Cover assembly and related methods of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11285486-B2
Application number	US-201815934758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2018
Priority date	Mar 24, 2017
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

A cover assembly may include a tray assembly frame, a first cover supported by the tray assembly frame, the first cover extending in a first plane and defining one or more first openings; a second cover supported by the tray assembly frame, the second cover extending in a second plane and defining one or more second openings, wherein the first and second planes are different planes, and wherein the second cover is disposed above the first cover. The cover assembly may include one or more tray holders, each tray holder being configured to hold at least one tray in an upright orientation, wherein each tray holder is moveable between an open position and a closed position, the tray holders being accessible for loading or removing the trays in the open position, and the tray holders being positioned beneath the first and second covers in the closed position.

First claim

We claim:

1. A cover assembly, comprising:
a tray assembly frame;
a first cover supported by the tray assembly frame, the first cover extending in a first plane and defining one or more first holes, each of the one or more first holes having an enclosed boundary defined by material of the first cover;
a second cover supported by the tray assembly frame, the second cover extending in a second plane and defining one or more second holes, each of the one or more second holes having an enclosed boundary defined by material of the second cover, wherein the first and second planes are different planes, and wherein the second cover is disposed above the first cover;
one or more tray holders, each of the one or more tray holders being configured to hold at least one tray in an upright orientation, each of the one or more tray holders being moveable between an open position and a closed position, each of the one or more tray holders being accessible for loading or removing the at least one tray in the open position, and the one or more tray holders being positioned beneath the first and second covers in the closed position;
one or more drawers, each of the one or more tray holders being coupled to one of the one or more drawers, and each drawer being coupled to a drawer face for moving the one or more tray holders between the open and closed positions; and
a first actuator and a second actuator coupled to the tray assembly frame and to the first and second covers, the first actuator and the second actuator being configured to laterally move the first and second covers in the first and second planes, respectively, between a closed configuration and one or more open configurations, such that the first and second covers are substantially parallel to each other in the closed configuration and the one or more open configurations, wherein the one or more tray holders are inaccessible from any position directly above the first and second covers in the closed configuration, and wherein at least one of the one or more first holes and at least one of the one or more second holes are aligned and configured to permit access by a fluid transfer device, through both the at least one of the one or more first holes and the at least one of the one or more second holes, to a portion of at least one of the one or more tray holders in the one or more open configurations.

2. The cover assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a cover frame coupled to at least a portion of a top surface of the tray assembly frame and dimensioned to permit access to the one or more tray holders, the cover frame including at least two opposed, upwardly extending guide rails, the at least two opposed upwardly extending guide rails being configured to limit longitudinal movement of the first and second covers, wherein each guide rail includes an inwardly extending tab configured to limit vertical movement of the first and second covers.

3. The cover assembly of claim 2 , further comprising one or more guide pins extending upwardly from or through the cover frame, the first cover defining one or more laterally extending, first guide slots that accommodate the one or more guide pins, the second cover defining one or more laterally extending second guide slots that accommodate the one or more guide pins, wherein each of the one or more first guide slots and the one or more second guide slots is associated with one of the one or more guide pins, wherein the one or more first guide slots and the one or more second guide slots are coextensive with each other, and wherein the one or more guide pins and the one or more first guide slots and the one or more second guide slots are dimensioned to limit lateral movement of the first and second covers.

4. The cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second covers contact each other and are configured for sliding engagement.

5. The cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first cover defines a plurality of first holes.

6. The cover assembly of claim 5 , wherein the second cover defines a plurality of second holes.

7. The cover assembly of claim 6 , wherein, in each of the one or more open configurations, each of the one or more first holes is aligned with a corresponding one of the one or more second holes, and wherein each of the aligned first and second holes permits access by the fluid transfer device to a portion of at least one of the one or more tray holders in the one or more open configurations.

8. The cover assembly of claim 6 , wherein for each of the one or more first holes there is a corresponding one of the one or more second holes.

9. The cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second covers have substantially the same dimensions, and wherein the locations and dimensions of the one or more first holes defined by the first cover and the one or more second holes defined by the second cover are substantially the same.

10. The cover assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first cover and the second cover are arranged in a reversed orientation about a lateral axis along which the first cover or the second cover moves.

11. The cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first plane is defined by a first longitudinal axis and a first lateral axis that is perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis, the first cover being configured to move in the first plane along the first lateral axis and not along the first longitudinal axis, and wherein the second plane is defined by a second longitudinal axis and a second lateral axis that is perpendicular to the second longitudinal axis, the second cover being configured to move in the second plane along the second lateral axis and not along the second longitudinal axis.

12. The cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are configured to move the first and second covers independent of each other.

13. The cover assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first actuator includes a first motor coupled to the first cover and the second actuator includes a second motor coupled to the second cover.

14. The cover assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first cover comprises a first edge that defines a first end tab and a first lateral edge opposite the first edge, and wherein the second cover comprises a second edge that defines a second end tab and a second lateral edge opposite the second edge.

15. The cover assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first end tab defines a first slot, the first actuator includes a first pin, the first slot receives the first pin, and rotation of the first pin causes linear movement of the first cover, and wherein the second end tab defines a second slot, the second actuator includes a second pin, the second slot receives the second pin, and rotation of the second pin causes linear movement of the second cover.

16. The cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first holes and the one or more second holes are linear holes.

17. The cover assembly of claim 16 , wherein the width of each linear hole is from about 5 mm to about 15 mm.

18. The cover assembly of claim 16 , wherein the width of each linear hole is at least about 10 mm.

19. The cover assembly of claim 17 , wherein the length of each linear hole is from about 5 to about 15 times the width of the linear hole.

20. The cover assembly of claim 19 , wherein the length of each linear hole is about 10 times the width of the linear hole.

21. The cover assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more actuators are configured to slide the first cover in the first plane and s

Assignees

• Gen Probe Inc

Inventors

• Buse David A

Classifications

• B01L2300/045

  whereby the whole cover is slidable · CPC title

• B01L2200/021

  Adjust spacings in an array of wells, pipettes or holders, format transfer between arrays of different size or geometry · CPC title

• B01L3/50853 Primary

  with covers or lids (closures for test tubes B01L3/50825) · CPC title

• B01L9/06

  Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders · CPC title

• B01L3/0227

  Details of motor drive means (B01L3/0231, B01L3/0234 take precedence) · CPC title