Patent ID: 8822210

Claim:
An incubator ( 1 ) comprising: an incubation chamber ( 2 ) having a floor ( 6 ) with an opening ( 7 ); a device chamber ( 3 ) which adjoins the incubation chamber ( 2 ) at the floor ( 6 ); and a base plate ( 8 ) that extends across the opening ( 7 ) and seals off the incubation chamber ( 2 ) relative to the device chamber ( 3 ), the base plate ( 8 ) having an inner face ( 9 ) directed toward the incubation chamber ( 2 ) and an outer face ( 37 ) opposite the inner face ( 9 ); a motor ( 34 ) arranged on the outer face ( 37 ) of the base plate ( 8 ); a drive shaft ( 14 ) having a lower axle journal ( 30 ) that is in the device chamber ( 3 ) and is rotatably driven by the motor ( 34 ), an intermediate portion passing through the base plate ( 8 ) and an upper axle journals ( 20 ) in the incubation chamber ( 2 ), the upper axle journal ( 20 ) being arranged parallel to and offset from the lower axle journal ( 30 ); and a shaking table ( 11 ) in the incubation chamber ( 2 ) and mounted to the upper axle journal ( 20 ) for movement in a horizontal plane as the lower axle journal ( 30 ) is rotated by the motor ( 34 ), whereby the base plate ( 8 ) avoids moisture in the incubation chamber ( 2 ) from entering the device chamber ( 3 ) and limits heat flow from the device chamber ( 3 ) to the incubation chamber ( 2 ).