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US 12,345,726 B2Granted
Plate changer
AssigneeShimadzu Corporation
InventorTakaaki Fujita
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plate changer that supplies a plate storing a sample to an autosampler included in an analyzer includes a storage that stores the plate, and a plate transporter that transports the plate by holding the plate, the plate transporter receiving the plate from a first plate changer provided at one side of the plate changer and also transferring the plate received from the first plate changer to a second plate changer or the autosampler provided at another side of the plate changer or transferring the plate stored in the storage to the second plate changer or the autosampler.
Claims7
A plate changer that supplies an analysis plate, of a plurality of analysis plates, storing a sample, to an autosampler included in an analyzer, comprising:
- a storage where the plurality of analysis plates are stored;
- a transfer stage being at a position different from a position of the storage;
- a plate transporter having an arm movable in at least two directions that transports the plate by holding the plate using the arm,
- wherein the plate changer is one of a plurality of plate changers arranged adjacently on one side of the autosampler to supply plates to the autosampler;
- and
- a controller configured to control movement of the arm in the at least two directions, such that the plate transporter interacts with another plate changer of the plurality of plate changers to supply the analysis plate to the autosampler;
- wherein the controller is configured to control the plate transporter to:
- receive the analysis plate placed on the transfer stage by a first plate changer of the plurality of plate changers provided at one side of the plate changer and also transfer the analysis plate received from the first plate changer to a second plate changer of the plurality of plate changers at another side of the plate changer, wherein the transferred plate is separate from the stored plurality of plates;
- receive the analysis plate placed on the transfer stage by the first plate changer provided at the one side of the plate changer and also transfer the analysis plate received from the first plate changer to the autosampler provided at the another side of the plate changer, wherein the transferred plate is separate from the stored plurality of plates;
- or
- transfer as the analysis plate one of the plurality of stored plates via the plate transporter to the second plate changer at the another side of the plate changer.
8 more elements
An analyzer comprising:
- an autosampler;
- and
- a plurality of plate changers that supply an analysis plate, of a plurality of analysis plates, storing a sample to the autosampler, wherein the plurality of plate changers are arranged adjacently on one side of the autosampler to supply plates to the autosampler,
- each of the plurality of plate changers including
- a plate transporter having an arm movable in at least two directions that transports the plates by holding the plate using the arm,
- a storage where the plurality of analysis plates are stored,
- a transfer stage being at a position different from a position of the storage, and
- a controller configured to:
- control movement of the arm in the at least two directions, such that the plate transporter interacts with another plate changer of the plurality of plate changers to supply the analysis plate to the autosampler,
- control the plate transporter to:
- receive the analysis plate placed on the transfer stage by a first plate changer of the plurality of plate changers provided at one side of the plate changer and also transfer the analysis plate received from the first plate changer to a second plate changer of the plurality of plate changers at another side of the plate changer, wherein the transferred plate is separate from the stored plurality of plates;
- receive the analysis plate placed on the transfer stage by the first plate changer provided at the one side of the plate changer and also transfer the analysis plate received from the first plate changer to the autosampler provided at the another side of the plate changer, wherein the transferred plate is separate from the stored plurality of plates;
- or
- transfer as the analysis plate one of the plurality of stored plates via the plate transporter to the second plate changer at the another side of the plate changer.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.