US 11,747,356 B2
Support element for a modular transport plane, modular transport plane, and laboratory distribution system
Christopher Bates, Tamm (DE); Julian Pfaff, Munich (DE); Noelia Gonzalez Vila, Munich (DE); Adrian Fernandez Vazquez, Munich (DE); Kyle Benton, Randolph, MA (US); and Attila Sapi, Budapest (HU)
Assigned to Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed by Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed on Dec. 21, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/128,268.
Prior Publication US 2022/0196689 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 35/04 (2006.01); B01L 9/06 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 35/04 (2013.01) [B01L 9/06 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0418 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0477 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A support element for a modular transport plane with a plurality of transport module units, each transport module unit comprising a driving surface assembly, the support element comprising:
a lower part having a mounting structure; and
an upper part having an upper support surface, wherein the upper support surface is configured to support the driving surface assemblies of at least two neighboring transport module units, wherein the upper support surface is provided with driving surface assembly interfaces configured to engage with complementary interfaces of the supported driving surface assemblies, wherein the upper part is connected lengthwise to the lower part via a connection structure, and wherein the connection structure is configured to restrain a relative movement between the lower part and the upper part in the longitudinal direction of the support element and to allow a limited relative movement between the lower part and the upper part in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support element, wherein the connection structure comprises a pair of interlocking hook and eye elements, wherein the hook element is a curved or bent element having a first cross brace with a flat contact surface extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support element, the first cross brace having a free end, wherein the eye element is a closed, loop-shaped element having a second cross brace with a flat contact surface extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support element, wherein the first cross brace of the hook element is threaded into the eye element, such that the first cross brace is arranged perpendicular to the second cross brace and the first cross brace contacts the second cross brace for restricting a movement in the longitudinal direction of the support element, and wherein the first cross brace and the second cross brace are dimensioned to allow a sliding movement between the hook element and the eye element in at least one direction in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support element.