US5176202A — Method and apparatus for use in low-temperature s…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 125 words

A low-temperature storage system comprising: storage means for maintaining a plurality of biological specimens within a predetermined low temperature range; a plurality of thawing chambers; heating means for implementing a temperature change in each of said chambers independently of temperature changes in each other of said chambers; servomechanism means for retrieving a selected specimen from said storage means and transfering the retrieved specimen to a respective selected one of said chambers; and control means operatively connected to said heating means and said servomechanism means for operating said heating means to control a rate of temperature change in said selected one of said chambers and for activating said servomechanism means to transfer said selected specimen from said storage means to said selected one of said chambers.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 125 words

A low-temperature storage system comprising: storage means for maintaining a plurality of biological specimens within a predetermined low temperature range; a plurality of thawing chambers; heating means for implementing a temperature change in each of said chambers independently of temperature changes in each other of said chambers; servomechanism means for retrieving a selected specimen from said storage means and transfering the retrieved specimen to a respective selected one of said chambers; and control means operatively connected to said heating means and said servomechanism means for operating said heating means to control a rate of temperature change in said selected one of said chambers and for activating said servomechanism means to transfer said selected specimen from said storage means to said selected one of said chambers.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 27 words

The system defined in claim 1 wherein said storage means includes a housing and conveyor means for moving said specimens along a predetermined path inside said housing.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 36 words

The system defined in claim 2 wherein said control means includes tracking means operatively linked to said conveyor means for monitoring locations of specimens during motion thereof along said path under action of said conveyor means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 33 words

The system defined in claim 2 wherein said storage means further includes verification means for automatically verifying the identity of said selected specimen upon retrieval thereof from said housing by said servomechanism means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 39 words

The system defined in claim 1 wherein said control means includes timing means for triggering retrieval of said selected specimen from said storage means at a time in accordance with a respective pre-established thawing protocol for said selected specimen.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 37 words

The system defined in claim 5 wherein said control means is preprogrammed with a plurality of thawing protocols in encoded form and includes means for automatically selecting from among said thawing protocols in accordance with specimen type.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 27 words

The system defined in claim 1, further comprising selection means operatively connected to said control means for inputting data into said control means identifying said selected specimen.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 121 words

The system defined in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of freezing chambers and cooling means for implementing a temperature change in each of said chambers independently of temperature changes in each other of said chambers, said servomechanism means being operable for retrieving a predetermined specimen from a respective selected one of said freezing chambers and transferring the retrieved predetermined specimen to said storage means, said control means being operatively connected to said cooling means and said servomechanism means for operating said cooling means to control a rate of temperature change in said selected one of said chambers and for activating said servomechanism means to transfer said predetermined specimen from said selected one of said freezing chambers to said storage means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

The system defined in claim 8 wherein each of said thawing chambers and each of said freezing chambers is provided with both heating and cooling capability.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 123 words

A method used in low temperature storage of biological specimens, comprising the steps of: maintaining a multiplicity of biological specimens within a predetermined low temperature range in a cryogenic storage unit; selecting at least one of said biological specimens for removal from said storage unit; determining a thaw period and at least one thaw rate for the elected specimen; automatically retrieving said selected specimen from said storage unit at a removal time in accordance with the respective determined thaw period; and automatically thawing said selected specimen at the respective thaw rate, said step of thawing including the steps of automatically depositing said selected specimen in a thawing chamber and operating said thawing chamber to warm said selected specimen at the respective determined rate.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 123 words

A method used in low temperature storage of biological specimens, comprising the steps of: maintaining a multiplicity of biological specimens within a predetermined low temperature range in a cryogenic storage unit; selecting at least one of said biological specimens for removal from said storage unit; determining a thaw period and at least one thaw rate for the elected specimen; automatically retrieving said selected specimen from said storage unit at a removal time in accordance with the respective determined thaw period; and automatically thawing said selected specimen at the respective thaw rate, said step of thawing including the steps of automatically depositing said selected specimen in a thawing chamber and operating said thawing chamber to warm said selected specimen at the respective determined rate.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method defined in claim 10 wherein said step of determining said thaw period and said thaw rate is implemented at least partially automatically.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 57 words

The method defined in claim 11 wherein said step of determining said thaw period and said thaw rate includes the step of operating a general purpose computer to determine said thaw period and said thaw rate, said computer being preprogrammed to store in digitally encoded form a table of pre-established thawing protocols for different kinds of specimens.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method defined in claim 11 wherein said step of determining said thaw period and said thaw rate includes the step of accessing a table of pre-established thawing protocols to determine an optimal thaw period and rate for the selected specimen.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method defined in claim 10, further comprising the step of automatically determining removal times for a plurality of selected specimens from respective determined thaw periods, so that the selected specimens attains a thawed out state at approximately the same time.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method defined in claim 10, further comprising the step of automatically moving said specimen along a predetermined path inside said storage unit.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method defined in claim 15, further comprising the step of automatically tracking locations of specimens during motion thereof along said path.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method defined in claim 15, further comprising the step of automatically verifying the identities of said selected specimen upon retrieval thereof from said storage unit.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 125 words

A low-temperature storage system comprising: storage means for maintaining a plurality of biological specimens within a predetermined low temperature range; a plurality of freezing chambers; cooling means for implementing a temperature change in each of said chambers independently of temperature changes in each other of said chambers; servomechanism means for retrieving a predetermined specimen from a respective selected one of said chambers and transfering the retrieved specimen to said storage means; and control means operatively connected to said cooling means and said servomechanism means for operating said cooling means to control a rate of temperature change in said selected one of said chambers and for activating said servomechanism means to transfer said predetermined specimen from said selected one of said chambers to said storage means.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 125 words

A low-temperature storage system comprising: storage means for maintaining a plurality of biological specimens within a predetermined low temperature range; a plurality of freezing chambers; cooling means for implementing a temperature change in each of said chambers independently of temperature changes in each other of said chambers; servomechanism means for retrieving a predetermined specimen from a respective selected one of said chambers and transfering the retrieved specimen to said storage means; and control means operatively connected to said cooling means and said servomechanism means for operating said cooling means to control a rate of temperature change in said selected one of said chambers and for activating said servomechanism means to transfer said predetermined specimen from said selected one of said chambers to said storage means.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 58 words

The system defined in claim 18 wherein said storage means includes a housing and conveyor means for moving said specimens along a predetermined path inside said housing, and wherein said control means includes tracking means operatively linked to said conveyor means for monitoring locations of specimens during motion thereof along said path under action of said conveyor means.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 42 words

The system defined in claim 18 wherein said control means includes timing means for triggering retrieval of said predetermined specimen from said selected one of said chambers at a time in accordance with a respective pre-established freezing protocol for said predetermined specimen.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 37 words

The system defined in claim 20 wherein said control means is preprogrammed with a plurality of freezing protocols in encoded form and includes means for automatically selecting from among said freezing protocols in accordance with specimen type.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 90 words

A method used in low temperature storage of biological specimens, comprising the steps of: depositing a biological specimen in a freezing chamber; determining a freezing period and at least one freezing rate for the deposited specimen; automatically retrieving the deposited specimen from said freezing chamber at a removal time in accordance with the respective determined freezing period; automatically transfering the retrieved specimen from said freezing chamber to a cryogenic storage unit; and storing the retrieved and transfered specimen together with a multiplicity of other specimens in said cryogenic storage unit.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 90 words

A method used in low temperature storage of biological specimens, comprising the steps of: depositing a biological specimen in a freezing chamber; determining a freezing period and at least one freezing rate for the deposited specimen; automatically retrieving the deposited specimen from said freezing chamber at a removal time in accordance with the respective determined freezing period; automatically transfering the retrieved specimen from said freezing chamber to a cryogenic storage unit; and storing the retrieved and transfered specimen together with a multiplicity of other specimens in said cryogenic storage unit.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method defined in claim 22 wherein said step of determining said freezing period and said freezing rate is implemented at least partially automatically.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 57 words

The method defined in claim 23 wherein said step of determining said freezing period and said freezing rate includes the step of operating a general purpose computer to determine said freezing period and said freezing rate, said computer being preprogrammed to store in digitally encoded form a table of preestablished freezing protocols for different kinds of specimens.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method defined in claim 23 wherein said step of determining said freezing period and said freezing rate includes the step of accessing a table of pre-established freezing protocols to determine an optimal freezing period and rate for the deposited specimen.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-01-05	1996-07-06	1997-01-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-01-05	2000-07-06	2001-01-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-01-05	2004-07-06	2005-01-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for use in low-temperature storage

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