Loading and ejection systems for biological growth plate scanner
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorAlbert Vent
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is directed to a biological scanner for scanning biological growth plates. A biological growth plate can be loaded into the biological scanner. Upon loading of a biological growth plate, the biological scanner generates an image of the plate and may perform an analysis of the image. Various embodiments are directed to loading features that facilitate automated loading and proper positioning of a plate within the biological scanner, and ejection features that facilitate the automated ejection of the plate from the scanner. Additional embodiments are directed to features that allow a scanner unit of the biological scanner to be attached to a mounting platform of the scanner in different possible configurations.
Claims11
A biological scanner for scanning a biological growth plate, the scanner comprising:
- scanning means for creating an image of a biological growth plate;
- a drawer that opens to receive a biological growth medium and closes to move the medium into the scanner;
- an apparatus to temporarily hold the medium at a location inside the scanner when the drawer is subsequently opened following movement of the medium into the scanner;
- a conveyor to remove the medium from the scanner following release of the medium by the apparatus when the drawer is subsequently opened;
- a processor to coordinate functions of the scanning means, the drawer, the apparatus, and the conveyor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.