Decapping system
AssigneeRoche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
InventorsReinhold Kramer, Stephan Sattler, Uwe Mertsch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Decapping system for opening or closing reagent containers or cartridge systems closed by a lid which is removed and secured by a rotational movement and method thereof are disclosed. The decapping system has a centering unit at its lower end that provides a snap-in element which engages the lid, and a plurality of simultaneously driven and vertically movable screwing heads which compensates for variable heights and/or sizes of cartridge systems to be processed.
Claims19
A decapping system for opening reagent containers stored in a cartridge system closed by lids, said lids being removed and secured by a rotational movement,
- said decapping system having a centering unit, said centering unit having at its lower end an element for engaging a lid,
- said decapping system has at least one driven and vertically movable screwing head,
- said screwing head comprises an axial screw support on a crown-shaped screwing ring being spring-loaded by at least one tensioning spring allowing for a relative movement between said crown-shaped screwing ring and said screw support, such that a vertical movement of said lid engaged by said crown-shaped screwing ring with respect to said container during rotational movement of said lid relative to said container is compensable.
A decapping system for opening reagent containers stored in a cartridge system closed by lids, said lids being removed and secured by a rotational movement,
- said decapping system having a centering unit, said centering unit having at its lower end an element for engaging a lid,
- said decapping system has at least one driven and vertically movable screwing head,
- said screwing head comprises an axial screw support on a crown-shaped screwing ring being spring-loaded by at least one tensioning spring allowing for a relative movement between said crown-shaped screwing ring and said screw support, such that a vertical movement of said lid engaged by said crown-shaped screwing ring with respect to said container during rotational movement of said lid relative to said container is compensable, said screwing head cooperating with a stripping device for removal of said lid being unscrewed and previously being engaged.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.