US 9,366,617 B1Granted

Self-stirring container

OwnerDavid E. Doggettinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A low cost, self-stirring container is disclosed. In embodiments of this disclosure, the container has one or more protuberances extending from a bottom, a top, a sidewall, and/or an end cap of the container. In use, the one or more protuberances cause a liquid or mixture of liquids within the container to be stirred when the container is rotated about a longitudinal axis (e.g., central axis) of the container. In some embodiments, a rotary actuator (e.g., motor or servo) is coupled with the container or coupled to a holder securing the container. The rotary actuator repeatedly rotates the container N degrees in a first direction and M degrees in a second (e.g., opposite) direction, thereby imparting an oscillatory motion that causes the liquid or liquids within the container (and any particles contained therein) to be continually disrupted and mixed or stirred within the container.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A system for analyzing particles in a liquid sample, the system comprising:

a container configured to contain a liquid sample, the liquid sample comprising one or more liquids, the container having one or more protuberances extending from a bottom, a top, a sidewall, or an end cap of the container, the one or more protuberances positioned to cause the liquid sample within the container to be stirred when the container is rotated about a longitudinal axis of the container;
a holder configured to rigidly secure the container;
an actuator configured to rotate the holder about the longitudinal axis of the container;
a radiation source configured to generate a beam of radiation, the radiation source being rigidly attached to the holder, the beam of radiation being directed through the container into the liquid sample;
and
a detector configured to receive radiation that is at least one of scattered, reflected, diffracted, refracted, or radiated from one or more particles within the liquid sample in response to the beam of radiation being incident upon the one or more particles.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/855,291Filed 15 Sep 2015 · continuation in part
Priority: 10 Jul 2015
Granted: 14 Jun 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

G01N 15/1434
Optical investigation techniques, e.g. flow cytometry: optical arrangements
B01F 31/10
Mixers with shaking, oscillating, or vibrating mechanisms: with a mixing receptacle rotating alternately in opposite directions
B01F 31/20
Mixers with shaking, oscillating, or vibrating mechanisms: mixing the contents of independent containers, e.g. test tubes
B01F 31/201
Mixing the contents of independent containers, e.g. test tubes: holders therefor