Cap Gripper Cartridge With Ejector Plate for Flexible Tube Racks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing test tube capper-decapper devices are limited in versatility, requiring a fixed number of test tubes and prone to damage screw caps due to individual ejector pins, leading to inefficiencies and ergonomic issues.
Innovation Solution
A cap gripper cartridge with a cap ejector plate and transmission system that allows for a smaller number of actuators to handle various test tube rack formats, using a cap ejector plate for simultaneous ejection of screw caps, reducing damage and increasing versatility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual ejector pins are used to eject screw caps, then the screw caps can be ejected from cap grippers, but the ejector pins may over time lead to rupture of the screw caps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the ejector pin component from the cap gripper assembly and replaces it with an ejection hole through the gripper body. This extraction of the harmful ejector pin eliminates the source of screw cap rupture while maintaining the ejection function through the alternative hole structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a simple hole structure instead of a complex ejector pin mechanism, effectively treating the ejection feature as a permanent structural element rather than a reusable mechanical component. This simplification eliminates wear-related damage accumulation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed number of cap grippers are used for predetermined rack formats, then the device can handle standardized test tube positions, but the device is locked to a predetermined rack format and lacks versatility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the cap gripper cartridge with a systematic arrangement where grippers are positioned in a grid pattern that can accommodate multiple rack formats. The universal design allows the same cartridge structure to serve different rack configurations by selectively engaging appropriate grippers, eliminating the need for format-specific devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables dynamic selection and actuation of individual cap grippers within the cartridge array. Rather than requiring all grippers to be active simultaneously for a fixed format, the system can dynamically engage only the necessary grippers for the current rack configuration, providing adaptability without permanent reconfiguration.
3Productivity
If a large number of actuators are used to individually actuate each cap gripper, then each test tube can be capped or de-capped independently, but the device complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual actuator functions into a single actuator that can control multiple cap grippers simultaneously. The actuator mechanism is designed to apply rotational force to multiple grippers in parallel, reducing the total number of actuators while maintaining the ability to process multiple test tubes concurrently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the actuator control function into modular zones within the cartridge, where groups of cap grippers can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows selective actuation of different gripper groups without requiring individual control of each gripper, reducing overall actuator complexity while preserving parallel processing capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A cap gripper cartridge for releasably connecting to a head unit of a test tube capper-decapper device is herein disclosed, the cap gripper cartridge comprising a cap gripper holder rotatably bearing a plurality of cap grippers arranged in a 2-dimensional array; and a cap ejector plate comprising a plurality of throughbores respectively arranged around a respective cap gripper of the plurality of cap grippers between the cap gripper holder and a respective cap socket comprised in a respective cap gripper; the cap ejector plate arranged for being displaced relative away from the cap gripper holder for engaging at least one test tube cap retained by the respective cap socket, and effecting a release of the at least one test tube cap by the displacement.