Method and apparatus for separating individual sealed tubes from an array of tubes sealed with a membrane

摘要

Apparatus (10) for separating individual sealed tubes (42) from an array has rack support (30) for supporting an array of tubes with their upper rims (43) disposed in a horizontal plane and all sealed with a sealing membrane (90), and a punch station (60) comprising a punch tool (62) with cutting edge (66). Cutting edge (66) pierces through membrane (90) from above to separate an individual sealed tube (42) from the remainder of the membrane. The tool has multiple cutting edges (66) in a linear array corresponding to a column of a tightly-packed x by y array of tubes in the rack (40) to simultaneously separate the tubes (42) of a whole column. The cutting edge (66) starts piercing membrane (90) at the corners (43a) of each tube rim and progressively shears through the membrane. Ejector pins (68) retain the separated tubes within the rack (40).

主权项

1. A punch tool for separating individual tubes from an array of tubes within a storage rack, wherein upper rims of the tubes are sealed with a sealing membrane extending across the array, the punch tool having:
a tool body; a cutting edge on a lower side of the tool body, configured to insert between adjacent tube rims so as to pierce through the sealing membrane around one of the sealed tube rims to separate the associated sealed tube from the remainder of the sealing membrane whilst the tubes remain within the storage rack; and an ejector pin insertable inside the cutting edge so as to be urged against the tube rim of the separated sealed tube.