Patent ID: 7941904
Filing Date: 2011-05-17
Classification: B01F,B01L,B03C,C12Q,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for removing a contamination limiting element from a distal end of a resilient fluid transfer tube, the fluid transfer tube comprising a conduit having an outer transverse dimension, and the contamination limiting element comprising a conduit having an inner transverse dimension and an outer transverse dimension, wherein the outer transverse dimension of at least a portion of the contamination limiting element is larger than the outer transverse dimension of the distal end of the fluid transfer tube, and wherein the distal end of the fluid transfer tube is adapted to be inserted into the contamination limiting element to removably secure the contamination limiting element to the distal end of the fluid transfer tube, the apparatus comprising: a stripper plate having a stripping cavity formed therein, the stripping cavity comprising: a neck portion having a transverse dimension that is at least as large as the outer transverse dimension of the largest portion of the contamination limiting element; a beveled portion configured with respect to the neck portion so that as the fluid transfer tube and contamination limiting element are moved into the stripping cavity in a first, generally axial direction with respect to the fluid transfer tube, the beveled portion directs the fluid transfer tube and contamination limiting element into the neck portion; and an inner chamber having a transverse dimension that is greater than the transverse dimension of the neck portion, wherein the inner chamber is offset with respect to the neck portion so as to define a ledge below the neck portion; wherein the stripping cavity is configured so that as a fluid transfer tube and contamination limiting element are moved into the stripping cavity in an axial direction with respect to the fluid transfer tube, the beveled portion directs the fluid transfer tube and the contamination limiting element into the neck portion, and after the contamination limiting element passes through the neck portion and into the inner chamber, resilience of the fluid transfer tube causes the fluid transfer tube and contamination limiting element to move laterally within the inner chamber to a position at which the ledge engages a portion of the contamination limiting element when the fluid transfer tube is withdrawn from the stripping cavity to remove the contamination limiting element from the end of the fluid transfer tube.