Back to results
US 2018/0225887 A1Published application
Pipette check system
AssigneeMettler-Toledo Rainin, LLC
InventorsGerhard Keller, Richard Hill, Deryl Stanley, James Petrek, Murray Anderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pipette check station for checking the calibration or service status of a pipette includes an RFID reader, a user interface with a display and buttons, and a digital interface to connect the check station to additional equipment; the check station optionally further includes provisions to hold pipettes for storage and to charge electronic pipettes held thereupon.
Claims11
1-22. (canceled)
23:
- A pipette calibration and service management system comprising:
- at least one computer workstation;
- at least one pipette check station for reading service and calibration status of at least one item of hand-holdable laboratory equipment and having a data storage facility;
- and
- at least one pipette performance check unit for verifying whether an item of hand-holdable laboratory equipment set to dispense a certain volume of liquid is calibrated to accurately dispense that certain volume of liquid within a specified tolerance.
2 more elements
24:
- The pipette calibration and service management system of claim 23, wherein the pipette check station comprises:
- at least one antenna configured to read at least two dates representative of a next service date and a next calibration date from the data storage facility when the item is placed on the check station;
- a data processing unit programmed to calculate a first difference between the at least one next service date and a current date and a second difference between the next calibration date and the current date;
- and
- a visual indicator configured to present one of a plurality of status indications based on the smaller of the first difference and the second difference;
- wherein the visual indicator presents the status indication when the item is placed on the check station.
3 more elements
25:
- The pipette calibration and service management system of claim 23, wherein the pipette performance check unit comprises:
- means for receiving a volume of liquid dispensed by an item of hand-holdable laboratory equipment;
- means for measuring the volume of liquid;
- and
- means for communicating the measured volume of liquid to at least one other connected device of the system.
2 more elements
26:
- The pipette calibration and service management system of claim 25, wherein the pipette performance check unit includes and measures liquid volume via a gravimetric measurement means.
27:
- The pipette calibration and service management system of claim 25, wherein the pipette performance check unit includes and measures liquid volume via a spectrophotometric analysis cell.
28:
- The pipette calibration and service management system of claim 23, wherein each workstation, pipette check station, and pipette performance check unit is configured to communicate with at least one other connected device of the system via a data interface.
29:
- The pipette calibration and service management system of claim 28, wherein the data interface comprises a wireless data interface.
30:
- The pipette calibration and service management system of claim 28, wherein the data interface comprises a wired data interface.
31:
- The pipette calibration and service management system of claim 28, further comprising a server component adapted to run laboratory equipment management software and configured to communicate with at least one other connected device of the system.
32:
- The pipette calibration and service management system of claim 28, further comprising a cloud-based service provider component adapted to provide laboratory equipment management services and configured to communicate with at least one other connected device of the system.