# US 12,109,568 B2 · Tube tray for secondary tubes, secondary tube handling module, and method of handling secondary tubes in an automated processing system

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- Number: US 12,109,568 B2
- Document ID: US12109568B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/963,800
- Filed: 2019-01-22
- Published: 2021-02-25
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-01-23
- Assignees: Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.
- Applicants: Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.
- Inventors: Lawrence Chiu; Reiner Hitt; Raphael Haag; Erich Caflisch; Nicolas Lehner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109568B2

## CPC

- B01L 9/06: Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
- B65C 9/02: Devices for moving articles, e.g. containers, past labelling station
- G01N 35/04: Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)}
- G01N 2035/0406: {Individual bottles or tubes}
- G01N 2035/1032: {Dilution or aliquotting}
- B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
- B65C: LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES (nailing or stapling in general B25C, B27F; applying labels for packaging purposes B65B; labels, name-plates G09F ){(series-printing machines B41L; containers for the storage or transport of packages B65D)}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

The present invention describes a secondary tube tray for use in an automated processing system, the tray comprising a base module and a secondary tube insert. Furthermore, the present invention describes a secondary tube handling module of an automated processing system for automatically processing biological sample, and a method of handling secondary tubes for use in automatically processing biological sample in an automated processing system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A secondary tube tray (11; 1″) for an automated processing system, the secondary tube tray (11; 1″) comprising a base module (100) and a secondary tube insert (2001; 200″), the secondary tube insert being adapted for holding a plurality of secondary tubes (2) in parallel, the secondary tube insert (2001; 200″) being inserted into said base module (100), wherein
the base module (100) comprises a substantially closed bottom side (101) with at least one discharge opening (1011) for discharging secondary tubes (2),
the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″) is a hollow body with at least one insert opening (203′; 203″) in its bottom side (2011; 201″);
the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″) comprises a blocking mechanism in the form of a blocking bar (3001; 300″) movably arranged on an inside of the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″), said blocking mechanism blocking the at least one discharge opening (1011) in the bottom side (101) of the base module (100) when the blocking mechanism is not moved from a closed state to an open state, wherein the blocking mechanism is adapted to be openable from outside of the base module;
wherein the at least one insert opening (203′; 203″) in the bottom side (201′; 201″) of the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″) is adapted for passage of a blocking mechanism actuating member (4221) from outside of the base module through the bottom side (101) of the base module (100) to contact the blocking mechanism, thereby moving the blocking mechanism from the closed state to the open state, wherein the bottom side (101) of the base module (100) further comprises at least one actuation opening (1012) for allowing passage of said blocking mechanism actuating member (4221) from outside of the base module through the bottom side (2011; 201″) of the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″) to the blocking mechanism.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The secondary tube tray (1′; 1″) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one actuation opening (1012) is provided next to the at least one discharge opening (1011) in the bottom side (101) of the base module (100), wherein said at least one actuation opening (1012) in the bottom side (101) of the base module (100) is covered by said at least one insert opening (203′; 203″) in the bottom side (201′; 201″) of the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The secondary tube tray (1′; 1″) according to claim 1, wherein the blocking bar (300′; 300″) is arranged in a recess (206′; 206″) in a side wall (202′;202″a) of the hollow body of the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″) for allowing movement of the blocking bar (300′; 300″) between its blocking and unblocking position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The secondary tube tray (1′; 1″) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one insert opening (203′; 203″) in the bottom side (201′; 201″) of the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″) is at least of the same dimension as the at least one discharge opening (1011) in the bottom side (101) of the base module (100).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The secondary tube tray (1′; 1″) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one insert opening (203′; 203″) in the bottom side (201′; 201″) of the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″) and the at least one discharge opening (1011) in the bottom side (101) of the base module (100) provide a through-hole between the inside and the outside of the secondary tube tray (1′; 1″), wherein the at least one insert opening (203′; 203″) in the bottom side (201′; 201″) of the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″) and the at least one discharge opening (1011) in the bottom side (101) of the base module (100) are at least dimensioned for passage of a single secondary tube (2), further wherein the at least one insert opening (203′; 203″) in the bottom side (201′; 201″) of the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″) and the at least one discharge opening (1011) in the bottom side (101) of the base module (100) are broader than a longitudinal length of each secondary tube (2).

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The secondary tube tray (1′; 1″) according to claim 1, wherein the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″) is at least partially enclosed by the base module (100) in a framed manner, without the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″) protruding to the outside of the base module (100), and wherein the base module (100) is adapted to be stackable on top of another base module (100) of the same type.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The secondary tube tray (1′; 1″) according to claim 1, wherein the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″) is adapted to accommodate secondary tubes (2) in horizontal positions laid on their sides, wherein the secondary tubes (2) can be randomly oriented in their horizontal positions laid on their sides inside the secondary tube insert (200′; 200″).

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The secondary tube tray (1′; 1″) according to claim 1, wherein the blocking mechanism and the at least one discharge opening (1011) in the bottom side (101) of the base module (100) are adapted for dispensing the secondary tubes (2) one-by-one.

### Claim 9 (depends on 3)

The secondary tube tray according to claim 3, wherein the blocking bar is configured to be urged into its blocking position by a biasing force.