Method for checking the functionality of a metering pump
AssigneeSiemens Healthcare Diagnostics Products GmbH
InventorGuenther Kotulla
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a metering pump, for example, for a pipetting apparatus in an automated analysis machine, and to a method for checking the functionality thereof.
Claims12
A method for checking the functionality of a metering pump comprising a cylinder and a motor-driven plunger which is movable in the cylinder, the plunger being displaceable between a start position and a target position, the method comprising the following steps:
- (a) displacing the plunger from the start position in a direction of the target position with a driving force F0 set in advance;
- (b) monitoring whether the plunger arrives at the target position;
- and
- (c) returning the plunger to the start position with a driving force F2 set in advance, the driving force F0 being less than the driving force F2;
- wherein:
- (d) a signal assigned to the metering pump is generated indicating the functionality of the metering pump—if it is determined that the plunger reaches the target position;
- and
- (e) the steps a) to c) are repeated with a driving force F0+n increased by a value n, the driving force F0+n being less than the driving force F2—if it is determined that the plunger does not reach the target position.
A metering pump comprising a cylinder, a plunger which is movable in the cylinder, and a motor, wherein a driving force is transferable from the motor onto the plunger, as a result of which the plunger is displaceable between a start position and a target position, and wherein the metering pump has a control device configured in such a way that it controls a method for checking the functionality of the metering pump, the method comprising the following steps:
- (a) displacing the plunger from the start position in a direction of the target position with a driving force F0 set in advance;
- (b) monitoring whether the plunger arrives at the target position;
- and
- (c) returning the plunger to the start position with a driving force F2 set in advance, the driving force F0 being less than the driving force F2;
- wherein:
- (d) a signal assigned to the metering pump is generated indicating the functionality of the metering pump—if it is determined that the plunger reaches the target position;
- and
- (e) the steps a) to c) are repeated with a driving force F0+n increased by a value n, the driving force F0+n being less than the driving force F2—if it is determined that the plunger does not reach the target position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.