Device and method for delivering a laboratory sample carrier from a stack of sample carriers

• US 10,118,776 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2015
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pyramid Innovation Ltd. (SLMP Holding LLC)
• Original Assignee: Pyramid Innovation Ltd. (SLMP Holding LLC)
• Inventors: Hughes, Thomas Fergus
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Gregory W
• Application Number:
  US15/502,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20170233200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 221187, 221256, 221268, 221270, 221272, 221295, 221 90, 221 1014, 221271, 271 1014, 271271, 4147961, 4147963, 4147974, 4147975, 4147976, 4147977, 4147979, 4147985, 4147987
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 59/062 by means of reciprocating or oscillating escapement-like mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 59/067 articles being separated substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the stack
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/24 by pushers engaging the edges of the articles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00861 printing and sticking of identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00 Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/16 Delivery means

Abstract

A device and method for delivering a laboratory sample carrier from a stack of sample carriers includes providing a retaining mechanism that retains the stack of laboratory sample carriers, and an ejector mechanism including a displaceable mechanism comprising a carrier support portion and a carrier transporting portion which are hingeably interconnected. The stack is supported by the carrier transporting portion and the carrier transporting portion is supported by a carrier transporting portion support of the ejector mechanism when the displaceable mechanism is in a first carrier receiving position and configuration. The displaceable mechanism is displaced from the first carrier receiving position and configuration to a second carrier release position and configuration by a further displacement mechanism of the ejector mechanism. This involves moving a lowermost carrier from the bottom of the stack in a carrier accommodating region of the carrier transporting portion as the displaceable mechanism is displaced from the first carrier receiving position and configuration. The displaceable mechanism is displaced such that the carrier transporting portion moves past the carrier transporting portion support and drops so that the displaceable mechanism adopts the second carrier release position and configuration and the carrier in the carrier accommodating region is released. The stack is supported with the carrier support portion when the displaceable mechanism is in the second carrier release position and configuration.

Claims

1. A device for delivering a laboratory sample carrier from a stack of sample carriers, the device comprising:

a retainer configured to retain a stack of laboratory sample carriers; and

an ejector mechanism comprising;

a carrier support portion and a carrier transporting portion which are hingeably interconnected, the carrier transporting portion having a carrier accommodating region and a stop;

a motor to displace the carrier support portion from a first carrier receiving position and configuration to a second carrier release position and configuration, the carrier transporting portion arranged to support the stack when the carrier support portion is in the first carrier receiving position and configuration, the carrier support portion arranged to move a lowermost carrier from the bottom of the stack in the carrier accommodating region as the carrier support portion is displaced from the first carrier receiving position and configuration, and the carrier support portion is arranged to support the stack when the carrier support portion is in the second carrier release position and configuration;

a release surface that releases said carrier from the carrier accommodating region when the carrier support portion reaches the second carrier release position and configuration, wherein the release surface is positioned to engage the carrier in the carrier transporting portion and displace the carrier past the stop of the carrier transporting portion when the carrier support portion reaches the second carrier release position and configuration; and

a carrier transporting portion support for supporting the carrier transporting portion when the carrier support portion is in the first carrier receiving position and configuration but does not support the carrier transporting portion when the carrier support portion is in the second carrier release position and configuration thereby allowing the carrier transporting portion to drop to a carrier release position to release any said carrier from the carrier accommodating region, wherein the stop of the carrier transporting portion prevents a said carrier held in the carrier accommodating region from dropping from the carrier transporting portion before the carrier support portion reaches the second carrier release position and configuration.

2. A combination of the device of claim 1 and an apparatus for marking a laboratory sample carrier that is arranged to travel through the apparatus vertically or inclined such that the carrier travels under the influence of gravity, and the device being positioned to drop the released carrier into the apparatus for marking.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier support portion has an abutment for moving said lowermost carrier from the bottom of the stack.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier transporting portion is arranged to rotate relative to the carrier support portion when the motor displaces the carrier transporting portion from the first carrier receiving position and configuration to the second carrier release position and configuration.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier transporting portion support is part of a base of the ejector mechanism and the release mechanism comprise part of the base.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier transporting portion has a stop for preventing a said carrier held in the carrier accommodating region from dropping from the carrier transporting portion before the carrier support portion reaches the second carrier release position and configuration.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stack retainer comprises a stack retaining stop for preventing carriers other than the lowermost carrier of the stack from being moved when said lowermost carrier is moved from the bottom of the stack.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier transporting portion support includes a biasing mechanism that biases the carrier transporting portion towards the retainer that retains the stack of carriers.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus for marking is arranged to receive by hand a carrier to be marked as well as to receive a carrier from the device.

10. A method for delivering a laboratory sample carrier from a stack of sample carriers in the device of claim 1, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the carrier support portion and the carrier transporting portion which are hingeably interconnected;

retaining the stack of laboratory sample carriers;

supporting the stack with the carrier transporting portion and supporting the carrier transporting portion with the carrier transporting portion support when the carrier support portion is in a first carrier receiving position and configuration; and

displacing the carrier support portion from the first carrier receiving position and configuration to a second carrier release position and configuration, the displacing step comprising;

(i) moving a lowermost carrier from the bottom of the stack in a carrier accommodating region of the carrier transporting portion as the carrier support portion is displaced from the first carrier receiving position and configuration;

(ii) displacing the carrier support portion such that the carrier transporting portion moves past the carrier transporting portion support and drops so that the displaceable mechanism adopts the second carrier release position and configuration and the carrier in the carrier accommodating region is released;

(iii) supporting the stack with the carrier support portion when the carrier support portion is in the second carrier release position and configuration; and

(iv) dropping the released carrier into an apparatus for marking a laboratory sample carrier, the released carrier travelling through the apparatus vertically or inclined under the influence of gravity.