Supply unit for continuous loading
AssigneeRoche Molecular Systems, Inc.
InventorsRenato Baumann, Marcel Kaeppeli, Markus Rinderknecht, Johann Florian Wassermann
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a system and method for continuous loading of consumables into an analyzer comprising a stacker unit which can be uncoupled from the transport system for transporting the consumables from the stacker to the analytical modules and within and/or between the analytical modules.
Claims17
A system for continuous loading of consumables into an analyzer comprising a processing area and a transport system for automatically transporting said consumables within the analyzer, the system comprising
- a stacker unit comprising at least one stacker for holding consumables, wherein said stacker unit is integrated into the analyzer, and wherein said stacker unit is capable of being decoupled from said processing area for manual or automated loading of said consumables, wherein said stacker unit is in a locked position within said analyzer when access to the consumables in the at least one stacker is required by said transport system, and said stacker unit is in an unlocked position when access to the consumables in the stacker is not required by said transport system,
- wherein the stacker unit has a first end position within the analyzer and a second end position outside of the analyzer, and wherein, in the second end position, the at least one stackers comprised in the stacker unit are accessible for loading of consumables into the stacker, and the stacker unit is locked during loading.
A method of continuous loading of consumables into an analyzer, comprising the steps of:
- uncoupling said stacker unit for receiving said consumables from a transport system for transporting consumables from said stacker to said analyzer, and between stations within said analyzer, wherein said stacker unit is integrally mounted within the housing of said analyzer, if a time window for loading of consumables into the stacker unit is available;
- sliding said stacker unit to an open position,
- locking said stacker unit in said open position,
- loading consumables into a consumable holder comprised in said stacker unit while an analytical process is performed within said analyzer,
- unlocking said stacker unit when consumables are fully loaded into the stacker unit,
- closing said stacker unit, wherein said stacker unit is locked in its closed position to operatively couple to a transport system for transporting consumables.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.