Patent US3677091A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3677091A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for transferring liquids
Assignee: F Hoffmann La Roche AG
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Filing: 1970-08-27
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Granted: 1972-07-18
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Expires: 1990-08-27
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for transferring a liquid via a liquid conducting means from a donor receptacle to a receiving receptacle, which includes cleaning and drying means for the liquid conducting means.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean Guigan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:57
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N35/00; G01N35/10; G01N35/1079
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
An apparatus for transferring a liquid substance from a donor container to a receiving container via a liquid conducting means comprising a support means, a carrying member mounted on said support means for relative rotational movement about its vertical axis through a 360* angle and for relative vertical movement along its vertical axis, a plurality of said liquid conducting means secured to said carrying member at positions radial to the vertical axis of said carrying member, said liquid conducting means extending downwardly from said carrying member, and cleaning and drying means for the said liquid conducting means, including at least one cleaning trough and one drying trough, said troughs being disposed on the support means in the path of relative vertical movement of said liquid conducting means with respect to said troughs.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
132 words
An apparatus for transferring a liquid substance from a donor container to a receiving container via a liquid conducting means comprising a support means, a carrying member mounted on said support means for relative rotational movement about its vertical axis through a 360* angle and for relative vertical movement along its vertical axis, a plurality of said liquid conducting means secured to said carrying member at positions radial to the vertical axis of said carrying member, said liquid conducting means extending downwardly from said carrying member, and cleaning and drying means for the said liquid conducting means, including at least one cleaning trough and one drying trough, said troughs being disposed on the support means in the path of relative vertical movement of said liquid conducting means with respect to said troughs.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the liquid conducting means comprises hollow, double pronged needles extending downwardly from said carrying member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
An apparatus as in claim 2 above wherein there is associated with the liquid conducting means, a hollow conducting member connected to a pressure supplying means whereby the liquid substance to be transferred is transferred through the hollow, double pronged needles under the influence of the pressure provided by the pressure supplying means.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
272 words
An apparatus for transferring a liquid substance from a donor container to a receiving container comprising a support means, a carrying member mounted on said support means for relative rotational movement about its vertical axis and for relative vertical movement along its vertical axis, a plurality of liquid conducting means, n in number, carried by said carrying member and fixed to the carrying member at positions equadistant radially from the vertical axis of the carrying member, said liquid conducting means extending downwardly from said carrying member, cleaning and drying means for the liquid conducting means, including at least one cleaning trough and one drying trough, said troughs being disposed on the support means in the path of relative vertical movement of the liquid conducting means with respect to the said trough, a pressure means supplying member comprising a guide fixed against movement relative to the support means, and a hollow conducting member operatively connected to the guide for vertical movement relative thereto, said hollow conducting member being disposed adjacent a liquid conducting means which liquid conducting means does not have a trough disposed in the path of relative vertical movement thereof, a first actuating means operatively connected to said carrying member and being energizable to effect rotational movement of said carrying member about its vertical axis relative to said support means in equal rotary increments, a second actuating means also operatively connected to said carrying member and being energizable to effect movement of said carrying member in a vertical direction relative to said support means and means for effecting relative vertical movemEnt of the hollow conducting member with respect to said guide.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
272 words
An apparatus for transferring a liquid substance from a donor container to a receiving container comprising a support means, a carrying member mounted on said support means for relative rotational movement about its vertical axis and for relative vertical movement along its vertical axis, a plurality of liquid conducting means, n in number, carried by said carrying member and fixed to the carrying member at positions equadistant radially from the vertical axis of the carrying member, said liquid conducting means extending downwardly from said carrying member, cleaning and drying means for the liquid conducting means, including at least one cleaning trough and one drying trough, said troughs being disposed on the support means in the path of relative vertical movement of the liquid conducting means with respect to the said trough, a pressure means supplying member comprising a guide fixed against movement relative to the support means, and a hollow conducting member operatively connected to the guide for vertical movement relative thereto, said hollow conducting member being disposed adjacent a liquid conducting means which liquid conducting means does not have a trough disposed in the path of relative vertical movement thereof, a first actuating means operatively connected to said carrying member and being energizable to effect rotational movement of said carrying member about its vertical axis relative to said support means in equal rotary increments, a second actuating means also operatively connected to said carrying member and being energizable to effect movement of said carrying member in a vertical direction relative to said support means and means for effecting relative vertical movemEnt of the hollow conducting member with respect to said guide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the support means comprises a base, an upper member positioned above the base and vertical mounting means secured on the lower portion thereof to the base and on the upper portion thereof to the upper member whereby relative movement of the base and the upper member is precluded.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which said carrying member is adapted to move vertically in response to actuation of said second actuation means, and said mounting member and said carrying member are provided with cooperating means for guiding said carrying member along its path of vertical movement.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said cooperating means includes a projection formed at the periphery of said carrying member, and a vertical groove formed along a portion of the length of a vertical mounting means, said projection adapted to be slidably received in said vertical groove during the vertical movement of said carrying member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
100 words
An apparatus as in claim 7 in which the vertical mounting means include a reduced portion adjacent said upper member and a non-reduced portion containing said vertical groove, said non-reduced portion being disposed in the path of horizontal movement of said projection, said reduced portion being out of the path of horizontal movement of said projection, whereby when said projection is received in said groove, vertical but not horizontal movement of the carrying member is permitted, but when said projection is received in the space defined by the reduced portion, vertical and horizontal movement of the carrying member is permitted.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus for transferring a liquid substance in accordance with claim 5, in which the said horizontal movement of the carrying member is through an angle equal to 2 pi /n and the first actuating means is a motor of the step-by-step type secured to said base, the vertical axis of an axle driven by said motor being coincident with the vertical axis of the carrying member, said axle being operatively connected to said carrying member for relative vertical movement and for conjoint rotational movement.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus for transferring a liquid substance in accordance with claim 4, in which said second actuating means includes a screw-jack or an electromagnet acting thereon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
108 words
Apparatus for transferring a liquid substance in accordance with claim 4, in which the said pressure means supplying member includes a supporting plate slidably mounted on said guide for movement in a vertical direction, said hollow conducting member being secured to said supporting plate and extending downwardly therefrom, a biasing means mounted on said guide and biasing said supporting plate in an upward direction, said supporting plate being disposed in the path of vertical movement of the carrying member whereby vertical movement of the carrying member in a downward direction effects vertical movement of the supporting plate in a corresponding direction against the bias of said biasing means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
89 words
Apparatus for transferring liquid substances in accordance with claim 11, in which a level detector is connected to the said supporting plate for vertical movement therewith, said detector being adapted to sense the upper level of the liquid substance to be transferred and to cause a signal to be sent to the second actuating means when such level is detected whereby downward vertical movement of said carrying member ceases, the position of the detector relative to the said supporting plate predetermines the quantity of liquid substance to be transferred.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
128 words
Apparatus for transferring liquid substances in accordance with claim 4, in which the said liquid conducting means comprises a double branched hollow needle and the said cleaning troughs include two cavities into each of which dips one branch of said double needle, the walls of one of said cavities being provided with openings adapted to receive inlet and oUtley cleaning liquid conduits, whereby a cleaning liquid can be provided, renewed and maintained at a substantially constant level, said one cavity also being provided with an opening adapted to receive a compressed gas conduit; and the walls of the other cavity being provided with an opening adapted to receive an evacuating conduit whereby the cleaning liquid transferred into said other cavity by the said hollow needle can be evacuated.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
85 words
Apparatus for transferring liquid substances in accordance with claim 4, in which the said liquid conducting means comprises a double branched, hollow needle, said drying troughs include two cavities, into each of which dips one branch of said double needle, one of said cavities having secured to the wall defining this cavity, an inlet conduit for hot gas and the wall defining the other of said cavity being provided with an escape conduit for the said gas after its transfer through the said hollow needle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3252330A
Cited
US3479880A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-18 | 1976-01-17 | 1976-07-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-18 | 1980-01-17 | 1980-07-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-18 | 1984-01-17 | 1984-07-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |