Systems and methods for centering a circular object
Inventors
KUIPER, WOUTER • van der Dong, Harm W. • van der Vijver, Jan Bart • Kleefstra, Martijn
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12398356-B2
Publication Date
2025-08-26
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present disclosure describes systems and methods for centering a circular object, such as a petri dish, between a plurality of pins. For example, in one embodiment, a method comprises placing a circular object on a rotatable platform surrounded by three moveable pins. In order to roughly center the circular object, the method further comprises moving, for a first time, all of the pins toward the circular object until at least two out of the three pins are touching the circular object. In order to more accurately center the circular object, the method further comprises: moving all of the pins away from the circular object so that it can be rotated without substantial inference; rotating the platform approximately 60 degrees, wherein rotating the platform causes the circular object to also rotate by approximately 60 degrees; and moving, for a second time, all of the pins toward the circular object.
Core Innovation
The invention describes a method for centering a circular object on a platform between three or more approximately equidistant pins. The pins move toward the object, move away to permit rotation, and then move toward it again. The object rotates by approximately ̴̵̶̷̸̡̢̧̨̛̖̗̘̙̜̝̞̟̠̣̤̥̦̩̪̫̬̭̮̯̰̱̲̳̹̺̻̼͇͈͉͍͎̈̄̅̆̇̈̉̊̋̌̍̎̏̐̑̒̓̔̽̾̿̀́͂̓̈́͆͊͋͌̕̚ͅ͏͓͔͕͖͙͚͐͑͒͗͛ͣͤͥͦͧͨͩͪͫͬͭͮͯ͘͜͟͢͝͞͠͡ͰͱͲͳʹ͵Ͷͷͺͻͼͽ;Ϳ΄΅Ά·ΈΉΊΌΎΏΐΑΒΓΔΕΖΗΘΙΚΛΜΝΞΟΠΡΣΤΥΦΧΨΩΪΫάέήίΰαβγδεζηθ degrees, where θ equals 360 degrees divided by twice the number of pins, before the second closing pass centers it between the pins.
The described problem is that friction can prevent the pins from making complete contact during the initial closing pass, leaving a visible gap and the circular object off-center. The second alignment pass, following rotation of the object, addresses this incomplete pin contact and improves centering. The disclosed apparatus also uses separate drives for platform rotation and pin movement, with pivoting pin flaps and posts.
Claims Coverage
The two independent claims cover two inventive features for centering a circular object by closing approximately equidistant pins, permitting rotation, and closing the pins again.
Centering with three or more pins and pin-count-based rotation
Claim 1 places a circular object between three or more approximately equidistant pins, moves all pins toward the object to a closed position, opens them to permit rotation, rotates the object by approximately θ degrees (360 degrees divided by twice the number of pins), and closes the pins again so the object is approximately centered between all of them.
Centering on a rotatable platform using three pins and approximately 60-degree rotation
Claim 7 places a circular object on a rotatable platform between three approximately equidistant pins. After a first closing and opening of the pins, the platform rotates approximately 60 degrees, causing the object to rotate, and the pins close again so the object is approximately centered between them.
Both independent claims cover a two-pass pin-centering method in which the pins open to allow a specified rotation between closing passes. Claim 1 states the angle in relation to the number of pins, while claim 7 specifies three pins and approximately 60 degrees.
Stated Advantages
The second alignment pass addresses incomplete pin contact caused by friction and improves centering of the circular object.
Documented Applications
Centering a petri dish for inoculation with a biological sample.
Orienting a petri-dish label with a reader.
Capturing an image of a petri dish.
Picking one or more bacterial colonies from a petri dish.
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