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US 12,461,117 B2Granted
Sample receiving system
AssigneeLaboratory Corporation of America Holdings
InventorsDavid Wilson, Jay Krajewski, Kevin Meyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are high-throughput vessel receiving systems and methods of receiving sample vessels, such as samples stored in test tubes. A system for receiving a plurality of individual vessels that each contains a sample, and systems and apparatus for guiding, reorienting, collecting, and transporting a plurality of articles, including vessels, are disclosed.
Claims14
A system for guiding a plurality of vessels, comprising:
- a plurality of chutes comprising an inlet and an outlet;
- a plurality of alignment components comprising a first side and a second side, wherein the first side comprises a first element and a diverter, wherein the first element and the diverter are connected to and protrude from the first side of each of the plurality of alignment components, and wherein the first element and the diverter are perpendicular to the first side of each of the plurality of alignment components;
- and
- a plurality of encasing panels configured in a row, wherein the row has a first end and a second end, wherein the row has an encasing panel at the first end of the row and an encasing panel at the second end of the row,
- wherein the plurality of alignment components and the plurality of encasing panels are positioned in a vertical orientation with an encasing panel in contact with and separating each of the plurality of alignment components in the row to form each of the plurality of chutes,
- wherein the diverter separates the inlet of each of the plurality of chutes into a first inlet and a second inlet and guides each of the plurality of vessels through a first path of each of the plurality of chutes to the outlet or through a second path of each of the plurality of chutes to the outlet.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.