RECEPTACLE TRANSPORT SYSTEM FOR AN ANALYTICAL SYSTEM

• Main Authors: PENG, HongRan, COMBS, David H, SILBERT, Rolf, BUSE, David Aaron
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 31.07.2024
• Subjects: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PHYSICS; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

There is described a receptacle delivery system for an instrument, comprising: a puck configured to removably support a receptacle therein, wherein the puck comprises: a plurality of fingers arranged about a vertical axis, each finger of the plurality of fingers having a contact surface configured to be in contact with a receptacle seated in the puck; one or more springs coupling the plurality of fingers, thereby biasing the plurality of fingers toward the vertical axis; a supporting disc comprising (i) a disc sidewall projecting from a base to define a pocket for seating a receptacle, (ii) a plurality of first cavities formed in the base and extending in a direction of the vertical axis, and (iii) a puck passageway extending through opposed portions of the disc sidewall in a direction transverse to and offset from the vertical axis, wherein each of the plurality of fingers is rotatably coupled to the supporting disc at a corresponding first cavity of the plurality of first cavities; a synchronization disc positioned in the pocket of the supporting disc, wherein each of the plurality of fingers is coupled to the synchronization disc such that the contact surfaces of the plurality of fingers move toward and away from the vertical axis in a synchronous manner; and a retaining ring coupling the plurality of fingers, the supporting disc, and the synchronization disc together.