A method of transferring each of a plurality of sample receptacles from a receptacle storage module to a conveyor situated adjacent to the receptacle storage module, wherein the receptacle storage module includes a first receptacle storage area and a second receptacle storage area, wherein each of the first and second receptacle storage areas has opposed first and second sides and opposed third and fourth sides oriented transversely to the first and second sides, and wherein the first and second receptacle storage areas are arranged with the first side of the second receptacle storage area facing the second side of the first receptacle storage area;
- wherein the first receptacle storage area includes a plurality of receptacle holding positions arranged in a series of parallel rows oriented in a first direction extending from the third side of the first receptacle storage area to the fourth side of the first receptacle storage area and a series of parallel columns oriented in a second direction extending from the first side of the first receptacle storage area to the second side of the first receptacle storage area, wherein each receptacle holding position of the first receptacle storage area is configured to hold a single sample receptacle and is spaced apart from any directly adjacent receptacle holding position by a distance that is less than the width of the narrowest receptacle holding position;
- wherein the second receptacle storage area includes a plurality of receptacle holding positions arranged in a series of parallel rows oriented in a first direction extending from the third side of the second receptacle storage area to the fourth side of the second receptacle storage area and a series of parallel columns oriented in a direction extending from the first side of the second receptacle storage area to the second side of the second receptacle storage area, wherein each receptacle holding position of the second receptacle storage area is configured to hold a single sample receptacle and is spaced apart from any directly adjacent receptacle holding position by a distance that is less than the width of the narrowest receptacle holding position;
- wherein the second side of the first receptacle storage area is spaced apart from the first side of the second receptacle storage area by a distance of not less than the width of the widest receptacle holding position of the second receptacle storage area, thereby defining a first receptacle transport path between the second side of the first receptacle storage area and the first side of the second receptacle storage area,
- wherein the first receptacle storage area includes a second receptacle transport path extending from the first side of the first receptacle storage area to the second side of the first receptacle storage area, wherein the second receptacle transport path has a width of not less than the width of the widest receptacle holding position of the second receptacle storage area,
- wherein the method comprises controlling a sample receptacle handling system to:
- (1) transfer sample receptacles from the first receptacle storage area to the conveyor by moving each sample receptacle with the sample receptacle handling system from a respective receptacle holding position of the first receptacle storage area, over the first side of the first receptacle storage area, and to the conveyor, wherein each of the sample receptacles is removed from the first receptacle storage area in an order and via a pathway over the first side of the first receptacle storage area such that the removed sample receptacle does not pass over another sample receptacle held in a receptacle holding position within the first receptacle storage area;
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- (2) transfer sample receptacles from the second receptacle storage area to the conveyer by:
- (a) moving each sample receptacle with the sample receptacle handling system from a respective receptacle holding position of the second receptacle storage area, over the first side of the second receptacle storage area, and into the first receptacle transport path, wherein each of the sample receptacles is removed from the second receptacle storage area in an order and via a pathway over the first side of the second receptacle storage area and into the first receptacle transport path such that the removed sample receptacle does not pass over another sample receptacle held in a receptacle holding position within the second receptacle storage area;
- (b) after the removed sample receptacle is transferred from the respective receptacle holding position of the second receptacle storage area into the first receptacle transport path, moving the sample receptacle with the sample receptacle handling system for a distance necessary to align the removed sample receptacle with the second receptacle transport path;
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- (c) then moving the removed sample receptacle with the sample receptacle handling system along the second receptacle transport path from the second side of the first receptacle storage area over the first side of the first receptacle storage area and to the conveyor.