Abstract:
An instrument turntable is presented which allows an instrument to be installed into an automated system, yet that will still allow an operator to use the instrument manually, even while the automated system is running, without ever removing the instrument from the automated system.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention relates to an instrument turntable which allows an instrument to be installed into an automated system and to still be used manually. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Most laboratory instruments that are integrated in automated robotic systems have a distinct front side that comprises most of the user interface. The front of an instrument can contain buttons, switches, knobs, indicator lights, and screens, all of which must be touched or seen by an operator in order to use the instrument. Generally, materials must be presented to or removed from the instrument in the course of operation (e.g., microtiter plates) at the front of the instrument. 
         [0003]    When such an instrument is integrated into an automated robotic system, it must be positioned in the system such that the front of the instrument is facing toward the robot, so that the robot can pick up and place materials (e.g., microtiter plates) on the instrument. However, in this orientation, the back of the instrument is presented to an operator who approaches the instrument from outside the system (for safety reasons, it is rarely possible for an operator to routinely approach an instrument from “inside” the system, i.e., from the robot side). This makes it very difficult for an operator to use an integrated instrument. 
         [0004]    Current methods of coping with this problem are undesirable. Some users remove the instrument from the automated system altogether when the instrument is needed for manual use, and must replace the instrument into its position in the automated system when it is needed for automated use. This is time-consuming, and may require re-teaching the robot, as the instrument may not be returned to precisely the same position when moved back into the automated system. Furthermore, for safety and other reasons it is generally not possible for instruments to be installed in or removed from an automated system while the system is in use, greatly limiting the flexibility of when the instrument may be moved on or off the system. 
         [0005]    Other users may purchase two identical instruments; one for permanent installation in the automated system and the second for manual use, even if having two identical instruments means the user is wasting money on excess capacity. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A first aspect of the invention includes a system comprising: a surface for holding an instrument; a rotating element coupled to the surface to allow the surface to rotate; a sensor to detect a position of the surface; a member that locks the surface in a holding position; and means for sending a signal indicating the position of the surface from the sensor to an automated system including a robotic arm for accessing the instrument. 
         [0007]    A second aspect of the invention includes a method comprising: providing a system comprising a surface for holding an instrument, a rotating element coupled to the surface to allow the surface to rotate, a sensor to detect a position of the surface, a member that locks the surface in a holding position, and means for sending a signal indicating the position of the surface from the sensor to an automated system including a robotic arm for accessing the instrument; placing the system in conjunction with the automated system including a robotic arm; and connecting the signal from the sensor to the automated system. 
         [0008]    The advantages of this instrument turntable will be described with more detail below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    These and other features of this invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that depict various embodiments of the invention, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a side perspective view of an instrument on a turntable according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of an instrument on a turntable in conjunction with an automated system. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of an instrument on a turntable in conjunction with an automated system turned toward a user. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4   a  shows a top perspective view of an instrument on a turntable rotated toward the automated system side and  FIG. 4   b  shows a top perspective view of an instrument on a turntable rotated toward the manual access side. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5   a  shows a bottom perspective view of a locking mechanism according to some embodiments approaching a locked position and  FIG. 5   b  shows a bottom perspective view of a locking mechanism according to some embodiments of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6   a  shows a side perspective view of a locking mechanism according to some embodiments approaching a locked position and  FIG. 6   a  shows a side perspective view of a locking mechanism according to some embodiments of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  shows a side perspective view of an instrument on a turntable in conjunction with an automated system. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  shows a close up of a side perspective view of an instrument on a turntable in conjunction with an automated system. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  shows a side perspective view of an instrument on a turntable in conjunction with an automated system turned toward a user. 
       
    
    
       [0019]    It is noted that the drawings of the invention are not to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements between the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    A system  100  is presented, as seen in  FIG. 1 , comprising in one embodiment a surface  110  for holding an instrument  120 . It is understood that surface  110  may be any surface used to contain an instrument  120 , such as for example a countertop or a piece of nearly any material. 
         [0021]    It can be appreciated that instrument  120  in one embodiment is a laboratory instrument which comprises a distinct front side that includes most of the user interface. The front  122  of such an instrument  120  may contain buttons, switches, knobs, indicator lights, and screens, all of which commonly may be touched or seen by an operator in order to use the instrument. Generally, materials may be presented to or removed from instrument  120  in the course of operation, such as microtiter plates, at the front of the instrument. It should be understood that instrument  120  may also include any laboratory instrument now known or later developed. 
         [0022]    In one embodiment, system  100  may also include a rotating element  130  coupled to surface  110  to allow surface  110  to rotate. It should be noted that rotating element  130  may comprise a rotary turntable, as is known in the art. However, rotating element  130  may also comprise a set of linear rails, a set of curved rails, a hinge, a set of eccentric rotary bearings, or a set of non-parallel linear rails. In some embodiments, rotation of surface  110  may occur by more complex movements, such as a translation of surface  110 . 
         [0023]    System  100  may also comprise a sensor  140  to detect a position of surface  110 . In one embodiment sensor  140  may include a proximity sensor which is capable of determining the position of surface  110 . In another embodiment, sensor  140  may comprise an infrared beam sensor, a laser beam sensor, a rotary encoder, a linear encoder, or a linear differential transformer. Many compact sensors are known in the art which would be considered within the scope of the invention. 
         [0024]    In one embodiment system  100  also may include a member  150  that locks surface  110  in a holding position. As seen in  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b , member  150  may be a spring loaded ball catch. In this case, as can be appreciated, member  150  consists of two separate parts. The first part  154  is attached to surface  110  and has a receiver  155  for receiving spring loaded catch ball  153 . The second part  156  is an assembly housing spring loaded catch ball  153  which is attached to a fixed part of system  100 , which may also house sensor  140  as well. As surface  110  reaches a specified position, catch ball  153  pushes in allowing surface  110  to move into position, and pushes back out into receiver  155  to lock surface  110  in place. In another embodiment member may be one of a latch, a clamp, or a magnet. An alternative locking member  150  is depicted in  FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b . A number of locking members  150  are known in the art, the substitution of which would not be considered outside of the scope of the invention. 
         [0025]    In some embodiments, member  150  locks surface  110  in a first position or a second position, as depicted in  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b , wherein the first position is such that front  122  of instrument  120  faces an automated system  170 , and the second position is such that instrument  120  faces away from automated system  170 . It should be noted that two positions is a minimum embodiment. As is understood, instrument  120  may have side panels or multiple access points. In such a case, member  150  may lock surface  110  in many positions, facilitating convenient access to more than one position of surface  110  by a user. For example, if an error occurs in instrument  120 , a user may need to access a removable side panel to determine the source of said error. 
         [0026]    In one embodiment system  100  may also comprise a shock absorber  152  coupled to member  150  that locks surface  110 , as shown in  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  as well as  FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b . Shock absorber  152  serves to minimize jolting of instrument  120  when surface  110  is rotated into a position. In some embodiments shock absorber  152  may be a rubber or a foam pad. In this case, when member  150  is spring loaded catch ball  153 , shock absorber  152  may be attached to spring loaded catch ball assembly  156  of member  150  at the stopping point. In another embodiment shock absorber  152  may comprise a pneumatic damper, a hydraulic damper, or a spring shock. 
         [0027]    System  100  may further comprise an actuator (not shown) for turning surface  110 . An actuator in some embodiments may include an electric actuator or a pneumatic actuator. In a further embodiment, actuator may also hold surface  110  in a position. In this case, member  150  may not be included as part of system  100 , as an actuator can hold surface  110  in position and automatically move surface  110 , also minimizing user exposure to areas near automated system  170 . 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , system  100  may include a mobile cart  180  for holding the surface  110 . Mobile cart  180  allows instrument  120  on surface  110  to be installed in different automated systems  170  at the will of a user. 
         [0029]    Still referring to  FIG. 2 , system  100  may also include a device or tool for sending a signal indicating the position of surface from sensor  140  to automated system  170  including a robotic arm  172  for accessing instrument  120 . In one embodiment, wherein surface  110  is on a fixed surface, sensor  140  ( FIG. 1 ) may be wired directly to an i/o module in a robot controller in automated system  170 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the device for sending signal is a wire  160  behind mobile cart  180 . However, it should be understood that any device or tool for sending a signal could be utilized, including a wireless device. In the case that surface  110  is mounted on mobile cart  180 , sensor  140  may send a signal to a digital i/o-to-Ethernet converter module which may be located on mobile cart  180 . In such a case, the Ethernet signal may be routed through connectors on mobile cart  180  to automated system  170 . The signal may continue through to an Ethernet router and into the control PC of automated system  170 . In either case, one of the control units running the system (either the robot controller or the main system PC) is running software that directs and coordinates all motions of the robot. 
         [0030]    Another embodiment of the invention includes a method comprising providing system  100  including surface  110  for holding instrument  120 , rotating element  130  coupled to surface  110  to allow surface  110  to rotate, sensor  140  to detect a position of surface  110 , member  150  that locks the surface  110  in a holding position, and a device  160  for sending a signal indicating the position of surface  110  from sensor  140  to automated system  170  including robotic arm  172  for accessing instrument  120 . The method may further comprise placing system  100  in conjunction with automated system  170  including robotic arm  172 . In a further embodiment, the method includes sending the signal from sensor  140  to automated system  170 . 
         [0031]    In one embodiment of the invention, in response to sensor  140  detecting that system  100  is facing automated system  170 , the method includes allowing robotic arm  172  access to instrument  120  on system  100 . In a further embodiment, in response to sensor  140  detecting that system  100  is not facing automated system  170 , the method includes prohibiting robotic arm  172  from accessing instrument  120  on system  100 . In this case, a control software package attached to automated system  170  receives an input signal from sensor  140  of system  100  indicating the position of surface  110 . Before the control software directs robotic arm  172  to pick or place materials to or from instrument  120 , it first determines whether sensor  140  of system  100  associated with instrument  120  indicates that surface  110  is in the robot access position, i.e. towards automated system  170 . When such is the case, robotic arm  172  of automated system  170  accesses instrument  120  for the current procedure requiring access to instrument  120 . When the case is such that sensor  140  determines that surface  110  is not in the robot access position, i.e. facing away from automated system  170 , then robotic arm  172  does not access instrument  120 . When such is the case, automated system  170  may instead perform other operations which do not involve that particular instrument  120 . It should be noted that the same automated system  170 , as such, may be placed in conjunction with more than one system as described herein. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 7 ,  8 , and  9  show system  100  with instrument  120  in various positions with respect to automated system  170  and, particularly, robotic arm  172 . 
         [0033]    The foregoing description of various aspects of the invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously, many modifications and variations are possible. Such variations and modifications that may be apparent to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the accompanying claims.