Hamilton Storage Technologies, Inc.

Halvard Solberg

Julian D Warhurst

Behrouz Zandi

Robert P Cloutier

Frank Hunt

James O'Toole

Fabian Winter

Julian Warhurst

A rack robot lifts and transfers sample tube storage racks or plates with a refrigerated enclosure maintained, e.g., at &#x2212;20&#xb0; C. The samples are normally held in ultra-low temperature, e.g., &#x2212;80&#xb0; C., or cryogenic freezers. From time to time, the racks or plates need to be roved from the ultra-low temperature or cryogenic freezers for processing and the rack robot transfers the racks or plates to the various processing stations within the refrigerated enclosure, such as tube picking, barcode reading, or frost removal stations.

Rack robot

An automated storage and retrieval system stores containers, typically containing biological or chemical samples, at ultra-low temperatures, i.e., from about &#x2212;50&#xb0; C. to about &#x2212;90&#xb0; C., preferably about &#x2212;80&#xb0; C. under normal operating conditions. Dry gas air flows are used to reduce moisture and the consequential frost within the freezer compartment. A custom insulated door is provided with an access module and a tube picking compartment as well as servo motors for controlling a robot within the ultra-low temperature freezer compartment. The robot automatically places sample storage containers in stationary storage racks within the freezer compartment. Magnetic couplings are used to transmit mechanical power from outside of the freezer compartment to the robot inside of the freezer compartment. The robot has a simplified mechanical configuration. The custom door can be readily attached to standard freezer bodies.

Automated storage and retrieval system for storing biological or chemical samples at ultra-low temperatures

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Merrimack, NH, United States of America

Halvard Solberg