Apparatus for automatic delivery of a vial to an automated sampling system

Claim 1

An apparatus for selecting a vial from a plurality of vials and for transporting the selected vial to a sampling means, the apparatus comprising: (a) a removable turret assembly for holding a plurality of vials, said turret assembly including: (i) a first shell with a plurality of first openings arranged in a substantially circular pattern around a first central axis, said first openings being of a size sufficient for a vial to pass therethrough, (ii) a second shell with a plurality of second openings arranged in a substantially circular pattern around a second central axis, each of said plurality of second openings being of a size insufficient for a vial to pass therethrough but large enough to permit passage of a transport means therethrough; (iii) a plurality of elongated vial sleeves, and (iv) means for securing said first and second shells to each other and to said vial sleeves such that said first axis and said second axis are coincident, and such that each vial sleeve is aligned with a first opening in said first shell and a second opening in said second shell to form a plurality of holding assemblies for the plurality of vials; (b) a hub assembly having a hub and a spindle, said spindle having a third axis, said hub having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being adapted to removably mount said turret assembly thereon such that said first and second axes are substantially coincident with said third axis, and said second surface being rotatably coupled to said spindle to allow rotation of said hub about said third axis; (c) drive means for rotating said hub assembly; (d) transport means for removing a selected vial from said turret assembly and for transporting said selected vial to the sampling means; and (e) means for cooling the plurality of vials in said turret assembly, said means for cooling including: (i) a substantially circular third opening in said second shell, said third opening being substantially centered on said second axis; (ii) a disk shaped baffle centrally disposed within said turret assembly, said baffle being disposed substantially perpendicular to said corresponding first and second central axes; (iii) a fourth opening centrally located in said baffle and centered on said coincident first and second central axes; (iv) a slider tube having a first end inserted through said fourth opening in said baffle and a second end having a base portion, said slider tube having an outer diameter substantially the same as the diameter of said fourth opening to allow said slider tube substantially free movement within said fourth opening, said first end having a groove disposed on its outer surface to accept a snap ring to retain the slider tube in said fourth opening; (v) a central bore passing through said spindle of said hub assembly, said central bore being coincident with said third axis; (vi) an inlet tube disposed within said central bore in said spindle, said inlet tube being coincident with said third axis and having an outer diameter substantially smaller than said central bore in said spindle such that a concentric space is defined between said inlet tube and said central bore, a first end of said inlet tube extending beyond said spindle and being adapted to mate with said base portion of said slider tube through said third opening in said second shell when said turret assembly is mated with said hub; and (vii) a cooling manifold coupled with said spindle to provide a path for the flow of a cooling medium to a second end of said inlet tube and a return flow path for said cooling medium through said concentric space between said inlet tube and said central bore of said spindle.

Claim 2

An apparatus for selecting a vial from a plurality of vials and for transporting the selected vial to a sampling means, the apparatus comprising: (a) a removable turret assembly for holding a plurality of vials, said turret assembly including: (i) a first shell with a plurality of first openings arranged in a substantially circular pattern around a first central axis, said first openings being of a size sufficient for a vial to pass therethrough, (ii) a second shell with a plurality of second openings arranged in a substantially circular pattern around a second central axis, each of said plurality of second openings being of a size insufficient for a vial to pass therethrough but large enough to permit passage of a transport means therethrough; (iii) a plurality of elongated vial sleeves, and (iv) means for securing said first and second shells to each other and to said vial sleeves such that said first axis and said second axis are coincident, and such that each vial sleeve is aligned with a first opening in said first shell and a second opening in said second shell to form a plurality of holding assemblies for the plurality of vials; (b) a hub assembly having a hub and a spindle, said spindle having a third axis, said hub having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being adapted to removably mount said turret assembly thereon such that said first and second axes are substantially coincident with said third axis, and said second surface being rotatably coupled to said spindle to allow rotation of said hub about said third axis; (c) drive means for rotating said hub assembly; (d) transport means for removing a selected vial from said turret assembly and for transporting said selected vial to the sampling means; and (e) means for cooling the plurality of vials in said turret assembly, said means for cooling including: (i) a substantially circular third opening in said second shell, said third opening being substantially centered on said second axis; (ii) a disk shaped baffle centrally disposed within said turret assembly, said baffle being disposed substantially perpendicular to said corresponding first and second central axes; (iii) a fourth opening centrally located in said baffle and centered on said coincident first and second central axes; (iv) a slider tube having a first end inserted through said fourth opening in said baffle and a second end having a base portion, said slider tube having an outer diameter substantially the same as the diameter of said fourth opening to allow said slider tube substantially free movement within said fourth opening, said first end having a groove disposed on its outer surface to accept a snap ring to retain the slider tube in said fourth opening; (v) a central bore passing through said spindle of said hub assembly, said central bore being coincident with said third axis; (vi) an inlet tube disposed within said central bore in said spindle, said inlet tube being coincident with said third axis and having an outer diameter substantially smaller than said central bore in said spindle such that a concentric space is defined between said inlet tube and said central bore, a first end of said inlet tube extending beyond said spindle and being adapted to mate with said base portion of said slider tube through said third opening in said second shell when said turret assembly is mated with said hub; and (vii) a cooling manifold coupled with said spindle to provide a path for the flow of a cooling medium to a second end of said inlet tube and a return flow path for said cooling medium through said concentric space between said inlet tube and said central bore of said spindle.