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US 5,628,962 AGranted
Apparatus for opening and closing reagent containers
AssigneesHitachi, Ltd., Boehringer Mannheim GmbH
InventorsKatsuhiro Kanbara, Hiroyasu Uchida
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An analyzing apparatus has a movable container holding table on which a plurality of liquid containers are arranged. Each liquid container includes a container body accommodating a liquid such as a reagent, an opening portion, and a cap hinged to the container body. The analyzing apparatus further has a cap manipulator device including a hook for manipulating the cap so as to open and close the opening portion of the liquid container. The liquid in the liquid container whose opening portion is opened is aspirated through the opening portion and delivered to a liquid receiving container.
Claims21
An apparatus for transferring a liquid from a liquid container to a liquid receiving container, comprising:
- a movable container holding table for holding a plurality of liquid containers, each of the liquid containers having a container body accommodating a liquid, an opening portion, and a cap attached to the container body so as to be capable of opening and closing the opening portion;
- a cap manipulator for manipulating the cap so as to open the opening portion;
- a pipetter for aspirating the liquid in the liquid container whose opening portion is opened therethrough and delivering the aspirated liquid to a liquid receiving container;
- and
- means for moving the cap manipulator between first and second positions spaced apart from each other, the cap manipulator manipulating the cap so as to open the opening portion at the first position;
- wherein the cap is hinged to the liquid container body so as to be rotatable around a fist rotating axis;
- wherein each cap has a projecting portion and the cap manipulator comprises a hook, the cap manipulator engaging the hook with the projecting portion and moving the hook so as to open the opening portion of the liquid container having the protecting portion with which the hook is engaged;
- wherein the hook has a second rotating axis positioned in the proximity of the first rotating axis so as to be rotated around the second rotating axis;
- and
- wherein the cap manipulator rotates the hook around the second rotating axis in a first rotating direction so that the hook is directed to the cap, moves the hook in a horizontal direction so that the hook is located at a position at which the hook is capable of being engaged with the projecting portion and then rotates the hook around the second rotating axis in a second rotating direction reverse to the first rotating direction with the hook being engaged with the projecting portion so as to open the opening portion.
7 more elements
An apparatus for transferring a liquid from a liquid container to a liquid receiving container, comprising:
- a movable container holding table holding a plurality of liquid containers, each of the liquid containers having a container body accommodating a liquid, an opening portion, and a cap having a projection portion, the cap being attached to the container body so as to be capable of opening and closing the opening portion;
- a cap manipulator for manipulating the cap to open the opening portion, the cap manipulator having a hook;
- a cap manipulator moving device for moving the cap manipulator in first and second mutually opposite directions, the cap manipulator approaching the cap when moved in the first direction;
- and
- a pipetter for aspirating the liquid in the liquid container whose opening portion is opened, and for delivering the aspirated liquid to a liquid receiving container;
- wherein the cap manipulator rotates the hook about a predetermined rotating axis in a first rotating direction so that the hook is directed to the cap, moves the hook in a third direction transverse to the first and second directions, whereby the hook is located at an engagement position with respect to the projecting portion, and then rotates the hook about the predetermined rotating axis in a second rotating direction opposite to the first rotating direction, with the hook being engaged with the projecting portion to open the opening portion.
3 more elements
An apparatus for transferring a liquid from a liquid container to a liquid receiving container, comprising:
- a movable container holding table holding a plurality of liquid containers, each of the liquid containers having a container body accommodating a liquid, an opening portion, and a cap having a projection portion, the cap being attached to the container body so as to be capable of opening and closing the opening portion;
- a cap manipulator for manipulating the cap to open the opening portion,
- a cap manipulator moving device for moving the cap manipulator in first and second mutually opposite directions, the cap manipulator approaching the cap when moved in the first direction;
- and
- a pipetter for aspirating the liquid in the liquid container whose opening portion is opened, and for delivering the aspirated liquid to a liquid receiving container;
- wherein the cap manipulator has a plurality of hooks, and the cap manipulator integrally rotates the plurality of hooks about a predetermined rotating axis in a first rotating direction so that the plurality of hooks are directed to corresponding ones of the plurality of caps;
- integrally moves the plurality of hooks in a third direction transverse to the first and second directions, whereby the plurality of hooks are located at engagement positions with corresponding projecting portions;
- and then integrally rotates the plurality of hooks about the predetermined rotating axis in a second rotating direction opposite to the first rotating direction with the plurality of hooks being engaged with the corresponding projecting portions to open corresponding opening portions the liquid containers.
5 more elements
An apparatus for handling a liquid in a liquid container comprising:
- a movable container holding table holding a plurality of liquid containers, each of the liquid containers having a container body accommodating a liquid, an opening portion, and a cap having a projection portion, the cap being attached to the container body so as to be capable of opening and closing the opening portion;
- a cap manipulator for manipulating the cap to open the opening portion, the cap manipulator having a hook;
- and
- a cap manipulator moving device for moving the cap manipulator in first and second mutually opposite directions, the cap manipulator approaching the cap when moved in the first direction;
- wherein the cap manipulator rotates the hook about a predetermined rotating axis in a first rotating direction so that the hook is directed to the cap, moves the hook in a third direction transverse to the first and second directions, whereby the hook is located at an engagement position with respect to the projecting portion, and then rotates the hook about the predetermined rotating axis in a second rotating direction opposite to the first rotating direction, with the hook being engaged with the projecting portion to open the opening portion.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.