# US 2014/0195056 A1 · Actuator Apparatus with Control Device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0195056 A1 - Document ID: US20140195056A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/127,151 - Filed: 2012-06-15 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-17 - Assignees: Eppendorf AG - Inventors: Andreas Schirr; Andreas Graff - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195056A1 ## CPC - G05B 15/02: electric - C12M 99/00: {Subject matter not otherwise provided for in other groups of this subclass} - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS} ## Abstract The invention relates to an actuator apparatus (1) for generating the motion of a tool, in particular for the work on biological cell material, which provides at least one electrically controlled actuator element (3), a motion section (3a), at which a tool can be arranged and which is linked to the at least one actuator element, an electrical control device (11) for controlling the at least one actuator element, an electrical measurement device (12), which is configured to perform a measuring method for measuring at least one electrical capacitance quantity of the at least one actuator element, wherein the capacitance quantity is usable to provide information on the status of the actuator apparatus. Further, a corresponding method for obtaining and utilizing said information on the actuator apparatus is provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Actuator apparatus (1) for generating a motion of a tool (4), in particular for the work on biological cell material, providing at least one electrically controlled actuator element (3), a motion section (3a), at which a tool can be arranged and which is linked to the at least one actuator element, an electrical control device (11) for controlling the at least one actuator element, an electrical measurement device (12), which is configured to perform a measuring method for measuring at least one electrical capacitance quantity of the at least one actuator element, wherein the electrical capacitance quantity is used to provide information on the capability status of the actuator apparatus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Actuator apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the control device provides means for controlling the actuation of the at least one actuator element according to a motion procedure and that the control device provides means for automatically initiating the performance of said measuring method upon initiation of said actuation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) Actuator apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that the motion procedure is a predetermined motion procedure or a user controlled motion procedure. ### Claim 4 Actuator apparatus according to any of the previous claims characterized in that the actuator apparatus provides connector means which serve to connect the at least one actuator element to the control device, in particular, for applying an output voltage to the at least one actuator element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) Actuator apparatus according to claim 4 characterized in that the control device provides means for controlling the output voltage, which is put out by said connector means and that the control device is configured to apply a first output voltage by default, and to temporarily provide a second output voltage, which is appropriate to let the at least one actuator element perform an actuation. ### Claim 6 Actuator apparatus according to any of the previous claims characterized in that a first status and a second status of the actuator apparatus are provided and that the control device provides means for changing the actuator apparatus from the first status to the second status in dependence on the result of said measuring. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) Actuator apparatus according to claim 6 characterized in that the second status is defined such that the actuator apparatus consumes less energy in the second status than in the first status. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) Actuator apparatus according to claim 6 characterized in that the second status is defined such that the actuator apparatus uses a modified control method for controlling the actuation of the at least one actuator element in the second status compared to the first status. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) Actuator apparatus according to claim 8 characterized in that said control method uses a modified output voltage for controlling the actuation of the at least one actuator element in the second status compared to the first status. ### Claim 10 Actuator apparatus according to any of the previous claims characterized in that the electrical capacitance quantity is a time period. ### Claim 11 Actuator apparatus according to any of the previous claims characterized in that the measurement device comprises means to measure the charge of the at least one actuator element and that the measurement device comprises a comparator circuit which compares the charge of the at least one actuator element with a reference value. ### Claim 12 Actuator apparatus according to any of the previous claims characterized in that the measurement device comprises a time measuring device for measuring time periods between electrical signals with a precision of, preferably, at least 1 ns, 10 ns or 100 ns. ### Claim 13 Actuator apparatus according to any of the previous claims characterized in that the measurement device comprises means to measure the charge of the at least one actuator element and means to measure the time period, which is needed for the at least one actuator element to charge from a starting value of the charge to a reference value of the charge of the at least one actuator element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) Method for obtaining and utilizing information on an actuator apparatus, in particular for the work on biological cell material, in particular the actuator apparatus according any of the claims 1 to 13, the method providing the steps: measuring at least one electrical capacitance quantity of the at least one actuator element of the actuator apparatus using the measured capacitance quantity to provide information on the capability status of the actuator apparatus. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) Use of the actuator apparatus according at least one of the claims 1 to 13 and the method according to claim 14 to work on biological material like living cells, membranes or tissue.