Microwell Sampling Tape Sealing Apparatus and Methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Method of sealing comprising:
- moving a shell having annular cross sections and including inner and outer peripheries, with a plurality of holes extending through the shell between the inner and outer peripheries, with the plurality of holes being in a pattern;
directing a carrier tape over a portion of the outer periphery of the moving shell, with the carrier tape including a plurality of wells corresponding to and received in the pattern of the plurality of holes of the shell; and
sandwiching a seal tape against the carrier tape in turn sandwiched against the outer periphery of the moving shell.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sealing station (10) includes a shell (100) having holes (106) extending between inner and outer peripheries (102, 104) and arranged in a pattern to receive wells (30) of a carrier tape (20) directed on a portion of the outer periphery (104). Spaced, raised surfaces (150) are formed on the outer periphery (104) concentrically around and corresponding to the plurality of holes (106). A press roller (130) sandwiches a seal tape (60) against the carrier tape (20) in turn sandwiched against the spaced, raised surfaces (150) of the outer periphery (104) of the shell (100) to bond the seal tape (60) to the carrier tape (20) at areas corresponding to the spaced, raised surfaces (150).
18 Citations
26 Claims
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1. Method of sealing comprising:
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moving a shell having annular cross sections and including inner and outer peripheries, with a plurality of holes extending through the shell between the inner and outer peripheries, with the plurality of holes being in a pattern; directing a carrier tape over a portion of the outer periphery of the moving shell, with the carrier tape including a plurality of wells corresponding to and received in the pattern of the plurality of holes of the shell; and sandwiching a seal tape against the carrier tape in turn sandwiched against the outer periphery of the moving shell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for sealing samples inside wells arranged in patterns in a carrier tape with a seal tape, comprising an anvil including an outer periphery, with a plurality of holes extending in the anvil from the outer periphery, with the plurality of holes being in the pattern of the wells in the carrier tape, a mechanism directing the carrier tape over a portion of the outer periphery of the anvil with the wells of the carrier tape received in the plurality of holes, and a pressing mechanism sandwiching the seal tape against the carrier tape in turn sandwiched against the outer periphery of the anvil;
- with the anvil being in the form of a shell having annular cross sections and including an inner periphery, with the plurality of holes extending through the shell between the inner and outer peripheries.
- View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. Method of sealing comprising:
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moving an outer periphery of an anvil, with a plurality of holes extending from the outer periphery and being in a pattern, with the anvil having a plurality of spaced, raised surfaces on the outer periphery around and corresponding to the plurality of holes; directing a carrier tape over a portion of the outer periphery of the moving anvil, with the carrier tape including a plurality of wells corresponding to and received in the pattern of the plurality of holes of the moving anvil; sandwiching a seal tape against the carrier tape in turn sandwiched against the plurality of spaced, raised surfaces of the outer periphery of the moving anvil. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. Apparatus for sealing samples inside wells arranged in patterns in a carrier tape with a seal tape, comprising, in combination:
- an anvil including an outer periphery, with a plurality of holes extending from the outer periphery and in the pattern of the wells in the carrier tape, with the anvil having a plurality of spaced, raised surfaces on the outer periphery around and corresponding to the plurality of holes;
a mechanism directing the carrier tape over a portion of the outer periphery of the anvil with the wells of the carrier tape received in the plurality of holes; and
a pressing mechanism sandwiching the seal tape against the carrier tape in turn sandwiched against the plurality of spaced, raised surfaces of the outer periphery of the moving anvil. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
- an anvil including an outer periphery, with a plurality of holes extending from the outer periphery and in the pattern of the wells in the carrier tape, with the anvil having a plurality of spaced, raised surfaces on the outer periphery around and corresponding to the plurality of holes;
Specification