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:
Oct. 21, 2014
Filed:
May. 01, 2012
Raphael Gut, Lucerne, CH;
Gottlieb Schacher, Kriens, CH;
Raphael Gut, Lucerne, CH;
Gottlieb Schacher, Kriens, CH;
Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for the automated opening/closing of one or more fluid containers is presented. Each container comprises an opening and a cap for closing the opening. The cap is pivotable with respect to the container body so as to open or close the container. A mount and a carriage supported by the mount by a translating mechanism bidirectionally translate the carriage with respect to the mount. The carriage comprises a base portion and a pivoting portion supported by the base portion by a pivoting mechanism that bidirectionally pivots the pivoting portion with respect to the base portion. The pivoting portion has a contact member that contacts a projecting portion of the cap of each of the fluid containers while pivoting the pivoting portion so as to open and optionally close the opening. A drive is coupled to the carriage for translating the base portion and pivoting the pivoting portion.