Enclosures and corresponding magnetic joints

{
  "publication_number": "US11160199B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Enclosures and corresponding magnetic joints",
  "abstract": "Enclosures and corresponding magnetic joints. An apparatus includes an enclosure. The enclosure includes a magnetic panel joint formed by: a first panel carrying a magnet and comprising a first pocket; a second panel including a second pocket; and a ferromagnetic shield coupled within the second pocket and couplable within the first pocket via the magnet.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method for forming a magnetic lap joint for use with an enclosure, the method comprising: forming a pocket and a plurality of receptacles in an end portion of a first panel, the pocket having an end opening and being contiguous with the receptacles; coupling a magnet within each of the plurality of receptacles; forming a pocket within a second panel that terminates at an end face of the second panel; coupling a first shield portion of a ferromagnetic shield in the pocket of the second panel such that a second shield portion of the ferromagnetic shield extends from the end face of the second panel, an inner shield surface of the ferromagnetic shield being substantially flush with an inner second panel surface of the second panel; and disposing the second shield portion of the ferromagnetic shield within the pocket of the first panel via the end opening to form a magnetic lap joint, wherein the inner shield surface and the inner second panel surface are substantially flush with an inner first panel surface of the first panel.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a pair of dowel bores at the end face of the second panel, coupling a dowel within each of the dowel bores, and forming a master dowel bore and a slave dowel bore in an end face of the first panel, the master dowel bore and the slave dowel bore being adapted to each receive a respective one of the dowels.",
    "3. A magnetic lap joint for use with an enclosure, the magnetic lap joint comprising: a first panel having an end portion defining a pocket and a plurality of receptacles, the pocket having an end opening and being contiguous with the receptacle; a magnet disposed within each of the corresponding receptacles and coupled therein; a second panel having an end portion including an end face and defining a pocket terminating at the end face; and a ferromagnetic shield having a first shield portion and a second shield portion, the first shield portion disposed within the pocket of the second panel and coupled therein, the second shield portion extending from the end face of the second panel, an inner shield surface of the ferromagnetic shield being substantially flush with an inner second panel surface of the second panel, wherein the second shield portion of the ferromagnetic shield is receivable within the pocket of the first panel via the end opening to form a magnetic lap joint, wherein the inner shield surface and the inner second panel surface are substantially flush with an inner first panel surface of the first panel.",
    "4. The magnetic lap joint of claim 3, further comprising a dowel joint formed between the first panel and the second panel when the magnetic lap joint is formed between the first panel and the second panel.",
    "5. The magnetic lap joint of claim 4, wherein the dowel joint comprises a pair of dowels, a master dowel bore, and a slave dowel bore.",
    "6. The magnetic lap joint of claim 5, wherein the dowels extend from the second panel on either side of the pocket of the second panel, the master dowel bore being defined on one side of the pocket of the first panel, the slave dowel bore being defined on another side of the pocket of the first panel.",
    "7. The magnetic lap joint of claim 3, wherein the receptacles are positioned in a staggered arrangement.",
    "8. The magnetic lap joint of claim 3, wherein the pocket of the first panel and the pocket of the second panel are similar to one another.",
    "9. A system, comprising: an enclosure, the enclosure comprising a magnetic panel joint formed by: a first panel having an end portion defining a pocket and a plurality of receptacles, the pocket having an end opening and being contiguous with the receptacle; a magnet disposed within each of the corresponding receptacles and coupled therein; a second panel having an end portion including an end face and defining a pocket terminating at the end face; a ferromagnetic shield having a first shield portion and a second shield portion, the first shield portion disposed within the pocket of the second panel and coupled therein, the second shield portion extending from the end face of the second panel, an inner shield surface of the ferromagnetic shield being substantially flush with an inner second panel surface of the second panel, wherein the second shield portion of the ferromagnetic shield is receivable within the pocket of the first panel via the end opening to form a magnetic lap joint, wherein the inner shield surface and the inner second panel surface are substantially flush with an inner first panel surface of the first panel.",
    "10. The system of claim 9, wherein the enclosure substantially restricts ingress and egress of light through the enclosure.",
    "11. The system of claim 9, wherein the magnetic panel joint substantially restricts ingress and egress of light through the magnetic panel joint.",
    "12. The system of claim 9, wherein an inward facing first panel surface is substantially flush with the inward facing ferromagnetic shield surface when the ferromagnetic shield is coupled within the first pocket via the magnet.",
    "13. The system of claim 9, further comprising an alignment dowel bore defined by one of the first panel or the second panel and a corresponding alignment dowel carried by the other one of the first panel or the second panel.",
    "14. The system of claim 13, wherein the alignment dowel bore is defined by the first panel and is coplanar with at least one of the receptacles, and the alignment dowel includes a ferromagnetic material.",
    "15. The system of claim 13, wherein the alignment dowel bore comprises a master dowel bore, further comprising a slave dowel bore defined by the first panel or the second panel and a corresponding alignment dowel carried by the other of the first panel or the second panel.",
    "16. The system of claim 9, wherein the first panel and the second panel comprise end faces, one of the end faces carries a face magnet and the other one of the end faces carries a corresponding face ferromagnetic segment.",
    "17. The system of claim 9, wherein exterior surfaces of the first panel and the second panel are substantially flush or otherwise visually contiguous."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Sequencing platforms may include an enclosure. In instances when the sequencing platform includes lasers, the enclosure may be a light-tight enclosure.\n\nIn accordance with a first example, a method includes or comprises forming a pocket and a receptacle in an end portion of a first panel. The pocket includes or comprises an end opening and is contiguous with the receptacle. The method includes or comprises coupling a magnet within the receptacle and forming a pocket within a second panel that terminates at an end face of the second panel. The method includes or comprises coupling a first shield portion of a ferromagnetic shield in the pocket of the second panel such that a second shield portion of the ferromagnetic shield extends from the end face of the second panel. An inner shield surface of the ferromagnetic shield is substantially flush with an inner second panel surface of the second panel. The method includes or comprises disposing the second shield portion of the ferromagnetic shield within the pocket of the first panel via the end opening to form a magnetic lap joint. The inner shield surface and the inner second panel surface are substantially flush with an inner first panel surface of the first panel.\n\nIn accordance with a second example, an apparatus includes or comprises a first panel having an end portion defining a pocket and a receptacle. The pocket includes or comprises an end opening and is contiguous with the receptacle. The apparatus includes or comprises a magnet disposed within the receptacle and is coupled therein.",
  "cpc": [
    "H05K 9/0075",
    "B01L 1/00",
    "B01L 2300/041",
    "B01L 2300/046",
    "C12Q 1/6869",
    "E04F 13/0883",
    "F16B 5/10",
    "H01F 7/02",
    "H01F 7/0252"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B01L 1/00",
    "E04F 13/08",
    "H01F 7/02",
    "H05K 9/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Illumina Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Erik Allegoren"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-09-02",
  "publication_date": "2021-10-26",
  "grant_date": "2021-10-26",
  "priority_date": "2019-09-04",
  "application_number": "US-202017010664-A",
  "family_id": "72433119",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US4768748A",
    "US20040213374A1",
    "US7843296B2",
    "WO2012017629A1",
    "CN201894417U",
    "WO2015054292A1",
    "US20180305924A1"
  ]
}