# US 2024/0201211 A1 · Receptacle transport system for an analytical system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0201211 A1 - Document ID: US20240201211A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/592,344 - Filed: 2024-02-29 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-03 - Assignees: Gen-Probe Incorporated - Applicants: Gen-Probe Incorporated - Inventors: Rolf SILBERT; HongRan PENG; David Aaron BUSE; David H. COMBS - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240201211A1 ## CPC - G01N 35/04: Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)} - B01L 3/5453: {for test tubes} - B01L 9/06: Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders - B65G 43/08: Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)} - B65G 47/902: {provided with drive systems incorporating rotary and rectilinear movements} - G01N 35/00: Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor - G01N 35/00584: {Control arrangements for automatic analysers} - G01N 35/0099: {comprising robots or similar manipulators (robots per se B25J)} - G01N 35/10: Devices for transferring samples {or any liquids} to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices {(G01N35/0099 takes precedence)} - G01N 35/1079: {with means for piercing stoppers or septums} - B01L 2300/021: Identification, e.g. bar codes - B65G 2201/0235: Containers - B65G 2203/044: Optical - G01N 2035/00752: {bar codes} - G01N 2035/0406: {Individual bottles or tubes} - G01N 2035/0494: {Detecting or compensating piositioning errors} - G01N 2035/103: {using disposable tips} - 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 - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract A method of delivering a receptacle to an instrument includes the steps of supporting a receptacle in a carriage, activating an electric motor to move the carriage between a first location and a second location of the instrument while the receptacle is supported by the carriage, applying a clamping force to the receptacle as the carriage moves from the first location to the second location, and releasing the clamping force from the receptacle as the carriage moves from the second location to the first location. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of delivering a receptacle to an instrument, comprising: supporting a receptacle in a carriage; activating an electric motor to move the carriage between a first location and a second location of the instrument while the receptacle is supported by the carriage; applying a clamping force to the receptacle as the carriage moves from the first location to the second location; and releasing the clamping force from the receptacle as the carriage moves from the second location to the first location. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein applying the clamping force to the receptacle comprises moving a pair of support pads into contact with the receptacle as the carriage moves from the first location to the second location. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein releasing the clamping force comprises moving the pair of contact pads away from the receptacle as the carriage moves from the second location to the first location. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein applying the clamping force and releasing the clamping force each comprises rotating a pair of meshed gears coupled to the pair of support pads in opposite directions relative to each other as the carriage moves between the first and second locations. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein rotating the pair of meshed gears comprises (a) rotating a first gear of the pair of meshed gears in a first direction and a second gear of the pair of meshed gears in a second direction opposite the first direction when the carriage moves from the first location to the second location, and (b) rotating the first gear in the second direction and the second gear in the first direction when the carriage moves from the second location to the first location. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein rotating the pair of meshed gears comprises (a) moving a first end of a cam arm on a downwardly inclined path when the carriage moves from the first location to the second location and (b) moving the first end on an upwardly inclined surface when the carriage moves from the second location to the first location, wherein a second end of the cam arm is coupled to a gear of the pair of meshed gears. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein supporting the receptacle in the carriage comprises removably supporting the receptacle in a rotatable puck positioned in the carriage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the electric motor is a first electric motor, and the method further comprises activating a second electric motor to rotate the puck in the carriage when the carriage is positioned at the first location. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising using a sensor to detect when the puck has rotated to a predetermined position in the carriage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising using a sensing system associated with the carriage to detect (a) whether a longitudinal axis of the receptacle supported by the puck is inclined with respect to a vertical axis of the puck, and/or (b) whether the receptacle supported by the puck is inserted to a desired depth in the puck. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the puck is rotatably supported in a housing of the carriage, and wherein the puck comprises a first passageway that extends transverse to a vertical axis of the puck, and the housing comprises a second passageway that extends transverse to the vertical axis of the puck, and wherein the sensing system comprises a signal emitter and a signal detector, and wherein when the first and second passageways are aligned, the signal detector is configured to receive a signal from the signal emitter through the aligned first and second passageways when a receptacle is not seated in the puck. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the signal emitter is an optical emitter, the signal detector is an optical detector, and the signal is an optical beam, and wherein using the sensing system comprises: directing the optical beam from the optical emitter toward the optical detector, wherein the receptacle seated in the puck is at least partially positioned between the optical emitter and the optical detector; and determining what portion of the optical beam, if any, is received by the optical detector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein directing the optical beam comprises directing at least a portion of the optical beam on an incident area of an external surface of the receptacle seated in the puck. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein when the receptacle is properly seated in the puck, the incident area is offset from the vertical axis of the puck by a distance of from about 3 mm to about 6 mm, and the incident area is offset from the base of the receptacle by a distance of from about 3 mm to about 8 mm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein activating the electric motor comprises positioning the carriage at the second location such that a first shelf attached to the carriage is positioned below a second shelf coupled to the instrument and positioned at the second location. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein positioning the carriage at the second location comprises positioning the carriage such that a first opening formed in the second shelf is positioned above, and aligned with, the receptacle, and the method further comprises directing a tip associated with a fluid extraction device of the instrument through the first opening and into the receptacle, thereby contacting a fluid contained in the receptacle, and aspirating an aliquot of the fluid into the tip. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising, after aspirating the aliquot of the fluid into the tip, moving the tip to a position above a top surface of the second shelf. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising, after moving the tip to the position above the top surface of the second shelf, lowering the tip to a distance of from about 1 mm to about 5 mm from the top surface of the shelf. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising, after moving the tip to the position above the top surface of the second shelf, moving the tip to trace a predefined path along the surface of the second shelf after the lowering. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein moving the tip to trace the predefined path comprises moving the tip around an upwardly extending projection on the top surface of the second shelf. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising, after moving the tip to trace the predefined path, removing the tip from above the top surface of the second shelf through a second opening formed in a sidewall of the second shelf. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein removing the tip from above the top surface of the second shelf comprises moving the tip through the second opening without changing a vertical position of the tip above the surface. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein a portion of the fluid is suspended from the tip when removing the tip from the receptacle, and wherein at least a portion of the fluid suspended from the tip is deposited onto the top surface of the second shelf while moving the tip to trace the path. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein, after moving the tip to the position above the top surface of the second shelf, a portion of the fluid suspended from the tip when removing the tip from the receptacle is suspended from the second shelf beneath the first opening. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein activating the electric motor further comprises moving the carriage from the second location to the first location after moving the tip to trace the predefined path, thereby cleaving at least a portion of the fluid suspended from the second shelf and depositing the cleaved fluid on a top surface of the first shelf. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising decoupling the second shelf from the instrument. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising removing at least a portion of the fluid deposited on the top surface of the second shelf after decoupling the second shelf from the instrument. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising coupling the second shelf to the instrument after removing at least a portion of the fluid deposited on the top surface of the second shelf. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, further comprising removing at least a portion of the fluid deposited on the top surface of the first shelf after moving the carriage from the second location to the first location.