US 12,492,076 B2
Chute arrangement and cap-removal apparatus
Daniel Gomez Toro, Frankfurt am Main (DE); Marius Kees, Weinheim (DE); Lay-ying Tan, Bayan Lepas Penang (MY); and Sabine Benz, Erzhausen (DE)
Assigned to ROCHE DIAGNOSTICS OPERATIONS, INC., Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed by Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed on Apr. 10, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/631,144.
Claims priority of application No. 23167507 (EP), filed on Apr. 12, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0343492 A1, Oct. 17, 2024
Int. Cl. B65G 11/20 (2006.01); B67B 7/00 (2006.01); G01N 35/04 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 11/203 (2013.01) [B67B 7/00 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0241 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0405 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Chute arrangement for a cap removal apparatus, the cap removal apparatus being configured to remove caps from sample containers, the chute arrangement comprising:
a chute for transporting removed caps through a transport space of the chute arrangement,
a sensor for detecting caps passing through a detection range of the sensor,
the transport space being partially delimited by a chute bottom of the chute,
the chute bottom being inclined with respect to gravity,
the detection range protruding into the transport space,
the detection range having a range border within the transport space, and
the range border facing the chute bottom at a distance so that a bypass portion of the transport space, in particular for liquid led along the chute bottom to bypass the detection range, is formed in between the chute bottom and the detection range.