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:
Dec. 07, 2010
Filed:
Jul. 20, 2007
Stephen Owen, Cambridgeshire, GB;
Justin Owen, Hertfordshire, GB;
Adrian Neil Bargh, Hertfordshire, GB;
Stephen Owen, Cambridgeshire, GB;
Justin Owen, Hertfordshire, GB;
Adrian Neil Bargh, Hertfordshire, GB;
The Automation Partnership (Cambridge) Limited, Royston, Hertfordshire, GB;
Abstract
A capper/de-capper systemhas a rack supportfor supporting a rackcontaining a plurality of capped tubesin a given position. A head unitsupports a two-dimensional array of capping/de-capping spindles, each of which includes a clutchand a capping/de-capping spigotor socket, the spindles being aligned with the tube positions defined in the rack. A drive mechanismmoves the tubes and the head unit relatively towards and away from one another in use, when a rack containing capped tubes is disposed in the rack support, causing engagement and disengagement of the capping/de-capping spigots or sockets with and from the tube caps. A spindle drive system-provides simultaneous rotation of the capping/de-capping spigots or sockets together after engagement with the caps, either to detach caps from the tubes or attach caps to the tubes.