Rheometer docking station
A rheometer docking station and methods of use are provided. Certain of the systems and methods described herein are capable of docking a rheometer to a rheometer docking station. Certain of the systems and methods described herein are capable of locating a rheometer in one, two or three dimensions.
1. A rheometer docking station, comprising:
a base;
a docking body associated with the base, the docking body configured to receive a rheometer in a docking arrangement;
a guide configured to guide the rheometer into an aligned position with the docking body, the guide including an entry having a funnel-shaped configuration to facilitate alignment of the rheometer with the docking body as the rheometer is received by the docking body; and
a first locating component associated with the docking body, the first locating component being configured to mate with a second locating component of the rheometer to locate the rheometer in a docked position.
2. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , wherein the first locating component has a female component and the second locating component comprises a male component.
3. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , wherein the first locating component has an opening and the second locating component comprises a locating pin.
4. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , wherein the first locating component comprises a male component and the second locating component comprises a female component.
5. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , wherein the first locating component comprises a locating pin and the second locating component has an opening.
6. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , wherein the guide is attached to the base.
7. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , wherein the guide is positioned on the base.
8. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , further comprising a hood located on an upper portion of the docking body and configured to receive and shield at least a portion of the rheometer.
9. The rheometer docking station of claim 8 , wherein the hood includes a first door that is moveable between an opened position to receive the at least a portion of the rheometer and a closed position to shield the at least a portion of the rheometer.
10. The rheometer docking station of claim 9 , wherein the hood includes a second door that is moveable between an opened position to receive the at least a portion of the rheometer and a closed position to shield the at least a portion of the rheometer.
11. The rheometer docking station of claim 9 , wherein the first movable door rotates up and down relative to the body.
12. The rheometer docking station of claim 10 , wherein the second movable door rotates side to side relative to the body.
13. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , further comprising a power line connected to the docking station and configured to couple with and supply power to the rheometer.
14. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , further comprising a data line configured to couple with the rheometer to permit communication between the rheometer and the rheometer docking station.
15. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , further comprising a pressurized air line connected to the docking station and configured to couple with the rheometer to supply pressurized air to the rheometer.
16. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , furthering comprising lift tubes located adjacent the base and configured to receive forks of a forklift.
17. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , wherein the base is vertically moveable.
18. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , wherein the guide comprises a back surface.
19. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface associated with the docking body, wherein the user interface is configured to be used to interact with the rheometer.
20. The rheometer docking station of claim 19 , wherein the user interface includes a display.
21. The rheometer docking station of claim 20 , wherein the display includes a touchscreen display.
22. The rheometer docking station of claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism to lock the rheometer docking station to the rheometer.
23. A system, comprising:
a rheometer;
a rheometer docking station comprising a base, a docking station body and a guide for guiding the rheometer into an aligned position with the rheometer docking station, the guide including an entry having a funnel-shaped configuration to facilitate alignment of the rheometer with the docking body as the rheometer is received by the docking body;
wherein the rheometer docking station includes a first locating component; and
wherein the rheometer includes a second locating component, the first locating component configured to mate with the second locating component to locate the rheometer in a docked position.
24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the first locating component has a female component and the second locating component comprises a male component.
25. The system of claim 23 , wherein the first locating component has an opening and the second locating component comprises a locating pin.
26. The system of claim 23 , wherein the first locating component comprises a male component and the second locating component comprises a female component.
27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the first locating component comprises a locating pin and the second locating component has an opening.
28. The system of claim 25 , further comprising a guide plate within which the opening is formed.
29. The system of claim 23 , wherein at least a top portion of the rheometer is vertically moveable.
30. The system of claim 23 , further comprising a locking mechanism to lock the rheometer docking station to the rheometer.
31. The system of claim 30 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a latch-action toggle clamp.
32. The system of claim 27 , wherein the opening comprises a slot having a tapered region having a decreasing width and a narrowed region.
33. A method of locating a rheometer within a rheometer docking station, comprising:
moving a rheometer toward a rheometer docking station;
positioning the rheometer between lateral walls of a guide on the rheometer docking station to align the rheometer with the rheometer docking station; and
mating a first locating component associated with the rheometer docking station with a second locating component associated with the rheometer to locate the rheometer in a docked position.
34. The method of claim 33 , wherein the first locating component comprises a female component and the second locating component comprises a male component.
35. The rheometer docking station of claim 33 , wherein the first locating component has a guide hole and the second locating component comprises a locating pin.
36. The rheometer docking station of claim 33 , wherein the first locating component comprises a male component and the second locating component has a female component.
37. The rheometer docking station of claim 33 , wherein the first locating component comprises a locating pin and the second locating component has an opening.
38. The method of claim 33 , wherein the guide includes a funnel-shaped configuration to facilitate alignment of the rheometer with the docking station as the rheometer is received by the docking station.
39. The method of claim 33 , wherein the guide comprising a back surface against which the rheometer bottoms out against when the rheometer is moved into the docked position.
40. The method of claim 33 , further comprising moving the rheometer onto a base of the rheometer docking station.
41. The method of claim 35 , further comprising moving at least a top portion of the rheometer vertically upward until the locating pin is received within the guide hole.
42. The method of claim 35 , wherein the locating pin is connected to the rheometer and the guide hole is connected to the rheometer docking station.
43. The method of claim 35 , wherein the locating pin is connected to the rheometer docking station and the guide hole is connected to the rheometer.
44. The method of claim 33 , wherein the rheometer is located within the rheometer docking station in three dimensions.
45. The method of claim 33 , further comprising locking the rheometer to the rheometer docking station via a locking mechanism.
46. The method of claim 37 , wherein the opening comprises a slot having a tapered region having a decreasing width and a narrowed region.