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:
Sep. 20, 2016
Filed:
Apr. 22, 2014
Gen-probe Incorporated, San Diego, CA (US);
Stratec Biomedical Ag, Birkenfeld-Graefenhausen, DE;
Stefan Habrich, Bad Wildbad, DE;
Norbert D. Hagen, Carlsbad, CA (US);
Olaf Hörger, Neuenbürg, DE;
Byron J. Knight, San Diego, CA (US);
David Opalsky, San Diego, CA (US);
Jason F. Rhubottom, Oceanside, CA (US);
Heiko Sayer, Neuenbürg, DE;
Harald Thahedl, Wimsheim, DE;
GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED, San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for transferring receptacles between a plurality of receptacle-receiving structures disposed at different locations adjacent a transport track. The apparatus includes a receptacle carrier operatively engaged with the transport track and adapted to carry a receptacle and translate along the transport track. The receptacle carrier is further adapted to selectively stop at a transfer station with respect to any of the receptacles-receiving structures. The receptacle carrier includes a receptacle moving mechanism adapted to move a receptacle with respect to the receptacle carrier to move a receptacle into and/or out of the receptacle carrier. The apparatus further includes a transfer position locating system to automatically determine a location of a transfer position of the receptacle carrier with respect to each of the receptacle-receiving structures, thereby enabling the receptacle carrier to transfer a receptacle between the receptacle carrier and the receptacle-receiving structures.