Reciprocating transfer mechanism
First Claim
1. A transfer mechanism for moving a test element from a first location in a clinical analyzer to a second location in a clinical analyzer disposed at a different level than said first location, comprisinga first support surface defining the first location,a pusher blade positioned under said first support surface and having a leading portion, a rear portion, and a flat support surface thereon extending the entire distance between said leading portion and said rear portion, for receiving and supporting a test element in the second location, said pusher blade further including an upwardly extending finger portion integrally formed with and extending from said rear portion, said first support surface having a slot formed therein to accommodate said finger portion, andmoving means for moving said blade from the first location in which it is directly under said first support surface to the second location at which said blade is no longer under said first support surface so that the first and second locations are at different vertical levels.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
There is disclosed a simplified transfer mechanism that minimmizes both the number of moving parts needed, and the shapes of those parts. An L-shaped pusher blade is mounted to move in and out of a first station such as at an incubator so as to be effective to move a test element from the first station to two or more subsequent stations.
30 Citations
10 Claims
-
1. A transfer mechanism for moving a test element from a first location in a clinical analyzer to a second location in a clinical analyzer disposed at a different level than said first location, comprising
a first support surface defining the first location, a pusher blade positioned under said first support surface and having a leading portion, a rear portion, and a flat support surface thereon extending the entire distance between said leading portion and said rear portion, for receiving and supporting a test element in the second location, said pusher blade further including an upwardly extending finger portion integrally formed with and extending from said rear portion, said first support surface having a slot formed therein to accommodate said finger portion, and moving means for moving said blade from the first location in which it is directly under said first support surface to the second location at which said blade is no longer under said first support surface so that the first and second locations are at different vertical levels.
-
7. A biological liquid analyzer comprising incubating means for incubating a test element containing a sample of patient liquid thereon, said incubating means including a first support surface which defines a first location, processing means for processing an incubated test element, and a transfer mechanism for moving an incubated test element from the first location to said processing means, said transfer mechanism comprising a pusher blade positioned under said first support surface and having a leading portion, a rear portion, and a flat support surface thereon extending the entire distance between said leading portion and said rear portion, for receiving and supporting a test element in the second location, said pusher blade further including an upwardly extending finger portion integrally formed with and extending from said rear portion, said first support surface having a slot formed therein to accommodate said finger portion, and
moving means for moving said blade from the first location in which it is directly under said first support surface to the second location at which said blade is no longer under said first support surface so that the first and second locations are at different vertical levels.
-
9. A method of moving a test element through more than two separate locations using a single moving element having an upwardly projecting portion at one edge, the first of said locations being located on a first support surface and said moving element being movably located under said support surface with means to guide it out from underneath said support surface with a clearance less than the thickness of a test element, the method comprising the steps of
a) disposing a test element into said first location on said support surface; -
b) positioning said moving element while underneath said support surface so that said projecting portion of the moving element projects through the support into contact with a rear edge of a test element; c) moving said moving element on a single level completely out from underneath said support surface until said projecting portion pushes the contacted test element off said support surface into a second location on said moving element; and d) retracting said moving element underneath said support surface until said support surface pushes a test element carried by said moving element, off of it into a third location on a second support surface in front of said moving element. - View Dependent Claims (10)
-
Specification