# US 12,768,851 B2 · Laboratory apparatus, laboratory sample handling system and use of a laboratory apparatus and/or a laboratory sample handling system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,768,851 B2 - Document ID: US12768851B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/347,647 - Filed: 2023-07-06 - Published: 2024-01-18 - Granted: 2026-10-20 - Earliest claimed: 2023-07-06 - Assignees: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc. - Applicants: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc. - Inventors: Artur Tropmann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12768851B2 ## CPC - G01N 35/02: using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations {(G01N35/0098 and G01N35/0099 take precedence)} - B01L 9/06: Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders - G01N 35/04: Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)} - G01N 2035/0405: {manipulating closing or opening means, e.g. stoppers, screw caps, lids or covers} - G01N 2035/0496: {Other details} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE ## Abstract A laboratory apparatus for use in a laboratory sample handling system, wherein the apparatus comprises a cap waste disposal catcher, wherein the catcher is designed to catch a laboratory cap removed from a laboratory sample container containing a laboratory sample, and an electric field generator, wherein the generator is designed to generate an electric field to attract a residue of the sample released by the cap to the catcher. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A laboratory apparatus for use in a laboratory liquid sample handling system, wherein the apparatus comprises: a cap waste disposal catcher, wherein the catcher is designed to catch a laboratory cap removed from a laboratory liquid sample container containing a laboratory liquid sample, wherein the catcher comprises a surface that is designed to be exposed to at least one impacting droplet of the laboratory liquid sample and that is heterogeneously patterned to originate a heterogeneous flow velocity within the at least one impacting droplet on the surface for reducing a rebound energy of the at least one impacting droplet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an electric field generator, wherein the generator is designed to generate an electric field to attract a residue of the laboratory liquid sample released by the cap to the catcher. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the residue is a liquid residue. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the laboratory liquid sample handling system is configured to handle aqueous laboratory liquids, and wherein the laboratory liquid sample container is configured to hold an aqueous laboratory liquid sample. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the generator is designed to generate an electrostatic field to electrostatically attract the residue. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the generator is an electrostatic generator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 5, wherein at least a part of the generator is arranged at the surface of the catcher, and/or wherein the generator is designed to develop a charge at the surface of the catcher, and/or wherein the generator is designed to generate the field at least at the surface of the catcher, and/or wherein the generator is designed to generate the field to attract the residue to the surface of the catcher. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the surface is an inner surface of the catcher. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surface comprises a heterogeneously patterned wettability. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the catcher comprises a low-adhesive substrate comprising at least one high-adhesive pattern. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the low-adhesive substrate is hydrophobic and the at least one high-adhesive pattern is hydrophilic. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surface is heterogeneously patterned to convert a translation of the at least one impacting droplet at least partially to a deflection, a rolling and/or a rotation of the at least one impacting droplet on the surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the rotation is a gyration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the catcher comprises an input end and an opposite end, and wherein the surface is heterogeneously patterned to convert the translation at least partially to the deflection in a direction from the input end to the opposite end. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the opposite end is an output end. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heterogeneously patterned surface comprises a pattern comprising (i) a rotation symmetry and no mirror symmetry, (ii) a mirror symmetry and no rotation symmetry or (iii) no rotation symmetry and no mirror symmetry. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the heterogeneously patterned surface comprises several patterns. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the pattern comprises at least one arc and/or a spiral segment. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the at least one arc is an open circular arc and the spiral segment is an open and/or Archimedean spiral segment configured to form a spiral. ### Claim 20 (depends on 2) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the catcher comprises a cap waste disposal chute. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The laboratory apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the cap waste disposal chute is designed to guide the cap and/or the residue away to a cap waste disposal compartment. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) A laboratory sample handling system, wherein the system comprises: a decapper, wherein the decapper is designed to remove a laboratory cap from a laboratory sample container containing a laboratory sample; and a laboratory apparatus according to claim 1. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The laboratory sample handling system according to claim 22, wherein the decapper is designed to drop the removed cap to the catcher.