Patent ID: 7214023

Claim:
An automatic storage system for storing sample containers held in racks, comprising: an outer frame; a first shelf section and a second shelf section positioned in the outer frame to store a plurality of racks in which a plurality of sample containers are installable, the first shelf section and the second shelf section being positioned side by side with a space therebetween; a transfer section movable in the space, and comprising: a rack pull-out mechanism to pull out a rack from either one of the first and second shelf sections, maintaining the pulled-out rack on the rack pull-out mechanism and returning the pulled-out rack to one of the first and second shelf sections, and a base movable in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction in the space and on which the rack pullout mechanism is set, the base also including a mounting area on which a receptible rack is mountable; a repacking mechanism supported by a vertical support rod having one end attached to the base and provided on the transfer section for moving at least one sample container from a first position to a second position; and a control section connected to the transfer section and the repacking mechanism to manage operation thereof and to manage position data of the racks and sample containers.