摘要:
There is described an apparatus for transferring one or more receptacles between a plurality of receptacle-receiving structures, one or more of the receptacle receiving structures including a receptacle transfer portal through which a receptacle is placed into or removed from the receptacle-receiving structure and a door disposed over the receptacle transfer portal, said apparatus comprising: a receptacle carriage adapted to carry a receptacle and to selectively stop at a transfer position with respect to any of the receptacle-receiving structures, and wherein said receptacle carriage includes a receptacle moving mechanism adapted to move a receptacle with respect to said receptacle carriage to move a receptacle into said receptacle carriage, move a receptacle out of said receptacle carriage, or alternately move a receptacle into and out of said receptacle carriage, wherein a portion of said receptacle carriage is adapted to engage a door of a receptacle-receiving structure and to open the door upon performance of a predetermined movement of said receptacle carriage with respect to the receptacle-receiving structure; and a carriage positioning system adapted to automatically position said receptacle carriage so that a portion of said receptacle carriage engages a door of a selected one of the receptacle-receiving structures and to effect the predetermined movement of said receptacle carriage to open the door.
摘要:
Systems for effecting transfer of reaction receptacles between modules of an instrument for performing multi-step analytical procedures and for adjusting for variations in the positions of such modules includes a receptacle carrier supported on a track on which the carrier translates between different modules located adjacent to the track. The carrier includes a receptacle distribution head supported on a receptacle carrier carriage. The distribution head includes a receptacle moving mechanism adapted to move receptacles into and out of the distribution head and into and out of a module. The carriage is engaged with the track and adapted for translation along the track. Drive systems effect powered translation of the carriage, powered elevation and rotation of the distribution head, and powered movement of receptacles into and out of the distribution head. A transfer position locating system automatically determines a receptacle transfer position of the receptacle carrier with respect to each module.