Gripping system and laboratory automation system

A gripping system is provided comprising: gripping fingers of a first type, gripping fingers of a second type, a gripping device for handling sample containers, wherein the gripping device comprises base portions, wherein a gripping finger of the first type and a gripping finger of the second type are releasably fixable to the base portions, and a drive, wherein the drive is adapted to move at least one of the base portions relative to the other base portions to cause a gripping or a releasing of a sample container, and a gripping finger change device, wherein the gripping finger change device is adapted to store gripping fingers of the first type and gripping fingers of the second type, and wherein the gripping finger change device is adapted to replace a gripping finger of the first type fixed to a base portion by a gripping finger of the second type.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to European Patent Application No. EP 20180378.0, filed 16 Jun. 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates to a gripping system and to a laboratory automation system.

SUMMARY

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to specific advantages or functionality, the disclosure provides for a gripping system and a laboratory automation system that is highly flexible.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a gripping system is provided comprising gripping fingers of a first type, gripping fingers of a second type, a gripping device for handling sample containers, wherein the gripping device comprises base portions, wherein a gripping finger of the first type and a gripping finger of the second type are releasably fixable to the base portions, and a drive, wherein the drive is adapted to move at least one of the base portions relative to the other base portions to cause a gripping or a releasing of a sample container, and a gripping finger change device, wherein the gripping finger change device is adapted to store gripping fingers of the first type and gripping fingers of the second type, and wherein the gripping finger change device is adapted to replace a gripping finger of the first type fixed to a base portion by a gripping finger of the second type.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, a laboratory automation system is provided comprising a laboratory station, and a gripping system according to one of the preceding claims transferring sample containers to and from the laboratory station.

These and other features and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying claims. It is noted that the scope of the claims is defined by the recitations therein and not by the specific discussions of features and advantages set forth in the present description.

Skilled artisans appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of the embodiment(s) of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The gripping system comprises gripping fingers, in particular gripping finger pairs or a set of gripping fingers, of a first type and gripping fingers, in particular gripping finger pairs or a set of gripping fingers, of a second type.

The gripping system further comprises a gripping device for handling sample containers, e.g., being adapted to pick-and-place sample containers, etc. Reference insofar is also made to the relevant technical literature regarding conventional gripping devices.

The gripping device comprises base portions, e.g., exactly two base portions, wherein a gripping finger of the first type is releasably fixable to a corresponding base portion and alternatively a gripping finger of the second type is releasably fixable to a corresponding base portion. In other words, both types of gripping fingers are releasably fixable to a corresponding base portion.

The gripping device further comprises a drive, wherein the drive is adapted to move at least one of the base portions relative to the other base portion(s) to cause a gripping or a releasing of a sample container to be handled.

The gripping system further comprises a gripping finger change device. The gripping finger change device is adapted to store gripping fingers of the first type and gripping fingers of the second type, and is adapted to change gripping fingers fixed to the base portions, in particular to change the type of gripping fingers fixed to the base portions.

According to an embodiment, the gripping fingers of the first type are configured to grip a first type of sample containers and the gripping fingers of the second type are configured to grip a second type of sample containers. The types of sample containers may, e.g., differ in their geometrical properties. Alternatively or additionally the sample containers of the first type may be closed by caps and the sample containers of the second type may not be closed by caps.

According to an embodiment, the gripping fingers of the first type have a different finger length than the gripping fingers of the second type. The fingers of the first type may, e.g., be longer or shorter than the fingers of the second type.

According to an embodiment, the base portions respectively comprise a tooth-shaped fixing member having an, in particular circular, opening or through hole. The gripping fingers of the first type and the gripping fingers of the second type respectively comprise a receiving portion being formed such that the tooth-shaped fixing member is partially or fully insertable into the receiving portion. Further, the gripping fingers of the first type and the gripping fingers of the second type respectively comprise a spring-biased bolt, wherein the spring-biased bolt is inserted into the opening of the corresponding tooth-shaped fixing member by means of the spring force when the tooth-shaped fixing member is inserted into the receiving portion as intended.

According to an embodiment, the gripping finger change device comprises a removing actuator being adapted to unplug a spring-biased bolt being inserted into an opening of a corresponding tooth-shaped fixing member out of the opening.

According to an embodiment, the removing actuator comprises fork-shaped removing members, and an electric drive, e.g., comprising an electric motor and a gear. The electric drive is adapted to translationally move the fork-shaped removing members, wherein when being moved to a removing position the fork-shaped removing members exert a removing force being opposite to the spring force to the spring-biased bolt such that the spring-biased bolt is finally unplugged out of the corresponding opening.

According to an embodiment, a head or collar is formed at a respective spring-biased bolt. A respective receiving portion is formed by a front wall and two side walls. In particular the front wall and the side walls do not complete enclose a volume. The front wall has an, in particular circular, opening or through hole, wherein the spring-biased bolt at least partially extends through the opening of the front wall. The collar is arranged outside of the opening, in particular at a side of the front wall facing away from the gripping finger. A respective fork-shaped removing member comprises two inclined tines, wherein when being moved to the removing position the inclined tines are placed or moved between the front wall and the collar such that the spring-biased bolt is axially moved towards the inclined tines.

According to an embodiment, in order to fix a gripping finger of any type stored in the gripping finger change device to a base portion: the gripping device is adapted to move the base portion towards the gripping finger stored in the gripping finger change device to be fixed to the base portion, such that the tooth-shaped fixing member of the base portion is inserted into the receiving portion of the gripping finger stored in the gripping finger change device and the spring-biased bolt slides into the opening of the tooth-shaped fixing member by spring force.

According to an embodiment, in order to remove a gripping finger fixed to a corresponding base portion: the gripping device is adapted to insert the gripping finger fixed to the base portion and to be removed into a free storage position of the gripping finger change device, the gripping finger change device is adapted to control the removing actuator to unplug the spring-biased bolt being inserted into the opening of the tooth-shaped fixing member out of the opening, and the gripping device is adapted to remove the tooth-shaped fixing member inserted into the receiving portion of the gripping finger out of the receiving portion of the gripping finger.

According to an embodiment, the removing actuator when actuated prevents a movement of the gripping finger to be removed in z direction, and the gripping device removes the tooth-shaped fixing member inserted into the receiving portion of the gripping finger by moving the tooth-shaped fixing member in z direction.

The laboratory automation system comprises a conventional laboratory station, e.g., being adapted to process laboratory samples contained in the sample containers, and a gripping system as described above transferring sample containers, e.g., from the laboratory station to a sample container rack and/or transferring sample containers to the laboratory station from the sample container rack.

FIG.1schematically depicts a top view of a laboratory automation system1000comprising a laboratory station50and a gripping system100transferring sample containers40to and from the laboratory station50.

The gripping system100comprises gripping fingers10of a first type, gripping fingers11of a second type, a gripping device20using the gripping fingers10/11for handling the sample containers40, and a gripping finger change device30.

The gripping device20comprises two opposing base portions21, wherein the gripping fingers10/11are releasably fixable to the base portions21. The gripping device20further comprises a drive24, wherein the drive24is adapted to translationally move the base portions21relative to one another to cause a gripping or a releasing of a sample container40to be handled.

The gripping finger change device30stores gripping fingers10of the first type and gripping fingers11of the second type. If a type of sample containers40to be handled changes, the gripping finger change device30may replace gripping fingers10of the first type fixed to the two base portions21by gripping fingers11of the second type or vice versa, depending on the type of gripping finger matching the type of sample container to be handled.

The gripping fingers10of the first type have a shorter finger length than the gripping fingers11of the second type.

The base portions21of the gripping device20respectively comprise a tooth-shaped fixing member22having a circular through hole23.

Referring toFIG.2, the gripping fingers10/11respectively comprise a receiving portion12being formed such that the tooth-shaped fixing member22is insertable into the receiving portion12, and a bolt13being biased by a leaf spring18. The spring-biased bolt13is inserted into the opening23of the tooth-shaped fixing member22by means of the spring force when the tooth-shaped fixing member22is inserted into the receiving portion12.

A collar or head14is formed at the spring-biased bolt13. A receiving portion12is formed by a front wall15and two side walls16. The front wall15has an opening17, wherein the spring-biased bolt13partially extends through the opening17of the front wall15. The collar or head14is arranged outside of the opening17.

Referring toFIG.3, the gripping finger change device30comprises a removing actuator being adapted to remove a spring-biased bolt13being inserted into an opening23of a tooth-shaped fixing member22out of the opening23during a change of a gripping finger10/11. The removing actuator comprises fork-shaped removing members32, and an electric drive31, wherein the electric drive translationally moves the fork-shaped removing members32. When moved to a removing position the fork-shaped removing members32cause a removing force being opposite to the spring force to the spring-biased bolt13such that the spring-biased bolt13is removed out of the opening23. To provide this effect, the fork-shaped removing members32comprises two inclined tines34, wherein when moved to the removing position the inclined tines34are placed between the front wall15and the collar14such that the spring-biased bolt13is axially moved in a direction out of the opening23.

In order to fix a gripping finger10/11stored in the gripping finger change device30to a base portion21the gripping device20moves the base portion21towards the desired gripping finger10/11stored in the gripping finger change device30, such that the tooth-shaped fixing member22of the base portion21slides into the receiving portion12of the gripping finger10/11. Finally, the spring-biased bolt13slips into the opening23of the tooth-shaped fixing member22fixing the gripping finger10/11to the base portion21.

In order to remove a gripping finger10/11fixed to a base portion21the gripping device20inserts the gripping finger10/11fixed to the base portion21and to be removed into a free storage position33of the gripping finger change device30. The gripping finger change device then controls the removing actuator31,32to unplug the spring-biased bolt13out of the opening23of the tooth-shaped fixing member22. Then the gripping device20removes the tooth-shaped fixing member22out of the receiving portion12of the gripping finger10/11. The inclined tines34in their removing positions together with the corresponding inner shape of the collar14provide a form fit and thus prevent a movement of the gripping finger10/11to be removed in z direction. Thus, the gripping device20removes the tooth-shaped fixing member22inserted into the receiving portion12of the gripping finger10/11by simply moving the tooth-shaped fixing member22in z direction.

The disclosure enables an easy and effective change of the gripping fingers. The gripping device can be equipped with a clipping mechanism that quickly and reliably attaches/detaches the gripping fingers. Multiple set of fingers can be stored in a pre-defined location while not in use. When the laboratory automation system, e.g., determines that sample containers are capped with so called flex caps, the gripping device exchanges the set of gripping fingers for the specialized gripping fingers required for flex caps.

The gripping fingers11of the second type may, e.g., be used for sample containers closed by flexible caps.