Punching device with modular punching means

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9289913-B2
Application number	US-201214113901-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2012
Priority date	Apr 29, 2011
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A punching device is provided for processing samples applied to a sample card comprising at least one punching head with a punch and a lower die, the punch being movable between a resting position and a punching position. The punching head has a receiving opening into which a sample card can be introduced by a movable gripping unit, and a punching drive, which drives the movement of the punch between the resting position and the punching position. A piece of sample punched out from the sample card can be discharged at an outlet opening of the lower die into a receiving recess of a receiving container. The punching head comprises a structure separate from the punching device, wherein the structure of the punching head forms an exchangeable module that is couplable to the punching device and the punching drive.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A punching device for processing dried samples applied to a sample card, comprising:
a support structure;
at least one punching head removably coupled to the support structure, the at least one punching head having a punch and a lower die, wherein the punch is movable between a rest position in which the punch is away from the lower die and a punching position in which the punch is close to the lower die, and wherein the punching head has a receiving opening into which a sample card is introducible by a movable gripper unit of the punching device and the moveable gripper unit is positionable relative to the punching head,
a punching drive fastened to the support structure, wherein the punching drive is couplable or coupled to the punch of the punching head and is configured to drive the movement of the punch between the rest position and the punching position, wherein the punching drive has a first structure and the punching head has a second structure that is separate from the first structure of the punching drive, wherein the punch and the lower die are arranged on said second structure, wherein the second structure of the punching head is configured such that said punching head forms an exchangeable module that is couplable to the punching drive,
an actuating element operable to release an engagement between the punching head and the support structure; and
a suction device configured to be coupled to the punching head such that dust particles produced during punching are removable in the region of the lower die, wherein the punching head comprises suction channels formed in the second structure of the punching head.

2. The punching device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the punching device further includes a receiving container and the lower die has a through-passage opening through which the punch passes in its punching position, such that a sample piece punched out of the sample card can be dispensed at an outlet opening into the receiving container arranged beneath the punching head.

3. The punching device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the receiving container has a plurality of receiving recesses and is movable relative to the punching head such that an individual one of the plurality of receiving recesses provided in the receiving container can be arranged beneath the through-passage opening.

4. The punching device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a supply device for deionized air, configured such that deionized air is able to be supplied into the region of the lower die.

5. The punching device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the region of the lower die is a region of an outlet opening.

6. The punching device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein air supply channels are formed separately from the suction channels in the second structure of the punching head, with respective connecting points which, in the state in which the punching head is coupled to the punching device, are connected to corresponding suction lines and air supply lines of the punching device.

7. The punching device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the suction channels and air supply channels of the punching head are furthermore couplable to the corresponding suction lines and air supply lines, respectively, of the punching device by a horizontal movement.

8. The punching device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the suction channels and the air supply channels are formed in a lower portion or/and in a base of the second structure of the punching head.

9. The punching device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the lower die is received in a sleeve which is fastened to the lower portion, wherein a top side of the sleeve forms a boundary of the suction channels and an underside of the sleeve forms a boundary of the air supply channels for deionized air.

10. The punching device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the suction channels are arranged above the air supply channels in the lower portion.

11. The punching device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the punching head and the second structure thereof are formed such that the punching head is couplable to the punching drive, by a substantially horizontally extending movement of the punching head relative to the punching drive.

12. The punching device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second structure of the punching head comprises a base which faces the punching device in the coupled state, as well as an upper portion, connected to the base and containing the punch, and a lower portion, connected to the base and containing the lower die, wherein the receiving opening is formed between the upper and the lower portions and the upper and lower portions project from the base.

13. A metering device comprising an automated pipetter having a pipetting device with at least one pipetting duct and having a punching device as claimed in claim 1 .

14. The metering device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the pipetting device is fitted on a movable support having the gripper unit of the punching device.

15. The metering device as claimed in claim 13 , which has at least two movable supports which are separated from one another, wherein the gripper unit of the punching device is arranged on one support and the pipetting device having at least one pipetting duct is arranged on the other support.

16. The punching device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the punching device is operable to process liquid samples including bodily fluids.

Assignees

• Giovanoli Nando
• Menzi Reto
• Hamilton Bonaduz Ag

Inventors

• Giovanoli Nando
• Menzi Reto

Classifications

• B26F1/02 Primary

  Perforating by punching, e.g. with relatively-reciprocating punch and bed · CPC title

• Y10T83/6576

  By opposed lateral guide means · CPC title

• G01N2035/00326

  Analysers with modular structure · CPC title

• Y10T83/2209

  Guide · CPC title

• G01N35/0099

  comprising robots or similar manipulators (robots per se B25J) · CPC title