Autosampler

Abstract

An autosampler for manipulating a specimen container into and out of a furnace of a parent instrument is disclosed. The autosampler has upper, lower and middle gripping fingers which grip and stabilize a crimped wire, which has a large bend therein. The middle gripping finger is positioned between and opposed to the upper and lower gripping finger and has a portion at one end thereof sized and shaped to receive the bend of the crimped wire. The gripping fingers grip and hold the crimped wire while a tray table moves to place the specimen container on a hook at the bottom of the crimped wire. If the specimen container is sealed, a hole may be punctured therein by a puncturing apparatus, which has a housing which is movable between an upper and lower position and biased toward the lower position. A pin is positioned inside the housing. When the specimen tray moves into the upper position, the sealed specimen container moves the housing from the lower position to the upper position thereby exposing the pin and causing it to puncture the sealed specimen container. An electrostatic discharge device which includes a housing having a channel thereabout is also provided. A high voltage source is electrically connected to a pin positioned inside the housing and in fluid communication with the channel for supply voltage to the pin and generating multiple free ions as a result thereof. Pressurized gas directs the free ions toward an electrostatic field to neutralize the ions therein.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for manipulating a specimen container comprising: 
 a parent instrument comprising a crimped wire having two ends defining an axis therebetween, the crimped wire having at least one point which is displaced from the axis;    an autosampler, operatively connected to the parent instrument, comprising: 
 a gripper assembly movable between an open and a closed position;  
 at least one specimen tray positioned about the gripper assembly and having a plurality of recesses therein for receiving at least one specimen container, the specimen tray movable between an upper and a lower position and rotatable about a central axis; and  
 wherein when the gripper assembly is in the closed position it grips the crimped wire about the point at which it is displaced from the axis and stabilizes it while the specimen tray moves so as to attach the specimen container to the crimped wire.  
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the gripper assembly further comprises: 
 an upper and a lower gripping finger, each finger having two ends, each finger having one end with a substantially V-shaped portion for receiving the crimped wire therein; and  
 a middle gripping finger having two ends, the middle gripping finger positioned between and opposed to the upper and lower gripping finger and having a portion at one end thereof sized and shaped to receive the crimped wire at the point where the crimped wire is displaced from its axis; and  
 wherein the middle gripping finger cooperates with the upper and lower gripping fingers to grip and stabilize the crimped wire.  
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the recesses of the specimen tray has at least one beveled edge to facilitate placement of the specimen container.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the recesses of the specimen tray is shaped so that the specimen container is properly positioned therein.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the recesses of the specimen tray is substantially rounded.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising an apparatus for puncturing a hole into the specimen container, the puncturing apparatus comprising: 
 a housing operatively connected to the parent instrument, the housing movable between an upper and lower position and biased toward the lower position;  
 a pointed object housed inside the housing; and  
 wherein when the specimen tray moves into the upper position, the specimen tray moves a specimen container positioned in one of the recesses of the specimen tray and under the pointed object upward forcing the housing to move from the lower position to the upper position thereby exposing the pointed object and causing it to puncture the specimen container.  
 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the puncturing apparatus further comprises a spring, housed inside the housing, for biasing the housing toward the lower position.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the puncturing apparatus housing includes a slot therein, the slot sized and shaped to receive a hook of the specimen container.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising an electrostatic discharge device comprising: 
 an electrostatic discharge device housing attached to the parent instrument, the electrostatic discharge device housing having a channel thereabout;  
 at least one substantially sharp object positioned inside the electrostatic discharge device housing and in fluid communication with the channel;  
 a voltage source, electrically connected to the at least one substantially sharp object for supplying voltage thereto and generating multiple free ions as a result thereof;  
 a source of pressurized gas for generating a gas stream, the pressurized gas source operatively connected to the electrostatic discharge device housing and in fluid communication with the channel, for forcing gas through the channel and around the at least one substantially sharp object; and  
 wherein the gas stream directs the free ions toward an electrostatic field to neutralize ions therein.  
 
     
     
         10 .The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the at least one substantially sharp object comprises about seven substantially sharp objects substantially equidistantly spaced about the channel.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the voltage source supplies about 5,000 volts of alternating current.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the gas comprises air.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the gas comprises nitrogen.  
     
     
         14 . An instrument for conducting analysis of a plurality of sealed specimen containers, the instrument comprising: 
 an instrument housing;    at least one specimen tray adjacent to the instrument housing, the at least one specimen tray having a plurality of recesses therein and movable between an upper and a lower position; and    an apparatus for puncturing at least one hole into a sealed specimen container, the puncturing apparatus comprising: 
 a puncturing apparatus housing removably attached to the instrument housing, the puncturing apparatus housing movable between an upper and a lower position and biased toward the lower position; and  
 a sharp object housed inside the puncturing apparatus housing, wherein when the specimen tray moves toward the upper position a sealed specimen container positioned in a recess of the specimen tray and under the sharp object forces the puncturing apparatus housing to move from the lower position to the upper position thereby exposing the sharp object and causing it to puncture the sealed specimen container.  
   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the puncturing apparatus further comprises a spring, housed inside the puncturing apparatus housing, for biasing the housing toward the lower position.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the puncturing apparatus housing includes a slot therein, the slot sized and shaped to receive a hook of the sealed specimen container.  
     
     
         17 . A device for discharging an electrostatic field on at least one component of a parent instrument, the parent instrument having a housing, the electrostatic field discharging device comprising: 
 an electrostatic discharge device housing attached to the parent instrument housing, the electrostatic discharge device housing having as channel thereabout;    at least one sharp object positioned inside the electrostatic discharge device housing and in fluid communication with the channel;    a voltage source electrically connected to the at least one sharp object for supplying voltage thereto and generating multiple free ions as a result thereof;    a source of pressurized gas for generating a gas stream, the pressurized gas source operatively connected to the electrostatic discharge device housing and in fluid communication with the channel, for forcing gas through the channel and around the at least one sharp object; and    wherein the gas stream directs the free ions toward an electrostatic field to neutralize ions therein.    
     
     
         18 . The electrostatic field discharging device of  claim 17  wherein the at least one 
 sharp object comprises about seven sharp objects substantially equidistantly spaced about the channel.  
 
     
     
         19 . The electrostatic field discharging device of  claim 16  wherein the gas comprises air.  
     
     
         20 . The electrostatic field discharging device of  claim 16  wherein the gas comprises nitrogen.  
     
     
         21 . The electrostatic field discharging device of  claim 17  wherein the voltage source supplies about 5,000 volts of alternating current.