Article handling system and method

Abstract

An article handling system and method for holding articles and moving selected articles individually from and/or to the article handling system. A plurality of vertically spaced article holding trays are mounted for independent rotation, each tray having a plurality of discrete article holding locations. A tray rotating mechanism is arranged to rotate a single selected tray, while a pick-and-place mechanism has an article gripper mounted for vertical and horizontal movement such that the gripper can reach any article holding location on any selected tray. A controller coordinates rotation of the selected tray and movement of the gripper such that the gripper can move to and from the selected article holding location. The handling system is especially useful as part of an automated system for processing multiple specimens of biological fluid in separate vials.

1 . An article holding tray adapted to be mounted for rotation in an article handling system, the tray comprising a support area having a plurality of discrete article holding locations, a hub adapted for engagement and rotation by a rotary member of the handling system, and a peripheral notch sized to accommodate an article gripper of the article handling system.  
   
   
       2 . An article holding tray according to  claim 1 , wherein the hub is open to the peripheral notch.  
   
   
       3 . An article holding tray according to  claim 2 , wherein the trays are stackable when not mounted in the handling system, each tray having a plurality of upstanding posts adapted to engage the underside of and support a superposed tray.  
   
   
       4 . An article holding tray according to  claim 3 , wherein each tray has stacking recesses on its underside that mate with the tops of the posts.  
   
   
       5 . An article holding tray according to  claim 4 , wherein each post has a resilient top.  
   
   
       6 . An article holding tray according to  claim 1 , wherein the hub has at least one keyway.  
   
   
       7 . An article holding tray according to  claim 6 , wherein the hub has a pair of opposed keyways.  
   
   
       8 . An article holding tray according to  claim 1 , wherein each article holding location has an indexing characteristic that mates with a complementary indexing characteristic on the article to ensure proper orientation of the article relative to the tray.  
   
   
       9 . An article handling system according to  claim 8 , wherein the indexing characteristic on the tray comprises a projection.  
   
   
       10 . An article handling system according to  claim 1 , wherein each article holding location comprises a recess sized to receive an article.  
   
   
       11 . An article handling system according to  claim 10 , wherein each recess has an indexing characteristic that mates with a complementary indexing characteristic on the article to ensure proper orientation of the article relative to the tray.  
   
   
       12 . An article handling system according to  claim 11 , wherein the indexing characteristic of the recess comprises a projection in the recess that supports and indexes the article.  
   
   
       13 . An article handling system according to  claim 12 , wherein each recess has an opening in its bottom.  
   
   
       14 . An article handling system according to  claim 1 , wherein each tray has a unique machine-readable identifier.