21. Thus, the closable openings 21 are opened.

[0074] The storage container 10 comprises as many second counter-elements 17 as the drawer 20 comprises second magnets 27. The second counter-elements 17 may be metallic, ferromagnetic, and/or magnetic. Furthermore, the second counter-element 17 may be provided with a suspension to cushion the slidable movement of the drawer 20 into the storage container 10. Also, the slidable element 25 may be provided with a suspension to cushion the sliding movement of the slidable element 25 relative to the drawer 20, e.g., within guiderails 25′.

[0075] When the drawer 20 is pulled out of its first position (as shown in FIG. 3B) and towards its second position (as shown in FIG. 2B), a magnetic force between the second magnets 27 and the second counter-elements 17 pull the slidable element 25 out of its opened position and in a direction away from the front 23. Thereby, the closable openings 21 are closed. In this position, the first magnets 26 may ensure that the slidable element 25 is fixed in its closed state.

[0076] In an alternative embodiment, the second counter-elements 17 may be provided as magnets and the second magnets 27 may be provided as counter-elements thereof. Thus, the second magnets may either be arranged at the end of the slidable element 25 that is opposed to the front 23 or as buffer at the storage container 10, as shown in FIG. 3B with the reference sign 17.

[0077] The storage system 1 as shown in FIG. 1 may be configured so that the transport device 30 may be driven substantially independent of the position of the drawer 20. Thereby, the transport device 30 may provide a substantially constant supply of material, e.g., of sample tube caps, even when the drawer 20 is opened for a refill.

[0078] The storage container 10 may be configured and/or arranged to store any consumable material, namely material that is frequently required and/or “consumed” in an automatic system.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0079] 1 storage system [0080] 10 storage container [0081] 11 inclined bottom [0082] 12 lowest portion [0083] 13 upper wall [0084] 17 second counter-element [0085] 20 drawer [0086] 21 closable opening [0087] 22 tapered element [0088] 23 front [0089] 24 slide rail [0090] 25 slidable element [0091] 25′ guide rail [0092] 26 first magnet [0093] 27 second magnet [0094] 28 electromagnet [0095] 29 reservoir [0096] 30 transport device