Device and method for removing a peelable seal
First Claim
1. A device for removal of a film from an object, comprising:
- a processing surface;
a collection rod disposed above the processing surface, the collection rod having a length substantially equal to or greater than a width of the object;
an adhesive surface extending downward along the length of the collection rod;
an alignment system disposed on the processing surface and configured so that the alignment system defines aligning of a leading edge of the object relative to the collection rod and the adhesive surface;
a conveyor configured to move one of the object and the adhesive surface relative to the other along a translation path that is in a direction parallel to a plane of the processing surface, the translation path having a predetermined orientation with respect to a leading edge of the film; and
an uplift mechanism for producing tangential upward forces at a downstream side of the collection rod, the uplift mechanism being configured with respect to the translation path and the leading edge of the film so that the adhesive surface pulls up the leading edge of the film in a skewed direction so that a component direction of the skewed direction, which component direction is oriented parallel to the plane of the processing surface, an as defined by the predetermined orientation between the translation path and the leading edge of the film, is skewed relative to the leading edge of the object at a substantially constant skewed angle and causes the film to be peeled upward away from the object as one of the object and the collection rod is moved from the leading edge of the film to a trailing edge of the film.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A device for removal of a film from an object, comprising:
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a processing surface; a collection rod disposed above the processing surface, the collection rod having a length substantially equal to or greater than a width of the object; an adhesive surface extending downward along the length of the collection rod; an alignment system disposed on the processing surface and configured so that the alignment system defines aligning of a leading edge of the object relative to the collection rod and the adhesive surface; a conveyor configured to move one of the object and the adhesive surface relative to the other along a translation path that is in a direction parallel to a plane of the processing surface, the translation path having a predetermined orientation with respect to a leading edge of the film; and an uplift mechanism for producing tangential upward forces at a downstream side of the collection rod, the uplift mechanism being configured with respect to the translation path and the leading edge of the film so that the adhesive surface pulls up the leading edge of the film in a skewed direction so that a component direction of the skewed direction, which component direction is oriented parallel to the plane of the processing surface, an as defined by the predetermined orientation between the translation path and the leading edge of the film, is skewed relative to the leading edge of the object at a substantially constant skewed angle and causes the film to be peeled upward away from the object as one of the object and the collection rod is moved from the leading edge of the film to a trailing edge of the film. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for removal of a film from a top surface of 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 apparatus comprising:
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a processing surface; 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 disposed on the processing surface, the adhesive tape having a width corresponding to a width of the object; a collection surface disposed above the processing surface such that the collection rod is positioned to cross the leading edge at a skewed crossing angle relative to the leading edge of the object and between the opposing sides separated by the width of the object; a pressure surface oriented to apply a downward pressure against the adhesive tape and force the adhesive side into contact with the film; a conveyance connected to the processing surface and arranged so that the conveyance translates one of the object and the adhesive tape relative to the other along a translation path having a predetermined orientation with respect to the leading edge of the object 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; wherein the collection rod effects applying an upward pulling force on the tape, the collection rod being configured with respect to the translation path and the leading edge of the object so that the upward pulling force on the tape peels the film away from the object at a substantially constant angle corresponding to the skewed crossing angle in a skewed direction so that a component direction of the skewed direction, which component direction is parallel to a plane of the processing surface, and as defined by the predetermined orientation between the translation path and the leading edge of the object, is skewed relative to the leading edge of the object. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification