US 12,044,691 B2Granted

Measuring apparatus for a liquid handling apparatus for measuring pipetting container, article for said measuring apparatus and corresponding measuring method

AssigneeEppendorf AG

InventorsMarkus Lapczyna, Uwe Dunker, Burkhardt Reichmuth, Maik Radke

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Abstract

A measuring apparatus usable in a liquid handling apparatus, and method, for detecting a deformed pipetting container using a first and a second measuring device, the measuring apparatus being configured to determine the position of an end region of the pipetting container as a f unction of a position of a measurement support section of the pipetting container as relative position data in a data storage device, so that subsequently the position of the end region of the pipetting container can be determined by measuring the position of the measurement support section and from the relative position data.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A measuring apparatus (1) for a liquid-handling laboratory automat for detecting the relative position of an end portion of a pipetting container (50;

50′), which consists partly or completely of plastic and serves to receive a fluid laboratory sample by means of suction into the pipetting container and/or to deliver the fluid laboratory sample and which pipetting container is automatically movable by the laboratory automat, the measuring apparatus comprising
a holding device (2) for holding the movable pipetting container (50;
50′) comprising a tubular container body (55;
55′) extending along a longitudinal axis A and having a first end portion (51;
51′) and a second end portion (52;
52′), wherein the first end portion is adapted for connecting the pipetting container to the holding device and comprises a measurement support section (54;
54′), and wherein the second end portion comprises an end region (56;
56′) being a mouth region with a fluid exchange opening,
an electronic control device (3) having data storage device (5) for storing data,
a first measuring device (10;
60) which is arranged to measure a position of the measuring support section of the pipetting container on the holding device,
a second measuring device (20;
120;
120′) adapted to measure the position of the mouth region of the pipetting container,
and the electronic control device of the measuring apparatus is configured and programmed to determine the position of a center of the mouth region being located at a perpendicular distance d>0 to the longitudinal axis A and to determine said position as a function of the position of the measurement support section as relative position data in the data storage device, so that subsequently the position of the mouth region of the pipetting container can be determined by measuring the position of the measurement support section and from the relative position data.

12 more elements

Method (200) for detecting the relative position of a mouth region (56;

56′) of a pipetting container (50;
50′) extending along an axis A, which consists partly or completely of plastic and serves to receive a fluid laboratory sample by means of suction into the pipetting container and/or to deliver the fluid laboratory sample and which pipetting container comprises a tubular container body (55;
55′) having a first (51;
51′) and a second (52;
52′) end portion, wherein the first end portion is adapted to connect the pipetting container to a holding device (2;
102;
102′) and comprises a measurement support section (54;
54′), wherein the second end portion comprises the mouth region (56;
56′), comprising the steps of
Measuring a position of the measuring support section of the pipetting container arranged on a holding device by means of a first measuring device;
(201)
Measuring the position of a center of the mouth region being located at a perpendicular distance d>0 to the longitudinal axis A of the pipetting container placed on the holding device by means of a second measuring device;
(202)
Saving the position of the mouth region as a function of the position of the measurement support section as relative position data in a data storage device, so that subsequently the position of the mouth region of the measured pipetting container can be determined by measuring the position of its measurement support section and from the relative position data (203).

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/971,658Filed 27 Feb 2019
Priority: EP 1815894327 Feb 2018
Published: US 2020/0408788 A131 Dec 2020
Granted: 23 Jul 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

G01N 35/1011
Characterised by arrangements for controlling the aspiration or dispense of liquids: control of the position or alignment of the transfer device
G01N 35/0099
Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor:…
B01L 3/021
Burettes; Pipettes: pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids
B01L 9/54
Supporting devices; Holding devices: supports specially adapted for pipettes and burettes