Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9535082B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-11-20 15:35:37
Document Index: 438021070

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 201380076521', 'Application No. 2016', 'Application No. 5016', 'Application No. 201630099342', 'Application No. 201630099345', 'Application No. 201380076523']

US9535082B2 - Methods and apparatus to agitate a liquid - Google Patents
US9535082B2
US9535082B2 US13/801,154 US201313801154A US9535082B2 US 9535082 B2 US9535082 B2 US 9535082B2 US 201313801154 A US201313801154 A US 201313801154A US 9535082 B2 US9535082 B2 US 9535082B2
US13/801,154
US20140269158A1 (en
2014-03-14 Assigned to ABBOTT LABORATORIES reassignment ABBOTT LABORATORIES ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LUOMA, ROBERT P.
2014-09-18 Publication of US20140269158A1 publication Critical patent/US20140269158A1/en
2017-01-03 Publication of US9535082B2 publication Critical patent/US9535082B2/en
Method and apparatus to agitate a liquid are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall substantially parallel to the first sidewall. The example apparatus also includes a top wall coupled to the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The example apparatus further includes a bottom wall opposite the top wall and coupled to the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The bottom wall has a first side to define a cavity to hold a liquid. The example apparatus also includes a protrusion extending from the first side of the bottom wall toward the top wall.
Also disclosed herein is an example method that includes lifting a first container from a first position in which a rim of the first container is engaged with a ridge of a carrier and a groove of the first container is engaged with a collar of the carrier to a second position in which the rim is disengaged from the ridge and the groove is engaged with the collar. The example method also includes rotating the first container about an axis of rotation and mixing contents of the first container. In such examples, the contents are mixed by a first substantially flat sidewall of the first container and a bottom protrusion of the first container.
The example bottom wall 1100 also includes a bulge or protrusion 1108 extending from a first side 1110 of the bottom wall 1100 toward the top wall 902 (e.g., extending into the cavity 1101). In the illustrated example, the post 220 of the female connector 214 is aligned with the protrusion 1108 and depends from a second side 1112 of the bottom wall 1100 opposite the first side 1110. In the illustrated example, the protrusion 1108 is a convexity (e.g., a rounded or curved protrusion or bulge) having a crest or apex 1114. Thus, the example bottom wall 1100 of FIG. 11 includes the concave portion 1102 and a convex portion (e.g., the example protrusion 1108). In other examples, the protrusion 1108 has other shapes (e.g., cone-shaped, pyramid-shaped, etc.). The example protrusion 1108 of FIG. 12 has a first radius of curvature and the example concave portion 1102 has a second radius of curvature. In the illustrated example, the first radius of curvature is less than the second radius of curvature. Also, in the illustrated example, the first radius of curvature and the second radius of curvature of disposed in opposite directions.
a second container, the second container movable between a locked position in which the second container is non-rotatable coupled to the base and an unlocked position in which the second container is rotatable relative to the base;
a first container support to retain the first container, the first container support comprising first posts to engage a first rim of the first container to non-rotatably couple the first container to the base; and
a second container support to retain the second container, the second container support comprising:
a collar to engage a groove of the second container; and
a ridge to engage a second rim of the second container when the second container is in the locked position to non-rotatably couple the second container to the base.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a third container support to retain a third container, the third container support comprising second posts to engage a third rim of the third container to non-rotatably couple the third container to the base.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is to rotate about a first axis of rotation, and the second container is to rotate relative to the base about a second axis of rotation.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, in the unlocked position, the second container is raised so that the second rim is disengaged from the ridge and the groove is rotatable about the collar.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a cover having a first aperture to access the first container and a second aperture to access the second container.
a second container having a rounded rectangular shape, the second container including:
a second sidewall substantially parallel to the first sidewall;
a top wall coupled to the first sidewall and the second sidewall;
a bottom wall opposite the top wall and coupled to the first sidewall and the second sidewall, the bottom wall having a first side to define a cavity to hold a liquid; and
a protrusion extending from the first side of the bottom wall toward the top wall;
a first container support to retain the first container, the first container support including first posts to engage a first rim of the first container to non-rotatably couple the first container to the base; and
a second container support to retain the second container, the second container support including a collar to engage a groove of the second container and a ridge to engage a second rim of the second container, the second container selectively rotatable relative to the base.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the protrusion is disposed on a center of the bottom wall.
8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the protrusion is disposed on an axis of rotation of the bottom wall.
9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the protrusion has an apex disposed along an axis of rotation of the bottom wall.
10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second container further includes:
a third sidewall; and
a fourth sidewall opposite the third sidewall, the third sidewall and the fourth sidewall being curved, wherein the first sidewall includes a first planar portion and the second sidewall includes a second planar portion.
11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the bottom wall has a first radius of curvature, and the protrusion has a second radius of curvature different than the first radius of curvature.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first radius of curvature is oriented in a first direction and the second radius of curvature is oriented in a second direction different than the first direction.
13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first sidewall includes a rib extending toward the second sidewall.
14. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second container further includes an extension depending from a second side of the bottom wall.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the extension defines a notch.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the notch is to be engaged by a rotation mechanism to rotate the second container about an axis of rotation aligned with the protrusion.
17. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second container further includes:
a fourth sidewall opposite the third sidewall, at least two of the first sidewall, second sidewall, third sidewall or fourth sidewall defining the second rim.
18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the collar extends from the base a first distance and the ridge extends from the base a second distance less than the first distance.
19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second rim extends from a bottom of the second container, and the ridge is to engage an inner surface of the second rim when the second container is in the locked position.
20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the collar is to engage the groove of the second container when the second container is in the locked position and the unlocked position.
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Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:LUOMA, ROBERT P.;REEL/FRAME:032437/0821