Apparatus for removing liquid contents from container

Abstract

To provide an apparatus for draining liquid from a container.SOLUTION: This apparatus includes a housing having a bottom wall, a side wall, and an open top. The housing is configured to receive a container containing liquid. An illustrative apparatus includes a probe extending upward from the bottom wall toward the open top, wherein when the probe is inserted into the container, the liquid is drained from the container. The illustrative apparatus also includes a sliding lock slidably disposed within the housing to receive a cap or top of the container when the container is inserted into the housing. The sliding lock includes a key slot. The sliding lock is movable when the cap or top of the container has a matching key that engages with the key slot, thereby allowing the sliding lock to move downward to expose the probe and drain the liquid from the container.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to containers for liquids, and more particularly to an apparatus for removing the liquid contents of a container.

Background Art

[0002] Healthcare diagnostic laboratories use diagnostic equipment such as automated diagnostic analyzers for testing and analyzing samples. Known automated diagnostic analyzers use various solutions or liquids such as reagents, cleaning solutions, triggers, diluents, etc. to perform diagnostic analysis procedures. These liquids are generally used throughout the analysis procedure, and thus, the analyzer typically has one or more onboard containers or tanks for holding the liquid. To replenish the onboard tanks, smaller bottles or containers of the solution or liquid are fluidly coupled to the tanks via a screw cap with an immersion tube assembly. The liquid contents are then pumped from the containers to their respective onboard tanks via the immersion tube assembly. However, this process of attaching and removing the screw cap and inserting and removing the immersion tube assembly into the bulk solution container is cumbersome and tedious. Also, some automated diagnostic analyzers include multiple onboard tanks for storing various liquids. Thus, there may be multiple immersion tube assemblies for the onboard tanks, each corresponding to a particular onboard tank. Therefore, it can be essential to connect the correct immersion tube to the correct liquid container. Otherwise, the wrong liquid may be accidentally pumped into the wrong tank, thereby compromising the integrity of the analysis procedure.

[0003] Some known container connection assemblies receive a liquid container in an upside-down orientation and include a piercing probe that is inserted into the container to drain its contents. However, the piercing probe is exposed and can be dangerous to an operator who is constantly inserting the container into the connection assembly. Further, these connection assemblies can accidentally receive the wrong container with the wrong liquid and thus ultimately suffer from the aforementioned drawbacks.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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[0005] Specific examples are shown in the figures identified above and are described in detail below. In describing these examples, like or identical reference numbers are used to identify like or similar elements. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, and certain features of the drawings and certain figures may be exaggerated or shown schematically for clarity and / or conciseness. Additionally, several examples are described throughout this specification. Any feature of any example may be included in, replaced by, or otherwise combined with other features from other examples.

[0006] Automated diagnostic instruments or analyzers typically have one or more onboard tanks for storing (e.g., containing) bulk solutions or liquids (such as diluents, triggers, wash fluids, etc.) used during diagnostic analysis procedures. The tanks are often located within the chassis or body of the automated analyzer. To refill or replenish the onboard tanks, individual bottles or containers of bulk liquid are fluidly coupled to the onboard tanks and their contents are pumped into the onboard tanks. The containers are equipped with screw caps and dip tube assemblies are coupled to the containers. However, removing the cap from the bulk liquid / solution container, attaching the screw cap, and replacing the dip tube assembly is cumbersome and time-consuming. Further, the dip tube assemblies often cannot aspirate all of the contents of the container. Thus, when replacing the bulk solution container, a small amount of the liquid solution is often discarded, and over time the solution is wasted and costs can increase. Additionally, some diagnostic analyzers have multiple onboard tanks. Thus, there are multiple fluid lines that couple to each of the onboard tanks. Therefore, it is essential that the correct refill container is coupled to the correct fluid line. Otherwise, without notice, the wrong liquid may be supplied to the wrong onboard tank, thereby compromising the integrity of the diagnostic test.

[0007] Disclosed herein is an exemplary cradle device for receiving a container of a solution or liquid and draining or pumping the liquid therein to another location (e.g., a mounted tank of a diagnostic analyzer). The exemplary cradle has a unique sliding lock that allows only a container with a matching key cap to be inserted into the cradle and drained. Thus, unlike the immersion tube assembly described above, the exemplary cradle can receive only the correct or desired container having the appropriate liquid therein, thereby reducing the chance of connecting the wrong container to the wrong liquid line. In some examples, multiple exemplary cradles may be implemented, each being fluidly connected to a corresponding tank. Each of the cradles can have different key slots within the corresponding sliding lock so that only a container with a matching key ring can be inserted into the cradle and emptied.

[0008] In some examples disclosed herein, a bulk liquid / solution container is inserted upside down into a corresponding cradle, and when inserted, a piercing probe pierces a cap on the container. The probe is fluidly coupled to a barb at the bottom of the cradle, where a hose or tube can be coupled to fluidly connect the probe to another location such as a storage tank. The cap has a septum and a particular keyring. The cap can be screwed onto the container. When the container is inserted upside down into the cradle, the cap engages a sliding lock disposed within the housing of the cradle. The sliding lock is positioned above the tip of the probe and is locked in place by one or more lockouts. If the cap has the correct keyring, the keyring is inserted into a key slot within the sliding lock and engages a trigger, which releases the lockout and allows the sliding lock to move. More specifically, when the container is pushed down into the cradle, the keyring pushes the trigger downward, and the inclined edge of the trigger slides against the lockout, pushing the lockout slider outward. As the sliding lock moves downward, the stationary probe pierces the septum and extends into the container (e.g., to form a fluid connection within the system). The contents of the container can be drained or emptied through the probe. In some examples, the cradle includes a second probe that provides a vent (e.g., positive pressure) when the liquid is drained to prevent a vacuum from forming within the container.

[0009] In some examples, when the container is fully inserted into the cradle, the latch secures the container in place. After the cap is pushed out from the latch, the latch engages with a lip on the cap. To release the latch, an operator can press or depress a release button (such as a release actuator, an ejection button, and / or any other suitable release mechanism) that releases the container's cap from the latch. One or more springs can be disposed within the housing of the cradle to bias the sliding lock upward. Thus, when the latch is released, the container is removed from the housing of the cradle. Thus, an exemplary cradle provides an easier way to fluidly connect and disconnect a container to a fluid system.

[0010] If a container without the correct cap (e.g., the correct key ring) is inserted into the cradle, the cap cannot engage the trigger to release the lockout. As a result, the lockout prevents the sliding lock from moving and thus prevents the container from being punctured and drained by the probe. In some examples, the cradle includes a sensor (such as an integral sensor, a capacitance sensor, and / or any other suitable sensor) for detecting the level of liquid within the container. In some examples, the cradle includes a sensor for detecting when the latch is fully engaged (i.e., when the container is fully inserted). In some examples, the cradle can include one or more light sources or other indicators to indicate various states of the cradle. For example, when the container is fully pushed in and the latch is engaged, a light source (e.g., green light) can illuminate the release button (which can be transparent or translucent, for example). When the container is not fully inserted, another light source (e.g., yellow light) can illuminate the release button. In some examples, when the container is empty or has insufficient liquid, another light source (e.g., red light) can illuminate the release button.

[0011] The exemplary cradles disclosed herein are described in relation to bulk solutions or liquids for use in an automated diagnostic analyzer (e.g., an immunoassay (IA) analyzer or a clinical chemistry (CC) analyzer). However, the exemplary cradles may be used for any application where a liquid is transferred from a container to another location.

[0012] The exemplary devices disclosed herein include a housing having a bottom wall, side walls, and an open top. The housing is for receiving a container having a liquid used in an automated diagnostic analyzer. The exemplary device includes a probe extending upwardly from the bottom wall toward the open top. The probe is for draining liquid from the container when the probe is inserted into the container. The exemplary device also includes a sliding lock slidably disposed within the housing. The sliding lock includes an engagement surface, an opening within the engagement surface through which the probe is received when the sliding lock is moved from a first position where the engagement surface is above the tip of the probe to a second position where the engagement surface is below the tip of the probe, and a key slot within the engagement surface. The exemplary device includes a lockout disposed below the engagement surface of the sliding lock and releasably coupled to the sliding lock. The lockout is movable between a locked position where the sliding lock is prevented from moving within the housing and an unlocked position where the sliding lock is movable within the housing. The key slot is for receiving a key of a container inserted into the housing to move the lockout from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0013] In some examples, the device includes a trigger disposed below the engagement surface of the sliding lock. The trigger is engageable with the key, thereby moving the trigger toward the bottom wall of the cradle to move the lockout to the unlocked position.

[0014] In some examples, the trigger is movable along a first axis, and the lockout is movable along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. In some such examples, the trigger has an inclined surface that engages the lockout when the trigger moves toward the bottom wall of the housing to move the lockout along the second axis.

[0015] In some examples, the key slot is a ring-shaped slot. In some such examples, the key is a ring-shaped protrusion that mates with the ring-shaped slot.

[0016] In some examples, the device includes an elastic member that biases the sliding lock away from the bottom wall of the housing. In some examples, the device includes a latch that engages a rim on the container to releasably secure the container within the housing when the container is inserted into the housing. In some such examples, the device includes a release actuator that releases the latch. The release actuator has a light source that illuminates when the container is fully inserted into the housing.

[0017] In some examples, the housing receives the container in an upside-down orientation. In some examples, the device includes a barb disposed on the outer surface of the bottom wall to fluidly couple an internal passage of the probe to a tube connected to the barb.

[0018] Another exemplary apparatus disclosed herein includes a housing having a bottom wall, side walls, and an open top. The housing is for receiving a container having a liquid used in an automated diagnostic analyzer. The exemplary apparatus includes a probe extending upwardly from the bottom wall toward the open top. The probe is for draining liquid from the container when the probe is inserted into the container. The exemplary apparatus also includes a sliding lock slidably disposed within the housing. The sliding lock includes an engagement surface, an opening within the engagement surface through which the probe is received as the sliding lock is moved from a first position where the engagement surface is above the tip of the probe to a second position where the engagement surface is below the tip of the probe, and a key slot within the engagement surface. The exemplary apparatus includes a lockout releasably coupled to the sliding lock to prevent movement of the sliding lock when the lockout is in a locked position. The exemplary apparatus also includes a trigger disposed below the engagement surface of the sliding lock. The trigger is engageable with a key of a container inserted into the key slot, thereby moving the trigger toward the bottom wall of the housing to move the lockout to an unlocked position where the sliding lock is movable within the housing.

[0019] In some examples, the sliding lock and the trigger are movable along the same axis. In some examples, the trigger includes a second opening through which the probe is received when the trigger is moved toward the bottom wall of the housing. In some such examples, the second opening of the trigger is concentric with and outside of the first opening of the sliding lock.

[0020] In some examples, the apparatus includes a first spring biasing the trigger away from the bottom wall of the housing. In some such examples, the apparatus includes a second spring biasing the sliding lock away from the bottom wall of the housing.

[0021] In some examples, the trigger is movable along a first axis, the lockout is movable along a second axis, and the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis. In some examples, the trigger includes an inclined surface that engages the lockout when the trigger is actuated to move the lockout in a direction perpendicular to the movement of the trigger.

[0022] Another exemplary apparatus disclosed herein includes a housing for receiving a container having a liquid for use in an automated diagnostic analyzer. The housing has a bottom wall, side walls, and an open top. The exemplary apparatus includes a probe that extends upwardly from the bottom wall toward the open top. The probe is for draining liquid from the container when the probe is inserted into the container. The exemplary apparatus also includes a sliding lock slidably disposed within the housing. The sliding lock includes an engagement surface disposed above the probe, an opening in the engagement surface for receiving the probe therethrough when the sliding lock is moved toward the bottom wall of the housing, and a key slot. The sliding lock is operable between a locked state in which movement of the sliding lock is prevented and an unlocked state in which the sliding lock is movable. The sliding lock is switched to the unlocked state when the cap of the container includes a key that corresponds to and engages the key slot.

[0023] Disclosed herein is an exemplary method of inserting a container having a cap with a keyring into a cradle. The cradle includes a housing, a probe disposed within the housing, and a sliding lock slidably disposed within the housing, the sliding lock including (1) an engagement surface, (2) an opening within the engagement surface through which the probe is received when the sliding lock is moved from a first position where the engagement surface is above the tip of the probe to a second position where the engagement surface is below the tip of the probe, and (3) a key slot within the engagement surface, and a lockout disposed below the engagement surface of the sliding lock and releasably coupled to the sliding lock. The exemplary method includes moving the container into the cradle. When the keyring aligns with the key slot, the lockout is moved between a locked position where movement of the sliding lock within the housing is prevented and an unlocked position where the sliding lock is movable to the second position within the housing. The exemplary method also includes coupling the container within the cradle and draining the contents of the container through the probe.

[0024] In some examples, when the container is inserted into the cradle, the container is inverted. In some examples, the cradle includes a latch movable between a disengaged position where the container is removable from the cradle and an engaged position where the container is coupled to the cradle. In some such examples, the method includes determining, by a latch position sensor, whether the latch is in the disengaged position or the engaged position. In some such examples, the method also includes determining, by a liquid level sensor, the level of liquid within the container. In some such examples, the method includes activating a first indicator when it is determined that the latch is in the engaged position. In some such examples, the method also includes activating a second indicator when it is determined that the level of liquid within the container is below a threshold. In some examples, the first indicator is a light source of a first color and the second indicator is a light source of a second color different from the first color. In some examples, the first indicator and the second indicator are disposed within a release button of the cradle.

[0025] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary bulk solution system 100 in which an exemplary cradle 102 receives a bottle or container 104 and is implemented to drain its liquid contents. The contents may be, for example, reagents, cleaning solutions, triggers, diluents, and / or any other solution or liquid for use in an automated diagnostic analyzer. The exemplary container 104 may be of any desired volume (e.g., 1 liter). In the illustrated example, the cradle 102 includes a body or housing 105 having a bottom wall 106 and side walls 108 that define an opening (e.g., an open top) for receiving the upper portion of the container 104 (disclosed in more detail herein). When the container 104 is fully inserted into the cradle 102, the contents of the container 104 may be drained or removed through one or more openings (e.g., through-holes, apertures) in the bottom wall 106 (disclosed in more detail herein). In the illustrated example, the cradle 102 includes a container holder 110 (e.g., a molded article) that defines an opening 112 shaped to receive the container 104 and support the container 104 in an upside-down or inverted orientation. In the illustrated example, the container 104 has a substantially rectangular cross-section with a curved edge. However, in other examples, the container 104 can have a circular cross-section or any other shaped cross-section. In the illustrated example, the cradle 102 has a mounting plate 114 with one or more holes 116 that can be used to mount the cradle 102 to another structure (e.g., an automated diagnostic analyzer, a drawer of an analyzer, etc.).

[0026] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the cradle 102 includes a latch 118 and a release button 120 (e.g., an ejection button, a release actuator). When the container 104 is fully inserted into the cradle 102, the latch 118 secures the container 104 to the cradle 102, preventing the container 104 from being removed from the cradle 102 (e.g., inadvertently). To release the container 104, the release button 120 can be depressed. The release button 120 engages the latch 118, thereby releasing the latch 118 from the container 104. The release button 120 is disposed within a release button housing 122 along the side of the container holder 110. In the example shown, the cradle 120 includes a circuit board 124 (e.g., a processor, a printed circuit board (PCB), a microchip, etc.), a latch position sensor 126 (e.g., an encoder, an optical sensor), and a liquid level sensor 128 (e.g., an integrated sensor, a capacitance sensor), which are disclosed in more detail herein.

[0027] In the illustrated example, the cradle 102 accepts only containers having a cap or top with a specific key ring that matches a key slot within the cradle 102 (disclosed in more detail herein). FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C show exemplary caps 200 that can be used with the container 104 (FIG. 1). Each of the caps 200 has a key ring 202 that matches a key slot of a corresponding cradle. In the illustrated example, the key ring 200 is in a circular shape extending from the cap 200. The key ring 202 of the cap 200 in FIG. 2A has a relatively small diameter compared to the diameter of the key rings 202 of the caps 200 in FIGS. 2B and 2C. The key ring 202 of the cap 200 in FIG. 2C has the largest diameter, and the key ring 202 of the cap 200 in FIG. 2B has a diameter having a dimension between the key rings 202 of the caps 200 in FIGS. 2A and 2C. The different caps 200 from FIGS. 2A to 2C can correspond to different containers having different liquids. Each of the caps 200 can interact with its respective cradle having a matching key slot. Thus, if one of the caps 200 is inserted into the wrong cradle, the key ring 202 cannot have a key of the correct diameter to be received and drained by the cradle. In the illustrated example, three different sizes of key rings 202 are shown, where each of the key rings 202 is used with a container of a specific type of liquid. However, it should be understood that more caps with key rings of different diameters can be implemented. Additionally or alternatively, other caps with key rings of different shapes (e.g., square, rectangular, etc.) can also be implemented.

[0028] FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of one of the caps 200, and FIG. 3B shows a cross-sectional view of the cap 200 taken along line C-C of FIG. 3A. In the example shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the key ring 200 (from FIGS. 2A to 2C) has been removed for clarity. The cap 200 has a lid or surface 300 having an opening 302 (e.g., an opening, hole, channel) therethrough. A side wall 304 having an internal thread 306 extends from one side of the lid 300, and an annular lip or rim 308 extends from the other side of the lid 300. The cap 200 can be screwed onto a container (e.g., the container 104 of FIG. 1) via the thread 306. In the example shown, the cap 200 includes a partition 310 disposed within the opening 302 and held in place by a snap ring 312. The partition 310 can be made of any suitable material such as silicon or rubber. The snap ring 312 is wedged (e.g., by press-fitting, by tabs) between the inside of the rim 308 and the partition 310. In the example shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the rim is shown as a plurality of individual extensions. In other examples, such as the example shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the rim is a continuous wall extending from the lid 300.

[0029] In the example shown, the cap 200 has a wall or flange 314 that extends outwardly from the side wall 304. The flange 314 is substantially parallel to the lid 300. An outer wall 316 extends upward from the flange 314 in a direction parallel to the side wall 304. The outer wall 316 has a plurality of ribs 318 that enable a user to grip the cap 200 (e.g., when tightening or loosening the cap 200 on a container). A lower side wall 320 extends downward from the flange 314 and has a plurality of ratchet grooves 322, which enables the cap 200 to be securely ratcheted onto the container and prevents the cap 200 from loosening from the container. The cap 200 can be composed of any suitable material such as, for example, polypropylene.

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary cradle 102. The container 104 has been removed for clarity. To drain the contents of the container (e.g., container 104 of FIG. 1), the cradle 102 has a piercing drainage probe 400 (e.g., a needle) that can pierce a cap and / or a septum on the cap (e.g., cap 200 of FIG. 3A) and be inserted into the container. The drainage probe 400 is coupled to a probe mount 402 (e.g., an insert molded probe assembly) that extends through an opening 404 in the bottom wall 106 of the housing 105. The drainage probe 400 extends upwardly and away from the bottom wall 106 within an opening 406 defined by the bottom wall 106 and the side wall 108, or protrudes. In the illustrated example, the cradle 102 includes a vent probe 408 disposed adjacent to the drainage probe 400. The vent probe 408 is for venting the interior of the container to prevent a vacuum from forming inside the container while the contents are being drained. The vent probe 408 is coupled to the probe mount 402. The probe mount 402 includes passages for coupling the probes 400, 408 to first and second barb 410, 412 (e.g., nipples, fittings, adapters, barb connectors, etc.) outside the bottom wall 106, respectively. A hose or tube can be coupled to the first and second barbs 410, 412 to fluidly couple the drainage probe 400 and / or the vent probe 408 to a desired location (e.g., a mounted tank). FIG. 5 shows an exemplary probe mount 402 showing the drainage probe 400, the vent probe 408, and the first and second barbs 410, 412.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 4, to prevent an unintended container from being inserted into the housing 105 and punctured and drained, the exemplary cradle 102 includes a sliding lock 414 slidably disposed within the opening 406 of the housing 105. FIG. 6A shows a top perspective view of the sliding lock 414, and FIG. 6B shows a bottom perspective view of the sliding lock 414, which are numbered in accordance with the disclosure herein. The sliding lock 414 has an engagement surface 416 for receiving the cap or upper portion of the container (e.g., contacted by the cap or upper portion of the container). The engagement surface 416 has an opening 418 for receiving the probes 400, 408 when the sliding lock 414 is moved downward or (e.g., from a first position to a second position) toward the bottom wall 106. The sliding lock 414 is movable along a first axis 419 (e.g., the longitudinal axis of the housing 105). When the sliding lock 414 is moved downward (e.g., when a container having a matching key ring is inserted), the probes 400, 408 extend through the opening 418 and puncture the cap and / or septum of the container. In the illustrated example of FIG. 4, the sliding lock 414 is in a first or unengaged position where the probes 400, 408 are disposed below the engagement surface 416. Thus, the operator cannot accidentally impale themselves. The sliding lock 414 is movable from a first position to a second position where the engagement surface 416 is below the tips of the probes 400, 408 (disclosed in more detail herein).

[0032] In the illustrated example, the sliding lock 414 has an outer wall 420 in the shape of a cylinder or sleeve. The outer wall 420 conforms to the shape of the opening 406 defined by the side wall 106 of the housing 105. However, in other embodiments, the outer wall 420 of the sliding lock 414 may be differently shaped. For example, the outer wall 420 may be substantially square or triangular in shape.

[0033] To prevent the sliding lock 414 from being pushed downward toward the bottom wall 106 by an undesirable container (e.g., a container having the wrong liquid), the cradle 102 includes a first lockout 422 (e.g., a lock button, a lockout slider) and a second lockout 424 (Figs. 8 and 9), and these lockouts are disposed within the side wall 108 of the housing 105 and extend into the outer wall 420 of the sliding lock 414. The first and second lockouts 422, 424 prevent the sliding lock 414 from moving toward the bottom wall 106, thereby enabling the probes 400, 408 to extend through the sliding lock 414 and pierce the cap and / or septum of the container. The first and second lockouts 422, 424 are movable between a locked position (illustrated in Figs. 4 and 8) and an unlocked position (illustrated in Fig. 9). The first and second lockouts 422, 424 are disposed within respective openings 426, 428 (more clearly visible in Figs. 8 and 9) of the side wall 108. The first and second lockouts 422, 424 are biased along a second axis 433 that is perpendicular to a first axis 419 along which the sliding lock 416 moves toward the center of the cradle 102 by respective first and second springs 430, 432 (more clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 9). Retaining caps 434, 436 (e.g., retaining buttons) are removably coupled to the respective openings 426, 428 (e.g., to enable access to the first and second lockouts 422, 424 and the first and second springs 430, 432). In the locked position, the first and second lockouts 422, 424 extend (e.g., are inserted) into respective first and second notches 600, 602 (Figs. 6A and 6B) within the outer wall 420 of the sliding lock 414. As a result, the sliding lock 414 is prevented from moving upward or downward, and thus the probes 400, 408 cannot be exposed through the opening 418.

[0034] In the example illustrated in FIG. 4, the first and second lockouts 422, 424 are disposed on opposite sides of each other on the sidewall 108. However, in other examples, the first and second lockouts 422, 424 are disposed at other locations (e.g., closer to each other) and / or at different lengths or heights along the sidewall 108. In some examples, only one lockout is implemented. In other examples, three or more lockouts are implemented.

[0035] To release the first and second lockouts 422, 424, the cradle 102 includes a trigger 438 disposed between the sliding lock 414 and the bottom wall 106 (e.g., below the engagement surface 416 of the sliding lock 414). FIG. 7A shows a top perspective view of the trigger 438, and FIG. 7B shows a bottom perspective view of the trigger 438, which are numbered by the disclosure herein. The trigger 438 has an engagement surface 440 parallel to the engagement surface 416 of the sliding lock 414. The engagement surface 440 of the trigger 438 has an opening 442 concentric with the opening 418 of the sliding lock 414. As shown in FIG. 4, the trigger 438 is movable along a first axis 419. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the trigger 438 has a first tab 700 having an inclined or angled surface and a second tab 702 having an inclined or angled surface. In the illustrated example, the first and second tabs 700, 702 extend outwardly from the engagement surface 440. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the sliding lock 414 has a first slot 604 and a second slot 606 for receiving the first and second tabs 700, 702 of the trigger 438, respectively. The first and second slots 604, 604 intersect the first and second notches 600, 602, respectively. Thus, when the trigger 438 is moved toward the bottom wall 106, the first and second tabs 700, 702 engage the first and second lockouts 422, 424, respectively, and push the first and second lockouts 422, 424 outwardly (e.g., along a second axis 433) such that the first and second lockouts 422, 424 are disengaged from the first and second notches 600, 602 within the outer wall 420 of the sliding lock 414. As a result, the sliding lock 414 can move downwardly toward the bottom wall 106.

[0036] To move the trigger 438 (disposed below the engagement surface 416 of the sliding lock 414) downward to disengage the first and second lockouts 422, 424, the sliding lock 414 has a key slot 446 in the engagement surface 416. The key slot 446 is an opening having a shape that corresponds particularly to the key ring of the cap. When a cap having a matching or corresponding key ring is inserted into the cradle 102, the key ring fits into the key slot 446 and engages with the trigger 438 (e.g., the engagement surface 440 of the trigger 438), moving the trigger 438 toward the bottom wall 106, and thus releasing the first and second lockouts 422, 424 from the sliding lock 414. When the first and second lockouts 422, 424 are disengaged, the sliding lock 414 is freely pushed toward the bottom wall 106. When the sliding lock 414 is moved downward, the probes 400, 408 extend through the opening 418 and engage with the cap of the container. In the illustrated example, the key slot 446 is a ring-shaped slot. However, in other examples, the key slot 446 may be of any other shape (e.g., triangular, square, star-shaped, etc.) and / or of any other size corresponding to a particular key shape on the cap of the container.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the key slot 446 divides the engagement surface 416 into an inner surface 608 and an outer surface 610. The inner surface 608 and the outer surface 610 are joined together via a support bar 612. The support bar 612 includes a notch 614 at the intersection of the key slot 416 to accommodate the key ring when the key ring is inserted into the key slot 416, thereby enabling the key ring to engage with the trigger 438. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the trigger 438 has a slot 704 in the engagement surface 440 to receive the support bar 612 when the trigger 438 is disposed below the sliding lock 414 (e.g., as shown in the position of FIG. 4). In the example shown in FIG. 6A, the engagement surface 416 of the sliding lock 414 includes a recess 613 for receiving the rim 308 of the cap 200 (FIG. 3).

[0038] In the example shown in FIG. 4, the cradle 102 includes a first spring 448 (e.g., an elastic member, a return spring, and / or any other suitable biasing device), and the first spring 448 is disposed between the bottom wall 106 and the sliding lock 414 to bias the sliding lock 414 upwardly away from the bottom wall 106. The first spring 448 applies an upward force to remove the bottle 104 from the cradle 102. In the illustrated example, the cradle 102 includes a second spring 450, and the second spring 450 is disposed between the bottom wall 106 and the trigger 440 to bias the trigger 400 upwardly away from the bottom wall 106. In other examples, other mechanisms can be used to bias the sliding lock 414 and / or the trigger 438.

[0039] After the container is inserted into the cradle 102 and moved downwardly such that the probes 400, 408 are disposed within the container, a latch 118 (e.g., a sliding latch, a lever, a trigger) is provided to engage a lip or rim on the cap of the container to prevent the container from being pushed upwardly (e.g., by the first spring 448 and / or the second spring 450). The latch 118 moves along a third axis 453 (FIGS. 4 and 10) that is perpendicular to a first axis 419 along which the sliding lock 414 moves. The latch 118 has an inclined edge 454. When the release button 120 is pushed downwardly, the inclined edge 456 of the release button 120 engages the inclined edge 454 of the latch 118 and moves the latch 118 outwardly along the third axis 453 (e.g., away from the center of the cradle 102). As a result, the latch 118 releases the rim or lip of the cap, and the container is freely removable from the cradle 102 (e.g., by the force provided by the first and second springs 448, 450).

[0040] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the cradle 102 and the container 104 of FIG. 1 (along line A-A of FIG. 1) when the container 104 is in the first position and the container 104 is inserted into the cradle 102. In the illustrated example, the container 104 is upside down and placed within an opening 112 defined by the container holder 110. In the illustrated example, the cap 200 of FIG. 2C is screwed onto the opening 800 (e.g., the mouth) of the container 104 (e.g., via a thread 306). As shown in the example of FIG. 8, the first and second lockouts 422, 424 disposed within the first and second openings 426, 428 of the wall 108 are biased inwardly toward the center of the cradle 102 by the first and second springs 430, 432. The first and second lockouts 422, 424 are movable along a second axis 433 that is perpendicular to a first axis 419 along which the sliding lock 414 moves. In the illustrated example, the first and second lockouts 422, 424 are in a locked or engaged position where they are inserted into the first and second notches 600, 602 of the outer wall 420 of the sliding lock 414. As a result, the sliding lock 414 is prevented from moving upwardly or downwardly within the housing 105.

[0041] In the illustrated example, the cap 200 is a mating cap that enables insertion of the container 104 into the cradle 102 and movement of the sliding lock 414. In particular, the key ring 202 of the cap 200 mates with the shape of a corresponding key slot 446 within the engagement surface 416 of the sliding lock 414. Thus, when the container 104 is pushed down into the cradle 102, the key ring 202 extends through the key slot 446 and engages the engagement surface 440 of the trigger 438. The outer wall 316 of the cap 200 is received by the outer wall 420 of the sliding lock 414 and positions the cap 200 within the sliding lock 414.

[0042] FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the cradle 102 and the container 104 (taken along line A-A of FIG. 1) when the container 104 is in a second position where the container 104 is partially inserted into the cradle 102 (e.g., when the container 104 is further pushed down into the cradle 102 from the position of FIG. 8). As shown, the lid 300 of the cap 200 engages the engagement surface 416 of the sliding lock 414, and the key ring 202 is inserted into the key slot 446 and engages the engagement surface 440 of the trigger 438 to move the trigger 438 downward toward the bottom wall 106. The inclined surfaces of the first and second tabs 700, 702 of the trigger 438 engage the first and second lockouts 422, 424, respectively, and push the first and second lockouts 422, 424 outward (e.g., along the second axis 433) away from the first and second notches 600, 602 in the outer wall 420 of the sliding lock 414. As a result, the sliding lock 414 can move freely downward (e.g., using the trigger 438) toward the bottom wall 106 (e.g., along the first axis 419). When the container 104 and the sliding lock 414 move downward toward the bottom wall 106, the probes 400, 408 (see FIG. 4) extend through the opening 418 in the sliding lock 414, pierce the partition 310 in the cap 200, and extend into the opening 800 of the container 104. In some examples, a pump that creates a suction force within the drain probe 400 is activated to actively remove the liquid contents of the container 104. In other examples, the contents of the container 104 may be drained by gravity (e.g., without the aid of a pump).

[0043] Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the cradle 102 and the container 104 taken along line B-B of Figure 1. In the example shown, the container 104 is in a third position where the container is fully inserted into the cradle 102. Further, the sliding lock 414 is in an engaged position or a second position. After the container 104 is fully inserted, the latch 118 extends inwardly toward the center of the cradle 102 and onto the flange 314 of the cap 200, thereby preventing the container 104 from being released from the cradle 102 (e.g., by the force of the first and second springs 448, 450 (Figure 4)). The latch 118 is movable along a third axis 453 that is perpendicular to a first axis 419 along which the sliding lock 414 moves. A spring 1000 is coupled between the latch 118 and the side wall 108 to bias the latch 118 inwardly toward the center of the cradle 102. In the example shown, the drain probe 400 and the vent probe 408 extend through an opening 418 in the sliding lock 414, through an opening 302 (and a partition 310) of the cap 200, and into an opening 800 of the container 104. The contents of the container 104 can then be drained through the drain probe 400. To prevent a vacuum from being formed inside the container 104, positive pressure air can be supplied from the vent probe 408. In the example shown, the vent probe 408 extends longer or further than the drain probe 400. However, in other examples, the probes 400, 408 may be of equal length or height. In other examples, the probes 400, 408 may be longer or shorter and can thus extend further into or shorter into the container 104.

[0044] In the example shown, the sensor 128 measures the level of liquid within the container 104. The sensor 128 can detect when the liquid contents of the container 104 are low and / or empty. In the example shown, the sensor 128 is a capacitive sensor and can detect through the wall of the housing 105 and through the wall of the container 104 to detect the level of liquid within the container 104. In other examples, other types of liquid sensors may be implemented.

[0045] When container 104 is empty or when it is desirable to remove container 104 (e.g., for recovery of the contents of container 104 or at the end of its useful life), release button 120 can be depressed or pushed downward. As release button 120 moves downward, the inclined edge 456 of release button 120 engages the inclined edge 454 of latch 118, pushing latch 118 outward along the third axis 453 and causing it to retract. In the illustrated example, a spring 1002 that biases release button 120 upward or away from latch 118 is disposed within release button channel 122. As latch 118 is moved outward or away from the center of cradle 102, latch 118 disengages from flange 314 and sliding lock 414 moves upward away from bottom wall 106 (e.g., by the force of the first spring 458 (FIG. 4)) to allow container 104 to be removed.

[0046] In the illustrated example, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, sliding lock 414 has a first tab 616 and a second tab 618 (e.g., ears) that project or extend outwardly from outer wall 420. When assembling cradle 102, sliding lock 414 is inserted into housing 105 and the first and second tabs 616, 618 flex inwardly. Once inserted, the first and second tabs 616, 618 project outwardly into respective first and second slots 1004, 1006 within side wall 108. The first and second tabs 616, 616 prevent sliding lock 414 from being pushed upward out of housing 105 (e.g., by the first spring 448). In some examples, a tool is required to bend the first and second tabs 616, 618 back inwardly to remove sliding lock 414 from housing 105. As shown in FIG. 10, cradle 102 has a drain barb 1008 that extends from bottom wall 106. Drain barb 1008 allows liquid to drain from the bottom of housing 105, for example, if excess liquid spills onto the bottom of housing 105.

[0047] FIG. 11 shows a bottom perspective view of the cradle 102, and FIG. 12 shows an enlarged view of the latch 118 shown in FIG. 11. The container holder 110, the first and second barb 410, 412, the probe mount 402 and the drain valve 1008 are shown in FIG. 11. As shown in FIG. 12, the latch 118 has an opening 1200 for receiving the inclined edge 456 of the release button 120 when the release button 120 is pushed downward.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the latch 118 has a leg 1010 having a notch 1012. The leg 1010 is received by the position sensor 126. The sensor 126 determines the position of the latch 118 (e.g., based on the location of the notch 1012). When the latch 118 is fully engaged (as in the position shown in FIG. 10), the sensor 126 can determine that the latch 118 is properly engaged and the container 104 is fixed within the cradle 102. In another form, the sensor 126 is when the latch 118 is partially engaged (e.g., when the sliding lock 414 is moved towards the bottom wall 106), and / or not engaged (e.g., when the release button 120 is pushed down and the latch 118 is fully retracted, the sliding lock 414 is in the uppermost position, and the latch 118 is engaged with the outer wall 420 of the sliding lock 414). In some examples, the position sensor 126 is an optical sensor. In other examples, other types of sensors may be implemented. The position sensor 126 and the level sensor 128 are communicatively coupled to the circuit board 124 (e.g., wired or wirelessly).

[0049] In some examples, one or more light sources are provided within the release button 120 to indicate different states or multiple states of the container 104 and / or the cradle 102. FIG. 13 shows an exemplary cradle 102 shown such that the housing 105 and the container holder 110 are transparent. In the illustrated example, a light source 1300 is disposed within the release button 120. The light source 1300 can blink, or shine, and / or use different colors depending on the state of the container 104 and / or the cradle 102. For example, when the container 104 is fully inserted and the latch 118 is in the locked position (FIGS. 10 through 12), the release button 120 can be illuminated with a specific color (e.g., green) by the light source 1300. In some examples, when the container 104 is empty or the liquid level is low (e.g., when detected by the sensor 128), the release button 120 can be illuminated with a different color (e.g., red) by the light source 1300. Additionally or alternatively, different sequences of blinking light sources can be used to indicate different states or conditions. In some examples, the release button 120 is transparent or translucent. In some examples, the light source 1300 is a light emitting diode (LED). In some examples, two or more light sources (e.g., multiple LEDs) are implemented. Some examples can include a display that presents a human-readable indication regarding such a state or condition. The light source 1300 is communicatively coupled (e.g., wired or wirelessly) to the circuit board 124.

[0050] Figures 14A through 14C illustrate an exemplary drawer 1400 of an automated diagnostic analyzer or instrument having a plurality of cradles 102. The drawer 1400 may be part of the body or chassis of the automated diagnostic analyzer or instrument and may be pulled out to view, add to, or replace containers in the cradles 102. Each of the cradles 102 may be connected to the same or different mounting tanks filled with liquid in the container 104. In the illustrated example, the cradles 102 are arranged in a 3×3 pattern or grid (e.g., with one empty spot) by eight cradles 102. In other examples, the drawer 1300 may have more or fewer cradles 102 and / or the cradles 102 may be arranged in a different configuration (e.g., a 4×4 pattern). The cradles 102 may be configured to receive the same type of cap or different caps. For example, one or more of the cradles 102 may have a sliding lock (e.g., the sliding lock 414 of FIG. 4) that receives only the cap 200 of FIG. 2B having a medium-diameter keyring 202, while others of the cradles 102 may have a sliding lock that receives only the cap 200 of FIG. 2C having a maximum-diameter keyring 202. Thus, an incorrect liquid container cannot be fully inserted into an incorrect cradle 102.

[0051] In some examples, when the container 104 becomes empty, the release button 120 of the corresponding cradle 102 may be illuminated (e.g., by the exemplary light source 1300 shown in FIG. 13). In some examples, the release button 120 illuminates in different colors to indicate different states of operation. For example, the release button 120 may illuminate a particular color (e.g., red) when the corresponding container 104 is empty or low. In some examples, the release button 120 may illuminate a different color (e.g., yellow) when the container 104 is not fully inserted or is inserted incorrectly (e.g., the position shown in FIG. 9).

[0052] As shown in FIG. 14B, the release button 120 can be depressed to release the latch (e.g., latch 118 of FIG. 4) of the corresponding cradle 102 to remove the container 104. As shown in FIG. 14C, once released, the container 104 can then be removed from the corresponding cradle 102. Another container (e.g., having a suitable mating cap) can be inserted into the cradle 102 and pushed into the cradle 102 to couple the replacement container to the cradle 102.

[0053] FIG. 15 is a block diagram of an exemplary bulk solution system 1500 that can be used to supply a liquid (e.g., a bulk solution liquid for an automated diagnostic analyzer) from a first bottle or container to another bottle or container (e.g., a mounted tank). In the example shown, the bulk solution system 1500 includes a circuit board or processor 124, a latch position sensor 126, a liquid level sensor 128, and a cradle 102 having one or more indicators 1502 such as a light source.

[0054] In the example shown, the latch position sensor 126 detects or measures the position of the latch 118 (FIG. 1). The latch position sensor 126 can detect whether the latch 118 is in one or more positions. For example, the latch position sensor 126 can detect whether the latch 118 is in the fully engaged position (as shown in FIG. 10), partially engaged (e.g., when the sliding lock 414 (FIG. 9) is moved towards the bottom wall 106) and / or not engaged (e.g., when the sliding lock 414 is in the upper position as shown in FIG. 8). The latch position sensor 126 is communicatively coupled to the processor 124. The processor 124 can be used to control the indicator 1502 to indicate the position of the latch 118 detected by the latch position sensor 126. The indicator 1502 can correspond to a light source 1300 (FIG. 13) that illuminates (e.g., blinks, or continuously illuminates) different colors depending on the position of the latch 118.

[0055] In the illustrated example, the liquid level sensor 128 detects or measures the level of the liquid remaining in the container 104 (FIG. 1). The liquid level sensor 128 is communicatively coupled to the processor 124. The processor 124 can be used to control the indicator 1502 to indicate when the level of the liquid is low when detected by the liquid level sensor 128. For example, if the liquid level sensor 128 determines that the remaining liquid is below a threshold, the processor 124 can control the indicator 1300 to illuminate (e.g., blink red or yellow).

[0056] In the illustrated example, the cradle 102 is communicatively coupled to the control system 1504. The control system 1504 can be, for example, a system used to control an automated diagnostic analyzer. The control system 1504 is communicatively coupled to the pump 1506. When the container is fully and properly inserted into the cradle 102, the processor 124 sends a message to the control system 1504 indicating that the container is ready to be drained. The control system 1504 controls the pump 1506 to pump the contents of the container 104 (via the drain probe 400) from the container 104 to the onboard tank. In other examples, the cradle 102 can be communicatively coupled directly to the pump and can directly control the pump.

[0057] In the illustrated example, the latch position sensor 126, the liquid level sensor 128, and the indicator 1502 are communicatively coupled to the processor 124 (and / or to each other) via the communication link 1508, and the cradle is communicatively coupled to the control system 1504 and the pump 1506 via the communication link 1510. The communication links 1508, 1510 can be of any type of wired connection (e.g., a data bus, a USB connection, etc.) or a wireless communication mechanism (e.g., radio frequency, infrared, etc.) using any past, present, or future communication protocol (e.g., Bluetooth®, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, etc.).

[0058] An exemplary method of implementing the bulk solution system 1500 is shown in FIG. 15, but one or more of the elements, processes, and / or devices shown in FIG. 15 may be combined, divided, rearranged, omitted, eliminated, and / or implemented in any other way. Further, the exemplary processor 124, the exemplary latch position sensor 126, the exemplary liquid level sensor 128, the exemplary indicator 1502, the exemplary control system 1504, the exemplary pump 1506, and / or more generally the exemplary bulk solution system 1500 of FIG. 15 may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, and / or any combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware. Thus, for example, any of the exemplary processor 124, the exemplary latch position sensor 126, the exemplary liquid level sensor 128, the exemplary indicator 1502, the exemplary control system 1504, the exemplary pump 1506, and / or more generally the exemplary bulk solution system 1500 of FIG. 15 may be implemented by one or more analog or digital circuits, logic circuits, programmable processors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), and / or field programmable logic devices (FPLDs). When reading any of the apparatus or system claims of this patent to cover an implementation of dedicated software and / or firmware, at least one of the exemplary processor 124 and / or the exemplary control system 1504 is explicitly defined herein to include a tangible computer-readable storage device or storage disk that stores software and / or firmware, such as a memory, a digital versatile disk (DVD), a compact disk (CD), a Blu-ray disk, etc. Further, the exemplary bulk solution system 1500 of FIG. 15 may include, in addition to or instead of those shown in FIG. 15, one or more elements, processes, and / or devices, and / or may include two or more or all of any of the exemplary elements, processes, and devices shown.

[0059] A flowchart representing an exemplary method for implementing an exemplary bulk solution system 1500 is shown in FIG. 16. In this example, the method may be implemented using machine-readable instructions including a program for execution by a processor such as processor 1712 shown within an exemplary processor platform 1700 described below in connection with FIG. 17. The program may be embodied as software stored on a tangible computer-readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, floppy disk, hard drive, digital versatile disk (DVD), Blu-ray disk, or memory associated with processor 1712, although the entire program and / or portions thereof may alternatively be executed by a device other than processor 1712 and / or may be embodied as firmware or dedicated hardware. Further, although the exemplary program is described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 16, many other methods for implementing the exemplary bulk solution system 1500 may alternatively be used. For example, the order of execution of the blocks may be changed and / or some of the blocks described may be changed, deleted, or combined.

[0060] As described above, the exemplary method of FIG. 16 may be implemented using encoded instructions (e.g., computer and / or machine-readable instructions) stored on a tangible computer-readable storage medium such as a hard disk drive, flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD), cache, random access memory (RAM), and / or any other storage device or storage disk where information is stored for any period of time (e.g., extended time, permanently, for a short time, during temporary buffering and / or caching of information). As used herein, the term tangible computer-readable storage medium is explicitly defined to include any type of computer-readable storage device and / or storage disk, and to exclude propagating signals and to exclude transmission media. As used herein, the terms "tangible computer-readable storage medium" and "tangible machine-readable storage medium" are used interchangeably. Additionally or alternatively, the exemplary method of FIG. 16 may be implemented using encoded instructions (e.g., computer and / or machine-readable instructions) stored on a non-transitory computer and / or machine-readable medium such as a hard disk drive, flash memory, read-only memory, compact disk, digital versatile disk, cache, random access memory and / or any other storage device or storage disk where information is stored for any period of time (e.g., extended time, permanently, for a short time, during temporary buffering and / or caching of information). As used herein, the term non-transitory computer-readable medium is explicitly defined to include any type of computer-readable storage device and / or storage disk, and to exclude propagating signals and to exclude transmission media. As used herein, when the term "at least" is used as a transitional phrase within the preamble of a claim, it is as open-ended as the term "comprising" is open-ended.

[0061] FIG. 16 is a flowchart depicting an exemplary method 1600 for coupling a container to a cradle that can be used to transfer liquid from one container to another, and this method can be (at least partially) implemented using the exemplary cradle 102 of FIG. 1 and / or the bulk solution system 1500 of FIG. 15. In the illustrated example, method 1600 includes the step of coupling a cap having a keyring to a container (1602). For example, one of the caps 200 (FIG. 2) can be screwed onto the container 104 (FIG. 1). In other examples, the cap 200 can be coupled to the container 104 via other coupling techniques. In some examples, no cap is used. Instead, the container 104 can include a keyring that extends from the container 104 (e.g., at or near the mouth 800).

[0062] The exemplary method 1600 includes the step of inverting the container (1604) and inserting the container into the cradle (block 1606). For example, as shown in FIGS. 8, 9, and 10, the container 104 is inverted (e.g., turned upside down) and inserted into the cradle 104. If the cap 200 has the correct keyring 202, the keyring 202 extends through the key slot 446 and engages the trigger 438. In some examples, the container 104 can be inserted into the cradle 102 without being inverted or can be fluidly coupled to the cradle 102 in another manner.

[0063] The exemplary method 1600 includes the step of advancing the container into the cradle to expose a drain probe (block 1608). For example, as shown in FIGS. 8, 9, and 10, when the container 104 is advanced into the cradle 102, the keyring 202 presses the trigger 438 to disengage the first and second lockouts 422, 424, thereby allowing the sliding lock 414 to move towards the bottom wall 106. As the container 104 and the sliding lock 414 move downward, the drain probe 400 extends through the opening 418 of the sliding lock 414 and punctures the cap 200.

[0064] Exemplary method 1600 includes a step of determining whether the latch is in a fully engaged position (block 1610). If the latch is not in the fully engaged position, the container is further advanced into the cradle (block 1608). If the latch is in the fully engaged position, an indicator is activated, such as by illuminating with a light source to indicate that, for example, the container is ready to be drained (block 1612). For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the latch 118 is in a fully engaged position where the latch 118 extends over the flange 314 on the cap 200 to secure the container 104 within the cradle 102. The latch position sensor 126 determines the position of the latch 118. When the latch 118 is fully engaged, the indicator 1502 (FIG. 15) can be activated (e.g., by a command from the processor 124) to indicate that the container 104 is properly inserted within the cradle 102 and ready to be drained. In some examples, when the latch 118 is not fully engaged, another indicator 1502 (e.g., a light source of a different color) can be activated to indicate that the container 104 is not fully inserted into the cradle 102. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 through 14B, the indicator 1502 can correspond to the light source 1300 (FIG. 13) disposed within the release button 120. However, in other examples, the indicator 1502 can be disposed in a different location on or near the cradle 102.

[0065] In the example shown in FIG. 16, method 1600 includes a step of draining the contents of the container (block 1614). In some examples, the contents of the container 104 can be drained by gravity. In other examples, such as those shown in FIG. 15, a pump 1506 can be used to pump the liquid contents out of the container 104. The pump 1506 can be controlled by the control system 1504 and / or the processor 126 of the cradle 102.

[0066] Exemplary method 1600 includes a step of determining whether the level of liquid in the container is low (block 1616). If the level of the liquid is not low, the contents of the container can be drained as desired (block 1614). If the level of the liquid is low or the container is empty, an indicator is activated to indicate that the liquid in the container is low (block 1618). For example, the cradle 102 includes a liquid level sensor 128 that detects the level of the liquid remaining in the container 104. When the level of the liquid is low, the indicator 1502 (FIG. 15) is activated (for example, a light source of a color different from the color used to indicate that the latch 118 is fully engaged is illuminated). For example, the indicator 1502 may be a light source (such as the light source 1300 (FIG. 13)) that blinks red or yellow.

[0067] Exemplary method 1600 includes a step of removing (block 1620) the container from the cradle, for example, by pressing a release button. For example, as shown in FIGS. 14A to 14C, the release button 120 is pressed to remove the container 104 from the cradle 102. Then, another container having a cap with the correct key ring can be inserted into the cradle 102. In some examples, the operation of inserting the container 104 into the cradle 102 and pressing down the container 104 until the latch 118 reaches the fully engaged position is performed in a continuous operation (for example, by an operator or a technician).

[0068] Exemplary method 1600 includes a step of determining whether the container is to be replaced with an additional container having, for example, the same or different contents (block 1622). If the container is replaced, exemplary method 1600 continues with steps such as coupling a cap having a key to the new or replacement container (block 1602). If the container is not replaced (block 1622), exemplary method 1600 ends (block 1624).

[0069] FIG. 17 is a block diagram of an exemplary processor platform 1700 that can execute instructions for implementing the method 1600 of FIG. 16 and the exemplary bulk solution system 1500 of FIG. 15. The processor platform 1700 can be, for example, a server, a personal computer, a mobile device (e.g., a tablet such as a cellular phone, a smartphone, an iPad®), a personal digital assistant (PDA), an Internet appliance, a DVD player, a CD player, a digital video recorder, a Blu-ray player, or any other type of computing device.

[0070] The illustrated example of the processor platform 1700 includes a processor 1712. The illustrated example of the processor 1712 is hardware. For example, the processor 1712 can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, microprocessors, or control devices from any desired family or manufacturer.

[0071] The illustrated example of the processor 1712 includes local memory 1713 (e.g., a cache). The illustrated example of the processor 1712 communicates with a main memory including volatile memory 1714 and non-volatile memory 1716 via a bus 1718. The volatile memory 1714 can be implemented by synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), RAMBUS dynamic random access memory (RDRAM), and / or any other type of random access memory device. The non-volatile memory 1716 can be implemented by flash memory and / or any other desired type of memory device. Access to the main memory 1714, 1716 is controlled by a memory controller.

[0072] The illustrated example of the processor platform 1700 also includes an interface circuit 1720. The interface circuit 1720 can be implemented according to any type of interface standard such as an Ethernet (registered trademark) interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB), and / or a PCI Express interface.

[0073] In the illustrated example, one or more input devices 1722 are connected to the interface circuit 1720. The input devices 1722 enable a user to input data and commands to the processor 1712. The input devices can be implemented by, for example, an audio sensor, a microphone, a camera (still or video), a keyboard, a button, a mouse, a touch screen, a track pad, a track ball, an isopoint, and / or a voice recognition system.

[0074] One or more output devices 1724 are also connected to the interface circuit 1720 of the illustrated example. The output devices 1724 can be implemented by, for example, a display device (e.g., a light emitting diode (LED), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a liquid crystal display, a cathode ray tube display (CRT), a touch screen, a tactile output device, a printer, and / or a speaker). The interface circuit 1720 of the illustrated example thus typically includes a graphics driver card, a graphics driver chip, or a graphics driver processor.

[0075] The interface circuit 1720 of the illustrated example also includes a communication device such as a transmitter, a receiver, a transceiver, a modem, and / or a network interface card, thereby facilitating data exchange with an external computer (e.g., any type of computing device) via a network 1726 (e.g., an Ethernet (registered trademark) connection, a digital subscriber line (DSL), a telephone line, a coaxial cable, a cellular phone system, etc.).

[0076] The illustrated example processor platform 1700 also includes one or more mass storage devices 1728 for storing software and / or data. Examples of such mass storage devices 1728 include floppy disk drives, hard disk drives, compact disk drives, Blu-ray disk drives, RAID systems, and digital versatile disk (DVD) drives.

[0077] The encoded instructions 1732 for implementing the method 1600 of FIG. 16 can be stored in a mass storage device 1728, volatile memory 1714, non-volatile memory 1716, and / or a removable tangible computer-readable storage medium such as a CD or DVD.

[0078] The exemplary cradles disclosed herein are described in relation to bulk solution liquids for an automated diagnostic analyzer, but the exemplary cradles can be used inverted or upright in any application where liquid is drained from a bottle. From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the disclosed cradles provide a relatively safe means for piercing a cap and / or septum on a container and draining the liquid contents therein. The exemplary cradles employ a unique locking system to prevent a bottle with the wrong cap from being (e.g., accidentally) inserted into the cradle and drained. Further, the exemplary cradles include sensors for determining whether the container is fully and properly inserted into the cradle and / or the level of liquid remaining in the container.

[0079] Specific exemplary devices and methods, and products are disclosed herein, but the scope of this patent is not limited thereto. In contrast, this patent is directed to all methods, devices and products properly subsumed within the scope of the claims of this patent.

Claims

**Claim 1** An apparatus comprising: a housing having a bottom wall, side walls, and an open top, the housing for receiving a container containing a liquid used in an automated diagnostic analyzer; a probe extending upwardly from the bottom wall toward the open top, the probe for draining liquid from the container when the probe is inserted into the container; a sliding lock slidably disposed within the housing, an engagement surface, wherein the sliding lock has an opening within the engagement surface for receiving the probe therethrough and a key slot within the engagement surface, such that when the sliding lock is moved from a first position where the engagement surface is above the tip of the probe to a second position where the engagement surface is below the tip of the probe, the probe is received within the opening; a key slot within the engagement surface; the sliding lock comprising the engagement surface and the key slot; a lockout disposed below the engagement surface of the sliding lock and releasably coupled to the sliding lock, the lockout being movable between a locked position where movement of the sliding lock within the housing is prevented and an unlocked position where the sliding lock is movable within the housing, the key slot being for receiving a key of a container inserted into the housing to move the lockout from the locked position to the unlocked position; the apparatus comprising the sliding lock and the lockout. **Claim 2** The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a trigger disposed below the engagement surface of the sliding lock, the trigger being engageable with the key and movable toward the bottom wall of the cradle to move the lockout to the unlocked position. **Claim 3** The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the trigger is movable along a first axis and the lockout is movable along a second axis, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis. **Claim 4** The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the trigger includes an inclined surface that engages the lockout when the trigger is moved toward the bottom wall of the housing to move the lockout along the second axis. **Claim 5** The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the key slot is a ring-shaped slot. **Claim 6** The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the key is a ring-shaped protrusion that mates with the ring-shaped slot. **Claim 7** The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an elastic member for biasing the sliding lock away from the bottom wall of the housing. **Claim 8** The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a latch for releasably securing the container within the housing when the container is inserted into the housing, the latch engaging a rim on the container. **Claim 9** The device according to claim 8, further comprising a release actuator for releasing a latch, having a light source that illuminates when the container is fully inserted into the housing.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the housing receives the container upside down.

11. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a barb disposed on the outer surface of the bottom wall, the barb further comprising a barb for fluidly coupling the internal passage of the probe to a tube coupled to the barb.

12. A device, a housing having a bottom wall, side walls, and an open top, the housing for receiving a container having a liquid used in an automated diagnostic analyzer, a probe extending upwardly from the bottom wall towards the open top, the probe for draining liquid from the container when the probe is inserted into the container, a sliding lock slidably disposed within the housing, an engagement surface, wherein the sliding lock, when moved from a first position where the engagement surface is above the tip of the probe to a second position where the engagement surface is below the tip of the probe, the probe is passed through an opening in the engagement surface for receiving it, a key slot within the engagement surface, comprising a sliding lock, a lockout releasably coupled to the sliding lock, the lockout preventing movement of the sliding lock when the lockout is in the locked position, a trigger disposed below the engagement surface of the sliding lock, the trigger being engageable with a key of a container inserted into the key slot, thereby moving the trigger towards the bottom wall of the housing and moving the lockout to an unlocked position where the sliding lock is movable within the housing, comprising a device.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the sliding lock and the trigger are movable along the same axis.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the trigger comprises a second opening through which the probe is received when the trigger is moved towards the bottom wall of the housing.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the second opening of the trigger is concentric with the first opening of the sliding lock and is outside the first opening.

16. The device according to claim 12, further comprising a first spring for biasing the trigger away from the bottom wall of the housing.

17. The device according to claim 16, further comprising a second spring for biasing the sliding lock away from the bottom wall of the housing.

18. The device according to claim 12, wherein the trigger is movable along a first axis and the lockout is movable along a second axis, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis.

19. The device according to claim 12, comprising an inclined surface that engages the lockout when the trigger is actuated to move the lockout in a direction perpendicular to the movement of the trigger.

20. A device comprising a housing for receiving a container having a liquid used in an automatic diagnostic analyzer, the housing having a bottom wall, side walls, and an open top; a probe extending upward from the bottom wall toward the open top, the probe draining liquid from the container when the probe is inserted into the container; a sliding lock slidably disposed within the housing, an engagement surface disposed above the probe; an opening within the engagement surface through which the probe is received when the sliding lock is moved toward the bottom wall of the housing; a key slot, the sliding lock being operable between a locked state in which movement of the sliding lock is prevented and an unlocked state in which the sliding lock is movable, the sliding lock being switched to the unlocked state when a cap of the container includes a key corresponding to and engaging the key slot; and the device.

21. A method comprising inserting a container having a cap with a key ring into a cradle, the cradle comprising a housing, a probe disposed within the housing, a sliding lock slidably disposed within the housing, the sliding lock comprising (1) an engagement surface, (2) an opening within the engagement surface through which the probe is received when the sliding lock is moved from a first position where the engagement surface is above the tip of the probe to a second position where the engagement surface is below the tip of the probe, and (3) a key slot within the engagement surface; and a lockout releasably coupled to the sliding lock and disposed below the engagement surface of the sliding lock; and inserting; moving the container within the cradle, the lockout being moved between a locked position that prevents the sliding lock from moving within the housing and an unlocked position that allows the sliding lock to move to the second position within the housing when the key ring aligns with the key slot. The step of coupling the container within the cradle; The step of draining the contents of the container via a probe; A method comprising the above.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the container is inverted when inserted into the cradle.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the cradle further comprises a latch movable between a disengaged position where the container can move out of the cradle and an engaged position where the container is coupled within the cradle.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of determining whether the latch is in the disengaged position or the engaged position by a latch position sensor.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising the step of determining the level of liquid within the container by a liquid level sensor.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of activating a first indicator when it is determined that the latch is in the engaged position.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of activating a second indicator when it is determined that the level of liquid within the container is below a threshold value.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the first indicator is a first color light source and the second indicator is a second color light source different from the first color light source.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the first indicator and the second indicator are disposed within a release button of the cradle.

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