# US 2024/0201212 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 2024/0201212 A1 - Document ID: US20240201212A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/592,371 - 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/US20240201212A1 ## 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 receptacle delivery system for an instrument includes a carriage, a puck rotatably supported by the carriage, a first electric motor, and a second electric motor. The puck comprises a plurality of spring-loaded fingers arranged around a vertical axis and configured to removably support a receptacle therebetween. The first electric motor is configured to move the carriage between a first location and a second location of the instrument. The second electric motor is configured to rotate the puck about the vertical axis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A receptacle delivery system for an instrument, comprising: a carriage; a puck rotatably supported by the carriage, wherein the puck comprises a plurality of spring-loaded fingers arranged around a vertical axis and configured to removably support a receptacle therebetween; a first electric motor configured to move the carriage between a first location and a second location of the instrument; and a second electric motor configured to rotate the puck about the vertical axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein an O-ring biases the plurality of fingers toward the vertical axis of the puck. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the O-ring is comprised of an elastomer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the elastomer is selected from the group consisting of silicone, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer), and rubber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each finger of the plurality of fingers comprises a top portion that is configured to contact the receptacle and a base portion that extends substantially transverse to the top portion, wherein the base portion of each finger is rotatably coupled to a supporting disc of the puck at a pivot point. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the base portion of each finger of the plurality of fingers is configured to rotate about the associated pivot point. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the top portion of each finger of the plurality of fingers comprises an inclined surface, and wherein the inclined surfaces of the plurality of fingers are arranged in a funnel-like configuration with respect to the vertical axis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fingers comprises four equally spaced-apart fingers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of fingers comprises anodized aluminum at least partially coated with PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to detect when the puck has rotated to a predetermined position in the carriage. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor is a Hall effect sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensing system configured to detect whether a receptacle is seated in the puck. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the puck comprises a first passageway that extends transverse to and is offset from the vertical axis of the puck. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, further comprising a sensing system configured to detect (a) whether a longitudinal axis of a receptacle seated in the puck is inclined with respect to the vertical axis of the puck, and/or (b) whether a receptacle seated in the puck is insert to a desired depth in the puck. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the puck is rotatably supported in a housing of the carriage, and wherein the housing comprises a second passageway that extends transverse to and is offset from the vertical axis of the puck. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, 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 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the signal emitter is an optical emitter, the signal detector is an optical detector, and the signal is an optical beam. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein when the first and second passageways are aligned, (a) the optical emitter is configured to direct the optical beam on an incident area on an external surface of a receptacle seated in the puck and (b) the optical detector is configured to receive at least a portion of the optical beam from the optical emitter if a receptacle is not seated in the puck, wherein if the receptacle is properly seated in the puck, the incident area is offset from a longitudinal axis of the receptacle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein, when a receptacle is properly seated in the puck, the incident area is offset from the vertical axis of the puck by a distance from about 3 mm to about 6 mm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein, when a receptacle is properly seated in the puck, the incident area is offset from a base of the receptacle by a distance from about 3 mm to about 8 mm. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the signal emitter and the signal detector are coupled to the carriage.