Delivery apparatus for parts

• US 6,799,696 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2002
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beckman Coulter Incorporated (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Watanabe, Sadahiro, Okada, Noriyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bollinger, David H.
• Application Number:
  US10/241,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20030047418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 221/254, 221/158, 221/159, 221/160, 221/163, 221/165, 221/172, 221/202, 221/200, 221/236, 221/239, 221/258
• US Class Current: 221/200
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/543 for disposable pipette tips, e.g. racks or cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/1471 Movement in one direction, substantially outwards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0484 Belt or chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/103 using disposable tips
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/04 Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence

Abstract

An apparatus for delivering parts such as pipette chips in succession to an intended position includes a transfer section. The transfer section includes a stepped portion for changing a transfer passage to upper and lower passages to provide a difference in height between the upper and lower passages, which is in more than a size of the parts. The transfer section further includes a separator for holding on the upper passage an upper part of at least two parts being transferred in overlapping relationship one on the other and causing the lower part of the two parts to drop by gravity onto the lower passage and continuously thereto causing the upper part itself to drop onto the lower passage. A recovery duct is preferably provided upstream of the transfer section. With the above construction, no overlapping parts are delivered to a part supply section and no waste parts occur due to a trouble in transferring.

Claims

1. An apparatus for delivering parts such as pipette tips in succession and including a transfer section, said transfer section comprising a stepped portion for changing a transfer passage to upper and lower passages to provide a difference in height between said upper and lower passages, which is more than a size of said parts, and a separator for holding on said upper passage an upper part of at least two parts being transferred in overlapping relationship one on the other and causing the lower part of said two parts to drop by gravity onto said lower passage and continuously thereto causing said upper part itself to drop onto said lower passage.

2. The apparatus for delivering parts as set forth in claim 1, wherein said separator comprises a passage extending in parallel with said transfer passage of said transfer section for gripping only the upper part to hold it in upright hung state, and an opening located at the forward end of said passage of the separator for dropping said upper part therethrough.

3. The apparatus for delivering parts as set forth in claim 1, wherein said stepped portion has an inclined passage gradually connecting said upper and lower passages.

4. The apparatus for delivering parts as set forth in claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises a recovery duct for returning parts removed in said transfer section to a hopper upstream of said transfer section.