Device and method for removing a peelable seal

• US 8,764,934 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brooks Automation Incorporated (Azenta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brooks Automation Incorporated (Azenta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Neeper, Robert K., Affleck, Rhett L., Howard, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Osele, Mark A
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARM, NICKOLAS R
• Application Number:
  US13/284,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20120103501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 156/714, 156/715, 156/759, 156/760, 156/764, 156/766
• US Class Current: 156/714
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/0013 Removing old coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/10 Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 43/006 Delaminating
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 7/00 Hand- or power-operated devices for opening closed containers nail pullers or extractors B25C11/00; attached to, or incorporated in, containers or container closures B65D75/58, B65D77/30
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1168 Gripping and pulling work apart during delaminating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1174 Using roller for delamination [e.g., roller pairs operating at differing speeds or directions, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/19 Delaminating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/195 Delaminating roller means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1956 Roller pair delaminating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1978 Delaminating bending means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1989 Corner edge bending delaminating means

Abstract

A container or array of containers that is are sealed with a peelable seal is transported via a conveyor along a processing path toward a desealing station at which an adhesive surface having a width substantially the same as or greater than the width of the seal is pressed against the upper surface of the peelable seal. A collection rod applies a downward pressure on the adhesive surface, pressing it against the seal and keeping the container or container array in position on the conveyor as the plate moves with the conveyor. As the leading edge of the seal passes the collection rod, the adhesive surface is rolled upward, away from the plane of the seal, pulling up on the leading edge of the seal to separate it from the container or container array while the container or container array is held down by the roller. The removed seal is then discarded.

Claims

1. A method for removal of a film from an object configured to hold laboratory samples, the object having a top surface, opposing sides separated by a width and a leading edge extending between the sides, the method comprising:

disposing the object on a processing surface;

feeding a continuous adhesive tape having an adhesive side along a tape path from a source roll to an uptake roll above the processing surface so that the adhesive side is directed downward to contact the film on the object, the adhesive tape having a width approximately equal to the width of the object;

disposing a collection rod above the processing surface such that the collection rod is positioned to cross the leading edge at a crossing angle relative to the leading edge of the object and between the opposing sides separated by the width of the object;

applying a downward pressure against the adhesive tape with a pressure surface to force the adhesive side into contact with the film;

translating one of the object and the adhesive tape relative to the other so that the adhesive tape is adhered to at least a corner of the film, wherein the corner of the film is adhered to the top of the object and is proximate to the leading edge of the object between the leading edge and the laboratory samples;

applying an upward pulling force on the tape to peel the film away from the object where the collection rod effects peeling the film away from the object at an angle corresponding to the crossing angle; and

continuing the steps of feeding and translating until the film is fully separated from the object and the removed film is retained on the adhesive tape.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising disposing a plurality of pinch rollers for maintaining a tension on the adhesive tape while applying the upward pulling force;

and

rolling used adhesive tape and attached separated film onto a take-up reel.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising feeding a backing tape before the adhesive tape enters the pinch rollers, wherein the backing tape adheres to an adhesive surface of the adhesive tape and the separated film, and the step of rolling takes up the adhesive tape, separated film and backing tape.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising disposing a sensor located over the processing surface downstream from the collection rod for detecting a residual film on the object and generating a signal in response to the detection of the residual film.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a plate or array of containers containing liquid samples.