Seiko Instruments Inc

Shoji Komaya

Ryoichi Kinoshita

A method for conveying a sample container from a sample tray which has a designated location for supporting the container. The container is placeable on the tray at a location separated from the designated location such that the container will have an orientation which differs from a desired orientation. The method includes the following steps executing sequentially disposing a robot mechanism having a plurality of grasping fingers above the tray so that the fingers surround the designated location; executing a first robot mechanism operation for moving the fingers horizontally toward the designated location so that the fingers grasp the container and locate the container at the designated location; executing a second robot mechanism operation for moving the fingers horizontally away from the container to leave the container on the tray at the desired location and with the desired orientation; and executing a third robot mechanism operation for moving the fingers horizontally toward the container so that the fingers grasp the container while the container has the desired orientation.

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Tokyo, Japan

Shoji Komaya