Meia cartridge feeder

• US 5,507,410 A
• Filed: 01/03/1994
• Issued: 04/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Martin, Richard R., Moore, Larry W., Clark, Frederick L., Wohlford, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Noland, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US08/176,870
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 221/171, 221/172, 221/173, 414/754, 414/778, 414/783, 414/781, 422/64, 422/65
• US Class Current: 221/171
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/24 the containers being submitted to a rectilinear movement
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/142 Preventing evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/043 Hinged closures
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/08 Flasks
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/00 Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor injection blow-moulding B29C49/06
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0032 Birefringent
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2023/22 Tubes or pipes, i.e. rigid bent tubes not for use as pipe couplings B29L2023/004
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/007 Devices specially adapted for forensic samples, e.g. tamper-proofing, sample tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6482 Sample cells, cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00168 Manufacturing or preparing test elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00287 movable lid/cover for sample or reaction tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00356 Holding samples at elevated temperature (incubation)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00386 using fluid heat transfer medium
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00455 Controlling humidity in analyser
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00475 Filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00495 : Centrifuges
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00524 : Mixing by agitating sample carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00752 : bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0093 : random access not determined by physical position
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0405 : manipulating closing or opening means, e.g. stoppers, screw caps, lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0436 : with pre-packaged reagents, i.e. test-packs
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0441 : for samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0443 : for reagents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0444 : for cuvettes or reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0446 : Combinations of the above
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0448 : composed of interchangeable ring elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0453 : Multiple carousels working in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0465 : Loading or unloading the conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1025 : Fluid level sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1076 : plurality or independently movable heads
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1086 : Cylindrical, e.g. variable angle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/03 : Cuvette constructions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6452 : Individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/76 : Chemiluminescence; Bioluminescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/53 : Immunoassay; Biospecific binding assay; Materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5302 : Apparatus specially adapted for immunological test procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/537 : with separation of immune complex from unbound antigen or antibody
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/538 : by sorbent column, particles or resin strip , i.e. sorbent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/542 : with steric inhibition or signal modification, e.g. fluorescent quenching
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54313 : the carrier being characterised by its particulate form
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0092 : Scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 : comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/025 : having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1004 : Cleaning sample transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1065 : Multiple transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/04 : Arrangements for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed, e.g. vacuum locks; Arrangements for external adjustment of electron- or ion-optical components

Abstract

A cartridge feeder for dispensing a plurality of cartridges in single order and in upright position, each cartridge being cylindrical shape and having a top end tapering to an aperture therein and a substantially flat bottom end. A hopper stores a plurality of the cartridges and feeds those cartridges to a throat in a bridge to which the hopper is connected. The cartridge is passed through the bridge throat and to the throat of a shuttle. A pair of axially positioned pins with opposing cups close against the top end and the bottom end of the cartridge. The shuttle moves from a location underneath the bridge to a location over a chute. When the shuttle is over the chute, the first and second pins separate releasing the cartridge to fall through the chute. The first and second pins have a profile which engage the cartridge in a manner causing the bottom end of the cartridge to always drop first. The cartridge passes through the chute to a trap door. The trap door releases the cartridge to an opening in a carousel below, and positions the cartridge within the carousel by a flange mounted to the underneath side of the door.

Claims

1. Apparatus for dispensing a plurality of cartridges in single order and upright position, each cartridge being cylindrical in shape and having a top end tapering to an aperture therein and a substantially flat bottom end, said apparatus comprising:

a first pin and a second pin axially aligned, each of the pins having mounted on one end thereof a cup, each cup having a center profile that matches the shape of the top end of the cartridge, the cups facing each other;

means for supporting said first and second pins, said pins being axially slidable in the supporting means such that the pins can releasably support one of the cartridges therebetween regardless of the orientation of the top and bottom ends of the cartridge; and

means for actuating said first and second pins, said actuating means fixed to the supporting means, said actuating means capable of closing said pins against the top and bottom ends of said cartridge whereby the center profile of one of the cups fits into the top end of the cartridge with the other cup pressing against the bottom end of the cartridge, and said actuating means being capable of opening said pins away from the top and bottom ends of the cartridge to release the cartridge, whereby one cup holds the top end of the cartridge while the bottom end of the cartridge slips downwardly from the other cup causing the cartridge to pivot to the upright position.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein each of the cups of said first and second pins includes an outer lip concentric with the center profile, the outer lip having an inner diameter greater than the diameter of the cartridge and a height less than the height of the center profile.

3. The apparatus as in claim 1, further including a chute positioned to direct said cartridges released from said first and second pins.

4. Apparatus for dispensing a cartridge having a cylindrical shape with a longitudinal axis, a top end tapering to an aperture therein, and a substantially flat bottom end, which apparatus comprises:

a bridge having a bridge throat having a size sufficient for the cartridge to pass therethrough with said cartridge'"'"'s longitudinal axis being oriented horizontally;

a chute having a tapered inner profile adapted to allow the cartridge to pass therethrough such that the cartridge exits said chute with the longitudinal axis of the cartridge oriented vertically, said chute being located in a position offset from the bridge throat of said bridge;

a shuttle having a shuttle throat having a size sufficient to receive the cartridge from said bridge with said cartridge'"'"'s longitudinal axis being oriented horizontally and allow the cartridge to pass therethrough to said chute;

a first pin and a second pin, each of said pins having mounted on one end thereof a cup having a center profile that matches the shape of the top end of the cartridge, said first pin and said second pin mounted in said shuttle so that they are axially aligned and with the center profiles of the cups facing each other on opposite sides of the shuttle throat, each cup capable of engaging either the top or the bottom end of the cartridge, thereby supporting the cartridge in the shuttle throat;

means for moving said first and second pins so that the cups contact the top end and the bottom end of the cartridge;

means for moving said shuttle from a position aligning the shuttle throat with the bridge throat to a position aligning the shuttle throat with the chute; and

means for moving said first and second pins away from each other when they are above said chute, thereby dropping the cartridge with the top end up and the bottom end down.

5. The apparatus as in claim 4, including means for moving said shuttle from a position aligning the shuttle throat with the chute to a position aligning the shuttle throat with the bridge throat.

6. The apparatus as in claim 4, wherein the cups of each of the first and second pins includes an outer lip concentric with the center profile, said outer lip having an inner diameter greater than the diameter of said cartridge and having a height that does not exceed the height of the center profile.

7. The apparatus as in claim 4, including a hopper means for receiving, storing, and feeding cartridges to the bridge throat of said bridge.

8. The apparatus as in claim 4, including a trap door assembly comprising:

a body having a passageway of a size sufficient to allow said cartridge to pass therethrough with its longitudinal axis opriented vertically, said passageway positioned to receive said cartridge from said chute;

a trap door having an upper side and a lower side, said trap door rotatably mounted to said body, said trap door having a closed position to obstruct the passageway and an open position to not obstruct the passageway; and

means for rotating said trap door from the closed position to the open position.

9. The apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said trap door includes:

a height adjustor mounted to the lower side of said trap door, said height adjustor having a bottom parallel to said lower side of said trap door and located at a predetermined distance from the lower side of the trap door and a leading edge connecting said lower side of the trap door and the bottom of the height adjustor, said leading edge forming an obtuse angle with the bottom of the height adjustor; and

means for rotating the trap door to a predetermined position, whereby the leading edge and the bottom of the height adjustor position said cartridge at the predetermined distance from the lower side of the trap door.