DECAPPING AND CAPPING APPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USE IN DIAGNOSTIC ANALYZERS
Example decapping/capping systems/apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture are described herein. An example method includes transporting, via a carrier transporter, a first carrier having a first container to position the first container in a first location. The first container has a first cap. The method includes removing, via a cap gripper, the first cap from the first container while the first container is disposed in the first location. The method also includes transporting, via the carrier transporter, a second carrier having a second container to position the second container in the first location. The second container has a second cap being a different type of cap than the first cap. The method further includes removing, via the cap gripper, the second cap from the second container while the second container is disposed in the first location.
1 . A method comprising:
transporting, via a carrier transporter, a first carrier having a first container to position the first container in a first location, the first container having liquid to be used in a diagnostic analyzer, the first container having a first cap;
removing, via a cap gripper, the first cap from the first container while the first container is disposed in the first location;
transporting, via the carrier transporter, a second carrier having a second container to position the second container in the first location, the second container having liquid to be used in a diagnostic analyzer, the second container having a second cap being a different type of cap than the first cap; and
removing, via the cap gripper, the second cap from the second container while the second container is disposed in the first location.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the first container is disposed in the first location, the first carrier is in a first position, and when the second container is disposed in the first location, the second carrier is in a second position different than the first position.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the first cap from the first container includes:
gripping, via the cap gripper, the first cap; and
rotating, via the cap gripper, the first cap to release the first cap from the first container.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein removing the second cap from the second container includes:
gripping, via the cap gripper, the second cap; and
moving, via the cap gripper, the second cap vertically upward to release the second cap from the second container.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein, when removing the second cap from the second container, the second cap is not rotated.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cap gripper includes a first gripper hand and a second gripper hand, and wherein removing the first cap from the first container includes moving at least one of the first gripper hand or the second gripper hand to grip the first cap between the first gripping hand and the second gripping hand.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first cap includes a tab that extends vertically, and wherein removing the first cap from the first container includes moving at least one of the first gripper hand and the second gripper hand to engage opposite sides of the tab.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the second cap includes a circular rim, and wherein removing the second cap from the second container includes moving at least one of the first gripper hand and the second gripper hand to grip the second cap within a cylinder defined between the first gripper hand the second gripper hand.
9 . The method of claim 1 further including identifying, via a camera, that the first container has the first cap and the second container has the second cap.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first carrier includes a third container, further including:
transporting, via the carrier transporter, the first carrier to position the third container in the first location, the third container having a third cap; and
removing, via the cap gripper, the third cap from the third container while the third container is disposed in the first location.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the third cap is a same type as the first cap.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein, when the third container is disposed in the first location, the first container is disposed in a second location different than the first location.
13 . The method of claim 1 further including clamping, via a carrier clamp, the first carrier while the first cap is removed from the first container.
14 . The method of claim 13 further including clamping, via the carrier clamp, the second container while the second cap is removed from the second container.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the carrier clamp includes a first set of clamp arms and a second set of clamp arms, the first set of clamp arms to engage the first carrier when the first container is clamped and the second set of clamp arms to engage the second container when the second container is clamped.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein, when the first set of clamp arms are engaged with the first carrier, the second set of clamp arms are not engaged with the first carrier, and when the second set of clamp arms are engaged with the second container, the first set of clamp arms are not engaged with the second container.
17 . The method of claim 1 further including:
transporting, via the carrier transporter, a third carrier having a third container to position the third container in the first location, the third container having no cap; and
coupling, via the cap gripper, a third cap onto the third container while the third container is disposed in the first location.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the third cap is a different type than the first cap and the second cap.
19 . An apparatus comprising:
a carrier transporter to:
transport a first carrier having a first container to position the first container in a first location, the first container to have a first cap; and
transport a second carrier having a second container to position the second container in the first location, the second container to have a second cap being a different type than the first cap; and
a cap gripper to remove the first cap from the first container when the first container is disposed in the first location and remove the second cap from the second container when the second container is disposed in the first location.
20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein, when the first container is disposed in the first location, the first carrier is in a first position, and when the second container is disposed in the first location, the second carrier is in a second position different than the first position.
21 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the cap gripper includes a first gripper arm with a first gripper hand and a second gripper arm with a second gripper hand.
22 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first and second gripper arms are pivotable to move the respective first and second gripper hands toward each other or away from each other.
23 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the first gripper arm and the second gripper arm pivot about a horizontal axis.
24 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the first gripper arm includes a first slot and the second gripper arms includes a second slot.
25 . The apparatus of claim 24 further including a pin disposed in the first slot and the second slot, wherein the pin is movable upward and downward to pivot the first and second gripper arms.
26 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first gripper hand includes a first curved surface and the second gripper hand includes a second curved surface, and wherein the first and second curved surfaces form a cylinder when the first and second gripper hands are moved together.
27 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein to remove the first cap from the first container, at least one of the first gripper hand or the second gripper hand is to be moved toward the other of the first gripper hand or the second gripper hand to engage opposites sides of the first cap.
28 . The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein to remove the second cap from the second container, at least one of the first gripper hand or the second gripper hand is to be moved toward the other of the first gripper hand or the second gripper hand to grip the second cap within the cylinder formed between the first and second gripper hands.
29 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the first location is located vertically below the cap gripper.
30 . The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the cap gripper is movable along a vertical axis.
31 . The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the cap gripper is rotatable about the vertical axis.
32 . The apparatus of claim 19 further including a sensor to detect a type of cap on the first container.
33 . The apparatus of claim 19 further including a clamp having a first clamp arm and a second clamp arm, the first clamp arm and the second clamp arm to clamp the first carrier when the first cap is to be removed from the first container.
34 . The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the clamp includes a third clamp arm and a fourth clamp arm, the third clamp arm and the fourth clamp arm to clamp the second container when the second cap is to be removed from the second container.
35 - 66 . (canceled)