US3850754A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic inoculating apparatus
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Filing: 1973-01-24
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Granted: 1974-11-26
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Expires: 1993-01-24
Abstract
Abstract An automatic inoculating apparatus for agar trays and the like uses a simple inoculating element such as a cotton swab or inoculating loop. The apparatus includes a movable carriage for supporting the tray to be inoculated, a drive motor for moving the tray along a trackway and a swabbing motor for automatically swabbing the tray during the movement thereof, the inoculating swab or loop being mounted in a crank arm driven by a swabbing motor. An actuator motor controls lowering of the inoculating element onto the tray and lifting of the inoculating element therefrom. An electrical control system including limit microswitches enables automatic control of the actuator motor and return of the carriage to the initial position thereof after inoculating is completed.
Inventors
- 👤 J Wilkins
- 👤 S Mills
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 02:36
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12M; C12M23/00; C12M23/02; C12M23/04; C12M23/50; C12M33/00; C12M33/02; C12M41/00; C12M41/48
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
AND AUTOMATIC INOCULATING APPARATUS FOR INOCULATING ELEMENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A COTTON SWAB AND INOICULATING LOOP, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A MOVABLE CARRIAGE FOR SUPPORTING THE CONTAINER FOR THE CULTURE TO BE INOCULATED. SWABBING MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY SWABBING THE CONTAINER TO BE INOCULATED, SAID SWABBING MEANS INCLUDING AS AN INOCULATING ELEMENT A COTTON SWAB OR AN INOCULATING LOOP, A SUPPORT ARM FOR SUPPORTING THE INOCULATING ELEMENT AND SWABBING MOTOR MEANS FOR IMPARTING A PREDETERMINED MOTION TO SAID SUPPORT ARM, ACTUATOR MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE POSITIONING OF SAID SWABBING MEANS RELATIVE TO SAID CARRIAGE SUCH THAT SAID SUPPORT ARM IS MOVED BETWEEN A FIRST, OPERATIVE POSITION WHEREIN THE INOCULATING ELEMENT CARRIED THEREBY CONTACTS THE CONTAINER AND A SECOND INOPERATIVE POSITION WHEREIN THE INOCULATING ELEMENT IS OUT OF CONTACT WITH THE CONTAINER, AND DRIVE MEANS FOR CAUSING LONGITUDINALK MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE RELATIVE TO SAID SWABBING MEANS TO PROVIDE INOCULATION OF THE CONTAINER CARRIED BY SAID CARRIAGE ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
AND AUTOMATIC INOCULATING APPARATUS FOR INOCULATING ELEMENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A COTTON SWAB AND INOICULATING LOOP, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A MOVABLE CARRIAGE FOR SUPPORTING THE CONTAINER FOR THE CULTURE TO BE INOCULATED. SWABBING MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY SWABBING THE CONTAINER TO BE INOCULATED, SAID SWABBING MEANS INCLUDING AS AN INOCULATING ELEMENT A COTTON SWAB OR AN INOCULATING LOOP, A SUPPORT ARM FOR SUPPORTING THE INOCULATING ELEMENT AND SWABBING MOTOR MEANS FOR IMPARTING A PREDETERMINED MOTION TO SAID SUPPORT ARM, ACTUATOR MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE POSITIONING OF SAID SWABBING MEANS RELATIVE TO SAID CARRIAGE SUCH THAT SAID SUPPORT ARM IS MOVED BETWEEN A FIRST, OPERATIVE POSITION WHEREIN THE INOCULATING ELEMENT CARRIED THEREBY CONTACTS THE CONTAINER AND A SECOND INOPERATIVE POSITION WHEREIN THE INOCULATING ELEMENT IS OUT OF CONTACT WITH THE CONTAINER, AND DRIVE MEANS FOR CAUSING LONGITUDINALK MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE RELATIVE TO SAID SWABBING MEANS TO PROVIDE INOCULATION OF THE CONTAINER CARRIED BY SAID CARRIAGE ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said swabbing motor means includes a swabbing motor and means for pivotably mounting said swabbing motor said actuator means including an actuator motor and an actuating arm driven by said motor for controlling pivoting of said swabbing motor so as to cause movement of the inoculating element carried by said support arm into and out of engagement with a container carried by said carriage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said support arm comprises an elongate crank arm rotatably affixed at one end to the armature of said swabbing motor and including an aperture in the other end for receiving an inoculating element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a trackway on which said carriage rides.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said drive means includes a drive motor, and said apparatus further comprises an electrical control system for controlling energization of said drive motor, said actuator motor and said swabbing motor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said electrical control system comprises a start switch for, when closed, initially energizing said motors and a microswitch located along said trackway and actuated responsive to the travel of said carriage a predetermined distance along said trackway, for, when actuated, causing reversal of the direction of current through said drive motor so that the direction of travel of said carriage is reversed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 further comprising a further microswitch located at the other end of said trackway for de-energizing said motors when said carriage returns to the initial position thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said electrical control system includes means responsive to the actuation of said limit microswitch for causing said actuator motor to raise said swabbing motor to a position wherein the inoculating element is removed from contact with the container.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 further comprising an incline located at an end of said trackway remote from said swabbing means upon which said container rides during the travel of said carriage so that swabbing of the surface of the container can be completed without interference from the container.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a housing located beneath said trackway for housing said motors and said electrical control system, said mounting means for mounting said swabbing motor comprising first and second support posts located on opposite sides of said trackway and secured to said housing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3778351A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-25 | 1978-05-27 | 1978-11-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-25 | 1982-05-27 | 1982-11-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-25 | 1986-05-27 | 1986-11-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |