Abstract: The invention essentially consists in advantageously using and arranging at least one robot (8) relative to one or more storage recipients (4) and a transfer station (5) for transferring the containers to the unit in such a way as to take advantage of the flexibility of movement and grip offered by the arm or arms of the robot or robots and its/their gripping member, in order to automate all of the operations carried out manually by an operator in conventional biobanks.

Abstract: The invention essentially consists in advantageously using and arranging at least one robot (8) relative to one or more storage recipients (4) and a transfer station (5) for transferring the containers to the unit in such a way as to take advantage of the flexibility of movement and grip offered by the arm or arms of the robot or robots and its/their gripping member, in order to automate all of the operations carried out manually by an operator in conventional biobanks.

Abstract: The female part (F) receiving the male part (M) comprises internally a tubular guide (4) with which the male part cooperates in a tight sealing manner (joint 20); the male and female parts respectively comprise at the input thereof a pivoting insulation flap (19; 17) which can open in a sequence when the male part penetrates the female part prior to the opening of the flap valves (15; 9) of the portions of the fluid circuit (13,7). The invention can be used to fill tanks of automobiles with cryogenic fluid, particularly liquid hydrogen.

Abstract: A specular system for recovering the energy of a reflected laser beam is disclosed which has a plurality of reflecting surfaces positioned so as to further reflect the reflected laser beam back onto the workpiece surface. The normals of the reflecting surfaces are displaced from the point at which the laser beam impinges upon the workpiece from a laser head. The reflecting surfaces may be plane or curved and focusing such that they take the form of segments of spheres or cylinders, depending upon the particular application of the system. The reflecting surfaces are characterized by different curvatures or by discontinuous orientations. The reflecting surfaces may be formed on a common reflector, or may be individually formed on separate reflectors. In the latter instance, the separate reflectors may be mutually adjustable both with respect to each other and with respect to the laser head.