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Delivery system for analytical samples

  • US 9,533,300 B2
  • Filed: 03/08/2012
  • Issued: 01/03/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A combination vault and storage cartridge for vials comprising a storage cartridge includinga housing having a top wall providing at least one entry/exit opening for a vial, the at least one entry/exit opening being smaller than the top wall,a disc inside the housing and mounted for rotation about an axis, the disc having a multiplicity of sample holders for receiving vials having a machine readable tag, at least one of the sample holders being aligned with the at least one entry/exit opening in one rotational position of the disc, anda brake mounted in said housing for securing the disc against rotation, a vault including a docking station configured to removably receive the storage cartridge housing such that each said storage cartridge is selectively inserted into or retrieved from said docking station,means for activating the brake when the storage cartridge is out of the vault and releasing the brake at a time when the storage cartridge is in the vault to allow rotation of the disc when the storage cartridge is in the vault,said storage cartridge being configured to captivate the vials in the housing when the storage cartridge is out of the vault, the combination comprisinga drive mechanism engaging the disc and adapted to rotate the disc about the axis,an input/output device movably mounted between a position aligned with the sample holder intersected by the entry/exit opening and a position for receiving a vial from a location beyond said vault,a control system configured to position the input/output device at selected ones of its positions,at least one conduit connected to said input/output device for transporting vials toward and away from the vault, anda reader for reading the machine readable tag.

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