US 10,946,372 B2Granted

Method for determining the position of a robotic arm in a liquid handling system, and a corresponding liquid handling system

AssigneeTecan Trading AG

InventorsPhilipp Ott, Markus Schoni, Thomas Struchen, Raffael Bueler, Nicolas Cors, Theo Meier, Daniel Kessler

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for determining the position of a robotic arm in an automatic liquid handling system in which a measurement probe with a first electrode is arranged on the robotic arm and, together with a second electrode formed by at least part of a working area or at least part of a container or container carrier forms a measurement capacitor that is operatively connected to a measurement unit for measuring an impedance, in particular a capacitance of the measurement capacitor. The method involves moving the measurement probe along a first path, detecting a first change in the impedance, in particular in the capacitance of the measurement capacitor at a first point on the first path, and defining at least one first reference spatial coordinate for a control unit of the robotic arm on the basis of the first point on the first path.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for position determination of a robot arm (4) in an automatic liquid handling system (1) comprising a substantially horizontally aligned worksurface (2) for the placement of containers (3) or container carriers (11) and at least one robot arm (4) having a drive, for example, a pipetting robot (4) having at least one pipette (5) for aspirating and/or dispensing liquid samples or a logistics robot having at least one gripper finger for moving the containers (3) or container carriers (11), and a control unit (6) which is operationally connected to the robot arm (4), wherein a measuring probe (5′) having a first electrode is arranged on the robot arm (4), which, together with a second electrode, which is formed by at least a part of the worksurface (2) or at least a part of the container (3) or container carrier (11) forms a measuring capacitor, which is operationally connected to a measuring unit (13) for measuring an impedance, in particular a capacitance (C), of the measuring capacitor, wherein the method has the following steps:

a) moving the measuring probe (5′) along a first path (p1), in particular a substantially horizontal path over the worksurface (2) or the container (3) or container carrier (11);
b) detecting a first change (ΔC1) of the impedance, in particular of the capacitance (C), of the measuring capacitor at a first point (x1) of the first path (p1);
c) establishing at least one first reference space coordinate (xRef) for the control unit (6) based on the first point (x1) of the first path (p1),
d) detecting a second change (ΔC2) of the impedance, in particular a capacitance (C), of the measuring capacitor at a second point (x2) of the first path (p1);
and at least one of the following steps:
e) establishing at least one second reference space coordinate for the control unit (6) based on the second point (x2) of the first path (p1);
f) establishing a reference distance (d, a) for the control unit (6) based on the first point (x1) of the first path (p1) and the second point (x2) of the first path (p1).

4 more elements

An automatic liquid handling system (1) comprising a substantially horizontally aligned worksurface (2) for the placement of containers (3) or container carriers (11) and at least one robot arm (4) having a drive and a control unit (6) which is operationally connected to the robot arm (4), wherein a measuring probe (5′) having a first electrode is arranged on the robot arm (4), which, together with a second electrode, which is formed by at least a part of the worksurface (2) or at least a part of the container (3) or container carrier (11) forms a measuring capacitor, which is operationally connected to a measuring unit (13) for measuring an impedance, in particular a capacitance (C), of the measuring capacitor, and the measuring unit (13) is connected to an analysis unit (14), wherein the control unit (6), the measuring unit (13), and the analysis unit (14) are adapted and configured to execute the following steps:

a) moving the measuring probe (5′) along a first path (p1), in particular a substantially horizontal path over the worksurface (2) or the container (3) or container carrier (11);
b) detecting a first change (ΔC1) of the impedance, in particular of the capacitance (C), of the measuring capacitor at a first point (x1) of the first path (p1);
c) establishing at least one first reference space coordinate (xRef) for the control unit (6) based on the first point (x1) of the first path (p1),
d) detecting a second change (ΔC2) of the impedance, in particular a capacitance (C), of the measuring capacitor at a second point (x2) of the first path (p1);
and at least one of the following steps:
e) establishing at least one second reference space coordinate for the control unit (6) based on the second point (x2) of the first path (p1);
f) establishing a reference distance (d, a) for the control unit (6) based on the first point (x1) of the first path (p1) and the second point (x2) of the first path (p1).

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/309,782Filed 21 Jul 2017
Priority: CH 950/1622 Jul 2016
Published: US 2019/0128905 A12 May 2019
Granted: 16 Mar 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification30 codes

B01L 3/0275
Burettes; Pipettes: interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips
B01L 3/021
Burettes; Pipettes: pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids
B01L 3/54
Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers: labware with identification means
B01L 9/54
Supporting devices; Holding devices: supports specially adapted for pipettes and burettes