Tube sealer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10875255-B2
Application number	US-201615545394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2016
Priority date	Feb 6, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A device for sealing sample tubes comprises a tool assembly configured to interface with a rack (10) holding a plurality of sample storage tubes (20), the tool assembly holding a plurality of punches (322) and a die plate (324) including a plurality of cutting holes, with each of the plurality of cutting holes accepting one of the plurality of punches (322). The tool assembly receives a foil sheet (131) between the punches (322) and the die plate (324). The device includes an actuator enabling linear movement of the tool assembly. Linear movement of the tool assembly towards the rack (10) engages the die plate (324) against the rack (10) and punches the punches (322) through the cutting holes of the die plate (324) to punch a plurality of sealing sections from the foil sheet (131) and to press and seal each of the sealing sections against a top end of each of the plurality of sample storage tubes (20) in the rack (10).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for sealing sample tubes, the device comprising:
a tool assembly configured to interface with a rack holding a plurality of sample storage tubes, the tool assembly comprising:
a plurality of heated punches; and
a die plate having a plurality of cutting holes, each of the plurality of cutting holes accepting one of the plurality of heated punches,
the tool assembly further configured to receive a foil sheet between the heated punches and the die plate; and
an actuator enabling linear movement of the tool assembly, linear movement of the tool assembly towards the rack engaging the die plate against the rack and punching the heated punches through the cutting holes of the die plate to cut and punch a plurality of sealing sections from the foil sheet and to press and seal each of the sealing sections against a top end of each of the plurality of sample storage tubes in the rack.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the tool assembly further comprises:
a mounting member holding the plurality of heated punches, and
a foil guard between the plurality of heated punches and the die plate, the foil guard suspended from the mounting member to enable movement of the foil guard towards the mounting member.

3. A device for sealing sample tubes, the device comprising:
a tool assembly adapted to interface with a rack holding a plurality of sample storage tubes, the tool assembly comprising:
a mounting member holding a plurality of punches;
a die plate suspended from the mounting member, the die plate having a plurality of cutting holes, each of the plurality of cutting holes accepting one of the plurality of punches; and
a foil guard between the plurality of punches and the die plate, the foil guard suspended from the mounting member to enable movement of the foil guard towards the mounting member;
the tool assembly further configured to receive a foil sheet between the foil guard and the die plate; and
an actuator enabling linear movement of the tool assembly,
linear movement of the tool assembly towards the rack (i) engaging the die plate against the rack, (ii) continuing movement to move the foil guard toward the foil sheet and die plate, and (iii) continuing movement to move the plurality of punches through the cutting holes of the die plate to cut and punch a plurality of sealing sections from the foil sheet and to press and seal each of the sealing sections against a top end of each of the plurality sample storage tubes in the rack.

4. A device for sealing sample tubes, the device comprising:
a tool assembly configured to interface with a rack holding a plurality of sample storage tubes, the tool assembly comprising:
a mounting member holding a plurality of heated punches;
a die plate slideably coupled to the mounting member, the die plate having a plurality of cutting holes, each of the plurality of cutting holes accepting one of the plurality of heated punches, and
a foil guard between the plurality of heated punches and the die plate, the foil guard slideably coupled to the mounting member to enable movement of the foil guard towards the mounting member;
the tool assembly further configured to receive a foil sheet between the foil guard and the die plate, the foil sheet having a polymer layer facing the die plate; and
an actuator enabling linear movement of the tool assembly,
when the rack is positioned adjacent to the die plate and the foil sheet is between the foil guard and the die plate, linear movement of the tool assembly towards the rack engages the die plate against the rack, and with the die plate against the rack, linear movement of the tool assembly towards the rack: (i) moves the foil guard toward the foil sheet, (ii) cuts with the heated punches a plurality of sealing sections from the foil sheet, and (iii) presses with the heated punches each of the sealing sections against a top end of each of the plurality of sample storage tubes in the rack, wherein each of the plurality of heated punches welds the polymer layer of each sealing section against the end of the sample storage tube.

5. The device of claim 3 , wherein linear movement of the tool assembly against the rack presses the foil guard against the foil sheet and the die plate prior to continued linear movement that punches the plurality of sealing sections from the foil sheet.

6. The device of claim 3 , wherein the foil guard is slideably coupled to the mounting member with at least one foil guard spring, the at least one foil guard spring applying a foil guard restoring force on the foil guard when the foil guard is moved towards the mounting member and wherein the die plate is slideably coupled to the mounting member with at least one die plate spring, the at least one die plate spring applying a die plate restoring force on the die plate when the die plate is moved toward the mounting member.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein after punching a plurality of sealing sections from the foil sheet, during linear movement of the tool assembly away from the rack, the foil guard restoring force moves the foil guard and foil sheet away from the plurality of punches, and the die plate restoring force moves the die plate away from the foil guard, enabling movement of the foil sheet.

8. The device of claim 3 , further including a bottom plate positioned under the rack, wherein the rack enables the plurality of sample storage tube to slide vertically in the rack, and wherein pressing the sealing sections against the top end of a sample storage tube in the rack moves a bottom end of the plurality of sample storage tubes against the bottom plate.

9. The device of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of cutting holes of the die plate is configured to surround one of the plurality of sample storage tubes when the die plate is engaged with the rack.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heated punches are configured to collide with the die plate when the temperature of the heated punches equals the temperature of the die plate, but pass through the cutting holes after heating of the plurality of heated punches creates a temperature difference between the die plate and the heated punches.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of heated punches are adapted to transfer heat to the die plate and passively maintain the temperature difference between the temperature of the heated punches and the temperature of the die plate.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the mounting member further includes a first temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the plurality of heated punches and the die plate includes a second temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the die plate, and timing of close thermal coupling between the heated punches and die plate is controlled to maintain the temperature differential to allow the plurality of heated punches to pass through the plurality of cutting holes.

13. The device of claim 1 , further including:
a heat sink adapted to receive the die plate and absorb heat energy from the die plate; and
a stop adapted to receive the die plate, the stop enabling movement of the tool assembly to move the plurality of heated punches into close thermal coupling with the die plate to passively heat the die plate.

14. The device of claim 3 , wherein the tool assembly further includes:
a first set of guides slideably coupling the foil guard to the mounting member, an end of the first set of guides configured to contact a stationary member of the device when the tool assembly is moved to an initial position and the foil guard is in a deflected position, the contact moving the foil guard into an initi

Assignees

• Brooks Automation Inc

Inventors

• Reuteler Beat

Classifications

• B65B7/161

  Sealing filled ampoules · CPC title

• B29C66/81821

  of the welding jaws · CPC title

• B29C2793/0081

  before shaping · CPC title

• B29C69/005

  cutting-off or cutting-out a part of a strip-like or sheet-like material, transferring that part and fixing it to an article (if labeling see B65C, in combination with box-making B31B50/81; labelling in general B65C) · CPC title

• B29C65/749

  Removing scrap (deburring welded articles B29C37/04) · CPC title