Gripper apparatus with reduced contamination risk

A method of transferring a closed receptacle from a pickup location to a receptacle rack contained within a housing of a receptacle storage module using a robotic handler comprising a gripper apparatus and a gantry operatively supporting the gripper apparatus and configured to provide the gripper apparatus with XYZ movement, wherein the gripper apparatus is configured to grasp a closed receptacle having a receptacle and a closure affixed to an open top end of the receptacle and comprises:

• opposed jaw members capable of lateral movement between an open position and a first closed position, the jaw members being configured to grasp the closed receptacle when the closed receptacle is situated between the jaw members at the first closed position, and the jaw members being configured to release the closed receptacle at the open position;
• and
• a plurality of fingers, each of the jaw members having at least one of the plurality of fingers depending from a base thereof, wherein the plurality of fingers are configured to grasp a sidewall of the closure beneath a top surface of the closure when the closure is situated (i) between the plurality of fingers and (ii) beneath the base of each of the jaw members as the jaw members move laterally toward each other from the open position, and wherein the plurality of fingers grasp the sidewall of the closure at a second closed position, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
• (a) at the pickup location, moving the jaw members of the gripper apparatus from the open position to the first closed position to grasp the closed receptacle, wherein the closed receptacle is supported by a receptacle holder at the pick-up location;
• (b) while the jaw members are in the first closed position:
• (i) removing the receptacle from the receptacle holder;
• (ii) positioning the receptacle in vertical alignment with a receptacle slot formed in a receptacle rack contained within the receptacle storage module, the receptacle slot being configured to receive and support the closed receptacle in an upright orientation;
• and
• (iii) partially inserting the closed receptacle into the receptacle slot;
• (c) after step (b)(iii), moving the jaw members from the first closed position to the open position;
• (d) raising the jaw members until the plurality of fingers are laterally aligned with a sidewall of a closure of the closed receptacle;
• (e) moving the jaw members from the open position to the second closed position until the plurality of fingers engage the sidewall of the closure;
• and
• (f) while the jaw members are in the second closed position, lowering the gripper apparatus until the closed receptacle is seated in the receptacle slot.

A method for seating a closed receptacle in a receptacle slot with a gripper apparatus configured to grasp a closed receptacle having a receptacle and a closure affixed to an open top end of the receptacle and comprising:

• opposed jaw members capable of lateral movement between an open position and a first closed position, the jaw members being configured to grasp the closed receptacle when the closed receptacle is situated between the jaw members at the first closed position, and the jaw members being configured to release the closed receptacle at the open position;
• and
• a plurality of fingers, each of the jaw members having at least one of the plurality of fingers depending from a base thereof, wherein the plurality of fingers are configured to grasp a sidewall of the closure beneath a top surface of the closure when the closure is situated (i) between the plurality of fingers and (ii) beneath the base of each of the jaw members as the jaw members move laterally toward each other from the open position, and wherein the plurality of fingers grasp the sidewall of the closure at a second closed position, wherein the method comprises:
• (a) grasping the closure of the closed receptacle between the jaw members, with the jaw members in the first closed;
• (b) extending an insertion stop pin partially into the receptacle slot from a bottom end of the receptacle slot;
• (c) lowering the jaw members and the closed receptacle grasped thereby relative to the receptacle slot until the closed receptacle is partially inserted into the receptacle slot with a bottom end of the closed receptacle situated within the receptacle slot above the bottom end of the receptacle slot;
• (d) moving the jaw members from the first closed position to the open position to release the closed receptacle, with the closed receptacle being retained in a partially inserted position within the receptacle slot by the insertion stop pin;
• (e) raising the jaw members with respect to the partially inserted closed receptacle until the plurality of fingers are laterally aligned with the sidewall of the closure of the closed receptacle;
• (f) moving the jaw members from the open position to the second closed position to grasp the closure of the closed receptacle between the fingers;
• (g) withdrawing the insertion stop pin from the receptacle slot;
• (h) lowering the jaw members and the closed receptacle grasped by the plurality of fingers relative to the receptacle slot until the closed receptacle is fully inserted into the receptacle slot with the bottom end of the closed receptacle situated at the bottom end of the receptacle slot;
• (i) moving the jaw members from the second closed position to the open position to release the closed receptacle;
• and
• (j) raising the jaw members and the plurality of fingers relative to receptacle slot and the closed receptacle seated therein until the jaw members and the plurality of fingers are above the top surface of the closure.

A method for removing a closed receptacle from a receptacle slot with a gripper apparatus configured to grasp a closed receptacle having a receptacle and a closure affixed to an open top end of the receptacle and comprising:

• opposed jaw members capable of lateral movement between an open position and a first closed position, the jaw members being configured to grasp the closed receptacle when the closed receptacle is situated between the jaw members at the first closed position, and the jaw members being configured to release the closed receptacle at the open position;
• and
• a plurality of fingers, each of the jaw members having at least one of the plurality of fingers depending from a base thereof, wherein the plurality of fingers are configured to grasp a sidewall of the closure beneath a top surface of the closure when the closure is situated (i) between the plurality of fingers and (ii) beneath the base of each of the jaw members as the jaw members move laterally toward each other from the open position, and wherein the plurality of fingers grasp the sidewall of the closure at a second closed position, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
• (a) grasping the closure of the closed receptacle between the plurality of fingers, with the jaw members in the second closed position, wherein a bottom end of the closed receptacle is situated at a bottom end of the receptacle slot, and the closure of the closed receptacle is situated at least partially above the receptacle slot;
• (b) raising the jaw members and the closed receptacle grasped by the plurality of fingers relative to the receptacle slot until the closed receptacle is partially removed from the receptacle slot with the bottom end of the closed receptacle situated within the receptacle slot above the bottom end of the receptacle slot;
• (c) extending an insertion stop pin partially into the receptacle slot from the bottom end of the receptacle slot;
• (d) moving the jaw members from the second closed position to the open position to release the closed receptacle, with the closed receptacle being retained in a partially removed position within the receptacle slot by the insertion stop pin;
• (e) lowering the jaw members with respect to the partially removed closed receptacle until the jaw members are laterally aligned with the sidewall of the closure of the closed receptacle;
• moving the jaw members from the open position to the first closed position to grasp the closure of the closed receptacle between the jaw members;
• and
• (f) raising the jaw members and the closed receptacle grasped thereby relative to the receptacle slot until the bottom end of the closed receptacle is above the receptacle slot.