Sample cup holder |
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| 申请号 | US40667573 | 申请日 | 1973-10-15 | 公开(公告)号 | US3897216A | 公开(公告)日 | 1975-07-29 |
| 申请人 | COULTER CHEMISTRY INC; | 发明人 | JONES ALAN RICHARDSON; | ||||
| 摘要 | The sample cup holder is formed from a generally rectangular block of non-metallic material and has sample cup receiving pockets therein. Each of the pockets has a generally rectangular cross-section with the long sides of each pocket extending generally transversely of the block. An opaque strip of magnetizable metal extends along one side of the block so that the holder can be magnetically held in a desired position. The metal strip also has machine readable indicia in the form of holes therethrough, there being a different indicia for each sample-cup receiving pocket. A plurality of slots extend through the block transversely of the block, each slot being located between two pockets and extending to a portion of the metal strip having indicia therethrough so that the slots provide light passageways permitting the indicia easily to be read when the holder is passed between a source of illumination and a photoresponsive device. The slots are sized and arranged so that selected ones of the slots define recesses for receiving holder engaging means on a transporting conveyor. | ||||||
| 权利要求 | 1. A CUP CARRIER COMPRISING A BLOCK OF TRANSLUCENT MATERIAL, AN OPAQUE COVERING ON ONE SIDE OF THE BLOCK AND THE OTHER SIDE ADAPTED TO BE ILLUMINATED, SAID CONVERING HAVING HOLES THEREIN ARRANGED IN MACHINE-READABLE INDICIA, THER BEING A DIFFERENT INDICIUM FOR EACH CUP, AND SAID CONVERING BEING MADE OF MAGNETIZABLE MATERIAL WHEREBY SAID CARRIER CAN BE EASILY STORED IN A MAGNETIC HOPPER, AND SAID CARRIER BEING ADAPTED TO BE PASSED BETWEEN A SOURCE OF ILLUMINATION AND A PHOTORESPONSIVE DEVICE TO ENABLE SAID INDICIA TO BE READ. 2. The cup carrier according to claim 1 wherein said magnetizable material is a steel strip. 3. The cup carrier according to claim 1 having means for engaging a transporting conveyor. 4. The cup carrier according to claim 3 wherein said conveyor engaging means includes a plurality of recesses in said carrier, said recesses being sized and arranged to receive carrier engaging means on the conveyor for effecting positive engagement between said carrier and the transporting conveyor. 5. A sample cup holder and carrier which is adapted to be temporarily stored in a magnetic hopper of a hopper system in an automatic chemical analysis apparatus, said holder having a generally block shape with a plurality of sample cup receiving pockets therein, and having magnetizable material therein permitting said holder to be magnetically held to a generally upright member of the hopper. 6. The sample cup holder according to claim 5 having machine readable indicia on one side thereof, there being a different indicium for each pocket. 7. The sample cup holder according to claim 5 including means for engaging a transporting conveyor. 8. The sample cup holder according to claim 6 wherein said holder has a plurality of recesses therein which are sized and arranged to receive holder engaging means on a conveyor for effecting positive engagement between said holder and the conveyor for transporting said holder. 9. The sample cup holder according to claim 6 wherein said machine-readable indicia is defined by holes in an opaque surface on one side of said holder. 10. The sample cup holder according to claim 9 wherein said opaque surface and said magnetizable material are defined by a metal wall on one side of said holder. 11. The sample cup holder according to claim 9 wherein said holder is made of a translucent material through which light can pass so that said indicia can be read when said holder is passed between a source of illumination and a photo-responsive device. 12. The sample cup holder according to claim 9 wherein said holder has slots therein each of which extends to said opaque surface and is aligned with a group of holes forming the indicium for one of said pockets, said slots providing light passageways so that said indicia can be read easily when said holder is passed between a source of illumination and a photo-responsive device. 13. The sample cup holder according to claim 12 wherein said pockets each have a rectangular cross section with said slots extending between said pockets to said opaque surface. 14. The sample cup holder according to claim 13 comprising a unitary piece of sheet metal formed into a generally block shape with pockets and slots formed therein, said opaque surface and said magnetizable material being defined by a metal side wall on one side of said holder. 15. The sample cup holder according to claim 5 wherein said magnetizable material comprises a metal strip secured to one side of said holder. 16. The sample cup holder according to claim 5 comprising a block of non-magnetic material, said pockets being located in said block and having a rectangular cross section. 17. A sample cup holder having a generally block shape, said holder having machine readable indicia thereon in the form of holes through an opaque surface on one side of said holder, there being a different indicium for each cup, said opaque surface being made of magnetizable material whereby said holder can be easily stored in a magnetic hopper, and said holder having means permitting light to pass therethrough to said holes so that said indicia can be read easily when said holder is passed between a source of illumination and a photo-responsive device. 18. The sample cup holder according to claim 17 comprising a unitary piece of sheet metal formed into a generally block shape with generally rectangular pockets and with slots defined between said pockets and extending transversely of said block from one side thereof to portions of said opaque surface having said indicia, said opaque surface being defined by a metal side wall on the other side of said holder and said slots defining said means permitting light to pass through said holder to said holes. 19. The sample cup holder according to claim 17 wherein said holder includes a block of material with a strip of opaque material having said holes therein secured to one side of said block, and said block having slots extending therethrough between said pockets to said strip and defining said means permitting light to pass through said holder to said holes. 20. The sample cup holder according to claim 17 wherein said pockets are generally rectangular. 21. The sample cup holder according to claim 17 including means for engaging a transporting conveyor. 22. The sample cup holder according to claim 18 wherein several of said slots define recesses which are sized and arranged to receive therein holder engaging means on a conveyor for effecting positive engagement between said holder and the conveyor for transporting said holDer. 23. A sample cup holder comprising a generally rectangular block of material with sample-cup receiving pockets therein, each of said pockets having a generally rectangular cross section, the long sides of each pocket extending transversely of said block, a magnetizable metal side wall extending along one side of said block whereby said holder can be magnetically held in a hopper of a magnetic hopper system in an automatic chemical analysis apparatus, said metal side wall having machine readable indicia in the form of holes therethrough there being a different indicium for each sample-cup-receiving pocket, and a plurality of slots extending through said block transversely of said block, each slot being located between two pockets and extending to a portion of said metal side wall having indicia therethrough such that said slots provide light passageways permitting said indicia easily to be read when said holder is passed between a source of illumination and a photo-responsive device, and said slots being sized and arranged so that selected ones of said slots define recesses for receiving holder engaging means on a conveyor for effecting positive engagement between said holder and the conveyor for transporting said holder. 24. The sample cup holder according to claim 9 wherein said holder comprises a piece of magnetizable sheet metal which is bent and punched so as to form a top surface of said holder with generally rectangular pockets therein and to form a long side surface of said holder, said side surface defining said opaque surface and having said holes forming said indicia therein, and so that a space is provided from the other side of said holder to said long side surface, said space permitting light to pass through said holder to said holes. 25. The sample cup holder according to claim 17 wherein said holder comprises a piece of magnetizable sheet metal which is bent and punched so as to form a top surface of said holder with generally rectangular pockets therein and to form a long side surface of said holder, said side surface defining said opaque surface and having said holes forming said indicia therein, and so that a space is provided from the other side of said holder to said long side surface, said space defining said means permitting light to pass through said holder to said holes. |
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