Patent · US Active

Automated bit exchange method and apparatus for laboratory sample tube capping and decapping machines

US9796574B2 · kind B2 · utility

15Cited by

6References

16Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Hamilton Storage Technologies, Inc. · US

Inventors

Martin Frey · Hamburg, DE
Beat Thöny · Visp, CH
Beat Zahner · Kaltbrunn, CH
Petra Tappe · Chur, CH

Key dates

Filing date	Oct 27, 2016
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Oct 27, 2036

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY10T483/1845
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A laboratory capper, decapper or combination capper/decapper includes a deck containing with a nest designed to hold an SBS-formatted tube storage rack, and a bit exchange magazine assembly containing one or more sets of adapter bits. The adapter bits are mounted on and unloaded from motor driven fittings, and are exchanged in order to cap or decap laboratory sample tubes or vials that have different head configurations. The bit exchange magazine assembly enables the bit to be exchanged robotically.

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