Patent ID: 9261440
Filing Date: 2016-02-16
CPC Classification: G01N

Claim Text:
1. A punching device for processing dried samples applied to a sample card comprising at least one punching head having a punch and a lower die, wherein the punch is movable between a rest position in which the punch is away from the lower die and a punching position in which the punch is close to the lower die, and wherein the punching head has a receiving opening into which a sample card from a sample card container is introducible by a movable gripper unit of the punching device and the movable gripper unit is positionable relative to the punching head, and a punching drive which is couplable or coupled to the punch of the punching head and is configured to drive the movement of the punch between the rest position and the punching position, wherein the punching device further comprises a receiving container and the punching head is configured such that a sample piece punched out of the sample card can be dispensed at an outlet opening of the lower die into a receiving recess in the receiving container arranged beneath the punching head, wherein the gripper unit comprises a sample card gripper and a receiving container gripper which are fitted to the gripper unit by a common frame structure and which are jointly movable by a drive unit in three main directions that are orthogonal to one another comprising a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction, the drive unit comprising a first drive, a second drive, and a third drive, wherein the first drive is configured to move the gripper unit in the first direction by moving the common frame structure in the first direction, and wherein second drive is configured to move the gripper unit in the second direction and the third drive is configured to move the gripper unit in the third direction by relative movement of the gripper unit with respect to the common frame structure.