Automatic Storing Device Climatic Chamber for Laboratory Objects

Abstract

A storage device, in particular for a climate controlled cabinet, is described. The storage device serves to store laboratory objects, in particular microtiter plates, in shelf racks ( 4 ). It comprises a pickup device ( 17 ) for automatically picking up and depositing laboratory objects from the or into the shelf racks ( 4 ). The shelf racks ( 4 ) are arranged such that they can receive several laboratory objects behind each other. This increases the storage capacity strongly while only slightly increasing space requirements, such that the costs per laboratory object drop. The pickup device ( 17 ) can pick up several laboratory objects arranged behind each other at the same time and bring them to a temporary storage position. From there a desired laboratory object can be withdrawn by means of a separating device ( 30 ) or an additional laboratory object can be added to the other laboratory objects. Then the pickup device can place back the objects into the shelf rack. This allows, with a simple apparatus, to access each individual laboratory object as desired.

1 . Automatic storage device for laboratory objects, in particular microtiter plates, with
 at least one shelf rack arranged along a storage alleys for receiving the laboratory objects above and beside each other and   a shelf access device, which can be displaced along the storage alley and which comprises a pickup device adjustable in height and extendable for receiving and depositing laboratory objects from the or into the shelf rack,   wherein the shelf rack is designed for receiving several storage objects behind each other.   
     
     
         3 . Storage device of claim  2  wherein the separating device is displaceable vertically in respect to the temporary storage position. 
     
     
         4 . Storage device of  claim 3  wherein the separating device comprises a gripper, which can be lowered onto the temporary storage position and by means of which a laboratory object can be engaged laterally. 
     
     
         5 . Storage device of  claim 4  wherein the gripper comprises at least two fingers, which can be moved substantially horizontally in respect to each other for laterally engaging the laboratory object and/or a cover resting on the laboratory object. 
     
     
         6 . Storage device of any claim  2 , wherein it is designed to withdraw an individual laboratory object from the shelf racks by picking up several laboratory objects arranged behind each other by means of the pickup device, extracting a selected laboratory object from the pickup device by means of the separating device, putting back the remaining laboratory objects by means of the pickup device into the shelf racks, and moving the selected laboratory object from the separating device onto the pickup device. 
     
     
         7 . Storage device of any of claim  2 , wherein it is designed to deposit an individual laboratory object from the pickup device into the shelf racks by removing the individual laboratory object from the pickup device by means of the separating device, withdrawing several laboratory objects arranged behind each other from the shelf racks by means of the pickup device, moving the individual laboratory object from the separating device to the remaining laboratory objects on the pickup device, and moving all laboratory objects from the pickup device into the shelf racks. 
     
     
         8 . Storage device of claim  2  wherein each laboratory object picked up by the pickup device can be brought into an operating range of the separating device by horizontal displacement of the pickup device. 
     
     
         9 . Storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the pickup device is pivotal about a vertical axis between at least one exchange position and at least one transfer position, wherein the pickup device is extendable in the exchange position towards the at least one shelf rack and in the transfer position parallel to the storage alley. 
     
     
         10 . Storage device of  claim 4 , wherein the pickup device is pivotal about a vertical axis between at least one exchange position and at least one transfer position, wherein the pickup device is extendable in the exchange position towards the at least one shelf rack and in the transfer position parallel to the storage alley, and wherein the laboratory objects on the pickup device can be brought into an operating range of the separating device when the pickup device is in the transfer position. 
     
     
         11 . Storage device of  claim 1  with
 a horizontal guide   a vertical guide guided on the horizontal guide, wherein the pickup device is guided on the vertical guide,   a longitudinal drive for displacing the vertical guide along the horizontal guide and   a vertical drive for displacing the pickup device along the vertical guide.   
     
     
         12 . Storage device of  claim 11  with a pivotal drive for pivoting the pickup device in respect to the vertical guide. 
     
     
         13 . Storage device of  claim 11  wherein the vertical guide extends downwards from the horizontal guide. 
     
     
         14 . Storage device of  claim 11 , wherein the pickup device is designed to simultaneously pick up several laboratory objects arranged behind each other and to bring them into a temporary storage position, and wherein the shelf access device comprises a separating device for withdrawing a laboratory object from the temporary storage position and/or inserting it into the temporary storage position, and wherein the separating device is pivotal together with the pickup device. 
     
     
         15 . Storage device of  claim 1  wherein the shelf racks comprise storage positions for receiving several laboratory objects behind each other, wherein each storage position comprises two supports extending parallel to each other and at the same height, onto which opposite edge regions of the laboratory objects in the storage position can be placed directly, and wherein the pickup device can be inserted into a gap between the supports for directly engaging all laboratory objects of the storage position from below. 
     
     
         16 . Storage device of  claim 15 , wherein the pickup device comprises an extendable carrier, whose width is smaller than the distance between the supports of the storage position. 
     
     
         17 . Storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf racks comprise storage positions with several storage locations behind each other, wherein each storage location is designed for receiving one laboratory object, and holder means, by means of which the respective storage object can be held in a longitudinal direction of the storage position. 
     
     
         18 . Storage device of  claim 17  wherein the projections are formed by upwards bent parts of the supports. 
     
     
         19 . Storage device of  claim 1 , wherein at one end of the storage alley a transfer station is arranged for temporarily receiving individual laboratory objects during a transfer between the pickup device and an external transport system. 
     
     
         20 . Storage device of  claim 1 , wherein shelf racks are arranged on both sides of the storage alley. 
     
     
         21 . Storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf racks are formed by storage racks, wherein each storage rack comprises several storage positions arranged above each other, wherein each storage position offers room for several laboratory objects behind each other, and wherein each storage rack can be withdrawn, with the laboratory objects arranged therein, as a whole from the storage device. 
     
     
         22 . Storage device of  claim 21 , wherein each storage rack comprises exactly one vertical row of the storage positions. 
     
     
         23 . Climate controlled cabinet with a storage device of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         24 . Climate controlled cabinet of  claim 23 , wherein the cabinet comprises a first door for an automatic transfer of laboratory objects as well as a second door for users. 
     
     
         25 . Climate controlled cabinet of  claim 24 , wherein the first door is arranged in a first wall at the end of the storage alley and the second door is arranged in a second wall parallel to the storage alley at an end of the second wall opposite to the first wall. 
     
     
         26 . Climate controlled cabinet of  claim 24 , wherein the second door is arranged in a wall extending transversally to the storage alley. 
     
     
         27 . Climate controlled cabinet of  claim 26 , wherein the first door is arranged in the second door. 
     
     
         28 . Climate controlled cabinet of  claim 25 , wherein the second door can be opened inwards. 
     
     
         29 . The storage device of  claim 17  wherein each storage position comprises two supports extending parallel to each other at the same height, onto which opposite edge regions of the laboratory objects in the storage position can be rested, and wherein the holder means are formed by projections, which extend upwards from the supports.