Laboratory Cap Gripper And Guided Chute For Reliable Disposal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laboratory automation systems face challenges in reliably removing caps from sample containers, particularly with sticky rubber caps, and guiding them into a cap tray without spilling or contamination.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising a cap gripper, displaceable chute, and linear guide system, where the cap gripper removes the cap and the displaceable chute guides it along a defined trajectory into a chute inlet, using a drive mechanism to ensure safe and efficient cap disposal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a cap gripper is used to remove caps from laboratory sample containers, then cap removal capability is improved, but cap loss and spilling risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
A chute is introduced as an intermediary component between the cap gripper and the cap tray. The chute receives caps from the gripper and guides them safely to the tray, preventing cap loss and spilling. The chute acts as a mediator that decouples the cap removal action from the cap disposal process, ensuring reliable cap handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The chute is pre-positioned and prepared to receive caps before the gripper removes them. The system ensures that the chute is in the correct receiving position and ready to guide caps, preventing any risk of cap loss during the transfer process.
2Productivity
If caps are removed and disposed without guidance, then disposal speed is improved, but contamination risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The chute serves as a controlled intermediary pathway that guides caps from the gripper to the cap tray. This guided pathway prevents caps from being scattered or contaminating the surrounding environment, while still maintaining efficient disposal speed. The chute confines the cap movement within a controlled trajectory.
3Reliability
If a fixed chute is used to guide caps, then cap guidance is improved, but system adaptability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The chute is designed to be displaceable along a linear trajectory rather than being fixed. The displaceable chute can be positioned at different locations to accommodate different cap disposal requirements. This dynamic positioning capability maintains reliable cap guidance while providing adaptability to various operational scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap disposal system is segmented into a movable chute component that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows the chute to be displaced to different positions along the linear trajectory, providing system adaptability while maintaining its guiding function.
4Device complexity
If manual cap handling is used, then system complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs automated components including a cap gripper that automatically grasps and removes caps, and a displaceable chute that automatically guides caps to the tray. This self-service automation eliminates manual intervention, significantly improving processing speed while the modular design keeps complexity manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus for removing a cap closing a laboratory sample container, the apparatus comprising a cap gripper being adapted to grip a cap to be removed and being adapted to remove the cap being gripped from the laboratory sample container, a displaceable chute comprising a cap inlet, a linear guide defining a linear trajectory, wherein the displaceable chute is mechanically coupled to the linear guide such that the displaceable chute is displaceable along the linear trajectory, and a drive being adapted to cause a displacement of the displaceable chute along the linear trajectory to a dropping position, wherein in the dropping position the removed cap being gripped by the cap gripper is at least partially inserted into the cap inlet of the displaceable chute.