Sample shaker system with sealed airflow

Inventors

Crawford, Colin • Krasov, Yuri

Assignees

Sartorius Bioanalytical Instruments Inc

Abstract

A sealed airflow system suitable for use with a sample shaker assembly. The sealed airflow system includes at least one component which accommodates movement of the sample shaker assembly while maintaining an air tight assembly between components of the sealed air flow system. A compliant sliding seal compensates for movement of the sample shaker assembly with regard to an air intake side of the sealed airflow control system. Additionally, a flexible conduit provides an air tight passage between an outlet of the sealed airflow control system and an exhaust port. The flexible conduit compensates for movement of the sample shaker assembly in a manner that does not permit unwanted airflow into or out of sealed airflow control system.

Core Innovation

The invention provides a sealed airflow system for a sample shaker assembly having at least one thermal conductor positioned within an air duct housing such that air passing from an air inlet to an air outlet flows over the thermal conductor. The system includes an air intake housing and an air duct housing arranged to direct flowing air from the air intake housing to the air outlet. The sample shaker assembly is positioned within an opening of the air duct housing and is sealed in an airtight manner to the air duct housing.

To maintain sealing while accommodating orbital motion of the sample shaker assembly, a first compliant sliding seal is positioned between an air inlet and an air intake housing and/or between the air duct housing and the air intake housing. The compliant sliding seal includes a central opening that provides fluid communication between the air inlet and the air intake housing. The sealing interface includes an outer wall and, in certain configurations, a sealing flange projecting outwardly and downwardly, terminating in a tip that engages an upper surface of the air intake housing.

The sealing flange geometry and resulting gaps define airtight airflow paths while allowing limited movement. In configurations including sealing flange engagement, the sealing flange has a length sufficient to define a first gap between the lower surface of the first compliant sliding seal and the upper surface of the air intake housing, and in some configurations a second gap between an outer wall of the air intake housing and an outer wall of a sealing-flange portion of the first compliant sliding seal. In exhaust-side arrangements, an exhaust port connected to the air outlet can be included along with a movement compensator to allow specified lateral and vertical movement while maintaining an air tight seal.

Claims Coverage

The document includes five independent claims that share a core structure of a sealed airflow path with an air intake housing, an air duct housing, a sample shaker assembly sealed within an opening, and at least one thermal conductor positioned so airflow passes over it. Across these independent claims, the main inventive elements focus on airtight sealing of the sample shaker assembly within the air duct housing and the use of compliant sliding seal(s) that accommodate movement while maintaining defined fluid communication and airtightness, with additional embodiments specifying exhaust-side movement compensation and geometric gap and sealing-flange definitions.

Across the independent claims, the system is characterized by a sealed airflow path in which a sample shaker assembly sealed in an airtight manner contains at least one thermal conductor positioned so air flows over it, and by compliant sliding sealing structures, optionally including a sealing-flange tip that engages an upper surface to define a first gap and, in some configurations, a second gap, together with embodiments that add an exhaust port and movement compensator to preserve an air tight seal while accommodating lateral and vertical movement.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications

No documented applications found