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Publication Number
US-12736552-B2
Publication Date
2026-09-15
Expiration Date
Abstract
A gripper apparatus is configured to grasp a closed receptacle having a closure affixed to an open top end of a receptacle. Opposed jaw members capable of lateral movement between an open position, a first closed position, and a second closed position are configured to grasp the closed receptacle when the closed receptacle is situated between the jaw members at the first closed position and to release the closed receptacle at the open position. The gripper apparatus further includes a plurality of fingers configured to grasp a sidewall of the closure beneath a top surface of the closure when the closure is situated between the plurality of fingers and beneath a base of each of the jaw members as the jaw members move laterally toward each other from the open position to the second closed position.
Core Innovation
The described disclosure relates to a contamination-reducing robotic gripper for automated specimen processing that grasps a closed receptacle having a closure affixed to an open top end of the receptacle. The gripper includes opposed jaw members and a plurality of depending fingers that grasp the closure without contacting the closure top surface.
The problem being solved is avoiding cross-contamination during automated specimen processing when using pierceable caps during nucleic-acid amplification. The gripper and related robotic handling grasp the closure sidewall beneath the top surface in a way that reduces contamination risk, using position-dependent contact constraints so the closure top surface is avoided.
The disclosure further describes robotic transfer and storage of closed receptacles in a receptacle storage module, including a refrigerated housing with racks and receptacle slots. The methods use opposed jaw members that move between open and closed positions and laterally move fingers that grasp the closure sidewall beneath the top surface, including partial insertion supported by an insertion stop pin and subsequent repositioning to seat or remove receptacles while avoiding contact with neighboring closure top surfaces.
Claims Coverage
The partial content identifies four independent claims that share a common gripper structure and contact strategy involving opposed jaw members and depending fingers grasping the closure sidewall beneath the closure top surface. Across the independent claims, the inventive features include the specific jaw/finger geometry and position-dependent grasping, and method sequences for transferring, seating, and removing receptacles with partial insertion supported by an insertion stop pin.
Closure-sidewall grasping beneath the closure top surface with position-dependent jaw motion
Opposed jaw members configured for vertical movement between a first vertical position and a second vertical position and for lateral movement between an open position and a first closed position when the jaw members are at the second vertical position, together with a plurality of depending fingers configured to grasp a sidewall of the closure beneath a top surface of the closure when the jaw members are at the second vertical position and the closure is situated between the plurality of fingers and beneath the base of each jaw member, wherein the plurality of fingers grasp the sidewall of the closure at a second closed position.
Robotic transfer from a pickup location to a receptacle rack slot using closure-sidewall finger grasping
A method of transferring a closed receptacle from a pickup location to a receptacle rack contained within a housing using a robotic handler with XYZ movement, wherein the gripper grasps the closed receptacle using opposed jaw members moving between an open position and a first closed position and a plurality of depending fingers configured to grasp a sidewall of the closure beneath a top surface when the closure is between the plurality of fingers and beneath the base of each jaw member, including steps of moving from open to first closed at pickup, partially inserting into a receptacle slot, opening, raising to align fingers, moving to second closed to engage the closure sidewall, and lowering to seat the receptacle in the receptacle slot while the jaw members are in the second closed position.
Seating a receptacle slot using insertion stop pin with re-grasp at a second closed position
A method for seating a closed receptacle in a receptacle slot using gripper apparatus with opposed laterally moving jaw members and depending fingers configured to grasp a sidewall of the closure beneath a top surface at a second closed position, including grasping the closure between the jaw members in the first closed, extending an insertion stop pin partially into the receptacle slot, lowering to partially insert the receptacle, moving jaw members from first closed to open to release while the insertion stop pin retains the receptacle in a partially inserted position, raising to align fingers, moving from open to the second closed position to grasp the closure between the fingers, withdrawing the insertion stop pin, lowering to fully insert the receptacle, and moving from second closed to open to release.
Removing a receptacle from a receptacle slot using insertion stop pin with jaw position transitions
A method for removing a closed receptacle from a receptacle slot using gripper apparatus with laterally movable opposed jaw members and depending fingers configured to grasp a sidewall of the closure beneath a top surface at a second closed position, including grasping the closure with the jaw members in the second closed position and raising to partially remove the receptacle with its bottom end remaining within the receptacle slot, extending an insertion stop pin into the receptacle slot, moving the jaw members from the second closed position to the open position to release while retaining the receptacle in a partially removed position by the insertion stop pin, lowering to laterally align the jaw members with the closure sidewall, moving from open to the first closed position to grasp the closure, and raising until the bottom end of the closed receptacle is above the receptacle slot.
The independent claims collectively center on gripper apparatus that grasps the closure sidewall beneath the closure top surface using depending fingers and opposed jaw members with open, first closed, and second closed positions. The method claims further require robotic transfer and storage operations that use partial insertion and removal with an insertion stop pin, coordinated with jaw transitions to release and then re-grasp for final seating or complete removal.
Stated Advantages
Avoids cross-contamination when using pierceable caps during nucleic-acid amplification.
Documented Applications
Automated specimen processing intended to avoid cross-contamination when using pierceable caps during nucleic-acid amplification, including modules such as de-capping, capping, and an analyzer.
Robotic handling of closed receptacles in a refrigerated receptacle storage module, including transferring receptacles from a pickup location to receptacle racks/slots and seating or removing receptacles in/from the slots.
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