The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 31, 2009
Filed:
Feb. 09, 2001
David L. Goodale, Yorba Linda, CA (US);
Steven P. Katzmann, Yorba Linda, CA (US);
William M. Robins, La Habra, CA (US);
David L. Goodale, Yorba Linda, CA (US);
Steven P. Katzmann, Yorba Linda, CA (US);
William M. Robins, La Habra, CA (US);
Beckman Coulter, Inc., Fullerton, CA (US);
Abstract
A piercing station for piercing sample container caps or thick stoppers is provided. The cap piercing station utilizes a piercing blade having a generally Z-shaped cross-section, a carriage assembly for moving the blade to pierce a cap on a container, an alignment block assembly for preventing the container from being lifted up by friction with the blade when the blade is being withdrawn from a pierced cap, and a latch assembly for latching the alignment block assembly when the blade is being withdrawn.