Method and apparatus for separating interlocked cap and receptacle

• US 11,292,003 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2018
• Issued: 04/05/2022
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gen-Probe Incorporated (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gen-Probe Incorporated (Hologic Incorporated)
• Inventors: Knight, Byron J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hyun, Paul S
• Application Number:
  US16/127,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20190001324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/02 Adapting objects or devices to another
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/026 Fluid interfacing between devices or objects, e.g. connectors, inlet details
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0668 Trapping microscopic beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/142 Preventing evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/047 Additional chamber, reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/048 enabling gas exchange, e.g. vents
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0609 Holders integrated in container to position an object
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0832 cylindrical, tube shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0838 Capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0851 Bottom walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0858 Side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/12 Specific details about materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 : capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 : with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5082 : Test tubes per se
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 : Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02
• 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 3/50855 : using modular assemblies of strips or of individual wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/523 : with means for closing or opening
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/527 : for a plurality of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 69/00 : Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/0207 : characterised by material, e.g. composition, physical features
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/34 : Trays or like shallow containers B65D81/3813 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/36 : with moulded compartments or partitions
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 17/50 : Non-integral frangible members applied to, or inserted in, preformed openings, e.g. tearable strips or plastic plugs B65D53/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2539/003 : provided with sealing flanges or ribs
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 39/0017 : Injection-molded plastic closures for "Champagne"- or "Sekt"-type bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 39/0029 : Plastic closures other than those covered by groups B65D39/0011 - B65D39/0023
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/686 : Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00287 : movable lid/cover for sample or reaction tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6091 : Cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 : comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/026 : having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/10 : Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices G01N35/0099 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 : Reagent dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1079 : with means for piercing stoppers or septums
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis

Abstract

An apparatus for separating an interlocked cap and receptacle comprises a top wall and a cap removal station. The cap removal station comprises an opening, a raised collar for engaging and releasing interlocking elements of the cap and receptacle, and tabs on a side of the top wall opposite the raised collar for retaining the receptacle within the opening when the cap is separated from the receptacle. A method for separating an interlocked cap and receptacle comprises moving the cap and receptacle in a first direction into a cap removal station, contacting interlocking elements of the cap and receptacle with a raised collar to thereby release the interlocking elements, retaining the receptacle within the cap removal station; and with the interlocking elements released and the receptacle retained within the cap removal station, moving the cap in a second direction opposite the first direction to separate the cap from the receptacle.

Claims

1. A cap removal tray, comprising:

a base;

a top wall supported by the base; and

one or more cap removal stations, each of the cap removal stations comprising;

a circular opening extending through the top wall;

a raised collar surrounding the opening and extending above the top wall, wherein the raised collar has an outer surface that is outwardly angled from a top edge of the collar to a base of the collar, such that the collar is wider at the base than at the top edge of the collar; and

a plurality of resilient tabs disposed about the opening and extending below the top wall, wherein each of the resilient tabs is angled inwardly from an edge of the opening, wherein distal ends of the resilient tabs are configured to contact an outer surface of a receptacle inserted into the cap removal station, and wherein the raised collar and the resilient tabs are integrally formed with the top wall.

2. The cap removal tray of claim 1, wherein the base extends about a perimeter of the top wall.

3. The cap removal tray of claim 1, wherein the one or more cap removal stations comprise a plurality of cap removal stations.

4. The cap removal tray of claim 3, wherein the plurality of cap removal stations are arranged in aligned rows and columns.

5. The cap removal tray of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tabs comprise one or more pairs of opposed resilient tabs.

6. The cap removal tray of claim 5, wherein the one or more pairs of resilient tabs comprise at least four resilient tabs disposed at equiangularly spaced positions about the opening.

7. A method for separating a cap from a receptacle, wherein the receptacle includes a laterally-extending flange formed on an outer surface of a body of the receptacle and an outwardly angled lip circumscribing an open end of an upper portion of the body of the receptacle, and wherein the cap includes one or more locking arms in interlocking engagement with the lip of the receptacle, thereby securing the cap to the receptacle, the method comprising:

(a) moving the receptacle secured to the cap in a first direction through the opening for one of the one or more cap removal stations of the cap removal tray of claim 1;

(b) during step (a), (i) contacting the locking arms of the cap with the outer surface of the raised collar of the cap removal station and sliding the locking arms along the outer surface of the raised collar until the lip of the receptacle is released from the locking arms and a bottom edge of the lip comes into contact with the top edge of the raised collar, wherein a diameter of the top edge of the raised collar corresponds with a diameter of the bottom edge of the lip, and (ii) with the laterally-extending flange, pushing the resilient tabs of the cap removal station outwardly until the laterally-extending flange clears the distal ends of the resilient tabs and the resilient tabs move toward their undeflected positions, thereby bearing against the outer surface of the receptacle above the laterally-extending flange, where the lip of the receptacle is spaced apart from the laterally-extending flange by a distance generally corresponding to the distance between the top edge of the raised collar and the distal ends of the resilient tabs, so that when the lip of the receptacle contacts the top edge of the raised collar, the receptacle is secured within the cap removal station with the resilient tabs and the raised collar of the cap removal station disposed between the lip and the laterally-extending flange of the receptacle; and

(c) after step (b), moving the cap in a second direction opposite the first direction, thereby removing the cap from the receptacle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cap is moved in the first and second directions by an automated receptacle transport mechanism.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the cap is moved in the first and second directions by a pick-and-place robot.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the cap is moved in the first and second directions by an automated pipettor.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the laterally-extending flange has a flat top surface and an angled bottom surface.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the locking arms has an inwardly angled surface corresponding to the outwardly angled lip of the receptacle.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the laterally-extending flange separates the upper portion of the body of the receptacle from a lower portion of the body of the receptacle, wherein the upper portion of the body of the receptacle has a generally cylindrical shape, and wherein the lower portion of the body of the receptacle is tapered.