Apparatus for indexing and agitating fluid containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9604185-B2
Application number	US-201414211056-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus configured for mixing the contents of one or more fluid containers includes a fluid container support platform configured to hold one or more fluid containers. The fluid container support platform is configured to index the container to one or more specified locations and to be moved in an orbital path about an orbital center independently of the rotation about the central axis of rotation. The apparatus further includes an indexing drive system configured to effect indexing movement of the container support platform and a vortex drive system configured to effect powered orbital movement of the container support platform about the orbital center. An evaporation limiting insert placed within containers reduces exposure of the fluid contents of the container to atmospheric air, thereby reducing susceptibility of the fluid contents to evaporation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid container mixing apparatus comprising:
a container support platform configured to hold one or more fluid containers, wherein the container support platform is constructed and arranged to be movable in such a manner to index the fluid containers to sequentially place each of the containers in one or more predetermined positions and to be movable in an orbital path about an orbital center;
an indexing drive system configured to effect powered indexing movement of the container support platform; and
a vortex drive system configured to effect powered movement of the container support platform in the orbital path, wherein the vortex drive system comprises:
a vortex drive motor;
a vortexing pulley coupled to the vortex drive motor to effect powered rotation of the vortexing pulley;
first, second, and third vortexing idler pulleys;
an eccentric coupling associated with each of the vortexing idler pulleys, each of the eccentric couplings extending from the associated vortexing idler pulley at a position that is offset with respect to an axis of rotation of the associated vortexing idler pulley; and
a belt coupling the vortexing pulley to the first and second vortexing idler pulleys so that rotation of the vortexing pulley imparts rotation to the first and second vortexing idler pulleys,
wherein the container support platform is coupled to the eccentric couplings of the vortexing idler pulleys such that rotation of the first and second vortexing idler pulleys imparts powered movement of the container support platform in the orbital path via the eccentric couplings, and wherein the third vortexing idler pulley is a follower pulley that rotates with the powered movement of the container support platform in the orbital path but is not coupled to the vortexing pulley by the belt coupling the vortexing pulley to the first and second vortexing idler pulleys.

2. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the container support platform is constructed and arranged to index the fluid containers by rotating about an axis of rotation.

3. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the indexing drive system is configured to effect powered rotation of the container support platform.

4. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the indexing drive system and the vortex drive system are configured to be operable independently of each other.

5. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the indexing drive system and the vortex drive system are configured to be selectively operated simultaneously.

6. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the indexing drive system comprises an indexing drive motor having a rotating output shaft operatively coupled to the container support platform to convert powered rotation of the output shaft into rotation of the container support platform.

7. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the indexing drive motor is operatively coupled to the container support platform by a driveshaft wheel mounted to the output shaft, an indexing drive pulley coupled to the container support platform, and a drive belt trained about the driveshaft wheel and the indexing drive pulley.

8. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the indexing drive motor is operatively coupled to the container support platform by a driveshaft gear rotated by the output shaft and an indexing drive gear coupled to the container support platform, wherein the driveshaft gear is operatively engaged with the indexing drive gear.

9. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a driveshaft wheel coupled to a driveshaft of the vortex drive motor and a vortex drive belt trained on the driveshaft wheel;
a vortex drive pulley on which the vortex drive belt is trained to transfer rotation of the vortex drive motor to the vortex drive pulley; and
a shaft rotatably coupling the vortex drive pulley and the vortexing pulley.

10. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a counterweight attached to and rotatable with the shaft rotatably coupling the vortex drive pulley and the vortexing pulley.

11. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the eccentric couplings has the same offset with respect to the axis of rotation of a corresponding one of the vortexing idler pulleys.

12. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising one or more belt tensioners configured for adjusting the tension of the belt coupling the vortexing pulley to the first and second vortexing idler pulleys.

13. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each belt tensioner comprises a slide, a tension wheel rotatably mounted to the slide and bearing against the belt coupling the vortexing pulley to the first and second vortexing idler pulleys, and a tension adjuster screw configured to fix the slide and the tension wheel at a position that provides the desired tension in the belt.

14. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third vortexing idler pulleys are disposed at a common radial distance from an axis of rotation of the vortexing pulley.

15. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third vortexing idler pulleys are disposed at equal angular intervals with respect to the vortexing pulley.

16. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the container support platform comprises a turntable and a fluid container tray attached to the turntable.

17. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the container support platform comprises a plurality of container receptacles, each of the container receptacles being configured to receive a fluid container.

18. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the container receptacles comprise at least two different sizes.

19. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein each of the container receptacles includes an opening through which a machine-readable code on the fluid container held in one of the container receptacles can be read.

20. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein each of the container receptacles includes a fluid container retainer element configured to releasably hold a container within the container receptacle.

21. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the fluid container retainer element comprises a resilient element configured to compress when a container is placed into one of the container receptacles and to resiliently expand to press the container against a wall of the container receptacle.

22. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising feedback sensors configured to indicate a position or status of at least one of the indexing drive system and the vortex drive system.

23. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a machine code reader constructed and arranged to read a machine-readable code on a fluid container carried on the container support platform.

24. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the machine code reader comprises a bar code reader.

25. The fluid container mixing apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the machine code reader comprises a radio frequency reader.

26. The fluid container mixing apparatus o

Assignees

• Gen Probe Inc

Inventors

• Buse David Aaron
• Knight Byron J

Classifications

• B01L3/523 Primary

  with means for closing or opening · CPC title

• G01N2035/00524

  Mixing by agitating sample carrier · CPC title

• B01L2200/026

  Fluid interfacing between devices or objects, e.g. connectors, inlet details · CPC title

• B01L2200/142

  Preventing evaporation · CPC title

• B65D23/00

  Details of bottles or jars not otherwise provided for · CPC title