US 11,988,681 B2
Automated sample storage system having storage consumable with sub-optimal storage density
Etienne Croquette, Altrincham (GB); Robin Grimwood, Chelford (GB); David Andrew Harding, Lanchashire (GB); and Chris Walsh, Lanchashire (GB)
Assigned to Azenta, Inc., Burlington, MA (US)
Filed by Brooks Automation, Inc., Chelmsford, MA (US)
Filed on Nov. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/517,557.
Application 17/517,557 is a continuation of application No. 16/688,828, filed on Nov. 19, 2019, granted, now 11,162,963.
Application 16/688,828 is a continuation of application No. 15/410,606, filed on Jan. 19, 2017, granted, now 10,481,171, issued on Nov. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 16275011 (EP), filed on Jan. 20, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0128585 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 35/04 (2006.01); G01N 35/02 (2006.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 35/04 (2013.01) [G01N 35/026 (2013.01); G01N 35/028 (2013.01); B01L 3/50825 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0406 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0418 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0429 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0493 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automated sample specimen storage system comprising:
a tube holding microplate including:
a plate frame;
a predetermined array of tube holding receptacles formed in the plate frame, the tube holding receptacles of the predetermined array having a SBS standard pitch corresponding to the predetermined array, and being configured for holding therein sample store and transport tubes that are separate and distinct from the predetermined array of tube holding receptacles, each tube holding receptacle being disposed so as to contain sample specimen in a sample storage array, of the automated sample specimen storage system and to effect, with the sample store and transport tube, delivery of the sample specimen from the sample storage array to a workstation, the predetermined array of tube holding receptacles defining a volume capacity of the tube holding microplate;
each of the tube holding receptacles being shaped to engage walls of the sample store and transport tubes and hold a respective one of the sample store and transport tubes, wherein the tube holding receptacles of the predetermined array are sized and spaced from one another so that the tube holding microplate volume capacity defined by the predetermined array of tube holding receptacles is an under optimum volume capacity; and
an automated storage and retrieval system configured for the automated storage and retrieval of sample store and transport tubes from a sample storage, wherein the sample storage array and sample storage are related so that for a predetermined throughput capacity of the automated storage and retrieval system the sub-optimal density of the predetermined array effects increased throughput of the sample store and transport tubes between the sample storage and the sample storage array relative to a storage area with optimal volume capacity arrayed tube holding receptacles.