Patent · US Expired

Multi-tip wash station for robot

US5803987A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
9References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 17, 1997
Grant dateSep 8, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 17, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N35/1004
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A wash station for washing probes which are used with robotic systems. In particular, the wash station is used with robotic systems to provide simultaneous cleaning of both the interior and the exterior of multiple probes employed by the system. The wash station consists of a base, multiple chambers and multiple cylinders. The robotic probe to be cleaned is inserted within one of the cylinders where it is immersed in wash liquid to wash the exterior walls. The cylinders are separated by chambers. The wash liquid is removed from the wash station via a drain located in the base. In a preferred embodiment, independent access for each probe into the wash station is provided. In addition, the wash station provides a large capacity for fluid handling and is constructed such that the station is water tight. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the wash station is constructed from chemically compatible materials which will not be affected by exposure to the materials needed for general chemical synthesis.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.